EP0392196B1 - Filling level monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

In a filling-level monitoring device for a supply and dispensing unit for washing or rinsing agents, the container filling levels (TF) at which a signalling device responds in order to indicate the need for replenishing a washing or rinsing agent each correspond to a residual filling quantity (RFM) in each container (BV,BF,BW,BB) which is sufficient for at most five doses of the same agent, each of at most 120 ml. This gives a request for replenishment some degree of urgency, and therefore the attendant will fill up the particular container as soon as possible while inconvenience will be avoided.

Description

The invention relates to a device for storing several pumpable detergent or dishwashing agents in a container and for the automatic metered addition of active substance doses required in the washing or rinsing process into the tub of a washing machine or dishwasher, the device having a control device for a control panel has optical display devices for container residual fill quantities and sensor devices in or on the containers for these residual fill quantities, the residual fill quantity in each container being sufficient for a maximum of five doses of the same active ingredient, each with a maximum of 120 ml.

Such a fill level monitoring device for containers with a volume that is not specified is known from DE 33 02 925 A1. On the one hand, the residual filling quantity still provided for a certain number (thought was the number 10) of dosing processes is very large. On the other hand, after reporting the defect, the operator can switch to the automatic switchover provided there Leave manual dosing so that it is not emphatically induced to procure the active ingredient that is running low and to refill the emptying container. Soon the necessary refill is forgotten and the container is empty, so that the operator may be forced to uncomfortable manual dosing of made-up detergent because the required active ingredient was not procured in time.

If, based on this experience, the operator is now prompted to provide active ingredient replenishment at an early stage, such a replenishment supply is a nuisance in the household because it cannot be completely filled into the container when the deficiency is reported.

The washing machine or dishwasher with a detergent or detergent dosing device known from DE 29 21 958 A1 cannot help here, in which the deficiency indicator is switched on when the detergent or detergent level in the storage container is still at about 1 to 6 washes - or sufficient number of rinses has dropped. A residue corresponding to this residual amount would still remain in the replenishment transport container. Therefore this transport container would have to be kept in the household.

The invention has for its object to design a device specified at the outset so that an operator can completely accommodate the newly procured active ingredient after a partial emptying message in the appropriate container.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the containers have a volume which is greater than the volume of one for the addition of the remaining filling quantity Storage container provided and that the display device contains a display for each container for a partial filling state, which is set after removal of a quantity corresponding to the volume of the transport container.

The maximum filling volumes of the storage containers are limited on the one hand by the fact that the greatest possible number of automatically metered additions should be possible without the storage container having to be refilled. A refill interval of four moants at approx. 50 doses is sought in this period. The maximum filling volume of each container is limited by the fact that there is no space of any size for the installation of such storage containers. Provided storage and metering devices are known from the prior art, which have a width of 15 cm, for example. The other two dimensions (depth = maximum 60 cm and height = maximum 85 cm) result from the standard dimensions of large cabinet-shaped household appliances. In such a storage and dosing device - if storage containers for four different active ingredients are required - a maximum of 6.6 liters filling volume per container is possible. Since transport containers normally have a 3 l filling volume, there is advantageously a remaining stock of 3.6 l as soon as the partial emptying message "comes". This partial emptying can already be supplemented by the entire contents of a transport container without there having to be any remaining. In addition, if the operator ignores this partial emptying message and waits for the deficiency message, then in the example above, he can even completely transfer two transport containers one after the other. But also with a smaller one The above example even completely decant two transport containers in succession. But even with a smaller difference in volume between the partial container filling state and the remaining filling state, this advantage results at least with respect to a transport container filling.

If, as in the known machines and devices, a residual filling volume with a volume of 300 ml to 600 ml is still available when the deficiency message is triggered, five doses of 120 ml each (largest assumed single dose) can be removed.

With such a small number of still possible automatic dosing processes after the display of the remaining filling quantity reached, the operator must see himself prompted to immediately replenish the supply. This acts indirectly as an educational measure because a negligent operator is "punished" shortly afterwards with the requirement of inconvenient manual dosing.

From a technical point of view, this additional display device, in addition to the existing display device for the remaining filling quantity - apart from one additional lamp per container - can be accomplished without further material expenditure by measuring the amount withdrawn in the (anyway existing, which is modernly equipped with a microcomputer) Control device for each dose of active substance removed from one of the containers registers a number of dosing units corresponding to the dosing quantity and, when a certain sum of dosing units is reached, the display device is prepared for signaling by the lamp. This further development of the invention can be implemented in a simple manner by expanding the Software of an electronic control device can be accomplished. Additional level sensors in the containers are therefore unnecessary.

A particular advantage results from the fact that, in a further development of the invention, the prepared signaling can be triggered by the display together with the optical signaling for the remaining filling state of any container. The advantage of this is the operation. If the signal for the residual filling status of any container is triggered, then - if another of the remaining containers has already been emptied according to the volume of a transport container - an indication can also be given so that the operator has the opportunity to recognize from it that this container is usefully refillable with the entire contents of a transport container in the same operation. All other storage containers could also be refilled. However, if their removal quantities are smaller than the volume of a transport container, a residual quantity would still be left in the respective transport container after refilling. The operator would then be forced to pick up this partially emptied transport container. The advantage of the above invention, however, is that the operator can transfer the entire filling quantity of a transport container into the storage container whose further indicator light had signaled the partial emptying. The emptied transport container can then be thrown away and does not take up any space in the operator's household.

In the case of a fill level monitoring device for a device in which the control panel has a handle for selecting an automatic dosage of system detergents or dishwashing detergents or a manual dosing of made-up detergents or dishwashing detergents into a chamber of the washing machine or dishwasher provided for providing individual doses , The invention can be advantageously further developed in that an automatically triggered signaling can be deleted once by actuating the handle in the sense of manual dosing. In an advantageous embodiment, the triggered signaling can be both optical and acoustic, but the signaling to be deleted can only be the acoustic signal. Then the operator remains visually informed of an almost empty container until it is refilled, but the annoying acoustic signal can be deleted for the individual case of manual dosing. The control of the supply and metering device is advantageously designed in such a way that a manual dose selection is automatically deleted after the washing or rinsing process has expired, so that the environmental and user-oriented advantages of automatic metering are used as often as possible.

To avoid further operating actions, an advantageous development of the invention can consist in that all signals can be erased by the return of the sensor device which triggers the signaling to its idle state.

Incidentally, it is an advantage for all signaling (optical and acoustic) if the respective signaling is initially only prepared when the relevant criterion is reached, but the signaling is only triggered when automatic dosing is requested, e.g. when choosing a washing or rinsing program .

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung der Anordnung von vier Vorratsbehältern für Wasch- oder Spülmittel-Wirkstoffe und

Fig. 2

ein Ausführungsbeispiel für eine Bedienblende, die Handhaben und Signaleinrichtungen gemäß der Erfindung enthält.

The invention is explained below using an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing. Show it

Fig. 1

is a schematic representation of the arrangement of four storage containers for detergents or detergents and

Fig. 2

an embodiment of a control panel that contains handles and signaling devices according to the invention.

1 shows the schematic arrangement of the storage containers BV for heavy-duty detergents, BF for mild detergents, BB for bleach and BW for fabric softener in the storage and dosing device. The larger containers have a volume that is approximately twice as large as the volume of a transport container for detergent or dishwashing agents not shown here. For example, the large containers have a volume of 6.6 liters, while the small storage container BW has a volume of 4.3 liters. Approximately halfway up the height of each container, a marking TF is made in accordance with a removal volume that can be accommodated in the upper part of the container, equal to the volume of a transport container. In the lower area of each container there is another marking RF, which indicates the level of the remaining filling quantity RFM in the container.

The switching point of a sensor device S, with which each container is equipped, lies at the level of this marking RF. When this level is reached, the sensor device sends a signal which triggers or prepares the signal to the control device (not shown). This signaling can be formed, for example, in the optical area from a flashing light-emitting diode and in the acoustic area from a piezoceramic oscillator. The container BW for storing fabric softener has a total volume of, for example, 4.3 liters. Once its remaining filling quantity has been reached (level RF), a maximum of five washing processes, each with a softener dose of 60 ml, can be added.

The residual filling quantities are set up so that when the signaling is triggered by the sensor device S, two full transport container volumes can be filled into the containers BV, BF and BB, while the storage container BW above the residual filling level RF is slightly more than the volume of a transport container sums up.

The remaining filling amounts are about 1/25 to about 1/6 of the total volumes of the respective containers. For example, the remaining filling quantities in the large containers BV, BF and BB are 600 ml, corresponding to 1/11 of the total filling quantity of each large container and 300 ml in the small container BW, corresponding to approximately 1/14 of the total filling volume.

In the control panel according to FIG. 2, handles H1 for switching the supply and dosing device on and off, HH for entering the water hardness to be taken into account, HD for selecting the dosage (automatic or manual dosing) and HW for selecting the softener dosage are arranged. Display elements LED are assigned to the operating handles HH, HD and HW to make their setting visible. They are labeled accordingly.

Signal lights SVR for displaying the remaining filling quantity of heavy-duty detergent, SFR for displaying the remaining filling quantity of mild detergent, SBR for displaying the remaining filling quantity of bleach and SWR for displaying the remaining filling quantity of fabric softener are arranged above. Furthermore, signal lights for the display of a removal in the amount of the volume of a transport container are arranged; they are called SVTF, SBTF and SWTF. In the example shown it is indicated that the lights SVR, SVTF and SWTF light up. This is to mean that the residual filling quantity RFM, that is to say the level RF, has been reached in the container BV, while in the fabric softener storage container BW the amount of withdrawal TV corresponding to the volume of a transport container is missing, that is to say the level TF has been reached. With this display, the operator should fill container BV with the contents of two transport containers for heavy-duty detergents and container BW with the contents of a transport container for fabric softener.

In deviation from this recommendation, however, the operator can only fill the contents of a transport container for heavy-duty detergents into the storage container BV. Then the sensor device S returns to its idle state and extinguishes all the previously switched on lights SVR, SVTF and SWTF.

Accordingly, the operator can empty the contents of two transport containers of heavy-duty detergent into the storage container BV, the sensor device of which then also clears all the signal lights - including the signal light SWTF.

Filling only the BW storage container through the contents of a transport container of fabric softener does not result in any change in the signaling because the container BV has not been filled and therefore its sensor device has none Cause signal cancellation. From this state, the operator can still run a few dosing processes automatically, but will have to be constantly reminded of the refilling of the container by the acoustic signal.

The control device can also be designed in such a way that the acoustic signaling AS is only switched on after a certain number of dosing processes from reaching the remaining filling quantity. For this purpose, the control device is equipped with a counter, which can each add up a number of dosing units that are integral parts of the actual dosing quantity. After counting a number of dosing units, which should be smaller than that of the total remaining filling quantity RFM, the acoustic signal is switched on. An advantageous alternative can also be seen in the fact that an acoustic signal triggered when the reserve level RF is reached is amplified after the aforementioned upper limit has been reached and / or cannot be erased until the emptied container is filled.

The number of dosing units that corresponds to the total remaining filling quantity is also known and forms the upper limit for the possible dosing from the remaining filling quantity. As soon as this upper limit is reached, the control device can automatically switch from automatic to manual dosing and, if necessary, switch off the acoustic signal. However, the acoustic signal should always be switched on automatically as long as the emptied container has not been refilled and automatic dosing is requested.

A further reinforcement of the "educational effect" mentioned at the outset can be achieved in that no washing or rinsing process can be started at all when the above-mentioned upper limit is reached.

Claims (8)

1. Device for the storage of several pumpable washing or rinsing effective substances each in a respective container and for the automatic metered addition of effective metered substance doses needed during the washing or rinsing process into the liquor container of a washing or rinsing machine, wherein the device displays a control equipment for an operating panel with optical indicating equipments for residual container filling quantities and sensor equipments in or at the containers for these residual filling quantities, wherein the residual filling quantity (RFM) in each container (BV, BF, BW, BB) suffices for at most five doses each of at most 120 millilitres of the same effective substance, characterised thereby, that the containers (BV, BF, BB, BW) have a volume which is greater by more than the residual filling quantity (RFM) than the volume (TV) of a transport container provided for the replenishment of the stock and that the indicating equipment displays for each container (BV, BF, BW, BB) an indicator (SVTF, SFTF, SWTF) for a partial container filling state (TF), which has set in after the withdrawal of a quantity corresponding to the volume (TV) of the transport container.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised thereby, that for the metering of the withdrawn quantity, a number of metering units corresponding to the metered quantity is recorded in the control equipment for each effective substance dose withdrawn from one of the containers (BV, BF, BB, BW) and the indicating equipment is prepared for the signalling by the indicator (SVTF, SFTF, SBTF, SWTF) on reaching a certain sum of metering units corresponding to the volume of a transport container.
3. Device according to claim 2, characterised thereby, that for ascertaining the completely empty state of each container, a number of metering units corresponding to the metered quantity is recorded for each effective substance dose withdrawn from its container on the response of the sensor equipment and subsequent selections of automatic meterings are blocked on reaching a sum of metering units corresponding to the residual filling quantity (RFM).
4. Device according to claim 3, characterised thereby, that an amplified acoustic signal is prepared on reaching a sum corresonding to the residual filling quantity.
5. Device according to one of the claims 2 to 4, characterised thereby, that the prepared signalling is initiable by the indicator (for example SWTF) together with the optical signalling (SVR) for the residual filling state (RF) of any desired container (for example BV).
6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the operating panel (Figure 2) displays a handle (HD) for the selection of an automatic metering of system washing or rinsing agents or a manual metering of packaged washing or rinsing agents into a respective chamber, which is provided for the presentation of individual doses, of the washing or rinsing machine, characterised thereby, that an automatically initiated signalling (for example SVR, SVTF and SWTF) is cancellable once by an actuation of the handle (HD) in the sense of the manual metering.
7. Device according to claim 6, characterised thereby, that only the acoustic signalling (AS) is cancellable.
8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised thereby, that all signals (SVR, SVTF, SWTF) are cancellable by the return of the sensor equipment (S), which initiates the signalling, into its rest state.

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