DE102005025391A1 - A method for recirculating the wash liquor in a domestic dish or clothes washing machine has a liquid collector by which the liquid is put into contact with a wash product tablet to ensure full usage - Google Patents

Abstract

The door (12) of a domestic dish washing machine has a dispenser (13) in which a cleaning tablet is placed and a collector channel (8) collects the spray liquid (10) in the container (3) and introduces it to the dispenser through a conductivity sensor and valve.

Description

The The invention relates to a household appliance, in particular a dishwasher or Washing machine according to the preamble of claim 1.

The Detergent or detergent dosing by hand in detergent drawers Washing machines or in dosing chambers of dishwashers has long been in commercial Household machines known. The cleaner or detergent lies here usually in powder form. A disadvantage of this dosage By hand it is there that the device user the amount of detergent must dose more accurately, the dosage of also the degree of contamination of the objects to be cleaned, the Water texture and the chosen one Cleaning program must be made. Such a dosage must be done with every cleaning process. The above circumstances, of which a correct dosage depends is usually not or little noticed.

Farther is the dosage of cleaners or detergents in tablet form known by hand in detergent drawers or dosing chambers. in this connection it is disadvantageous that a gradual dosage of the cleaner by means of the use of one or more tablets is possible. In dishwashers becomes common only one tablet dosed for the highest occurring pollution must be designed and therefore easier Pollution unnecessary a lot of cleaner consumed. Due to the high amount of cleaners is also with increased Attacking the property to be cleaned. Also with the tablet dosage a detergent dosage must be carried out with each cleaning cycle.

Domestic dishwashing machines are common with dosing devices for the detergent addition in the rinsing process fitted. These are commercially available dishwashers the metering devices equipped with a cleaning chamber, the for the absorption of liquid or solid, for example powdered or tablet-shaped cleaner is provided. This cleaning chamber is closed with a lid, wherein a trip unit is provided to the cover over a corresponding actuator unit, For example, to open a control coil at the appropriate time. Of the flushing is meanwhile over so-called spray or spray arms carried out, the above a circulation pump with rinsing liquid, usually water or soapy water supplied and over the pump pressure can be driven in a rotational movement. About the vents the spray arms occurs here the rinsing liquid which is sprayed onto the dishes to be cleaned to clean it.

At the outer end These spray arms are special spray holes provided to the opened Rinse out the cleaner chamber and in this way adding the cleaner to the rinsing liquid.

at Washing machines are detergent drawers in commercial devices known over flushed out the fresh water supply become. When using solid, for example, tablet-shaped cleaner, There is the problem that the amount of fresh water required is small to pass through the detergent drawer the cleaner Completely dissolve.

at Appliances such as dishwashers or washing machines is common that within the interior of the machine to be cleaned or to be washed like dishes or laundry or textiles are arranged and wherein in the bottom region of the washing machine interior liquid as washing water or wash liquor during operation at least temporarily is cached. In washing machines, the textiles are in this cached washing water moves during the washing process.

On the other hand be with dishwashers in general, the cached wash liquor by means of a circulating pump sucked off and the spray arms fed over the the dishes are wetted. Also are already at washing machines internal fluid circuits for Reduction of the required Wash water quantity known.

From the DE 103 34 283 A device is already known in which a partial flow of the internal fluid circuit is used to flush out the cleaner chambers in household appliances. However, it is disadvantageous in the case of dishwashers in particular that the detergent chambers are generally arranged in the door and thus a supply of liquid into the door becomes necessary. By opening and closing the door, however, the liquid line is heavily stressed over time, so that leaks, especially in the door, can occur.

The object of the invention is in contrast, a household machine with at least one arranged within a machine room, to be cleaned and / or object to be washed, wherein a bottom portion of the machine interior formed at least partially as a storage container for temporarily storing a service water and wherein at least one inside the machine Distributor opening is provided for distributing the operating water in the interior and on the object to propose, in which the process water is provided to further and / or new and / or time-decoupled applications.

These Task becomes, starting from a household machine the introductory mentioned type, by the characterizing features of the claim 1 solved. By the mentioned in the dependent claims activities are advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention possible.

Accordingly is a household appliance according to the invention characterized in that in the flow direction of the service water after the distribution opening and in front of the storage tank at least a collecting element for collecting and / or caching the Operating water is provided. With the help of this measure can in the Interior collected at least a portion of the operating water flow and optionally cached in an advantageous manner. Subsequently This trapped process water can benefit beneficial applications to disposal be put.

For example is between the distributor opening and the collecting element provided an air gap, which according to the invention in the interior or Pantry of the household machine is located in the or the objects are arranged or stored. As a result, for example, wash liquor or collected with cleaner added water and optionally special applications to disposal be put. For example, at least one parameter of the Operating water directly or actually the / the objects. is fed determined and to control or control the household machine be used.

Preferably is water, which is in particular not mixed with cleaner, the Catch element available posed. Alternatively or in combination with the aforementioned measure also with detergent added water or wash liquor the collecting element supplied become. If necessary, polluted process water is supplied to the collecting element, in particular, a dirt filter or the like in an advantageous Way should be used.

advantageously, the collecting element has a compared to a drain opening a by a multiple larger inlet opening. This improves the collection of process water. For example is an area of the collecting element as a funnel or conical and / or tapering educated. Preferably, a closable drain or a closable drain opening is provided, then that in a particularly elegant way the collecting element at the same time as Cache for especially long-term and / or controllable Caching is formed. Preferably, the drain opening is controllable lockable or openable, so that a controlled or controllable caching can be realized. With these variants is in particular a advantageous temporal decoupling of the catchment of the service water and the further use of the process water feasible.

Preferably the collecting element is part of an operating water cycle. With Help this measure the collecting element according to the invention is advantageous integrated into an internal operating water cycle, which both nearly pure water and / or wash liquor and / or dirty water be fed to the collecting element is. This reduces the design and control technology Effort for the realization of the invention.

Preferably is the distribution opening above the object and / or in the upper area of the engine room arranged. With a correspondingly comparatively high arrangement the distribution opening With the help of gravity, the process water can be elegantly handled supplied to the collecting element in particular, over a free air route.

In a special variant of the invention is the collecting element in viewed in the vertical direction upper and / or middle area the machine interior arranged. This ensures that that for example by means of gravity support the collected process water without huge Effort or optionally without additional pump or conveyor units other applications available can be made.

Furthermore can be achieved with a corresponding arrangement, on the one hand the distribution opening is arranged above the collecting element and on the other hand the as previously mentioned, collected Operating water Gravity supports further applications to disposal is provided.

Preferably, the collecting element is arranged in a door of the machine interior. This makes it possible that operating water can flow into or to the door of the machine interior, without this being done, for example, via the axis region or the hinge region of the door. Especially in combination with the supply of the operating water to the arranged in the door collecting element over a free air gap is achieved that can be dispensed with a separate line when opening and / or closing the door is deformed or bent. This increases the reliability or reduces the susceptibility of corresponding domestic appliances according to the invention in a crucial manner.

So far are called Kombidosiereinheiten for receiving cleaner and / or rinse aid at commercial Doors in Generally in the door arranged. Especially with the aforementioned variant of the invention Is it possible, appropriate Kombidosiereinheiten continue to arrange in the door and, for example, for rinsing or releasing the Cleaner or the like of the collecting element according to the invention to use collected process water.

In an advantageous embodiment According to the invention, the collecting element is arranged above the object. For example, the collecting element in the lid area or on the Ceiling of the machine interior arranged. In this embodiment it is of particular advantage, for example, the process water by means of a pressurized water jet, at least partially directed upward to supply the collecting element.

In front all arranged with one in the upper lid area of the household appliance Catcher may be the subsequent, gravity assisted carriage of the collected industrial water can be realized particularly well and to almost anywhere within the household machine supplied especially without actively promoting energy to disposal must be made.

Furthermore can the collected process water with this embodiment the invention in a particularly elegant manner also the object, especially gravity, supplied become.

Preferably is the distribution opening on a rotatable about an axis distribution element for distributing of the service water arranged. For example, the distribution opening is on a spray arm a dishwasher arranged. This will enable already commercially available, rotatable spray arms in dishwashers according to the invention to use. this makes possible a particularly economically favorable Implementation of the invention.

advantageously, is a connection line for forwarding the collected service water between the catcher and a cleaner memory for storage a cleaning agent provided. This ensures that that the collected process water to the detergent in an advantageous Way fed is. In addition, a release of the cleaning agent with the help of the collected service water accessible in an elegant way. This is especially true of detergents from particular advantage, designed as a cleaner block or the like are. cleaner blocks are generally re their volume designed so that these for several example, about 20 cleaning applications are used.

advantageously, includes the connecting line and / or an outflow opening of the Cleaner storage for the cleaning agent at least one actuator for locking and Releasing the process water. With the help of this measure will achieved, on the one hand, a volume- and / or time-controlled Caching of the collected operating water in the collecting element and / or in the purifier memory can be realized. This will be a temporal decoupling of interception from reuse of the intercepted Operating water feasible.

on the other hand can with the help of one of these measures about that also the solution of the detergent in the purifier storage can be improved. For example The collected process water can be time controlled in the cleaner storage be stored and in this case the cleaning agent, in particular as cleaner block formed detergent, in a comparatively long term dissolve / dissolve.

In A particular variant of the invention is at least one heating device for heating the Operating water provided. With the help of this measure can inter alia the solution of the cleaning agent with the aid of the operating water, in particular controlled with the help of the collected operating water, advantageous or controlled. The solvency from the process water with respect to Detergent is generally temperature dependent, wherein an increased Temperature an improved solubility means. This measure may also be the duration of the release a part of the cleaner block, a cleaner tab, cleaning powder or shorten the like.

It is conceivable that, for example, the cleaner memory and / or a metering device for the cleaning agent comprises a heater, in particular electrical resistance heating or the like. With the help of this measure, a direct heating of the cleaner storage or the cleaning agent and / or the service water can be realized. A supply of electrical energy to the cleaner memory is possible even with an arrangement in the door without significant risks, as an electrical, for example by the hinge region of the door Guided line should not be significantly affected by numerous opening and / or closing the door, etc.

moreover are caused by the direct heating of the detergent storage with detergent and the existing process water, the energy losses can be minimized.

alternative or in combination with the aforementioned heating option, one of the Dosing unit separate heating for the service water can be used. For example, a heater for warming used in the operating water circuit circulated operating water become. For example, a circulating pump with integrated heating for heating of the process water are used, preferably subsequently the collecting element according to the invention is caught and to the solution the cleaning agent is provided. This can be on already commercially available circulating pumps recourse to integrated heating become what a particularly economical implementation of the invention allows. Furthermore is the design effort to improve the solubility the collected operating water to dissolve the detergent on reduced.

Basically a time control or control of the release of the cleaner by the collected Operating water are provided. Preferably as an alternative to the above mentioned variant, but also combined is at least one sensor for Detection of a conductance and / or a temperature of the collected Operating water provided. This will control the release of the Cleaning agent with the aid of the collected operating water according to the invention ensured in an advantageous manner. One or more sensors detect e.g. the most essential Parameter of the collected process water. By capturing the Conductance, for example, the solution or the dissolved amount of the detergent can be determined in an elegant manner. For example can reach a certain limit of conductivity the intercepted service water release and / or a supply of the with cleaning agent, collected service water in the interior of the machine or in the operating water cycle done. Especially with knowledge of the collected liquid volume and the conductivity can in a particularly simple manner on the amount of dissolved detergent inferred and a calculation of the expected, possible The number of cleanings is particularly accurate.

One embodiment is shown in the drawing and is based on the following explained in more detail Figures shown.

in the Individual shows:

1 a schematic perspective view of a collection system according to the invention in a door,

2 a schematic block diagram of a collection system according to the invention to the cleaner block solution, and

3 a schematic detail Y from 2 ,

In 1 is schematically a door 12 a dishwasher listed in perspective. A drip tray 8th catching water 10 on. For example, the water comes 10 from a spray arm, not shown, which is rotatably arranged in the interior of the household machine and has distribution openings, from which the service water 10 flows out and over a non-illustrated air gap partly directly, partly indirectly through the inner wall of the door 12 to / in the drip tray 8th flows / flow. In the illustrated embodiment, the sump 8th essentially as a gutter 8th trained, especially on the inside of the door 12 draining water 10 fields.

The drip tray 8th has an outflow 11 on what the trapped water 10 eg a in 1 Cleaner, not shown, is supplied.

In addition, can 1 a dosing unit 13 taken from a container 3 for a detergent or cleaner block. Preferably, the supply of the collected operating water takes place 10 from the drip tray 8th to the dosing unit 3 or to the container 3 with the help of gravity. However, it can also be used a conveyor.

In 2 is a schematic block diagram of a collection system according to the invention with the drip pan 8th displayed. The supply of the collected water 10 over the drain 11 the drip tray 8th essentially takes place via a supply line 9 to the container 3 with the cleaner block 4 , In the illustrated embodiment, it can be seen that the water 10 Gravity assisted in the container 3 can flow and the cleaner block 4 wetted or lapped.

The supply line 9 further comprises a sensor cell 1 , for example, the conductivity and / or the temperature of the collected service water 10 determined. Furthermore, a valve 2 , in particular 3/2 way valve, which provides the supply of the collected water 10 to the container 3 and / or draining the water 10 controlled in the interior of the household appliance. Between the valve 2 and the container 3 is a supply line 5 as part of the line 9 characterized. Preferably, in this position, the supply of trapped service water 10 from the drip tray 8th effectively diverted to direct outlet.

Because of the sensor cell 1 constantly a flow of rinse water 10 is necessary to measure its parameters, the valve directs the water, if no detergent dosage is required or required, directly over the line 6 to the spout of the system.

For cleaning solution, the water 10 over the line 5 to the cleaner block 4 guided and triggers from below from cleaner. The dissolved cleaner flows over a sieve 14 on which the block 3 stands, down (cf. 3 ). This was chosen in an advantageous manner, so that the cleaner block 3 As little as possible direct contact with the wash water 10 gets, because otherwise he swells in rinse breaks. (It should be kept as dry as possible.) The sensor cell 1 measures, for example, the conductivity of the collecting water 10 while this partially dissolves the cleaner block. When reaching a certain limit, for example, by means of a control unit, not shown, the valve 2 adjusted so that this the flow of water 10 from the drip tray 8th to the container 3 stops and the flow of water 10 allows.

Generally, the drip tray 8th or the collecting element 8th separately next to the dosing unit 13 eg in the door 12 to be ordered. Alternatively, a single unit can be used, at least the collecting element 8th or drip tray 8th and the cleaner memory 3 and the line 9 and / or the sensor cell 1 and / or the valve 2 includes.

1

sensor cell

2

Valve

3

container

4

cleaner block

5

supply

6

outlet

8th

drip tray

9

supply

10

water

11

outflow

12

door

13

dosing

14

scree

Claims (11)

Household machine, in particular a dishwasher or washing machine, with at least one arranged within an interior of the machine, to be cleaned and / or to be washed object, wherein a bottom portion of the machine interior at least partially as a storage container for temporarily storing a service water ( 10 ) and wherein in the machine interior at least one distribution opening for distributing the process water ( 10 ) is provided in the interior and on the object, characterized in that in the flow direction of the operating water ( 10 ) after the distribution opening and in front of the storage container at least one collecting element ( 8th ) for collecting and / or temporarily storing the service water ( 10 ) is provided. Domestic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the collecting element ( 8th ) Is part of an operating water cycle. Household machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distributor opening is located above the object and / or is arranged in the upper region of the machine interior. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the collecting element ( 8th ) is arranged in the upper and / or middle region of the machine interior. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the collecting element ( 8th ) in a door ( 12 ) of the machine interior is arranged. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the collecting element ( 8th ) is arranged above the object. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distributor opening on a rotatable about a rotation axis distribution element for distributing the service water ( 10 ) is arranged. Household machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a connection line ( 9 ) for forwarding the collected industrial water ( 10 ) between the collecting element ( 8th ) and a purifier memory ( 3 ) for storing a cleaning agent ( 4 ) is provided. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connecting line ( 9 ) at least one actuating element ( 2 ) for blocking and releasing the service water ( 10 ). Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one heating device for heating the service water ( 10 ) is provided. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one sensor ( 1 ) for detecting a conductance and / or a temperature of the collected operating water ( 10 ) is provided.