Patent ID: 8220293

Claim:
A treating agent dispensing system for a washing machine, comprising: a base unit; at least two supply containers removably and securably disposed on the base unit, the at least two supply containers being respectively configured to receive a treating agent, each of the supply containers being either of a powder supply container including an agitator and configured to hold a powder treating agent or a liquid supply container configured to operate with an associated pump and to hold a liquid treating agent; and a delivery device disposed in the base unit, the delivery device being operable to deliver the treating agent to the washing machine through a hose and including: a respective electric motor corresponding to each of the at least two supply containers; a coupling member associated with each electric motor, each coupling member being coupleable to the respective agitator when the powder supply container is disposed on the base unit and being coupleable to the respective pump when the liquid supply container is disposed on the base unit; a mixing chamber configured to receive the treating agent from at least one of the at least two supply containers; and a detergent solution pump configured to deliver the treating agent and water that flushes out the mixing chamber to the washing machine.