EP2683284B1 - Dishwasher - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a dishwasher, in particular a household dishwasher, having a washing compartment, at least one crockery container that can be moved out of the washing compartment and into the washing compartment, which is designed as a crockery basket with a plurality of basket wires, and at least one retraction device that has a mechanical energy storage device for moving it in at least partially automatically of the crockery container into the washing container, with the energy storage device automatically absorbing energy when the crockery container is moved out of the washing container and automatically releasing this energy when the crockery container is moved into the washing container in order to at least support the movement of the crockery container into it, the mechanical energy storage device being designed as a tension spring is, which is stretched when moving the crockery container out of the washing container and thus absorbs energy and when moving in contracts and thus releases the absorbed energy again in order to at least support the movement of the crockery container, wherein during normal operation of the dishwasher the retraction device is permanently connected to the washing container, in particular to its rear wall, and is detachably connected to the crockery container and the retraction device has a Fastening device for releasably connecting the retraction device to the crockery container, which is designed to automatically release the connection while the crockery container is being moved out and to automatically establish the connection while the crockery container is being moved in.

The pamphlet DE 20 2008 008 541 U1 discloses a coupling device between two rails of a furniture pull-out slide that can be moved relative to one another, with a self-closing device which is attached to a first, stationary rail and has any energy store and with an activator connected to a second rail, which is coupled to the self-closing device over a certain displacement path and after tensioning of the energy accumulator is separated from it, wherein in the separated state the energy accumulator is fixed in the tensioned state relative to the first rail until it is coupled again with the activator. the The coupling device consists of a clutch pot that can be moved longitudinally within limits in a guide sleeve, which is fixed relative to the stationary rail, and which is acted upon by the energy accumulator of the self-closing device, with a control piston mounted therein so that it can be displaced counter to the action of an energy accumulator, and of the activator. The activator is cylindrical, at least in its area opposite the control piston, and adjacent to its free end it has a circumferential groove into which at least two locking balls located in radial bores of the clutch pot engage when the control piston is pushed by the activator and counter to the action of the in the clutch pot lying force accumulator is shifted so far that the detent balls, which are supported on the lateral surface when the control piston is not actuated and which rest against a support flank of the guide sleeve, lie outside the support area of the control piston. The facing ends of the control piston and the areas of the activator that form the second clutch half can engage in one another in a form-fitting manner. The front ends of the control piston and the area of the activator forming the second coupling half can also engage in one another in a self-centering manner. Furthermore, the control piston can be equipped with a conical recess and the second coupling half can be equipped with a correspondingly shaped cone tip. Furthermore, the energy accumulator acting on the clutch pot can be a tension spring.

The pamphlet DE 20 2008 009 313 U1 discloses an ejection device of a pull-out system which is particularly suitable for use in household appliances, which are also referred to as "white goods". The ejection device essentially consists of a switching plunger that can be moved in a housing and at least one clamping body and an energy accumulator. The clamping body can be brought into a position that releases the switch plunger and into a position that at least inhibits the switch plunger depending on the direction.

The pamphlet DE 10 2005 010 616 A1 discloses a dishwasher with a washing compartment in which two crockery baskets are arranged for receiving items to be cleaned. The crockery baskets can be moved out of the washing compartment and into the washing compartment by means of suitable guides and a drive. The drive can include an electric motor or be designed as an energy store. If an energy store is used as a drive, then the movement initiated by the energy store can be damped by a damping means at least in the end phase of the movement.

The pamphlet DE 20 2006 006 188 U1 discloses a piece of furniture, for example a dishwasher, which has at least one slidable drawer held in a furniture body. At least one ejection movement of the drawer can be achieved by means of a pneumatic or hydraulic drive. For a retraction movement of the drawer, self-closing is effective at least over a partial distance. The self-closing mechanism is spring-loaded to ensure the drawer is pulled to the closed position within an effective range.

The object of the invention is to specify an improved dishwashing machine, in particular a domestic dishwashing machine, with a crockery container and a draw-in device for the crockery container.

The object of the invention is achieved by a dishwasher as described above, wherein the fastening device has at least one latch device into which at least one of the basket wires automatically latches when the crockery basket is moved into the washing compartment and from which the at least one basket wire protrudes when the crockery basket is moved out of the washing compartment automatically disengages again.

The release is effected in particular by moving the dish rack out of the washing compartment. When the crockery basket is moved into the washing compartment, the at least one basket wire automatically latches into the latch device, as a result of which the pull-in device can at least partially support the crockery basket being moved in.

The dishwasher according to the invention is in particular a domestic dishwasher.

The dishwasher according to the invention is therefore designed in such a way that the mechanical energy store of the retraction device automatically supplies energy by moving the crockery container out of the washing container, in particular manually picks up. If the crockery container is moved back into the washing compartment, in particular pushed in manually, the mechanical energy store automatically releases its stored energy and in this way supports the movement of the crockery container into the washing compartment. Depending on the energy stored and released again, the crockery container can even be pulled fully automatically into the washing container with the help of the mechanical energy store.

A tension spring as a mechanical energy store can be implemented relatively easily. Because of this variant, the tension spring may be tensioned due to the crockery container being moved out and can then relax again when the crockery container is moved in, in order at least to support the crockery container being moved in or even to automatically pull the crockery container all the way into the washing container.

In a preferred embodiment of the dishwasher according to the invention, the retraction device has a holding device which is designed to hold the tensioned tension spring in its tensioned state. It is then possible that when the retraction device is detached from the washing container or from the crockery container, the tension spring is kept under tension so that it can only contract again and thus relax when the crockery container is moved into the washing container.

In a further preferred embodiment, the holding device is set up in such a way that it only releases the tensioned tension spring as a result of the crockery container being pushed into the washing container. Specifically, this can be achieved in that a holding force applied by the holding device to the tension spring can be overcome by a manually applied force in the direction of insertion, so that the tensioned tension spring is then released again.

In a further preferred embodiment, the retraction device has a hollow-cylindrical housing and a piston rod which is displaceably mounted therein, the tension spring being connected at least indirectly to the housing and to one of its ends its other end is at least indirectly connected to the piston rod. Due to the housing, the tension spring is mechanically protected against external influences.

In this case, it is possible to design the holding device as a latching device arranged in the interior of the housing, with which the piston rod or a piston attached to the piston rod, to which the tension spring is attached, latches. It is thus possible for the piston rod or the piston to be pressed via the latching device when the crockery container is moved into the washing container, as a result of which the tension spring can contract again.

In order to achieve a particularly gentle, that is to say shock-free, automatic movement in of the crockery container, the draw-in device can have a damping device which dampens the release of the energy from the energy store.

The damping device can be designed, for example, as a hydraulic cylinder or as an air cylinder. The damping device can be designed in particular as a telescopic cylinder. This has the advantage of a relatively small spatial extent.

Accordingly, the invention optionally provides a soft closing mechanism or a self-closing mechanism for the crockery basket of a dishwasher. Provision can be made for a closed cylinder to be “tensed” by a tension spring while the crockery basket, in particular the upper crockery basket, is being pulled out. When the crockery basket is pushed in, for example, a basket wire could then be surrounded by a movable latch part and thereby brought into the end position at a reduced speed.

It could be of particular advantage if the closing of the door is dampened in the area of the hinge, so that there is no sudden movement through the door, for example.

Because of the invention, it may be possible for crockery baskets to automatically move gently into their final position. For example, glasses stored in the crockery baskets can be prevented from falling over in this way. Besides this can represent a higher quality overall impression of the corresponding dishwasher.

Other developments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims. The invention and its development as well as its advantages are explained below with reference to drawings.

Fig. 1.

eine Haushaltsgeschirrspülmaschine mit einem Spülbehälter und darin angeordnete Geschirrkörbe;

Fig. 2

eine Teilseitenansicht einer ersten Ausführungsform eines Geschirrkorbs;

Fig. 3

eine Teilvorderansicht einer zweiten Ausführungsform eines Geschirrkorbs; und

Fig. 4, 5

Betriebszustände einer Einzugsvorrichtung für einen Geschirrkorb.

They each show schematically:

1

a household dishwasher with a washing container and crockery baskets arranged therein;

2

a partial side view of a first embodiment of a crockery basket;

3

a partial front view of a second embodiment of a dish rack; and

Figures 4, 5

Operating states of a pull-in device for a crockery basket.

Elements with the same function and mode of action are in the Figures 1 to 5 each provided with the same reference numerals.

the 1 shows a sectional view of a domestic dishwasher 1 as an example of a dishwasher.

The household dishwasher 1 has a washing compartment 2 for receiving items to be washed, which can be arranged, for example, in two crockery containers arranged one above the other and designed as an upper crockery rack 3 and a lower crockery rack 4 . The washing compartment 2 has two side walls and a rear wall 2a and can be closed by means of a pivotable door, not shown in detail, as is customary. When the door is open, the two crockery baskets 3, 4 can be moved out of the washing compartment 2 by means of guides that are not shown in detail but are known in principle to those skilled in the art, in order to at least facilitate loading and unloading of the crockery baskets 3, 4. The crockery baskets 3 can also be moved into the washing compartment 2 by means of the guides.

Embodiments of the upper dish rack 3 are in 2 in partial side view and in 3 shown in partial front view.

At least two spray devices for applying a liquid to the items to be washed, which is usually referred to as washing liquor, are arranged in the washing container 2 , for example. In the case of the present embodiment, the spray devices are designed as upper and lower spray arms 5, 6. The liquid can be conveyed by a circulating pump 7 via a first liquid feed line 8 to the upper spray arm 5 and via a second liquid feed line 9 to the lower spray arm 6 . The circulation pump 7 is driven, for example, by means of an electric drive, not shown in detail, in particular by means of an electric motor.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the liquid is heated at least in a sub-program step of a washing program of the domestic dishwasher 1 by a continuous-flow heater 10, which is connected to the circulation pump 7 with an inlet connector 11 and to the liquid supply lines 8, 9 with outlet connectors 12, 13. The number of outlet nozzles 12, 13 corresponds to the number of spray arms 5, 6 or simultaneously operated groups of spray arms 5, 6. The liquid conveyed by the circulation pump 7 is therefore in the case of the present embodiment to the inlet nozzle 11 of the continuous-flow heater 10 and from its outlet nozzle 12, 13 via the liquid supply lines 8, 9 to the spray arms 5, 6.

The domestic dishwasher 1 also has a water diverter 14 which is arranged, for example, in the instantaneous water heater 10 or is formed on it. The water diverter 14 can, for example, also be arranged as a separate unit in the household dishwasher or be connected directly to the circulating pump 7 .

By means of the water diverter 14, the spray arms 5, 6 can be charged individually or jointly with the liquid in any order, which is achieved by opening or closing a respective liquid outlet of the water diverter 14.

In order to automatically move the crockery baskets 3, 4 into the washing compartment 2, or more specifically to automatically reach the end positions of the crockery baskets 3, 4 to allow is in the case of the present embodiment for each of the crockery baskets 3, 4 in each case one in the Figures 4, 5 shown collection device 15 is provided. However, it is also possible to provide only one of the crockery baskets 3 or 4 with such a draw-in device 15 or to provide at least one of the crockery baskets 3 or 4 with more than one such draw-in device 15 .

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the retraction device 15 has a housing 16 in the form of a hollow cylinder. The housing 16 has, for example, the shape of a circular cylinder, in particular a straight one, and the two end faces of the housing are provided with walls 17 , 18 . The housing 16 is fastened with one of its walls 17 to the rear wall 2a of the washing compartment 2 in the area of the relevant dish rack 3, 4, in the case of the upper dish rack 3 in the area of the upper dish rack 3. The wall 18 opposite this wall 17 is provided with an opening 19 .

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the retraction device 15 has a piston rod 20 which is guided through the opening 19 in the wall 18 and can be moved in the axial direction relative to the housing 16 .

A piston 21, for example in the form of a disc, is fastened to one of the ends of the piston rod 20, in particular in one piece and/or in one piece with it. The piston 21 is dimensioned such that the piston rod 20 can move with the piston 21 in the axial direction relative to the housing 16 .

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, a tension spring 22 is fastened with one of its ends on the side of the disk 21 facing away from the piston rod 20 . The other end of the tension spring 22 is connected to the wall 17 which is attached to the rear wall 2a of the washing compartment 2 .

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the piston rod 20 is connected to a fastening device 23 at the end which faces away from the disk 21 . This is in particular formed integrally and/or integrally on the piston rod 20 . The fastening device 23 is designed in particular in such a way that with it the retraction device 15 on the relevant crockery basket 3, 4, in particular on the Dish rack 3 can be releasably attached. In particular, the fastening device 23 is U-shaped and has a latching device or latch device 24 into which, for example, at least one basket wire 25 of the upper dish rack 3 automatically latches when the upper dish rack 3 is moved in.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the retraction device 15 is fastened to the washing compartment 2 in a lower region of the upper dish rack 3 (cf 2 and 3 ). Here, the retraction device 15 is advantageous because it is arranged in a particularly space-saving manner in an installation space which is at least partially encompassed by the associated crockery basket 3 , 4 . If the upper dish rack 3 has been driven all the way into the washing container 2, the fastening device 23 is fastened to the upper dish rack 3, in particular to the basket wire 25, by means of the latch device 24, as is shown in FIG 4 is shown. In addition, in this operating state, the piston rod 20 is pushed as far as possible into the housing 16 of the retraction device 15, as a result of which the tension spring 22 is relieved.

If the upper dish rack 3 is moved out of the washing container 2 , the piston rod 20 and thus the piston 21 are moved in the axial direction relative to the housing 16 in the extension direction, indicated by an arrow 27 . As a result, the tension spring 22 is automatically tensioned by the upper dish rack 3 being moved out and exerts a force on the piston 21 and thus on the piston rod 20 in the insertion direction, ie in the opposite direction to the arrow 27 .

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, a holding device 28 in the form of one or more projections 28 ′ is arranged on the inside of the housing 16 , in particular molded onto the housing 16 in one piece or as a single material. The holding device 28 is designed in such a way that the piston 21 can be pulled in the direction of the arrow 27 over the projection(s) 28' when the upper dish rack 3 is being moved out.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the fastening device 23 is designed in such a way that when the piston rod 20 is pulled so far out of the housing 16 that the piston 21 is pulled over the projection(s) 28', the fastening device 23 detaches from the upper crockery basket 3. like this in the figure 5 is shown. The projection(s) 28', the piston 21 and the tension spring 22 are dimensioned such that the tension spring 22 does not automatically pull the piston 21 over the projections 28' in this tensioned state, whereby the tension spring 22 remains tensioned. The holding force applied by the holding device 28 to the piston 21 and thus the tension spring 22 is greater than the tensile force exerted by the tensioned tension spring 22 on the piston 21 .

If the upper crockery basket 3 is now moved back into the washing compartment 2, in particular by applying a manual force in the direction of insertion, this encloses the basket wire 25 when it reaches the fastening device 23, as a result of which the piston rod 20 is connected to the upper crockery basket 3 via the fastening device 23 on the one hand and on the other hand when the upper dish rack 3 is pushed further into the washing compartment 2, the piston rod 20 pushes the piston 21 over the projection(s) 28' in the direction of the wall 17 with which the housing 16 is attached to the washing compartment 2. This makes it possible for the tension spring 22 to pull together again and in the 4 shown relieved state. As a result, the tension spring 22 partially pulls the piston rod 20 back into the housing 16, as a result of which the upper crockery basket 3 is automatically pulled into its end position in the washing compartment 2.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, in order to dampen the movement with which the retraction device 15 moves the upper crockery basket 3 into its end position, the retraction device 15 comprises a damping device 29. This is implemented here in the form of a hydraulic cylinder or an air cylinder, in particular in the form of a telescopic cylinder . The damping device 29 has, for example, a cylinder 30 , in particular a telescopic cylinder, which is fastened with one of its ends to the wall 17 with which the housing 16 of the intake device 15 is fastened to the washing container 2 . The diameter of the cylinder 30 is in particular dimensioned in such a way that the cylinder 30 is arranged inside the tension spring 22 . The damping device 29 also has a piston rod 31 which is connected to the disk 21 at one end, projects partially into the cylinder 30 at its other end and is arranged inside the tension spring 22 .

In the figure 5 , in which the tension spring 22 is shown in its tensioned state, the telescopic cylinder 30 of the damping device 29 is extended. If the tension spring 22 contracts, then the cylinder 30 is pressed together via the piston rod 31 of the damping device 15 , as a result of which the damping device 29 dampens the contraction of the tension spring 22 and thus the movement of the upper crockery basket 3 .

Reference List

1

Dishwasher; domestic dishwasher

2

flush tank

2a

back panel

3

crockery holders; dish rack; dish rack

4

crockery holders; dish rack; dish rack

5

Upper spray arm

6

Lower spray arm

7

circulation pump

8.9

liquid supply line

10

water heater

11

inlet port

12, 13

outlet nozzle

14

water switch

15

retraction device

16

housing

17, 18

wall

19

opening

20

piston rod

21

Pistons

22

tension spring

23

fastening device

24

latch device

25

basket wire

26

installation space

27

Arrow

28

holding device

28'

head Start

29

damping device

30

cylinder

31

piston rod

Claims (7)

1. Dishwasher (1), in particular household dishwasher, having a dishwasher cavity (2), at least one dishware container (3, 4), which can be moved out of the dishwasher cavity (2) and can be moved into the dishwasher cavity (2) and which is embodied as a dish rack with a plurality of rack wires (25), and at least one insertion apparatus (15) having a mechanical energy store (22) for the at least partially automated inward movement of the dishware container (3, 4) into the dishwasher cavity (2),

   - wherein the energy store (22) autonomously absorbs energy by way of the outward movement of the dishware container (3, 4) out of the dishwasher cavity (2) and autonomously releases said energy again when moving the dishware container (3, 4) into the dishwasher cavity (2), in order to at least support the inward movement of the dishware container (3, 4),

   - wherein the mechanical energy store is embodied as a tension spring (22), which is tensioned when moving the dishware container (3, 4) out of the dishwasher cavity (2) and thus absorbs energy and which contracts during an inward movement and thus releases the absorbed energy again, in order to at least support the inward movement of the dishware container (3, 4),

   - wherein, during the intended operation of the dishwasher (1), the insertion apparatus (15) is permanently connected to the dishwasher cavity (2), in particular to the rear wall (2a) thereof, and is releasably connected to the dishware container (3, 4), and

   - wherein the insertion apparatus (15) has a fastening apparatus (23) for releasably connecting the insertion apparatus (15) to the dishware container (3, 4), which fastening apparatus (23) is embodied to release the connection automatically during the outward movement of the dishware container (3, 4) and to establish the connection automatically during the inward movement of the dishware container (3, 4),

   characterised in that
   the fastening apparatus (23) has at least one detent apparatus (24), into which at least one of the rack wires (25) automatically catches when moving the dish rack (3, 4) into the dishwasher cavity (2) and out of which the at least one rack wire (25) automatically releases again when moving the dish rack (3, 4) out of the dishwasher cavity (2).
2. Dishwasher (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the insertion apparatus (15) has a holding apparatus (28), which is embodied to hold the tensioned tension spring (22) in its tensioned state.
3. Dishwasher (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the holding apparatus (28) is configured such that a holding force applied to the tension spring (22) by the holding apparatus (28) can be overcome by a manually applied force in the insertion direction, so that the tensioned tension spring (22) is released.
4. Dishwasher (1) according to claims 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the insertion apparatus (15) has a hollow-cylindrical housing (16) and a piston rod (20) that is displaceably mounted therein and the tension spring (22) is connected at one of its ends to the housing (16), at least indirectly, and at its other end to the piston rod (20), at least indirectly.
5. Dishwasher (1) according to claim 3 and 4, characterised in that the holding apparatus (28) is embodied as a latching apparatus arranged inside the housing (16), with which the piston rod (20) or a piston (21), which is fastened to the piston rod (20) and to which the tension spring (22) is fastened, latches.
6. Dishwasher (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the insertion apparatus (15) has a damping facility (29), which damps a releasing of the energy of the energy store (22).
7. Dishwasher (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that the damping facility (29) is embodied as a hydraulic cylinder or as an air cylinder, in particular as a telescopic cylinder.

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