IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0110447
(2000-10-13)
|
우선권정보 |
IT-0000184 (1999-10-13) |
국제출원번호 |
PCT/IB00/01463
(2002-06-03)
|
§371/§102 date |
20020603
(20020603)
|
국제공개번호 |
WO01/26533
(2001-04-19)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Perruca, Giovanni
- Nebbia, Fabio
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
18 인용 특허 :
1 |
초록
▼
A disperser of washing agents is described, for a household washing machine, in particular a dishwasher, said dispenser (10) comprising a tank (12) for containing a liquid washing agent to which a visual control device (17-18) is associated, of the level of said liquid washing agent, said control de
A disperser of washing agents is described, for a household washing machine, in particular a dishwasher, said dispenser (10) comprising a tank (12) for containing a liquid washing agent to which a visual control device (17-18) is associated, of the level of said liquid washing agent, said control device comprising a passage (18), placed between said tank (12) and the external part of the body (11) of the dispenser (10), and an element in a substantially transparent material (17) inserted in said passage (18), a first portion (22) of said transparent element (17) being at least partially visible from the outside of said body (11) and a second portion (17B) of said transparent element (17) being inserted in said tank (12), where at the free end of said second portion (17B) a series of projections (20) is defined, being placed at different levels of height.
대표청구항
▼
1. Dispenser of washing agents for a household washing machine, in particular a dishwasher; said dispenser comprising a tank for containing a liquid washing agent whereto a visual control device is associated, of the level of said liquid washing agent, said control device comprising a passage, exten
1. Dispenser of washing agents for a household washing machine, in particular a dishwasher; said dispenser comprising a tank for containing a liquid washing agent whereto a visual control device is associated, of the level of said liquid washing agent, said control device comprising a passage, extending between said tank and an external part of the body of the dispenser, and an element in a substantially transparent material being inserted in said passage, wherein:a first portion of said transparent element is at least partially visible from the outside of said body and a second portion of said transparent element results in being inserted in said tank, at the free end of said second portion a plurality of projections is defined, being arranged at different levels of height, and on at least a zone of the visible surface of said first portion some steps can be recognized, of a scale indicating the level of said liquid washing agent in said tank, each of said steps corresponds to one of said projections and can assume at least two different shades of color, depending on the fact that the respective projection is dipped or not in said liquid washing agent, in order to provide a relevant visual indication of level on said scale, wherein at least said first portion of said transparent element has a longitudinal section having one dimension much longer than the other one in order to allow for an easier and more precise comprehensibility of the information supplied by said device for the visual control of the level of said liquid; said longitudinal section of said first portion having a perimeter of a regular development, in order to allow a good coupling with sealing means between said transparent element and said passage of said dispenser.2. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein the perimeter of said longitudinal section of said first portion and/or said longitudinal section of said second portion of said transparent element presents two parallel straight length segments, being joined at the two ends by two semicircular segments.3. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein sealing means of the elastic type are provided, operating between said passage and said transparent element, where said passage (18) and said transparent element are equipped with respective positioning means of said sealing means in the working position.4. Dispenser, according to claim 3, wherein said sealing means are designed for adapting to the shape of said positioning means, and comprise a ring gasket.5. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein said passage presents at least two sections having different dimensions.6. Dispenser, according to claim 3, wherein said positioning means of said passage comprise a notch or relief defined between said two sections.7. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein a flange is defined between said first portion and said second portion of said transparent element.8. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein said first portion is formed by at least of two lengths having different sections.9. Dispenser, according to claim 5 and wherein said positioning means of said transparent element comprise a notch or relief defined between said two lengths.10. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein said projections have substantially a triangular or pentagonal prism shape.11. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein said transparent element is coupled to the said passage through a coupling having a moderate mechanical interference between the parts.12. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein coupling means are provided for said transparent element and said passage, in order to maintaining the correct working position of said transparent element within said passage when assembled together for granting the sealing of said tank.13. Dispenser, according to claim 12, wherein said coupling means comprise first means stiffly connected to said passage of said dispenser and second means stiffly connected to said transparent element, adapted to realize a snapping or flexible sort of coupling.14. Dispenser, according to claim 13, wherein said means comprise at least one flexible wing, being equipped with at least one hooking tooth.15. Dispenser, according to claim 14, wherein said hooking tooth presents at least an inclined plane, operable for being brought into contact with one part of said transparent element, during the assembly of the latter in said passage, in order to produce a bending of said wing.16. Dispenser, according to claim 15, wherein said tooth is capable of hooking on said part of said transparent element, in a condition of compression of said sealing means.17. Dispenser, according to claim 13, wherein said first means comprise at least a flexible portion wherein at least one hooking opening is defined, said flexible portion presenting an inclined plane at the free end.18. Dispenser, according to claim 17, wherein said part of said transparent element is in relief and comprises at least one inclined surface, adapted to be brought into contact with said inclined plane of said flexible portion, during the assembly of said transparent element within said passage, for producing a bending of said flexible portion.19. Dispenser, according to claim 17, wherein said hooking openings are capable of retaining said raised part of said transparent element, in a condition of compression of said sealing means.20. Dispenser, according to claim 12, wherein said passage of said dispenser comprises an end area adapted to be deformed during the introduction of said transparent element within said passage and to assure, when assembled together, the maintaining of a correct working position of said transparent element within said passage.21. Dispenser, according to claim 20, wherein said end area is shaped convergent towards the axis of said passage, in order to lock mechanically said part of said transparent element, in a condition of compression of said sealing means.22. Dispenser, according to claim 21, wherein said convergent shaping of said end area is executed through hot-riveting or hot-heading of said end area.23. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein said transparent element is realized with a plastic material, like polycarbonate or methacrylate.24. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprise an o-ring or a square-ring.25. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein the coupling between said passage and said transparent element is realized through pasting or welding, through ultrasound or similar fixing technique.26. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein said body is realized by welding a front piece and a rear piece.27. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein al least some of said steps of a scale indicating the level of said washing liquid agent in said tank are delimited by lines being substantially horizontal and parallel, highlighted due to optical effect on said visible surface of said transparent element.28. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein said visible surface of said first portion presents relieves.29. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein said visible surface of said first portion presents interruptions, which divide said visible surface into several separate areas.30. Dispenser, according to claim 28 wherein said relieves or said separate areas are substantially aligned with respective projections.31. Dispenser, according to claim 25 wherein the upper end of said passage presents a plurality of openings, whose number and shape correspond to said relieves or to said separate area, said scale being realized by the surfaces of said relieves or said separate areas being visible outside said body, the steps of said scale being clearly separated from each other by opaque material and/or forming said body.32. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein said projections are formed by distinct parts of said second portion, said parts having a circular or polygonal section.33. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein said at least one zone of the visible surface of said first portion is shaped to define numbers and/or symbols and/or figures and/or alphabetic or alphanumeric characters.34. Dispenser, according to claim 33, wherein said numbers and/or symbols and/or figures and/or alphabetic or alphanumeric characters are substantially aligned with respective projections.35. Dispenser, according to claim 33 wherein said passage presents an outer surface, visible from the outside of said body of said dispenser, is shaped to be complementary to said numbers and/or symbols and/or figures and/or alphabetic or alphanumeric characters.36. Dispenser, according to claim 32 wherein said scale indicating the level of said washing liquid agent in said tank, is realized by the surfaces of said numbers and/or symbols and/or figures and/or alphabetic or alphanumeric characters being visible on the outside of said body, the steps of said scale being clearly separated from one another by opaque material and/or forming said body.37. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein at least some of said projections are arranged in pairs, the two projections of each pair laying at the same height, the various pairs laying at different heights.38. Process for assembling a transparent element belonging to a device for a visual control of the level of a washing liquid agent contained in a tank of a washing agents dispenser for a domestic dishwasher, inside said tank of said dispenser, comprising the steps of:defining in said transparent element a first portion capable to be inserted in a passage shaped in a front piece of a body of; said dispenser, said front piece having an outer surface and an inner surface; defining in said transparent element a second portion adapted to be substantially dipped into said washing liquid agent; applying sealing means on said first portion of said transparent element; addressing said first portion, arranged with said sealing means, toward the entry of said passage of said front piece from said inner surface; inserting said transparent element, arranged with said sealing means, into said passage until said transparent element and said passage are mutually coupled, said transparent element being consequently blocked inside said passage; fixing a respective inner surface of a rear piece to said inner surface of said front piece of said body, in order to form said tank of said dispenser, said tank therefore being pre-formed in two parts; whereby an outwardly visible surface of said transparent element is substantially lined up with said outer surface of said front piece for allowing a better visualization of said level of the washing liquid agent to be contained in said tank. 39. Process, according to claim 38, wherein said device for a visual control of the level of a washing liquid agent, tank, transparent element, passage, body scaling means, are comprised in a dispenser having a tank for containing a liquid washing agent whereto a visual control device is associated, of the level of said liquid washing agent, said control device comprising a passage, extending between said tank and an external part of the body of the dispenser, and an element in a substantially transparent material being inserted in said passage, wherein:a first portion of said transparent element is at least partially visible from the outside of said body and a second portion of said transparent element results in being inserted in said tank, at the free end of said second portion a plurality of projections is defined, being arranged at different levels of height, and on at least a zone of the visible surface of said first portion some steps can be recognized, of a scale indicating the level of said liquid washing agent in said tank, each of said steps corresponds to one of said projections and can assume at least two different shades of color, depending on the fact that the respective projection is dipped or not in said liquid washing agent, in order to provide a relevant visual indication of level on said scale, wherein at least said first portion of said transparent element has a longitudinal section having one dimension much longer than the other one in order to allow for an easier and more precise comprehensibility of the information supplied by said device for the visual control of the level of said liquid; said longitudinal section of said first portion having a perimeter of a regular development, in order to allow a good coupling with sealing means between said transparent element and said passage of said dispenser. 40. Process, according to the claim 38 wherein, in order to carry out the step e), said first portion is to be worked or machined for realizing a slight interference with said passage during the insertion of said transparent element into said passage.41. Process, according to claim 38 wherein the fixing of the step i) is actuated by welding.42. Dispenser, according to claim 1, wherein said perimeter of said longitudinal section of said first portion is constituted without sharp edges, in order to allow a good coupling with sealing means without mechanical stress concentration.43. Dispenser, according to claim 42, wherein a longitudinal section of said second portion of said transparent element, chosen substantially parallel to the outer surface of said body of said dispenser, has one dimension much longer than the other one.44. Dispenser, according to claim 1 wherein a general section of said transparent element, chosen substantially parallel to the outer surface of said body of said dispenser, has one dimension much longer than the other one.45. Dispenser, according to claim 1 wherein the perimeter of said longitudinal section of said first portion and/or said longitudinal section of said second portion of said transparent element has at least some of its profile constituted by a curve.46. Dispenser, according to claim 5, wherein said passage has a longitudinal section having one dimension much longer than the other one, in order to allow for an easier and more precise comprehensibility of the information supplied by said device for the visual control of the level of said liquid; said longitudinal section of said passage having a perimeter of a regular development, in order to allow a good coupling with sealing means between said transparent element and said passage of said dispenser.47. Dispenser, according to claim 46, wherein said perimeter of said longitudinal section of said passage is constituted without sharp edges, in order to allow a good coupling with sealing means without mechanical stress concentration.48. Dispenser, according to claim 47, wherein said perimeter of said longitudinal section of said passage has at least some of its profile constituted by a curve.49. Dispenser, according to claim 48, wherein said perimeter of said longitudinal section of said passage presents two parallel straight length segments, being joined at the two ends by two semicircular segments.
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