Water dispensing device for a washing appliance

1. A water dispensing device for a washing appliance, comprising a body and a lid which define an internal cavity and, within said internal cavity, a flow conduit for water from an inlet to an outlet an air-break being provided on said flow conduit,

wherein at least one non-return valve is arranged in said flow conduit within said internal cavity and upstream of the air-break, said at least one non-return valve preventing a water backflow from a downstream section of said flow conduit into a water supply network through said inlet,

wherein said at least one non-return valve consists of a single piece of elastic material having a fixed portion blocked by said body or lid and a movable portion abutting on a surface of said body or lid, and

wherein said single piece of elastic material is shaped like an umbrella having a stem and a cap, wherein said body has a Z-shaped partition which extends from a side wall of a length of said flow conduit in which said at least one non-return valve is arranged and has end partition portions transverse to a general water flow direction in said flow conduit and an intermediate partition portion parallel to said general water flow direction, said intermediate partition portion having a through-hole in which said stem is inserted and at least one opening allowing water to penetrate in said at least one opening and then to flow into a volume defined by said cap and said intermediate partition portion.

2. The water dispensing device of claim 1 , comprising a first and a second non-return valves arranged in series in said flow conduit within said internal cavity and upstream of the air-break.

3. The water dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein said at least one non-return valve is arranged downstream of a flowmeter.

4. The water dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein water flow direction through said at least one non-return valve is orthogonal with respect to said general water flow direction in said flow conduit.

5. The water dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein said perimeter edge is configured to abut on a surface of said body.

6. The water dispensing device of claim 5 , wherein a distal end of said stem is enlarged and has a larger cross-section than the cross-section of the through-hole.

7. The water dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein a pin protrudes from a portion of the surface of the lid facing said intermediate partition portion, a distal end of said pin coming into contact with a top of said cap.

8. The water dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein said flow conduit passes through a chamber containing decalcifying resins, arranged downstream of said at least one non-return valve and upstream of said air-break.

9. The water dispensing device of claim 8 , wherein said chamber has an opening closed by a removable plug.

10. The water dispensing device of claim 8 , further comprising a by-pass conduit arranged in parallel to said chamber and provided with a normally closed safety valve.

11. An assembly comprising the water dispensing device of claim 1 , and a separate element housing a chamber containing decalcifying resins.

12. The water dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein said elastic member is a helical spring.

13. The water dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein said single piece of elastic material is a synthetic or natural elastomer.

14. A method for producing a water dispensing device for a washing appliance, the water dispensing device comprising a body and a lid which define an internal cavity and, within said internal cavity, a flow conduit for water from an inlet to an outlet, an air-break being provided on said flow conduit, wherein at least one non-return valve is arranged in said flow conduit within said internal cavity and upstream of the air-break, said at least one non-return valve preventing a water backflow from a downstream section of said flow conduit into a water supply network through said inlet,

wherein said at least one non-return valve consists of a single piece of elastic material having a fixed portion blocked by said body or lid and a movable portion abutting on a surface of said body or lid,

wherein said single piece of elastic material is shaped like an umbrella having a stem and a cap, wherein said body has a Z-shaped partition which extends from a side wall of a length of said flow conduit in which said at least one non-return valve is arranged and has end partition portions transverse to a general water flow direction in said flow conduit and an intermediate partition portion parallel to said general water flow direction, said intermediate partition portion having a through-hole in which said stem is inserted and at least one opening allowing water to penetrate in said at least one opening and then to flow into a volume defined by said cap and said intermediate partition portion, and

wherein said method providing that said at least one non-return valve is assembled to said body and subsequently the lid is fixed to said body.