Household appliance and dispensing system for dispensing a fluid and an additive

Abstract

A household appliance has a fluid dispensing system for dispensing a fluid ( 2 ) and a dosing system for dosing an additive into the fluid ( 2 ). The fluid dispensing system comprises fluid supply means ( 3,8 ), a dispensing nozzle ( 5 ), and a conduit ( 6 ) connecting the supply means to the dispensing nozzle ( 5 ). The dosing system comprises an additive reservoir ( 14 ) for containing the additive ( 12 ) and an outlet ( 22 ) connecting the additive reservoir (14) to the dispensing system. Pumping means ( 8,15,16 ) are provided for pumping the fluid ( 2 ) and the additive ( 12 ) towards the dispensing nozzle ( 5 ). A reliable dosing of additive is achieved in that the outlet ( 22 ) of the additive ( 12 ) communicates with the conduit (6) in a position downstream of said pumping means. A dispensing system for such an appliance is described.

1 . A household appliance comprising a fluid ( 2 ) dispensing system for dispensing a fluid ( 2 ) and a dosing system for dosing an additive ( 12 ) into said fluid ( 2 ); 
 said fluid ( 2 ) dispensing system comprising fluid supply means ( 3 ,  8 ), a dispensing nozzle ( 5 ), and a conduit ( 6 ) connecting said supply means to said dispensing nozzle ( 5 );    said dosing system comprising an additive reservoir ( 14 ) for containing the additive ( 12 ) and an outlet ( 22 ) connecting the additive reservoir ( 14 ) to the dispensing system; and    said fluid supply means comprising pumping means ( 8 ,  15 ,  16 ,  20 ,  35 ) for pumping the fluid ( 2 ) and the additive towards the dispensing nozzle ( 5 );    characterized in that the outlet ( 22 ) of the additive reservoir ( 14 ) communicates with the conduit ( 6 ) in a position downstream of said pumping means ( 8 ,  15 ,  16 , 20 ,  35 ).    
     
     
         2 . An appliance as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the pumping means ( 8 ,  15 ,  16 ,  35 ) comprise first pumping means ( 8 ) for pumping fluid ( 2 ) from the supply means towards the dispensing nozzle ( 5 ) and second pumping means ( 15 ,  16 ,  20 ,  35 ) for pumping additive ( 12 ) from the additive reservoir ( 14 ) to the conduit ( 6 ).  
     
     
         3 . An appliance as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the second pumping means comprise driving means ( 16 ,  20 ,  35 ) and a displaceable or deformable separation ( 15 ) bounding an additive chamber ( 18 ) of the additive reservoir ( 14 ) for receiving the additive ( 12 ), the driving means ( 16 ,  20 ,  35 ) being adapted for exerting a driving force on said separation ( 15 ) for forcing additive ( 12 ) out of said chamber ( 18 ) through the outlet ( 22 ) towards the conduit ( 6 ).  
     
     
         4 . An appliance as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said driving means comprise an inlet ( 20 ) and a pressurizing chamber ( 16 ) of the reservoir ( 14 ) on a side of said separation ( 15 ) facing away from the additive chamber ( 18 ), said inlet ( 20 ) interconnecting said pressurizing chamber ( 16 ) and said conduit ( 6 ) for applying fluid ( 2 ) pressure from the conduit ( 6 ) to said separation ( 15 ).  
     
     
         5 . An appliance as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said inlet ( 20 ) branches off from the conduit ( 6 ) in a position between the first pumping means ( 8 ) and the outlet ( 22 ).  
     
     
         6 . An appliance as claimed in  claim 5 , further comprising a fluid flow restriction ( 24 ) in the conduit ( 6 ) between said inlet ( 20 ) and said outlet ( 22 ) for generating a pressure drop between said inlet ( 20 ) and said outlet ( 22 ).  
     
     
         7 . An appliance as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising an inlet flow restriction ( 25 ) in the inlet ( 20 ) for adjusting the flow rate of fluid towards the pressurizing chamber ( 16 ).  
     
     
         8 . An appliance as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an outlet flow restriction ( 30 ) in the outlet ( 22 ) for controlling the flow rate of additive towards the conduit ( 6 ).  
     
     
         9 . An appliance as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the driving means comprise a spring ( 35 ).  
     
     
         10 . A dispensing system for dispensing a fluid ( 2 ) and an additive ( 12 ) from a household appliance, comprising fluid supply means ( 3 ,  8 ), a dispensing nozzle ( 5 ), a conduit ( 6 ) connecting said supply means ( 3 ,  8 ) to said nozzle ( 5 ), pumping means ( 8 ,  15 ,  16 ,  20 ,  35 ) for pumping the fluid ( 2 ) from said supply means towards said dispensing nozzle ( 5 ), an additive reservoir ( 14 ), and an outlet ( 22 ) connecting the reservoir ( 14 ) to the conduit ( 6 ), characterized in that the outlet ( 22 ) of the reservoir ( 14 ) communicates with the conduit ( 6 ) in a position downstream of said pumping means ( 8 ,  15 ,  16 ,  20 ,  35 ).