Our laundry dispenser uses a tap and cup method. It works OK but, unlike the bottle versions that has the cup as part of the lid, this one has a loose cup. So the problem is, once you've filled up the cup, dispensed into the washing machine, what do you do with the cup. Where do you put it? And, if you don't wash it regularly, it gets all crusted up with dried out detergent.
To solve this I made a funnel that feeds into the detergent container that will allow placing the cup upside down on it. This allows excess detergent to drain back into the container and the cup then acts as the lid for the container.
no-leak-no-mess features
- The funnel drains into a pipe which extends into the actual detergent container meaning that you need no washers nor do you need to tighten the nut very tight.
- The pipe, where it ends inside the detergent container, also has a little nodule to act as a drip lip to prevent detergent running along the bottom of the pipe back towards the nut.
- The funnel has 10mm high sides to reduce risk of spillage.
Other features
- If, for some reason you over tightened the nut and broke it, it is easy to replace as the funnel press fits onto the pipe so you can remove it.Print a new nut, remove the funnel, slide the new nut on and refit the funnel.
- If your detergent container has a different thread it is a simple matter of designing a suitable nut.
- Lastly, there is a small lip on the inside so that, if your particular cup is smaller, you can print a ring, that seats on the lip, for your cup to sit on. If your cup is bigger, design and print a bigger funnel.
- The funnel is also very convenient for refilling the container.