EP2716199A1 - Dishwasher, in particular household dishwasher - Google Patents

Abstract

The dishwasher (1) has a rinsing chamber (4) which is provided with a rinsing container (3) used for holding the items to be cleaned. A reservoir (7) is provided for intermediate storage of the rinsing water. The reservoir is fluidly connected to the rinsing container. The reservoir is in the form of a tube (8), whose flow cross-section is dimensioned such that the minimum flow rate is set during the intended use cases with respect to the rinsing water flowing in the reservoir at a given flow rate.

Description

The invention relates to an automatic dishwashing machine, in particular a domestic dishwasher, with a washing compartment providing a washing compartment, which serves to receive items to be cleaned, and with a storage container for the intermediate storage of rinsing liquor, wherein the storage tank is fluidly connected to the washing compartment.

Dishwashers of the generic type are well known in the art, which is why it does not require a separate documentary evidence at this point.

Dishwashers of the type mentioned have a rinsing container providing a washing compartment, which serves in the intended use of the inclusion of items to be cleaned. For loading the washing container with items to be washed is a feed opening, which is fluid-tightly closed by means of a pivotally mounted dish door.

For applying to be cleaned items to be washed with rinsing spray arranged within the washing spray, preferably in the embodiment of rotatably arranged spray arms. These are supplied in the intended use with rinsing liquor, as a result, a loading of the items to be cleaned with rinse liquor takes place.

Generic automatic dishwashers are equipped for the purpose of saving water with a storage container for intermediate storage of rinsing water. Such a storage container serves to take up at the end of a proper program sequence in the washing still befindliches residual rinse liquor and to stockpile until the beginning of a next wash program. Typically, at the end of a wash program, relatively clean rinse liquor is used for intermediate storage. With the beginning of a new wash program, the cached wash liquor is drained into the wash tub so that only a reduced amount of fresh water for the start of a new wash program is reduced by the amount of wash liquor returned is required. Advantageously, such a saving of fresh water can be achieved.

The rinsing fluid cached within the storage container is subject to contamination. As a result, germ deposits, soiling and / or similar bio-films on the inner wall of the storage container can also occur. This biofilm remains adhering to the inner wall of the storage container even when the temporarily stored rinsing liquor is discharged, so that subsequently rinsing liquor introduced into the storage container is contaminated. The bi-film left behind from the previous rinsing liquor storage in the reservoir acts as a nucleating agent for the rinsing liquor newly introduced into the reservoir so that a so-called recontamination takes place. As a result of such contamination, there is a relatively rapid germination within the newly introduced into the reservoir rinse.

The problem of recontamination is not unknown in the art. Numerous solutions have been proposed in this context, which prevent the re-contamination, but at least reduce it. Thus, for example, the use of UV lamps has been proposed that should cause a killing in the reservoir under circumstances forming germs.

Although the measures known from the state of the art for avoiding, or at least reducing, the biofilm precipitating in the storage container over the course of time have proved their worth in everyday practical use, there is a need for novel developments which permit in particular a structurally simple implementation.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a dishwasher, which helps avoid the formation of a bio-film in the reservoir with a simultaneously structurally simple design.

To solve this problem, a dishwashing machine of the type mentioned is proposed with the invention, which is characterized in that the reservoir is formed in the manner of a tube, whose flow cross-section is dimensioned such that in the intended use case with respect to in the Storage tank inflowing rinse liquor sets a minimum flow rate at a given volume flow.

It is therefore provided according to the invention, structurally different design the reservoir, in contrast to the prior art, in the manner of a pipe. In this case, the tube forming the reservoir is dimensioned with respect to its flow cross-section such that, in the intended use case, a minimum flow rate is established with regard to the rinsing fluid flowing into the reservoir. This minimum flow rate results in dependence of the delivered volume flow of wash liquor, which in turn depends on the speed of the feed pump used. The flow cross-section of the pipe is thus adapted to the flow rate of the pumping the washing liquor pump. The result is a minimum flow rate at which the rinsing liquor flows into the reservoir formed as a tube or flows through it.

The minimum flow rate of the rinsing liquor is designed so that the shear rate occurring at the tube inner wall of the reservoir exerts such a shearing force on the tube inner wall that possibly formed deposits, microbial contamination and / or similar bio-films are entrained there. It comes insofar to a mechanical cleaning of the reservoir by removal due to high flow rates.

The inventive idea is that the reservoir is not designed as a pure collection container for the wash liquor in departure from the prior art. It is designed for the purpose of achieving high flow velocities rather than pipe or tubular. The built-in dishwasher dishwasher pump can thereby promote a given volume flow. As a function of this predetermined volume flow, that is to say the delivery rate of the feed pump, the tube forming the storage container is to be designed with regard to its flow cross-section. In this case, the flow cross-section is to be selected such that the rinsing liquor achieves such a flow rate within the tube at a known volume flow rate that the shear rate necessary for removal of organic film possibly adhering to the inner wall of the tube is achieved. Insofar, according to the invention, it does not come to certain sizes with regard to the flow cross-section, the volume flow or the minimum flow velocity at. Rather, the ratio of these parameters in proportion, so that as a result, the required for a removal of any bio-film shear rate is achieved.

The construction of the invention proves to be very simple in construction. It comes as a reservoir, a pipe or a tubular body is used, the extent of which in the flow direction significantly exceeds its flow area. Additional facilities for sterilization and / or cleaning is not required. The reservoir forming tube is in its structural design rather so designed that takes place in the intended use, a self-cleaning. The dishwashing machine equipped in accordance with the invention thus allows a comparatively simple handling, wherein, in particular, a low level of wear and the robustness and low susceptibility due to the simple construction are advantageous.

The flow cross-section of the tube forming the reservoir is between 30 mm ² and 70 mm ² , preferably between 40 mm ² and 60 mm ² , more preferably between 45 mm ² and 55 mm ² , most preferably 50 mm ² . It is true that the flow cross section is to be selected as a function of the delivery rate of the feed pump used in the dishwasher.

The tube forming the reservoir may preferably be circular or oval in cross-section. The oval design has the advantage that, with the same tube length, a larger volume, that is to say storage volume for the rinse liquor to be received by the storage container, is ready.

Reservoirs previously known in the art typically have a storage volume between two liters and four liters. It is therefore proposed with the invention that the tube forming the reservoir in the direction of flow has a length between 30 m and 100 m, preferably between 40 m and 80 m, more preferably between 50 m and 60 m. Depending on the selected flow cross-section, a storage volume of between two and four liters can be achieved.

The design of the reservoir as a tube also has the advantage that a optimized space utilization can take place within the housing of the dishwasher. Thus, in particular, it is possible to lay the storage container designed as a tube in such housing areas of the automatic dishwashers, which have hitherto been unused as dead spaces. In an advantageous manner, it may thus be allowed to make the washing container larger, in contrast to the prior art, that is to increase the loading volume.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the tube is laid meander-shaped, so that the tube is aligned in loops as compact as possible. The tube may in this case be arranged laterally of the washing container at this.

Fig. 1

in schematischer Darstellung einen Geschirrspülautomaten nach der Erfindung und

Fig. 2

in schematischer Darstellung einen nach der Erfindung ausgebildeten Vorratsbehälter zur Zwischenspeicherung von Spülflotte.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to FIGS. Showing:

Fig. 1

in a schematic representation of a dishwasher according to the invention and

Fig. 2

in a schematic representation of a trained according to the invention reservoir for intermediate storage of rinsing water.

The automatic dishwasher 1 has, as in Fig. 1 is shown by way of example, via a housing 2, which receives a rinsing container 3 providing a washing compartment 4. The rinse tank 3 is used in the intended use of receiving cleaning items to be cleaned, for which purpose typically Spülkörbe are provided, the sake of clarity in Fig. 1 are not shown.

The washing compartment 4 provided by the washing container 3 is accessible via a feed opening 6. This is by means of a pivotally mounted on the housing 2 Spülraumtür 6 fluid-tight closed.

For loading of items to be cleaned with rinse liquor are within the rinse tank 3 in Fig. 1 Arranged spraying arms not shown.

The dishwasher 1 further has a reservoir 7 for the Caching of rinsing liquor. This reservoir 7 may be formed within the housing 2 or outside thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the reservoir 7 is housed in the gap space not shown between the washing container 3 on the one hand and the housing 2 on the other hand, that is arranged laterally of the gap space at this.

The reservoir 7 is fluidly coupled to the washing container 3. About this fluidic connection can be removed from the rinse tank 3 rinse and fed to the reservoir 5 or transferred in the reverse direction from the reservoir 7 in the washing compartment 3. The supply with rinsing carried out in the illustrated embodiment via a supply line 10, which is connected at one end to the reservoir 7 and the other end to a sump 9, wherein the sump 9 with respect to the drawing plane after Fig. 1 extends below the washing container 3. In the intended use case, the rinsing fluid in the washing container 3 accumulates in the sump 9, from where it is pumped by means of a corresponding feed pump via the supply line 10 into the reservoir 7. In this case, the delivery rate of the feed pump determines the volume flow of rinsing liquor, which passes via the supply line 10 into the storage container 7 and, for example, amounts to 35 l / min. In the feed pump may be the circulation pump, which has the main function to pressurize the sprayers with rinsing water in the circulation. But it may also be an additional pump, which (only) is used to promote the wash liquor in the reservoir.

The reservoir 7 is inventively formed in the manner of a tube 8, which is laid meandering in the illustrated embodiment, as shown in the drawing Fig. 1 can be seen schematically. A detailed view of the reservoir 7 leaves Fig. 2 detect.

As can be seen from the presentation Fig. 2 shows, the reservoir 7 is formed by a loop-shaped, that is meandering tube 8. In this case, the tube 8 consists of individual mutually parallel pipe sections 11, which are coupled to each other for a fluidic connection via end-mounted pipe bends 12. The tube 8 has an inner diameter which is between 5 mm and 11 mm, preferably between 6 mm and 10 mm, more preferably between 7 mm and 9 mm, most preferably 8 mm.

As the representation after Fig. 2 can recognize the pipe sections 11 may be formed differently long in the longitudinal direction, so that 7 recesses 17 may result in the final assembled state of the reservoir. In such recesses 17, in the final assembled state of the dishwasher 1, the outside of the washing container 3 can otherwise project elements, projections or the like arranged on the outside. The inventive design of the reservoir 7 thus allows an optimized adaptation to the dishwasher provided by 1 available installation space.

The reservoir 7 has on the input side via an inlet connection 13. About this passes in correspondence of the arrow 15 of the pump pumped rinsing water into the reservoir. 7

For emptying the reservoir 7, an outlet connection 14 is provided, which is provided on the other side of the reservoir 7 forming tube 8. About this outlet pipe 14 can escape in the storage tank 7 cached rinsing and enter the washing compartment 3.

The rinsing fluid cached in the storage container 7 germinates over time and deposits, germs and / or similar bio-films can also form inside the storage container 7, that is to say on its inner wall. This can cause unpleasant odors. There is also the risk that any deposits, germs and / or the like replace organic films, which can then lead to a functional impairment or even a complete failure of the reservoir 7 or even the entire dishwasher 1. To prevent this problem is inventively provided that the flow cross-section of the tube 8 is dimensioned such that sets in the intended use case with respect to the inflowing into the reservoir 7 rinsing at a predetermined volume flow, a minimum flow rate. In this case, the minimum flow rate is selected so that the required for a removal of a possibly located on the inner wall of the reservoir 7 Bio-film shear rate of, for example, 4 m / s is achieved.

As a result, there is a removal and subsequent discharge of the bio-film from the reservoir 7. A contamination, ie re-germination of a newly introduced in the program flow rinsing liquor is thus prevented. And this with a simple design of the reservoir 7 and at the same time dispensing with separately handled and / or operated sterilizing equipment.

reference numeral

1

dishwasher

2

casing

3

rinse tank

4

Wash cabinet

5

loading port

6

rinsing chamber

7

reservoir

8th

pipe

9

sump

10

feed pipe

11

pipe section

12

Elbows

13

flowguide

14

outlet connection

15

arrow

16

arrow

17

recess

Claims (7)

Dishwasher, in particular domestic dishwasher, with a washing compartment (4) providing a washing container (3), which serves to receive items to be cleaned, and with a reservoir (7) for the intermediate storage of rinsing liquor, wherein the reservoir (7) fluidically to the washing compartment connected,
characterized,
that the storage container (7) is in the form of a tube (8), whose flow cross-section is dimensioned such that with respect to the in the reservoir (7) flowing in the intended use case, rinsing setting a minimum flow rate at a given flow rate. Dishwasher according to claim 1,
characterized,
that the flow cross-section 30 mm ² to 70 mm ^2, preferably from 40 mm ² to 60 mm ^2, more preferably 45 mm ² to 55 mm ^2, most preferably 50 mm ^2. Dishwasher according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized,
that the tube (8) is circular in cross section. Dishwasher according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized,
that the tube (8) is oval in cross section. Dishwasher according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the tube (8) in the direction of flow a length of 30 m to 100 m, preferably from 40 m to 80 m, more preferably from 50 m to 60 m. Dishwasher according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the tube (8) is laid meandering. Dishwasher according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the tube (8) is arranged laterally of the washing container (3) on this.

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