Abstract:
A clothes washing machine is provided with an improved detergent dispenser which can use either liquid or powder detergent for both the prewash and wash cycles of the machine. The dispenser includes a base for receiving the prewash detergent. A tray having a powder detergent cup and a fabric softener cup is positioned within the base. A liquid detergent cup is removably nested within the powder detergent cup. The liquid detergent cup includes a siphon which drains into the powder detergent cup, which in turn drains into the base of the dispenser. The softener cup includes a siphon which drains into the base of the dispenser. The base includes an outlet drain through which the detergent and fabric softener drain for introduction into the tub of the washing machine.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    Clothes washing machines typically have a detergent dispenser to receive either a powder or a liquid detergent which is added to the tub during a wash cycle of the machine. Some washing machines include compartments for laundry conditioners, such as fabric softener or bleach, as well as a compartment for detergent to be used in a prewash cycle. The prewash cycle is typically followed by a main wash cycle which includes a second dose of detergent from the dispenser. The dispenser configuration for a powder detergent is different than the configuration for a liquid detergent. For example, powder detergents typically do not require walls in the dispenser, which are required to contain liquid detergents. Also, liquid detergents generally work well with a siphon system, whereas powder detergents do not work well with a siphon system. Thus, the specific dispenser or compartment configuration provided in the washing machine normally dictates the type of detergent that can be used.  
           [0002]    Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved detergent dispenser for a clothes washing machine which can handle either powder or liquid detergent for both the prewash and main wash cycles.  
           [0003]    Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved detergent dispenser for a washing machine which allows the user to select the configuration, and thus the type of detergent, that can be used for the wash cycle of the machine.  
           [0004]    Still another objective of the present invention is the provision an improved detergent dispenser for a washing machine that can be changed by the user in order to function as either a powder detergent dispenser or a liquid detergent dispenser.  
           [0005]    Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a detergent dispenser having dual cups for powder and liquid detergent, with one cup being removably mounted in the other cup.  
           [0006]    Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a washing machine detergent dispenser having a single drain opening for prewash detergent, main wash detergent, and fabric conditioner.  
           [0007]    These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    An improved detergent dispenser is provided for a clothes washing machine. The machine has a tub for holding clothes to be washed, and may be a front loading or top loading machine. The detergent dispenser includes a base mounted in the washing machine. A first powder detergent cup is mounted in the base to hold and dispense a powder detergent into the tub during the main wash cycle. A second liquid detergent cup is removably mounted in the first cup to hold and dispense a liquid detergent into the tub during the main wash cycle. The dispenser is provided with an area to receive either liquid or powder detergent for a prewash cycle. A third cup is provided for holding and dispensing fabric softener into the tub. The dispenser includes a single drain opening through which the prewash detergent, main wash detergent, and fabric softener pass at the appropriate time of the wash cycle.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the detergent dispenser of the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the detergent dispenser of the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the improved detergent dispenser of the present invention mounted in a front loading washing machine.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the siphon cap for the liquid detergent cup according to the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines  5 - 5  of FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    The improved detergent dispenser  10  of the present invention is shown mounted in a washing machine  12  in FIG. 3. A lid  14  normally covers the dispenser  10 , and is movable between a closed and open position. The washing machine  12  is shown to be a front-loading machine, but it is understood that the dispenser can also be used on a top-loading machine (not shown). The components and operation of the washing machine  12  are conventional, and thus will not be described in detail.  
         [0015]    The detergent dispenser  10  of the present invention includes a base  16 , with a front wall  18 , back wall  20 , opposite end walls  22 ,  24  and a bottom wall  26 . An outlet opening or drain  28  is provided in end wall  24 . The bottom wall  26  slopes downwardly from the end wall  22  towards the drain  28 , such that liquids will flow by gravity toward the drain  28 . A grate  30  is removably mounted within guide tracks  32  adjacent the drain  28 . The grate  30  catches foreign objects or other large particles and precludes the passage of such material into the drain  28 . The base  16  includes bosses  33  for mounting the base  16  to the top panel  13  of the washing machine, as shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0016]    An enlarged tray  34  is adapted to set into the base  16 . The tray  34  includes a back wall  36 , a front wall  38 , opposite end walls  40 ,  42 , and a bottom wall or floor  44 . An upright dividing wall  46  divides the tray  34  into a powder detergent cup  48  and a conditioner or fabric softener cup  50 . The tray  34  rests upon shoulders  52  on the bottom wall  26  of the base  16 , such that the bottom wall  44  of the tray  34  is spaced above the bottom wall  26  of the base  16 .  
         [0017]    While the powder cup  48  and softener cup  50  are shown to be integrally formed, it is understood that the cups  48 ,  50  could be separate from one another and separately set or positioned within the base  16 .  
         [0018]    The powder detergent cup  48  includes an outlet opening  54  in the end wall  42  adjacent the back wall  36 . The bottom wall  44  slopes downwardly from front to back and end to end toward the outlet opening  54 , such that powder detergent contained within the cup  48  can be flushed out the opening  54 .  
         [0019]    A liquid detergent cup  56  mounts on the powder detergent cup  48 . The liquid cup  56  includes a back wall  58 , a front wall  60 , opposite end walls  62 ,  64 , and a bottom wall or floor  66 . A lip  68  is provided on the back wall  58 , front wall  60 , and end wall  64 . The lip  68  engages the walls  36 ,  38 ,  42  of the tray  34  to support the liquid detergent cup  56  within the powder detergent cup  48 . The liquid cup  56  is shallower than the powder cup  48 , such that the bottom wall  66  of the liquid cup  56  is spaced above the bottom wall  44  of the powder cup  48 .  
         [0020]    A hollow siphon tube  70  extends upwardly from the rear corner of the liquid cup  56  adjacent the back wall  58  and end wall  64 . The bottom wall  66  slopes downwardly from end to end and front to back towards the siphon tube  70 . A siphon cap  72  fits over the siphon tube  70 . The siphon cap  72  has an inside diameter which is greater than the outside diameter of the siphon tube  70 . The lower end of the siphon cap  72  includes a leg  74  which spaces the lower end of the cap  72  above the bottom wall  66  of the liquid cup  56 . An arm  76  extends upwardly from the cap  72  and then downwardly over the upper edge of the back wall  58  and into a slot  78  (FIGS. 1 and 2) formed on the back wall  36  of the powder cup  48 , so as to retain the siphon cap  72  in position over the siphon tube  70 . The siphon tube  70  and cap  72  function in a conventional manner so as to siphon liquid detergent upwardly in the space between the cap  72  and the tube  70  and then downwardly through the tube. The tube  70  discharges into the powder cup  48 , wherein the liquid detergent flows by gravity out the opening  54 , and then into the bottom  26  of the base  16  for drainage out the drain opening  28 .  
         [0021]    It is further understood that powder detergent cup  48  can be molded integrally with dispenser base  16  while still maintaining the prewash compartment  98 . The liquid detergent cup  56  would then be selectively mounted within the integral powder detergent area when it is desired to use liquid detergent.  
         [0022]    The fabric softener cup  50  of tray  34  includes a siphon tube  80 , similar to tube  70 , though shorter in height. A siphon cap  82  is positioned over the siphon tube  80 , and has a similar structure to cap  72 . The cap  82  includes a leg  84  to space the bottom of the cap  82  above the bottom wall  44  of the softener cup  50 , and an arm  86  extending over the back wall  36  and into a slot  88  (FIGS. 1 and 2) on the softener cup  50  so as to retain the cap  82  in position. The bottom wall  44  flows from front to back and end to end toward the siphon tube  80  of the fabric softener cup  50 . The siphon tube  80  and siphon cap  82  function conventionally to siphon a liquid fabric softener upwardly in the space between the cap  82  and the tube  80 , and downwardly through the center of the tube  80  for discharge into the base  16 , then flowing by gravity along the bottom wall  26  and out the drain  28  of the base  16 .  
         [0023]    The front wall  18  of the base  16  includes a plurality of slots or recesses  90  adapted to receive a water diverter  92 . The water diverter  92  has a plurality of water inlet tubes  94 A, B, C, D, E, each of which are adapted to be connected to a water hose or line (not shown). Each tube  94  includes a radially extending pair of flanges  96  having a space therebetween slightly greater than the thickness of the front wall  18  of the base  16 . Thus, the water diverter  92  is adapted to slide onto the front wall  18  of the base  16 , with the tubes  94  received in the recesses  90 , and with the portion of the front wall  18  defining the edges of the recesses  90  extending between the respective flanges  96  of the water diverter  92 . The end of each water inlet tube  94  extending into the base  16  includes an opening through which water is ejected into the dispenser  10  to flush out the detergent or fabric softener.  
         [0024]    More particularly, the water inlet tube  94 A directs water into the softener cup  50 . The water inlet tubes  94 B and C direct water into the powder detergent cup  48 , or the liquid detergent cup  56 . The water inlet tubes  94 D and E introduce water into the base  16  of the dispenser  10  for flushing the prewash powder or liquid detergent out the drain  28 . Dual inlet tubes  94 B, C and  94 D, E are provided for the detergent cup  48  and the prewash compartment  98  to assure sufficient volume of water to flush the detergent out of the cup or compartment. Also, the dual inlet tubes  94 B, C and  94 D, E are preferably hooked to separate hot and cold water lines. Tubes  94 B and D have a larger diameter than tubes  94 C and E to simplify assembly and avoid confusion as to which water line connects to which tube.  
         [0025]    From the foregoing, it can be seen that the dispenser  10  of the present invention allows a user to selectively choose powder or liquid detergent for the prewash cycle, as well as for the main wash cycle of the washing machine  12 . Either liquid or powder detergent can be loaded into the open area or prewash compartment  98  adjacent the end wall  24  of the base  16 . If the liquid detergent cup  56  is mounted in the powder detergent cup  48 , then the user loads liquid detergent into the cup  56 . With the cup  56  removed, the user loads powder detergent into the powder cup  48 . Fabric softener is loadable into the softener cup  50 . At the appropriate time in a cycle of the washing machine  12 , water is introduced through the appropriate inlet tubes  94 A-E to flush out the detergent or fabric softener for drainage through the drain  28  and into the tub of the washing machine  12 .  
         [0026]    From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of the stated objectives.  
         [0027]    The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention.