Patent Publication Number: US-9903064-B2

Title: Laundry washing machine

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to a laundry washing machine. 
     In particular, the present invention relates to a front-loading home laundry washing machine, to which the following description refers purely by way of example without this implying any loss of generality. 
     As is known, currently marketed front-loading home laundry washing machines generally comprise: a substantially parallelepiped-shaped outer boxlike casing structured for resting on the floor; a substantially bell-shaped washing tub which is suspended in floating manner inside the casing, directly facing a laundry loading/unloading through opening realized in the front wall of the casing; a substantially cylindrical elastically-deformable bellows, which connects the front opening of the washing tub to the laundry loading/unloading opening formed in the front wall of the casing; a porthole door which is hinged to the front wall of the casing to rotate to and from a closing position in which the door closes the laundry loading/unloading opening in the front wall of the casing for watertight sealing the washing tub; a substantially cylindrical, bell-shaped rotatable drum structured for housing the laundry to be washed, and which is arranged inside the washing tub with its concavity facing the laundry loading/unloading opening and is supported in axially rotating manner so as to be able to freely rotate about its substantially horizontally-oriented longitudinal axis; and finally an electrically-powered motor assembly which is structured for driving into rotation the rotatable drum about its longitudinal axis inside the washing tub. 
     Alike any other home laundry washing machine, this type of laundry washing machine is furthermore provided with a detergent dispensing assembly which is generally located inside the boxlike casing, immediately above the washing tub, and is structured for selectively feeding into the washing tub, according to the washing cycle manually-selected by the user via a control panel generally located on the front wall of the boxlike casing, a given amount of detergent, softener and/or other washing agent suitably mixed with fresh water arriving from the water mains; and with a fresh-water supply circuit which is structured for selectively drawing fresh water from the water mains according to the washing cycle manually-selected by the user, and channelling said water into the detergent dispensing assembly or directly into the washing tub. 
     The detergent dispensing assembly, in turn, generally comprises: a detergent drawer which is usually divided into a number of detergent compartments each structured for being manually fillable with a corresponding detergent product, and which is fitted/inserted in manually extractable manner into a completely recessed drawer housing whose entrance is usually located on front wall of the boxlike casing, above the porthole door, and whose bottom directly communicates with the inside of the washing tub via a connecting duct; and a drawer flush circuit which receives the fresh water from the fresh-water supply circuit, and is structured to selectively and alternatively channel said fresh water into any one of the detergent compartments of the detergent drawer, so as to selectively flush the detergent, softener or other washing agent out of the corresponding detergent compartment and down on the bottom of the drawer housing which, in turn, communicates with the inside of the washing tub. 
     As is known the hardness of the fresh water channelled into the washing tub deeply negatively influences the cleaning efficiency of the detergents and softeners used in the washing cycle, thus the user is usually requested to considerably increase, when the hardness degree of the fresh water is too high, the amount of detergent and softener used in the washing cycle and/or to mix the detergent with a given amount of very expensive, generally polycarboxylates-based, water-softening chemical product. 
     The European patent application No. 1085118 discloses a front-loading home laundry washing machine provided with an internal water softening device capable of reducing, during each washing cycle, the hardness degree of the fresh water used in the washing cycle. This internal water softening device uses ion-exchange resins to restrain calcium and magnesium ions (Ca++ an Mg++) dissolved in the fresh water channelled to the washing tub, and uses brine (i.e. salt water) to periodically regenerate these ion-exchange resins. Salt water, in fact, is able to remove from the ion-exchange resins the calcium and magnesium ions previously combined/fixed to said resins. 
     Unluckily integration of the salt reservoir on the back of the detergent drawer has brought to a very complicated detergent drawer structure with a consequent significant increase in the detergent dispensing assembly overall production costs. 
     Moreover the brine accidentally coming out of the salt reservoir during the drawer movement accumulates on the bottom of the drawer housing which is in direct communication with the upper portion of the washing tub, thus the brine can reach quite easily the outer surface of the rotatable drum with all problems concerned. The rotatable drum, in fact, is generally made of metal material and gets rusty very quickly in presence of brine. 
     Last but not less important, the capacity of the salt reservoir on the back of the detergent drawer is too limited for the everyday-use typical of a traditional home laundry washing machine. It is unacceptable for a normal user to refill the salt reservoir every 3-4 washing cycles. 
     SUMMARY OF SELECTED INVENTIVE ASPECTS 
     An aim of the present invention is therefore to realize an internal water softening device designed to eliminate the drawbacks referred above. 
     In compliance with the above aims, according to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a laundry washing machine comprising an outer casing and, inside said outer casing, a washing tub, a rotatable drum housed in axially rotatable manner inside the washing tub and structured for housing the laundry to be washed, a detergent dispensing assembly which is structured for supplying detergent into the washing tub, a fresh-water supply circuit which is structured for selectively channeling a flow of fresh water from the water mains towards the detergent dispensing assembly and/or the washing tub, and a water softening device which is arranged/located along the fresh-water supply circuit and is structured for reducing the hardness degree of the fresh water channelled to the detergent dispensing assembly and/or the washing tub; the water softening device in turn comprising a water-softening agent container which is arranged/located along the fresh-water supply circuit and is filled with a water softening agent able to reduce the hardness degree of the fresh water flowing through the same water-softening agent container, and a regeneration-agent reservoir which is fluidically connected to the water-softening agent container and is structured to receive a consumable regeneration agent for performing a regeneration of the water softening function of the water softening agent stored into the water-softening agent container; the laundry washing machine furthermore comprising an appliance control panel which is located on a front wall of the casing, close to a worktop of the casing, and is structured for allowing the user to manually select the desired washing-cycle, and being characterized in that the regeneration-agent reservoir is provided with a loading inlet or mouth structured for allowing the user to load a regeneration agent inside the same regeneration-agent reservoir, and is arranged/located inside the casing so that said loading inlet or mouth is exposed or exposable to the outside of the casing and is moreover located/arranged on a portion of said worktop located behind the appliance control panel. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the exposed or exposable loading inlet or mouth of the regeneration-agent reservoir is arranged/located on a portion of the worktop extending between the appliance control panel and the back wall of the casing. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the loading inlet or mouth of the regeneration-agent reservoir is freely accessible by the user through a manually-operated closure assembly provided on the worktop of the casing. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that said manually-operated closure assembly comprises a door provided on the worktop of the casing; said door being movable to and from a closing position wherein the door hides the loading inlet or mouth of the regeneration-agent reservoir. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that said door forms a portion of the worktop of the casing. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the worktop of the casing is provided with a inner shelf which is arranged beneath the door, and the loading inlet or mouth of the water softening device is located/incorporated into said inner shelf. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the appliance control panel is located substantially beneath the worktop of the casing, substantially on the upper left corner of the front wall of said casing. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the detergent dispensing assembly is provided with a corresponding loading inlet or mouth which is structured for allowing the user to load the washing agent inside the same detergent dispensing assembly, and it is moreover arranged/located inside the casing so that its loading inlet or mouth is exposed or exposable to the outside on the front wall of the casing. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the detergent dispensing assembly is arranged/located inside the casing so that its loading inlet or mouth is exposed or exposable to the outside on the front wall of the casing substantially beside the appliance control panel. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the detergent dispensing assembly comprises a detergent container which is fillable with a given quantity of detergent, softener and/or other washing agent, and which is housed inside the casing into a corresponding container housing; the front wall of the casing being provided with a corresponding pass-through opening through which the detergent container is accessible by the user. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the detergent dispensing assembly comprises a detergent drawer which is manually fillable with a given quantity of detergent, softener and/or other washing agent, and is fitted/inserted in manually extractable manner into a recessed drawer housing which extends inside the casing while remaining above the washing tub, and communicates with the outside of the casing via a front entrance or opening realized on the front wall of the casing beside the appliance control panel. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the water softening device furthermore comprises a water supply circuit which is structured for channelling a given amount of fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir so to at least partly dissolve the regeneration agents stored therein to form some brine. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the water softening device furthermore comprises a pump assembly or valve assembly which is interposed between the water-softening agent container and the regeneration-agent reservoir, and which is structured for regulating/controlling the outflow of the brine from the regeneration-agent reservoir to the water-softening agent container. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the regeneration-agent reservoir comprises a substantially basin-shaped, regeneration-agent container which is manually fillable with a given quantity of consumable regeneration agent, and is recessed/incorporated into the worktop of the casing on a portion of the worktop located behind the appliance control panel, so that its mouth is freely accessible by the user. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the regeneration-agent container is recessed/incorporated into the inner shelf of the worktop behind the appliance control panel, so that the mouth of the regeneration-agent container is freely accessible by the user through the manually-operated closure assembly. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the water supply circuit of the water softening device is structured for spilling/pouring a shower of the water droplets by gravity into the substantially basin-shaped container of the regeneration-agent reservoir. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the regeneration-agent reservoir comprises: a storage tank which is structured for being manually fillable with a given quantity of consumable regeneration agent, and which is arranged/located immediately underneath the worktop of the casing, so as to be freely accessible by the user from the worktop of the casing; and a manually-removable cap which is structured to closed the storage tank. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the water supply circuit of the water softening device is structured for channelling the fresh water directly into the storage tank, so as to dissolve the regeneration agents contained into the storage tank and form some brine. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the regeneration-agent reservoir furthermore comprises an overflow drain line which fluidically connects the storage tank to the washing tub or to a waste-water drain line that channels the waste water or washing liquor outside the laundry washing machine, and which is structured for directly channelling the water or brine eventually exceeding the maximum capacity of the storage tank towards the washing tub or towards the waste-water drain line. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the storage tank is recessed/incorporated into the inner shelf of the worktop in a manually removable manner. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the storage tank of the regeneration-agent reservoir is recessed in manually extractable manner into a corresponding tank seat realized on the inner shelf of the worktop, and is provided with at least two self-closing hydraulic connectors which are structured to substantially watertight couple in easily detachable manner with corresponding complementary self-closing hydraulic connectors arranged on the inner shelf; a first self-closing complementary hydraulic connector being in direct communication with a water supply circuit of the internal water softening device; a second complementary self-closing hydraulic connector being in direct communication with the water-softening agent container. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that said male self-closing hydraulic connectors are structured to couple with the corresponding complementary self-closing hydraulic connectors arranged on the inner shelf during insertion of the storage tank into the tank seat. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the bottom of the tank seat is shaped/structured so as to form a leakage collector wherein the fresh water or brine leaking out of the storage tank may accumulate; and in that said leakage collector realized on the bottom of said tank seat is connected via a water drain line to the washing tub or to a waste-water drain line that channels the waste water or washing liquor out of the laundry washing machine. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the regeneration-agent reservoir furthermore comprises a water-level sensor which is located on the bottom of the tank seat and is able to measure the level of the fresh water and/or brine accumulated on the leakage collector formed on the bottom of the tank seat. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized in that the water softening device furthermore comprises a water-level sensor which is structured for measuring the level of the fresh water and/or brine contained inside the regeneration-agent reservoir, and/or a salinity-level sensor which is structured for measuring the salinity degree of the brine contained inside the regeneration-agent reservoir. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the laundry washing machine is furthermore characterized by also comprising a water drain line which is structured for selectively rerouting the brine or fresh water coming out from the water-softening agent container directly towards the washing tub or towards a waste-water drain line that channels the waste water or washing liquor out of the laundry washing machine, so as to bypass the detergent dispensing assembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a front-loading, home laundry washing machine realized in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the  FIG. 1  laundry washing machine in different working configuration; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the  FIG. 1  laundry washing machine with parts removed for clarity and partly disclosing the internal water softening device of the washing machine; and 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the internal water softening device of the  FIG. 1  laundry washing machine, with parts removed for clarity; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a first alternative embodiment of the internal water softening device of the  FIG. 1  laundry washing machine; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a second alternative embodiment of the internal water softening device of the  FIG. 1  laundry washing machine; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the  FIG. 1  laundry washing machine; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of the internal water softening device of the  FIG. 7  laundry washing machine, with parts removed for clarity; 
         FIG. 9  is a partial and schematic view of a portion of the internal water softening device of the  FIG. 7  laundry washing machine; whereas 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the internal water softening device of the  FIG. 7  laundry washing machine. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 , reference number  1  indicates as a whole a home laundry washing machine which comprises: a preferably, though not necessarily, substantially parallelepiped-shaped, rigid outer boxlike casing  2  which is structured for resting on the floor; a preferably substantially cylindrical, bell-shaped hollow washing tub  3  which is arranged inside the casing  2  with its opening or mouth directly facing a laundry loading/unloading through opening realized in the front wall  2   a  of boxlike casing  2 ; a preferably substantially cylindrical, elastically-deformable bellows  4  watertight connecting the front opening or mouth of washing tub  3  to the laundry loading/unloading opening realized in the front wall  2   a  of casing  2 ; and a substantially cylindrical, bell-shaped rotatable drum (not shown) structured for housing the laundry to be washed, and which is housed in axially rotatable manner inside the washing tub  3 , so as to be able to freely rotate about its longitudinal reference axis. 
     In the example shown, in particular, the laundry loading/unloading opening is preferably realized on front wall  2   a  of casing  2  substantially astride of the vertical center-plane of the casing  2 , and the washing tub  3  is preferably arranged inside the boxlike casing  2  with its longitudinal reference axis substantially horizontally-oriented, i.e. substantially perpendicular to front wall  2   a.  The rotatable drum (not shown), in turn, is housed in axially rotating manner inside the washing tub  3  with its front opening directly faced/aligned to the laundry loading/unloading opening on front wall  2   a,  and the drum rotation axis is preferably arranged locally substantially coincident with the substantially horizontally-oriented longitudinal reference axis of washing tub  3 . 
     Furthermore in the example shown the hollow washing tub  3  is preferably suspended in floating manner inside the casing  2  via a suspension system preferably, though not necessarily, comprising a couple of upper coil springs  5  connecting the upper portion of the washing tub  3  to the top of the boxlike casing  2 , and a number of lower vibration dampers (not shown) connecting the bottom portion of the washing tub  3  to the bottom of casing  2 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 , the laundry washing machine  1  furthermore comprises:
         a porthole door  7  which is hinged to the front wall  2   a  of casing  2  to rotate about a preferably, though not necessarily, vertically-oriented reference axis to and from a closing position in which the peripheral border of the porthole door  7  rests completely on front wall  2   a  for closing the laundry loading/unloading opening and watertight sealing the washing tub  3 ;   an electrically-powered motor assembly (not shown) which is structured for driving into rotation the rotatable drum about its longitudinal reference axis inside the washing tub  3 ;   a detergent dispensing assembly  9  which is housed inside the casing  2  in easily reachable manner by the user, and is structured for selectively feeding into the washing tub  3 , according to the selected washing cycle, a given amount of detergent, softener and/or other washing agent preferably suitably mixed with the fresh water arriving from the water mains, or even simply a given amount of fresh water arriving from the water mains; and   a fresh-water supply circuit  10  which is connectable to the water mains and is structured for selectively channelling the fresh water from the water mains to the detergent dispensing assembly  9  and/or to the washing tub  3 , preferably while controlling/regulating the flow of fresh water towards the detergent dispensing assembly  9  and/or the washing tub  3 .       

     In addition to the above, the laundry washing machine  1  furthermore comprises an appliance control panel  11  which is structured for allowing the user to manually select the desired washing-cycle and is located on front wall  2   a  of casing  2 , above the laundry loading/unloading opening and close to a preferably substantially horizontally oriented, upper worktop or top wall  2   b  of the casing  2 ; and an internal water softening device  12  which is located inside the casing  2 , and is structured for selectively reducing, during each washing cycle, the hardness degree of the fresh water flowing from the water mains to the detergent dispensing assembly  9  and/or to the washing tub  3 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 , in the examples shown, in particular, the appliance control panel  11  is preferably located on front wall  2   a  of the casing  2  substantially immediately beneath the worktop  2   b  of casing  2 , preferably also so as to border the worktop  2   b.  Furthermore the appliance control panel  11  is preferably located substantially on the upper left corner of the front wall  2   a.    
     In other words, the appliance control panel  11  is preferably located substantially on the upper region of casing  2 . 
     The internal water softening device  12 , in turn, is arranged/located along the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , so as to be crossed by the fresh water flowing from the water mains to the detergent dispensing assembly  9  and/or the washing tub  3 , and is internally provided with a given amount of water softening agent which is able to reduce the hardens degree of the fresh water flowing through the same water softening device  12 , and with a given amount of consumable salt or other regeneration agent which is able to regenerate the water softening function of the water softening agent. 
     In addition to the above, the water softening device  12  is moreover provided with a loading inlet or mouth which is structured for allowing the user to timely load the consumable salt or other regeneration agent inside the same water softening device  12 , and it is arranged/located inside the boxlike casing  2  so that the loading inlet or mouth of the same water softening device  12  is exposed or exposable to the outside on a portion of the worktop  2   b  located behind the appliance control panel  11 . 
     In other words, the exposed or exposable loading inlet or mouth of the water softening device  12  is arranged/located on a portion of the worktop  2   b  extending between the appliance control panel  11  and the back wall of the casing  2 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the internal water softening device  12  is preferably arranged/located inside the boxlike casing  2  so that the loading inlet or mouth of the same water softening device  12  is exposed or exposable to the outside substantially immediately behind the appliance control panel  11 . 
     In addition to the above, with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the loading inlet or mouth of water softening device  12  is preferably freely accessible by the user on the worktop  2   b  through a manually-operated closure assembly  13  preferably arranged/incorporated into the same worktop  2   b.    
     In the example shown, in particular, the loading inlet or mouth of water softening device  12  is preferably freely accessible by the user through a manually-operated trapdoor  13  realized on the worktop  2   b  of casing  2  preferably substantially immediately behind the appliance control panel  11 . 
     Preferably the manually-operated trapdoor  13  furthermore forms a portion of the worktop  2   b  of the casing  2 . 
     In other words, the door of the manually-operated trapdoor  13  is preferably movable to and from a closing position wherein the same door hides the loading inlet or mouth of the water softening device  12 . 
     More in details, in the examples shown the door of the manually-operated trapdoor  13  is preferably hinged to the worktop  2   b  of casing  2  so as to be able to rotate about a substantially horizontally-oriented reference axis preferably, though not necessarily, parallel to the reference laying plane of front wall  2   a,  between
         a lowered position (see  FIGS. 1 and 3 ) in which the door of the trapdoor  13  is arranged substantially horizontally and substantially coplanar to the rest of worktop  2   b,  so as to a portion of the worktop  2   b  of the casing  2  and to hide the beneath-located loading inlet or mouth of the water softening device  12 ; and   a raised position (see  FIG. 2 ) in which the door of the trapdoor  13  is arranged substantially perpendicular with respect to the rest of the worktop  2   b  so that the loading inlet or mouth of water softening device  12  is freely accessible to the user.       

     In addition to the above, in the example shown the worktop  2   b  of casing  2  is preferably, though not necessarily, also provided with a substantially-flat, inner shelf or panel  14  which is arranged immediately beneath the manually-operated trapdoor  13 , that is to say beneath the manually-operated closure assembly  13 , and the loading inlet or mouth of the water softening device  12  is preferably located/incorporated into this substantially-flat inner shelf  14 . 
     The door of the manually-operated trapdoor  13 , in turn, is preferably hinged to worktop  2   b  of casing  2  so as to be able to rotate about a substantially horizontally-oriented reference axis preferably, though not necessarily, parallel to the reference laying plane of front wall  2   a,  between
         a lowered position (see  FIGS. 1 and 3 ) in which the door of the trapdoor  13  rests substantially horizontally above the inner shelf  14 , while at same time remaining also substantially coplanar to the rest of worktop  2   b,  so as to hide the shelf  14  and complete the worktop  2   b  of casing  2 ; and   a raised position (see  FIG. 2 ) in which the door of the trapdoor  13  is arranged substantially perpendicular with respect to the rest of the worktop  2   b  so as to make the beneath located shelf  14  freely accessible to the user.       

     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , similarly to the internal water softening device  12 , the detergent dispensing assembly  9  is provided with a corresponding loading inlet or mouth which is structured for allowing the user to timely load the requested detergent, softener and/or other washing agent inside the same detergent dispensing assembly  9 . However, differently from water softening device  12 , the detergent dispensing assembly  9  is preferably arranged/located inside the boxlike casing  2  so that the loading inlet or mouth of the same detergent dispensing assembly  9  is exposed or exposable to the outside on front wall  2   a  of casing  2 , preferably above the laundry loading/unloading opening and beneath the worktop  2   b  of the casing  2 , i.e. between the worktop  2   b  and the laundry loading/unloading opening. 
     More specifically, the detergent dispensing assembly  9  is preferably arranged/located inside the casing  2  so that the loading inlet or mouth of the same detergent dispensing assembly  9  is preferably exposed or exposable to the outside on front wall  2   a,  substantially horizontally beside the appliance control panel  11 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the detergent dispensing assembly  9  is preferably arranged inside the casing  2  so as to locate its loading inlet or mouth immediately beneath the worktop  2   b  of the casing  2 , substantially on the upper right corner of front wall  2   a.  Thus the detergent dispensing assembly  9  and the appliance control panel  11  are preferably arranged inside the boxlike casing  2  substantially horizontally aligned to one another, immediately beneath the worktop  2   b  of casing  2 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , in the example shown the fresh-water supply circuit  10  preferably comprises an electrically-controlled on-off valve  15  which is arranged/interposed between the water mains and the water softening device  12 , and is able to control/regulate the flow of fresh water from the water mains towards the water softening device  12 ; a first pipeline  16  connecting the on-off valve  15  directly to the water inlet of the internal water softening device  12 ; and a second pipeline  17  connecting the water outlet of the internal water softening device  12  to the detergent dispensing assembly  9  and/or to the washing tub  3 . 
     Furthermore the fresh-water supply circuit  10  is preferably also provided with a one-way valve  18  which is located along pipeline  16  immediately downstream of the on-off valve  15 , i.e. between the on-off valve  15  and the water inlet of the water softening device  12 , and is structured to allow the fresh water to only flow along the pipeline  16  from the water mains to the water softening device  12  and not vice versa. 
     The internal water softening device  12  is therefore located downstream of the electrically-controlled on-off valve  15 , and also downstream of the one-way valve  18  if present. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 , the detergent dispensing assembly  9  instead preferably comprises a detergent container  20  which is manually fillable with a given quantity of detergent, softener and/or other washing agent, and is housed inside the casing  2  into a corresponding container housing  21 ; and the front wall  2   a  of casing  2  is preferably provided with a corresponding pass-through opening  21   a  through which the detergent container  20  is accessible by the user. 
     In other words, the detergent container  20  is provided with a loading inlet or mouth which is structured for allowing the user to load the requested detergent, softener and/or other washing agent inside the same detergent container  20 , and this loading inlet or mouth is accessible by the user through the pass-through opening  21   a  on front wall  2   a.    
     The quantity of detergent, softener and/or other washing agent stored into the detergent container  20  may be sufficient either for a single washing cycle or for several consecutive washing cycles. 
     In the example shown, in particular, the container housing  21  is preferably located inside casing  2 , above the washing tub  3  and beneath the worktop  2   b,  and the pass-through opening  21   a  is preferably arranged/located on front wall  2   a  of casing  2 , immediately beneath the worktop  2   b.    
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , preferably, though not necessarily, the detergent dispensing assembly  9  furthermore comprises a water supply circuit  22  which is connected to the fresh-water supply circuit  10  downstream of the water softening device  12 , and is structured for selectively channelling a given amount of fresh water arriving from the water mains into the detergent container  20 , so as to selectively flush/push a given quantity of the detergent, softener or other washing agent into the washing tub  3 . 
     More specifically, the inlet of water supply circuit  22  is fluidically connected to the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , namely to the pipeline  17  of the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , so as to receive the fresh water drawn from the water mains, and the water softening device  12  is located upstream of the water supply circuit  22  so as to be crossed by the fresh water flowing towards the water supply circuit  22 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the detergent dispensing assembly  9  preferably comprises a detergent drawer  20  which is manually fillable with a given quantity of detergent, softener and/or other washing agent, and which is fitted/inserted in manually extractable manner into a completely recessed drawer housing  21  which, starting from front wall  2   a  of casing  2 , extends preferably substantially horizontally inside the boxlike casing  2  while remaining above the washing tub  3 , and moreover communicates with the outside of casing  2  via a front entrance or opening  21   a  realized on front wall  2   a  of casing  2  substantially immediately above the laundry loading/unloading opening and substantially horizontally beside the appliance control panel  11 . 
     Preferably the bottom of drawer housing  21  is furthermore structured so to directly communicate with the inside of washing tub  3  via a corresponding connecting duct (not shown). 
     The detergent drawer  20  is therefore manually movable inside the drawer housing  21  in a preferably substantially horizontally-oriented, displacement direction between a working position (see  FIG. 2 ) in which the detergent drawer  20  is completely recessed inside the corresponding drawer housing  21  preferably while at same time closing the front entrance or opening of the same drawer housing, and a completely extracted position (see  FIG. 1 ) in which the detergent drawer  20  partly juts out from the front wall  2   a  of casing  2  through the front entrance or opening  21   a  of the drawer housing  21 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the drawer housing  21  of detergent drawer  20  is preferably arranged inside casing  2  so as to locate its front entrance or opening  21   a  immediately beneath the worktop  2   b  of casing  2 , substantially on the upper right corner of front wall  2   a  of casing  2 ; whereas the detergent drawer  20  is preferably movable inside the same drawer housing  21  along a substantially horizontally-oriented, displacement direction which is also locally substantially perpendicular to front wall  2   a  of casing  2 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , the water supply circuit  22 , in turn, is connected to the fresh-water supply circuit  10  downstream of the water softening device  12 , and is structured for selectively spilling/pouring a given amount of fresh water arriving from the water mains into the detergent drawer  20 , so as to selectively flush a given quantity of the detergent, softener or other washing agent into the washing tub  3 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the water supply circuit  22  receives the fresh water from the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , and is preferably structured for selectively spilling/pouring a dense shower of water droplets by gravity directly into the detergent drawer  20 , so as to flush the detergent, softener or other washing agent out of the detergent drawer  20  and down onto the bottom of drawer housing  21 . This mixture of water and detergent, softener or other washing agent afterwards flows into washing tub  3  via the connecting duct branching off from the bottom of the drawer housing  21  of detergent drawer  20 . 
     In addition to the above, with reference to  FIG. 4 , the detergent drawer  20  is preferably, though not necessarily, divided into a plurality of detergent compartments  20   a  (three detergent compartments in the example shown) each of which is manually fillable with a respective washing agent; and the water supply circuit  22  is structured for spilling/pouring the softened fresh water arriving from the fresh-water supply circuit  10  selectively and alternatively into any one of the detergent compartments  20   a  of detergent drawer  20 , so as to selectively flush the detergent, softener or other washing agent out of the same compartment  20   a  and down onto the substantially funnel-shaped bottom of drawer housing  21  of detergent drawer  20 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , in the example shown, in particular, the water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  is provided with an electrically-controlled hydraulic distributor  24  or similar valve assembly, which is arranged/interposed between the fresh-water supply circuit  10  and the various detergent compartments  20   a  of the detergent drawer  20 , i.e. between the outlet of the pipeline  17  and the various detergent compartments  20   a  of detergent drawer  20 , and is structured for selectively and alternatively channelling the fresh water arriving from the fresh-water supply circuit  10  towards the various detergent compartments  20   a  of detergent drawer  20 . 
     More specifically, in the example shown the water supply circuit  22  is preferably, though not necessarily, structured for spilling/pouring a dense shower of water droplets by gravity into the various detergent compartments  20   a  of the detergent drawer  20 . 
     In other words, with reference to  FIG. 4 , in the example shown the water supply circuit  22  preferably comprises a sprinkler head  25  which is associated to the drawer housing  21  of detergent drawer  20  so as to be located immediately above the detergent drawer  20  when the latter is completely inserted/recessed into the drawer housing  21 . This sprinkler head  25  is provided with a number (three in the example shown) of shower-making portions/sections  25   a  each of which is preferably substantially vertically aligned to one or more detergent compartments  20   a  of detergent drawer  20 , and is structured for feeding a dense shower of water droplets by gravity into said detergent compartment/s  20   a.    
     In the example shown, in particular, each shower-making section/portion  25   a  of sprinkler head  25  is preferably locally vertically aligned to a respective detergent compartment  20   a  of detergent drawer  20 , and is preferably structured for feeding a dense shower of water droplets exclusively into the detergent compartment  20   a  located immediately beneath. 
     The electrically-controlled hydraulic distributor or valve assembly  24  is located upstream of the sprinkler head  25 , i.e. between the sprinkler head  25  and the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , and is structured for channelling the fresh water arriving from the fresh-water supply circuit  10  selectively and alternatively towards the various shower-making sections/portions  25   a  of the sprinkler head  25 . 
     In other words, the electrically-controlled hydraulic distributor  24  is provided with a water inlet fluidically connected to the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , i.e. to pipeline  17 , and a number (three in the example shown) of water outlets each fluidically connected to a respective shower-making section/portion  25   a  of the sprinkler head  25 , and it is structured for selectively and alternatively channelling the fresh water arriving from the fresh-water supply circuit  10  to the various shower-making sections/portions  25   a  of the sprinkler head  25 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 , the internal water softening device  12  in turn basically comprises a water-softening agent container  28  and a regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , both housed inside the boxlike casing  2 . 
     The water-softening agent container  28  is arranged/located along the fresh-water supply circuit  10  so as to be crossed by the fresh water flowing along the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , and is filled with a water softening agent able to reduce the hardness degree of the fresh water flowing through the same water-softening agent container  28 . The regeneration-agent reservoir  29  instead is structured for receiving a given quantity of consumable salt or other regeneration agent which is able to regenerate the water softening function of the water softening agents stored inside the water-softening agent container  28 , and is fluidically connected to the water-softening agent container  28  for selectively transferring a mixture of water and salt or other regeneration agent to the water-softening agent container  28 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the water-softening agent container  28  has an inlet connected to pipeline  16  of fresh-water supply circuit  10  and an outlet connected to pipeline  17  of fresh-water supply circuit  10 , so as to be crossed by the fresh water flowing from the water mains to the detergent dispensing assembly  9 . The water-softening agent container  28  is therefore fluidically interposed between the water mains and the detergent dispensing assembly  9 , or more specifically between the water mains and the inlet of the water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9 , so as to be crossed by the fresh water flowing from the water mains to the inlet of water supply circuit  22 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 , the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , in turn, is provided with an exposable loading inlet or mouth which is structured for allowing the user to timely load the consumable salt or other regeneration agent inside the same regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , thus forming the exposable loading inlet or mouth of the internal water softening device  12 , and it is arranged/located inside the casing  2  so that the loading inlet or mouth of the same regeneration-agent reservoir  29  is exposed or exposable to the outside on worktop  2   b  of casing  2 , substantially immediately behind the appliance control panel  11 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in the example shown, in particular, the water-softening agent container  28  is filled with a given amount of ion-exchange resins (not shown) capable to restrain the calcium and/or magnesium ions (Ca++ an Mg++) dissolved in the fresh water flowing across the same water-softening agent container  28 , and is located along the fresh-water supply circuit  10  so as to be crossed by the fresh water directed towards the detergent dispensing assembly  9  and/or the washing tub  3 . 
     More in particular, the water-softening agent container  28 , hereinafter also referred to as the resin container  28 , is preferably arranged between pipelines  16  and  17 , so as to be crossed by the fresh water directed towards the detergent dispensing assembly  9  and/or the washing tub  3 , and it is furthermore arranged upstream of the hydraulic distributor  24  of detergent dispensing assembly  9 , so as to be crossed by the fresh water flowing from the water mains to the inlet of water supply circuit  22 . The ion-exchange resins (not shown) stored into the water-softening agent container  28  form the water softening agents of the water softening device  12 . 
     The outside-accessible regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , in turn, is structured for receiving a given amount (for example half a Kilo or one Kilo) of salt grains (Sodium Chloride) or similar regeneration chemical agent, and is located/arranged inside the casing  2 , immediately beneath the worktop  2   b  of casing  2 , so as to be freely accessible by the user through the worktop  2   b  of casing  2 , substantially immediately behind the appliance control panel  11 . 
     More specifically, the loading inlet or mouth of the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  is preferably freely accessible by the user through the trapdoor  13  realized on worktop  2   b  of casing  2 , substantially immediately behind the appliance control panel  11 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  is preferably arranged immediately underneath the inner shelf  14  of worktop  2   b,  and the loading inlet or mouth of regeneration-agent reservoir  29  is preferably located/incorporated into the inner shelf  14  so as to be freely accessible by the user when the trapdoor  13  is arranged in the raised/opened position. 
     Furthermore, in the example shown the water-softening agent container  28  is preferably located immediately underneath the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , so as to be substantially vertically aligned to the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  which, in turn, is preferably located immediately beneath the trapdoor  13  realized on worktop  2   b  of boxlike casing  2 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , in addition to the above the internal water softening device  12  furthermore comprises:
         a water supply circuit  30  which is structured for channelling, on command, a given amount of fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  so to at least partly dissolve the salt or other regeneration agents stored therein and form a given amount of brine (i.e. of salt water); and   an electrically-powered brine-circulating pump  31  which is interposed between the water-softening agent container  28  and the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  and is structured for transferring/moving, when activated, the brine (i.e. the salt water) from the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  to the water-softening agent container  28 .       

     Preferably, the electrically-powered brine-circulating pump  31  is furthermore structured for transferring/moving, when activated, the brine (i.e. the salt water) from the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  to the water-softening agent container  28 , and for completely watertight sealing/isolating, when deactivated, the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  from the water-softening agent container  28  so as to prevent the brine (i.e. the salt water) store in the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  from flowing towards the water-softening agent container  28 . 
     Obviously, in a less sophisticated embodiment, the electrically-powered brine-circulating pump  31  may be replaced by an electrically-powered pump assembly comprising a conventional electrically-powered suction pump and an on-off valve which is arranged immediately upstream of the suction pump and is structured to watertight seal the suction/inlet of the electrically-powered suction pump when the latter is deactivated, and to put the suction/inlet of the electrically-powered suction pump in direct communication with the inside of the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  when the suction pump is activated. 
     Preferably, the water softening device  12  is furthermore provided with a water-level sensor (not shown) which is structured for measuring the level of the brine contained into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , and/or a salinity-level sensor (not shown) which is structured for measuring the salinity degree of the brine contained into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the water-level sensor and/or the salinity-level sensor is/are able to communicate with an internal electronic central control unit (not shown) which is housed inside the boxlike casing  2  and controls all electrically-operated component parts of the laundry washing machine  1 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 , in the example shown, in particular, the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  preferably comprises a substantially basin-shaped, regeneration-agent container  33  which is manually fillable with a given quantity of consumable salt or other regeneration agent, and is recessed/incorporated into the inner shelf  14  of worktop  2   b,  on a portion of the worktop  2   b  located behind the appliance control panel  11 , so that its upper mouth  33   a  is freely accessible by the user when the trapdoor  13  is arranged in the raised position. 
     More in details, in the example shown the regeneration-agent container  33  is preferably recessed/incorporated into the inner shelf  14  of worktop  2   b,  substantially immediately behind the appliance control panel  1 . 
     The water supply circuit  30 , in turn, is structured for channelling, on command, a given amount of fresh water into the basin-shaped container  33  so to at least partly dissolve the salt or other regeneration agents stored therein and form a given amount of brine (i.e. of salt water), and the suction of the brine-circulating pump  31  directly communicates with said regeneration-agent container  33 , so that the brine-circulating pump  31  is able to selectively pump the brine from the basin-shaped container  33  to the resin container  28 . 
     Being freely accessible by the user, the upper mouth  33   a  of the basin-shaped container  33  allows the user to load the consumable salt or other regeneration agent inside the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , and therefore forms the exposable loading inlet or mouth of the water softening device  12 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , in the example shown, in particular, the bottom of the substantially basin-shaped, regeneration-agent container  33  is preferably, though not necessarily, shaped/structured so as to form a gulley or sump  33   b  wherein the brine tends to accumulate, and the suction of the brine-circulating pump  31  directly communicates with said gulley or sump  33   b,  so that the brine-circulating pump  31  is able to selectively pump the brine from the bottom of the basin-shaped container  33  to the resin container  28 . 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the water softening device  12  furthermore comprises a water-level sensor (not shown) which is structured for measuring the level of the brine contained into the basin-shaped container  33 , and/or a salinity-level sensor (not shown) which is structured for measuring the salinity degree of the brine contained into the basin-shaped container  33 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the water supply circuit  30  of water softening device  12 , in turn, is preferably structured for being connected to the water mains independently from the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , so as to be able to selectively draw a given amount of fresh water from the water mains and channel said fresh water directly into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 . 
     In the examples shown, in particular, the water supply circuit  30  is connected to the water mains independently from the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , and is preferably structured for spilling/pouring a shower of the water droplets by gravity directly into the basin-shaped container  33 . 
     More in particular, with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , similarity the water supply circuit  22 , the water supply circuit  30  of water softening device  12  preferably comprises:
         a number of sprinkle nozzles  35  which are located on the lateral walls of the basin-shaped container  33 , immediately beneath and all around the upper mouth  33   a  of the container  33 , and are structured so as to spray a shower of water droplets into the basin-shaped container  33 ; and   an electrically-controlled on-off valve  36  which is arranged/interposed between the water mains and the sprinkler nozzles  35 , and is able to control/regulate the flow of fresh water from the water mains towards the sprinkler nozzles  35 .       

     In the example shown, in particular, the electrically-controlled on-off valve  36  is preferably, though not necessarily, attached to the rear wall of casing  2  close to on-off valve  15 , and it is directly connected to the sprinkler nozzles  35  via a pipeline  37  or the like. 
     The electrically-controlled on-off valve  36  is furthermore preferably, though not necessarily, dimensioned so as to have a nominal flow rate substantially equal to the nominal flow rate of the brine-circulating pump  31 , so that the brine-circulating pump  31  is able to transfer/move the brine little by little from the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  to the resin container  28 , thus minimising the permanency of the brine on the bottom of basin-shaped container  33 . 
     As an alternative, the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  may also comprise a manually-removable upper lid which is shaped/structured so as to substantially completely cover and close the upper mouth  33   a  of the basin-shaped container  33 ; and the water supply circuit  30  of water softening device  12  preferably comprises, in place of the perimetrical sprinkler nozzles  35 , a huge sprinkler head which is incorporated into said manually-removable upper lid so as to be faced with the inside of the basin-shaped container  33  when the lid closes the upper mouth  33   a  of the basin-shaped container  33 , and is structured for feeding a dense shower of water droplets by gravity into the basin-shaped container  33 . 
     Obviously, the huge sprinkler head may be also incorporated into the trapdoor  13  so as to be vertically aligned to the upper mouth  33   a  of the basin-shaped container  33 , when the trapdoor  13  is arranged in the lowered/closed position. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , preferably, though not necessarily, the water supply circuit  30  of water softening device  12  furthermore comprises an additional one-way valve  38  which is located immediately downstream of the on-off valve  36 , i.e. between the on-off valve  37  and the sprinkler nozzles  35 , and which is structured to allow the fresh water to only flow along the pipeline  37  from the water mains to the sprinkler nozzles  35 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , the resin container  28 , in turn, is preferably, though not necessarily, attached to the bottom of the substantially basin-shaped, regeneration-agent container  33 , immediately beside the upper portion of washing tub  3 , so as to internally face the front wall  2   a  of casing  2 . 
     In other words, the resin container  28  is preferably located below the regeneration-agent container  33  located behind the appliance control panel  11 , within an approximately triangular pocket seat or compartment delimited by the bottom of the regeneration-agent container  33 , the front wall  2   a  of casing  2 , the vertical sidewall of the same casing  2 , and the upper portion of washing tub  3 . 
     Moreover, the resin container  28  preferably, though not necessarily, consists in a completely stand-alone modular cartridge  28  which is provided with mechanical coupling members (not shown) structured for allowing a rigid and stable, though easily releasable, fastening of the stand-alone modular component-part or cartridge  28  directly to the bottom of the substantially basin-shaped, regeneration-agent container  33 , and with hydraulic connectors (not shown) structured for allowing the stable, though easily removable, fluidical connection of the stand-alone modular cartridge  28  to the fresh water supply circuit  10  and to the outlet of the brine-circulating pump  31 . 
     In other words, a first hydraulic connector (not shown) of the stand-alone modular cartridge  28  is connected to pipeline  16 , so as to allow the inflow of the fresh water into the resin container  28 ; a second hydraulic connector (not shown) of the stand-alone modular cartridge  28  is connected to pipeline  17  so as to allow the outflow of the fresh water from the resin container  28  towards the detergent dispensing assembly  9 ; and a third hydraulic connector (not shown) of the stand-alone modular cartridge  28  is structured to directly communicate with the outlet of the brine-circulating pump  31  so as to allow the controlled inflow of the brine (i.e. the salt water) into the resin container  28 . 
     In addition to the above, with reference to  FIG. 4 , in the example shown the internal water softening device  12  is preferably, though not necessarily, also provided with a first water drain line  39  which fluidically connects the resin container  28 , i.e. the water-softening agent container  28 , to the washing tub  3  and is structured for selectively draining the brine or fresh water out of the resin container  28  and channelling said brine or fresh water directly into the washing tub  3 . 
     As an alternative, the water drain line  39  is structured for channelling the brine or fresh water stored into the resin container  28 , preferably into the drain sump (not shown) that extends downwards form the bottom of the washing tub  3 , or into the water filtering assembly (not shown) that is interposed between the drain sump (not shown) of washing tub  3  and the suction of either the water circulating pump (not shown) or the water exhaust pump (not shown), or substantially directly into the water exhaust pump (not shown) which drains the waste water or washing liquor outside of the laundry washing machine  1 , or in any case into the waste-water drain line that channels the waste water or washing liquor outside the laundry washing machine  1 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the water drain line  39  preferably comprises a pipeline  40  or the like which directly connects the bottom of the resin container  28  to the washing tub  3 , or to the drain sump (not shown), or to the water filtering assembly (not shown), or to the water exhaust pump (not shown); and an electrically-controlled on-off valve  41  which is located along the pipeline  40  for controlling the outflow of the brine or fresh water from the resin container  28 . 
     Lastly the internal water softening device  12  is preferably also provided with a water-hardness sensor (not shown) structured for measuring the hardness degree of the fresh water coming out from the resin container  28 , i.e. the water-softening agent container  28 , directed towards the detergent dispensing assembly  9  or the washing tub  3 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the water-hardness sensor is able to communicate with an internal electronic central control unit (not shown) which is housed inside the boxlike casing  2  and controls all electrically-operated component parts of the laundry washing machine  1 . 
     Still with reference to  FIG. 4 , the laundry washing machine  1  is preferably, though not necessarily, also provided with a second water drain line  43  which is structured for selectively rerouting the brine or fresh water coming out from the resin container  28  directed towards the detergent dispensing assembly  9 , into the washing tub  3  so as to bypass at least the detergent container  20 , i.e. the detergent drawer  20 , of the detergent dispensing assembly  9 . 
     As an alternative, the water drain line  43  is structured for channeling the brine or fresh water coming out from the resin container  28  directed towards the detergent dispensing assembly  9 , preferably into the drain sump (not shown) that extends downwards form the bottom of washing tub  3 , or into the water filtering assembly (not shown) that is interposed between the drain sump (not shown) of washing tub  3  and the suction of the water circulating pump (not shown) and/or of the water exhaust pump (not shown) of the laundry washing machine  1 , or in any case into the waste-water drain line that channels the waste water or washing liquor outside the laundry washing machine  1 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the second water drain line  43  is structured to selectively reroute the brine or fresh water that enters into the detergent dispensing assembly  9  through pipeline  17 , directly towards the washing tub  3 , or towards the drain sump (not shown) that extends downwards form the bottom of washing tub  3 , or towards the water filtering assembly (not shown) that is interposed between the drain sump (not shown) of washing tub  3  and the suction of the water circulating pump (not shown) and/or of the water exhaust pump (not shown) of the laundry washing machine  1 , so as to bypass solely the detergent container  20 , i.e. the detergent drawer  20 , of detergent dispensing assembly  9 . 
     More in particular, with reference to  FIG. 4 , the second water drain line  43  preferably comprises a pipeline  44  or the like which is connected to a specific additional water outlet of the electrically-controlled hydraulic distributor  24  or similar valve assembly of the detergent dispensing assembly  9 , and ends directly into the washing tub  3 , or into the drain sump, or into the water filtering assembly, or into the water exhaust pump; and the electrically-controlled hydraulic distributor  24  is structured to selectively direct/channel directly into pipeline  44  the brine of softened fresh water arriving from resin container  28  via pipeline  17 , so as to channel the brine or fresh water arriving from resin container  28  directly into the washing tub  3  or into the drain sump (not shown) or into the water filtering assembly (not shown) or into the water exhaust pump (not shown). 
     In a non-shown alternative embodiment, the second water drain line  43  of fresh-water supply circuit  10  may comprise, immediately upstream of the water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9 , an electrically-controlled three-way valve which has a first outlet connected to the inlet of the water supply circuit  22 , i.e. to the hydraulic distributor  24 , and a second outlet connected to pipeline  44  of water drain line  43 . This electrically-controlled three-way valve is structured for selectively and alternatively channelling the fresh water coming out of the resin container  28  either to pipeline  44 , or to the inlet of the water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9 , i.e. to the hydraulic distributor  24 . 
     In this alternative embodiment, therefore, the second water drain line  43  is structured so as to bypass the whole detergent dispensing assembly  9 , and therefore the water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  may lack the hydraulic distributor  24 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , preferably the laundry washing machine  1  is finally provided with a second fresh-water supply circuit  46  which is connectable to the water mains independently from the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , and which is structured for selectively channelling the fresh water from the water mains to the detergent dispensing assembly  9  and/or directly to the washing tub  3 , bypassing the water softening device  12 , or better the of the resin container  28  of the water softening device  12 . 
     In other words, the second fresh-water supply circuit  46  connects the water mains directly to the inlet of the water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  bypassing the water softening device  12 , and is structured so as to selectively channel to the inlet of the water supply circuit  22  a second flow of non-softened fresh water of the water mains. The second fresh-water supply circuit  46  is therefore able to channel the fresh water of the water mains directly towards the inlet of water supply circuit  22  independently from the fresh-water supply circuit  10 . 
     Furthermore, if the second water drain line  43  is present, the second fresh-water supply circuit  46  is preferably, though not necessarily, also able to channel the non-softened fresh water of the water mains directly to the washing tub  3  via the water drain line  43 , thus bypassing all detergent compartments  20   a  of the detergent drawer  20 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , similarly to the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , the second fresh-water supply circuit  46  preferably comprises:
         a electrically-controlled on-off valve  47  which is fluidically interposed between the water mains and the inlet of water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9 , and is able to control/regulate the flow of fresh water from the water mains towards the inlet of the water supply circuit  22 ; and   a pipeline  48  or the like connecting the on-off valve  47  to the inlet of water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  while bypassing the resin container  28 .       

     Furthermore the second fresh-water supply circuit  46  preferably also comprises a second one-way valve  49  which is located downstream of the on-off valve  47 , and is structured to allow the fresh water to only flow along the pipeline  48 , from the water mains to the inlet of the water supply circuit  20  of detergent dispensing assembly  9 , and not vice versa. 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the appliance control panel  11  is furthermore structured so as to allow the user to manually select the desired washing cycle between washing cycles that use softened fresh water, washing cycles that use normal, i.e. non-softened, fresh water, and finally washing cycles that use a mixture of softened and normal, i.e. non-softened, fresh water. 
     General operation of home laundry washing machine  1  is clearly inferable from the above description. When the on-off valve  15  of fresh-water supply circuit  10  is opened the fresh water flows from the water mains to the resin container  28  of internal water softening device  12 , wherein the ion-exchange resins reduce the hardness degree of the fresh water directed to the detergent dispensing assembly  9 . The water-hardness sensor means monitor the hardness degree of the fresh water directed to the detergent dispensing assembly  9 . 
     After having crossed the resin container  28 , the softened fresh water of the water mains reaches the detergent dispensing assembly  9  and enters into the electrically-controlled hydraulic distributor  24  of water supply circuit  22 . According to phase of the washing cycle, the hydraulic distributor  24  then channels the softened fresh water to one or more of the shower-making portions/sections  25   a  of the sprinkler head  25  for flushing the detergent, softener or other washing agent out of the corresponding detergent compartment  20   a  of the detergent drawer  20  and sweeping away said detergent, softener or other washing agent down into the washing tub  3  via the connecting duct on the bottom of the drawer housing  21  of detergent drawer  20 . 
     When determines that the ion-exchange resins inside the resin container  28  are no more able to reduce the hardness degree of the fresh water directed to the washing tub  3 , the electronic central control unit (not shown) of laundry washing machine  1  performs, preferably immediately before the starting of the rinsing phase of the washing cycle, a regeneration process of the ion-exchange resins stored inside the resin container  28 . 
     Obviously the regeneration process may also take place during the washing phase of the washing cycle, or can take place even when no washing cycle at all is running, preferably on specific request of the user. 
     At beginning of the regeneration process, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  firstly opens the on-off valve  36  of the water supply circuit  30  for enough time to channel into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , i.e. into the basin-shaped container  33 , an amount of fresh water sufficient to form, into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , the whole amount of brine necessary for the resin regeneration process to take place. 
     During the preparation of the brine inside the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  can keep the on-off valve  15  of fresh-water supply circuit  10  either in the closed position or in the opened position according to current phase of the washing cycle. 
     When the requested amount of brine is formed into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  closes the on-off valve  15  of the fresh-water supply circuit  10  to stop the flow of fresh water across the resin container  18 , and preferably arranges the hydraulic distributor  24  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  so as to channel the fresh water arriving from the resin container  28  directly into the second water drain line  43 . 
     Afterwards, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  activates the brine-circulating pump  31  to transfer/move the whole amount of brine at a time from the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  to the resin container  28 . Since the resin container  28  is completely filled with the fresh water of the water mains, the brine entering into the resin container  28  pushes out of the resin container  28  the fresh water previously stored therein. This fresh water flows along pipeline  17  towards the hydraulic distributor  24  which, in turn, directs/channels said fresh water directly into the second water drain line  43 . 
     In the example shown in particular, the brine accumulates on the bottom of the basin-shaped container  33 , and the brine-circulating pump  31  sucks the brine from the bottom of the same basin-shaped container  33 . 
     When resin container  28  is completely filled with a sufficient amount of brine, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  deactivates the brine-circulating pump  31  to watertight isolate the resin container  28  from the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , and to restrain the brine inside the resin container  28  for a predetermined time interval generally sufficient to allow the brine to remove from the ion-exchange resins the calcium and magnesium ions previously combined/fixed to said resins. 
     When the regeneration process of the ion-exchange resins is completed, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  opens again the on-off valve  15  of fresh-water supply circuit  10 , so that the pressurized fresh water of the water mains pushes the brine out of the resin container  28  and into the pipeline  17  which channels the brine towards the hydraulic distributor  24  which, in turn, directs/channels said fresh water directly into the second water drain line  43 . 
     Alternatively, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  may open the on-off valve  41  of the first water drain line  39  so to drain the brine out of the resin container  28  through the water drain line  39 . 
     The brine stored in the resin container  28  therefore flows directly into the washing tub  3  or into the drain sump or into the water filtering assembly, or into the water exhaust pump, via the water drain line  39  and/or via the water drain line  43 . 
     Finally, preferably after having closed again the on-off valves  15  and  41 , the central control unit of the laundry washing machine  1  activates the water exhaust pump so to discharge the brine out of the laundry washing machine  1  preferably together with the washing or rinsing water already stored on the bottom of the washing tub  3 , and continues the washing cycle. 
     The second fresh-water supply circuit  46 , in turn, can channel the fresh water of the water mains towards the inlet of water supply circuit  22  bypassing the water softening device  12 , so to channel the non-softened fresh water of the water mains directly towards the inlet of the water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9 . The water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  therefore can channel towards any one of the detergent compartments  20   a  of detergent drawer  20 , or towards the second water drain line  43  if connected to the hydraulic distributor  24 , either softened, non-softened (i.e. normal) fresh water of the water mains or a mixture thereof. 
     The laundry washing machine  1  is therefore able to use, during each stage of the washing cycle, either softened or non-softened fresh water of the water mains or a mixture thereof. The second fresh-water supply circuit  43 , in fact, can channel non-softened fresh water to the inlet of the water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  independently from the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , thus also at the same time of the fresh-water supply circuit  10 . 
     In a less sophisticated embodiment, however, the electronic central control unit of the laundry washing machine  1  may be programmed to regenerate the ion-exchange resins stored in the resin container  28  after a given number of washing cycles. This number of washing cycles may be decided by the user on the basis of an alleged hardness degree of the fresh water coming out from the water mains. 
     Obviously in this less sophisticated embodiment the water-hardness sensor means monitor are unnecessary. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , rather than being directly connected to the water mains, in an alternative embodiment of water softening device  12  the water supply circuit  30  preferably branches off from the fresh-water supply circuit  10  downstream of resin container  28 , so as to selectively channel into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  the softened fresh water coming out of resin container  28 . 
     In this embodiment, the water supply circuit  30  lacks the on-off valve  36  and instead comprises an electrically-controlled three-way valve  50  which is arranged along the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , downstream of resin container  28 , i.e. along the pipeline  17  connecting the outlet of resin container  28  to the inlet of the water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9 . 
     The pipeline  37  of water supply circuit  30  is now connected to the three-way valve  50 , and the electrically-controlled three-way valve  50  is structured for selectively and alternatively channelling the fresh water coming out of the resin container  28 , to the sprinkler nozzles  35  for producing the brine, or to the inlet of the water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  for performing the washing cycle. 
     In the  FIG. 5  embodiment, at beginning of the regeneration process, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  sets the three-way valve  50  of water supply circuit  30  so as to put the outlet of resin container  28  in direct communication with the sprinkler nozzles  35 , and afterwards opens the on-off valve  15  of the fresh-water supply circuit  10  for enough time to channel into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  the whole amount of fresh water necessary to form, on the bottom of the basin-shaped container  33 , an amount of brine sufficient for the resin regeneration process to take place. This amount of fresh water obviously flows across the resin container  28  before reaching the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 . 
     Then, after having closed again the on-off valve  15  of the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  sets the three-way valve  50  so as to put again the outlet of resin container  28  in direct communication with the detergent dispensing assembly  9 , and afterwards activates the brine-circulating pump  31  to transfer/move the whole amount of brine at a time from the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , i.e. from the bottom of the basin-shaped container  33 , to the resin container  28 . 
     When the water-softening agent container  28  is completely filled with a sufficient amount of brine, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  deactivates the brine-circulating pump  31  to watertight isolate the resin container  28  from the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , rather than branching off from the fresh-water supply circuit  10  upstream of the detergent dispensing assembly  9 , in a second alternative embodiment of the water softening device  12  the water supply circuit  30  preferably branches off from the water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9 , so as to selectively channel into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  the softened fresh water entering into the detergent dispensing assembly  9 . 
     In other words, the water supply circuit  30  lacks the on-off valve  36  and the pipeline  37  of water supply circuit  30  is now connected to a specific additional water outlet of the electrically-controlled hydraulic distributor  24  of water supply circuit  22 , and the electrically-controlled hydraulic distributor  24  is structured to selectively direct/channel into pipeline  37  the softened fresh water or brine arriving from resin container  28  via pipeline  17 . 
     In this embodiment, at beginning of the regeneration process, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  firstly arranges the hydraulic distributor  24  so as to channel towards the water supply circuit  30  the fresh water that arrives to the hydraulic distributor  24  from the resin container  28 , and afterwards it opens the on-off valve  15  for enough time to channel into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , the whole amount of fresh water necessary to form, on the bottom of the basin-shaped container  33 , an amount of brine sufficient for the resin regeneration process to take place. This amount of fresh water obviously flows across the resin container  28  and the hydraulic distributor  24  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  before reaching the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 . 
     Then, after having closed the on-off valve  15 , the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  sets/arranges the hydraulic distributor  24  of water supply circuit  22  so as to put the outlet of resin container  28  in communication with the second water drain line  43 , and afterwards activates the brine-circulating pump  31  to transfer/move the whole amount of brine at a time from the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , i.e. from the bottom of the basin-shaped container  33 , to the resin container  28 . 
     When the water-softening agent container  28  is completely filled with a sufficient amount of brine, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  deactivates the brine-circulating pump  31  to watertight isolate the resin container  28  from the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 . 
     The advantages resulting from the arrangement of the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  of the water softening device  12  beneath the worktop  2   b  of casing  2 , immediately behind the appliance control panel  11 , are really remarkable. Firstly the arrangement of the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  immediately beneath the worktop  2   b  of the casing  2  on the opposite side of the washing tub  3  respect to the detergent dispensing assembly  9 , behind the appliance control panel  11 , allows to significantly increase the capacity of the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 . The space on the back of the appliance control panel  11 , in fact, is generally empty, i.e. unused, even if relatively roomy. 
     As a result the user is requested to fill up the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  less frequently. 
     Furthermore the arrangement of the exposable loading inlet or mouth of the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  on the worktop  2   b  of casing  2 , immediately underneath a manually-operated trapdoor  13  provided on worktop  2   b  of casing  2 , makes the refilling of the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  very user-friendly. 
     The second fresh-water supply circuit  46  bypassing the internal water softening device  12 , instead, allows to improve the working flexibility of the laundry washing machine  1 . During pre-wash or rinse phases of the washing cycle, when detergent agents are usually not required, the laundry washing machine  1  can use normal fresh water, thus lengthening the time between the regenerations of the ion-exchange resins. In view of that, the appliance control panel  11  may be structured so as to allow the user to manually select washing cycles that use softened fresh water, washing cycles that use normal, i.e. non-softened, fresh water, and finally washing cycles that use a mixture of softened and normal, i.e. non-softened, fresh water. 
     Clearly, changes may be made to the front-loading laundry washing machine  1  as described above without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     For example, with reference to  FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 , according to a more sophisticated embodiment of water softening device  12 , the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  comprises: a preferably substantially parallelepiped-shaped, storage tank  51  which is structured for being manually fillable with a given quantity of consumable salt or other regeneration agent, and which is arranged/located immediately underneath the worktop  2   b  of casing  2  on a portion of the worktop  2   b  arranged behind the appliance control panel  11 , so as to be freely accessible by the user from worktop  2   b  of casing  2  preferably through the manually-operated trapdoor or similar closure assembly  13  realized on the worktop  2   b  of casing  2 ; and a manually-removable cap  52  which is structured to close the storage tank  51 , and is preferably located on top of storage tank  51  so as to be freely accessible by the user. 
     In the example shown, in particular, the storage tank  51  is preferably arranged/located immediately underneath the worktop  2   b  of casing  2 , preferably substantially immediately behind the appliance control panel  11 , so that at least the manually removable cap  52  of storage tank  51  is freely accessible by the user when the trapdoor or similar manually-operated closure assembly  13  is arranged in the raised/opened position (see  FIG. 7 ), and is completely hidden and inaccessible by the user when the trapdoor or closure assembly  13  is arranged in the lowered/ closed position. 
     Being freely accessible by the user when the trapdoor  13  is arranged in the raised position, the manually-removable cap  52  allows the user to easily load the consumable salt or other regeneration agent inside the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , and therefore forms the exposable loading inlet or mouth of the water softening device  12 . 
     The water supply circuit  30  of water softening device  12 , in turn, is preferably structured for channelling, on command, a given amount of fresh water from the water mains directly into the storage tank  51 , so as to preferably completely dissolve at once the whole salt or other regeneration agents contained into storage tank  51  and form a great amount of brine (i.e. of salt water). 
     In this alternative embodiment, moreover, the water supply circuit  30  of water softening device  12  is preferably no more provided with the sprinkler nozzles  35 , and the pipeline  37  directly connects the electrically-controlled on-off valve  36  to storage tank  51 . 
     Obviously, the water supply circuit  30  of water softening device  12  may also branch off from the fresh-water supply circuit  10  upstream of the detergent dispensing assembly  9  as disclosed in  FIG. 5 , or may branch off from the water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  as disclosed in  FIG. 6 , so as to selectively channel into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  the softened fresh water entering into the detergent dispensing assembly  9 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 8 , the electrically-powered brine-circulating pump  31 , in turn, is structured for selectively and alternatively sucking the brine (i.e. the salt water) from the storage tank  51  and delivery it to the water-softening agent container  28 , or completely watertight sealing/isolating the storage tank  51  from the water-softening agent container  28 , so as to prevent the brine (i.e. the salt water) contained into the storage tank  51  from flowing towards the water-softening agent container  28 . 
     Again, the water softening device  12  preferably furthermore comprises a water-level sensor (not shown) which is structured for measuring the level of the fresh water and/or brine contained inside the storage tank  51 , and/or a salinity-level sensor (not shown) which is structured for measuring the salinity degree of the brine contained inside the storage tank  51 . 
     Moreover, in the example shown the storage tank  51  is preferably recessed/incorporated, either in a manually removable or unmovable manner, into the substantially-flat inner shelf  14  located beneath the manually-operated trapdoor  13 , and is moreover dimensioned to contain an amount of brine sufficient for performing several resin regeneration processes. Furthermore the storage tank  51  is arranged into the substantially-flat inner shelf  14  substantially immediately behind the appliance control panel  11 , so that at least the manually-removable cap  52  of storage tank  51  is freely accessible by the user when the trapdoor  13  is arranged in the raised position (see  FIG. 7 ), and is completely hidden and inaccessible by the user when the trapdoor  13  is arranged in the lowered position. 
     More in particular, with reference to  FIG. 8 , the storage tank  51  of regeneration-agent reservoir  29  is preferably unmovably recessed/housed into the substantially-flat inner shelf  14 , and the water softening device  12  is preferably provided with a preferably substantially basin-shaped, leakage collector  53  which is realized on the substantially-flat inner shelf  14  or on the worktop  2   b  so as collect the brine or water accidentally coming out from the storage tank  51  during refilling of the consumable salt. 
     Preferably the water softening device  12  is furthermore provided with a third water drain line  54  which fluidically connects the leakage collector  53  on the inner shelf  14  or worktop  2   b  to the washing tub  3 , and is structured to directly channel the water or brine accumulating into the leakage collector  53  towards the washing tub  3 . 
     As an alternative, the water drain line  54  may be structured for channeling the brine or fresh water accumulating into the leakage collector  53  preferably into the drain sump (not shown) that extends downwards form the bottom of the washing tub  3 , or into the water filtering assembly (not shown) that is interposed between the drain sump (not shown) of washing tub  3  and the suction of either the water circulating pump (not shown) or the water exhaust pump (not shown), or substantially directly into the water exhaust pump (not shown) which drains the waste water or washing liquor outside of the laundry washing machine  1 , or in any case into the waste-water drain line that channels the waste water or washing liquor outside the laundry washing machine  1 . 
     Preferably, though not necessarily, the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  furthermore comprises, in addition or alternatively to the drain line  54 , an overflow drain line  55  which fluidically connects the storage tank  51  to the washing tub  3 , and is structured for directly channelling the water or brine eventually exceeding the maximum capacity of the storage tank  51  towards the washing tub  3 . 
     Obviously the overflow drain line  55  may alternatively be structured to channel the water or brine eventually exceeding the maximum capacity of the storage tank  51  towards the drain sump, or towards the water filtering assembly, or towards the water exhaust pump, or in any case towards the waste-water drain line that channels the waste water or washing liquor outside the laundry washing machine  1 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 9 , according to an alternative embodiment, the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  is housed in manually removable manner into the boxlike casing  2 . Thus the storage tank  51  is preferably recessed in manually extractable manner into a corresponding preferably substantially basin-shaped, complementary tank seat  57  realized on the inner shelf  14  located beneath the manually-operated trapdoor  13 , behind the appliance control panel  11 , and is preferably provided with two self-closing hydraulic connectors  58  and  59  which are structured to hydraulically connect the storage tank  51  in easily detachable manner to, respectively, the water supply circuit  30  and the suction of the brine-circulating pump  31 , preferably during insertion of the storage tank  51  into the tank seat  57 . 
     More in particular, each self-closing hydraulic connector  58 ,  59  of storage tank  51  is specifically structured to watertight couple in easily detachable manner with a corresponding complementary, preferably self-closing, hydraulic connector  60 ,  61  arranged on the inner shelf  14  of worktop  2   b.    
     The self-closing hydraulic connector  60  directly communicates with the water supply circuit  30  of water softening device  12  and, when suitably coupled to the self-closing hydraulic connector  58 , allows the fresh water arriving from water supply circuit  30  to freely flow into storage tank  51 . 
     The self-closing hydraulic connector  61 , in turn, directly communicates with the suction of the brine-circulating pump  31 , and allows, when suitably coupled to the self-closing hydraulic connector  59 , the brine stored into the storage tank  51  to freely flow out of the storage tank  51  towards the brine-circulating pump  31 . 
     Each self-closing hydraulic connector  58 ,  59  of storage tank  51  is furthermore structured so as to remain closed in watertight manner when uncoupled from the corresponding complementary self-closing hydraulic connector  60 ,  61  of the drawer-like supporting structure  13 . Similarly each self-closing hydraulic connector  60 ,  61  of drawer-like supporting structure  13  is preferably structured so as to remain closed in watertight manner when uncoupled from the corresponding complementary self-closing hydraulic connector  58 ,  59  of storage tank  51 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 9 , in the example shown, in particular, the storage tank  51  of the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  is preferably structured so as to be vertically insertable into the tank seat  57  realized on the inner shelf  14  of worktop  2   b  when the trapdoor  13  is arranged in the raised position (see  FIG. 7 ). The self-closing hydraulic connectors  60  and  61 , in turn, are preferably arranged inside the tank seat  57 , preferably on the bottom of the same tank seat  57 . 
     Furthermore the bottom  57   a  of tank seat  57  is preferably, though not necessarily, shaped/ structured so as to form a catchment basin or similar leakage collector wherein the fresh water or brine leaking out of the storage tank  51  may accumulate. This catchment basin or similar leakage collector, in turn, is preferably connected to the bottom of washing tub  3  via a corresponding water drain line  62 . 
     As an alternative, the water drain line  62  may be structured for channelling the brine or fresh water accumulating on the bottom  57   a  of tank seat  57  preferably into the drain sump (not shown) that extends downwards form the bottom of washing tub  3 , or into the water filtering assembly (not shown) that is interposed between the drain sump (not shown) of washing tub  3  and the suction of the water circulating pump (not shown) and/or of the water exhaust pump (not shown) of the laundry washing machine  1 , or in any case into the waste-water drain line that channels the waste water or washing liquor outside the laundry washing machine  1 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 9 , the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  is preferably also provided with a second water-level sensor  63  which is located on the bottom of tank seat  57  and is able to measure the level of the fresh water and/or brine accumulated on the catchment basin formed on the bottom of tank seat  57 , and the electronic central control unit (not shown) of the laundry washing machine  1  activates the water drain line  62  when the level of brine and/or fresh water on the bottom of tank seat  57  exceeds a given threshold value. 
     Operation of the  FIG. 8  water softening device  12  is slightly different from that of  FIG. 4, 5 or 6 . In this embodiment, in fact, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  is preferably no more requested to channel the requested amount of fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  at beginning of each regeneration process. 
     In the  FIG. 9  embodiment, in fact, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  can open the on-off valve  36  of water supply circuit  30  for a predetermined time interval at any time before the beginning of the regeneration process, so as to completely fill up the storage tank  51  with fresh water. 
     Since the electrically-powered brine-circulating pump  31  is still configured so as to completely watertight seal/isolate the storage tank  51  from the water-softening agent container  28 , the entry of fresh water into the storage tank  51  may naturally stop before the subsequent closing of the on-off valve  36 , when the storage tank  51  is completely full of water. 
     The fresh water channelled into storage tank  51  preferably dissolves the whole salt contained into the storage tank  51  and forms a great amount of brine (i.e. of salt water) sufficient for performing several resin regeneration processes. This great amount of brine remains inside the storage tank  51  until a resin regeneration process is requested to take place. 
     Thus, assuming that the storage tank  51  already contains a given amount of brine sufficient for performing one or more resin regeneration processes and that the on-off valve  36  is closed, at beginning of the regeneration process the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  closes the on-off valve  15  of the fresh-water supply circuit  10  to stop the flow of fresh water across the resin container  18 , and preferably arranges the hydraulic distributor  24  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  so as to channel the fresh water arriving from the resin container  28  directly into the second water drain line  43 . 
     Afterwards, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  activates the brine-circulating pump  31  to move/pump the requested amount of brine from the storage tank  51  of the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  to the resin container  28 . 
     If, at any time during pumping of the brine, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  determines that the level of the brine inside the storage tank  51  is too low, it may temporarily open again the on-off valve  36  to channel some more fresh water into the storage tank  51  via the water supply circuit  30 . 
     When the resin container  28  is completely filled with a sufficient amount of brine, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  switches off the electrically-powered brine-circulating pump  31  to stop the movement of the brine from the storage tank  51  to the resin container  28 , so as to watertight isolate the resin container  28  from the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 . 
     The central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  then keeps the resin container  28  completely full of brine for a predetermined time interval generally sufficient to allow the brine contained into the resin container  28  to remove from the ion-exchange resins the calcium and magnesium ions previously combined/fixed to said resins. 
     When the regeneration process of the ion-exchange resins is completed, the central control unit of laundry washing machine  1  opens again the on-off valve  15  of fresh-water supply circuit  10 , so that the pressurized fresh water of the water mains can push the brine out of the resin container  28 . 
     Operation of the  FIGS. 7, 8 and 9  embodiment of laundry washing machine  1  then continues as disclosed with reference to  FIG. 4, 5 or 6  according to the layout of the water supply circuit  30 , with the difference that some brine remains stored inside the storage tank  51 , ready for being used in the next resin regeneration process. 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , in a second cost-saving alternative embodiment of the laundry washing machine  1 , the fresh-water supply circuit  10  preferably comprises a plurality of independent fresh-water supply lines  10   a,  each of which is independently connected to the water mains and is structured for selectively channelling the fresh water from the water mains directly to a corresponding detergent compartment  20   a  of the detergent drawer  20 ; and the water softening device  12  is located along the fresh-water supply line  10   a  that channels the fresh water of the water mains towards the detergent compartment  20   a  structured for containing the amount of detergent or other washing agent to be used in the main-wash phase of the washing cycle. 
     The water supply circuit  22  of the detergent dispensing assembly  9 , in turn, is divided into a plurality of independent water supply lines  22   a,  each of which is directly connected to a corresponding fresh-water supply line  10   a  of the fresh-water supply circuit  10 , and is structured for channelling the fresh water arriving from the corresponding fresh-water supply line  10   a  exclusively to a corresponding detergent compartment  20   a  of the detergent drawer  20 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the detergent drawer  20  is preferably provided with three detergent compartments  20   a  which are structured for respectively containing the amount of detergent or other washing agent to be used in the main-wash phase of the washing cycle, the amount of detergent or other washing agent to be used in the pre-wash phase of the washing cycle, and finally the amount of softener, stain-remover or other washing agent to be used in the final-wash phase of the washing cycle; whereas the fresh-water supply circuit  10  is preferably provided with three independent fresh-water supply lines  10   a,  each of which is independently connected to the water mains and is structured for selectively channelling the fresh water towards a corresponding detergent compartment  20   a  of the detergent drawer  20 . 
     More specifically, each independent water supply line  22   a  of the water supply circuit  22  is preferably structured so as to directly connect a corresponding fresh-water supply line  10   a  of the fresh-water supply circuit  10  to a corresponding shower-making portion/section  25   a  of sprinkler head  25  located above a corresponding detergent compartment  20   a  of detergent drawer  20 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , in the example shown, in particular, each fresh-water supply line  10   a  of the fresh-water supply circuit  10  preferably comprises an electrically-controlled on-off valve  70  which is interposed between the water mains and the corresponding water supply line  22   a  of the water supply circuit  22 , and is able to control/regulate the flow of fresh water from the water mains towards said water supply line  22   a;  and a pipeline  71  directly connecting said on-off valve  70  to the corresponding water supply line  22   a  of water supply circuit  22  of detergent dispensing assembly  9 . 
     Similarly to the previous embodiments, the water softening device  12  is still provided with the water-softening agent container  28  and with the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 , both housed inside the casing  2 . In this case, however, the water-softening agent container  28  is located along the fresh-water supply line  10   a  that channels the fresh water of the water mains towards the detergent compartment  20   a  structured for containing the amount of detergent or other washing agent to be used in the main-wash phase of the washing cycle. 
     More in particular, in the example shown the water-softening agent container  28  is preferably arranged along the pipeline  71  of the fresh-water supply line  10   a  that channels the fresh water of the water mains towards the water supply line  22   a  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  that ends in the shower-making portion/section  25   a  of sprinkler head  25  located immediately above the detergent compartment  20   a  structured for containing the amount of detergent or other washing agent to be used in the main-wash phase of the washing cycle. 
     Similarly to  FIGS. 1 to 6  embodiment, the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  is still located immediately beneath the worktop  2   b  of casing  2  and behind the appliance control panel  11 , so as to be freely accessible by the user from worktop  2   b  of casing  2 , preferably through the manually-operated trapdoor or similar closure assembly  13  realized on worktop  2   b  of casing  2 . Again the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  preferably furthermore comprises a substantially basin-shaped, regeneration-agent container  33  which is manually fillable with a given quantity of consumable salt or other regeneration agent, and is preferably recessed/incorporated into the inner shelf  14  of worktop  2   b,  so that the upper mouth  33   a  of the basin-shaped container  33  is freely accessible by the user when the manually-operated trapdoor  13  is arranged in the raised position (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), and is completely hidden and inaccessible by the user when the manually-operated trapdoor  13  is arranged in the lowered position (see  FIG. 1 ). 
     Obviously, alternatively the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  may comprise: a storage tank  51  which is structured for being manually fillable with a given quantity of consumable salt or other regeneration agent, and is recessed/incorporated into the inner shelf  14  of worktop  2   b  either in unmovable or manually removable manner; and the manually-removable cap  52  which is structured to closed the storage tank  51 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , in this embodiment the internal water softening device  12  furthermore comprises an auxiliary electrically-controlled on-off valve  73  which is located along the fresh-water supply line  10   a  that channels the fresh water of the water mains towards the detergent compartment  20   a  structured for containing the amount of detergent or other washing agent to be used in the main-wash phase of the washing cycle, immediately upstream of the water-softening agent container  28 , so as to be able to selectively and alternatively allow or prevent the flow of fresh water from the water mains towards the water-softening agent container  28 ; and the water supply circuit  30  branches off from the fresh-water supply line  10   a  immediately upstream of the auxiliary on-off valve  73 , so as to selectively channel into the storage tank  51  the fresh water that flows along the fresh-water supply line  10   a.    
     In the example shown, in particular, the pipeline  37  of water supply circuit  30  preferably branches off from pipeline  71  of fresh-water supply line  10   a  downstream of the on-off valve  70  and upstream of the auxiliary on-off valve  73 , and ends into the sprinkle nozzles  35  on the lateral walls of the basin-shaped container  33  (or directly into the storage tank  51  if a storage tank  51  is used); and the on-off valve  36  of water supply circuit  30  is preferably located/arranged along pipeline  37 , so as to control/regulate the flow of fresh water that flows from the pipeline  71  of fresh-water supply line  10   a  to the regeneration-agent reservoir  29 . 
     Preferably, the internal water softening device  12  furthermore comprises a one-way valve  74  which is located immediately downstream of the on-off valve  70  of the fresh-water supply line  10   a,  i.e. between the on-off valve  70  and the on-off valve  73 , and is arranged so to allow the fresh water to only flow along the pipeline  71 , from the water mains to the water softening device  12  and not vice versa; and the water supply circuit  30  branches off from the fresh-water supply line  10   a  downstream of the one-way valve  74 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , the internal water softening device  12  preferably finally comprises a water by-pass circuit  75  and optionally also an auxiliary water drain line  76 . 
     The water by-pass circuit  75  preferably branches off from the fresh-water supply line  10   a  upstream of the auxiliary on-off valve  73  and downstream of the on-off valve  70 , or the one-way valve  74  if present, and is structured to selectively redirect/channel the fresh water that flows along the fresh-water supply line  10   a  towards the water-softening agent container  28 , directly towards the water supply line  22   a  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  that channels the fresh water to the detergent compartment  20   a  structured for containing the amount of detergent or other washing agent to be used in the main-wash phase of the washing cycle, thus bypassing at once the whole water-softening agent container  28 . 
     The water by-pass circuit  75 , therefore, allows to selectively channel non-softened fresh water to the detergent compartment  20   a  structured for containing the amount of detergent or other washing agent to be used in the main-wash phase of the washing cycle. 
     In the example shown, in particular, the water by-pass circuit  75  preferably comprises a connecting pipeline  77  that branches off from pipeline  71  of fresh-water supply line  10   a  upstream of on-off valve  73 , and connects again to pipeline  71 , or directly to the inlet of the corresponding water supply line  22   a  of detergent dispensing assembly  9 , downstream of the water-softening agent container  28 ; and an electrically-controlled on-off valve  78  which is located along the connecting pipeline  77  so as to be able to selectively and alternatively allow or prevent the flow of fresh water along connecting pipeline  77 , directly towards the corresponding water supply line  22   a  of detergent dispensing assembly  9  while bypassing at once the whole water-softening agent container  28 . 
     The auxiliary water drain line  76 , in turn, is structured for selectively rerouting directly into the washing tub  3  the brine or fresh water that comes out from the resin container  28  and flows along the fresh-water supply line  10   a  directed towards the detergent dispensing assembly  9 , so as to bypass the detergent comportment  20   a  of detergent drawer  20  which is structured for containing the amount of detergent or other washing agent to be used in the main-wash phase of the washing cycle. 
     Alike the water drain line  43 , the auxiliary water drain line  76  may also be structured for directly channelling the brine or fresh water coming out from the resin container  28  directed towards the detergent dispensing assembly  9 , preferably into the drain sump (not shown) that extends downwards form the bottom of washing tub  3 , or into the water filtering assembly (not shown) that is interposed between the drain sump (not shown) of washing tub  3  and the suction of the water circulating pump (not shown) and/or of the water exhaust pump (not shown) of the laundry washing machine  1 , or in any case into the waste-water drain line that channels the waste water or washing liquor outside the laundry washing machine  1 . 
     In the example shown, in particular, the auxiliary water drain line  76  is structured to selectively reroute the brine or fresh water that flows out of the resin container  28  along the final section of pipeline  71 , and preferably comprises, immediately upstream of the detergent dispensing assembly  9 , an electrically-controlled three-way valve  79  which has a first outlet connected to the inlet of the appropriate water supply line  22   a  of water supply circuit  22 , and a second outlet connected to a pipeline  80  that ends directly into the washing tub  3 , or into the drain sump, or into the water filtering assembly, or into the water exhaust pump. 
     The electrically-controlled three-way valve  79  is structured for selectively and alternatively channelling the brine or softened fresh water coming out of the resin container  28  either to pipeline  80  or to the inlet of the water supply line  22   a  of water supply circuit  22 . 
     Lastly, in a non-shown and less-sophisticated embodiment the brine-circulating pump or pump assembly  31  may be replaced by an electrically-controlled on-off valve which is structured to selectively and alternatively put the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  in direct communication with the water-softening agent container  28  for allowing the brine to flow by gravity from the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  to the beneath located water-softening agent container  28 , or to completely watertight seal/isolate the regeneration-agent reservoir  29  from the beneath located water-softening agent container  28 .