EP0876789B1 - Machine à laver la vaisselle avec dispositif de dosage de liquide - Google Patents

Machine à laver la vaisselle avec dispositif de dosage de liquide Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0876789B1
EP0876789B1 EP98107374A EP98107374A EP0876789B1 EP 0876789 B1 EP0876789 B1 EP 0876789B1 EP 98107374 A EP98107374 A EP 98107374A EP 98107374 A EP98107374 A EP 98107374A EP 0876789 B1 EP0876789 B1 EP 0876789B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
opening
tub
dishwashing machine
washing
water
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP98107374A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0876789A1 (fr
Inventor
Giuseppe Marchitto
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whirlpool EMEA SpA
Original Assignee
Merloni Elettrodomestici SpA
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Filing date
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Publication of EP0876789A1 publication Critical patent/EP0876789A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
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Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
    • A47L15/42—Details
    • A47L15/4229—Water softening arrangements

Definitions

  • the present invention refers to a dishwashing machine of the type indicated in the preamble of Claim 1, and a liquid metering method of the type indicated in the preamble of Claim 11.
  • dishwashing machines are commonly equipped with a metering device for the water required to regenerate softening resins.
  • Said device also fulfills other functions, such as hindering the backflow of dirty water to the water mains, and the condensation of a portion of vapor forming in the dishwasher washing tub during the operation of the machine.
  • Such a multifunction device is usually fixed to a side wall of the washing tub, so that in operation it is housed in a gap being defined between said tub wall and a wall of the dishwasher cabinet, or of the built-in cabinet within which the dishwasher is housed.
  • a dishwasher with such a multifunction device is known from EP-A- 0 435 119 which forms the basis for the preambles of the independent claims.
  • such devices usually have a first opening, which communicates with the inside of the wash tub, and a second opening communicating with the external environment, i.e. with the gap defined between the tub and the machine cabinet.
  • the first opening allows to discharge into the washing tub any excess water eventually supplied inside the device. Moreover, through said two openings, the device is apt to allow the communication from inside the washing tub to the external environment. Thus, a certain amount of the vapor forming inside the tub is led to flow through the device, where a partial condensation occurs.
  • washing machines produce a certain noisiness during their operation.
  • Dishwasher noisiness is also due to the fluid jets being splashed by the rotary collectors for the washing of the crockery; in the practice, in fact, both the water jets reaching the crockery and part of the jets hurting the machine washing tub walls generate noisiness.
  • the aim of the present invention is that of solving the above problems, indicating a dishwashing machine wherein noise and vapor or dampness passage from said multifunction device to the external environment may be reduced through the use of simple and cost-effective means.
  • Figure 1 represents schematically a part of a dishwashing machine according to the present invention.
  • number 1 indicates as a whole the washing tub of the machine, which is realized with generally known procedures, and has a front loading door 2.
  • Number 3 indicates schematically a multifunction device, i.e. as mentioned at the beginning of the present description, which is apt to meter the water required for the regeneration of softening resins, hindering the backflow of water to the water mains and condensing at least a portion of the vapor forming within the tub 1 during the washing.
  • Said device 3 has a body of reduced dimensions, whose structure is conveniently made of plastic material, for example through the molding of two pieces, which are subsequently welded to each other in a known manner (for instance by a hot blade procedure).
  • the device 3 is fixed to the external surface of a side wall of the tub 1, so that for operation purposes it is located in the gap between said tub wall and a wall of the dishwasher cabinet, or of the built-in cabinet wherein the machine is housed (these elements are not represented in Fig. 1).
  • the device 3 has a hole FS facing the inside of the tub 2; to this purpose, the wall of the tub 1 on which the device 3 is fixed has a proper opening.
  • the hole FS can be equipped with suitable screening means (not represented), such as a small plastic grid to hinder that dirt residues removed from the crockery can enter the hole itself during the washing.
  • the device 3 has an opening AS in its upper part, which faces towards the external environment, i.e. in the gap mentioned above, between the tub and the machine cabinet.
  • FIG. 2 and 3 A possible embodiment of the device 3 according to the invention is represented in Figures 2 and 3 through a schematic upright section and a perspective view, respectively, where a device wall has been removed for better representation.
  • the device 3 has a hollow body having a set of inlet and outlet connectors for the water supplied by the mains to the devices provided within the machine, as well as the cited openings FS and AS which put the device itself in communication with the washing tub and the environment outside the tub itself.
  • ducts and chambers for water flow and metering are also defined by a plurality of walls or bulkheads.
  • IN represents a water inlet connector for the water fed from the water mains and OUT an outlet connector for the same water to a dishwasher decalcifying device, not shown in the figures.
  • Water inlet and outlet from the IN inlet and the OUT outlet, respectively, are controlled by electric valves, which are actuated in a generally known manner, in the proper time by the control system of the machine.
  • Said decalcifying device is generally known as such and for its operation, and therefore it will not be described in detail herein.
  • the metering of the water required for the washing can take place through a common electromechanical pressure-switch located in the lower section of the washing tub; however, since the metering system for the washing water leave out of consideration from the purposes of the present invention, it will not be described in detail.
  • a duct Cl and a duct CU are present between the connectors IN and OUT.
  • the so-called air-break device, indicated with SA as a whole, is present in the upper section of the device 3, between the two ducts CI and CU.
  • the air-break device SA is known as such and for its operation, and consequently it is here enough to point out that its function is that of preventing water supplied to the dishwasher hydraulic circuit to be sucked into the water mains, should any vacuum occur in the latter.
  • the air-break device has an interruption 7, which can be overcome by the water from the duct Cl before entering the duct CU, due to the kinetic energy acquired.
  • the remaining internal part of the device 3 is practically forming a container for metering and collecting the water required for the regeneration of the decalcifying resins.
  • Said container has two walls, indicated with 8 and 9, which are configured and arranged to divide the container in three separate chambers of different capacity, indicated with V1, V2, V3.
  • Chambers V1 and V2 are closed on their top and may eventually communicate through their top with the outside the device 3 by means of small pipes TT only, whose function will be explained in the following.
  • the chamber V3, on the contrary, is not closed on its top.
  • a second outlet connector RU is present on the bottom of the container consisting of the above three chambers V1, V2, V3 . Also in this case, the exit of water from the connector RU is controlled by a solenoid valve, not shown, which is actuated in a generally known manner at the right time by the machine control system.
  • the water collected in the chambers V1, V2, V3 is discharged at regular intervals through the connector RU in a salt container, which is a part of the decalcifying device, to produce a brine for the regeneration of the water decalcifying resins.
  • a salt container which is a part of the decalcifying device
  • a hole similar to the one already shown in Fig. 1 is indicated with FS; it should be noticed that, according to the present invention, said hole FS is substantially located in the upper half of the device 3, whereas according to the known state of the art, a hole having similar functions is usually located in the lower half of the device.
  • the device 3 also has an opening AS in its upper section, similar to the one shown in Fig. 1; as it can be seen in the representation of Fig. 1, i.e. when no water is present inside the device 3, both the hole FS and opening AS put the inside of the washing tub in communication with the external environment.
  • the device 3 has a wall or bulkhead 10 arranged in the chamber V3, between the hole FS and the opening AS; as it can be seen, said wall 10 starts from the upper section of the device 3 directed downwards, but it does not reach the bottom of the chamber V3.
  • the wall 10 is meant to extend the throughpath between the hole FS and the opening AS, or better to define a forced passage between the two openings, located in the lower section of the device 3.
  • the water flowing through the duct CU can flow out of the device 3 through the connector OUT and reach the decalcifying device mentioned above; after having been softened, the water can then reach the washing tub.
  • chambers V1 and V2 have each one a small pipe TT in their upper section, to let the air available in them to flow out under the thrust of the water column rising in the same chambers V1 and V2, following the dripping from the air-break SA.
  • the pipes TT may be either open or closed, to allow changing the volume of water available for the resin regeneration as a function of the hardness of the mains water. It is clear, in fact, that if both pipes TT are closed, then water can practically fill up only the chamber V3, if only the pipe TT of the chamber V1 is closed, then water can fill chambers V2 and V3, whereas if pipe TT of the chamber V2 is closed, water can fill chambers V1 and V3. Finally, if both pipes TT are open, then water can fill all the three chambers V1, V2 and V3.
  • the capacity of the three chambers mentioned above is obviously determined at the design stage and their filling procedures depend essentially on the air-break size, on the water flowrate permitted by the ducts Cl and CU, and by the time required for the water to be supplied in the tub.
  • the filling condition of the three chambers is not necessarily reached during the first water inlet step of the dishwasher, but it can be reached following several subsequent liquid supplies.
  • a washing cycle foreseen by the machine according to the invention comprises a prewash, a wash phase and two rinses.
  • the filling of the three chambers may be reached during the first water supply (i.e. during the water supply required for the prewash), or during the first four fluid supplies (i.e. during the relevant water supplies required for the prewash, the wash and the two rinses).
  • Figure 4 actually represents a situation where chambers V1, V2 and V3 are filled with the water required for the regeneration; in this figure, the maximum filling level of said chambers is indicated with L1.
  • L2 indicates the minimum water level apt to warrant the correct operation of the dishwasher according to the teachings of the present invention; this situation can already be reached, for example, at the end of the first water supply inside the dishwashing machine, i.e., with reference to the example previously mentioned, during the water supply required for the prewash.
  • the wall 10 is meant to define a forced passage between the hole FS and the opening AS, located in the lower section of the device.
  • the water forms a real true barrier interrupting the communication between the hole FS and the opening AS.
  • a water barrier fulfills multiple functions.
  • the water barrier has an important function in order to prevent the passage of noise through the device 3 from the inside of the washing tub to the external environment.
  • said water barrier prevents vapor and hot air from flowing out of the tub; in this way, loss of heat and consequently energy consumption are reduced, since the heat generated for the washing of crockery is maintained by the tub inside.
  • the regeneration of resins and consequently the water discharge from the device 3 occurs only during the final part of the washing cycle.
  • resin regeneration is obtained during the final part of the last rinse foreseen by the cycle, i.e. nearly at the end of the last step during which "noisy" components of the dishwasher are activated.
  • Such a drying phase is usually obtained by leaving the crockery within the washing tub for a certain time interval, during which vapor is partially eliminated through a condensation effect realized by the tub walls, and leaving a part of vapor to penetrate the multifunction device.
  • the drying can be expedited by favoring the air circulation inside the washing tub, using to this purpose a proper fan or a natural ventilation system.
  • the air being present in the gap between the tub and the dishwasher cabinet is heated during most of time of a wash cycle, by the dissipation of heat from the walls of the tub itself.
  • a dishwashing machine comprising a fluid metering device with a hollow body having a first opening communicating with the inside of the machine washing tub, and a second opening in communication with the environment outside of said tub, both the first and second openings being located in particular at a higher level than the level usually reachable by the fluid within the body of the device.
  • means are provided apt to interrupt the communication between the first and the second opening, with the purpose of reducing noise, heat and vapor emission from inside the tub to the external environment.
  • Said means comprise specifically a wall to define a forced passage between the first and second opening, located in the lower section of the device body; the machine control system will then properly actuate a solenoid valve associated with the connector RU, so that during a substantial part of a washing cycle foreseen by the machine a water level is maintained within the device, apt to plug said forced passage.
  • both the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of the suggested solution have to be underlined, which allow for a substantial reduction of noise and vapor/dampness transmission, from the machine tub to the external environment, and energy savings due to a reduced heat emission from the washing tub.
  • both the configuration, the arrangement and sizes of the wall 10 may be different from the ones represented in Figs. 2 and 3, and it is also clear that the forced passage between the hole FS and the output AS may be provided by means of procedures differing from the ones previously represented and described, without any prejudice to the basic concept of the present invention.
  • the man skilled in the art it is also obvious that, in order to restore the communication between the hole FS and the opening AS, it is not absolutely necessary to discharge the whole water contents of the device 3, but it will be enough to discharge such a volume of water to bring the level L2 to a height being lower than the one represented in Fig. 2.
  • the basic concept of the invention may also be applied for those cases where the multifunction device is also provided for the metering of water being required for the washing; in this instance, said water barrier may be obtained through the water to be used for the washing of crockery, instead of that destined to be used for the regeneration of decalcifying resins.

Landscapes

  • Washing And Drying Of Tableware (AREA)
  • Detail Structures Of Washing Machines And Dryers (AREA)

Claims (18)

  1. Lave-vaisselle du type comportant un dispositif de dosage du fluide pour l'eau requise pour régénérer des résines d'adoucissement, ledit dispositif comportant un corps creux (3) possédant une première ouverture (FS) communiquant avec l'intérieur de la cuve de lavage (1) de la machine, et une seconde ouverture (AS) en communication avec l'environnement situé à l'extérieur de ladite cuve (1), ladite première ouverture (FS) et ladite seconde ouverture (AS) étant situées essentiellement dans la moitié supérieure du corps creux (3) dudit dispositif, caractérisé en ce qu'il comporte une paroi (10) disposée dans ledit corps (3) entre ladite première ouverture (FS) et ladite seconde ouverture (AS) pour créer une chambre (V3) qui peut être remplie au moins partiellement pendant une partie d'un cycle de lavage par le fluide pénétrant par ledit dispositif de dosage de manière à interrompre au moins pendant une partie du cycle de lavage la communication entre ladite première ouverture (FS) et ladite seconde ouverture (AS), de manière à réduire la transmission de bruit, de chaleur et de vapeur depuis l'intérieur de ladite cuve (A) vers l'environnement extérieur.
  2. Lave-vaisselle selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que:
    ladite paroi (10) est située dans ledit corps (3) de manière à définir un passage forcé, présent dans la moitié supérieure du dispositif, entre ladite première ouverture (FS) et ladite seconde ouverture (AS) pour l'écoulement d'air à l'intérieur de la cuve de lavage (1) en direction de l'environnement situé à l'extérieur de ladite cuve (1) ;
    ledit passage comprend ladite chambre (V3), qui peut être remplie au moins partiellement pendant une partie d'un cycle de lavage, qui peut être exécuté par la machine, de manière à interrompre la communication entre ladite première ouverture (FS) et ladite seconde ouverture (AS).
  3. Lave-vaisselle selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que la présence dudit fluide dans ladite chambre dépend de celle des phases de lavage, que la machine exécute actuellement.
  4. Lave-vaisselle selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce qu'en fonctionnement, ladite paroi (10) s'étend depuis la moitié supérieure dudit corps (3) en direction du fond de ce corps, de sorte que ledit passage est situé dans la moitié inférieure dudit corps (3).
  5. Lave-vaisselle selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que ladite machine comprend un système de commande, apte à commander la décharge du liquide contenu dans ledit corps (3).
  6. Lave-vaisselle selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que ledit système de commande est apte à empêcher l'évacuation du liquide contenu dans ledit corps (3) pendant ladite partie du cycle de lavage de manière à maintenir dans ledit corps (3) un niveau de liquide (L1) apte à boucher ledit passage.
  7. Lave-vaisselle selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que ladite chambre (V3) est vidée pendant la partie finale du cycle de lavage.
  8. Lave-vaisselle selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ledit dispositif est fixé à une paroi latérale de ladite cuve (1) et, pour des buts de fonctionnement, est logé dans l'interstice existant entre ladite paroi de la cuve et une paroi de l'enceinte du lave-vaisselle.
  9. Lave-vaisselle selon au moins l'une des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif est prévu pour le dosage de l'eau requise pour le fonctionnement d'un dispositif d'adoucissement de l'eau.
  10. Lave-vaisselle selon au moins l'une des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que ledit dispositif est prévu pour le dosage de l'eau requise pour le lavage de la vaisselle.
  11. Procédé pour réduire la transmission de bruit, de chaleur et de vapeur, produite par un lave-vaisselle, depuis l'intérieur d'une cuve (1) dudit lave-vaisselle en direction de l'environnement extérieur, comportant un dispositif de dosage de liquide, ledit dispositif comportant un corps creux (3) pourvu d'une première ouverture (FS) communiquant avec l'intérieur de la cuve de lavage (1) du lave-vaisselle, et une seconde ouverture (AS) en communication avec l'environnement situé à l'extérieur de ladite cuve (1), ladite première ouverture (FS) et ladite seconde ouverture (AS) étant situées dans la moitié supérieure dudit corps (3) dudit dispositif, caractérisé par les étapes suivantes:
    création, dans le dispositif de dosage de liquide, d'un passage forcé pour le fluide devant être évacué entre ladite première ouverture (FS) et ladite seconde ouverture (AS) au moyen d'une paroi disposée à l'intérieur du corps (3) entre lesdites première et seconde ouvertures et définissant une chambre (V3), qui peut être remplie par un fluide à des fins de régénération;
    maintien dans ledit corps creux (3), pendant une partie du cycle de lavage qui peut être exécutée par la lave-vaisselle, d'un niveau de liquide (L1) apte à obturer ledit passage forcé de fluide de manière à interrompre la communication entre ladite première ouverture (FS) et ladite seconde ouverture (AS) pour réduire le bruit, la transmission de bruit, de chaleur et de vapeur depuis l'intérieur de ladite cuve (1) en direction de l'environnement extérieur.
  12. Procédé selon la revendication 11, caractérisé en ce que ledit passage forcé est vidé par évacuation du liquide contenu dans ladite chambre (V3) pendant une phase du cycle de lavage.
  13. Procédé selon la revendication précédente, caractérisé en ce que le fluide refoulé hors dudit corps (3) est utilisé pour exécuter la régénération de résines d'adoucissement d'un adoucisseur d'eau.
  14. Procédé selon la revendication 12 ou 13, caractérisé en ce que ladite évacuation se produit pendant une phase finale du cycle de lavage.
  15. Procédé selon la revendication précédente, caractérisé en ce que l'étape du cycle de lavage, pendant laquelle ladite évacuation se produit, est suivie par une phase de séchage de la vaisselle située à l'intérieur de ladite cuve (1).
  16. Procédé selon la revendication précédente, caractérisé en ce que le liquide évacué par ledit corps (3) est utilisé pour laver la vaisselle contenue dans ladite cuve (1).
  17. Procédé selon au moins l'une des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le liquide contenu dans ledit corps (3) arrive d'un dispositif de blocage à air, qui fait partie dudit dispositif de dosage de liquide.
  18. Procédé selon au moins l'une des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le liquide envoyé éventuellement en excès audit corps (3) peut déborder en pénétrant directement dans ladite cuve (1), par l'intermédiaire de ladite première ouverture (FS).
EP98107374A 1997-04-24 1998-04-23 Machine à laver la vaisselle avec dispositif de dosage de liquide Expired - Lifetime EP0876789B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITTO970360 1997-04-24
IT97TO000360A IT1292286B1 (it) 1997-04-24 1997-04-24 Macchina lavastoviglie con dispositivo di dosaggio di liquido migliorato.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0876789A1 EP0876789A1 (fr) 1998-11-11
EP0876789B1 true EP0876789B1 (fr) 2003-10-22

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98107374A Expired - Lifetime EP0876789B1 (fr) 1997-04-24 1998-04-23 Machine à laver la vaisselle avec dispositif de dosage de liquide

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EP (1) EP0876789B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69819068T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2208996T3 (fr)
IT (1) IT1292286B1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR101247049B1 (ko) 2011-08-03 2013-04-01 엘지전자 주식회사 식기 세척기 및 그의 에어 브레이크
ITTO20110984A1 (it) 2011-10-28 2013-04-29 Bitron Spa Dispositivo distributore di acqua

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT1238419B (it) * 1989-12-22 1993-07-26 Merloni Elettrodomestici Spa Perfezionamenti al sistema di addolcimento dell'acqua in una macchina di lavaggio
FR2678155B1 (fr) * 1991-06-27 1993-09-03 Esswein Sa Lave-vaisselle muni d'un dispositif de mise a l'air libre.
IT1276477B1 (it) * 1995-07-06 1997-10-31 Merloni Elettrodomestici Spa Macchina lavastoviglie con sistema di asciugatore a ventilazione naturale

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0876789A1 (fr) 1998-11-11
DE69819068D1 (de) 2003-11-27
DE69819068T2 (de) 2004-07-08
ITTO970360A0 (fr) 1997-04-24
ES2208996T3 (es) 2004-06-16
ITTO970360A1 (it) 1998-10-24
IT1292286B1 (it) 1999-01-29

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