EP2441370B1 - Dishwasher with at least one spray device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a dishwasher, in particular a domestic dishwashing machine, with a washing container which has an at least substantially rectangular plan with a front facing the user in the operating position and which is provided with at least one washing basket in which items to be cleaned can be held, which has at least one water and / or so-called washing liquor can be applied to the spraying device assigned to the respective washing basket, in particular according to the preamble of claim 1.

Numerous dishwashers are known which have a washing compartment with an essentially square outline, for example when the dishwasher has an extension of approximately 60 centimeters in each case in both the width and depth directions.

Recently, devices which have been narrowed compared to the dishwashers mentioned have also come onto the market, which, for example, maintain the depth mentioned, but are typically 45 or 50 centimeters wide. Such devices, for example, take into account the increasing number of single households or are sometimes used in the camping area or often in very small kitchens. The overall layout of the dishwasher as well as that of the actual washing container for holding items to be cleaned is essentially rectangular. In dishwashers with a square floor plan, this floor plan can be supplied with water and / or circulating water mixed with detergent, so-called washing liquor, evenly in the width and depth directions by a spray arm that can be rotated about a vertical central axis, so that the spray arm rotates as it moves equally close to the front and rear edges as well as to the two side edges of the rectangle in the special shape of the square.

However, if the rectangle has different edge lengths, a centrally mounted spray arm can only have a length that is less than the shortest edge length. In the case of a device narrowed in the manner mentioned, this means that a while the centrally positioned spray arm can rotate up to the side walls, it remains clearly distant from a front wall or door as well as from a rear wall, so that unused areas remain there. This not only leads to a reduced wetting of the items to be cleaned there, but also makes it problematic to remove cleaning agents, in particular in solid form, which are held on a front edge of a washing rack or a front wall or a frequently used front door by a jet of To be able to detect spray arms in order to introduce them into the wash liquor.

Dishwashers are known in the prior art which have a plurality of spray arms in one plane, for example in FIG DE 101 62 505 A1 is shown. Here too, however, a total of a square area is machined by dividing this area into four quadrants of the same type and assigning a spray arm to each quadrant. An improvement for a rectangular area with different edge lengths is not achieved. In addition, such an arrangement is very complex and expensive due to the large number of pipelines and leaves an area that is not swept, particularly in the transverse center area of a front side, where a tab collecting tray to be loaded could be located. There are also complex supply lines in which there is a lot of dead volume remains, so that the water requirement of such a dishwasher is comparatively high.

From the DE 90 14 721 U1 A household dishwasher is known which has at least one support arm which is designed to be freely rotatable about its vertical axis and in the horizontal plane and at the ends of which two smaller spray arms are also rotatably mounted. It is also pointed out that a spray arm designed in this way can also be used in a 45 cm wide dishwasher if the support arm is stationary and permanently locked.

From the US 2010/0116296 A1 a dishwasher with a special spray device for a cutlery basket is known, the spray device having a plurality of spray zones and each spray zone being directed to a different part of the cutlery basket.

The invention is based on the problem of providing effective cleaning over the surface with at least one spray device for rinsing containers with different widths and depths, and nevertheless enabling effective drainage of the water supply.

The invention solves this problem by a dishwasher with the features of claim 1. Further advantages and features as well as further developments of the invention are given in claims 2 to 12.

The invention provides a dishwasher, in particular a domestic dishwasher, in which, on the one hand, cleaning can be carried out by means of a first spray device, which is offset towards the front, up to the front edge region of the washing basket, and in addition that a further spray device with one or more further outlet openings for water and / or rinsing liquor is provided, which is offset to the rear relative to the first spray device, and there is also an improvement in the cleaning action in the rear area. At the same time, however, the dead volume - and thus the water consumption - remains very low, since both spray devices can be supplied by a common inlet pipe below the washing basket with a component extending towards the front, the lowest point above an inlet in the front or in the rear Has spray device. As a result, only a single line to both spraying devices is required, these do not have to be supplied via separate pipes. Due to the location of the lowest point, the line can at least almost completely drain, whereby the water can run directly into the spray device located below. A good drainage of the line results in a reduced carry-over of wash liquor into the next wash cycle of a subsequently started dishwashing program with less polluted water.

If, in particular, the deepest point is located above the inlet into the rear spraying device, the gradient can be divided into two opposing sections, so that the deepest point requires little height increase and the space below the inlet pipe and the spraying devices remains almost unaffected. This is particularly advantageous if a further washing basket is provided under the device mentioned, the filling level of which should be retained as far as possible.

Since the deepest point forms a kink in the course of the inlet pipe, two injection molding cores, which are only short in each case, can easily butt against one another during manufacture in the injection molding process and can then simply be removed from the mold in opposite directions.

In particular, the inlet pipe can be composed of several parts over its axial course. This makes it easier to manufacture by injection molding. The individual parts are comparatively short, so that demolding is not a problem.

The inlet pipe can thus be inexpensively injection molded from plastic, in particular polypropylene.

The inlet pipe can expediently be attached to a dishwashing basket, in particular the top basket, of the dishwasher and be movable with it. In this way, the inlet pipe can forcibly follow a height shifting of the washing basket without requiring its own effort for movement. For example, the space for items to be washed in an upper basket can be maximized by moving this washing basket to its lowest position. If, on the other hand, the washing basket is held in its highest position, the space for items to be washed is maximized in an underlying washing basket. By taking the inlet pipe with the associated crockery basket, in particular the upper basket, in the height direction, the distance to the washing basket - and thus also the effectiveness of the loading - always remains the same.

A common connecting piece for supplying the inlet pipe with the spray devices from a feed line leading to the inlet pipe and assigned to the rear wall of the rinsing container can in particular be forcibly held on the feed line so as to be height-displaceable in order to enable the height to be shifted. An extension to the front into a loading and unloading position is also possible with such a connector. In addition, the common connector ensures a reliable and similar supply of both spray devices, the design effort being minimized.

For a narrow installation position, the rinsing container has, in particular, a rectangular base with a longitudinal extension in the depth direction that is larger than its transverse extension, whereby at least the front spray arm can expediently be dimensioned such that it rotates with the spray jets almost completely in its rotational movement with the spray jets sweeps over.

Such a device with an additional spray system can be assigned to an upper of at least two washing baskets for the loading of a collecting basket for cleaning agents, but can also be used additionally or alternatively for a lower basket.

If the rear, additional spray system is located completely behind the movement area of the front spray device, a collision is impossible. There must be no offset in several levels one above the other, so that there is no height restriction for the loading space in the washing compartment. The rear spray device can also form a further spray arm which can be rotated behind the front spray arm.

Due to the eccentric arrangement of the spray arm and its offset compared to a central bearing along the transverse center of the washing compartment, a receptacle for cleaning agents, in particular for cleaning agents present in solid form, such as e.g. in the form of multi-phase tabs, which can be acted upon directly and effectively by a jet of water and / or rinsing liquor emerging from the spray arm, since the arrangement in the middle extends the furthest to the front.

The above-described and / or the other advantageous embodiments and / or further developments of the invention set out in the subclaims can be used individually or in any combination, apart from, for example, in the case of clear dependencies or incompatible alternatives.

Further advantages and features of the invention and / or its advantageous developments and further developments result from exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of the invention shown in the drawing and described below.

Fig. 1

eine Geschirrspülmaschine in schematischer Seitenansicht mit der besseren Übersicht halber durchsichtig dargestellter Seitenwandung und nur einem eingezeichneten Spülkorb, wobei dem oberen Spülkorb zwei Sprüheinrichtungen zugeordnet sind, von denen die zur Vorderseite hin gelegene in ihrer vollen Länge (in Tiefenrichtung Y) dargestellt ist,

Fig. 2

den Spülbehälter aus Figur 1 in perspektivischer Ansicht von schräg seitlich und vorne, wobei wiederum nur ein oberer Spülkorb eingezeichnet ist, hier jedoch sowohl ein vorderer als auch ein hinterer Sprüharm dargestellt sind,

Fig. 3

ein beispielhaftes Einlaufrohr mit zwei davon versorgbaren Sprüharmen hintereinander in herausgezeichneter Einzelteildarstellung und mit einem rückseitigen Anschlußende zur Verbindung mit einem vertikalen Zuführrohr,

Fig. 4

eine schematische Draufsicht auf den oberen Spülkorb und eine vordere und eine hintere Sprüheinrichtung nach Figur 3 in Betriebsstellung mit den von den Sprüheinrichtungen bewirkten Sprühbildern,

Fig. 5

das Einlaufrohr nach Figur 3 in seitlicher Ansicht ohne die anmontierten Sprüharme, und

Fig. 6

eine schematische Draufsicht auf einen in Betriebsstellung vorderen und einen in Betriebsstellung hinteren Teil des Einlaufrohrs vor ihrer Montage aneinander.

The drawings each show schematically:

Fig. 1

a dishwasher in a schematic side view with a better overview for the sake of a transparent side wall and only one rinsing basket shown, the upper rinsing basket being assigned two spray devices, of which the full length (in the depth direction Y) is shown towards the front,

Fig. 2

the rinsing container Figure 1 in a perspective view obliquely from the side and front, again only an upper washing basket is shown, but here both a front and a rear spray arm are shown,

Fig. 3

an exemplary inlet pipe with two spray arms that can be supplied one behind the other in a drawn-out individual part representation and with a rear connection end for connection to a vertical feed pipe,

Fig. 4

a schematic plan view of the upper washing basket and a front and a rear spray device after Figure 3 in operating position with the spray patterns caused by the spray devices,

Fig. 5

the inlet pipe after Figure 3 in a side view without the spray arms attached, and

Fig. 6

is a schematic plan view of a front part in the operating position and a rear part of the inlet pipe in the operating position before assembly to one another.

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

In the Figure 1 Dishwasher 1 shown is a household dishwasher and has a washing container 2 for receiving items to be processed such as dishes, pots, cutlery, glasses, cooking utensils and the like. on. The rinsing container 2 can have an at least substantially rectangular plan with a front side V facing the user in the operating position. The rectangle can have the same edge lengths as well as, in particular, different edge lengths in the x and y directions, in particular in such a way that the washing compartment 2 is narrowed in width X with respect to its depth dimension Y.

The container 2 can be closed, in particular on its front side V, by a door 3 - a top cover is also possible as a door 3. Door 3 is in Figure 1 only shown broken off and pivotable, for example, about a lower horizontal axis 3a. The wash ware can be held in at least one wash basket 4; here exactly two crockery baskets 4 are provided one above the other in the washing compartment 2, of which only the upper one is shown in the drawing for the sake of a better overview. The number of washing baskets 4 can vary depending on the extent and type of dishwasher 1. A so-called cutlery drawer can also be provided. These crockery baskets 4 are sprayed with fresh water FW and / or with circulating water, which is mixed with detergent, rinse aid, dirt particles, and / or other additives such as salts, softening agents, etc., so-called rinsing liquor S , each with an upward component. These spray devices 5, 6 are described in more detail below.

Furthermore, the washing baskets 4 can be moved forward, for example on rollers, in order to achieve an access position for the user in which the user can conveniently load and unload the washing baskets 4. Lateral rails in the washing compartment 2 are provided as tracks for the rollers. Furthermore, 4 pull and push handles can be provided on the respective front edge levels of the washing baskets to simplify the pushing in and out of the washing baskets 4. In the vertical closed position of the door 3, the or each crockery basket 4 is in an operating position in the vicinity of a rear wall 7 of the washing compartment 2 opposite the closed door 3.

In the access position of the at least one crockery basket 4, which is shifted to the front V, the drawn door 3 is at the front downward about a horizontal transverse axis 3a swung open and lies essentially horizontally, so that the crockery baskets 4 can then be easily accessible in each case above the extension plane of the open door 3 and for a user.

According to the exemplary embodiment shown, the upper washing basket 4, which is only shown here, is assigned two or more spray devices 5, 6 in at least almost the same horizontal plane below the washing basket 4. The first spray device 5 comprises a spray arm that can be rotated about a vertical axis of rotation 8, the axis of rotation 8 of which is offset toward the front V with respect to a central arrangement. In this case, however, this spray device 5 is still located in the transverse center plane Q. In addition, at least one further spray device 6 is provided as an additional spray system, which is offset from the front V away to the rear toward the rear wall 7 relative to the first spray device 5. According to the in Figure 3 As indicated, the rear spray device 6 comprises a further spray arm which can be rotated about a vertical axis 9, which is not mandatory. For example, two side nozzles, which can reach laterally from a T-shaped branch and spray upwards, are also possible. Other rear spray devices are also possible.

Both the front 5 and the rear spray device 6 can be supplied by a common inlet pipe 10, which extends below the washing basket with a component in the direction of the front V and which has a deepest point 11 above an inlet 12, 13 in the front 5 or in the rear Has spray device 6. According to the drawing, as already pointed out above with regard to its advantages, the deepest point 11 of the inlet pipe 10 is located above an inlet 13 for the rear additional spray system 6.

This deepest point 11 forms a slight kink in the pipe run of the inlet pipe 10. This is favorable in terms of production technology for injection molding, since two mold cores can meet at the kink 11 and can be demolded in opposite directions (directions e2, e3).

In particular, the multi-part design of the inlet pipe thus serves for simplified production using the injection molding process. Here are the two axially consecutive parts 14, 15 ( Figure 6 ) of the inlet pipe 10 both formed as injection molded parts, which can be produced independently of one another and each have a short length in terms of production technology.

In Figure 6 the individual parts 14, 15 with their mandrel lengths F1 on the one hand and F2 and F3 on the other hand (separately at the kink 11) are shown schematically. The demolding directions e1 and the mutually opposite demolding directions e2 and e3 for the cores F2 and F3 are also shown.

The inlet pipe 10, as well as the feed pipe 16, which is essentially vertical to this and described in more detail below, can be formed, for example, from plastic, in particular polypropylene, optionally with a mineral reinforcement to improve the stability and the resistance to chemical reactions

After the manufacture of the individual parts 14, 15, these are connected to one another in a form-fitting manner and in the process are both axially secured and secured against rotation, so that this is in Figure 5 drawn composite inlet pipe 10 results. The parts 14, 15 can be assembled manually and without tools. For this purpose, a sleeve 23 is integrally formed on the front part 14 in one piece.

The inlet pipe 10 formed in this way can be attached to a washing basket, in particular an upper washing basket, and can be movable therewith. This is particularly useful in the case of an upper washing basket 4, since it can thus be displaced in height together with the inlet pipe, and space can be created for bulky items in the lower basket or for high items in the upper basket.

In order to enable this mobility of the inlet pipe 10 with the washing basket 4 relative to a fixed, upstanding supply line 16, a height-displaceable connecting piece 17 is provided - for example via sliding pieces - for supplying the inlet pipe from the supply line 16. The inlet pipe 16 itself is assigned to a rear area of the washing compartment 2 facing away from the front side V and either, as in FIG Figure 2 drawn, located in the washing compartment 2 or behind the rear wall 7.

Here, two spray devices 5, 6 are fed with fresh water FW and / or rinsing liquor S from the inlet pipe 10 via the inlets 12, 13 Figures 2 and 3rd both spray devices 5, 6 each comprise a rotatable spray arm.

If, as described above, the washing compartment 2 has a base area with a depth dimension Y that is larger than its transverse dimension X, the two spray devices can lie one behind the other in the transverse center Q without touching one another. The great depth of the washing basket 4 to be acted upon can be machined uniformly by the spray devices, so that their swept surfaces 18, 19 are approximately as in FIG Figure 4 as areas of equal size to each other. Because the outer nozzles 21 of the spray devices 5, 6 each spray a little radially outward, the working areas of the spray arms are larger than the surfaces 18, 19 covered by them and can also overlap.

Here, both spray arms 5, 6 have the same diameter, which is not mandatory. At least the spray arm 5 offset to the front V can almost completely cover the transverse extent (width direction of the interior of the washing compartment from the front, i.e. viewed from the front with respect to its loading opening) X of the washing basket 4 in its rotational movement.

Advantageously, the front spray device 5 is arranged in a position offset in the direction of the front side V such that a receptacle or collecting container for cleaning agents, in particular for cleaning agents, arranged on the front end of the washing basket 4 facing the door 3 or in the door 3 in the region 20 Cleaning agent in solid form, can be acted upon by a jet of water FW and / or washing liquor S emerging from the spray arm 5. Here, a collecting tray made of, for example, wire mesh or openwork plastic is provided on the upper washing basket 4, into which the tab is inserted or falls into a container on the inside of the door 3 after it has been closed. This receptacle can then be applied directly to the rotation of the front spray device 5 via a radially outer nozzle 21. A tab or the like located there can be easily loosened and placed in the washing liquor S. This direct action and the associated rinsing out of the receptacle can be brought about, for example, by a jet emerging vertically upwards at the radially outer end of the front spray arm 5 because it is long enough that it rotates right under the collecting container.

Both spray devices 5, 6 are arranged together in the same plane and thereby act uniformly on the washing rack 4 to which they are assigned. In order to achieve this, the inlet pipe 10 together with the connecting piece 17 is attached to the upper crockery basket 4 via, for example, hooks 22 or another mechanical connection and is movable with the latter. Thus, the inlet pipe 10 can be adjusted in height together with the upper washing basket 4 relative to the feed pipe 16, for example in several steps of 1.5 to 3.5 centimeters each. Between the lowest position, in which the upper washing basket 4 can be loaded well, for example, with tall glasses, and its highest position, in which considerable space is created for bulky goods in the lower washing basket, there are two stages of e.g. 2.5 centimeters in height for a total adjustment range of e.g. add five centimeters. For this purpose, the upright connector 17 is laterally provided with slide valves for movement relative to the feed pipe 16. Such a height adjustment is only shown for the upper washing basket 4, since it is particularly useful there. The lower washing basket 4 always remains in its lowest position.

In addition, the inlet pipe 10 with the upper washing basket 4 can also be displaced in the direction of the front side V with respect to the feed pipe 16, so that it can be forcibly pulled forward with the washing basket 4 when the door 3 is open.

As described above, the inlet pipe 10, with the spray devices 5, 6 fed by it, lies in the vertical extent Z of the washing container, viewed essentially in one plane below the washing basket 4 to which it is assigned. In this case, the at least two spray devices 5, 6 fed by the inlet pipe 10, when viewed further in the vertical extent Z, are offset downwards, in a, preferably approximately common, plane below the inlet pipe 10. The upper side of the inlet pipe 10 can thus be directly connected with hooks 22 or the like Lanyards for attachment to the washing basket 4 may be provided. Thus, the spraying devices 5, 6 can forcibly be displaced in height together with the washing basket 4, so that the loading is ensured with constant effectiveness in any height position. If several crockery baskets 4 are provided one above the other, it is particularly for the upper one Dish rack 4 favorable to have such an arrangement of spray devices 5, 6, so that the height of this washing rack 4 and the rinsing of a front tray can be rinsed out.

It is particularly advantageous to provide the deepest point 11 above an inlet 13 for the rear spray device 6, since there is then less water in the pipes, so that less carryover of the washing liquor into the next wash cycle of a subsequent, i.e. Dishwashing program started later with less polluted water. The inlet pipe 10 can drain almost completely through its outlet at the lowest point 11 and the inlet 13 into the rear spray device 6.

In addition, the height arrangement is very low with the present arrangement. The double spray system 5, 6 also covers a rectangular area with different edge lengths well into the corners. <b> List of reference symbols: </b> 1 Dishwasher, 21 outer nozzle, 2nd Rinsing tank, 22 Hook, 3rd Door, 23 Sleeve, 3a Swivel axis, 4th Washing basket, S Washing liquor, 5 Spraying device, V front 6 Spraying device, FW Fresh water, 7 Back wall, AW Sewage, 8th Axis of rotation, X Extension, 9 Axis of rotation, Y Depth extension, 10th Inlet pipe, Z. Extent of height 11 lowest point, F1 Mold core length, 12th Inlet into the front spraying device, F2 Mold core length, F3 Mold core length, 13 Entry into the rear spraying device, e1 Direction of demoulding, e2 Direction of demoulding, 14 axially front part, e3 Release direction 15 axially rear part, 16 Feed pipe, 17th Connector, 18th swept area, 19th swept area, 20th Area of the tab tray,

Claims (12)

1. Dishwasher (1), in particular household dishwasher, with a dishwasher cavity (2), which has an at least essentially rectangular outline with a front side (V) facing towards a user in the operating position and which is provided with at least one basket (4), in which items to be cleaned can be held, to which water (FW) and/or wash liquor (S) can be applied via at least one spray facility (5;6) assigned to each basket (4), wherein at least one spray facility (5) is arranged as a front spray facility (5) in a position offset towards the front side (V) and a further spray facility (6) is provided as an additional spray system with one or more further outlet openings for water (FW) and/or wash liquor (S), which compared to the first spray facility (5) is offset away from the front side (V) towards the rear as a rear spray facility (6), wherein both spray facilities (5;6) are able to be supplied with water (FW) and/or wash liquor (S) by a common inlet pipe (10) which is extended below the basket (4) with a component in the direction towards the front side (V), wherein the two spray facilities (5,6) fed by the inlet pipe (10), when viewed in the height extension (Z), lie offset even further downward in a preferably common plane below the inlet pipe (10), and the inlet pipe (10) has a deepest point (11) above an inlet (12; 13) in the front (5) or in the rear spray facility (6), so that the water (FW) and/or the wash liquor (S) is able to run directly into the spray facility (5;6) situated below and as a result the inlet pipe (10) is able to drain at least approximately fully, characterised in that the deepest point (11) forms a kink in the course of the inlet pipe (10).
2. Dishwasher (1) according to claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the deepest point (11) is located above the inlet (13) in the rear spray facility (6).
3. Dishwasher (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the inlet pipe is assembled of a plurality of parts (14; 15) over its axial course.
4. Dishwasher (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the inlet pipe (10) is manufactured from plastic in an injection-moulding method.
5. Dishwasher (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the inlet pipe (10) is attached to a basket (4) and can be moved therewith.
6. Dishwasher (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   a common connecting piece (17) is provided for supplying the inlet pipe (10) with the spray facilities (5;6) from a supply line (16) leading to the inlet pipe (10) and assigned to the rear wall (7) of the dishwasher cavity (2).
7. Dishwasher (1) according to claim 6,
   characterised in that
   the connecting piece (17) is height-adjustable.
8. Dishwasher (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that
   the dishwasher cavity (2) has a rectangular base area with a depth extension (y) that is greater than its transverse extension (x).
9. Dishwasher (1) according to claim 8,
   characterised in that
   the spray facility (5) offset towards the front almost fully covers the transverse extension (x) with its spray jets during its rotary movement.
10. Dishwasher (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterised in that
    the two spray facilities (5;6) which can be supplied by a common inlet pipe are assigned to an upper basket (4).
11. Dishwasher (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterised in that
    both spray facilities (5;6) comprise rotatable spray arms in the same plane.
12. Dishwasher (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterised in that
    the front spray facility (5) is arranged in a position offset in the direction towards the front side (V) in such a way that a receptacle container for cleaning agent, in particular for cleaning agent present in solid form, arranged at the front end of the basket (4) facing towards the door (3) or arranged in the door (3) is able to have a jet of water (FW) and/or wash liquor (S) emerging from said spray facility (5) applied to it.

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