Water conditioning unit for a washing device, and dispensing unit

Abstract

A water conditioning unit for a washing device is configured to provide water at different flow rates and with different spraying characteristics and with additives admixed to the water. The water conditioning unit includes an inlet fitting for attachment to a water supply and an outlet fitting for attachment to a dispensing unit as well as one, two or more docking adapters configured for attaching, one, two or more additive containers. Hydraulic elements guiding and controlling a flow of water between the inlet fitting and the outlet fitting are implemented in a hydraulic assembly having a total manifold and hydraulic elements. The total manifold has internal channels guiding the flow of water and carrying the hydraulic elements.

1 . A water conditioning unit for a washing device, the water conditioning unit being configured to provide, controlled by a user, water at different flow rates and with different spraying characteristics and with additives admixed to the water, the water conditioning unit comprising
 an inlet fitting for attaching the water conditioning unit to a water supply;   an outlet fitting for attaching the water conditioning unit to a dispensing unit;   one, two or more docking adapters configured for attaching, one, two or more additive containers.   
     
     
         2 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 1 , wherein hydraulic elements guiding and controlling a flow of water between the inlet fitting and the outlet fitting are implemented in a hydraulic assembly, the hydraulic assembly comprising a total manifold and hydraulic elements, in particular sensors and actuators controlling the flow of water, the total manifold comprising internal channels guiding the flow of water and carrying the hydraulic elements. 
     
     
         3 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , wherein the total manifold functions as a support structure holding and supporting the hydraulic elements. 
     
     
         4 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , wherein the internal channels are arranged inside the total manifold, guiding water and, as the case may be, also additives, between the hydraulic elements. 
     
     
         5 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , wherein the total manifold comprises a first plate and second plate, attached to one another, with channels guiding the flow of water being arranged between the two plates and being defined by hollow spaces between the two plates. 
     
     
         6 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , wherein, for one or more of the hydraulic elements, the total manifold is shaped to form a functional part of the hydraulic element. 
     
     
         7 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 6 , wherein the total manifold is shaped to form at least one valve seat for a hydraulic element that implements a valve function. 
     
     
         8 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 6 , wherein the total manifold is shaped to form at least one flow restrictor for restricting a flow rate through one of the internal channels of the total manifold. 
     
     
         9 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , wherein the hydraulic assembly has an elongated shape, with a first end and a second end opposed to the first end, the inlet fitting and the outlet fitting both being arranged at the first end. 
     
     
         10 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , wherein, inside the hydraulic assembly, a high-flow water channel controlled by a high-flow valve, constitutes a shortest flow path for the water flowing from the inlet fitting to the outlet fitting, compared to other flow paths from the inlet fitting to the outlet fitting that are implemented in the hydraulic assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , wherein, inside the hydraulic assembly, an initial spray flow path leads from the inlet fitting to a branching point point, and branches into a spray water channel and an admixing channel,
 the spray water channel being controlled by a plain water valve and leading to a junction that, in turn, leads to the outlet fitting,   the admixing channel being controlled by a mixer valve and leading to the second end and from there into an admixing section of the admixing channel, the admixing section leading back in the direction of the first end, to the junction.   
     
     
         12 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , wherein a pressure reducer is arranged to limit a pressure at a branching point, where it branches into a spray water channel and an admixing channel, in particular to a pressure of less than three bar, in particular to a pressure of two bar. 
     
     
         13 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , wherein a flow restrictor is arranged to further limit a flow in the spray water channel. 
     
     
         14 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , wherein the total manifold further comprises a mixing manifold arranged on or being part of the second plate, the mixing manifold comprising an admixing channel arranged to guide a flow of water from the second end to the first end, with additive inlets arranged along the admixing channel for admixing additives to the flow of water. 
     
     
         15 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 14 , wherein a volume of the admixing channel, from the first additive inlet, seen in the direction of flow, to the junction, is less than thirty millilitres, in particular less than twenty millilitres, in particular less than ten millilitres. 
     
     
         16 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 14 , comprising two or more peristaltic pumps arranged in a row, with their axes of rotation at least approximately at a right angle to a direction of the admixing channel, wherein two outermost peristaltic pumps of the row are arranged to turn in opposite directions. 
     
     
         17 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , wherein all hydraulic elements guiding and controlling a flow of water between the inlet fitting and the outlet fitting are arranged inside a compact base unit. 
     
     
         18 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 17 , wherein the base unit is configured for the, one, two or more additive contains to be inserted into and connected to corresponding docking adapters in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         19 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 17 , wherein the base unit is configured for three or more additive containers arranged in a line to be inserted into and connected to corresponding docking adapters in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         20 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , wherein the base unit comprises user interface elements comprising additive selecting elements, in particular one selector button for each docking adapter or additive source, and an additive concentration controller for setting an amount of additive delivered from one or more selected docking adapters or additive sources when the water conditioning unit is in an additive dispensing mode, and optionally admixing mode selecting elements, and optionally indicator elements, in particular indicator light rings, indicating the one or more selected docking adapter or additive source. 
     
     
         21 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 20 , wherein the user interface is configured to allow for more than one docking adapter or additive source to be selected, and wherein a controller is configured to, for a particular setting of the additive concentration controller, wherein:
 if a single docking adapter or additive source is selected, to control the amount of additive delivered by this single docking adapter or additive source to be equal to a reference amount corresponding to this particular setting of the additive concentration controller; and   if two or more docking adapters or additive sources are selected, to control the total amount of additive delivered by these two or more docking adapters or additive sources to be equal to the same reference amount corresponding to this particular setting of the additive concentration controller.   
     
     
         22 . The water conditioning unit of  claim 2 , configured to implement, for at least one of the additives, one or more of the following admixing modes:
 a continuous admixing mode, wherein, the flow of the additive and the water is continuous;   a pulsed additive admixing mode, wherein the flow of the additive is pulsed;   a pulsed water admixing mode, wherein the flow of the water is pulsed.   
     
     
         23 . A method for operating the water conditioning unit of  claim 20 , comprising the steps of:
 according to a user input, selecting a single docking adapter or additive source, or selecting two or more docking adapters or additive sources;   and for a particular setting of the additive concentration controller:
 if a single docking adapter or additive source is selected, controlling the amount of additive delivered by this single docking adapter or additive source to be equal to a reference amount corresponding to this particular setting of the additive concentration controller; and 
 if two or more docking adapters or additive sources are selected, controlling the total amount of additive delivered by these two or more docking adapters or additive sources to be equal to the same reference amount corresponding to this particular setting of the additive concentration controller. 
   
     
     
         24 . A dispensing unit, for use in combination with the water conditioning unit of  claim 1 , comprising a showerhead with a spray outlet and a high-flow outlet,
 the spray outlet being configured to create a spray of droplets at a spray flow rate,   the high-flow outlet being configured to create a jet of water at a high-flow flow rate,   the high-flow rate being at least twice, in particular three times the spray flow rate.   
     
     
         25 . The dispensing unit of  claim 24 , comprising an additive button for setting an operation mode of the mixer valve and the plain water valve for the water conditioning unit to deliver either water through the spray water channel, or water admixed with additive through the admixing channel. 
     
     
         26 . The dispensing unit of  claim 24 , comprising a flow selector for setting an operation mode of the high-flow valve and the mixer valve or plain water valve, as the case may be, for the water conditioning unit:
 to deliver water through the high-flow water channel when the flow selector is in a high flow position, or   to deliver water through either the spray water channel or the admixing channel, as the case may be, when the flow selector is in a spray position.   
     
     
         27 . The dispensing unit of  claim 26 , wherein the flow selector is configured to operate a diverter to guide a flow of water from the hose:
 to the high-flow outlet, when the flow selector is in the high flow position, or   to the spray outlet, when the flow selector is in the spray position.   
     
     
         28 . A dispensing unit, comprising a showerhead with a spray outlet and a high-flow outlet,
 the spray outlet being configured to create a spray of droplets at a spray flow rate, by creating two or more colliding jets of water,   the high-flow outlet being configured to create a jet of water at a high-flow flow rate,   the high-flow rate being at least twice, in particular three times the spray flow rate.   
     
     
         29 . The dispensing unit of  claim 28 , comprising a flow selector configured to operate a diverter to guide a flow of water from the hose:
 to the high-flow outlet, when the flow selector is in the high flow position, or   to the spray outlet, when the flow selector is in the spray position.