EP2888986A1 - Pump for discharging a liquid and household appliance comprising such a pump - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pump for discharging a liquid with an engine compartment, an electric motor having a drive shaft and is located in the engine compartment, and an impeller which is attached to the drive shaft, wherein between a front end cap of the engine compartment and the impeller a axial clearance is present. It is provided that in the front end cap of the engine compartment an annular groove and on the impeller in the direction of the annular groove extending, annular impeller extension is formed. By providing the annular impeller extension and the matched annular groove is achieved during a high-speed rotation of the impeller in the liquid during operation of the pump for discharging a liquid that the hair, particles, fibers or the like contained in the liquid. Difficult with the Rotary movement of the impeller can pass through a formed by the annular impeller extension and the tuned annular groove in the axial clearance between the front end cap of the engine compartment and impeller. In this way, it is possible to prevent such foreign bodies from accumulating or winding on the drive shaft or around the drive shaft, thus preventing an operational high-speed rotation of the drive shaft and impairing the drainage performance of the pump.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a pump for discharging a liquid, in particular a dewatering pump.

The present invention further relates to a household appliance with such a pump, in particular a dishwasher or a washing machine.

Technical background

In existing existing conventionally constructed pumps for discharging a liquid, the drive shaft rotates together with the rotor of the electric motor in the rotor chamber, while the impeller of the pump rotates in the hydraulic chamber. More details can be found in the European patent application EP 2455614 A2 , The liquid discharged from the pump, such as the washing water of a dishwasher or a washing machine, is often soiled with hair, particles, fibers or the like. In addition, there is some play between the impeller attached to the drive shaft and a front end cap of the engine compartment to ensure free rotation of the impeller. During operation of the pump, the impeller is rotated for liquid discharge at a high speed in the hydraulic chamber, wherein the liquid contained in the hair, particles, fibers or the like. With the rotational movement of the impeller in said play and enter the rotary shaft or the Accumulating or rotating the rotary shaft prevents high-speed rotation of the rotating shaft and impairs the drainage performance of the pump.

Disclosure of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a structurally improved pump for discharging a liquid with which the operational drainage capacity of a liquid drainage pump can be ensured.

According to the invention the object is achieved by a pump for discharging a liquid with an engine compartment, an electric motor having a drive shaft and is located in the engine compartment, and an impeller which is attached to the drive shaft, wherein between a front end cap of the engine compartment and the Impeller an axial clearance is present. It is provided that in the front end cap of the engine compartment an annular groove and on the impeller in the direction of the annular groove extending, annular impeller extension is formed.

By providing the annular impeller extension and the matched annular groove is achieved during a high-speed rotation of the impeller in the liquid during operation of the pump for discharging a liquid that the hair, particles, fibers or the like contained in the liquid. Difficult with the Rotary movement of the impeller can pass through a formed by the annular impeller extension and the tuned annular groove in the axial clearance between the front end cap of the engine compartment and impeller. In this way, it is possible to prevent such foreign bodies from accumulating or winding on the drive shaft or around the drive shaft, thus preventing an operational high-speed rotation of the drive shaft and impairing the drainage performance of the pump.

Furthermore, the impeller simultaneously reciprocates axially during high speed rotation with the drive shaft, and with the annular groove in the front end cap, greater space for the axial reciprocation of the impeller can be created to provide contact between the annular impeller extension and to avoid front end cap.

In addition, both the annular impeller extension of the impeller and the matched annular groove can be provided in an amount of more than one. Thus, if sufficient space is available on the impeller and the front end cap, within the annular impeller extension of the impeller one or more additional annular impeller extensions and within the annular groove also one or more additional, correspondingly arranged annular grooves may be provided the annular impeller projections each protrude axially into an associated annular groove. By providing a plurality of annular impeller extensions and a plurality of tuned annular grooves a curvaceous channel can be generated, making it even more difficult that contained in the liquid discharged hair, particles, fibers or the like. Through this channel in the axial play between Enter the front end cap of the engine compartment and impeller and accumulate or wind on the drive shaft or around the drive shaft.

In a development of the invention, the annular impeller extension projects axially into the annular groove.

In this way, a still curvaceous channel can be formed by the annular impeller extension and the matched annular groove, which is even more difficult to happen for hair, particles, fibers or the like contained in the liquid. At the same time a slight shortening of the drive shaft is conceivable to reduce the axial total length of the pump for discharging a liquid something.

In a development of the invention, the axial clearance has an axial width which is at least greater than 1.5 mm.

In one embodiment of the invention, the axial width of the axial clearance is between 1.5 mm and 3.5 mm.

In a further development of the invention, the annular impeller extension extends axially in the direction of the front end cap of the engine compartment by a predetermined amount.

With such a configuration, an axial projecting of the annular impeller extension into the annular groove and thus a cooperation between the annular impeller extension and annular groove can be ensured.

In a further development of the invention, the annular groove is formed in a surface of the front end cap of the engine compartment.

In a further development of the invention, an annular end cap extension arranged around the annular groove is additionally formed on the front end cap of the engine compartment and extends axially by a predetermined amount.

In one embodiment of the invention, a radial clearance is present between the annular Endkappenfortsatz and annular impeller extension.

In a further development of the invention, the radial clearance, the annular groove and the axial play are connected to form a curved channel.

This results in a longer access channel, which makes it even more difficult for the hair, particles, fibers or the like contained in the discharged liquid to enter through this channel in the axial play between the front end cap of the engine compartment and impeller and on the drive shaft or at accumulate or wind the drive shaft. In this connection, of course, as mentioned above, a plurality of annular grooves may be formed in the front end cap and a plurality of annular impeller extensions may be formed on the impeller, respectively. This results in an even curvilinear curved channel, which makes it even harder that the hair, particles, fibers or the like contained in the discharged liquid enter through this channel in the axial clearance between the front end cap of the engine compartment and impeller and on the drive shaft or accumulate or wind around the drive shaft.

In a development of the invention, the curved channel comprises at least a first and a second corner.

In one development of the invention, both the first and the second corner have an angle of approximately 90 degrees.

It is provided that the curved channel initially extends axially in a direction pointing to the front end cap direction to the first corner and then in the longitudinal direction to the second corner. This in turn is followed by an axial extension in a direction away from the front end cap direction. This results in an even curvilinear curved channel, which makes it even harder that in the Hair, particles, fibers or the like contained. Liquid discharged through this channel in the axial play between the front end cap of the engine compartment and impeller and accumulate or wind on the drive shaft or to the drive shaft.

In this connection, as mentioned above, a plurality of annular grooves may be formed in the front end cap and a plurality of annular vane extensions may be formed on the impeller, so that the curved channel has a longer course and more similar first and second corners. This results in an even curvilinear curved channel, which makes it even harder that the hair, particles, fibers or the like contained in the discharged liquid enter through this channel in the axial clearance between the front end cap of the engine compartment and impeller and on the drive shaft or accumulate or wind around the drive shaft.

In a further development of the invention, the annular groove has a greater radial width than the annular impeller extension.

In a further development of the invention, the annular groove has a radial width which is larger by 1-4 mm than the radial width of the annular impeller extension.

With such a configuration can be achieved that the annular impeller extension protrudes into the annular groove, so that the curved channel described above arises. Moreover, in the high-speed rotation of the impeller, a free rotational movement of the annular impeller extension is made possible in the annular groove.

In a further development of the invention, the annular impeller extension has an axial length which is greater than the axial width of the axial clearance.

In a further development of the invention, the annular impeller extension has an axial length which is greater by 1.5-4 mm than the axial width of the axial clearance.

With such a configuration, the annular impeller extension can axially exceed the axial clearance to project into the annular groove and thereby produce the curved channel described above.

In a further development of the invention, the impeller is mounted on the drive shaft so that when sliding the impeller on the drive shaft between the impeller and the front end cap of the engine compartment, the axial play arises.

In one embodiment of the invention, the impeller, the annular impeller extension and the annular groove are arranged concentrically with each other.

In a development of the invention, the pump for discharging a liquid is a centrifugal pump for draining water.

The invention further proposes a household appliance operated with water, in particular a dishwasher or a washing machine, which comprises a pump for discharging a liquid according to one of the preceding embodiments.

Hereinafter, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to a most preferred embodiment, in which the water-operated household appliance is designed as a dishwasher. However, this does not mean that the scope of the invention is limited only to dishwashers.

Presentation of the pictures

• FIG 1 den schematischen Aufbau eines Haushaltsgeschirrspülers gemäß einem am meisten bevorzugten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung,
• FIG 2 den schematischen Aufbau einer erfindungsgemäßen Pumpe zum Abführen einer Flüssigkeit,
• FIG 3 in räumlicher Darstellung den schematischen Aufbau einer erfindungsgemäßen Pumpe zum Abführen einer Flüssigkeit und
• FIG 4 eine herausvergrößerte Ansicht des mit A bezeichneten Bereiches in FIG 2.

Show it

• FIG. 1 the schematic structure of a household dishwasher according to a most preferred embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 2 the schematic structure of a pump according to the invention for discharging a liquid,
• FIG. 3 in a spatial representation of the schematic structure of a pump according to the invention for discharging a liquid and
• FIG. 4 an enlarged view of the designated area A in FIG. 2 ,

Concrete embodiments

The in FIG. 1 illustrated dishwasher GS includes a serving as a washing container interior IR, which is by a door (not labeled) can be opened or closed, wherein the door for the purpose of loading or unloading is pivotally connected to the dishwasher GS. In the interior IR of the dishwasher GS a dish rack GK is arranged for receiving an object to be cleaned, which is removable from the interior IR of the dishwasher GS, in order to simplify the loading or unloading.

For cleaning the object to be cleaned stored in the dish rack GK, a spray device in the form of a spray arm SA for applying a fluid to the object to be cleaned is installed in the interior IR of the dishwasher GS, wherein the fluid may be filled with e.g. a cleaning or rinsing agent may be mixed with water to allow cleaning and / or spotless drying of the object to be cleaned. Moreover, the fluid dripping from the object to be cleaned is collected in a pump sump PS located in a bottom portion of the interior IR of the dishwasher GS. In the pump sump PS also a filter device (not labeled) is installed, with the impurities or particles can be cut out of the circulating fluid.

Furthermore, the spray arm SA is flow-connected via a supply line ZL with a circulation pump UP, which is located in the vicinity of the other dishwasher components of a arranged below the interior IR of the dishwasher GS bottom part BO. During operation of the circulation pump UP, the fluid collected in the pump sump PS is drawn in by the circulation pump UP and fed to the spray arm SA via the supply line ZL. In this exemplary embodiment, the circulation pump UP comprises an integrated water heater WZ in order to heat the fluid flowing through the circulation pump UP. Alternatively, a separate continuous heating or other water heaters may be provided to heat the fluid. Moreover, in the dishwasher GS a pump for discharging a liquid LP, in particular for discharging a befindliches in the interior IR of the dishwasher GS liquid is provided, which can be fluidly connected both with the pump sump PS and with a drainage line EL of a household wastewater drainage network.

How out FIG. 2 it can be seen, the pump for discharging a liquid LP, in particular for discharging a located in the interior IR of the dishwasher

Liquid, an engine compartment 10, in which an electric motor 20 is installed. The electric motor 20 includes a rotor chamber 14 located in the engine compartment 10 in which a drive shaft 40 provided with a bearing 70 and a rotor 50 is installed. Around the rotor chamber 14 around a stator 60 is arranged. At a protruding from the engine compartment 10 end of the rotary shaft 40, an impeller 30 is mounted. In operation of the electric motor 20, the impeller 30 is rotated by the rotary shaft 40 at high speed to discharge the liquid. As it turned out FIG. 3 shows, in an upper surface of a front end cap 11 of the engine compartment 10, an annular groove 12 and an annular end cap extension 13 are formed around it, which extends axially by a predetermined amount. Furthermore, the impeller 30 is mounted in a region of the rotary shaft 40 facing the front end cap 11, wherein an annular impeller projection 31 formed on the impeller 30 projects in the direction of the annular groove 12 in the front end cap 11, preferably in the Annular groove 12, extends. Here, the annular groove 12 has a radial width which is preferably larger by 1-4 mm than the radial width of the annular impeller extension 31. Further, the impeller 30, the annular impeller extension 31 and the annular groove 12 are arranged concentrically with each other.

In addition, the impeller 30 is in the forward end cap 11 facing portion of the rotary shaft 40 attached to this so that between the impeller 30 and front end cap 11 an axial clearance L1 is present, see FIG. 4 , This axial clearance L1 has an axial width which is at least greater than 1.5 mm and preferably between 1.5 mm and 3.5 mm. Moreover, the annular impeller extension 31 has an axial length which is preferably 1.5-4 mm larger than the axial width of the axial clearance L1, and therefore can axially exceed the axial clearance L1 to project into the annular groove 12. In addition, there is a radial clearance L2 between annular impeller extension 31 and annular end cap extension 13, which is connected to form a curved channel 80 with the annular groove 12 and the axial clearance L1. It is provided that the curved channel 80 initially extends axially in a direction pointing to the front end cap 11 direction to a first corner and then in the longitudinal direction to a second corner. This is followed, in turn, initially by an axial extension in a direction pointing away from the front end cap 11 and then again by a longitudinal extension. This results in a longer and curvilinear curved channel 80, with the first and second corners preferably each having an angle of approximately 90 degrees.

By providing the annular impeller extension 31 and the matched annular groove 12 is achieved during high-speed rotation of the impeller 30 in the liquid during operation of the pump for discharging a liquid that contained in the liquid hair, particles, fibers or the like. Only difficult with the rotational movement of the impeller 30 through the formed by the annular impeller extension 31 and the matched annular groove 12, curved channel 80 can get into the axial clearance L1 between the front end cap 11 of the engine compartment 10 and impeller 30. In this way, it is possible to prevent such foreign bodies from accumulating or twisting on the drive shaft 40 or around the drive shaft, thereby preventing an operational high-speed rotation of the drive shaft 40 and impairing the drainage performance of the pump.

Further, the impeller 30 simultaneously reciprocates axially during high speed rotation with the drive shaft 40, and with the annular groove 12 in the front end cap 11, greater space for the axial reciprocation of the impeller 30 can be created to make contact between annular impeller extension 31 and front end cap 11 and to prevent associated high speed rotation prevention.

It is understood that in another embodiment, both the annular impeller extension 31 of the impeller 30 and the matched annular groove 12 may be provided in an amount greater than one. Thus, provided that sufficient space is available on the impeller 31 and the front end cap 11, within the annular impeller extension 31 of the impeller 30, one or more additional annular impeller extensions and within the annular groove 12 also one or more additional, correspondingly arranged Ring grooves may be provided, wherein the annular impeller projections each protrude axially into an associated annular groove. By providing a plurality of annular impeller extensions 31 and a plurality of annular grooves 12 tuned thereto, an even longer and curvilinear curved channel 80 can be produced, making it even more difficult for the hair, particles, fibers or the like contained in the discharged liquid to pass through the curved channel 80 in the axial play L1 between the front end cap 11 of the Engine compartment 10 and impeller 30 enter and accumulate or wind on the drive shaft 40 or to the drive shaft.

The above is not a limitation of the scope of the invention, but merely serves to further explain possible embodiments of the invention. Any equivalent embodiment or variation, which is based on the basic ideas of the invention, is therefore included within the scope of the present invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

engine compartment

11

Front end cap

12

ring groove

13

Ring-shaped end cap extension

14

rotor chamber

20

electric motor

30

impeller

31

Annular impeller extension

40

drive shaft

50

rotor

60

stator

70

camp

80

Curved channel

L1

Axial game

L2

Radial game

GS

dishwasher

BO

the bottom part

IR

inner space

GK

dish rack

SA

spray arm

PS

sump

WZ

water Heating

UP

circulating pump

LP

Pump for removing a liquid

EL

drain pipe

ZL

supply

Claims (20)

Pump for discharging a liquid, comprising an engine compartment (10), an electric motor (20) having a drive shaft (40) and located in the engine compartment (10), an impeller (30) mounted on the drive shaft (40) with an axial clearance (L1) between a front end cap (11) of the engine compartment (10) and the impeller (30),
characterized in that in the front end cap (11) of the engine compartment an annular groove (12) and on the impeller (30) extending in the direction of the annular groove (12), annular impeller extension (31) is formed. Pump for discharging a liquid according to claim 1, characterized in that the annular impeller extension (31) projects axially into the annular groove (12). Pump for discharging a liquid according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the axial clearance (L1) has an axial width which is at least greater than 1.5 mm. Pump for discharging a liquid according to claim 3, characterized in that the axial width of the axial clearance (L1) is between 1.5 mm and 3.5 mm. Pump for discharging a liquid according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the annular impeller extension (31) extends axially towards the front end cap (11) of the engine compartment by a predetermined amount. A liquid discharge pump according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the annular groove (12) is formed in a surface of the front end cap (11) of the engine room. Pump for discharging a liquid according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that on the front end cap (11) of the engine compartment additionally arranged around the annular groove (12) around, annular end cap extension (13) formed which extends axially by a predetermined amount , Pump for discharging a liquid according to claim 7, characterized in that between the annular Endkappenfortsatz (13) and annular impeller extension (31) a radial clearance (L2) is present. Pump for discharging a liquid according to claim 8, characterized in that the radial play (L2), the annular groove (12) and the axial play (L1) are connected to form a curved channel (80). A liquid discharge pump according to claim 9, characterized in that the curved channel (80) comprises at least a first and a second corner. A fluid discharge pump according to claim 10, characterized in that both the first and second corners are at an angle of approximately 90 degrees. Pump for discharging a liquid according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the annular groove (12) has a greater radial width than the annular impeller extension (31). Pump for discharging a liquid according to claim 12, characterized in that the annular groove (12) has a radial width which is larger by 1-4 mm than the radial width of the annular impeller extension (31). A liquid discharge pump according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the annular impeller extension (31) has an axial length greater than the axial width of the axial clearance (L1). A liquid discharge pump according to claim 14, characterized in that the annular impeller extension (31) has an axial length which is larger by 1.5-4 mm than the axial width of the axial clearance (L1). Pump for discharging a liquid according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the impeller (31) on the drive shaft (40) is mounted so that when pushing the impeller (30) on the drive shaft (40) between impeller (30) and Front end cap (11) of the engine compartment, the axial clearance (L1) is formed. Pump for discharging a liquid according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the impeller (30), the annular impeller extension (31) and the annular groove (12) are arranged concentrically with each other. Pump for discharging a liquid according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the pump for discharging a liquid (LP) is a centrifugal pump for water removal. A water-powered household appliance, characterized in that it comprises a pump for discharging a liquid (LP) according to one of the preceding claims. A water-powered household appliance according to claim 19, characterized in that it is a dishwasher (GS) or a washing machine.

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