IP Library Granted Patent US 9,103,583
Granted Patent B2
US 9,103,583 · App. 13/583,230 · Granted Aug 11, 2015

Apparatus and system for cleaning a water line

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,103,583
App. No.
13/583,230
Granted
Aug 11, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatus for cleaning an internal water line of a household appliance, in particular of a refrigerating device, includes a chamber which contains a cleaning substance or can be filled with the cleaning substance. An inlet connection is in communication with the chamber and configured identical to an inlet connection of the internal water line, and an outlet connection is in communication with the chamber and configured to complement the inlet connection of the apparatus.

Claims (82)

1. An apparatus for cleaning an internal water line of a household appliance, comprising:

a tubular piece;

a chamber defined in the tubular piece and structured to contain a cleaning substance;

an inlet connection positioned on the tubular piece upstream of the chamber with respect to a direction of a flow of water supplied by a mains water supply;

an outlet connection positioned on the tubular piece downstream of the chamber with respect to the direction of the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply; and

a destructible membrane positioned inside of the outlet connection and downstream of the chamber with respect to the direction of the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply,

wherein the chamber, the inlet connection, and the outlet connection are arranged such that the entire flow of water supplied by the mains water supply passes through the chamber, and

wherein the destructible membrane is configured to be destroyed by pressure applied by the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a third connection in communication with the chamber configured to receive the cleaning substance for addition into the chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an additional destructible membrane positioned upstream of the chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising at least one web having a sharp point, each at least one web corresponding to one destructible membrane, and each at least one web positioned downstream of the corresponding destructible membrane.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning substance provided to the chamber, the cleaning substance being either liquid or solid.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 ,

wherein if the cleaning substance is liquid, the destructible membrane positioned is downstream of the chamber.

7. A system for supplying a cleaning substance, comprising:

a tubular piece;

a chamber defined in the tubular piece and structured to contain the cleaning substance;

an inlet connection positioned on the tubular piece upstream of the chamber with respect to a direction of a flow of water supplied by a mains water supply;

an outlet connection positioned on the tubular piece downstream of the chamber with respect to the direction of the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply; and

a destructible membrane positioned within the outlet connection and downstream of the chamber with respect to the direction of the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply,

wherein the chamber, the inlet connection, and the outlet connection are arranged such that the entire flow of water supplied by the mains water supply passes through the chamber, and

wherein the destructible membrane is configured to be destroyed by pressure applied by the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a household appliance.

9. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a third connection in communication with the chamber configured to receive the cleaning substance for addition into the chamber.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the chamber is positioned internally or externally of the household appliance.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the household appliance further comprises a refrigerating device.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein an additional destructible membrane is positioned upstream of the chamber.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising at least one web having a sharp point, each at least one web corresponding to one destructible membrane, and each at least one web positioned downstream of the corresponding destructible membrane.

14. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a cleaning substance provided to the chamber, the cleaning substance being either liquid or solid.

15. The system of claim 14 ,

wherein if the cleaning substance is liquid, the destructible membrane positioned is downstream of the chamber.

16. A system for supplying a cleaning substance, comprising:

an internal water line configured to convey a flow of water in a direction supplied by a mains water supply;

an apparatus connected to the internal water line and positioned upstream of the internal water line to clean the internal water line, said apparatus comprising:

a tubular piece,

a chamber defined in the tubular piece and structured to contain the cleaning substance,

an inlet connection positioned on the tubular piece upstream of the chamber with respect to the direction of the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply,

an outlet connection positioned on the tubular piece downstream of the chamber with respect to the direction of the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply, and

a multi way valve switchable between a first position in which the entire flow of water supplied by the mains water supply passes through the chamber to the internal water line, and a second position in which the entire flow of water supplied by the mains water supply bypasses the chamber.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a household appliance,

wherein the apparatus is positioned internally or externally of the household appliance.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the multi way valve comprises an inlet and an outlet, and

wherein in the first position the inlet and the outlet are each in fluid communication with the chamber via a bottleneck.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the tubular piece further comprises a protrusion defining a void such that the entire flow of water supplied by the mains water supply bypasses the chamber through the void.

20. An apparatus for cleaning an internal water line of a household appliance, comprising:

a tubular piece;

a chamber defined in the tubular piece and structured to contain a cleaning substance;

an inlet connection positioned on the tubular piece upstream of the chamber with respect to a direction of a flow of water supplied by a mains water supply;

an outlet connection positioned on the tubular piece downstream of the chamber with respect to the direction of the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply; and

a multi way valve switchable between a first position in which the entire flow of water supplied by the mains water supply passes through the chamber to an internal water line of a household appliance, and a second position in which the entire flow of water supplied by the mains water supply bypasses the chamber.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the multi way valve comprises an inlet and an outlet, and

wherein in the first position the inlet and the outlet are each in fluid communication with the chamber via a bottleneck.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the tubular piece further comprises a protrusion defining a void such that the entire flow of water supplied by the mains water supply bypasses the chamber through the void.

23. An apparatus for cleaning an internal water line of a household appliance, comprising:

a tubular piece;

a chamber defined in the tubular piece and structured to contain a cleaning substance;

an inlet connection positioned on the tubular piece upstream of the chamber with respect to a direction of a flow of water supplied by a mains water supply;

an outlet connection positioned on the tubular piece downstream of the chamber with respect to the direction of the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply;

a filter or a destructible membrane positioned inside of the outlet connection and downstream of the chamber with respect to the direction of the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply; and

an additional destructible membrane positioned upstream of the chamber,

wherein the chamber, the inlet connection, and the outlet connection are arranged such that the entire flow of water supplied by the mains water supply passes through the chamber.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising a third connection in communication with the chamber configured to receive the cleaning substance for addition into the chamber.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising at least one web having a sharp point, each at least one web corresponding to one destructible membrane, and each at least one web positioned downstream of the corresponding destructible membrane.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising a cleaning substance provided to the chamber, the cleaning substance being either liquid or solid.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein if the cleaning substance is solid, the filter is positioned downstream of the chamber, and

wherein if the cleaning substance is liquid, the destructible membrane positioned is downstream of the chamber.

28. A system for supplying a cleaning substance, comprising:

a tubular piece;

a chamber defined in the tubular piece and structured to contain the cleaning substance,

an inlet connection positioned on the tubular piece upstream of the chamber with respect to a direction of a flow of water supplied by a mains water supply, and

an outlet connection positioned on the tubular piece downstream of the chamber with respect to the direction of the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply, and

a filter or a destructible membrane positioned within the outlet connection and downstream of the chamber with respect to the direction of the flow of water supplied by the mains water supply; and

an additional destructible membrane is positioned upstream of the chamber,

wherein the chamber, the inlet connection, and the outlet connection are arranged such that the entire flow of water supplied by the mains water supply passes through the chamber.

29. The system of claim 28 , further comprising a household appliance.

30. The system of claim 28 , further comprising a third connection in communication with the chamber configured to receive the cleaning substance for addition into the chamber.

31. The system of claim 29 , wherein the chamber is positioned internally or externally of the household appliance.

32. The system of claim 29 , wherein the household appliance further comprises a refrigerating device.

33. The system of claim 28 , further comprising at least one web having a sharp point, each at least one web corresponding to one destructible membrane, and each at least one web positioned downstream of the corresponding destructible membrane.

34. The system of claim 28 , further comprising a cleaning substance provided to the chamber, the cleaning substance being either liquid or solid.

35. The system of claim 34 , wherein if the cleaning substance is solid, the filter is positioned downstream of the chamber, and

wherein if the cleaning substance is liquid, the destructible membrane positioned is downstream of the chamber.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO REMOVE USSN 14373413; 29120436 AND 29429277 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 035624 FRAME: 0784. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jun 19, 2015
From: BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERÄTE GMBH
To: BSH HAUSGERÄTE GMBH
Reel/Frame 036000/0848 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 11, 2015
From: BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERÄTE GMBH
To: BSH HAUSGERÄTE GMBH
Reel/Frame 035624/0784 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2012
From: ATHANASIOU, ATHANASIOS
To: BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERAETE GMBH
Reel/Frame 028912/0581 →