EP1581089B1

EP1581089B1 - A dishwashing apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP1581089B1
Application number: EP02798399A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Piero Durazzani; Tahsin SÜMER
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2002-12-30
Filing date: 2002-12-30
Publication date: 2006-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 2022-12-30
Also published as: ATE326171T1; WO2004058036A1; AU2002363922A1; DE60211567T2; TR200502540T1; DE60211567D1; ES2265064T3; EP1581089A1

Abstract

The dishwashing apparatus (1) comprises a removable cover (201) and an additional dishwashing unit (401), ensures that varying capacity needs of the users can be satisfied in a timely and inexpensive way.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a dishwashing apparatus of which the capacity and size can be modified with respect to the needs of the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dishwashing apparatuses, especially that are used in households, are built of a certain capacity. These are usually of the size 80 cm x 60 cm x 65 cm. Alternatively dishwashing apparatuses of the size 80 cm x 45 cm x 65 cm or 40 cm x 60 cm x 65 cm also exist in the market place. These dishwashing apparatuses are far from satisfying the customers' needs for varying sizes of dishwashers. One dishwashing apparatus of the prior art type is known from EP-A-1 123 684.
The object of this invention is to provide a dishwashing apparatus of which the capacity and the size can be modified according to the requirements of the user.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of the dishwashing apparatus, which is realised in order to attain the said object of the invention is illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein;

Figure 1: is a schematic view of a dishwashing apparatus,
Figure 2: is a schematic view of a dishwashing apparatus with an additional unit,
Figure 3: is a perspective view of a dishwashing apparatus without an additional unit,
Figure 4: is a perspective view of an additional container,

The components shown in the drawings have been enumerated individually, as follows;

1. Dishwashing apparatus
2. Main body
3. Washing tank
4. Heater
5, 404. Spray means
101. Main body basket
102, 403. Door
103. Container
104. Guide rail
105, 202, 405. Gasket
201. Cover
203, 406. Recess
204, 407. Fastening means
301. Control unit
302. User interface device
303. Pin
304. Socket
401. Additional dishwashing unit
402. Additional basket
408. Separator
409. Water directing channel
410. Opening
411. Air flow channel
412. Fan
413. Fan housing
415. Projection
416. Additional washing container
417. Door gasket

The dishwashing apparatus (1) comprises a main body (2), a washing tank (3) within the main body (2), one or more rotating spray means (5) for throwing washing liquid onto the wash load items, a circulation pump which is connected to and adapted to supply water to said rotating spray means (5), a heater (4) that is housed inside the washing tank (3) and is used for heating the water and the wash load items and a drain pump for discharging the washing liquid.
The dishwashing apparatus (1) further comprises a main body basket (101) for placing wash load items, a door (102) that is covering the washing tank (3), a container (103) where the door (102) is attached and into which the main body basket (101) is placed, one or more than one guide rails (104) on which the container (103) is placed and one or more than one gasket (105) that are placed on the rim of the container (103) and the rim of the door (102) for providing the water tight sealing of the washing tank (3). When the user pulls or pushes the door (102), the container (103) makes a sliding motion on the guide rails (104) and comes in or out of the washing tank (3). The container (103) resembles a drawer.
The dishwashing apparatus (1) further comprises a cover (201) that is removable and closes the top of the washing tank (3), one or more than one gasket (202) on the edge of the main body (2) where the cover (201) is placed, one or more than one recess (203) on the cover (201) into which the gasket (202) fits into and one or more than one fastening means (204), for example screws, for attaching the cover (201) to the main body (2).
The dishwashing apparatus (1) further comprises a control unit (301) that is adapted to control the operation of all of the main functional members, such as pumps, motors, heaters etc. of the apparatus (1), a user interface device (302) for displaying the related information to the user and getting the user inputs, such as program selection, parameter setting etc., one or more than one pins (303) on the user interface device (302) for transmitting the information and one or more than one sockets (304), connected to the control unit (301), where the pins (303) fits.
The dishwashing apparatus (1) further comprises one or more than one additional dishwashing unit (401). The additional dishwashing unit (401) is attached to the dishwashing apparatus (1) in order to increase the capacity via increasing the volume in which the washing is performed. In order to attach the additional dishwashing unit (401) to the dishwashing apparatus (1), the cover (201) is removed, the additional dishwashing unit (401) is placed on top of the dishwashing apparatus (1) and the cover (201) is than placed onto the additional dishwashing unit (401).
The additional dishwashing unit (401) comprises an additional basket (402) for placing wash load items, an additional washing container (416) for placing the additional basket (402), a door (403) that is covering additional washing container (416), one or more than one spray means (404), one or more than one door gasket (417) that are placed on the rim of the door (403) for providing the water tight sealing of the additional washing container (416), one or more than one gasket (405) on the top edge of the additional dishwashing unit (401) where the cover (201) is placed, one or more than one recess (406) into which the gasket (202) fits into and one or more than one fastening means (407) for attaching the cover (201) to the additional dishwashing unit (401), a separator (408) placed under the additional basket (402) for preventing the water from dropping onto the base of the main body (2) while only the door (102) is opened, one or more than one water directing channels (409) on the separator (408) for directing the wash liquid to the container (103) during the washing process, one or more than one opening (410) on the separator (408) letting the wash liquid to be transferred from the additional washing container (416) to the container (103), a fan (412) for directing the hot air created by the heater (4) from the washing tank (3) to the additional washing container (416), a fan housing (413) into which the fan (412) is placed, an air flow channel (411) through which the hot air is transferred from the washing tank (3) to the additional washing container (416) and a projection (415) under the door (403) for enabling the doors (102 and 403) to be simultaneously opened when the door (403) is pulled out.
The dishwashing apparatus (1) can be used with or without the additional dishwashing unit (401). Since all the functional components are already present in the dishwashing apparatus (1), it can be used without the additional dishwashing unit (401). The operation of the dishwashing apparatus (1) without the additional dishwashing unit (401) is not different from the conventional dishwashers, therefore will not be described here.
The additional dishwashing unit (401) is used if the user needs a higher capacity. In order to increase the capacity of the dishwashing apparatus (1), the additional dishwashing unit (401) is attached to the dishwashing apparatus (1). The additional dishwashing unit (401) is attached to the dishwashing apparatus (1) in order to increase the capacity via increasing the volume in which the washing is performed. In order to attach the additional dishwashing unit (401) to the dishwashing apparatus (1), the cover (201) is removed, some of the functional components, for example the control unit (301) and the user interface device (302) are detached from the dishwashing apparatus (1) and attached to the additional dishwashing unit (401), the additional dishwashing unit (401) is placed on top of the dishwashing apparatus (1) and the cover (201) is than placed onto the additional dishwashing unit (401).
The circulation pump, the drain pump and other functional components of the dishwashing apparatus (1) are designed as if they will always operate with the additional dishwashing unit (401). Therefore, the additional dishwashing unit (401) does not constitute any capacity problems. During the operation, the opening (410) enables the washing liquid that is pumped to the additional basket (402) to return back to the system and during the drying process, the fan (412) enables the drying of the wash load items that are placed into the additional basket (402).
The dishwashing apparatus (1), with the removable cover (201) and the additional dishwashing unit (401), ensures that varying capacity needs of the users can be satisfied in a timely and inexpensive way. Whenever user needs a dishwashing apparatus (1) with a higher capacity, using his/her dishwashing apparatus (1) she/he just buys an additional dishwashing unit (401). There is no need to discard the old machine. For example, a single person can buy a small dishwashing apparatus (1) and buys an additional dishwashing unit (401) when she/he gets married. This also provides a greater flexibility for kitchen furniture manufacturers and provides easiness for service suppliers.

Claims

A dishwashing apparatus (1) comprising a main body (2), a washing tank (3) within the main body (2), said washing tank (3) houses one or more rotating spray means (5) for throwing washing liquid onto the wash load items and a heater (4) for heating the water and the wash load items, characterized in that, said dishwashing apparatus further comprises a cover (201) that is removable and closes the top of the washing tank (3) and an additional dishwashing unit (401) that is attached in order to increase the capacity via increasing the volume in which the washing is performed, where, in order to attach the additional dishwashing unit (401) to the dishwashing apparatus (1), the cover (201) is removed and the additional dishwashing unit (401) is placed on top of the dishwashing apparatus (1).
A dishwashing apparatus (1) according to Claim 1, characterized with, one or more than one gasket (202) on the edge of the main body (2) where the cover (201) is placed, one or more than one recess (203) on the cover (201) into which the gasket (202) fits into and one or more than one fastening means (204) for attaching the cover (201) to the main body (2).
A dishwashing apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized with, a control unit (301) that is adapted to control the operation of all of the main functional members, such as pumps, motors, heaters etc. of the apparatus (1), a user interface device (302) for displaying the related information to the user and getting the user inputs, such as program selection, parameter setting etc., one or more than one pins (303) on the user interface device (302) for transmitting the information and one or more than one sockets (304), connected to the control unit (301), where the pins (303) fits.
A dishwashing apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized with, a main body basket (101) for placing wash load items, a door (102) that is covering the washing tank (3), a container (103) that is attached to the door (102) and into which the main body basket (101) is placed, one or more than one guide rails (104) on which the container (103) is placed and makes a sliding motion and comes out of the washing tank (3), like a drawer, when the user pulls or pushes the door (102), and one or more than one gasket (105) that are placed on the rim of the container (103) and the rim of the door (102) for providing the water tight sealing of the washing tank (3).
A dishwashing apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized with, the additional dishwashing unit (401) comprising an additional basket (402) for placing wash load items, a separator (408) placed under the additional basket (402) for preventing the water from dropping onto the base of the main body (2) while only the door (102) is opened, one or more than one water directing channels (409) on the separator (408) for directing the wash liquid to the container (103) during the washing process, one or more than one opening (410) on the separator (408) letting the wash liquid to be transferred from the additional washing container (416) to the container (103).
A dishwashing apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized with, the additional dishwashing unit (401) comprising a fan (412) for directing the hot air created by the heater (4) from the washing tank (3) to the additional washing container (416), a fan housing (413) into which the fan (412) is placed and an air flow channel (411) through which the hot air is transferred from the washing tank (3) to the additional washing container (416).
A dishwashing apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized with, the additional dishwashing unit (401) comprising a projection (415) under the door (403) for enabling the doors (102 and 403) to be simultaneously opened when the door (403) is pulled out.
A dishwashing apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized with, the additional dishwashing unit (401) comprising an additional washing container (416) for placing the additional basket (402), a door (403) that is covering additional washing container (416), one or more than one spray means (404), one or more than one door gasket (417) that are placed on the rim of the door (403) for providing the water tight sealing of the additional washing container (416), one or more than one gasket (405) on the top edge of the additional dishwashing unit (401) where the cover (201) is placed, one or more than one recess (406) into which the gasket (202) fits into and one or more than one fastening means (407) for attaching the cover (201) to the additional dishwashing unit (401).