Washing agent dispenser

Abstract

A washing agent dispensing unit has a dispenser body (11), designed for mounting at a through-opening of a mounting wall of a dishwasher tank. The dispenser body (11) has a rear body part (11′) and a front body part (11″) which has a greater perimeter encumbrance than the rear body part (11′). The dispenser body (11) has, at a peripheral profile of the rear body part (11′), first fixing elements (16), for fixing the dispenser body (11) with respect to an inner side of the mounting wall (5). The dispensing unit (10) further comprises a covering element (30), configured to cover at least partially a peripheral profile of the front body part (11″), and between the covering element (30) and at least one of the peripheral profile and the upper face of the front body part (11″) second fixing elements are provided (17, 18, 34, 35, 36), for fixing the covering element (30) to the front body part (11″).

1 . A washing agent dispensing unit, designed for mounting at a through-opening of a mounting wall of a dishwasher tank, the washing agent dispensing unit comprising a dispenser body in which at least one containment volume is defined, capable of containing at least one washing agent,
 wherein the dispenser body has a rear body part and a front body part, the front body part having a perimetral encumbrance greater than the rear body part,   wherein the front body part has a peripheral profile and an upper face, at the upper face at least one closing element being mounted, which is displaceable at least from an open position, to enable access to the at least one containment volume, and a closed position, in which access to the at least one containment volume is prevented,   wherein substantially at a transition area between the rear body part and the front body part a seat is defined, for positioning a perimetral gasket designed for exerting a seal with respect to an outer side of the mounting wall,   wherein the dispenser body has, at a peripheral profile of the rear body part, first fixing means, for fixing the dispenser body with respect to an inner side of the mounting wall,   wherein the dispensing unit further comprises at least one covering element, configured for covering at least partially the peripheral profile of the front body part,   wherein second fixing means are provided between the at least one covering element and at least one of the peripheral profile of the front body part and the upper face of the front body part, for fixing the covering element to the front body part.   
     
     
         2 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one covering element has a substantially annular shape, with a central passage in which the front body part is at least partially housed, or else is shaped for covering only a part of the peripheral profile of the front body part. 
     
     
         3 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one covering element has a substantially annular shape and is shaped so as to substantially completely cover the peripheral profile of the front body part. 
     
     
         4 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one covering element has an upper side which covers at least partially the upper face of the dispenser body. 
     
     
         5 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one covering element has two opposite transverse flanks, and wherein at least one of the two opposite transverse flanks has at least one of:
 a portion of reduced height in a position substantially corresponding to the at least one closing element, in particular for enabling displacement of the at least one closing element between the open position and the closed position,   one or more passages or through openings in a position substantially corresponding to the at least one closing element, in particular for enabling outflow of a washing liquid and/or of the at least one washing agent from the containment volume,   a portion having reduced thickness, in a position substantially corresponding to an element for manual release of the at least one closing element.   
     
     
         6 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one covering element has a gasket associated thereto, configured for providing a seal of an axial type with respect to the outer side of the mounting wall. 
     
     
         7 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one sealing arrangement is set between the at least one covering element and the front body part. 
     
     
         8 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one covering element comprises at least one of:
 two transverse flanks opposite to one another, or   two longitudinal flanks opposite to one another,   the two transverse flanks, respectively the two longitudinal flanks, each having an outer side and an inner side,   wherein the two transverse flanks, respectively the two longitudinal flanks, each comprise an outer wall or wall portion, defining at least part of said outer side, and an inner wall or wall portion, defining at least part of said inner side,   and wherein the outer wall or wall portion and the inner wall or wall portion are spaced apart from one another.   
     
     
         9 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the at least one covering element has a gasket associated thereto, configured for providing a seal of an axial type with respect to the outer side of the mounting wall, and   the at least one covering element has a substantially annular shape with a central passage, and comprises the two transverse flanks and the two longitudinal flanks, with the respective inner wall or wall portions that each delimit a respective part of the central passage,   the annular gasket of the at least one covering element has an annular shape and is closer to said outer wall or wall portion of the transverse flanks and of the longitudinal flanks with respect to said inner wall or wall portion of the transverse flanks and of the longitudinal flanks.   
     
     
         10 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the second fixing means comprise first coupling means at the peripheral profile of the front body part,   the at least one covering element has two transverse flanks opposite to one another, and two longitudinal flanks opposite to one another, the transverse flanks and the longitudinal flanks of the at least one covering element each having an outer side and an inner side, and   the second fixing means further comprise second coupling means at the inner side of a plurality of the transverse flanks and the longitudinal flanks of the at least one covering element, configured for engagement with the first coupling means, in particular with a substantially snap-on coupling.   
     
     
         11 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the front body part has two longitudinal peripheral walls opposite to one another, and two transverse peripheral walls opposite to one another, which define the peripheral profile of the front body part, the longitudinal peripheral walls and the transverse peripheral walls each having a top belonging to the upper face of the front body part,   the front body part has at least one further longitudinal wall, which is in a position intermediate to the two longitudinal peripheral walls and which extends at the upper face of the front body part, and   an upper side of the at least one covering element has an intermediate portion which covers at least partially a top of the further longitudinal wall.   
     
     
         12 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the second fixing means comprise one or more welds or bondings between the at least one covering element and the front body part. 
     
     
         13 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 1 , wherein at least part of a functional arrangement is mounted or defined on the at least one covering element, such as at least one of:
 a control arrangement operable to cause a switching of a coupling/uncoupling system of said at least one closing element which is associated to the dispenser body, the control arrangement comprising in particular at least one control member which is manually operable by a user and is movably mounted on the covering element,   a housing arrangement, comprising a housing which is directly exposed and configured for receiving a washing agent.   
     
     
         14 . A washing agent dispensing unit, designed for mounting at a through opening of a mounting wall of a dishwasher tank, the dispensing unit comprising a dispenser body in which at least one containment volume is defined, capable of containing at least one washing agent,
 wherein the dispenser body has a rear body part and a front body part, the front body part having a peripheral profile and an upper face,   wherein the dispensing unit further comprises at least one covering element coupled to the dispensing body and configured to at least partially cover at least one of the peripheral profile and the upper face of the front body part.   
     
     
         15 . A dishwashing machine, comprising a washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 7 , wherein the sealing arrangement has an annular peripheral profile. 
     
     
         17 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 8 , wherein the two transverse flanks, respectively the two longitudinal flanks, are at least partially hollow, with a channel-shaped cross-section laterally delimited by said outer wall or wall portion and said inner wall or wall portion. 
     
     
         18 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 10 , wherein the first coupling means are defined integrally with the front body part and the second coupling means are defined integrally in the at least one covering element. 
     
     
         19 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 12 , wherein the one or more welds or bondings comprise a continuous welding or bonding line having an annular peripheral profile which also provides a sealing arrangement between the at least one covering element and the front body part. 
     
     
         20 . The washing agent dispensing unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the control arrangement comprises an elastic element operative for urging the control member in a respective inoperative position.