CN108720775B - Tableware cleaning machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The dish washing machine of the present invention comprises: a box body forming an outline; a washing tank arranged in the box body and used for accommodating tableware; a water supply opening part which is arranged in the cleaning tank and supplies tap water supplied from a valve plug of a tap water pipe into the cleaning tank; and a fine bubble generator provided on a water supply path from the valve plug to the water supply port, for generating fine bubble water by partially reducing the water supply path to contain fine microbubbles in water passing through the water supply path without obtaining a supply of gas from outside the water supply path.

Description

Tableware cleaning machine

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a dish washing machine.

Background

For example, in a conventional dish washing machine, a technique for improving washing performance by generating fine air bubbles in water sprayed from a spray nozzle is known. However, in the conventional structure, the structure for generating fine bubbles tends to be complicated.

Prior art documents

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2007-117315

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem to be solved by the invention

Accordingly, the present invention provides a dish washing machine which is simple in structure and can improve washing ability.

Means for solving the technical problem

The dishwasher of an embodiment includes: a box body forming an outline; the washing tank is arranged in the box body and used for containing tableware; a water supply opening part which is arranged in the cleaning tank and supplies tap water supplied from a valve plug of a tap water pipe into the cleaning tank; and a fine bubble generator provided on a water supply path from the valve cock to the water supply port, for generating fine bubble water by partially contracting the water supply path to contain fine bubbles in water passing through the water supply path without obtaining a supply of gas from outside the water supply path.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of a dish washing machine according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a mounting structure of a fine bubble generator in the dish washing machine according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration around the washing nozzle in the dish washing machine according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a graph showing the number distribution of fine microbubbles contained in fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble generator in the dishwasher according to the first embodiment, for each particle diameter.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of the fine bubble generator according to the first embodiment, as viewed from the downstream side.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the fine bubble generator according to the first embodiment, as viewed from the downstream side.

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the fine bubble generator according to the first embodiment, as viewed from the upstream side.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the fine bubble generator according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the fine bubble generator of the first embodiment taken along line X9-X9 of fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged view showing a gap region, a slit region, and a dividing region in the first embodiment differently from fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is (a) a view conceptually showing the interaction between the fine bubbles and the surfactant in the first embodiment.

Fig. 12 is a view conceptually showing the interaction between the fine bubbles and the surfactant in the first embodiment (second).

Fig. 13 is a diagram conceptually showing the interaction between the fine bubbles and the surfactant in the first embodiment (third thereof).

Fig. 14 is a view conceptually showing the interaction between the fine bubbles and the surfactant in the first embodiment (fourth thereof).

Fig. 15 is a diagram conceptually showing the interaction between the fine bubbles and the surfactant in the first embodiment (fifth thereof).

Fig. 16 is a sectional view showing a mounting structure of a fine bubble generator in the dish washing machine according to the second embodiment.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view showing a mounting structure of a fine bubble generator in the dish washing machine according to the third embodiment.

Fig. 18 is a sectional view showing a mounting structure of a fine bubble generator in the dish washing machine according to the fourth embodiment.

Fig. 19 schematically shows an example of the structure of the dishwasher according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 20 is a sectional view showing an installation structure of a fine bubble generator in the dish washing machine according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 21 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the structure of the dish washing machine according to the sixth embodiment.

Fig. 22 is a sectional view showing a mounting structure of a fine bubble generator in the dish washing machine according to the sixth embodiment.

Fig. 23 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the structure of the dish washing machine according to the seventh embodiment.

Fig. 24 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the structure of the dishwasher according to the eighth embodiment.

Fig. 25 is a sectional view showing a mounting structure of a fine bubble generator in the dish washing machine according to the eighth embodiment.

Fig. 26 is a sectional view showing a mounting structure of a fine bubble generator in the dish washing machine according to the ninth embodiment.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, substantially the same portions in the respective embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

(first embodiment)

First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 15.

As shown in fig. 1, dishwasher 10 includes a case 11, a washing tub 12, a door 13, and a dish basket 14. In the following description, the door 13, i.e., the user side, is referred to as the front side or the front side of the dishwasher 10 with respect to the casing 11, and the opposite side to the door 13, i.e., the opposite side to the user side, is referred to as the inside or the rear side of the dishwasher 10. The dish washing machine 10 may be of a so-called built-in type or a fixed type.

The housing 11 constitutes an outer shell of the dishwasher 10, and is formed of a metal plate such as stainless steel, for example, into a rectangular box shape having an open front as a whole. Cleaning tank 12 is provided in casing 11, and is formed of, for example, a stainless steel metal plate or the like into a rectangular box shape having an open front as a whole. The door 13 is provided on the front surface of the case 11, and opens and closes an opening on the front surface of the case 11 by pivoting about a lower end portion of the door 13 as a fulcrum, for example. Dish basket 14 is a basket for receiving dishes 1 to be washed, and is configured to be taken out from inside washing tub 12 or taken in from outside in a state where door 13 is opened. In addition, not limited to the above configuration, for example, washing tub 12, door 13, and dish basket 14 may be integrally configured to be taken out from the inside of case 11 or taken in from the outside.

The dish washing machine 10 includes an external water supply pipe 21, an internal water supply pipe 22, a water supply valve 23, and a water supply port 24. The external water supply pipe 21 serves to introduce tap water into the dish washing machine 10 from the valve tap 2 of the tap water pipe as an external water source of the dish washing machine 10. The external water supply pipe 21 is connected to an external water supply pipe connection portion 111 provided in the case 11 and the valve plug 2. The external water supply pipe 21 may be, for example, a metal pipe or a resin pipe having no flexibility, that is, having rigidity, or may be a flexible pipe, for example, a resin hose or a metal pipe formed in a serpentine shape.

The internal water supply pipe 22 is used to supply tap water introduced into the tank 11 into the cleaning tank 12. The internal water supply pipe 22 directly or indirectly connects the water supply port part 24 and the external water supply pipe connection part 111. The internal water supply pipe 22 may be, for example, a metal pipe or a resin pipe having no flexibility, that is, having rigidity, or may be a flexible pipe, for example, a resin hose or a metal pipe formed in a serpentine shape. In the case of the present embodiment, the internal water supply pipe 22 is formed of a metal pipe having no flexibility, that is, having rigidity. The internal water supply pipe 22 of the present embodiment is fixed to the inner wall surface of the case 11 or the outer wall surface of the cleaning tank 12.

In the present embodiment, a path from the valve plug 2 to the water supply port portion 24 is referred to as a water supply path A, B. Among the water supply paths A, B, a water supply path from the valve plug 2 to the external water supply pipe connection 111, that is, a water supply path provided outside the tank 11 is referred to as an external water supply path a. Further, among the water supply paths A, B, a water supply path from the external water supply pipe connection portion 111 to the water supply port portion 24, that is, a water supply path provided inside the tank 11 is referred to as an internal water supply path B.

The water supply valve 23 is constituted by a solenoid valve for liquid, and controls the execution and stop of water supply to the inside of the washing tub 12. Water supply valve 23 is located inside tank 11 and outside washing tub 12, and is provided in the middle of internal water supply path B. That is, the water supply valve 23 is provided at an upstream end or a downstream end of the internal water supply pipe 22, or provided in the middle of the internal water supply pipe 22. In the present embodiment, the water supply valve 23 is provided at an upstream end of the internal water supply pipe 22.

Water supply opening 24 is used to supply water supplied from valve plug 2 of a water pipe as an external water source of dishwasher 10 into washing tub 12. Water supply opening 24 is located inside washing tub 12 and is provided at the end of internal water supply path B. That is, the water supply port part 24 is connected to the end part of the internal water supply pipe 22. In the present embodiment, water supply port 24 is provided at an upper portion of the wall surface of washing tub 12. As shown in fig. 2, water supply port 24 has a flow path 241 therein, and the tip end of flow path 241 opens downward along the wall surface of cleaning tank 12.

As shown in fig. 1, the dish washing machine 10 includes a support shaft 31, a washing nozzle 32, a heater 33, a drain port 34, a switching valve 35, and a pump 36. The support shaft 31 is, for example, a metal or resin cylindrical tube, and has a flow path 311 and a bearing 312 inside as shown in fig. 3. The bearing portion 312 is provided at a tip end portion, in this case, an upper end portion, of the support shaft 31. The bearing 312 has an inner diameter larger than that of the flow passage 311. The support shaft 31 is provided to extend upward from the bottom of the wash bowl 12. The support shaft 31 is not limited to being provided at the bottom of the washing tub 12, and may be provided on the left and right or inner wall surfaces of the washing tub 12 or the top surface.

As shown in fig. 3, the cleaning nozzle 32 is detachably provided at the distal end portion of the support shaft 31, in this case, at the upper end portion, and is configured to be rotatable with respect to the support shaft 31. The cleaning nozzle 32 has a flow path 321, a plurality of nozzle tips 322, and a rotation shaft 323. The rotation shaft 323 is rotatably inserted into the bearing 312 of the support shaft 31. Thereby, the upstream side of the flow passage 321 of the cleaning nozzle 32 is connected to the flow passage 311 of the support shaft 31. The cleaning nozzle 32 is branched into a plurality of flow paths 321 on the downstream side, and the tips of the branches are connected to the nozzle tip 322.

In this configuration, when the cleaning liquid is supplied from the support shaft 31 to the cleaning nozzle 32, the cleaning liquid is ejected from each nozzle tip 322. At this time, the cleaning nozzle 32 is rotated about the rotation shaft 323 as a fulcrum by the hydraulic pressure, which is the flow force of the cleaning liquid ejected from each nozzle tip 322.

As shown in fig. 1, heater 33 is provided near the bottom of cleaning tank 12, and heats the cleaning liquid stored in cleaning tank 12 to warm water. Drain port 34 is provided at the bottom of cleaning tank 12 and communicates the inside and outside of cleaning tank 12. The drain opening portion 34 is used for discharging the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank 12 to the outside of the cleaning tank 12.

The switching valve 35 is constituted by a liquid electromagnetic valve, in this case, a three-way valve, and is disposed between the drain port portion 34 and the switching valve 35 on the downstream side of the drain port portion 34. In the present embodiment, a path from the drain port 34 through the pump 36, the switching valve 35, the support shaft 31, the washing nozzle 32, and the inside of the washing tub 12 to the drain port 34 is referred to as a circulation path C. That is, the circulation path C is a path through which the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank 12 circulates. In the present embodiment, a path from the drain port 34 to the outside of the tank 11 through the pump 36 and the switching valve 35 is referred to as a drain path D. That is, the drain path D is a path for discharging the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank 12 to the outside of the dishwasher 10.

The switching valve 35 is configured to alternatively switch the circulation path C and the drain path D. When the pump 36 is driven in a state where the drain path D is closed by the switching valve 35 and the circulation path C is opened, the washing liquid reserved in the dishwasher 10 is ejected from the nozzle tip portions 322 of the washing nozzles 32 through the circulation path C by the action of the pump 36. Then, the washing liquid sprayed from each nozzle tip 322 is sprayed to the dishes 1 placed on the dish basket 14, and the dishes 1 are washed. In this case, the pump 36 functions as a circulation pump for circulating the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 12 through the circulation path C.

On the other hand, when the pump 36 is driven in a state where the pump 35 is switched to close the circulation path C and open the drain path D, the washing liquid reserved in the dish washing machine 10 is discharged to the outside of the case 11, that is, the outside of the machine of the dish washing machine 10 through the drain path D by the action of the pump 36. In this case, the pump 36 functions as a drain pump for draining the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 12 through the drain path D.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the dish washing machine 10 includes a fine bubble generator 40. In the case of the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 is provided in the middle of the water supply path A, B from the valve plug 2 to the water supply port 24.

In the present embodiment, the upper or middle portion of the water supply path A, B is a section from the upstream end of the water supply path a to the downstream end of the water supply path B. Therefore, the concept of the middle of the water supply path A, B also includes the upstream end of the water supply path a and the downstream end of the water supply path B. In the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 is provided near the end portion on the downstream side of the internal water supply path B. Specifically, the fine bubble generator 40 is provided between the downstream end of the internal water supply pipe 22 and the water supply port 24.

In the case of the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 2, the fine bubble generator 40 is incorporated in the water supply port portion 24. That is, in the present embodiment, the water supply port portion 24 has the mounting portion 25. The mounting portion 25 is a member for mounting the fine bubble generator 40 on the water supply path A, B. The fine bubble generator 40 is incorporated in the mounting portion 25 integrally formed with the water supply port portion 24.

In this case, as shown in fig. 2, a mounting hole 122 is formed in a wall surface 121 of the cleaning tank 12. The inner diameter of the mounting hole 122 is set slightly larger than the outer diameter of the mounting portion 25. Mounting portion 25 is inserted into mounting hole 122 from the inside toward the outside of washing tub 12. Further, the water supply port portion 24 has a flange portion 242. The flange portion 242 has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the mounting hole 122. In this case, the flange portion 242 is locked around the mounting hole 122 in a state where the mounting portion 25 is inserted into the mounting hole 122. Therefore, even in a state where the mounting portion 25 is inserted into the mounting hole 122, the water supply port portion 24 does not come off to the outside of the washing tub 12 through the mounting hole 122.

A seal member 26 such as an O-ring is provided between the flange portion 242 and the wall surface 121. Thereby, the water supply port 24 and the mounting portion 25 are mounted to the wall surface 121 in a watertight manner. The water supply opening 24 and the mounting portion 25 are detachably mounted to the wall surface 121 of the washing tub 12 by screws 15 or the like. In this case, water supply opening 24 and mounting portion 25 are configured to be attachable and detachable by an operation performed from the inside of washing tub 12.

As shown in fig. 2, the mounting portion 25 includes a first housing portion 251, a second housing portion 252, a communicating portion 253, and a receiving portion 254. The receiving portion 254, the first housing portion 251, the second housing portion 252, and the communicating portion 253 are formed to penetrate the mounting portion 25 in a circular shape toward the flow path 241 side of the water supply port portion 24, in this case, penetrate the mounting portion 25 in a circular shape toward the horizontal direction, and communicate with the flow path 241 of the water supply port portion 24.

The receiving portion 254, the first housing portion 251, and the second housing portion 252 are formed in a cylindrical shape, for example. In this case, the inner diameter becomes smaller in the order of the receiving portion 254, the first housing portion 251, and the second housing portion 252. The communicating portion 253 is formed as a cylindrical bottom portion that penetrates the second housing portion 252 in a circular shape having a smaller diameter than the inner diameter of the second housing portion 252.

As shown in fig. 2, the downstream end of the internal water supply pipe 22 is detachably connected to the receiving portion 254 of the mounting portion 25. In this case, the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 is locked to the periphery of the receiving portion 254 at the boundary portion between the receiving portion 254 and the first housing portion 251, that is, the bottom portion of the receiving portion 254, via the seal member 27. The sealing member 27 is, for example, an O-ring made of an elastic member such as rubber. That is, the seal member 27 is provided on the outer peripheral surface portion of the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22. Thereby, the internal water supply pipe 22 and the mounting portion 25 are connected to each other in a watertight state by the sealing member 27.

When a liquid such as water passes through the inside of the fine bubble generator 40 in the direction of the solid arrow in fig. 2, the fine bubble generator 40 rapidly reduces the pressure of the liquid to precipitate a gas dissolved in the liquid, for example, air, thereby generating fine bubbles. That is, in the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 is provided in the middle of the water supply path A, B, and by locally narrowing the water supply path A, B, it is possible to generate fine bubble water by containing fine microbubbles in the water passing through the supply path A, B without obtaining a supply of gas from the outside of the water supply path A, B.

In this case, the fine bubble generator 40 does not require a drive source such as a dedicated pump for generating fine bubbles, other than the normal water pressure, i.e., the pressure of the water pipe. In the present embodiment, the fine bubble water is water that contains more nano-scale fine bubbles passing through the fine bubble generator 40 than before passing through the fine bubble generator 40. That is, in the present embodiment, the fine bubble water is water containing more nano-scale fine bubbles than normal tap water.

The fine bubble generator 40 of the present embodiment can generate fine bubbles including nano-sized fine bubbles, for example, bubbles having a particle diameter of 500nm or less, more preferably bubbles having a diameter of 250nm or less, and still more preferably bubbles having a diameter of 100nm or less. In this case, the diameters of the fine bubbles generated by the fine bubble generator 40 do not need to be 100nm or less. That is, in this case, when observing the distribution of the number of fine bubbles having a diameter of 500nm or less per diameter among the fine bubbles generated by the action of the fine bubble generator 40, at least one of the peaks of the distribution may be 100nm or less. In this case, the maximum peak diameter is 500nm or less, preferably 250nm or less, and more preferably 100nm or less in the distribution of the number of fine bubbles per diameter.

The present inventors sampled and extracted the fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble generator 40, and analyzed the sampled and extracted fine bubble water by a nanoparticle tracking method (also referred to as an ion tracking method) using a nanoparticle analyzer (NANOSIGHT LM10, manufactured by shimadzu corporation), thereby measuring the number of fine bubbles per 1 ml. The results are shown in FIG. 4.

As shown in fig. 4, in the fine bubbles generated by the fine bubble generator 40 in the present embodiment, the peaks P1 to P5 of the number distribution of the fine bubbles per particle diameter appear at particle diameters of 500nm or less, specifically 250nm or less. In this case, the maximum peak P1 appears at a particle diameter of 100nm or less, specifically, around 80 nm. In addition, the second peak P2 appeared at around 140nm in particle diameter, and the third peak P3 appeared at around 110nm in particle diameter. Further, a fourth peak P4 appeared around a particle diameter of 50nm, and a fifth peak P5 appeared around a particle diameter of 220 nm.

In fig. 2, the tap water passing through the internal water supply pipe 22 flows from the right side to the left side of fig. 2 in the fine bubble generator 40. In this case, when the fine bubble generator 40 shown in fig. 2 is viewed, the right side of the sheet of fig. 2 is the upstream side of the fine bubble generator 40, and the left side of the sheet of fig. 2 is the downstream side of the fine bubble generator 40.

As shown in fig. 5 and 6, the entire fine bubble generator 40 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a flange, and has a small-sized structure with a diameter and a total length of about several mm to several tens mm, specifically, about 15mm in diameter and about 10mm in length. As shown in fig. 2, the fine bubble generator 40 is housed inside the first housing portion 251 and the second housing portion 252. The fine bubble generator 40 is made of, for example, resin, and includes flow path members 50 and 60 and an impact portion 70 as shown in fig. 2 and 5 to 9. As shown in fig. 8 and the like, the flow path members 50, 60 have flow paths 41, 42 through which liquid can pass, respectively. The flow paths 41 and 42 are connected to each other to constitute a continuous single flow path.

When the flow paths 41 and 42 are regarded as one continuous flow path, the collision portion 70 is provided in the continuous flow paths 41 and 42. The collision portion 70 locally reduces the cross-sectional area of the flow paths 41, 42, thereby generating fine bubbles in the liquid passing through the flow paths 41, 42. In the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 is configured by combining the flow path members 50 and 60 that are divided into 2 and configured separately. In the following description, the upstream flow path member 50 of the flow path members 50 and 60 is referred to as an upstream flow path member 50, and the downstream flow path member 60 is referred to as a downstream flow path member 60. Of the two channels 41 and 42, the upstream channel 41 is referred to as an upstream channel 41, and the downstream channel 42 is referred to as a downstream channel 42.

As shown in fig. 6 to 8, the upstream channel member 50 includes a flange portion 51, an intermediate portion 52, and an insertion portion 53. The flange portion 51 constitutes an upstream portion of the upstream flow path member 50. As shown in fig. 2, the flange portion 51 has an outer diameter slightly smaller than an inner diameter of the first housing portion 251 and larger than an inner diameter of the second housing portion 252. When the fine bubble generator 40 is assembled into the mounting portion 25, the flange portion 51 is locked around the second housing portion 252 at the boundary portion between the first housing portion 251 and the second housing portion 252, that is, the bottom portion of the first housing portion 251, via the seal member 28. The sealing member 28 is an O-ring made of an elastic member such as rubber, and is provided between the bottom of the first housing portion 251 and the flange portion 51. That is, the seal member 28 is provided at the outer peripheral surface portion of the intermediate portion 52.

As shown in fig. 6 to 8, the intermediate portion 52 is a portion connecting between the flange portion 51 and the insertion portion 53. The intermediate portion 52 has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the flange portion 51 and slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the second receiving portion 252 as shown in fig. 2. The insertion portion 53 constitutes a downstream side portion in the upstream side flow path member 50. The outer diameter of the insertion portion 53 is smaller than the outer diameter of the intermediate portion 52.

As shown in fig. 8, the upstream flow path member 50 has an upstream flow path 41 therein. The upstream flow path 41 includes a throttle portion 411 and a straight portion 412. The orifice 411 has a shape in which the inner diameter decreases from the inlet portion of the upstream flow path 41 toward the downstream side, i.e., toward the collision portion 70. That is, the orifice 411 is formed in a conical shape, so-called cone, in which the cross-sectional area of the upstream flow path 41, that is, the area through which the liquid can pass, is continuously reduced from the upstream side toward the downstream side. The straight portion 412 is provided downstream of the throttle portion 411. The straight tube portion 412 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a constant inner diameter, i.e., a constant cross-sectional area of a flow path, i.e., a constant area through which a liquid can pass, i.e., a so-called straight tube shape.

The collision portion 70 is formed integrally with the upstream flow path member 50. In this case, the collision portion 70 is provided at the downstream side end portion of the upstream side flow path member 50. As shown in fig. 9 and 10, the collision portion 70 is constituted by a plurality of protruding portions 71, in this case four protruding portions 71. The projections 71 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the cross section of the flow path 41. In the following description, the cross section of the flow path 41 refers to a cross section taken in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the liquid flowing through the flow path 41 or the like, that is, a cross section taken along the line X9-X9 in fig. 8. The circumferential direction of the flow channel 41 refers to a circumferential direction with respect to the center of the cross section of the flow channel 41 and the like.

Each of the projections 71 is formed in a bar shape or a plate shape projecting from the inner peripheral surface of the upstream flow path member 50 toward the center in the radial direction of the flow path 41. In the present embodiment, each of the protruding portions 71 is formed in a rod shape having a tapered tip end portion and a semi-cylindrical base portion toward the center in the radial direction of the flow path 41. The protruding portions 71 are disposed facing each other with their tapered distal ends spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. As shown in fig. 10, in the collision portion 70, the four projections 71 form a divided region 413, a gap region 414, and a slit region 415 in the flow channel 41. That is, each protrusion 71 divides the inside of the straight tube portion 412 in the upstream flow path 41 into a divided region 413, a gap region 414, and a slit region 415.

The divided region 413 and the slit region 415 are formed by two projections 71 adjacent in the circumferential direction of the upstream flow path 41. In this case, four divided regions 413 are formed in the upstream flow path 41. The divided region 413 contributes to the generation of fine bubbles, but has a greater effect as a water passage for compensating for the flow rate of water that is reduced by the resistance of the gap region 414 and the slit region 415. In this case, the areas of the divided regions 413 are equal to each other.

The gap region 414 is a region surrounded by lines connecting the distal ends of two adjacent protrusions 71 in the circumferential direction of the upstream flow path 41 among the protrusions 71. The gap region 414 includes the center of the cross section of the upstream-side flow path 41. The number of the divided regions 413 and the slit regions 415 is equal to the number of the protrusions 71. In the present embodiment, the collision portion 70 has four divided regions 413 and four slit regions 415.

The slit region 415 is a rectangular region formed between two adjacent protrusions 71 in the circumferential direction of the upstream flow channel 41. In the present embodiment, the slit regions 415 are equal in area. The slit regions 415 communicate with each other through the gap region 414. In this case, all the divided regions 413, the gap regions 414, and the slit regions 415 are communicated with each other, and the whole is formed in a cross shape.

The downstream end of the upstream flow path 41 communicates with the outside of the upstream flow path 41 through the divided region 413, the gap region 414, and the slit region 415 formed in the collision portion 70. The end surface on the downstream side of the collision portion 70, that is, the end surface 54 on the downstream side of the upstream flow path member 50 is formed to be flat as shown in fig. 6 and the like.

As shown in fig. 6 to 8, the downstream flow path member 60 is formed in a cylindrical shape as a whole, and has the downstream flow path 42 therein as shown in fig. 8 and the like. In this case, the communicating portion 253 shown in fig. 2 is set to have an inner diameter equal to or larger than that of the downstream-side flow passage 42. In the present embodiment, the inner diameter of the communicating portion 253 is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the downstream-side flow passage 42. As shown in fig. 8, the outer diameter of the downstream flow path member 60 is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the intermediate portion 52. As shown in fig. 7 and 9, the downstream flow path member 60 includes an inserted portion 61 and a deformed portion 62 therein.

As shown in fig. 8, the inserted portion 61 is provided in the downstream side flow passage member 60 on the upstream side of the downstream side flow passage 42. The inserted portion 61 is formed in a cylindrical shape. As shown in fig. 8 and the like, the inner diameter of the inserted portion 61 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the insertion portion 53 of the upstream flow path member 50. Therefore, the insertion portion 53 of the upstream flow path member 50 can be inserted into the inserted portion 61 of the downstream flow path member 60.

As shown in fig. 7 and 9, the deformation portion 62 is provided so as to protrude from the inner surface of the inserted portion 61 toward the center in the radial direction of the downstream flow path member 60. In this case, the deformation portion 62 is formed in an elongated bar shape extending in the flow direction of the downstream flow path 42, that is, in the longitudinal direction of the downstream flow path member 60, that is, in a so-called rib shape. In the present embodiment, the downstream flow path member 60 includes four deformable portions 62. As shown in fig. 9, the deformation portions 62 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface of the inserted portion 61.

As shown in fig. 8, when the insertion portion 53 of the upstream flow path member 50 is inserted into the inserted portion 61 of the downstream flow path member 60, the deformation portion 62 is pressed by the outer peripheral surface of the inserted portion 61 and is deformed. Therefore, the periphery of the insertion portion 53 is pressed by the deformation portion 62. Thereby, the upstream flow path member 50 and the downstream flow path member 60 are connected in a state where the insertion portion 53 and the inserted portion 61 are pressed against each other.

In the present embodiment, the inserted portion 61 is formed in a conical pipe shape of a so-called conical shape in which the inner diameter size is gradually reduced continuously from the upstream side toward the downstream side. That is, the inner diameter dimension of the upstream end portion in the inserted portion 61 is larger than the inner diameter dimension of the downstream end portion in the inserted portion 61, and is larger than the outer diameter dimension of the insertion portion 53. The deformation portions 62 are arranged along the inner surface of the tapered inserted portion 61 in an inclined manner such that the distance between the deformation portions 62 is narrowed from the upstream side to the downstream side.

In this case, the inner diameter dimension of the inlet side, i.e., the upstream end portion of the inserted portion 61 is larger than the outer diameter dimension of the insertion portion 53, and therefore, the insertion of the insertion portion 53 into the inserted portion 61 is facilitated. When the insertion portion 53 is pressed into the inserted portion 61, the outer side surface of the insertion portion 53 moves along the inclined deformation portion 62, so that the center of the insertion portion 53 and the center of the inserted portion 61 are aligned. That is, in this case, it is convenient to make the center in the radial direction of the upstream flow path 41 coincide with the center in the radial direction of the downstream flow path 42. As a result, the work of inserting the insertion portion 53 into the inserted portion 61 is facilitated. Instead of the deformation portion 62, the outer peripheral portion of the insertion portion 53 may be provided with the same configuration as the deformation portion 62. This also provides the same operational effects as those of the deformation portion 62.

As shown in fig. 2 and 8, the fine bubble generator 40 is assembled in the mounting portion 25 in a state where the insertion portion 53 of the upstream flow path member 50 is inserted into the inserted portion 61 of the downstream flow path member 60, and the upstream flow path member 50 and the downstream flow path member 60 are connected to each other and assembled. The downstream flow path member 60 of the fine bubble generator 40 is housed in the second housing portion 252.

As shown in fig. 2, the fine bubble generator 40 is pressed toward the bottom of the first housing portion 251 and the second housing portion 252 by the tip end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22. Thereby, the fine bubble generator 40 and the mounting portion 25 are connected to each other in a watertight state. In this case, the outer diameter of the downstream flow path member 60 is larger than the inner diameter of the communication portion 253. Therefore, the fine bubble generator 40 does not fall off from the first housing portion 251 and the second housing portion 252 through the communication portion 253 to the flow path 241 side of the water supply port portion 24.

In this configuration, when the water supply valve 23 is operated and tap water pressure is applied to the upstream end of the fine bubble generator 40, tap water flows from the upstream flow path 41 to the downstream flow path 42. Tap water is a gas-dissolved liquid in which a gas mainly composed of air is dissolved. The fine bubble generator 40 generates a large amount of fine bubbles having a diameter of 500nm or less, more preferably 250nm or less, and still more preferably 100nm or less in the water passing through the flow paths 41 and 42. The principle of the fine bubble generation by the fine bubble generator 40 is as follows.

The water passing through the fine bubble generator 40 is first throttled while passing through the throttle portion 411 of the upstream flow path 41, and the flow velocity gradually increases. Then, when the water flowing at a high speed collides and passes through the collision portion 70, the pressure of the water rapidly drops. Bubbles are generated in the water by the cavitation effect caused by the rapid pressure drop.

In the case of the present embodiment, when water flowing in the straight tube portion 412 of the upstream-side flow path 41 collides with the collision portion 70, the water flows along the periphery of the protruding portion 71 and flows into the divided region 413, the gap region 414, and the slit region 415. Since the cross-sectional areas of the gap region 414 and the slit region 415 are smaller than the sectional area 413, the flow rate of water passing through the gap region 414 and the slit region 415 is further increased.

Therefore, the environmental pressure applied to the water passing through the gap region 414 and the slit region 415 is close to a vacuum state, and as a result, the air dissolved in the water is brought into a boiling state and precipitated as fine bubbles. Accordingly, most of the bubbles generated in the water passing through the collision portion 70 are made fine to be 500nm or less in diameter, more preferably 250nm or less in diameter, and still more preferably 100nm or less in diameter, and the amount of the fine bubbles is increased. In this way, by passing water through the fine bubble generator 40, a large amount of fine bubbles can be generated without obtaining a supply of gas from the outside.

Next, the operations of attaching and detaching the fine bubble generator 40 will be described mainly with reference to fig. 2. In the present embodiment, the worker can attach and detach the fine bubble generator 40 by performing an operation from either the outside or the inside of the cleaning tank 12. First, a case where the fine bubble generator 40 is installed by an operation from the outside of the cleaning tank 12 will be described. Here, it is assumed that the water supply opening portion 24 and the mounting portion 25 are already mounted on the wall surface 121 of the washing tub 12 and are not detached from the wall surface 121.

In this case, the operator first inserts the fine bubble generator 40 into the housing portions 251 and 252 with respect to the mounting portion 25 protruding from the mounting hole 122 to the outside of the cleaning tank 12 by an operation from the outside of the cleaning tank 12. Next, the operator inserts the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 into the receiving portion 254 of the mounting portion 25. Thus, the operator can mount the fine bubble generator 40 on the internal water supply path B by an operation from the outside of the cleaning tank 12.

In this case, the outer diameter of the seal member 27 may be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the receiving portion 254, and the tip end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 may be press-fitted into the receiving portion 254 of the mounting portion 25 by the elastic force of the seal member 27. Further, a screw thread may be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the receiving portion 254 of the mounting portion 25 and the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 to be fitted to each other, and the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 may be screwed and fixed to the receiving portion 254 of the mounting portion 25.

In this case, the worker can assemble the fine bubble generator 40 and the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 by inserting them into the mounting portion 25 protruding from the mounting hole 122, and therefore, the work can be performed easily. Therefore, the manner of mounting by operating from the outside of washing tub 12 is more effective in a state where washing tub 12 is not housed in casing 11, that is, in an assembly work at the time of manufacturing dish washing machine 10.

The worker can also detach the fine bubble generator 40 by an operation from the outside of the cleaning tank 12, for example, as described below. That is, for example, when the worker removes the micro-bubble generator 40 from the mounting portion 25, first, the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 is removed from the receiving portion 254. Thereafter, for example, a rod-like member or the like is inserted from the receiving portion 254 side and hooked on the collision portion 70, and the fine bubble generator 40 is drawn out to the receiving portion 254 side.

Next, a case where the fine bubble generator 40 is mounted by an operation from the inside of the cleaning tank 12 will be described. Here, it is assumed that internal water supply pipe 22 is already attached to a predetermined position in the space between tank 11 and washing tub 12 and is not detached from the predetermined position. In this case, the operator inserts the fine bubble generator 40 into the housing portions 251 and 252 of the mounting portion 25 in a state where the water supply opening portion 24 and the mounting portion 25 are separated from the wall surface 121 of the cleaning tank 12.

Next, in a state where the micro-bubble generator 40 is housed in the mounting portion 25, the operator inserts the mounting portion 25 into the mounting hole 122 from the inside toward the outside of the cleaning tank 12, and inserts the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 into the receiving portion 254 of the mounting portion 25. Then, the operator fixes the water supply port portion 24 and the mounting portion 25 to the wall surface 121 with screws 15 or the like. Thus, the operator can mount the fine bubble generator 40 on the internal water supply path B by an operation from the inside of the cleaning tank 12. Further, the worker can detach the fine bubble generator 40 from the internal water supply path B by performing the reverse procedure to the above.

In this case, the worker can attach and detach the fine bubble generator 40 without taking out the wash tank 12 from the case 11. Therefore, the mode of attaching and detaching the washing tub 12 by the operation from the inside of the washing tub 12 is more effective in a state where the washing tub 12 is difficult to be taken out of the casing 11, for example, in a case where the user of the dish washing machine 10 replaces the fine bubble generator 40 by himself/herself.

Next, the operation of the dish washing machine 10 will be described with reference to fig. 1. In the present embodiment, after the operation of dishwasher 10 is started, water supply valve 23 is opened to open water supply path A, B in a state where drain path D is closed by switching valve 35, thereby filling water into washing tub 12. At this time, although the circulation path C is opened, the pump 36 may or may not be operated. The tap water flowing into the internal water supply path B from the water supply valve 23 is changed into water containing fine bubbles having a diameter of 500nm or less, more preferably 250nm or less, and still more preferably 100nm or less, that is, water containing a large amount of fine bubbles having a diameter of nanometer order when passing through the fine bubble generator 40, and is poured into the cleaning tank 12.

Here, before the start of the operation, the user puts the cleaning agent into the cleaning tank 12. Therefore, the fine bubble water supplied into the cleaning tank 12 is mixed with the cleaning agent in the cleaning tank 12, and a cleaning solution containing the cleaning agent and fine bubbles having a diameter of a nanometer order is generated.

When the amount of the fine bubble water stored in washing tub 12, that is, the washing liquid reaches a predetermined amount, dishwasher 10 closes water supply valve 23 to stop supplying water into washing tub 12, and then starts pump 36 to circulate the fine bubble water stored in washing tub 12. Thereby, the washing liquid sprayed from the nozzle tip 322 of the washing nozzle 32 is repeatedly sprayed to the dishes 1, and the dishes 1 are washed.

Here, the fine bubbles are generally classified according to the particle diameters of the bubbles as follows. For example, bubbles having a particle diameter of about several μm to 50 μm, that is, in the order of micrometers are called microbubbles or microbubbles. On the other hand, bubbles having a particle diameter of several hundred nm to several tens of nm or less, that is, on the order of nanometers, are called nanobubbles or ultrafine bubbles.

When the particle diameter of the bubbles is several hundred nm to several tens nm or less, the bubbles are smaller than the wavelength of light, and thus the bubbles cannot be visually recognized, and the liquid becomes transparent. Further, the nano-sized fine bubbles have characteristics of large total interface area, slow floating speed, large internal pressure, and the like, as compared with the micro-sized or larger bubbles. For example, bubbles having a particle diameter of the order of micrometers rapidly rise in a liquid due to their buoyancy, break at the liquid surface, and disappear, and therefore the residence time in the liquid is relatively short. On the other hand, fine bubbles having a particle diameter of the order of nanometers have a relatively long residence time in the liquid because of a relatively small buoyancy.

Even when cleaning is performed without using a cleaning agent containing a surfactant or the like, fine bubble water containing fine bubbles having a particle diameter of the order of nanometers can improve the cleaning performance to some extent as compared with tap water. However, as shown in fig. 11, when fine bubbles 91 having a particle diameter of a nanometer order are mixed in a cleaning liquid in which a surfactant 92 is dissolved, the cleaning performance can be further improved more efficiently than when cleaning is performed using a normal cleaning liquid containing no fine bubbles.

The principle is as follows. That is, as shown in fig. 11, when the surfactant 92 is at a certain concentration or more, the hydrophobic groups of the surfactant 92 are normally aggregated and micellized to form an aggregate 93 of the surfactant 92. The particle diameter of the aggregate 93 is several tens of nm. On the other hand, for example, the fine bubbles 91 having a particle diameter of 500nm or less attract the hydrophobic group of the surfactant 92 because the surface thereof is negatively charged and becomes hydrophobic.

Therefore, when a cleaning agent containing aggregates 93 of the surfactant 92 formed into a micelle is mixed into fine-bubble water containing fine bubbles 91 having a particle diameter of 500nm or less, the energy-stabilized state of the aggregates 93 is broken by the hydrophobic effect of the surfaces of the fine bubbles 91, and as shown in fig. 12, the aggregates 93 are broken and the molecules of the surfactant 92 are dispersed. Then, the molecules of the dispersed surfactant 92 are adsorbed to the surfaces of the fine bubbles 91 by the interaction between the hydrophobic group of the surfactant 92 and the hydrophobic surfaces of the fine bubbles 91. Thereby, the surfactant 92 contained in the cleaning liquid is adsorbed to the fine bubbles 91 to form a composite 94.

As shown in fig. 13, the composite 94 of the surfactant 92 and the fine bubbles 91 is diffused in a wide range in the cleaning liquid due to buoyancy of the fine bubbles 91 and the like. Therefore, the probability of each molecule of the surfactant 92 coming into contact with, for example, the stain 95 adhering to the surface of the tableware 1 is greatly increased. Further, as shown in fig. 14, when the complex 94 of the surfactant 92 and the fine bubbles 91 comes close to the stain component 95, the energy stability between the surfactant 92 and the fine bubbles 91 is broken by the hydrophobic effect of the surface of the stain component 95, and the fine bubbles 91 are deformed and broken. Therefore, the molecules of the surfactant 92 are separated and adsorbed to the stain component 95, and the stain component 95 is easily lifted from the surface of the dishes 1 and is easily detached by collision or the like due to the collapse of the fine bubbles 91.

At this time, the surfactant 92 enters the gap between the stain component 95 and the surface of the dishes 1 due to the impact of the collapse of the fine bubbles 91, and promotes the emulsification of the stain component 95. The surfactant 92 absorbs and emulsifies the stain 95 to thereby peel the stain 95 from the surface of the dishes 1, thereby exerting cleaning ability. Thus, the fine bubbles 91 excite the cleaning ability of the surfactant 92.

The detergent used in the dishwasher 10 may contain sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, or the like in addition to the surfactant. The surfactant contained in the cleaning agent may be any one of natural components and artificially produced synthetic surfactants. The cleaning agent may be in any form of solid, liquid, or powder.

According to the embodiment described above, the dish washing machine 10 is provided with the fine bubble generator 40. The fine bubble generator 40 is provided on the water supply path A, B from the valve plug 2 to the water supply port portion 24. The fine bubble generator 40 generates fine bubble water by locally contracting the water supply path A, B to contain fine micro bubbles in the water passing through the water supply path A, B without obtaining a supply of gas from the outside of the water supply path A, B.

Thus, by providing the fine bubble generator 40 in the middle of the internal water supply path B, it is possible to supply fine bubble water containing a large amount of fine bubbles into the cleaning tank 12. Further, since the dish washer 10 washes the dishes 1 by using the washing liquid produced by mixing the fine bubble water and the washing agent, the washing performance can be improved as compared with the washing liquid produced by mixing the normal tap water and the washing agent.

Also, the fine bubble generator 40 does not need to obtain the supply of the gas from the outside of the water supply path A, B. Therefore, the dish washing machine 10 does not need to be provided with a suction valve, a drive mechanism, and the like for obtaining external air, and can simplify the structure for generating fine bubble water. As a result, the dish washing machine 10 according to the present embodiment is simple in structure and can improve the washing performance. Further, since the generation of fine bubbles does not require power other than the pressure of the tap water, energy is saved.

Further, since the dishwasher 10 is not provided with the suction valve, the driving mechanism, and the like for obtaining the outside air, it is not necessary to adjust the suction valve, the driving mechanism, and the like, and further, it is not necessary to adjust the fine bubble generator 40. As a result, according to the dish washing machine 10 of the present embodiment, the assembly work can be facilitated, and adjustment and maintenance after assembly can be facilitated.

Here, a high water pressure is applied to the collision portion 70 provided in the upstream side flow path member 50 in the fine bubble generator 40. In this case, for example, when water containing a large amount of rust or the like is used, the collision portion 70 may be worn or deformed by long-term use. Therefore, in the fine bubble generator 40, the upstream flow path member 50 having at least the collision portion 70 is a member that may need to be replaced depending on the usage environment.

In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the upstream flow path member 50 and the downstream flow path member 60 constituting the fine bubble generator 40 are formed of members different from the water supply port portion 24 and the mounting portion 25. Also, the mounting part 25 for mounting the fine bubble generator 40 on the water supply path A, B can be easily detached from the water supply path A, B, and can be easily mounted on the water supply path A, B. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 can be easily replaced, and as a result, the maintainability of the fine bubble generator 40 is improved.

Further, the fine bubble generator 40 is built in the water supply port portion 24. That is, in the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 is incorporated in the mounting portion 25 integrally formed with the water supply port portion 24. Thus, the worker can perform the attachment and detachment work of the fine bubble generator 40 in a series of work of attaching and detaching the water supply port portion 24. Therefore, the work for attaching and detaching the fine bubble generator 40 can be easily performed without performing a large amount of work. As a result, the work efficiency of the assembly and maintenance work including the attachment and detachment of the fine bubble generator 40 is improved.

Further, since the fine bubble generator 40 is built in the water supply port portion 24, a dedicated large space for mounting the fine bubble generator 40 is not required. Therefore, the size of the dish washing machine 10 can be suppressed from being increased by providing the fine bubble generator 40.

The fine bubble generator 40 is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the water supply path A, B, in this case, the internal water supply path B, by an operation performed from the outside of the cleaning tank 12. This facilitates the assembly work by the worker in a state where washing tub 12 is not housed in casing 11, that is, the assembly work in manufacturing dishwasher 10. As a result, the productivity of the dish washing machine 10 can be improved.

The fine bubble generator 40 is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the water supply path A, B, in this case, the internal water supply path B, by an operation performed from the inside of the cleaning tank 12. This facilitates the work in a state where the cleaning tank 12 is difficult to be removed from the housing 11, for example, the maintenance work for replacing the fine bubble generator 40 in each home. As a result, the maintainability of the dish washing machine 10 can be improved.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 is mainly provided on the outside of the cleaning tank 12. That is, according to the present embodiment, at least half or more of the volume of the fine bubble generator 40 is provided outside the cleaning tank 12. This can ensure a larger space in cleaning tank 12. Therefore, even if the fine bubble generator 40 is provided, the arrangement space of the dishes 1 in the washing tub 12 can be suppressed as much as possible.

(second embodiment)

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 16.

In the second embodiment, the specific configuration and the like of the fine bubble generator 40 are different from those of the first embodiment. That is, in the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 does not include the downstream flow path member 60 in the first embodiment. In this case, the downstream flow path member 60 is integrally incorporated in the mounting portion 25. That is, in the present embodiment, a part of the fine bubble generator 40 is formed integrally with the mounting portion 25.

Specifically, the attachment portion 25 of the present embodiment includes a straight portion 421 and an enlarged portion 422, instead of the communication portion 253 of the first embodiment. The straight tube 421 and the enlarged portion 422 constitute the downstream flow path 42. The straight tube 421 and the enlarged portion 422 are formed to penetrate the attachment portion 25 from the second housing portion 252 side toward the flow path 241 side of the water supply port portion 24 and to communicate with the flow path 241. The straight tube 421 and the enlarged portion 422 constitute the downstream flow path 42.

The straight tube 421 is disposed downstream of the second housing 252. The straight tube 421 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a constant inner diameter, i.e., a constant cross-sectional area of a flow path, i.e., a constant area through which a liquid can pass, i.e., a so-called straight tube shape. The enlarged portion 422 is formed in a shape that expands in diameter from the upstream side toward the downstream side, that is, as it goes away from the collision portion 70. That is, the enlarged portion 422 is formed in a conical pipe shape having a so-called conical shape in which the cross-sectional area of the downstream-side flow path 42, that is, the area through which the liquid can pass, is continuously and gradually enlarged from the upstream side toward the downstream side.

In this structure, the tap water having passed through the collision portion 70 is diffused through the expansion portion 422. At this time, the cross-sectional area of the downstream-side flow path 42 is enlarged, and therefore the pressure is reduced more rapidly than in the case of the first embodiment. Thus, the pressure difference between before and after passing through the fine bubble generator 40 becomes larger than that in the case of the first embodiment, and therefore the generated fine bubbles become finer and the generation amount of the fine bubbles also increases.

In the present embodiment, the internal water supply pipe 22 is formed of a flexible hose made of, for example, a resin. Furthermore, the dishwasher 10 has a connecting part 29. The connection member 29 is a member for connecting the internal water supply pipe 22 and the mounting portion 25. The connection member 29 has a flow passage 291 inside and a flange 292 outside. The flow passage 291 is formed in a tapered circular tube shape having a cross section gradually reduced from the upstream side toward the downstream side. In this case, the inner diameter of the flow passage 291 is gradually reduced as compared with the throttle portion 411 of the upstream side flow passage member 50.

The end of the connection member 29 on the downstream side is inserted into the receiving portion 254. The upstream side flow path member 50 of the fine bubble generator 40 is housed in the housing portions 251 and 252 of the connection member 29. The upstream end of the connection member 29 is inserted into the inner water supply pipe 22. The screw 16 is screwed into the end surface of the mounting portion 25 through the flange portion 292, thereby fixing the connection member 29 to the mounting portion 25. Thereby, the fine bubble generator 40 is provided on the water supply path A, B, in this case, on the internal water supply path B. Further, as in the first embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 can be attached and detached from either the outside or the inside of the cleaning tank 12.

According to the present embodiment, the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In this case, since a flexible hose can be used as the internal water supply pipe 22, handling of the internal water supply pipe 22 during attachment and detachment is facilitated. As a result, the workability in mounting and dismounting the fine bubble generator 40 can be further improved.

(third embodiment)

Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 17.

In the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 includes an upstream flow path member 501 instead of the upstream flow path member 50. The upstream flow path member 501 of the present embodiment is formed by integrally forming the upstream flow path member 50 and the connection member 29 of the second embodiment.

This also provides the same operational effects as those of the above embodiments.

In the present embodiment, the upstream flow path member 50 is formed by integrally forming the upstream flow path member 50 and the connection member 29. Therefore, as compared with the case where the upstream side flow path member 50 and the connection member 29 are provided as separate members as in the second embodiment, the number of the connection member 29 and the seal member 27 for the connection member 29 which are separate members can be reduced, and as a result, the number of the members can be reduced as a whole. Further, since it is not necessary to separately mount the upstream side flow path member 50 and the connection member 29 to the connection member 29, the work required to mount the fine bubble generator 40 can be saved, and as a result, the production efficiency can be further improved.

(fourth embodiment)

Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 18.

In the fourth embodiment, the water supply port portion 24 does not have the flange portion 242. The outer diameter of the mounting portion 25 is set larger than the inner diameter of the mounting hole 122 formed in the wall surface 121. That is, in the present embodiment, the mounting portion 25 is configured not to pass through the mounting hole 122. The internal water supply pipe 22 is a rigid metal pipe as in the first embodiment, and has a flange 221. The outer diameter of the flange 221 is set larger than the inner diameter of the mounting hole 122. In this case, the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 passes through the mounting hole 122 of the wall surface 121 from the outside of the cleaning tank 12. The screw 17 is screwed into the wall surface 121 of the cleaning tank 12 through the flange portion 221, whereby the internal water supply pipe 22 is fixed to the wall surface 121 of the cleaning tank 12.

Next, the procedure of attaching and detaching the fine bubble generator 40 will be explained. Here, it is assumed that the internal water supply pipe 22 is already attached to the wall surface 121 of the cleaning tank 12 and is not detached from the wall surface 121. The operator inserts the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 into the receiving portion 254 by operating from the inside of the cleaning tank 12 in a state where the micro-bubble generator 40 is inserted into the receiving portions 251 and 252 of the mounting portion 25, in this case, in a state where the upstream side flow path member 50 is inserted into the receiving portions 251 and 252 of the mounting portion 25.

In this case, the mounting portion 25 may be fixed to the wall surface 121 by a screw or the like. Further, the outer diameter of the seal member 27 may be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the receiving portion 254, and the tip end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 may be press-fitted into the receiving portion 254 of the mounting portion 25 by the elastic force of the seal member 27. Further, a screw thread may be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the receiving portion 254 of the mounting portion 25 and the outer peripheral surface of the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 to be fitted to each other, and the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 may be screwed and fixed to the receiving portion 254 of the mounting portion 25.

With this configuration, the same operational effects as those of the above embodiments can be obtained.

Further, since the distal end portion of the internal water supply pipe 22 protrudes from the mounting hole 122 toward the inside of the cleaning tank 12, the mounting operation of the mounting portion 25, that is, the mounting and dismounting operation of the fine bubble generator 40, can be facilitated. This further improves productivity.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 is provided in the cleaning tank 12. Thus, by providing fine bubble generator 40 between casing 11 and cleaning tank 12, an increase in the space between casing 11 and cleaning tank 12 can be prevented. This can reduce the space between case 11 and cleaning tank 12 as much as possible. As a result, the entire dishwasher 10 can be made compact even in a configuration including the fine bubble generator 40.

(fifth embodiment)

Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 19 and 20.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 19, the fine bubble generator 40 is provided in a middle portion of the internal water supply pipe 22. In this case, the dishwasher 10 includes the mounting member 80 instead of the mounting portion 25 in each of the above embodiments. The mounting member 80 has the same function as the mounting portion 25 in each of the above embodiments. The internal water supply pipe 22 is divided into two parts, an upstream side and a downstream side, with the mounting member 80 as a reference.

In the present embodiment, of the internal water supply pipes 22 divided into two, the upstream internal water supply pipe 22 is referred to as an upstream internal water supply pipe 222, and the downstream internal water supply pipe 22 is referred to as a downstream internal water supply pipe 223. As shown in fig. 20, the mounting member 80 incorporating the fine bubble generator 40 is provided between the distal end portion of the upstream internal water supply pipe 222 and the proximal end portion of the downstream internal water supply pipe 223.

As shown in fig. 20, the mounting member 80 includes a first housing portion 81, a second housing portion 82, a straight tube portion 83, an enlarged portion 84, an upstream side receiving portion 85, and a downstream side receiving portion 86. The first housing portion 81 has the same function as the first housing portion 251 of the mounting portion 25 in each of the above embodiments. The second housing portion 82 has a function corresponding to the second housing portion 252 of the mounting portion 25 in each of the above embodiments.

The straight tube portion 83 has a function equivalent to the straight tube portion 421 of the mounting portion 25 in the second to fourth embodiments. Enlarged portion 84 has a function equivalent to enlarged portion 422 of mounting portion 25 in the second to fourth embodiments described above. The receiving portions 85 and 86 function as the receiving portion 254 of the mounting portion 25 in the above embodiments. In this case, the upstream receiving portion 85 is provided on the upstream side in the mounting portion 25, and the downstream receiving portion 86 is provided on the downstream side in the mounting portion 25.

Then, in a state where the base end portion of the downstream internal water supply pipe 223 is inserted into the downstream receiving portion 86 and the upstream flow path member 50 constituting the fine bubble generator 40 is housed in the housing portions 81 and 82 of the mounting member 80, the tip end portion of the upstream internal water supply pipe 222 is inserted into the upstream receiving portion 85.

In this case, the outer diameter of the seal member 28 may be larger than the inner diameter of the receiving portions 85 and 86, and the ends of the internal water supply pipes 222 and 223 may be press-fitted into the receiving portions 85 and 86 by the elastic force of the seal member 28. Further, the inner peripheral surfaces of the receiving portions 85 and 86 and the outer peripheral surfaces of the end portions of the internal water supply pipes 222 and 223 may be threaded to each other, and the end portions of the internal water supply pipes 222 and 223 may be screwed and fixed to the receiving portions 85 and 86.

This can provide the same operational effects as those of the above embodiments.

(sixth embodiment)

Next, a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 21 and 22.

In the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 is provided at the base end of the internal water supply pipe 22, that is, at the discharge side of the water supply valve 23. In this case, the dish washing machine 10 includes the mounting member 80 as in the fifth embodiment. In this case, the internal water supply pipe 22 is not divided into two parts, unlike the sixth embodiment. In the present embodiment, the discharge portion 231 of the water supply valve 23 is inserted into the upstream receiving portion 85 of the mounting member 80.

In this case, the outer diameter of the seal member 28 provided in the upstream receiving portion 85 may be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the upstream receiving portion 85, and the discharge portion 231 of the water supply valve 23 may be press-fitted into the upstream receiving portion 85 by the elastic force of the seal member 28. Further, threads that fit into each other may be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the upstream receiving portion 85 and the outer peripheral surface of the ejection portion 231, and the ejection portion 231 may be screwed and fixed to the upstream receiving portion 85.

This can provide the same operational effects as those of the above embodiments.

In addition, the internal water supply pipe 22 does not need to be divided into two parts as in the fifth embodiment. Therefore, the number of components can be reduced as compared with the structure of the fifth embodiment, and as a result, the work required for the assembly work can be simplified as much as possible.

(seventh embodiment)

Next, a seventh embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 23.

In the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 is provided in the middle of the external water supply path a. That is, in the present embodiment, the mounting member 80 incorporating the fine bubble generator 40 is provided at a middle portion of the external water supply pipe 21. In this case, the external water supply pipe 21 is divided into two parts, i.e., an upstream side and a downstream side, with reference to the mounting member 80.

In the present embodiment, of the external water supply pipes 21 divided into two parts, the upstream external water supply pipe 21 is referred to as an upstream external water supply pipe 211, and the downstream external water supply pipe 21 is referred to as a downstream external water supply pipe 212. Further, the mounting member 80 incorporating the fine bubble generator 40 is provided between the distal end portion of the upstream external water supply pipe 211 and the proximal end portion of the downstream external water supply pipe 212, as in the fifth embodiment shown in fig. 20.

With this configuration, the same operational effects as those of the above embodiments can be achieved.

The mounting member 80 having the fine bubble generator 40 built therein is provided outside the housing 11. Therefore, the operator does not need to perform the work while observing the inside of cleaning tank 12 or disassemble cabinet 11 and cleaning tank 12 when performing the attachment and detachment work of fine bubble generator 40. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the work of attaching and detaching the fine bubble generator 40 can be easily performed, and as a result, for example, the work of replacing the fine bubble generator 40 can be easily performed.

(eighth embodiment)

Next, an eighth embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 24 and 25.

In the present embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 is provided in the circulation path C. In this case, the upstream side flow path member 50 constituting the fine bubble generator 40 is provided in the support shaft 31.

Specifically, the cleaning nozzle 32 of the present embodiment includes a housing 324, a straight tube 325, and an enlarged portion 326 in addition to the flow path 321, the nozzle tip 322, and the rotating shaft 323. The housing portion 324 has a function corresponding to the second housing portion 252 of the mounting portion 25 or the second housing portion 82 of the mounting member 80 in each of the above embodiments. The straight tube portion 325 has a function corresponding to the straight tube portion 421 of the mounting portion 25 or the straight tube portion 83 of the mounting member 80 in each of the above embodiments other than the first embodiment. The enlarged portion 326 has a function corresponding to the enlarged portion 422 of the mounting portion 25 or the enlarged portion 84 of the mounting member 80 in the respective embodiments described above except for the first embodiment.

According to this configuration, when the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 12 is circulated by the action of the pump 36 during operation, the cleaning liquid passes through the fine bubble generator 40 provided on the circulation path C. Therefore, a large amount of fine bubbles are generated in the cleaning liquid circulating in the circulation path C. Accordingly, the dish washing machine 10 can wash the dishes 1 with the washing liquid containing a large amount of fine bubbles, and can efficiently improve the washing performance as compared with the case where the washing is performed with the normal washing liquid containing no fine bubbles.

In addition, since the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 12 is repeatedly circulated in the circulation path C, the cleaning liquid passes through the fine bubble generator 40 a plurality of times. In this case, the time period until the fine bubbles generated by the fine bubble generator 40 are stored, that is, the time period until the fine bubbles disappear, is much longer than the circulation period of the cleaning liquid. Therefore, the cleaning liquid passes through the fine bubble generator 40 a plurality of times, so that fine bubbles are accumulated in the cleaning liquid. That is, the concentration of the fine bubbles contained in the cleaning liquid is increased by passing the cleaning liquid through the fine bubble generator 40 a plurality of times, as compared with the case where the cleaning liquid passes through the fine bubble generator 40 only once. Thus, the dish washing machine 10 can wash the dishes 1 with the washing liquid containing a larger amount of fine bubbles, and the washing performance can be further improved efficiently.

(ninth embodiment)

Next, a ninth embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 26.

In the present embodiment, the purge nozzle 32 incorporates the fine bubble generator 40 in each nozzle tip portion 322. That is, in the present embodiment, the purge nozzle 32 has a plurality of fine bubble generators 40. The fine bubble generators 40 are integrally formed at the nozzle tip portions 322.

This also provides the same operational advantages as those of the eighth embodiment.

Further, in the present embodiment, the purge nozzle 32 has a plurality of fine bubble generators 40. That is, a plurality of fine bubble generators 40 are provided in parallel in the circulation path C. This can further increase the concentration of fine bubbles contained in the cleaning liquid, and as a result, the cleaning performance can be further improved efficiently.

The fine bubble generator 40 shown in the above embodiments is an example of a device for generating fine bubble water, and the specific configuration thereof is not limited to the above configuration, and can be appropriately modified.

For example, in each embodiment other than the first embodiment, the fine bubble generator 40 may be configured to include the upstream flow path member 50 and the downstream flow path member 60 divided into 2.

In each of the above embodiments, the fine bubble generator 40 may be formed integrally with the upstream flow path member 50 and the downstream flow path member 60.

In the above embodiments, the collision portion 70 is not limited to being formed integrally with the upstream flow path member 50 or the downstream flow path member 60. For example, a plurality of screws or the like may be screwed from the outside toward the inside of the upstream flow path member 50 or the downstream flow path member 60, and the tips of the screws may be made to protrude into the flow paths 41 and 42, thereby performing a function equivalent to the protruding portion 71 of the collision portion 70.

In the above embodiments, for convenience of distinguishing between structures having the same functional actions, the terms "first" and "second" are used, and do not indicate any order of preference.

The above embodiments can be combined as appropriate as needed.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in other various forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

Claims (8)

1. A dishwasher is provided with:

a box body forming an outline;

the washing tank is arranged in the box body and used for containing tableware;

a water supply opening part which is arranged in the cleaning tank and supplies tap water supplied from a valve plug of a tap water pipe into the cleaning tank; and

a fine bubble generator provided on a water supply path from the valve cock to the water supply port, for generating fine bubble water by partially contracting the water supply path to contain fine micro bubbles in water passing through the water supply path without obtaining a supply of gas from outside the water supply path,

the fine bubble generator is made of resin,

the fine bubble generator includes:

an upstream-side flow path member having a flow path through which a liquid can pass; and

a collision section formed integrally with the upstream-side flow passage member and including a plurality of rod-shaped or plate-shaped protruding sections protruding from an inner peripheral surface of the upstream-side flow passage member toward a center in a radial direction of the flow passage,

an end surface on the downstream side of the collision portion is formed flat.

2. Dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that,

the fine bubble generator is built in the water supply opening.

3. Dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that,

the fine bubble generator is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the water supply path by an operation performed from an outside of the cleaning tank.

4. Dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that,

the fine bubble generator is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the water supply path by an operation performed from an inside of the cleaning tank.

5. Dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that,

further comprises:

a water supply valve provided in a space between the tank and the cleaning tank, and opening and closing the water supply path; and

an internal water supply pipe provided in a space between the tank body and the cleaning tank, connecting the water supply valve and the water supply opening;

the fine bubble generator is provided midway in the internal water supply pipe.

6. A dishwasher is provided with:

a box body forming an outline;

the washing tank is arranged in the box body and used for containing tableware;

a drain opening portion provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank, for draining the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank to the outside of the cleaning tank;

a cleaning nozzle that sprays a cleaning liquid discharged from the drain port to the outside of the cleaning tank inside the cleaning tank; and

a fine bubble generator provided on a circulation path from the water discharge port portion to the inside of the cleaning tank via the cleaning nozzle, for generating fine bubble water by locally reducing the circulation path to contain fine micro bubbles in the water passing through the circulation path without obtaining a supply of gas from the outside of the circulation path,

the fine bubble generator is made of resin,

the fine bubble generator includes:

an upstream-side flow path member having a flow path through which a liquid can pass; and

a collision section formed integrally with the upstream-side flow passage member and including a plurality of rod-shaped or plate-shaped protruding sections protruding from an inner peripheral surface of the upstream-side flow passage member toward a center in a radial direction of the flow passage,

an end surface on the downstream side of the collision portion is formed flat.

7. Dishwasher according to claim 6, characterized in that,

the fine bubble generator is built in the washing nozzle.

8. Dishwasher according to one of claims 1 to 7,

the fine bubble generator can generate fine bubble water containing fine bubbles with particle diameter less than or equal to 100 nm.

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