Laundry washing machine and corresponding operating method

Abstract

Laundry washing machine ( 1 ) comprising an outer casing ( 2 ) and, inside said outer casing ( 2 ), a washing tub, a detergent dispensing assembly ( 9 ) which is structured for supplying detergent into the washing tub, a fresh-water supply circuit ( 10 ) which is structured for selectively channeling a flow of fresh water from the water mains towards the detergent dispensing assembly ( 9 ) and/or the washing tub, and a water softening device ( 12 ) which is arranged/located along the fresh-water supply circuit ( 10 ) and is structured for reducing the hardness degree of the fresh water channelled to the detergent dispensing assembly ( 9 ) and/or the washing tub; the water softening device ( 12 ) in turn comprising a water-softening agent container ( 13 ) which is 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 ( 13 ); a regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) which is fluidically connected to the water-softening agent container ( 13 ) 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 ( 13 ); and a water supply circuit ( 28 ) which is structured for channelling, on command, a given amount of fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) so to at least partly dissolve the regeneration agents stored therein to form some brine; the regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) comprising a hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) which is structured for receiving a given amount of consumable regeneration agent, and the water softening device ( 12 ) furthermore comprising electrically-controlled pressurizing means ( 28, 30 ) which are structured to form, into said hermetically-closable container ( 14 ), an air volume or bubble of pressurized air which pressurizes the brine contained into the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ).

1 . Laundry washing machine ( 1 ) comprising an outer casing ( 2 ) and, inside said outer casing ( 2 ), 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 ( 9 ) which is structured for supplying detergent into the washing tub, a fresh-water supply circuit ( 10 ) which is structured for selectively channelling a flow of fresh water from the water mains towards the detergent dispensing assembly ( 9 ) and/or the washing tub, and a water softening device ( 12 ) which is arranged/located along the fresh-water supply circuit ( 10 ) and is structured for reducing the hardness degree of the fresh water channelled to the detergent dispensing assembly ( 9 ) and/or the washing tub;
 the water softening device ( 12 ) in turn comprising a water-softening agent container ( 13 ) which is arranged/located 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 ( 13 ); a regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) which is fluidically connected to the water-softening agent container ( 13 ) 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 ( 13 ); and a water supply circuit ( 28 ) which is structured for channelling fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) so to at least partly dissolve the regeneration agents stored therein to form some brine;   the laundry washing machine ( 1 ) being characterized in that the regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) comprises a hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) which is structured for receiving a given amount of consumable regeneration agent; and in that the water softening device ( 12 ) furthermore comprises electrically-controlled pressurizing means ( 28 ,  30 ) which are structured to form, into said hermetically-closable container ( 14 ), an air volume or bubble of pressurized air which pressurizes the brine contained into the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ).   
     
     
         2 . Laundry washing machine according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) is provided with an exposed or exposable and hermetically-sealable loading inlet or mouth which is structured for allowing the user to load the consumable regeneration agent into the same hermetically-closable container ( 14 ). 
     
     
         3 . Laundry washing machine according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that the pressurizing means ( 28 ,  30 ) comprise the water supply circuit ( 28 ) of the water softening device ( 12 ). 
     
     
         4 . Laundry washing machine according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the water supply circuit ( 28 ) of the water softening device ( 12 ) is able to control the level of the liquid contained into the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ), so as to regulate the pressure of the air forming said air volume or bubble. 
     
     
         5 . Laundry washing machine according to according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water supply circuit ( 28 ) of the water softening device ( 12 ) comprises a valve assembly ( 33 ,  70 ) which is interposed between the water mains and the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ), and is able to control/regulate the flow of fresh water towards the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ). 
     
     
         6 . Laundry washing machine according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , characterized in that the pressurizing means ( 28 ,  30 ) comprise an electrically-controlled, source of pressurized-air ( 30 ) which is able to selectively pump/channel a flow of pressurized air or other gas inside the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ). 
     
     
         7 . Laundry washing machine according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the electrically-controlled, source of pressurized-air ( 30 ) comprises an electrically-powered, air-pumping device ( 35 ) which has the outlet or delivery in direct communication with the inside of the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ), so as to be able to selectively pump a flow of pressurized air into said hermetically-closable container ( 14 ). 
     
     
         8 . Laundry washing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water softening device ( 12 ) additionally comprises an electrically-controlled on-off valve ( 29 ) which is interposed between the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) and the water-softening agent container ( 13 ), and is structured to selectively and alternatively put the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) in direct communication with the inside of the water-softening agent container ( 13 ), or to completely watertight seal/isolate the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) from the water-softening agent container ( 13 ). 
     
     
         9 . Laundry washing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water softening device ( 12 ) furthermore comprises a water-level sensor which is structured for measuring the level of the fresh water and/or brine contained inside the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ), and/or a salinity-level sensor which is structured for measuring the salinity degree of the brine contained inside the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ), and/or a pressure sensor which is structured for measuring the value of the pressure of the air remained entrapped inside the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ). 
     
     
         10 . Laundry washing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) is housed/recessed into the outer casing ( 2 ) in manually detachable manner. 
     
     
         11 . Laundry washing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) comprises a storage tank ( 53 ) which is structured for being manually fillable with a given quantity of said consumable regeneration agent, and a manually-removable sealing cap ( 54 ) which is structured to hermetically closed the storage tank ( 53 ). 
     
     
         12 . Laundry washing machine according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the storage tank ( 53 ) is provided with a number self-closing hydraulic connectors ( 55 ,  56 ) which are structured to couple in detachable manner with corresponding complementary self-closing hydraulic connectors ( 58 ,  59 ) arranged inside the casing ( 2 ), so as to selectively put the storage tank ( 53 ) in communication with the water supply circuit ( 28 ) of the water softening device ( 12 ) and with the on-off valve ( 29 ) of the water softening device ( 12 ). 
     
     
         13 . Laundry washing machine according to  claim 11  or  12 , characterized in that the storage tank ( 53 ) is provided with a self-closing pneumatic connector ( 57 ) which is structured to couple in detachable manner with corresponding complementary self-closing pneumatic connector ( 60 ) arranged inside the casing ( 2 ), so as to selectively put the storage tank ( 53 ) in communication with said pressurizing means ( 28 ,  30 ). 
     
     
         14 . Operating method of a laundry washing machine ( 1 ) having an internal water softening device ( 12 ) that comprises: a water-softening agent container ( 13 ) which is 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 ( 13 ), and a regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) including a hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) which is fluidically connected to the water-softening agent container ( 13 ) 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 ( 13 );
 the operating method of the laundry washing machine ( 1 ) being characterized by comprising the step of channelling a given amount of fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) so as to at least partly dissolve the regeneration agents stored therein to form some brine; and the step of generating inside the regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) an air volume or bubble of pressurized air which pressurizes the brine contained into the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ).   
     
     
         15 . Operating method according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the step of creating said air volume or bubble inside the regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) comprises the step of pumping/channelling a flow of pressurized air or other gas inside the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) after having channelled the fresh water into the same regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ). 
     
     
         16 . Operating method according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the step of creating said air volume or bubble inside the regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) comprises the step of channelling fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) so to control the level of the liquid contained into the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ). 
     
     
         17 . Operating method according to  claim 14 ,  15  or  16 , characterized in that a valve assembly ( 29 ) is interposed between the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) and the water-softening agent container ( 13 ); said valve assembly ( 29 ) being structured to selectively watertight seal/isolate the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) from the water-softening agent container ( 13 ), and the operating method comprises the step of opening said valve assembly ( 29 ) for allowing the brine to flow from the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) to the water-softening agent container ( 13 ) after the creation of the air volume or bubble into the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ). 
     
     
         18 . Operating method according to  claim 17 , characterized by comprising also the step of channelling additional fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir ( 14 ) when the valve assembly ( 29 ) is opened to force the brine to flow from the hermetically-closable container ( 14 ) to the water-softening agent container ( 13 ).