Washing agent dispenser for dishwashing machines

Abstract

A washing agent dispenser for washing machines has a dispenser body (100) designed for mounting on a wall (5) delimiting a washing machine wash-chamber, the dispenser body (100) being designed to be exposed at least in part towards inside the washing machine wash-chamber (3). A tank (R1) capable of containing a substance in liquid or semi-solid form is defined in the dispenser body (100), and the dispenser (10) comprises a dispensing arrangement which is configured for dispensing first dosed amounts of the substance. The dispenser moreover comprises a sensor device configured to provide an electrical signal representative of at least one qualitative characteristic of the substance contained within the tank (R1).

1 . A washing agent dispenser for washing machines, for dispensing washing agents into a washing machine wash-chamber, the dispenser having a dispenser body designed for mounting on a wall delimiting a washing machine wash-chamber, the dispenser body being designed to be exposed at least in part towards inside the washing machine wash-chamber,
 wherein at least one tank capable of containing a corresponding substance in liquid or semi-solid form is defined in the dispenser body, and the dispenser comprises at least one dispensing arrangement which is configured for dispensing first dosed amounts of the substance,   wherein the dispenser body has associated thereto at least one sensor device configured to provide an electrical signal representative of at least one qualitative characteristic of the substance contained within the at least one tank.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor device is also configured to provide an electrical signal representative of at least one level of the substance contained within the at least one tank. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor device is a sensor for detection of at least one electrical quantity, the sensor having at least one sensing element which comprises at least two electrodes. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein the dispenser body has a width dimension, a height dimension and a depth dimension, a front and a back of the dispenser body identifying the depth dimension, and wherein the at least two electrodes comprise at least one of the following:
 at least two electrodes at different heights, with reference to the height dimension,   at least two electrodes substantially at one same height, with reference to the height dimension.   
     
     
         5 . The dispenser according  claim 3 , wherein the at least two electrodes comprise at least three electrodes among which:
 a first electrode and a second electrode, for measurement therebetween of a first value of the at least one electrical quantity which is representative of a qualitative characteristic of the substance, and   a third electrode, for measurement between the third electrode and one of the first electrode or the second electrode of a second value of the at least one electrical quantity which is representative of a level of the substance.   
     
     
         6 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor device has a sensing element comprising at least one piezoelectric element arranged between at least two electrodes. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , comprising a circuit arrangement configured to compare a value of the electrical signal with at least one respective reference value. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser according to  claim 2 , comprising a circuit arrangement configured for comparing a value of the electrical signal with at least one respective reference value, the circuit arrangement comprising a controller and an oscillating circuit having a resonance frequency which is a function of an impedance value measured between at least two electrodes of the sensing element, the controller being designed to detect an impedance value based on said resonance frequency. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser according to  claim 7 , wherein the circuit arrangement includes a controller and a quartz oscillator, or else a piezoelectric element of the at least one sensor device, an oscillation frequency of the quartz oscillator or of the piezoelectric element being a function of an impedance value measurable between at least two electrodes of a sensing element of the sensor device, with the controller which is prearranged to measure said impedance value based on said oscillation frequency. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor device is an optical sensor, having a sensing element which comprises at least one emitter and at least one receiver of electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor device has a sensor body configured for sealed mounting on the dispenser body. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , comprising a fixed dispenser part, designed for mounting in a fixed position on one said wall delimiting a washing machine wash-chamber, and a removable dispenser part, couplable in a removable way to the fixed dispenser part,
 wherein the removable dispenser part comprises a hollow body defining the at least one tank, the at least one tank having a first passage couplable in a separable way to a corresponding second passage of the fixed dispenser part, wherein the at least one sensor device is arranged on the fixed dispenser part, substantially at the second passage or substantially at a corresponding housing in fluid communication with the second passage.   
     
     
         13 . The dispenser according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the at least one sensor device is a sensor for detection of at least one electrical quantity, the sensor having at least one sensing element which comprises at least two electrodes, and   wherein the at least two electrodes each have a respective axis designed to extend in a direction generally parallel to a coupling direction between the removable dispensing part and the fixed dispensing part.   
     
     
         14 . A washing agent dispenser for washing machines, for dispensing washing agents into a washing machine wash-chamber, the dispenser having a dispenser body comprising a fixed dispenser part designed for mounting on a wall delimiting a washing machine wash-chamber, and a removeable dispenser part, coupleable in a removeable way to the fixed dispenser part, the dispenser body being designed to be exposed at least partially towards inside the washing machine chamber,
 where at least multi-dose tank is defined in the removeable dispenser part of the dispenser body, capable of containing a corresponding substance in liquid or semi-solid form, and the dispenser comprises a dispensing arrangement that is configured to dispense first dosed amounts of the substance,   wherein the dispenser also comprises at least one sensor device, configured to provide information representative of at least one of a level or a qualitative characteristic of the substance contained within the at least one tank,   wherein the sensor device comprises a sensing element having at least two electrodes arranged to be in contact with, or at least partially immersed in, the substance contained in the at least one tank,   wherein the sensor device belongs to a circuit arrangement of the dispenser, which is configured for connection to a control system of a washing machine on which the dispenser itself is to be installed, and   wherein the circuit arrangement is also configured to allow measurement of at least one value of at least one electrical quantity between the at least two electrodes and comparison thereof with at least one respective reference value, to generate said information representative of at least one of a level or a qualitative characteristic of the substance.   
     
     
         15 . A washing agent dispenser for washing machines, for dispensing washing agents into a washing machine wash-chamber, the dispenser having a dispenser body comprising at least one fixed dispenser part designed for mounting on a wall delimiting a washing machine wash-chamber,
 wherein the dispenser body defines at least one containment volume for at least one washing agent, particularly a washing agent in liquid or semi-solid form,   the dispenser moreover comprising at least one dispensing arrangement that is configured for dispensing dosed amounts of at least one washing agent, and that includes a duct between an outlet of the at least one containment volume and a dispensing outlet of the dosed amounts of the at least one washing agent,   the dispenser also including at least one of the following:
 a peristaltic pump forming part of the at least one dispensing arrangement, 
 at least one removable dispenser part associated in a removable way to the fixed dispenser part and defining at least one tank, a retention valve being associated to the at least one outlet, 
 at least one exposed housing at a front of the dispenser body, configured to receive a tablet which includes at least one washing agent, 
 at least one signalling arrangement, comprising an emitting device and means to transfer a visible radiation emitted by the emitting device towards an area of the dispenser body designed to face inside the washing machine wash-chamber, 
 at least one locking/unlocking arrangement, drivable by an electric actuator to prevent or enable a displacement of a part of the dispenser which is manually operable by a user, 
 at least one sensor device of at least one of a level or a qualitative characteristic of the at least one washing agent, 
 means for coupling and/or fixing and/or guiding and/or reciprocal positioning between the fixed dispenser part and at least one removable dispenser part which is associated to the fixed dispenser part in a removable way, 
 hydraulic coupling means between the fixed dispenser part and at least one removable dispenser part which is associated to the fixed dispenser part in a removable way and which defines at least one tank. 
   
     
     
         16 . A washing-agent dispenser sensor device for washing machines, the sensor device having a sensor body configured for mounting on a washing agent dispenser, the sensor device having at least one sensing element that comprises at least one of the following:
 at least two electrodes configured to be in contact with, or at least partially immersed into, the substance, for detection of at least one electrical quantity;   at least one emitter and at least one receiver of an electromagnetic radiation;   at least one piezoelectric element.   
     
     
         17 . A household washing machine, in particular a dishwasher, comprising a washing agent dispenser according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . The dispenser according to  claim 5 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are substantially at one same height, and the at least one third electrode is at a different height than the first electrode and the second electrode. 
     
     
         19 . The dispenser according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the at least one sensor device is a sensor for detection of at least one electrical quantity, the sensor having at least one sensing element which comprises at least two electrodes, and   wherein the circuit arrangement includes a controller, designed for generating a frequency signal, and a driving element of the sensing element which includes an operational amplifier having an input to which the sensing element is connected in series, a reference resistor being connected in parallel between said input and an output of the operational amplifier, wherein the controller supplies a constant driving voltage to the sensing element, and a voltage value detectable by the controller at the output of the operational amplifier is a function of an impedance value between the at least two electrodes of the sensing element.