EP2486843A2 - Dishwasher and cutlery tray system - Google Patents

Abstract

The dishwasher has a cutlery basket, which is fitted with a cutlery piece, which is brought into contact with an insert (3) arranged in the cutlery basket. A base wall (10) or a side wall (2) of the cutlery basket has an outlet opening (12), which is opened and closed by an adjustable closing part (17). The closing part is adjustable in the level of the base wall or the side wall or in a plane parallel to the level of the side wall or the base wall. An independent claim is also included for a cutlery basket system for a dishwasher.

Description

The invention relates to a dishwasher, in particular a household dishwasher, as well as a cutlery basket system with a cutlery basket, which can be equipped with at least one cutlery, which can be brought into contact with an insert arranged in the cutlery basket, which consists of a baser metal than the metal of the cutlery wherein a bottom wall or a side wall of the cutlery basket has at least one outlet opening which can be closed and opened by means of an adjustable closing part.

If silver cutlery is left for a long time or comes into contact with certain foods, the surface of the silver cutlery starts to run, that is, the silver cutlery surface discolors to form a silver sulfide layer.

From the DE 1 977 115 U an insert basket for dishwashers consisting of plastic or plastic-coated metal is known, which has one or more aluminum inserts in the form of a perforated plate. In this way, silver cutlery parts are brought into metallic contact with aluminum or an aluminum alloy, whereby surface discoloration on silver or silver plated cutlery can be avoided or eliminated.

From the WO 99/19541 A1 a generic dishwasher is known which has a cutlery basket containing an insert made of aluminum. The cutlery basket is provided on one of its side walls with an outlet opening which can be closed by a flap. The flap is hinged upwardly pivotable on the side wall of the cutlery basket.

Upon actuation of the flap, a comparatively large swing path required for the flap actuation is to be kept clear. It is therefore important to ensure that the space required for opening the flaps is free from adjacent cutlery or crockery items before operating the flaps. Otherwise, the operability of the flap would be impaired.

The object of the invention is to provide a dishwasher, in particular household dishwasher, and a cutlery basket, in which a simple and space-saving operation of the closing part is ensured.

According to the invention, the closing part is adjustable in the plane of the bottom wall or the side wall, in which the closable outlet opening is provided, or in a plane parallel thereto plane. The adjustment path of the blocking element required for adjusting the closing part is substantially reduced in this case in comparison with the pivoting path known from the prior art. It is therefore given a reliable operation even in tight spaces within the dish rack, in which the cutlery basket is used.

The adjustable closure member may be adjusted in sliding contact with the bottom wall or side wall between a stowage position in which the closure member closes the at least one outlet opening of the cutlery basket in a liquid-tight manner and an outlet position in which a liquid accumulated or collected in the cutlery basket can flow.

With regard to a simple adjusting movement as well as a simple guide mechanism, it is provided according to an embodiment of the invention that the closing part can be adjusted linearly. The closing part may also have at least one passage opening. This can be superimposed in the outlet position of the closing part at least partially with the outlet opening of the cutlery basket, so that in the overlay area liquid can escape from the cutlery basket. In contrast, in the stowed position, the passage opening is arranged outside the at least one outlet opening of the closing part, so that the outlet opening / s are closed. Such an embodiment of the closing part is particularly advantageous in the case of a perforated cutlery basket bottom wall, in which not only one, but a row of outlet openings is provided. In this case, the position and / or size of the outlet openings and the passage openings of the closing part can be coordinated so that even a slight adjusting movement of the closing part is sufficient to effect a change between stowed position and outlet position.

It is preferred if the cutlery set in the cutlery basket can not influence a setting movement of the closing part. For this reason, the guide means may be arranged together with the closing part with respect to a loading space of the cutlery basket outside the cutlery basket bottom wall. Thus, the adjustable closure member is separated via the intermediate cutlery basket bottom wall of the arranged in the cutlery basket cutlery.

The bottom wall of the cutlery basket may be formed by the insert part of base metal according to an embodiment of the invention. The insert may e.g. be an aluminum part, which is formed for example as a perforated plate with a series of outlet openings.

The cutlery basket according to the invention may consist of an outer, box-shaped plastic jacket into which the insert part made of base metal is inserted. The plastic jacket is designed to be substantially open at the top as well as at the bottom. The lateral surfaces can end on the bottom side with an inwardly angled edge flange on which rests the insert. The insert is thus under attack in the installed position of the edge flange of the plastic sheath.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the cutlery basket may have a guide device in the form of guide grooves into which the closing part is guided. Thus, e.g. Be provided in the edge flange of the plastic sheath guide grooves, in which the closing part is guided linearly displaceable. In a manufacturing technology particularly simple embodiment, these guide grooves can be formed directly between the edge flange and the bottom wall of the cutlery basket. In this case, the edge flange may be stepped, wherein the gradation forms the guide grooves together with the bottom wall.

For a smooth and comfortable adjusting movement, a bearing opening or passage opening in one of the side walls of the cutlery basket can be provided in addition to the guide through which the closure member is guided to the outside and manually adjustable in this way from the outside. At the outward end of the Closing part can be formed an actuating handle with which the closing part is particularly comfortable manually adjustable.

At least one movement stop may be provided to limit a travel of the setting part. This can e.g. be formed as a stop profile directly on the closing part. The abutment profile of the closure member may also be provided with a corresponding mating profile e.g. in the guide grooves cooperate to limit the travel.

As an alternative to the above-mentioned linear adjusting movement, the closure part can also be mounted in such a way that it can execute a curved or arcuate setting movement. In particular, the closure part can be pivoted on a bearing pin on the bottom wall or side wall of the cutlery basket, so that it is pivotable when actuated in plane-parallel alignment with the bottom wall or the side wall.

In a particularly compact design, the closure part can be arranged within the outlet opening of the cutlery basket. The closure part and the outlet opening limiting cutlery basket wall are thus in a common plane, whereby a particularly space-saving arrangement of the closure member is realized.

During a rinse cycle of the dishwasher occurs between the base metal of the insert part and the cutlery part, e.g. the silverware portion, a redox reaction in which electrons are transferred from the base metal of the insert to the cutlery portion. The electron uptake then causes the cutlery part, e.g. Cutlery piece, a reduction of the tarnish layer, e.g. Silver sulfide layer, whereby a discoloration of the cutlery part can be reduced.

To carry out a rinse cycle, the cutlery basket system according to the invention is to be arranged in a dish rack of a dishwasher. The closing part of the cutlery basket is in a first rinse in the stowage position, whereby a liquid bath can accumulate in the cutlery basket. Accordingly, an electrical contact improved between the insert and the stored therein cutlery, which leads to an acceleration of the reduction of the tarnish on the piece of cutlery.

After performing the first rinse, the user can adjust the closing part in the outlet position in preparation for a subsequent second cleaning rinse, in which the pent-up liquid bath can run off and leftovers can be flushed through the released outlet openings.

The above-mentioned first and second rinses can be understood to mean two completely separate rinses. Alternatively, the first rinse cycle in the context of the invention may be a short rinse cycle which, by way of example, only lasts until sufficient rinsing liquid has accumulated in the cutlery basket, which is circulated in the rinsing chamber during a rinse cycle. Subsequently, the second rinse can take place, which is designed as a main rinse with the program steps known per se.

The above-mentioned first and second rinses may also be integrated as partial rinses in a single, common rinse. In this case, after the first partial washing cycle, the dishwasher can generate a warning signal, which indicates the user to move the closing part to its outlet position. After then the appliance door of the dishwasher is closed again, then the second Teilspülgang, preferably automatically started, in which the cutlery is completely cleaned.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying figures.

Fig.1 1

eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Besteckkorbsystems zur Aufnahme von Besteckteilen gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform;

Fig. 2

das Besteckkorbsystem gemäß Fig. 1 in Explosionsdarstellung;

Fig. 3

das Besteckkorbsystem gemäß Fig. 1 in Seitenschnittdarstellung;

Fig. 4 und 5

eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Besteckkorbs gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform; und

Fig. 6

eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Besteckkorbs gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform.

Show it:

Fig.1 1

a schematic representation of a cutlery basket system according to the invention for receiving cutlery according to a first embodiment;

Fig. 2

the cutlery basket system according to Fig. 1 in exploded view;

Fig. 3

the cutlery basket system according to Fig. 1 in side sectional view;

4 and 5

a schematic representation of a cutlery basket according to the invention according to a second embodiment; and

Fig. 6

a schematic representation of a cutlery basket according to the invention according to a third embodiment.

In the Fig. 1 to 3 an inventive cutlery basket system according to a first embodiment is shown. A cutlery basket consists essentially of an outer, for example cuboid plastic jacket 1 with mutually perpendicular, circumferential side walls 2. In the interior of the plastic sheath 1, an insert part 3 is inserted. The cuboid plastic jacket 1 is designed to be open at the top. On the bottom side closes on the side walls 2 of the plastic sheath 1 an inwardly bent by 90 ° edge flange 7 (see. Fig. 2 and 3 ).

As in Fig. 2 shown, the insert part 3 is a profile U-shaped sheet metal part, z. B. aluminum, which has laterally upwardly angled side walls 9, which are connected to each other via a horizontal bottom portion 11. The bottom portion 11 has a number of outlet openings 12. The bottom portion 11 of the insert part 3 also forms in the installation position, as in the Fig. 1 and 3 illustrated, a bottom wall 10 of the cutlery basket, on which rest the cutlery.

In the assembly position, the insert part 3 is supported with its bottom section 11 on the bottom-side edge flange 7 of the plastic jacket 1. The two side walls 9 of the insert part 3 are in contact with the corresponding side walls 2 of the plastic jacket 1. The angled edge flange 7 is provided at its upper corner region with an inwardly open gradation 13, which is incorporated in a support surface 14 of the edge flange 7. On the support surface 14 rests the insert 3. This results in the longitudinal direction of the cutlery basket lateral guide grooves 15 which are bounded on the bottom side by the edge flange 7 and up through the bottom portion 11 of the insert part 3. The two guide grooves 15 are designed to be open to one another, so that they form the edge of a closing part 17 designed as a slider can engage around loosely and thus form a guide device for the closing part 17. The closing member 17 is thus guided linearly movable in the guide grooves 15.

In the side wall 2 of the plastic sheath 1, a passage opening 19 in the form of a guide slot is provided, through which the plate-shaped closing part 17 projects outwards. The outside of the plastic sheath 1 located part of the closing part 17 has an upwardly angled mounting handle 18. As a result, the closing part 17 can be comfortably moved manually between a, in Fig. 3 shown outlet position and a stowed position are adjusted.

In addition, the closing part 17, as in Fig. 2 shown, strip-shaped in the direction of adjustment successively arranged through holes 25. These can, depending on the position of the closing part 17, completely or partially cover the outlet openings 12 provided in the bottom section 11 of the insert part or be arranged outside the flow cross section of the outlet openings 12. The closing part 17 is designed in such a way that in the stowed position the outlet openings 12 are closed essentially liquid-tight by the closing part. To achieve a liquid-tight closure, a sealing element, not shown, can also be provided.

The outlet openings 12 in the bottom section 11 of the insert part 3 are designed with regard to their arrangement and size such that even a small travel a is sufficient to bring the closing part 17 from the stowed position to the outlet position. The travel corresponds approximately to the diameter of the outlet openings 12 and is z. B. a 1/5 or 1/10 of the length of the entire bottom portion 11 in the direction of the travel a. The travel a of the closing part 17 is limited by movement stops 21 and 23, which together form a special stop profile 21, 23. The stop profile is formed on the one hand in the closing part 17 and on the other hand in the guide grooves 15 of the edge flange 7. In the embodiment shown, the stop profile has a projection 21 protruding downwards from the closing part 17 and guided in a corresponding recess 23 in the guide groove 15.

On the side walls 2 of the cuboid plastic sheath 1 locking projections 26 are also integrally formed on the cutlery basket in a crockery basket Dishwasher can be hung. For cleaning and care of silver cutlery pieces are first inserted into the cutlery basket. The closing element 17 is here in its stowed position, in which the outlet openings 12 are sealed liquid-tight. Subsequently, in a first short rinse cycle, a liquid bath can be dammed up in the liquid-tight closed cutlery basket. A start-up layer already present on the silverware can be acceleratedly reduced in this liquid bath. After the first rinse, the user can move the closing part 17 in its outlet position, in which the liquid bath can drain through the outlet openings in the hole portion 11 of the insert part 3. In the now following second rinse the freed from the tarnish silver cutlery can be cleaned of food residues.

In the 4 and 5 Parts of a second embodiment of a cutlery basket according to the invention are shown. A closing part 17 'is also designed as a slide, the z. B. plane-parallel to a bottom wall 10 'of the cutlery basket, which deviating from the illustrated embodiment could also be formed again by a bottom portion of the insert part 3, not shown, is displaceable. In contrast to the first embodiment, the adjusting movement is not linear, but along a curved or curved pivoting path. For this purpose, the closing part 17 'is pivotally connected via a bearing pin 31 to the bottom wall 10' of the cutlery basket. The pivoting movement of the closing part 17 'is limited by lateral movement stops 32, which define the travel of the closing part 17'. In addition, the closing part 17 'is provided with a sealing element 30, which in the in Fig. 5 illustrated stowage position an outlet opening 12 'closes liquid-tight. Of course, a plurality of outlet openings 12 'can also be provided in such an embodiment.

In the partial view according to Fig. 6 Parts of a third embodiment of a cutlery basket according to the invention are shown. An outlet opening 12 "is not arranged in the bottom wall but in a side wall 2. A closing part 17" is provided inside the outlet opening 12 "and adjustable in the vertical direction meshing engagement with a manually operable gear 35 is. The gear 35 is rotatably mounted in the side wall 2 of the plastic sheath 1. On the outer end face of the gear 35, a knurled wheel 33 is formed to a manual rotational operation of the gear 35 to enable. Moreover, that can be done in the Fig. 6 shown closing part 17 "and provided in the side wall 2 outlet opening 12" be provided with suitable, not shown here, sealing means and / or guide means.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Plastic sheath

2

Sidewall of a cutlery basket

3

insert

7

edge flange

9

Sidewall of the insert

10, 10 '

Bottom wall of the cutlery basket

11

Bottom portion of the insert

12, 12 ', 12 "

outlet

13

gradation

14

support surface

15

guide

17, 17 '; 17 "

closing part

18

operating handle

19

Through opening

21, 23

travel stops

25

Port

26

catch projection

30

sealing

31

pivot

32

travel stop

33

knurl

34

gearing

35

gear

a

Travel Range

Claims (12)

Dishwasher, in particular domestic dishwasher, with a cutlery basket which can be equipped with at least one cutlery part which can be brought into contact with an insert part (3) arranged in the cutlery basket, which consists of a less noble metal than the metal of the cutlery part, wherein a bottom wall ( 10, 10 ') of the cutlery basket or a side wall (2) of the cutlery basket has at least one outlet opening (12, 12', 12 ") which can be closed and opened by means of an adjustable closing part (17, 17 ', 17"), characterized in that the closing part (17; 17 '; 17 ") is adjustable in the plane of the bottom wall (10; 10') or the side wall (2) or in a plane parallel thereto plane. Dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that the closing part (17; 17 '; 17 ") is in sliding contact with the bottom wall (10; 10') or the side wall (2). Dishwasher according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the closing part (17; 17 '; 17 ") is adjustably mounted in a linear or in a curved movement. Dishwasher according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the closing part (17; 17 '; 17 ") in a stowage position closes the at least one outlet opening (12) of the cutlery basket in a liquid-tight manner. Dishwasher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closing part (17) has at least one passage opening (25), wherein the passage openings (25) of the closing part (17) and the outlet openings (12) of the cutlery basket in an outlet position of the closing part (25). 17) at least partially cover, and the passage openings (25) of the closing part (17) are arranged in a stowed position outside of the outlet openings (12) of the cutlery basket. Dishwasher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom wall (10) of the cutlery basket is formed by the insert part (3). Dishwasher according to claim 6, characterized in that the cutlery basket side walls (2), the bottom side have an inwardly angled edge flange (7) on which the insert part (3) rests. Dishwasher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutlery basket has a guide device in the form of guide grooves (15) for guiding the closing part (17). Dishwasher according to claim 7 and 8, characterized in that the guide grooves (15) between the edge flange (7) and the bottom wall (10) of the cutlery basket are formed. Dishwasher according to one of claims 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that in the side wall (2) of the cutlery basket, a passage opening (19) is provided, through which the closing part (17) projects outwardly. Dishwasher according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one movement stop (21; 23; 32) is provided which limits an adjusting movement (a) of the closing part (17; 17 '). Cutlery basket system for a dishwasher according to one of the preceding claims with a cutlery basket which can be equipped with at least one piece of cutlery, which can be brought into contact with a cutlery basket arranged insert part (3), which consists of a less precious metal than the metal of the cutlery, wherein a Bottom wall (10, 10 ') of the cutlery basket or a side wall (2) of the cutlery basket at least one outlet opening (12, 12', 12 "), which are closed or opened by means of an adjustable closing part (17, 17 ', 17") can, characterized in that the closing part (17; 17 ', 17 ") in the plane of Bottom wall (10, 10 ') or the side wall (2) or in a plane parallel thereto plane is adjustable.

Images