AUTOMATIC DOSING DISPENSER EMPLOYING ATMOSPHERIC VENT TO IMPROVE OPENING RELIABILITY

摘要

An improved dispenser (10) for reliably adding fluid rinse additive to the rinse water in an automatic washing machine. The dispenser includes a filling/dispensing aperture (23) within the uppermost portion of a container for adding the fluid additive to the dispenser and for allowing the rinse water to enter and exit the dispenser. The dispenser is provided with a manually closable centrifugally openable valve (42) for closing the filling/dispensing aperture in the container after it has been filled with additive. The valve maintains substantially all of the fluid additive within the dispenser throughout the wash cycle until the dispenser is opened by the centrifugal force during the spin empty portion of the wash cycle. The dispenser further includes a vent (140) which is operatably associated with the valve to vent the interior of the container to the atmosphere whenever the valve is in its closed position. The vent is positioned within the container so that it cannot be submerged in a fluid additive regardless of the orientation of the container so long as the valve remains in its closed position.