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
  • A47L15/50—Racks ; Baskets
  • A47L15/508—Hydraulic connections for racks
• • 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
  • A47L15/14—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware with stationary crockery baskets and spraying devices within the cleaning chamber
  • A47L15/18—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware with stationary crockery baskets and spraying devices within the cleaning chamber with movably-mounted spraying devices
  • A47L15/22—Rotary spraying devices
  • A47L15/23—Rotary spraying devices moved by means of the sprays

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a washing machine, in particular a dishwasher, according to the preamble of claim 1.
• washing machines in particular dishwashers, usually comprise two load racks for loading the crockery to be washed, in particular an upper load rack and a lower load rack.
• the crockery is washed by means of two rotating spray arms, which spray a wash fluid toward the load racks and are supplied with pressurized fluid from a wash pump, typically housed in the machine base.
• the lower rotating spray arm is generally supplied and supported from below, by means of a tubular element which is directly connected to the body of the supply pump, whereas the upper rotating spray arm is supplied from above.
• the rotating spray arm is supplied from above through a nozzle housed on the ceiling of the wash tub, which is supplied through a duct coming from the supply pump.
• the nozzle outputs a liquid jet downwards, which after having crossed an "air break” reaches a cone-shaped receiving element secured centrally to the upper rack of the machine; the "air break” separating the nozzle from the receiving element is provided in order to allow the rack to slide horizontally, for the purpose of allowing the normal extraction and insertion operations required for loading and removing the crockery.
• the liquid jet sprayed by the nozzle crosses the "air break" and enters the cone-shaped receiving element at high speed, thus hitting the walls of the latter and generating noise which virtually persists for the whole duration of the wash cycle, thus making the appliance quite noisy.
• the "air break” may be longer or shorter depending on the operating condition of the dishwasher.
• washing machines have been proposed equipped with means adapted to eliminate the air break between the upper nozzle and the cone-shaped receiving element.
• the washing machines known in the art comprise a wash tub housing an upper rack, a sprayer being associated with the underside thereof; connection means are also provided which allow to connect said sprayer to a first end of a tubular element made of plastic material, said tubular element being adapted to engage into a hydraulic outlet being present on the back wall of the tub.
• washing machines which comprise connection means between the sprayer and said tubular element, said connection means being so provided as to allow wash fluid to leak.
• this leakage allows the wash fluid to act substantially as a lubricating medium.
• even these latter solutions do not completely eliminate all friction between the sprayer and said connection means, in particular because of adverse effects caused by the high temperature of the wash fluid and by the impurities normally contained therein.
• a further drawback of the above solution is that the provision of a leakage of wash fluid, in particular at friction points between the sprayer and the connection means connecting it to the tubular element, inevitably implies a higher consumption of wash fluid and a reduction in the wash fluid pressure within the sprayer, resulting in worse crockery washing results.
• a second end of said tubular element comprises a connection device adapted to engage into a hydraulic outlet being present on the back wall of the wash tub; in practice, said hydraulic outlet is the outlet of a supply duct connected to a supply pump of the washing machine.
• connection devices of the washing machines known in the art comprise two inlets located vertically one on top of the other, which allow the connection device to be connected to the hydraulic outlet with the rack mounted in either position (higher or lower) inside the wash tub.
• this frame it is the main object of the present invention to provide a washing machine, in particular a dishwasher, which allows to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks.
• the present invention provides a washing machine, in particular a dishwasher, incorporating the features set out in the appended claims, which are intended as an integral part of the present description.
• Fig. 1 is a sectional side view of the upper portion of a washing machine, in particular a dishwasher, according to the present invention
• Fig. 2 is an exploded view of a first portion of an upper hydraulic circuit of the washing machine according to the present invention
• Figs. 3a and 3b are a perspective view and an sectional view, respectively, of some components of the upper hydraulic circuit of the washing machine according to the present invention.
• reference number 10 designates the upper portion of a wash tub of a washing machine, in particular a dishwasher, manufactured according to the teachings of the present invention.
• Said tub 10 houses an upper rack 20, which is associated with an upper hydraulic circuit comprising: a sprayer 30 made of plastic material; a tubular element 40 comprising a first end 41 and a second end 42; connection means 50 providing the hydraulic and mechanic connections between said first end 41 of the tubular element 40 and said sprayer 30; and - a linking device 60, adapted to engage into a hydraulic outlet 70 provided on a wall ofthe tub lO.
• hydraulic outlet 70 is the outlet of a supply duct 11 connected to a supply pump of the dishwasher, which is not shown in the drawing for simplicity's sake.
• Tubular element 40 is preferably made of plastic material, whereas linking device 60 is preferably provided in one piece with second end 42 of said tubular element 40.
• connection means comprise a bush 50 made of a material which is different from that used for manufacturing said sprayer 30.
• Sprayer 30 and the bush 50 are made of plastic materials, said plastic materials ensuring good dimensional stability and high compression and shock resistance.
• said bush 50 is made of acetalic resin, while said sprayer 30 is made of polypropylene.
• sprayer 30 comprises an upper shell 32 and a lower shell
• Sprayer 30 is located underneath upper rack 20, and said upper shell 32 comprises a plurality of nozzles 34 facing in different directions, which allow the wash fluid to be sprayed onto upper rack 20.
• said bush 50 comprises a substantially cylindrical body 51, a base 52 having a larger diameter than body 51, and clamping means 53 for connecting it to first end 41 of tubular element 40.
• the rotation of sprayer 30 essentially takes place about body 51 of bush 50, said body 51 being adapted to be inserted into an aperture 31 of said sprayer 30; in particular, said aperture 31 is obtained on upper shell 32 and on lower shell 33.
• Said body 51 comprises a plurality of openings 54 which allow the wash fluid to flow into sprayer 30.
• Bush 50 also comprises a protrusion 55 connected to base 52 and located near said plurality of openings 54, which protrusion divides the wash fluid flow and consequently makes it easier for the wash fluid to flow from the body 51 of bush 50 into sprayer 30.
• hydraulic outlet 70 comprises: an open outlet 71 hydraulically connected to supply duct 11 of the washing machine, a first 72 and a second 73 closed outlets located on opposite sides with respect to said open outlet 71.
• the linking device 60 comprises two inlets 61, 62 arranged vertically one on top of the other, in particular an upper inlet 61 and a lower inlet 62.
• upper inlet 61 of linking device 60 connects to first closed outlet 72 of hydraulic outlet 70 when rack 20 is slid into the dishwasher and pushed against the rear of tub 10.
• lower inlet 62 connects to open outlet 71, and when the wash fluid supply pump is started, the wash fluid from supply duct 11 and from hydraulic outlet 70 will flow into linking device 60 through said lower inlet 62 and into the tubular element
• first closed outlet 72 and second closed outlet 73 have a substantially conical shape, so as to facilitate the connection between hydraulic outlet 70 and linking device 60 when the latter enters the dishwasher as rack 20 is pushed against the rear of tub 10.
• the upper hydraulic circuit of the washing machine comprises compensation means that allow to compensate for any misalignment between inlets 61, 62 of linking device 60 and outlets 71, 72, 73 of hydraulic outlet 70.
• said compensation means comprise at least one hooking element 63 which provides a loose coupling to a wire 21 of rack 20, so that said upper hydraulic circuit (i.e. the assembly comprising sprayer 30, tubular element 40, bush 50 and linking device 60) is horizontally pivoted about an axis represented by wire 21.
• Said hooking element 63 essentially has an upside-down U shape and comprises a vertical slot in which wire 21 of rack 20 can move vertically and turn.
• Hooking element 63 is preferably obtained on the body of linking device 60, in particular on the upper portion of said linking device 60.
• said upper inlet 61 and said lower inlet 62 are both provided with a gasket 64, in particular made of silicone-based material.
• Said gaskets 64 may be secured to the inside of linking device 60 and at said inlets 61, 62 by using at least one fastening plate 65 comprising apertures matching outlets 71, 72, 73 of hydraulic outlet 70.
• Figs. 3a and 3b show that linking device 60 comprises tongues 66 adapted to be coupled to at least one rib 74 being present on hydraulic outlet 70; this coupling allows to provide an easier and guided connection between linking device 60 and hydraulic outlet 70.
• the bush for connecting the tubular element to the sprayer is made of a plastic material being different from that used for manufacturing the sprayer, said bush being preferably made of acetalic resin and the sprayer being preferably made of polypropylene, allows to obtain a washing machine, in particular a dishwasher, such that the proper rotation and operation of the sprayer is not jeopardized.
• Another advantage offered by the particular configuration of the bush and of the sprayer according to the present invention is that this configuration allows to reduce the friction between said elements without having to use a leakage of wash fluid, thus determining neither a higher wash fluid consumption of the washing machine nor a drop of pressure in the wash fluid within the sprayer, which otherwise would result in worse crockery washing results.
• An additional advantage provided by the washing machine, in particular a dishwasher, according to the present invention is that the use of compensation means for the upper hydraulic circuit of the washing machine allows to compensate for any misalignment between the inlets of the connection device and the outlets of the hydraulic outlet, thus making it easier to connect the hydraulic circuit to the hydraulic outlet, in particular in all those cases wherein the upper rack of the washing machine can be adjusted to at least two different positions in the wash tub and whenever a heavy load is placed on said upper rack.
• washing machine in particular the dishwasher, described herein by way of example may be subject to many possible variations without departing from the novelty spirit of the inventive idea; it is also clear that in the practical realization of the invention the illustrated details may have different shapes or be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

Landscapes

• Detail Structures Of Washing Machines And Dryers (AREA)
• Cleaning By Liquid Or Steam (AREA)
• Washing And Drying Of Tableware (AREA)
• Detergent Compositions (AREA)

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Related Child Applications (2)

Publications (2)

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• 2006
  • 2006-09-07 IT IT000641A patent/ITTO20060641A1/it unknown
• 2007
  • 2007-08-23 WO PCT/IB2007/002427 patent/WO2008029222A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2007-08-23 EP EP10180363.3A patent/EP2255715B1/de not_active Not-in-force
  • 2007-08-23 PL PL10180363T patent/PL2255715T3/pl unknown
  • 2007-08-23 RU RU2008145054/12A patent/RU2417731C2/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2007-08-23 EP EP07804813.9A patent/EP2059160B1/de active Active

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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