EP3231345B1 - Dishwasher, especially program-controlled domestic dishwasher - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a dishwasher, in particular a program-controlled domestic dishwasher, with a rinsing container providing a washing compartment, which serves to receive items to be cleaned, a collecting pot into which the rinsing container opens, one of the circulation of rinsing liquor serving circulating pump, which is connected to the collecting pot , as well as with an insertable into the collecting pot sieve arrangement.

Dishwashers in general and program-controlled household dishwashers in particular are well known from the prior art, which is why it does not require a separate documentary proof at this point.

Dishwashers of the generic type have a washing container, which provides a washing compartment, also called treatment room. This washing compartment is accessible on the user side via a charging opening which can be closed in a fluid-tight manner by means of a pivotally mounted flushing door. In the intended use case, the washing container serves to receive items to be cleaned, which in the case of a household dishwasher, for example, can be crockery, cutlery and / or the like.

To treat items to be cleaned with rinsing liquid, the so-called rinsing liquor, the dishwasher has a spraying device inside the rinsing container. This spraying device generally provides rotatably mounted spray arms, with typically two or three such spray arms being provided. In the intended use case, a loading of the items to be cleaned with rinse liquor by means of rotating spray arms.

The rinsing fluid dispensed by the spraying device accumulates in the collecting pot, into which the rinsing container discharges. The collection pot is connected to a circulation pump on the one hand and a drain pump on the other. To charge the Spraying device with rinsing water serves the circulating pump, which circulates the rinsing liquid conveyed into the dishwasher in the intended use case.

In the course of carrying out a proper washing program it comes to cleaning the items to be cleaned, as a result, accumulate dirt particles in the wash liquor. In order to determine the degree of soiling of the rinsing liquor, it is known from the prior art to carry out a turbidity measurement of the rinsing liquor by means of a turbidity sensor. Such a turbidity sensor is typically arranged in the collection pot and has a transmitting unit and a receiving unit, which are spaced apart from each other with the interposition of a measuring section. The transmitting unit is, for example, an infrared LED, in which case the receiving unit is designed as a photodiode.

If a turbidity measurement carried out during a wash program shows that the degree of soiling of the wash liquor exceeds a predefinable limit, the wash liquor must be at least partially discarded and replaced by fresh water. The drain pump, which is also connected to the collecting pot, accordingly switches on and removes the soiled washing solution by pumping it out of the collecting pot.

In terms of fluid technology, the collecting pot, into which the rinsing container discharges, is separated from the rinsing container by a sieve arrangement. The rinsing liquor circulated in the intended use case by the circulating pump therefore accumulates only after passing through the sieve arrangement in the collecting pot. Leftovers, dirt particles and / or similar impurities are retained by the sieve arrangement, so that it comes to circulation of a so far purified by screening rinse.

If the sieve arrangement is not or not correctly inserted into the collecting pot due to, for example, a user-side operating error, it also undesirably leads to the circulation of dirt particles, so that it is no longer ensured that the cleaning result that is desirable to achieve is actually achieved. It can also happen due to the turbidity measurement, that basically still usable rinsing liquor is discarded, resulting in a disadvantageous way to unnecessarily high water consumption.

The US 2013104935 A1 describes a dishwasher with a dishwasher providing rinsing container, a collecting pot, in which the rinsing container opens, one of the circulation of rinsing liquor serving circulating pump, which is connected to the collecting pot, as well as with an insertable into the collecting pot screen assembly and with a sensor device which serves to detect the sieve assembly.

It is based on the prescribed object of the invention to propose a dishwasher in the aforementioned type, which allows a comparison with the prior art improved handling while increased reliability.

To solve this problem, the invention proposes a dishwasher with the features of claim 1.

The dishwasher according to the invention has a sensor device which serves to detect the sieve arrangement. It is therefore proposed a Sieberkennung. It can be determined by means of this, whether the sieve arrangement is intended used in the collecting pot or not. If by means of the sensor device a missing screen arrangement and / or an improperly arranged screen arrangement is detected, a signal output to the user of the dishwasher and / or the execution of a washing program is prevented by control technology.

The embodiment of the invention provides in the intended use case increased reliability, because it takes place preferably before each program start a detection of the sieve arrangement on proper arrangement. As a result, the handling of the dishwasher is improved because the user of the dishwasher is advised before a possible start of a washing program on a possibly missing and / or not correctly inserted into the collecting pot sieve arrangement. Unnecessarily high water consumption and / or insufficient washing results can be effectively prevented.

The sensor device according to the invention requires no additional sensor. According to the invention, the turbidity sensor, which is arranged anyway in the collection pot, is used as part of the sensor device according to the invention. The sensor device furthermore has a sensing element which cooperates with the screen arrangement. By interacting with this cooperating with the screen assembly Sensing element with the turbidity sensor, a detection of the sieve arrangement, wherein the presence of the sieve arrangement on the other hand, as well as the proper arrangement of an existing sieve arrangement can be detected and monitored.

Before the start of a washing program, that is to say before the introduction of fresh water into the dishwasher, a sieve detection is carried out using the turbidity sensor. Since at this time no rinsing solution is still in the collecting pot, the signal output caused by the turbidity sensor for detecting the sieve arrangement is not distorted. If this detection results in a proper seating of the sieve arrangement, the fresh water is introduced and the rinsing program can begin. If, however, a missing sieve arrangement and / or an incorrect seat of the sieve arrangement is sensed, a fresh water introduction is omitted and the user of the dishwasher is informed of the error by audible and / or visual signal output.

The sensor device according to the invention uses the already present in the collecting pot turbidity sensor for Sieberkennung. In that regard, the inventive design proves to be particularly economical, since neither the use of additional sensors nor their assembly are required.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the Sensierungselement is a, in particular in the height direction of the collecting pot linear, movable slide. Due to its mobility, the slide can be moved into or out of the detection range of the turbidity sensor.

The turbidity sensor is preferably one which, while forming a measuring path, has a transmitting unit on the one hand and a receiving unit on the other hand. Depending on the position of the slider serving as a sensing element, the measuring distance provided by the turbidity sensor is either free or blocked, that is to say the receiving unit can receive a signal emitted by the transmitting unit or not. Since the slider cooperates with the screen assembly, a proper placement of the screen assembly can be detected in this way. This is in particular present when the slide introduced into the measuring path of the turbidity sensor does not block the signal emanating from the transmitting unit, that is to say a reception of the signal by the receiving unit is permitted.

The slider is preferably mounted collecting pot side in a groove guide vertically movable. The slider thus provided by the collecting pot cooperates, for example, with a sliding guide provided by the sieve arrangement. This slide guide is used in a twisting movement of the screen assembly for the purpose of inserting the same in the collecting pot as a drive for the slide, with a proper insertion of the screen assembly by rotational movement due to the cooperating with the slide link guide causes the slide in the height direction of the collecting pot moves upward. In this upward moved end position provided by the turbidity sensor measuring path is released, whereby a proper arrangement of the sieve assembly is detected. If the sieve arrangement is not inserted or not correctly inserted into the collecting pot, a movement of the slide in the height direction of the collecting pot is prevented upwards, so that the measuring distance provided by the turbidity sensor is blocked. In this position of the slider, no signal reception can take place on the part of the receiving unit of the turbidity sensor, whereby an improper insertion of the screen assembly is detected in the collecting pot.

According to a second alternative of the invention it is provided that the Sensierungselement is arranged on the screen assembly. According to this embodiment, the sensing element is designed according to a kind of sword, which is moved into the measuring range of a turbidity sensor as a result of a rotational movement of the sieve arrangement. In this context, it is preferable to use a turbidity sensor which has a transmitting unit and a receiving unit which are spaced apart from one another to form two measuring sections. The formation of two measuring sections has the advantage that not only an incorrectly used sieve arrangement but also a completely missing sieve arrangement can be recognized. For example, it may be provided that a proper screen arrangement is only present if one of the two measuring sections is interrupted. If both measuring sections are blocked or free, there is an improper sieve arrangement or it is missing.

To form two measuring sections, the transmitting unit of the turbidity sensor can either have two transmitters or a transmitter is provided which interacts with a corresponding optics to form two measuring sections.

According to a third alternative, the sensing element is an optical waveguide. This is mounted siebanordnungsseitig and is retracted with properly inserted screen assembly in the beam path of the turbidity sensor. In this position, an additional receiver receives the signal emitted by the transmission unit of the turbidity sensor so that both the presence of the screen arrangement and its proper alignment are detected.

All in all, a dishwashing machine is proposed with the invention, which allows a Sieberkennung using the already existing turbidity sensor, which on the one hand improves the handling and on the other hand increases the reliability.

Figur 1

in schematischer Schnittdarstellung einen Sammeltopf;

Figur 2

in schematischer Perspektivdarstellung ein Sensierungselement gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform;

Figur 3

in zwei Ansichten eine mit dem Sensierungselement nach Figur 2 zusammenwirkende Siebanordnung;

Figur 4

in schematischer Schnittdarstellung das vom Sammeltopf aufgenommene Sensierungselement gemäß Figur 2 in einer ersten Stellung;

Figur 5

in schematischer Schnittdarstellung das vom Sammeltopf aufgenommene Sensierungselement gemäß Figur 2 in einer zweiten Stellung;

Figur 6

in schematischer Darstellung eine in einen Sammeltopf eingesetzte Siebanordnung gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform;

Figur 7

in schematischer Darstellung einen Trübungssensor gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform;

Figur 8

in schematischer Darstellung einen Trübungssensor gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform;

Figur 9

in schematischer Darstellung einen Trübungssensor gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform;

Figur 10

in schematischer Darstellung den Trübungssensor nach Figur 9 in Kombination mit einem Sensierungselement gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform in einer ersten Stellung;

Figur 11

in schematischer Darstellung den Trübungssensor nach Figur 9 in Kombination mit einem Sensierungselement gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform in einer zweiten Stellung; und

Figur 12

in schematischer Prinzipdarstellung eine Geschirrspülmaschine.

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

FIG. 1

in a schematic sectional view of a collection pot;

FIG. 2

a schematic perspective view of a sensing element according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 3

in two views one with the sensing element after FIG. 2 cooperating sieve arrangement;

FIG. 4

in a schematic sectional view taken from the collecting pot sensing element according to FIG. 2 in a first position;

FIG. 5

in a schematic sectional view taken from the collecting pot sensing element according to FIG. 2 in a second position;

FIG. 6

in a schematic representation of an inserted into a collecting pot screen assembly according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 7

a schematic representation of a turbidity sensor according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 8

a schematic representation of a turbidity sensor according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 9

a schematic representation of a turbidity sensor according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 10

in a schematic representation of the turbidity sensor after FIG. 9 in combination with a sensing element according to a third embodiment in a first position;

FIG. 11

in a schematic representation of the turbidity sensor after FIG. 9 in combination with a sensing element according to a third embodiment in a second position; and

FIG. 12

in a schematic schematic diagram of a dishwasher.

FIG. 12 can be seen in a purely schematic representation of a dishwasher 1 in the embodiment of a program-controlled household dishwasher.

The dishwasher 1 has, in a manner known per se, a housing 2 which accommodates a washing container 3. The washing container 3 in turn provides a washing compartment 4 for receiving items to be cleaned. For loading the washing compartment 4 with items to be cleaned has the rinse tank 3 via a feed opening 5. This is closed in a fluid-tight manner by means of a Spülraumtür 6, wherein the Spülraumtür 6 is mounted drehverschwenkbar about a horizontal pivot axis.

In the intended use case, a loading of the items to be cleaned with rinse liquor takes place, for which purpose the dishwasher 1 has a spraying device 7. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the spray device 7 includes an upper spray arm 8 and a lower spray arm 9.

The spraying device 7 is fluidly connected to a circulating pump of the dishwasher 1, not shown in the figures, by means of which the spraying arms 8 and 9 of the spraying device 7 are supplied with washing liquor.

The washing compartment 3 providing the washing compartment 4 opens with respect to the Drawing plane after FIG. 12 on the underside in an in FIG. 12 a collection pot 10 not shown. At this collecting pot 10, the circulation pump is connected. Fluidtechnisch is the collection pot 10 from the washing container 3 by a likewise in FIG. 12 sieve assembly 16 not shown separately. The rinsing liquor circulated in the intended use case by the circulating pump collects after draining items to be washed and after passing through the sieve arrangement 16 in the collecting pot 10. From there, it reaches the spraying device 7 in the already prescribed manner in circulation operation.

FIG. 1 can be seen in a partially sectioned perspective view of the collection pot 10 in detail. In this case, a sieve assembly 16 is used in the intended use case, as exemplified in FIG. 3 is shown.

The collecting pot 10 has a recess 11. A turbidity sensor 13 is inserted into this in the final assembled state, as can be seen by way of example from FIGS FIGS. 4 and 5 results. As can be seen further from these figures, the turbidity sensor 13 has a transmitting unit 14 and a receiver unit 15, which are arranged at a distance from one another while forming a measuring path. The transmitting unit can be, for example, an infrared LED, in which case the receiving unit is designed as a phototransistor or as a photodiode.

In the height direction 20, a groove guide 18 is formed below the recess 11, as the FIGS. 1 . 4 and 5 reveal. In the final assembled state 18 serving as Sensierungselement 17 slide 19 is inserted into this groove guide. A detail view is FIG. 2 refer to.

• Figur 5 zeigt die Stellung des Schiebers 19 bei nicht in den Sammeltopf 10 eingesetzter Siebanordnung 16. In dieser Stellung befindet sich der Schieber 19 in seiner mit Bezug auf die Höhenrichtung 20 unteren Endstellung. Die vom Trübungssensor 13 bereitgestellte Messstrecke ist in dieser Stellung des Schiebers 19 blockiert, sodass ein etwaiges von der Sendeeinheit 14 abgegebenes Signal von der Empfangseinheit 15 nicht empfangen werden kann.

The slide 19 has a cooperating with the turbidity sensor 13 bore 23 and a guide extension 21 which cooperates with a provided by the screen assembly 16 slide guide 22. The turbidity sensor 13 and the sensing element 17 together form a sensor device 12 which serves to detect the sieve arrangement 16, that is to say the detection of the sieve arrangement 16. The operation is the following:

• FIG. 5 shows the position of the slider 19 when not inserted into the collecting pot 10 sieve assembly 16. In this position, the slider 19 is in its reference on the height direction 20 lower end position. The measuring path provided by the turbidity sensor 13 is blocked in this position of the slide 19, so that any signal emitted by the transmitting unit 14 can not be received by the receiving unit 15.

If now the sieve assembly 16 is properly inserted by twisting into the collecting pot 10, then the guide extension 21 of the slider 19 engages in the slide guide 22 provided by the sieve arrangement 16, which due to its geometric design ensures that the sieve arrangement 16 rotates due to its geometrical configuration, that the slide 19 is moved in its groove guide 18 in the height direction 20 upwards. FIG. 4 lets recognize these in the height direction 20 moved upwards end position of the slider 19. In this position of the slide 19, the end 23 provided by the slide 19 bore 23 is moved into the measuring path of the turbidity sensor 13, so that an unhindered signal transition from the transmitting unit 14 to the receiving unit 15 can take place. The proper introduction of the sieve assembly 16 in the collection pot 10 can be detected.

At the beginning of each washing program, a corresponding signal is emitted by the transmitting unit 14 of the turbidity sensor 13 before an inlet of fresh water. If this signal is received by the receiving unit 15, the slider 19 is in the in FIG. 4 shown position, which is synonymous with the fact that the sieve assembly 16 is properly arranged in the collecting pot 10. However, if the signal emitted by the transmitting unit 14 is not received by the receiving unit 15, the measuring path provided by the turbidity sensor 13 is blocked by the position of the slide 19, which position of the slide 19 in FIG FIG. 5 is shown. In this way, a sieve arrangement 16 not introduced into the collection pot 10 or a sieve arrangement 16 in a malposition is detected.

An alternative embodiment shows FIG. 6 , According to this embodiment, the sensing element 17 is formed as a arranged on the screen assembly 16 sword 24. This sword 24 has at its end a bore 25. The sword 24 of the sieve assembly 16 cooperates with a turbidity sensor 13 provided by the collecting pot 10.

The screen assembly 16 is preferably by means of a rotation of 90 degrees properly arranged in the collecting pot 10 locked. In order to ensure reliable detection of the screen assembly 16 therefore four swords 24 are arranged on the screen assembly 16, as shown in FIG. 6 is shown.

If a signal emitted by the transmitting unit 14 of the turbidity sensor 13 is received by the receiving unit 15 of the turbidity sensor 13 in the previously described manner, this allows the conclusion to be drawn about a strainer assembly 16 properly inserted into the collecting pot 10. However, a signal emitted by the transmitting unit 14 is received by the receiving unit 15 even if there is a complete lack of a sieve 16. In order to be able to detect such a lack of a sieve arrangement 16, it is proposed that the turbidity sensor 13 provide two measuring sections 26 and 27. This can be done either by the transmitting unit 14 having two transmitters, as in FIG FIG. 7 on the left or the transmitting unit 14 has a transmitter in combination with a corresponding optics, as in FIG. 7 shown on the right.

The formation of two measuring sections 26 and 27 has the advantage that three different states of the sieve arrangement 16 can be detected. If the sieve arrangement 16 is arranged correctly within the collecting pot 10, the one measuring section 27 is blocked, while the other measuring section 26 is free. If the sieve arrangement 16 is missing, then both measuring sections 26 and 27 are free. In an existing, but misused sieve arrangement both measuring sections 26 and 27 are blocked. As a result, both the presence of a sieve assembly 16 and its proper orientation in the collection pot 10 can be seen.

Another embodiment is in the FIGS. 9 to 11 shown. According to this embodiment, a turbidity sensor 13 is used, which has a transmitting unit 14 and a receiving unit 15, which are formed parallel to each other with respect to their radiation path. To form the measuring section 29 optical waveguides 28 are used, as in FIG. 9 shown.

According to this embodiment, the optical waveguide 31 arranged on the sieve arrangement serves as the sensing element 17. Preferably, the receiving unit has a second receiver 30 in addition to a first receiver. This cooperates with the transmitting unit 14 via the optical waveguides 28 and 31. Just when the screen assembly 16 is properly inserted into the collection pot 10, the optical fiber 31 is at the correct for a signal supply of the receiver 30 position. Proper insertion of the screen assembly 16 can thus be detected. On the other hand, if the screen assembly 16 is missing or is not properly inserted in the collecting pot 10, the correct positioning of the optical waveguide 31 is lacking, with the result that no signal is received by the receiver 30. The malposition of the sieve assembly 16 is detected.

reference numeral

1. 1 dishwasher
2. 2 housings
3. 3 rinse tanks
4. 4 washroom
5. 5 feed opening
6. 6 door
7. 7 spraying device
8. 8 spray arm
9. 9 spray arm
10. 10 collection pot
11. 11 recess
12. 12 sensor device
13. 13 turbidity sensor
14. 14 transmitting unit
15. 15 receiving unit
16. 16 sieve arrangement
17. 17 Sensing element
18. 18 groove guide
19. 19 pushers
20. 20 height direction
21. 21 guide extension
22. 22 slide guide
23. 23 hole
24. 24 sword
25. 25 hole
26. 26 measuring section
27. 27 measuring section
28. 28 optical fibers
29. 29 measuring section
30. 30 recipients
31. 31 optical fibers

Claims (8)

1. Dishwasher, in particular a program-controlled household dishwasher, comprising a washing container (3) that provides a washing chamber (4) and is used to receive washware to be cleaned, a collection vessel (10) into which the washing container opens, a circulation pump that is attached to the collection vessel (10) and is used to circulate washing solution, a screen arrangement (16) that can be inserted into the collection vessel (10), and a sensor device (12) that is used to detect the screen arrangement (16), characterised in that the sensor device (12) has a turbidity sensor (13) arranged in the collection vessel (10) and a sensing element (17) that interacts with the screen arrangement (16).
2. Dishwasher according to claim 1, characterised in that the sensing element (17) is a slide (19) that can be moved linearly in the vertical direction (20) of the collection vessel (10).
3. Dishwasher according to claim 2, characterised in that the slide (19) interacts with a slide guide (22) provided by the screen arrangement (16).
4. Dishwasher according to claim 1, characterised in that the sensing element (17) is arranged on the screen arrangement (16).
5. Dishwasher according to either claim 1 or claim 4, characterised in that the sensing element (17) is an optical waveguide (28, 31).
6. Dishwasher according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the turbidity sensor (13) has a transmitter unit (14) and a receiver unit (15), which are mutually spaced in order to form two measurement paths (26, 27).
7. Dishwasher according to claim 6, characterised in that the receiver unit (15) has two receivers.
8. Dishwasher according to either claim 6 or claim 7, characterised in that the transmitter unit (14) has a transmitter and an optical system interacting therewith.

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