Electronic detergent dispensing system

Claim 1

A system for supplying precisely controlled amounts of liquid product to a washing machine having a main water Supply controlled in a predetermined machine cycle, comprising: a. a carrier liquid conduit in addition to the main water supply connected to the washing machine, for conveying carrier liquid thereto; b. electrically actuable valve means located in said carrier liquid conduit and effective when actuated to enable the continuous flow of carrier liquid to the machine therethrough; c. venturi-aspirator means located in said carrier liquid conduit for conduction of the carrier liquid under the control of said valve means; d. a receptacle for containing a liquid product to be injected into said machine; a liquid product conduit connecting said receptacle to said venturi-aspirator means so that upon flow of carrier liquid therethrough the liquid product is drawn from said receptacle and injected into the carrier liquid flow, whereby the amount of liquid product supplied to the washing machine is determined by the duration of carrier liquid flow in the carrier liquid conduit; f. a cycle controlling timing device associated with the washing machine for providing an electrical triggering signal synchronized with a step of the machine cycle; and g. electrical control apparatus connected to receive said electrical triggering signal from said cycle controlling timing device, including an electrical timer connected to said valve means, and operative upon initiation of said electrical triggering signal to produce first and second control signals spaced by a predetermined delay interval, said apparatus including means actuating and maintaining actuated said valve means in response to said first control signal and deactuating said valve means in response to said second control signal, so that the amount of said liquid product supplied to said machine as a result of each triggering signal is a function of the duration of said delay interval, regardless of further continuance of said triggering signal.

Claim 2

A system for supplying precisely controlled amounts of liquid product to a washing machine having a main water Supply controlled in a predetermined machine cycle, comprising: a. a carrier liquid conduit in addition to the main water supply connected to the washing machine, for conveying carrier liquid thereto; b. electrically actuable valve means located in said carrier liquid conduit and effective when actuated to enable the continuous flow of carrier liquid to the machine therethrough; c. venturi-aspirator means located in said carrier liquid conduit for conduction of the carrier liquid under the control of said valve means; d. a receptacle for containing a liquid product to be injected into said machine; a liquid product conduit connecting said receptacle to said venturi-aspirator means so that upon flow of carrier liquid therethrough the liquid product is drawn from said receptacle and injected into the carrier liquid flow, whereby the amount of liquid product supplied to the washing machine is determined by the duration of carrier liquid flow in the carrier liquid conduit; f. a cycle controlling timing device associated with the washing machine for providing an electrical triggering signal synchronized with a step of the machine cycle; and g. electrical control apparatus connected to receive said electrical triggering signal from said cycle controlling timing device, including an electrical timer connected to said valve means, and operative upon initiation of said electrical triggering signal to produce first and second control signals spaced by a predetermined delay interval, said apparatus including means actuating and maintaining actuated said valve means in response to said first control signal and deactuating said valve means in response to said second control signal, so that the amount of said liquid product supplied to said machine as a result of each triggering signal is a function of the duration of said delay interval, regardless of further continuance of said triggering signal.

Claim 3

A system for supplying precisely controlled amounts of various liquid products to a washing machine having a main water supply controlled in a predetermined machine cycle, comprising: a. means defining a plurality of carrier liquid conduits in addition to the main water supply connected to the washing machine, for conveying carrier liquid thereto; b. electrically actuable valve means located in said carrier liquid conduits and severally effective when actuated to enable the continuous flow of carrier liquid to the machine therethrough; c. venturi-aspirator means located in said carrier liquid conduits downstream from said valve means for conduction of the carrier liquid under the control of said valve means; d. a plurality of receptacles for containing different liquid products to be injected into said machine; e. liquid product conduit means connecting each of said receptacles to a different one of said venturi-aspirator means so that upon flows of carrier liquid through the several venturi-aspirators the liquid products are drawn from said receptacles and injected into the carrier liquid flows, whereby the amount of each liquid product supplied to the washing machine is determined by the duration of carrier liquid flow in the carrier liquid conduit; f. a cycle controlling timing device associated with the washing machine for providing a sequence of distinguishable electrical triggering signals synchronized with the steps of the machine cycle; g. electrical control apparatus connected to receive said electrical triggering signals from said cycle controlling timing device, including electrical timers connected severally to the several valve means, each of said timers being operative upon initiation of one only of said triggering signals to produce first and second control signals spaced by a predetermined delay interval, said apparatus including means actuating and maintaining actuated the several valve means in response to the several first control signals and deactuating the several valve means in response to the seveRal second control signals, so that the amount of each liquid product supplied to said machine as a result of a triggering signal is a function of the duration of the predetermined time delay interval, regardless of further continuance of said triggering signal; and h. means in each electrical timer for precisely adjusting the duration of the predetermined delay interval thereof.

Claim 4

A system for supplying precisely controlled amounts of various liquid products to a washing machine having a main water supply controlled in a predetermined machine cycle, comprising: a. means defining a plurality of carrier liquid conduits in addition to the main water supply connected to the washing machine, for conveying carrier liquid thereto; b. electrically actuable valve means located in said carrier liquid conduits and severally effective when actuated to enable the continuous flow of carrier liquid to the machine therethrough; c. venturi-aspirator means located in said carrier liquid conduits downstream from said valve means for conduction of the carrier liquid under the control of said valve means; d. a plurality of receptacles for containing different liquid products to be injected into said machine; e. liquid product conduit means connecting each of said receptacles to a different one of said venturi-aspirator means so that upon flows of carrier liquid through the several venturi-aspirators the liquid products are drawn from said receptacles and injected into the carrier liquid flows, whereby the amount of each liquid product supplied to the washing machine is determined by the duration of carrier liquid flow in the carrier liquid conduit; f. a cycle controlling timing device associated with the washing machine for providing a sequence of distinguishable electrical triggering signals synchronized with the steps of the machine cycle; g. electrical control apparatus connected to receive said electrical triggering signals from said cycle controlling timing device, including electrical timers connected severally to the several valve means, each of said timers being operative upon initiation of one only of said triggering signals to produce first and second control signals spaced by a predetermined delay interval, said apparatus including means actuating and maintaining actuated the several valve means in response to the several first control signals and deactuating the several valve means in response to the seveRal second control signals, so that the amount of each liquid product supplied to said machine as a result of a triggering signal is a function of the duration of the predetermined time delay interval, regardless of further continuance of said triggering signal; and h. means in each electrical timer for precisely adjusting the duration of the predetermined delay interval thereof.