LAUNDRY WASHING MACHINE AND CORRESPONDING OPERATING METHOD

摘要

Laundry washing machine (1) comprising an outer casing (2) and, inside said outer casing (2), a washing tub, a detergent dispensing assembly (9) which is structured for supplying detergent into the washing tub, a fresh-water supply circuit (10) which is structured for selectively channeling a flow of fresh water from the water mains towards the detergent dispensing assembly (9) and/or the washing tub, and a water softening device (12) which is arranged/located along the fresh-water supply circuit (10) and is structured for reducing the hardness degree of the fresh water channelled to the detergent dispensing assembly (9) and/or the washing tub; the water softening device (12) in turn comprising a water-softening agent container (13) which is crossed by the fresh water flowing along the fresh-water supply circuit (10) and is filled with a water softening agent able to reduce the hardness degree of the fresh water flowing through the same water-softening agent container (13); a regeneration-agent reservoir (14) which is fluidically connected to the water-softening agent container (13) and is structured to receive a consumable regeneration agent for performing a regeneration of the water softening function of the water softening agent stored into the water-softening agent container (13); and a water supply circuit (28) which is structured for channelling, on command, a given amount of fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir (14) so to at least partly dissolve the regeneration agents stored therein to form some brine; the regeneration-agent reservoir (14) comprising a hermetically-closable container (14) which is structured for receiving a given amount of consumable regeneration agent, and the water softening device (12) furthermore comprising electrically-controlled pressurizing means (28, 30) which are structured to form, into said hermetically-closable container (14), an air volume or bubble of pressurized air which pressurizes the brine contained into the hermetically-closable container (14).

主权项

1. Laundry washing machine (1) comprising an outer casing (2) and, inside said outer casing (2), a washing tub, a rotatable drum housed in axially rotatable manner inside the washing tub and structured for housing the laundry to be washed, a detergent dispensing assembly (9) which is structured for supplying detergent into the washing tub, a fresh-water supply circuit (10) which is structured for selectively channelling a flow of fresh water from the water mains towards the detergent dispensing assembly (9) and/or the washing tub, and a water softening device (12) which is arranged/located along the fresh-water supply circuit (10) and is structured for reducing the hardness degree of the fresh water channelled to the detergent dispensing assembly (9) and/or the washing tub;
the water softening device (12) in turn comprising a water-softening agent container (13) which is arranged/located along the fresh-water supply circuit (10) and is filled with a water softening agent able to reduce the hardness degree of the fresh water flowing through the same water-softening agent container (13); a regeneration-agent reservoir (14) which is fluidically connected to the water-softening agent container (13) and is structured to receive a consumable regeneration agent for performing a regeneration of the water softening function of the water softening agent stored into the water-softening agent container (13); and a water supply circuit (28) which is structured for channelling fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir (14) so to at least partly dissolve the regeneration agents stored therein to form some brine; the laundry washing machine (1) being characterized in that the regeneration-agent reservoir (14) comprises a hermetically-closable container (14) which is structured for receiving a given amount of consumable regeneration agent; and in that the water softening device (12) furthermore comprises electrically-controlled pressurizing means (28, 30) which are structured to form, into said hermetically-closable container (14), an air volume or bubble of pressurized air which pressurizes the brine contained into the hermetically-closable container (14).