EP2430965B1 - Dishwasher - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a dishwasher, which has a washing at least water leading rinsing container for cleaning of inserted Good, wherein the washing compartment is made in several parts and at least one single or multi-piece ground unit and a single or multi-piece, connected to the ground unit in the mounted position Hood unit, wherein the hood unit forms a molded from a first sheet U-shaped portal with side walls and an upper wall and is preferably welded to a used between the side walls rear wall to a complete hood unit and wherein the bottom unit and hood unit are sealed from each other.

Firstly, in dishwashers washing containers, the processing rooms for introduced Good, such as crockery, cutlery, glasses and the like form to produce a total of stainless steel, the Spülbehälter example, with a rear wall, an upper and lower wall and two side walls total to one Assembly unit welded and closed at the front by a movable door.

On the other hand, rinsing containers are often composed of a plurality of structural units, wherein a floor unit, which may also comprise lower parts of a rear wall or of side walls as upstanding flange areas, for example for reasons of material and weight saving made of a plastic and on this floor unit a hood unit, which is formed for example of stainless steel, is placed during assembly. The hood unit may have approximately the shape of an inverted "U" and include the two side walls and an upper wall, so that the rear wall must then be fitted separately. However, the hood unit can also include the rear wall, so that only the assembly step of assembling the two named units, hood unit and floor unit is to be carried out for a final assembly of the washing container.

In the assembly of such a two- or multi-part washing container is so far to seal the connection between the bottom unit and hood unit against leakage of water from the washing a long-stretched hose or a sealing cord made of silicone rubber with a tool in a constructive gap between said units pressed. To put this hose against Pressing out, in particular by the vapor pressure generated during operation, are impressed on three sides (on the left and right side walls and the rear wall) in the bottom unit, there on the rising flanges, in a subsequent manufacturing step embossments. This step is often referred to as "insertion of holding lenses".

Since on the one hand the silicone hose is difficult to assemble and on the other hand, the additional manufacturing step for holding down and securing the hose is required, the installation of such a seal is very complicated overall.

The publication US 2006/054195 A1 discloses a dishwasher comprising a housing, a container provided in the housing for receiving dishes to be washed, a bottom provided on the container for receiving the wash liquor having an upper end which does not protrude above the lower surface of the container, and a spray arranged in the container for spraying crockery with rinsing liquor taken from the sump. The container may comprise an opening formed at its bottom for receiving the sump. Furthermore, a sealing element between the container and the sump may be provided, wherein the sealing element preferably does not project beyond the lower surface of the container. Further, the upper end of the sump is preferably in a common plane with the lower surface of the container.

The publication DE 10 2007 031 478 A1 discloses a method for joining at least two components, in particular a bottom element with a container shell, in particular for a dishwasher, in which the at least two components to be connected at least in connecting regions of at least two components made of the same or different material. The method comprises the following steps: providing the components to be connected with at least one interface which is designed both for connecting the same and for connecting different materials; Merging the components; and connecting the components. The at least one interface can be designed for connection element-free connection of the components. Also, the at least one interface for producing a material bond between the components can be formed. Furthermore, the at least one interface for producing an adhesive bond between the components, for producing a Form fit between the components and / or for producing a rabbet joint between the components are formed. A dishwasher according to the preamble of claim 1 is made WO2008 / 125472 A1 known. The invention is therefore based on the problem of simplifying the installation of a seal in a multi-part wall of a washing container.
The invention solves this problem by a dishwasher with the features of claim 1. Further advantages and features and further developments of the invention are specified in claims 2 to 8.
With the invention, a dishwasher, in particular household dishwasher, created, the assembly is simplified, at the same time a very reliable, secure seal between the units of the washing is achieved.
Due to the fact that the seal between the base unit and the hood unit is only firmly held on the hood unit and no longer requires attachment both to the floor unit and to the hood unit, the seal no longer has to be positioned, secured against rotation and fastened in the final assembly of the wash tub become. The seal may already be preassembled on the hood unit. Twisting a sealing strip is excluded. In addition, the final assembly is considerably accelerated because the seal assembly is eliminated.
The assembly according to the invention provides a purely mechanical, that is a clamping holder of the seal before, for example, by a form-fitting bordering, thereby securing the seal in a stable position and captive.
Characterized in that the lower edge portion of the hood unit is formed to form a seal receiving channel from the lower edge of the hood unit U-shaped upward, a mechanical support of the seal is easily possible. Also, the storage can be simplified, since now the respective hood and the seal attached in advance preferably form a single unit. In particular, according to an expedient first development of the invention, the seal of its mechanical support in the direction of the bottom unit engages in such a way that the seal with its extended area is pressed non-positively against the base unit. An additional attachment of the seal on the hood unit can be done in various ways, for example by gluing or welding.
In this case, according to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the edge region is formed to form the channel receiving the seal from the lower edge of the hood unit to the outside, so that the seal held therein engages with a portion to the outside and thus automatically with this sub-area in a frictional attachment can come to an upstanding flange of the ground unit.
Said channel can be applied after insertion of the seal in these expediently with an inward force component, so that it reduces its inside diameter and thereby reliably holds the previously introduced gasket clamped.
From this clamp can then advantageously the sweeping area of the seal comprise at least almost transversely to a vertical plane in operating position extending leg so that this leg is still movable when placing the hood unit on the ground unit and thereby with a large sealing contact surface of towering Can cling to edge flange areas.
For a reliable mounting and simple pre-assembly, the seal expediently comprises an at least with respect to each side wall and the rear wall in each case one-piece, elongated and the hood unit circumferential profile.
Other advantageous developments of the invention are given in the dependent claims.
The invention and its advantageous developments and advantages thereof are explained below with reference to drawings.

Fig. 1

ein vorteilhaftes Ausfertigungsbeispiel einer erfindungsgemäß ausgebildeten Geschirrspülmaschine mit einer vorderseitigen Tür und einem mehrteilig ausgebildeten Spülbehälter mit einer Haubeneinheit und einer Bodeneinheit, wobei die Geschirrspülmaschine hier in Ansicht von der rechten Seite bei geschlossener Tür und bei der besseren Übersicht halber teilweise transparenter rechter Seitenwand dargestellt ist;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Einzelteilansicht der Bodeneinheit vor Anmontage der Haubeneinheit;

Fig. 3

eine ähnliche Ansicht wie Fig. 2, jedoch nach Aufsetzen der Haubeneinheit;

Fig. 4

eine vergrößerte Ausschnittsansicht, etwa entsprechend dem Detail IV in Fig. 3, jedoch der Übersicht halber hier ohne montierte Dichtung gezeichnet;

Fig. 5

eine vergrößerte Ausschnittsansicht, etwa entsprechend dem Detail V in Fig. 4, hier vollständig mit eingesetzter Dichtung gezeichnet;

Fig. 6

eine gegenüber Fig. 5 leicht gedrehte, mehr auf das vordere Dichtungsende schauende Ansicht;

Fig. 7

eine perspektivische Ansicht der in dem Rahmenteil - hier angeschnitten - gehaltenen Dichtung; und

Fig. 8

eine Einzelteil-Querschnittsdarstellung einer an der Haubeneinheit fest halterbaren Dichtung, hier im Bereich der linken Seitenwand.

They each show schematically

Fig. 1

an advantageous embodiment example of a dishwasher designed according to the invention with a front door and a multi-part washing container with a hood unit and a bottom unit, wherein the dishwasher is shown here in right side view with the door closed and in the better overview half transparent right side wall;

Fig. 2

an itemized perspective view of the floor unit before Anmontage the hood unit;

Fig. 3

a similar view as Fig. 2 but after putting on the hood unit;

Fig. 4

an enlarged sectional view, approximately corresponding to the detail IV in Fig. 3 , but for the sake of clarity here drawn without mounted seal;

Fig. 5

an enlarged sectional view, approximately corresponding to the detail V in Fig. 4 , here completely drawn with inserted seal;

Fig. 6

one opposite Fig. 5 slightly turned view, looking more towards the front end of the seal;

Fig. 7

a perspective view of the in the frame part - cut here - held seal; and

Fig. 8

a single-part cross-sectional view of a firmly held on the hood unit seal, here in the region of the left side wall.

Elements with the same function and mode of operation are each provided with the same reference numerals in the figures.

In the Fig. 1 Dishwasher 1 shown in particular forms a household dishwasher and has a washing container 2 for receiving items to be processed dishes such as dishes, pots, cutlery, glasses, cooking utensils and the like. The rinsing container 2 is in operation with water and optionally with cleaning agents and / or rinse aid, excipients and / or additives such as salts added water, that is generally called rinsing liquor or rinse S, acted upon, for example, via spray arms 3, 4 introduced be and act on the Spülkörben 5, 6 held dishes. The size of the washing container 2, the number of washing baskets and spray arms and the respective geometry are variable.

The washing container 2 is designed here as a sealed inner container in an outer housing. However, this is not mandatory, since the outer housing can at least largely be omitted in built-in appliances.

The rinsing container 2 is composed of several units, here of a bottom unit 7 and a hood unit 8, wherein these units 7, 8 may each be constructed in one piece or in several pieces. For example, the hood unit can form a U-shaped portal formed from a first sheet with side walls 9, 10 and an upper wall 11 and welded to a complete hood unit 8 with a rear wall 12 inserted between the side walls 9, 10. Often, such a hood unit 8 consists essentially of stainless steel, whereas the bottom unit 7 is often made of plastic for weight and cost savings. In the assembled state, the hood unit 8 and the bottom unit 7 are fixed and sealed against each other to form a washing container 2 connected to each other.

As shown Fig. 1 the rinsing container 2 can be closed by a front door pivotable about a horizontal axis 13a, which has an inner wall 14 facing the interior of the rinsing container 2 and movable with the door 13. Instead of the front door 13, this can for example also close the washing container 2 on the top.

The dishwasher 1 further comprises a supply device for fresh water FW, can be introduced via the supplied fresh water from outside FW in the washing compartment 2. The water from the washing container 2 collects due to its gravity as a rinse S in a collecting pot 15, which is in the lower part of the washing container 2 as a recess in its bottom, which is also referred to as a washing tub 16 and here in the embodiment part of the bottom unit 7 , is located. Here can also be a total designated 17 screening device.

The collecting pot 15 is followed by a circulating pump, by means of which the rinsing liquor or rinsing liquor liquid S can be pumped during a circulation phase of a rinsing from the collecting pot 15 via a heater to a distribution space for re-introduction into the, preferably rotatably mounted, spray arms 3, 4.

In contrast, in order to be able to dissipate rinse liquor S which is no longer required from the rinsing container 2, a suds pump is furthermore provided which is connected on the suction side to the collection pot 15 and on the outlet side to a waste water connection line. By means of the drain pump, it is possible to pump out wash liquor S during a pumping out phase of a wash cycle as wastewater AW to the outside.

In order to ensure the tightness of the washing container at its joint area between the hood unit 8 and the bottom unit 7, there is at least one seal 18 which extends in the mounted position between the floor unit 7 and the hood unit 8 and follows the course of the joint (in FIG Fig. 1 not shown), which, however, does not have to be fastened separately to both units 7, 8, but is held firmly only on the hood unit 8. From there, the seal 18 extends in the direction of the bottom unit 7 and, in the mounted state, is pressed non-positively against the bottom unit 7 with its expanding portion 19, as in, for example, FIG Fig. 6 easy to recognize.

The seal 18 here has a horizontal, in plan view approximately U-shaped course and surrounds the hood unit 8 circumferentially outside in its lower region. In this case, the seal 18 may be held firmly in different ways on the hood unit 8, for example, glued to this, welded and / or bolted. Here it is provided that the seal 18 is held at least mechanically fixed to the hood unit 8. An additional attachment, such as gluing, is possible. The seal is generally considered in advance, that is, mounted prior to its assembly with the ground unit on the hood unit 8, in particular fixed in advance.

The mechanical attachment is designed so that the seal is clamped in a lower edge region 20 of the hood unit 8. For this purpose, the edge region 20 is formed to form a gasket 18 receiving channel 21 of the lower edge 22 of the hood unit U-shaped upwards ( Fig. 7 ). This deformation can circumnavigate the entire hood unit 8 approximately in a U-shape and is designed such that the edge region 20 is formed outwardly from the lower edge 22 of the hood unit to form the channel 21 and the seal 18 held therein with a partial region 19 engages transversely outwards, so to the left of the left side wall 9, to the right of the right side wall 10 and to the rear of the Rear wall 12 off. The introduction of the seal 18 can be done either in the extended state of the parts of the hood unit 8 before their connection as a complete hood unit 8 or alternatively after completion of the hood unit 8. This process can take place in the prefabrication or in the final final assembly.

The seal 18 here comprises a rubber-elastic extrusion profile 23, which may consist of any suitable material for a sealing function, in particular a plastic and / or rubber material, preferably for example EPDM or TPE. To hold the seal 18 firmly and captively in the channel 21, this can be applied after introduction of the seal 18 with an inward force component to a clamping retention of the seal (crimping of the sheet metal contour), so as to clamp the seal 18 in the channel 21 and permanently - despite shear forces occurring during assembly - to secure.

The seal 18 with its profile 23 is according to the cross-sectional view Fig. 8 formed so that an enclosed in the channel 21 on both sides, upright base body 25 is formed, which is vertical in the operating position and from which a cross-leg 19 projects at least almost transversely to one side. This does not mean that the leg has to protrude exactly at right angles, but in particular can also create an obliquely upward orientation on upwardly extended flange portions 26 of the ground unit 7 with a contact surface 27, such as in FIG Fig. 5 is shown. The flange portions 26 may be formed in particular crenellated. This system results from the fact that the hood unit 8 with the seal 18 pre-assembled thereon is placed from above on a receiving groove 29 of the floor unit 7 which is provided with water drains 30 pointing into the washing compartment, that the floor unit 7 is associated with upstanding edge-side flange areas 26 laterally or laterally, in particular with transverse spacing, are outside the lower edge 22 of the hood unit 8 and thereby the leg 19 of the seal 18 extending from the hood unit 8 automatically adjusts itself to the above-mentioned projections without further measures, such as insertion by a tool Flange areas 26 engages applying. The water drains 30 ensure that rinsing liquor which sprays into this area runs back into the washing container 2 again. The hood unit 8 is located only at elevated levels between the water drains 30 in the receiving groove 29 of the bottom unit 7, so that in the area of the water drains 30, a vertical gap 31 remains between the floor unit 7 and the hood unit 8.

In order to achieve the mobility of the leg 19 of the seal 18, a thinned portion 28 is formed on the base body 25 below the leg 19, which acts as a film hinge. As a result, a large, reliably sealing and not only linear contact surface 27 is formed between the leg 19 and the flange region 26.

In this assembly, the U-fold of the lower edge 22 of the hood unit 8 acts as a stabilization of the free hood end and also as protection for this edge region 20 (leading plate contour).

Regardless of the question of whether the seal 18 is mounted in the final assembly or previously to the hood unit 8, it is in any case before the final assembly of hood unit 8 and bottom unit 7 fixed to each other, with its base body 25 immovable and captive on the hood unit eighth held, over the entire length of the contact joint between said parts. In the process of mounting the hood unit 8 and bottom unit 7 with each other, the seal 18 then moves from its fixed support of the base body 25 automatically with the extended leg or other portion 19 into a sealing contact position (contact surface 27) on the bottom unit 7, namely there the area of edge-rising flange 26th

As a result of the clamping retention of the seal 18 via its base body 25, it is also possible for a large shearing force to act on the partial area 19 without the base body still being able to slip. The base body 25 is for this purpose, for example, in a channel 21, which is formed by U-shaped bend of the lower edge 22 of the hood unit 8, held firmly. The holder behind an undercut, in a dovetail groove or the like is possible. However, in the case of the thin-walled sheet metal of the hood unit 8, the described bend is particularly advantageous.

It is understood that a seal 18 may also be formed mehrlippig with several extending portions 19. Alternatively, a plurality of seals 18 may be arranged one above the other. It is also possible that a seal 18 of the Hood unit 8 and a further seal 18 of the bottom unit 7 is assigned and their outreaching portions 19 automatically overlap each other during assembly, for example, so as to form an upwardly sealed conclusion.

If one or more wall parts of the Spülbehälterhaube and / or the rear wall of the washing compartment are made of plastic, the seal can be formed in advance, that is, prior to assembly with the bottom unit, to the respective wall part and / or the rear wall. For this purpose, a 2-component plastic injection molding process may be appropriate. In particular, the seal may be made of a softer plastic than the respective wall made of plastic and / or the plastic back wall.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

household appliance

2

rinse tank

3

spray arm

4

spray arm

5

wash rack

6

wash rack

7

ground unit

8th

hood unit

9

Left side wall

10

Right side wall

11

Upper wall

12

rear wall

13

door

13a

swivel axis

14

Inner wall of the door

15

collecting pot

16

wash tub

17

screening

18

poetry

19

Extractive subarea

20

Lower edge area

21

channel

22

edge

23

profile

25

base body

26

flange

27

contact area

28

Diluted area

29

receiving groove

30

drains

31

Vertical gap

AW

sewage

FW

fresh water

S

rinsing

Claims (8)

1. Dishwasher (1), especially a household dishwasher, with a washing compartment (2) for items inserted therein which is water-conducting at least during operation, wherein the washing container (2) has at least a single-part or multipart floor unit (7) as well as a single-part or multipart hood unit (8) connected to the floor unit (7) in the assembled position, wherein the hood unit (8) forms a U-shaped portal with side walls (9, 10) and upper walling (11) formed from a first metal plate and is preferably welded to a rear wall (12) inserted between the side walls (9, 10) to form a complete hood unit (8), wherein a lower edge area (20) of the hood unit (18) is bent upwards in a U-shape from the lower edge (22) of the hood unit (8) and wherein floor unit (7) and hood unit (8) are sealed against each other by means of an elongated seal (18),
   characterised in that

   - to embody a channel (21) to accommodate the seal (18) the lower edge area (20) of the hood unit (8), is bent upwards in a U-shape from the lower edge (22) of the hood unit (8), and

   - in the assembled position the seal (18) is held firmly clamped just in the lower edge area (20) of the hood unit (8) and extends so as to reach out (19) from this support in the direction of the floor unit (7).
2. Dishwasher (1) according to claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the seal (18) with its outreaching part area (19) is pressed in a force fit against the floor unit (7).
3. Dishwasher (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2,
   characterised in that
   the seal (18) is at least held mechanically rigidly on the hood unit (8).
4. Dishwasher (1) according to claim 1, 2 or 3,
   characterised in that
   to embody the channel (21) to accommodate the seal (18) the edge area (20) is bent outwards from the lower edge (22) of the hood unit (8) and a part area (19) of the seal (18) held therein reaches outwards at an angle.
5. Dishwasher (1) according to one of the preceding claims
   characterised in that
   the channel (21), after the seal is inserted into the latter, has an inwards force component applied to it to retain the seal (18) by clamping it.
6. Dishwasher (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the outreaching part area (19) of the seal (18) comprises a limb extending at least almost transversely to a plane that is vertical in the operating position.
7. Dishwasher (1) according to claim 6,
   characterised in that
   the hood unit (8) is placed onto the floor unit (7) in such a way that projecting edge-side flange areas (26) assigned to the floor unit stand outside the lower edge (22) of the hood unit (8) and the limb (19) of the seal (18) reaching out from the hood unit (8) rests on the projecting flange areas (26).
8. Dishwasher (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that,
   the seal (18) comprises a one-piece, elongated profile running around the hood unit (8).

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