Detergent dispenser

Abstract

During the rinse cycle of a re-circulating dishwashing machine ( 132 ), water is simultaneously diverted into a dispenser ( 100 ) as water is delivered to the rinse arms ( 133 ) of the dishwashing machine ( 132 ). The cavity ( 118 ) of the dispenser ( 100 ) contains a solid detergent block ( 125 ) and is flooded with water during the rinse cycle. The water contacts the detergent ( 125 ) during the rinse cycle to create a use solution, and the use solution exits the dispenser ( 100 ) and flows into a wash water storage tank ( 135 ) of the dishwashing machine ( 132 ). During the wash cycle of the dishwashing machine ( 132 ), the wash water containing the use solution from the dispenser ( 100 ) is pumped into the wash arms ( 134 ). The wash water becomes diluted during the subsequent rinse cycle, however, the water diverted into the dispenser ( 100 ) during the rinse cycle replenishes the detergent ( 125 ) concentration in the wash water for use in the subsequent wash cycle.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A detergent dispenser for use with a re-circulating dishwashing machine, the re-circulating dishwashing machine having rinse arms that receive and distribute water from a water source during a rinse cycle and wash arms that receive and distribute wash water from a wash water storage tank during a wash cycle, the wash water storage tank having an overflow wash water outlet and a use solution inlet, wherein water used during the rinse cycle enters the wash water storage tank thereby causing excess wash water to exit the wash water storage tank through the overflow wash water outlet and the wash water becomes diluted, comprising: 
 a) a solid detergent;    b) a housing defining a cavity configured and arranged to receive said solid detergent and water from a water source, wherein water from the water source is supplied to said cavity simultaneously as water from the water source is supplied to rinse arms of a dishwashing machine, said housing having a water inlet, a use solution outlet, and an overflow outlet, said water inlet receiving water from the water source, wherein water flows into said cavity, floods said housing and dissolves a portion of said solid detergent to form a use solution, wherein water flows into said water inlet at a rate faster than said use solution flows out of said use solution outlet to flood said housing, and wherein said use solution outlet dispenses substantially all of said use solution out of said housing when the dispenser is not in use;    c) a valve in fluid communication with the water source is operatively connected to said water inlet, said valve controlling a desired rate at which water enters said water inlet of said housing from the water source thereby dispensing a desired volume of use solution from the dispenser; and    d) an outlet conduit having a first segment and a second segment, said first segment being in fluid communication with said use solution outlet and said second segment being in fluid communication with said overflow outlet, wherein said outlet conduit carries said use solution into a wash water storage tank through a use solution inlet to replenish an amount of use solution in wash water which was diluted by rinse water thereby displacing a proportional amount of wash water which is discharged through an overflow wash water outlet.    
     
     
         2 . The detergent dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said use solution outlet is always open and the water flows into said water inlet at approximately 0.5 to 1.0 gallons per minute and said use solution flows out of said use solution outlet at approximately 0.1 to 0.2 gallons per minute.  
     
     
         3 . The detergent dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said solid detergent is dispensed in said use solution having a concentration of 1.0 to 2.0% weight to weight.  
     
     
         4 . The detergent dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein uniform dissolution of said solid detergent occurs, thereby maintaining a relatively constant concentration and a relatively constant shape of said solid detergent.  
     
     
         5 . The detergent dispenser of  claim 1 , said solid detergent having a bottom, wherein said housing is flooded proximate said bottom of said solid detergent.  
     
     
         6 . A dispenser for dispensing a use solution into a dishwashing machine having rinse arms that receive water from a water source during a rinse cycle, wherein the use solution is created from a portion of a solid detergent dissolved in water from the water source during the rinse cycle, comprising: 
 a) a housing defining a cavity configured and arranged to receive a solid detergent and water from a water source, said housing having a water inlet, a bottom, a use solution outlet, and an overflow outlet, said water inlet receiving water from the water source during a rinse cycle concurrently as water is supplied to rinse arms of a dishwashing machine, wherein water floods said housing from said bottom and dissolves a portion of the solid detergent to form a use solution, wherein water flows into said water inlet at a rate faster than the use solution flows out of said use solution outlet to flood said housing, and wherein said use solution outlet dispenses substantially all of the use solution out of said housing when not in use;    b) tubing in fluid communication with the water source and said water inlet, wherein water flows from the water source through said tubing and into said water inlet thereby flooding said housing to create the use solution; and    c) an outlet conduit in fluid communication with said use solution outlet and said overflow outlet thereby allowing the use solution to exit said housing.    
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 6 , further comprising a false bottom of said housing, wherein the solid detergent rests upon said false bottom within said cavity, and wherein water floods said cavity from said bottom of said housing below said false bottom thereby ensuring that the solid detergent is dissolved uniformly and is dispensed at approximately equal concentration each time said cavity is flooded with water.  
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 6 , further comprising a valve operatively connected to said water inlet, said valve controlling a desired rate at which water enters said water inlet from the water source.  
     
     
         9 . A method for dispensing a use solution from a solid detergent into a dishwashing machine having rinse arms that receive water from a water source during a rinse cycle and a wash water storage tank for holding wash water supplied to wash arms during a wash cycle, comprising: 
 a) placing a solid detergent in a dispenser, said dispenser having a housing defining a cavity configured and arranged to receive said solid detergent and water from a water source, said housing having a water inlet and a use solution outlet, said water inlet receiving water from the water source;    b) simultaneously supplying water to rinse arms of a dishwashing machine and to said water inlet of said dispenser thereby allowing said dispenser and a wash water storage tank to be supplied with water during a rinse cycle, wherein water floods said cavity and dissolves a portion of said solid detergent to form a use solution, wherein water flows into said water inlet at a rate faster than said use solution flows out of said use solution outlet to flood said cavity, and wherein said use solution outlet dispenses substantially all of said use solution out of said housing when said dispenser is not in use; and    c) supplying a concentration of said solid detergent to wash water by allowing said use solution to enter the wash water storage tank from said use solution outlet.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the wash water contained within the wash storage tank is diluted by the water from the rinse arms during subsequent rinse cycles and a proportional amount of said diluted wash water is displaced by said use solution to return the wash water to a desired concentration sufficient for effectively washing dishes.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , said housing having a bottom, wherein water floods said cavity from said bottom of said housing.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein uniform dissolution of said solid detergent occurs thereby maintaining a relatively constant concentration and a relatively constant shape of said solid detergent.  
     
     
         13 . A method for dispensing a detergent into a dishwashing machine for washing dishes having rinse arms that receive water from a water source during a rinse cycle and a wash water storage tank for holding wash water supplied to wash arms during a wash cycle, the wash water storage tank having an overflow wash water outlet, comprising: 
 a) placing a solid detergent in a dispenser, said dispenser having a housing defining a cavity configured and arranged to receive said solid detergent and water from a water source, said housing having a water inlet and a use solution outlet, said water inlet receiving water from the water source;    b) simultaneously supplying water to rinse arms and said water inlet, the rinse arms supplying a sufficient amount of water to fill a wash water storage tank, said dispenser being flooded with water whereby a portion of said solid detergent is dissolved to create a use solution;    c) allowing said use solution to enter the wash water storage tank thereby displacing a first proportional amount of water in the wash water storage tank with said use solution, wherein a concentration of said solid detergent is supplied to the wash water that is sufficient to effectively wash the dishes, wherein said first proportional amount of water is discharged through an overflow wash water outlet;    d) pumping wash water into wash arms to wash dishes; and    e) simultaneously supplying water to the rinse arms and said water inlet thereby rinsing the dishes, supplying water to the wash water storage tank, and supplying said use solution to the wash water storage tank, wherein excess wash water is disposed of through the overflow wash water outlet and said use solution enters the wash water storage tank thereby displacing a second proportional amount of water in the wash water storage tank with said use solution, wherein a concentration of said solid detergent is supplied to the wash water that is sufficient to effectively wash dishes, and wherein said second proportional amount of water is discharged through the overflow wash water outlet.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein steps (d) and (e) are repeated until the wash water is discharged to be replaced with new wash water.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a greater amount of water is used in step (b) to initially fill the wash water storage tank than in step (e) to subsequently rinse the dishes and replenish said use solution in the wash water.  
     
     
         16 . A method for dispensing a solid detergent into a dishwashing machine, comprising: 
 a) simultaneously supplying water from a water source to a dispenser and rinse arms of a dishwashing machine during a rinse cycle, wherein said water in said dispenser dissolves a portion of a solid detergent thereby creating a use solution, said use solution flowing from said dispenser into the dishwashing machine to be supplied to wash arms of the dishwashing machine during a wash cycle.