EP2266451A2

EP2266451A2 - Turbofan group installation system

Info

Publication number: EP2266451A2
Application number: EP10164681A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hasan Ugur; Yalçin Kaya; Ender Gönen
Original assignee: Vestel Beyaz Esya Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Current assignee: Vestel Beyaz Esya Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Priority date: 2009-06-15
Filing date: 2010-06-02
Publication date: 2010-12-29
Also published as: EP2266451A3; TR200904648A2

Abstract

The washer according to the present invention comprises an installation system of a turbofan group, allowing mounting the latter onto the machine base by means of interference fit in a convenient, easy, and firm manner, without requiring the use of any extra apparatus or element. According to the washer of the invention, an outlet of the turbofan is in communication with ambient air by means of an air discharge gap, so that airflow is generated within the machine, drying time is reduced and energy is saved.

Description

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to developments performed on installing a turbofan group provided in washers.

Background Art

Drying cycles are required in dishwashers for removing water droplets left on dishes and humid air within the machine following the completion of a washing cycle. While drying is performed in some dishwashers by means of active drying, it is carried out in the others by means of an element, called the turbofan group.
The turbofan group is situated on the base or basin of the machine. External apparatus or additional elements are required while installing this group.
The published patent application US4657036 discloses an assembly composed of a turbofan group, consisting of a vent stack, blower and blower housing, and a water inlet valve, mounted one over the other and assembled to the basin for use in automatic dishwashers.
The published patent application US5881746 discloses a method and system developed for providing efficient drying in a dishwasher. Following the completion of drying in the machine according to that invention, the machine door is opened automatically within a predetermined time interval. Humid air within the machine and dry air of the exterior are carried out and in, respectively, by means of natural convection, so that efficient drying is ensured.
In the published patent application W02009058946 is disclosed a washer with a chamber divided into two compartments. An external air inlet line communicates with the upper compartment. A blower assembly is disposed in the upper compartment. The blower assembly is comprised of a housing having a first air inlet, a second air inlet and an air outlet. The first air inlet fluidly communicates with the lower compartment; the second air inlet communicates with the external air inlet line; and the outlet communicates with the upper chamber. An impeller is disposed in the housing. The impeller is operable to circulate air from the lower compartment and the air inlet line through the air outlet into the upper compartment. A heating means is disposed in the upper compartment.
Various designs of turbofan groups, along with their installation methods, are disclosed in the documents referred to hereinabove. None of said documents, however, provides an easy and firm solution of installing a turbofan group on the lower base without requiring the use of any extra apparatus or element.

Brief Description of Figures

A representative embodiment of the turbofan group and its installation system according to the present invention is illustrated in annexed figures briefly described as following.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lower base.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the installation region of a turbofan group situated on the lower base.
Figure 3 is a rear view of the installation region of the turbofan group situated on the lower base.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the turbofan group.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the connection region provided on the turbofan group.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the installation detail of the turbofan group installed onto the lower base.
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the turbofan group installed onto the lower base.
Figure 8 is a view of the turbofan group installed onto the lower base.

The parts in said figures are individually enumerated as following.

Base (1)
Base lower surface (1 a)
Base rear surface (1 b)
Connection gap (2)
Internal surface of connection gap (3a)
Turbofan support surface (3b)
Air discharge gap (4a)
Inner gap (4b)
Turbofan group (5)
Worm (6)
Round section of worm (6a)
Motor (7)
Outlet (8)
Connection rib (9)
Connection rib support surface (9a)
Connection rectangle (10)
Connection rectangle outer surface (10a)
Impeller (11)
Gap (12)
Air flow direction (12a)
Screw hole (13a)
Screw hole (13b)

Object of Invention

The aim of the present invention is to provide an installation of a turbofan group used in washers, allowing to situate (the turbofan group onto the machine base by means of interference fit in a convenient, easy, and firm manner, without requiring the use of any extra apparatus or element, as well as a washer in which this installation is performed.
Another aim of the present invention is to provide a turbofan installation system, ensuring a turbofan outlet communicated with ambient air such that airflow is generated within the machine and thus drying time is reduced and energy saving is made, as well as a washer in which this installation is performed.

Detailed Description of Invention

Drying cycles are required in dishwashers for removing water droplets left on dishes and humid air within the machine following the completion of a washing cycle. While drying is performed in some dishwashers by means of active drying, it is carried out in the others by means of an element, called the turbofan group. The turbofan group is installed on the base or basin of the machine. External apparatus or additional elements are required while this group is installed. The present invention allows to situate the turbofan group (5) on the base (1) in an easy manner, by means of interference fit making use of structural details provided on both elements without requiring the use of any extra apparatus or element, thereby yielding an installation of which the centering is relatively more stable and firm as compared to known techniques of the prior art.
The turbofan group (5) comprises a main body called the worm (6), a turbofan motor (7) mounted onto the worm and an impeller (11) situated in the worm (6) and settled on an axis connected to the turbofan motor (7). The worm (6), making up the outer body of the turbofan group (5) comprises a round section (6a) to which the motor (7) and impeller (11) are mounted, as illustrated in Figure 4, so that circulated air is passed through an airflow-providing gap (12) in the worm (6) and is discharged from an outlet (8).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, screw holes (13a) are provided at the round section (6a) of the worm, contacting the lower surface (1 a) of the base.
A connection rectangle (10) is provided at the outlet (8) of the worm. A connection rib (9) is provided on the connection rectangle, allowing fixing the worm (6), once it is fitted to the connection gap (2).
The base (1) of the washer according to the present invention comprises a lower surface (1 a) and a rear surface (1 b) provided with various coupling details, as illustrated in Figure 1. On the lower surface (1a) of the base, screw holes (13a) are provided such that they are aligned with the screw holes (13b) provided on the worm (6). On the rear surface (1 b) of the base, in turn, is provided a connection gap (2), to which the connection rectangle (10) is force-fitted. The connection gap (2) is formed from a rectangular slot at a size to which an outer surface (10a) of the connection rectangle (10) can be force-fitted, e.g. at the same size with the outer surface (10a) of the connection rectangle (10). The details of the base (1) and connection gap (2) are illustrated in Figure 2. As illustrated therein, some parts of the base (1) surface, on which the connection gap (2) is provided, extends preferably along one edge of the connection gap (2) so as to produce a protrusion and to form a turbofan support surface (3b). On another outer surface of the base (1), through which the connection gap (2) communicates with the exterior, is provided an air discharge gap (4a), allowing discharging air to the exterior.
In the washer according to the present invention, the main body, called the worm (6), is fitted into the connection gap (2) provided on the base (1) by means of interference fit, such that air within the machine is guided in the direction of the turbofan connection gap (2), by which the turbofan (5) is mounted onto the base, from a high-pressure region of the machine to the exterior of lower pressure and is discharged out; thus better drying performance is achieved. The stability of this positioning provided by means of interference fit ensures to exactly align the screw holes (13a, 13b) provided on the base (1) and on the turbofan worm (6) with each other. Thanks to this feature, the turbofan group (5) is conveniently screwed to the lower base, without leading to any joggling of the internal electrical components thereof. Airflow is produced within the machine, thanks to the communication of the connection gap (2), through which the turbofan group (5) is force-fitted to the lower base (1), with ambient air via an air discharge gap (4a), such that the drying time is reduced and energy is saved.
The outer surface (10a) of the connection rectangle (10) provided at the outlet (8) of the worm is connected to the inner surface (3a) of the connection gap provided on the base (1) by means of interference fit. The installation operation is completed once a support surface (9a) of the connection rib (9) provided on the connection rectangle (10) contacts the turbofan support surface (3b) provided on the lower base (1). Thus, the turbofan group (5) is force-fitted to the lower base (1) in a considerably-firm manner and at the same time, the screw holes (13a, 13b) provided on both elements are positioned so that they are exactly aligned with each other. Thanks to this positioning, the screwing operation is performed in a flawless manner.
During a drying cycle, the turbofan group (5) discharges out humid air of high pressure from within the machine, by making use of the principle of moving air from higher pressure to lower pressure. According to this principle, the impeller (11) is rotated once the turbofan motor (7) is operated and air within the machine is sucked and moved to the airflow-providing gap (12) within the turbofan worm (6). Air within the machine is moved from this gap (12) towards the air discharge gap (4a) at the base, at an airflow direction (12a) illustrated in Figure 7.
Figure 7 illustrates the turbofan group installed on machine base. As illustrated there, a gap (4b) is generated between the worm (6) and base (1). In the washer according to the present invention, the overlapping provided between the support surface (9a) of the connection rib (9) on the turbofan (5) and the support surface (3b) on the base (1) guarantees that air within the base air discharge gap (4a) does not leak into an inner gap (4b) of the base.
The installation system according to the present invention allows to mutually-center the screw holes (13a, 13b) provided of the turbofan (5) and lower base (1), yielding installation convenience during production.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, said lower base (1) is made of a thermoplastic material and the air discharge gap (4b) communicates directly with the exterior.

Claims

A washer including a base (1) comprising a lower surface (1 a) and a rear surface (1 b) with various structural connection details, and an installation system of a turbofan group (5) wherein said turbofan group (5) is easily positioned onto the base (1) by means of interference fit with said structural details provided on both parts without requiring the use of any extra apparatus or element, characterized in that
• said turbofan group (5) comprises a main body called the worm (6), a turbofan motor (7) mounted onto the worm, and an impeller (11) situated in the worm (6) and settled on an axis coupled to the turbofan motor (7);

• a connection rectangle (10) is provided at the outlet (8) of said worm; and

• connection gap (2) is provided on the base (1), to which (2) the connection rectangle (10) is force-fitted.
A washer according to Claim 1, characterized in that the worm (6) making up the outer body of the turbofan group (5) comprises a round section (6a) to which said motor (7) and impeller (11) are mounted and a gap (12) through which circulated air is passed and discharged to the exterior from said outlet (8).
A washer according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that screw holes (13a) are provided at the round section (6a) of the worm (6) which contacts the lower surface (1a) of the base.
A washer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a connection rib (8) is provided on said connection rectangle (10), said connection rib (9) containing a support surface (9a).
A washer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that screw holes (13a) are provided on the base lower surface (1a), which are positioned such that they are exactly aligned with screw holes (13b) provided on the worm (6).
A washer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that an inner surface (3a) of said connection gap (2) is provided in the form a rectangle slot, having the same size to that of an outer surface (10a) of the connection rectangle (10), so that said outer surface (10a) of said connection rectangle (10) is passed and forced-fitted therein.
A washer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a support surface (3b) of the turbofan is situated, extending along one edge of the connection gap, at the rear surface (1 b) of the base.
A washer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that when said worm (6) and said base (1) are mutually-mounted; the outer surface (10a) of the connection rectangle (10) at the worm's outlet (8) contacts the inner surface (3a) of the connection gap at the base (1), and the support surface (9a) of the connection rib (9) at the connection rectangle (10) contacts the support surface (3b) of the turbofan at the lower base (1).
A washer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that an air discharge gap (4a) is provided at the outer surface of the base for discharging air to the exterior.
A washer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection gap (2) by which the turbofan group (5) is force-fitted to the lower base (1) communicates with ambient air by means of said air discharge gap (4a).
A washer according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lower base (1) is made of a thermoplastic material.