Washing agent dispenser for dishwashers

Abstract

A washing agent dispenser for dishwashers comprises a dispenser body (20), having a front at which a receptacle (40) is defined for the containment of a washing agent. A lid (30) is mounted on the dispenser body (20) to be displaceable between a closing position and an opening position of the receptacle (40). The dispenser body (20) has a first sealing arrangement (41) which partially surrounds a mouth of the receptacle (40) and which has a discontinuity at a first portion (40a) of the mouth of the receptacle (40). The lid (30) has a second sealing arrangement (34), configured for cooperating with the first sealing arrangement (41) when the lid (30) is in the closing position, to provide a partial seal around the mouth of the receptacle (40). Between the first portion of the mouth of the receptacle (40) and one side (20a) of the dispenser body (20) there extends a first surface (22) of the dispenser body (20), which is at least partially covered by the lid (30) in the closed position. The lid (30) has a third sealing arrangement (50) to provide an additional seal with respect to the dispenser body (20) as a result of the lid (30) being displaced from the opening position to the closing position. The third sealing arrangement (50) is configured to achieve the additional seal in an intermediate position of the first surface (22) which is spaced with respect to the first portion of the mouth of the receptacle (40) or with respect to the first sealing arrangement (41).

1 . A washing agent dispenser for dishwashers, comprising a dispenser body and a lid,
 wherein the dispenser body has a front at which at least one receptacle is defined for the containment of a washing agent,   wherein the lid is mounted in a sliding way relative to the dispenser body to be displaceable between a closing position and an opening position of the at least one receptacle, between the dispenser body and the lid there being provided a guide arrangement configured for guiding sliding of the lid between the closing position and the opening position according to a direction of displacement,   wherein the dispenser body has a first sealing arrangement which partially surrounds a mouth of the at least one receptacle, the first sealing arrangement having at least one discontinuity at a first portion of the mouth of the at least one receptacle,   wherein the lid has a second sealing arrangement on an inner face of the lid facing the front of the dispenser body, the first sealing arrangement and the second sealing arrangement being configured to cooperate with each other when the lid is in the closing position, to provide at least a partial seal around the mouth of the at least one receptacle,   wherein the front of the dispenser body has a first surface at which the first sealing arrangement is located, the lid being able to slide above at least part of the first surface between the opening position and the closing position,   wherein the lid has a third sealing arrangement to provide an additional seal with respect to the dispenser body as a result of sliding of the lid from the opening position to the closing position, the third sealing arrangement being configured to achieve the additional seal at an intermediate position of the first surface which is spaced from the first portion of the mouth of the at least one receptacle, or from the first sealing arrangement.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the dispenser body has a front and a peripheral profile which includes a first side and a second side generally opposite to each other,   the guide arrangement comprises sliding guides configured for enabling a substantially linear sliding of the lid between the closing position and the opening position in a direction generally transverse with respect to the first side and the second side of the peripheral profile of the dispenser body,   the first surface of the dispenser body extends at least between the first side of the peripheral profile of the dispenser body and the first portion of the mouth of the receptacle, or the discontinuity of the first sealing arrangement, the first surface being at least partially covered by the lid both in the opening and in the closing position,   the intermediate position of the first surface at which the additional seal is achieved is located between the first side of the peripheral profile of the dispenser body and the first portion of the mouth of the at least one receptacle, or the discontinuity of the first sealing arrangement, at a distance from both of them.   
     
     
         3 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the dispenser body has a fourth sealing arrangement configured for cooperating with the third sealing arrangement to provide the additional seal. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the third sealing arrangement comprises at least one of from among an elastically deformable sealing element, a polymer sealing element at least partly flexible, a substantially rigid sealing element, a sealing step, a sealing relief, a sealing recess, a sealing surface. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein the fourth sealing arrangement comprises at least one from among an elastically deformable sealing element, an at least partially flexible polymer sealing element, a substantially rigid sealing element, a sealing step, a sealing relief, a sealing recess, a sealing surface. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser according to  claim 3 , wherein one of the third sealing arrangement and the fourth sealing arrangement comprises an elastically deformable sealing element, and the other one of the third sealing arrangement and the fourth sealing arrangement comprises a sealing surface that is configured for sealingly cooperating with the elastically deformable sealing element when the lid is in the closing position. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser according to  claim 6 , wherein said sealing surface comprises one from among a step, a relief or a recess with which the elastically deformable sealing element is suitable to sealingly cooperate. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser according to  claim 6 , wherein said sealing surface is an inclined surface, configured for sealingly cooperating with the first sealing arrangement as a result of the passage of the lid from the opening position to the closing position. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser according to  claim 6 , wherein the guide arrangement is configured in such a way that during passage of the lid from the opening position to the closing position the elastically deformable sealing element undergoes a variable deformation as a result of its contact with said sealing surface. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser according to  claim 6 , wherein the elastically deformable sealing element is associated with the lid and said sealing surface belongs to the first surface. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the third sealing arrangement is in a position spaced apart from the second sealing arrangement on the inner face of the lid, in the direction of movement of the lid. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the additional seal is a partial seal. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 one of the first sealing arrangement and the second sealing arrangement comprises a sealing protrusion of the dispenser body or else of the lid, and   the other of the first sealing arrangement and the second sealing arrangement comprises a gasket on the lid or else on the dispenser body, respectively,   the sealing protrusion and the gasket being suitable to sealingly cooperate when the lid is in the closing position.   
     
     
         14 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein, at the first surface of the dispenser body, a member belonging to a hooking/releasing system of the lid is mounted, said member being in an intermediate position between said first portion of the mouth of the at least one receptacle, or the discontinuity of the first sealing arrangement, and the intermediate position of the first surface. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide arrangement comprises:
 at least one guiding element, which includes one of a longitudinally extended recess and a sliding element in relief, which is defined at a longitudinal wall of the dispenser body, and at least one guided element, which includes the other one of a sliding element in relief and a longitudinally extended recess, which is defined at a longitudinal side of the lid,   or else   an articulated coupling configured for enabling an angular or at least partly curved sliding of the lid above at least part of the first surface between the opening position and the closing position, about an articulation axis which extends substantially according to a depth dimension of the dispenser body, the direction of displacement being a direction at least partly curved.   
     
     
         16 . A washing agent dispenser for dishwashers, comprising a dispenser body and a lid,
 wherein the dispenser body has a front at which at least one receptacle is defined for the containment of a washing agent,   wherein the lid is mounted relative to the dispenser body to be displaceable between a closing position and an opening position of the at least one receptacle, between the dispenser body and the lid there being provided a constraining arrangement configured for guiding displacement of the lid between the closing position and the opening position,   wherein the dispenser body has a first sealing arrangement which partially surrounds a mouth of the at least one receptacle, the first sealing arrangement having at least one discontinuity at a first portion of the mouth of the at least one receptacle,   wherein the lid has a second sealing arrangement on an inner face of the lid facing the front of the dispenser body, the first sealing arrangement and the second sealing arrangement being configured to cooperate with each other when the lid is in the closing position, to provide at least a partial seal around the mouth of the at least one receptacle,   wherein the front of the dispenser body has a first surface at which the at least one receptacle is located, the lid being able to cover at least part of the first surface in the closing position,   wherein between the lid and the dispenser body a reducing arrangement is provided, which is active following upon displacement of the lid from the opening position to the closing position, the reducing arrangement being configured to reduce a possible flow of water admitted towards the at least one receptacle, at an intermediate position of the first surface which is spaced apart from the first portion of the mouth of the at least one receptacle, or from the first sealing arrangement.   
     
     
         17 . A household washing dishwasher, comprising a washing agent dispenser according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . A household washing dishwasher, comprising a washing agent dispenser according to  claim 16 . 
     
     
         19 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein said intermediate position of the first surface which is spaced from the first portion of the mouth of the at least one receptacle, or from the first sealing arrangement, in the direction of displacement of the lid. 
     
     
         20 . The dispenser according to  claim 2 , wherein the direction of displacement is a substantially linear direction.