DE102020214962A1 - DOMESTIC APPLIANCE FOR TREATMENT OF PRODUCTS, COMPRISING A FOG GENERATOR - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a household appliance 1 for treating items to be treated 2, comprising a treatment chamber 3 for receiving items to be treated 2, a supply device 7 for supplying water from a fresh water connection 6 to the treatment chamber 3, and a mist generator 17 for generating mist and feeding the mist to the treatment chamber 3 , wherein the feed device 7 has an antechamber 8, a first supply line 10 connecting the fresh water connection 6 to the antechamber 8 and at least one transfer line 13 connecting the antechamber 8 to the treatment chamber 3, wherein in the first supply line 10 there is an inlet valve arrangement comprising at least one first valve 11 and between the first valve 11 and the antechamber 8 there is a first air path 12 connected to the antechamber 8, and the mist generator 17 is connected to the fresh water connection 6 via a second supply line 21, which second supply line 21 has a second valve 22. Furthermore, a second air path 23 is arranged in the second supply line 21 between the second valve 22 and the mist generator 17 and is connected to the antechamber 8 . The household appliance 1 is designed in particular as a laundry care machine 1 for treating items of laundry 2 as items to be treated 2 .

Description

The invention relates to a household appliance for treating items to be treated, comprising a treatment chamber for receiving the items to be treated, a feed device for feeding water from a fresh water connection to the treatment chamber, and a mist generator for generating mist and feeding the mist to the treatment chamber, the feed device having an antechamber, a den Fresh water connection with the antechamber and at least one transition line connecting the antechamber with the treatment chamber, wherein an inlet valve arrangement comprising at least one first valve and between the first valve and the antechamber are arranged with the antechamber connected to the antechamber, and wherein the fog generator is connected to the fresh water connection via a second supply line, which second supply line has a second valve.

The document EP 2 850 241 B1 discloses a household appliance of the type defined above. This household appliance is designed in particular as a laundry care machine for caring for items of laundry, in particular as a washing machine or washer-dryer, and has a mist generator. This includes a water tank to be filled with fresh water from a fresh water connection, in which water tank an ultrasonic transducer is arranged. This ultrasonic generator can be used to generate a cold mist in the water tank above the water level, which is fed via a mist channel designed as a circuit by means of an air flow generated by a blower to the items to be treated in a treatment chamber, specifically a suds container with a rotating drum inside. The mist duct also includes a reactive gas generator for generating a reactive gas, specifically ozone, which can be fed to the material to be treated via the mist duct together with the mist. Finally, the mist duct also contains a reactive gas filter, with which the reactive gas can be removed from the air flow in order to prevent its uncontrolled spread.

The document EP 2 855 754 B1 discloses a water-carrying household appliance which has a treatment gas generator and a flushing arrangement as well as a mist generator. A mist duct for introducing treatment gas and mist into the treatment chamber with the items to be treated communicates with the flushing arrangement, which is connected to the treatment chamber via a number of water reservoirs or siphons.

The document EP 2 858 545 B1 discloses a water-bearing household appliance which has an ozone generator and a mist generator and an ozone filter, which are arranged in a mist duct which forms a substantially closed circuit with the treatment chamber and in which also a fan for driving an air flow which the ozone and the mist leading to the treatment chamber. For the purpose of leading to the treatment chamber, the fan is operated so that the airflow flows along a main direction through the mist duct. For the purpose of removing the ozone from the air stream after the treatment of the item to be treated has been completed, the blower is operated in such a way that the air stream flows through the mist duct counter to the main direction. In this way, ozone from the treatment chamber in the fog channel first reaches the ozone filter, where it is broken down, in particular by reacting with activated carbon.

The document EP 2 598 682 B1 discloses a home appliance having an ozone generator. This ozone generator is supplied with air flow mixed with water vapor, and in the ozone generator ozone is generated in this air flow by the action of ultraviolet light from a corresponding light source. The air flow thus mixed with ozone is then fed to a treatment chamber with the material to be treated, in order to treat the material to be treated with the ozone.

The DIN EN 61770/A11:2018 standard requires a water-bearing household appliance that is connected to a fresh water connection to a supply network for water for human consumption that any material in the household appliance that comes into contact with such water does not pose a health risk for such water nor cause any change in quality, appearance, smell or taste. Therefore, such household appliance must be secured against back flow of water into the fresh water connection and contact of fresh water introduced into the household appliance with any material or agent which poses a potential risk of degrading fresh water intended for human consumption must only downstream be adequately secured against reflux occur. An air gap can be used to protect against backflow; this is a device which can be built into a pipe or hose system and in which the liquid flowing through it flows freely from one pipe socket to another for a short distance. Information on the design of such an air gap can be found in the standard mentioned.

Under a household appliance is presently understood to mean that for use in Running a private household is suitable and intended to achieve the desired material success. In the present case, a water-carrying household appliance is considered in particular, ie a household appliance in which water plays a role in achieving the desired result, with this water having to be taken in particular from a water supply network for human consumption. Such a household appliance can in particular be a dishwasher for washing dishes and a laundry care machine for caring for, in particular washing, items of laundry.

It is an object of the invention to specify a further developed household appliance of the type defined at the outset.

To solve this problem, a household appliance according to the preamble of the corresponding independent patent claim is specified according to the invention, which additionally has the features of the characterizing part of the independent patent claim.

Preferred refinements of the invention are listed in the dependent patent claims and in the following description and can also be used in combinations with one another, insofar as this is permitted by technical considerations, even if this is not explicitly stated here.

To achieve the object, according to the invention, a household appliance for treating items to be treated is accordingly specified, comprising a treatment chamber for receiving the items to be treated, a supply device for supplying water from a fresh water connection to the treatment chamber, and a mist generator for generating mist and feeding the mist to the treatment chamber, wherein the supply device has an antechamber, a first supply line connecting the fresh water connection to the antechamber and at least one transition line connecting the antechamber to the treatment chamber, with an inlet valve arrangement comprising at least one first valve in the first supply line and one with the antechamber between the first valve and the antechamber connected first air path are arranged, and wherein the fog generator is connected to the fresh water connection via a second supply line, which second supply line has a second valve, in which household appliance a In addition, a second air path, which is connected to the antechamber, is arranged in the second supply line between the second valve and the mist generator.

Thus, in the household appliance according to the invention, protection against a backflow of water from the fog generator is provided in the form of the second air gap, and this protection is combined with the first air gap, which represents a safeguard against backflow from the antechamber, in such a way that both air gaps are in connection with the interior of the antechamber and thus with the interior of the treatment chamber. As a result, the second air path keeps the system of fog generator and treatment chamber closed, and an uncontrolled escape of fog from the fog generator or the treatment chamber is avoided. In addition, there is always the same air pressure on both air gaps. In this way, both air gaps respond in the same way in the event of sucking back, and with such a joint response, uncontrolled displacement of air or mist within the household appliance cannot occur.

In principle, the invention can be applied to any type of water-bearing household appliance, especially since the outlay required to use the invention is very low. In particular, a laundry care machine such as a washing machine and a washer-dryer as well as a dishwasher come into consideration as such a household appliance.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the antechamber is covered on an upper side by a cover, and the second air path is attached to the cover and has a connection to the antechamber that penetrates the cover. With further preference, the second air section is a bulge in the cover, to which two first pipe sockets are connected, to which the second supply line is connected. The second air path, the first pipe sockets and the cover are formed in one piece with even more preference. In this way, the second air path is largely integrated into the structure of an existing component of the household appliance, and can therefore be produced easily and inexpensively and is integrated robustly into the structure of the household appliance.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the first valve arrangement and the second valve are spatially connected to one another, in particular arranged and fastened together on the antechamber. In this way, too, simple and cost-effective production is possible and robust integration into the structure of the household appliance is achieved.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the mist generator and the treatment chamber are connected to form a circuit via a mist duct. With further preference this cycle is essentially self-contained. The mist duct also has a fan, by means of which an air flow flowing in a main direction can be formed in the circuit. It is also preferable that the blower is arranged upstream of the smoke generator with respect to the main direction. In the domestic appliance designed in this way, the treatment chamber can be intensively charged with the items to be treated contained therein, in that the blower drives the mist generated in the mist generator through the mist duct into the treatment chamber. It may also be provided that the blower can be operated in such a way that the air flow in the mist channel flows in a direction opposite to the main direction and in this way conveys mist remaining in the treatment chamber after treatment is complete back into the mist channel for disposal.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, a reactive gas generator for generating a reactive gas with respect to the main direction downstream of the blower and upstream of the treatment chamber and a reactive gas filter for eliminating the reactive gas with respect to the main direction upstream of the blower and downstream of the treatment chamber are arranged in the circuit. As a result, the items to be treated can be treated with a reactive gas which is generated in addition to the mist in the mist channel. The arrangement of the reactive gas generator downstream of the fog generator causes the reactive gas to be produced in an air stream enriched with the fog, it being possible for the reactive gas to be produced by a reaction with the water in the fog or for the reactive gas to combine with the fog, for example by diffusion of the reactive gas into the droplets of the fog. The treatment can also be provided in such a way that a reaction takes place on or in the material to be treated, which requires the simultaneous presence of water and reactive gas, with the mist ensuring the presence of an effective amount of water on or in the material to be treated. Finally, it is also already advantageous to provide an optical indicator with the mist visible to a user of the household appliance, from the appearance of which the user can perceive the treatment of the item to be treated with the reactive gas.

In an even more preferred embodiment of the invention, the reactive gas generator is designed to generate ozone as the reactive gas, and the reactive gas filter is an activated carbon filter. This opens up the use of the invention for use with ozone, a very effective oxidizing agent which, for example, enables stubborn dirt to be broken down and effective deodorization and disinfection of items to be treated, in particular items of laundry, separately or in addition to further treatment processes.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the fog generator has a water tank and is set up to produce a cold fog. With further preference, an ultrasonic generator set up to generate the cold mist is arranged in the water tank. The cold mist is a dispersion of the finest water droplets in the air and is only created by the effect of the ultrasound generated by the ultrasonic transducer on the water in the water tank, without any significant increase in the temperature of the water or the mist. The smoke generator therefore does not require a higher temperature than the surroundings of the household appliance to form the smoke, which increases its operational reliability.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the corresponding domestic appliance is set up as a laundry care machine for treating items of laundry as items to be treated. In this case, the household appliance is preferably designed for washing the items of laundry. With an additional advantage, a rotatable and perforated drum for receiving the laundry items is arranged in the treatment chamber. With even more preference, the antechamber has a flushing-in arrangement, in particular a flushing-in bowl, in which a treatment agent, in particular laundry care agent such as detergent and fabric softener, can be added to the fresh water flowing through to the treatment chamber.

• 1 eine schematisierte frontale Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäß ausgestatteten Haushaltsgerätes;
• 2 eine schematisierte Ansicht einer zweiten Luftstrecke im Haushaltsgerät gemäß 1; und
• 3 eine schematisierte Ansicht eines vertikalen Schnitts durch den Wassertank im Haushaltsgerät gemäß 1.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the attached drawing. Show it:

• 1 a schematic front view of an inventively equipped household appliance;
• 2 according to a schematic view of a second air gap in the household appliance 1 ; and
• 3 according to a schematic view of a vertical section through the water tank in the household appliance 1 .

1 shows a schematic first embodiment of the household appliance 1 according to the invention, designed here as a washing machine 1, for treating items 2 to be treated, here items of laundry 2. The household appliance 1 comprises a treatment chamber 3 for receiving the items to be treated 2, the treatment chamber 3 here designed as a swingingly suspended tub 3, in which a rotatable and perforated drum 4 is arranged, which receives the material to be treated 2 and moves by turning during washing or other wide treatments, for which the driver 5 are useful.

A supply device 7 can supply water to the treatment chamber 3 from a fresh water connection 6 connected to a network for supplying water intended for human consumption (drinking water). The feed device 7 has an antechamber 8 with a cover 9 and a first feed line 10 connecting the fresh water connection 6 to the antechamber 8, wherein in the first feed line 10 there is an inlet valve arrangement comprising at least one first valve 11 and between the first valve 11 and the antechamber 8 a first air path 12 connected to the antechamber 8 are arranged. In the present case, the antechamber 8 is a dispensing chamber 8 with a 1 For the sake of clarity, flushing-in arrangement not shown, in which fresh water flowing through to the treatment chamber 3 can be admixed with a treatment agent, in this case in particular a detergent or fabric softener. The one first valve 11 is to be seen here as a representative for a plurality or multiplicity of valves which are used for sequentially flushing in different quantities of treatment agents which can be introduced into different chamber segments of the flushing arrangement. At least one transfer line 13 connecting the antechamber 8 to the treatment chamber 3 is used to supply the water to the treatment chamber 3. Several transfer lines 13 can be used to conduct water that may have been mixed with treatment agent to various points in the treatment chamber 3, in particular in order to make the wetting of the material to be treated more uniform.

A pump-out line 14 together with a drain pump 15 arranged therein serves to remove water, washing liquor or rinsing liquor from the treatment chamber 3 after completion of a treatment and to dispose of it through a waste water connection 16 into a network for the disposal of waste water.

The household appliance 1 also has a mist generator 17 for generating mist and feeding the mist to the treatment chamber 3 . This mist generator 17 has a water tank 18 and is set up to generate a cold mist, in that an ultrasonic generator 19 designed to generate the cold mist is arranged below a water level 20 in the water tank 18 . The cold mist is a dispersion of the finest water droplets in the air and is only created by the action of the ultrasound generated by the ultrasonic generator 19 on the water in the water tank 18, without the temperature of the water or the mist increasing significantly.

The fog generator 17 is connected to the fresh water connection 6 via a second supply line 21, which second supply line 21 has a second valve 22, and a second air path 23 is arranged in the second supply line 21 between the second valve 22 and the fog generator 17, which the antechamber 8 is connected. In addition, the first valve arrangement and the second valve 22 are spatially connected to one another, in particular forming a unitary valve arrangement which includes all the first valves 11 and the second valve 22 . A drain pipe 24 and a drain valve 25 are provided to allow water remaining in the water tank 18 to flow into the drain pipe 14 after treatment.

The mist generator 17 and the treatment chamber 3 are connected via a mist channel 26 to form a circuit, the circuit being essentially self-contained. The mist channel 26 also has a blower 27, through which an air flow flowing in a main direction 28 can be formed in the circuit. The blower 27 is arranged upstream of the mist generator 17 with respect to the main direction 28 . This reduces exposure of the fan 26 to the fog. If necessary, the blower can also be set up to operate the air flow in a direction opposite to the main direction 28 in order to suck fog backwards out of the treatment chamber 3 as it were.

In addition to the fog generator 17, a reactive gas generator 29 for generating a reactive gas with respect to the main direction 28 downstream of the blower 27 and upstream of the treatment chamber 3 and a reactive gas filter 30 for eliminating the reactive gas with respect to the main direction 28 upstream of the blower 27 and downstream of the treatment chamber 3 are arranged in the circuit . The reactive gas generator 29 is designed to generate ozone as the reactive gas, and the reactive gas filter 30 is an activated carbon filter 30 on which the ozone is broken down if necessary. As a result, the material to be treated 2 can be treated with ozone, which is generated in addition to the mist in the mist channel 26 . The arrangement of the reactive gas generator 29 downstream of the mist generator 17 causes the reactive gas to be generated in an air stream enriched with the mist. Ozone is a very effective oxidizing agent which, for example, enables stubborn dirt to be broken down and laundry items 2 to be effectively deodorized and disinfected, separately from or in addition to further treatment processes such as washing and rinsing.

2 shows a schematic view of a second air path 23 in the household appliance 1 according to FIG 1 . In the 2 The antechamber 8 that is not visible is covered on its upper side by the cover 9, and the second air path 23 is attached to the cover 9 and has a connection 31 to the antechamber 8 that penetrates the cover 9. The second air gap 23 is thus a bulge in the cover 9, to which two first pipe sockets 32 are connected, to which the second supply line 21 is connected. The second air path 23, the first pipe socket 32 and the cover 9 are formed in one piece, in particular by injection molding.

According to 2 the adjacent ends of the two first pipe sockets 32 are spaced apart from one another by a certain distance within the clearance 23, with the corresponding distance being specified in accordance with the standard DIN EN 61770/A1 1:2018. According to the representation in 1 fresh water flows through the air gap 23 from left to right. The fresh water emerges from the left first pipe socket 32 via the connection 31 and flies freely through the air for a short distance, only to then enter the right first pipe socket 32 and flow to the smoke generator 17 . If the feed pressure of the fresh water at the fresh water connection 6 is changed from positive to negative by a pressure surge, a suction develops in the second supply line 21, which, however, only continues as far as the second air section 23 and there the free-flying jet of water between the ends of the first pipe socket 32 tears off. A return of fresh water from the second supply line 21 behind the second air gap 23 is thus excluded.

3 shows a schematic view of a vertical section through the water tank 18 in the household appliance according to FIG 1 . The second supply line 21 is connected to a second pipe socket 33 which lies below the water level 20 positioned as intended during operation of the fog generator 17 and thus protrudes into the area of the water tank 18 which is filled with water for operation. This avoids air enriched with fog and/or ozone from the fog duct 26, to which according to FIG 1 the area of the water tank 18 that is not filled with water can enter the second air gap 23 and the antechamber 8 . A barrier is thus formed which separates the mist channel 26 from the antechamber 8 .

In the household appliance 1 according to the invention, a safeguard against a backflow of water from the mist generator 17 is provided in the form of the second air gap 23, and this safeguard is connected to the first air gap 12, which represents a safeguard against the backflow of fresh water from the antechamber 8, in the Combined way that both air gaps 12 and 23 are in communication with the interior of the antechamber 8 and thus with the interior of the treatment chamber 3. As a result, the second air path 23 maintains a seclusion of the system made up of the mist generator 17 and the treatment chamber 3, and an uncontrolled escape of mist from the mist generator 17 or the treatment chamber 3 is avoided. In addition, there is always the same air pressure on both air gaps 12 and 23 . Both air gaps 12 and 23 therefore respond in the same way in the event of sucking back, and uncontrolled displacement of air or mist within the household appliance 1 cannot occur, particularly with such a joint response.

Reference List

1

household appliance, washing machine

2

Goods to be treated, items of laundry

3

treatment chamber

4

drum

5

driver

6

fresh water connection

7

feeding device

8th

antechamber

9

lid

10

First lead

11

first valve

12

First air route

13

reconciliation

14

pump-out line

15

drain pump

16

waste water connection

17

smoke generator

18

water tank

19

ultrasonic transducer

20

water level

21

Second lead

22

second valve

23

Second air route

24

drain line

25

drain valve

26

fog channel

27

fan

28

main direction

29

reactive gas generator

30

reactive gas filter

31

connection

32

First pipe socket

33

Second pipe socket

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• EP 2850241 B1 [0002]
• EP 2855754 B1 [0003]
• EP 2858545 B1 [0004]
• EP 2598682 B1 [0005]

Claims (17)

Household appliance (1) for treating items (2) to be treated, comprising a treatment chamber (3) for receiving the items to be treated (2), a supply device (7) for supplying water from a fresh water connection (6) to the treatment chamber (3) and a mist generator (17 ) for generating mist and feeding the mist to the treatment chamber (3), the feed device (7) having an antechamber (8), a first feed line (10) connecting the fresh water connection (6) to the antechamber (8) and at least one the antechamber (8) with the treatment chamber (3) connecting transfer line (13), wherein in the first supply line (10) an inlet valve arrangement comprising at least one first valve (11) and between the first valve (11) and the antechamber (8) with the first air path (12) connected to the antechamber (8) are arranged, and wherein the mist generator (17) is connected to the fresh water connection (6) via a second supply line (21), which second supply line (21) has a second valve l (22), characterized in that in the second supply line (21) between the second valve (22) and the mist generator (17) there is a second air section (23) which is connected to the antechamber (8). Household appliance (1) after claim 1 , in which the antechamber (8) is covered on an upper side by a cover (9), and the second air path (23) is attached to the cover (9) and a cover (9) penetrating connection (31) to the antechamber ( 8) has. Household appliance (1) after claim 2 , in which the second air gap (23) is a bulge of the cover (9) to which two first pipe sockets (32) are connected, to which the second supply line (21) is connected. Household appliance (1) after claim 3 , In which the second air path (23), the first pipe socket (32) and the cover (9) are formed in one piece. Household appliance (1) according to one of claims 2 until 4 , in which the first valve arrangement and the second valve (22) are spatially connected to one another. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the mist generator (17) and the treatment chamber (3) are connected to form a circuit via a mist channel (26). Household appliance (1) after claim 6 , in which the cycle is essentially self-contained. Household appliance (1) according to one of Claims 6 and 7 , in which the fog channel (26) has a fan (27) through which an air flow flowing in a main direction (28) can be formed in the circuit. Household appliance (1) after claim 8 , in which the blower (27) is arranged upstream of the mist generator (17) with respect to the main direction (28). Household appliance (1) after claim 9 , in which in the circuit a reactive gas generator (29) for generating a reactive gas with respect to the main direction (28) downstream of the blower (27) and upstream of the treatment chamber (3) and a reactive gas filter (30) for eliminating the reactive gas with respect to the main direction (28) are arranged upstream of the fan (27) and downstream of the treatment chamber (3). Household appliance (1) after claim 10 , in which the reactive gas generator (29) is designed for generating ozone as the reactive gas, and in which the reactive gas filter (30) is an activated carbon filter (30). Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the mist generator (17) has a water tank (18) and is set up to generate a cold mist. Household appliance (1) after claim 12 , In which an ultrasonic generator (19) set up for generating the cold mist is arranged in the water tank (18). Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which is set up as a laundry care machine (1) for treating items of laundry (2) as items (2) to be treated. Household appliance (1) after Claim 14 , which is designed for washing the laundry items (2). Household appliance (1) according to one of Claims 14 and 15 , in which a rotatable and perforated drum (4) for receiving the items of laundry (2) is arranged in the treatment chamber (3). Household appliance (1) according to one of Claims 14 until 16 , in which the antechamber (8) has a flushing-in arrangement, in which fresh water flowing through to the treatment chamber (3) can be admixed with a treatment agent.

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