Dosing system with controlled product release in the inclined position

Abstract

The invention relates to a dosing system configured for positioning inside a dishwashing machine, and in particular between the tines of the dish rack as per a dinner plate, comprising a detachable cartridge comprising a number of chambers used to physically separate and contain various washing or cleaning agents, wherein the outlet openings of the dosing system are positioned downward in the direction of gravity when the system is in operation in the dishwasher. The chambers of the cartridge and the various outlets are of such size and arrangement that complete emptying of the cartridge chambers is possible by gravity even if the dosing system is tilted from vertical by 2°-20° degrees during use.

1 . A dispensing system configured for placement inside a dishwashing machine, said system comprising:
 a) a substantially flat, plate-like cartridge comprising:
 i) an elongated bottom with slender width, having a longitudinal axis in the direction of elongation; 
 ii) a plurality of dimensionally stable internal chambers for separately enclosing flowable preparations of differing composition therein, each of said chambers having an outlet orifice fluidly connecting said chamber out through said bottom; and 
   b) an autonomous dispenser configured for reversible coupling with said cartridge and configured for release of said flowable preparations; and
 wherein each chamber exhibits complete residual emptying characteristics when the system is orientated vertically such that the outlet orifices are directed downwards in the direction of gravity, or when the system is displaced from vertical at an angle of from about 2° to 20°. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein all outlet orifices line up in a row along the bottom of said cartridge. 
     
     
         3 . The dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the outlet orifices have a diameter measuring from about 0.7 to about 1.0 times the width of said bottom of said cartridge. 
     
     
         4 . The dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein all outlet orifices are centered along said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . A dispensing system configured for placement inside a dishwashing machine, and having a height h, width b, and depth t, said system comprising:
 a) a substantially flat, plate-like cartridge comprising:
 i) an elongated bottom with slender width, having a longitudinal axis in the direction of elongation; 
 ii) a plurality of dimensionally stable internal chambers for separately enclosing flowable preparations of differing composition therein, each of said chambers having an outlet orifice fluidly connecting said chamber out through said bottom; and 
   b) an autonomous dispenser configured for reversible coupling with said cartridge and configured for release of said flowable preparations, said dispenser comprising:
 i) a plurality of L-shaped dispensing chambers corresponding in number to said plurality of cartridge chambers, each L-shaped dispensing chamber comprising a vertical arm and a horizontal arm; 
 ii) a dispensing chamber inlet configured in the vertical arm of each dispensing chamber providing fluidic access to each dispensing chamber; and 
 iii) a dispensing chamber outlet configured in the horizontal arm of each dispensing chamber, each dispensing chamber outlet fluidly connecting each dispensing chamber with a surrounding environment; and 
 wherein, said outlet orifices are placed in fluidic communication with said dispensing chamber inlets when said cartridge is coupled to said dispenser, and wherein each dispensing chamber exhibits complete residual emptying characteristics, with each preparation flowing out each dispensing chamber outlet to reach said surrounding environment by gravity when the system is orientated vertically such that said dispensing chamber outlets are directed downwards in the direction of gravity, or when said system is displaced at an angle from about 2° to 20° from vertical. 
   
     
     
         6 . The dispensing system of  claim 5 , wherein each of said L-shaped dispensing chambers comprise a pre-dispensing chamber configured substantially within the vertical arm of the dispensing chamber and an outlet chamber configured substantially within the horizontal arm of the dispensing chamber, and wherein each of said outlet chambers tapers in a funnel-like shape to the dispensing chamber outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The dispensing system of  claim 6 , wherein each of said dispensing chamber outlets is disposed in a channel configured within each of said outlet chambers and extending at right angles to said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         8 . The dispensing system of  claim 5 , wherein each of said dispensing chamber outlets are arranged in a row. 
     
     
         9 . The dispensing system of  claim 5 , wherein each of the dispensing chamber outlets have a diameter measuring from about 0.3 to about 0.8 times the width b of the dispensing system. 
     
     
         10 . The dispensing system of  claim 5 , wherein said height to width to depth of said system are in a ratio of between about 10:10:1 and about 50:50:1. 
     
     
         11 . The dispensing system of  claim 5 , wherein the ratio of depth to width of said system is about 1:20. 
     
     
         12 . The dispensing system of  claim 5 , wherein the ratio of height to width of said system is about 1:1. 
     
     
         13 . The dispensing system of  claim 5 , wherein the width and height of said system are each from about 150 mm to about 300 mm in length. 
     
     
         14 . The dispensing system of  claim 13 , wherein the width and height of said system are each from about 175 mm to about 250 mm in length. 
     
     
         15 . The dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein said dispenser comprises a fixing means that engages into the rungs of a dishwasher basket having a grid-like configuration, and/or that partly encloses the protruding struts of a dishwasher dish rack, in order to prevent slippage of said system in said rack. 
     
     
         16 . The dispensing system of  claim 5 , wherein said dispenser comprises a fixing means that engages into the rungs of a dishwasher basket having a grid-like configuration, and/or that partly encloses the protruding struts of a dishwasher dish rack, in order to prevent slippage of said system in said rack.