Delivery device

摘要

A delivery device for delivering a dose of washing material, especially a detergent tablet, into the interior of a washing apparatus such as a machine dishwasher. In one preferred form, the device comprises: a chamber for containing the dose of washing material to be delivered, the chamber including at least one opening for allowing communication between the interior of the chamber and the outside of the device; closure means for selectively closing or opening the at least one opening in the chamber; and temperature sensitive actuation means constructed and arranged for causing the closure means to move from their closed condition to their open position at a point or stage in the wash cycle of the apparatus at which a predetermined temperature within the interior of the apparatus is reached. The temperature sensitive actuation means preferably comprises a temperature sensitive actuation element, e.g. a bimetallic strip, in combination with a spring which moves the closure means from their closed to their open position when triggered to do so by the actuation element. Alternatively, in other embodiments the temperature sensitive actuation means may comprise simply a memory spring. In the context of an automatic dishwashing machine, triggering of the release of the detergent tablet can be arranged to occur when the temperature inside the machine reaches that indicative of the beginning of a main wash cycle e.g. 35 or 40 to 80 DEG C., following completion of a preceding, cooler, prewash stage.