EP3539440B1

EP3539440B1 - System for unclogging a drain pipe of a washing apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP3539440B1
Application number: EP18161972.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yusuf AK
Original assignee: Vestel Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Current assignee: Vestel Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Priority date: 2018-03-15
Filing date: 2018-03-15
Publication date: 2022-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 2038-03-15
Also published as: EP3539440A1

Description

This invention refers to a dishwasher according to claim 1.

Background of the Invention

The drain pipes of the dishwashers have a common problem of being clogged because of food residues left out on dishes which are placed inside dishwasher. These food residues further move into the drain pipes during the washing operations and tend to clog them. In these situations, the machine cannot drain dirty water to drain outlet. Dirty water and residues are collected inside machine or high pressure occurs inside the drain pipe.
German Patent Publication DE102015212654 discloses a domestic appliance with a pump for conveying a fluid, wherein the pump comprises a pump housing with a fluid flow through the flow channel, a rotor which is disposed in the flow channel of the pump housing, and arranged on the pump housing cutting device for comminuting the solids contained in the fluid, wherein the cutting device is immovably disposed in the flow channel through which the fluid can flow.
Document US9683356B1 discloses an auger type device for unclogging a clogged plumbing system. The device includes a housing defining an inner cavity and having a side wall, an end wall, an opening, a rotatable shaft, and a handle. The opening provides a passageway for the wire in an extended condition. The housing has a multi-functional adaptor structured on the outside of the housing. The adaptor adapts the device to engage a plumbing system, wherein a unified plumbing cleaning system is created. Furthermore, the adaptor adapts the device to an introducer cap wherein the nozzle-shaped protrusion of the cap directs the wire of the device into the drain. The multi-functional adaptor is sized and shaped to engage a normal plumbing system and the introducer cap.
Document US5740830A discloses a method and apparatus for testing a plumbing system. During the rough-in plumbing phase of construction, the drain pipe leading from the plumbing system in a building to the city sewer main or main sewer line is positively sealed off by a test cap welded in the pipe at the location of the clean-out. Access to the test cap is maintained through the clean-out. Pressurizing the rough-in plumbing to test the same can then proceed knowing that if any leaks occur, they are in the branch plumbing on the building side of the test cap, and not at or in the test cap. Following successful completion of the initial test, the top-out plumbing job is completed, leaving the test cap welded in the clean-out or drain pipe. After the roof vents are in, the second test of the plumbing system is made, again knowing that if the system shows any leaks, they are the result of a failure in the plumbing work and not a failure of the test cap. After the plumbing system has passed final test and inspection, a special tool or apparatus in accordance with the present invention is inserted down the clean-out to penetrate and ream-out the test cap, so that the drain pipe is opened and provides a passageway through which the waste can flow to the sewer line.
Document US6187105B1 discloses a method for cleaning a conduit including a downpipe by removing deposits from a removal area in the downpipe. The method comprises the steps of introducing a milling cutter into the conduit below the removal area and rotatingly driving the milling cutter by a flexible shaft, feeding the rotating milling cutter through the conduit including the removal area in the downpipe by drawing the milling cutter in an upward direction above the removal area, removing the deposits with the rotating milling cutter, permitting flushing water to flow into the conduit from above the removal area for carrying away the removed deposits, and injecting flushing water into the conduit under pressure below the removal area in an outflow direction.
Document DE1503737 discloses a dishwashing machine which has on its manifold an evacuation pipe serving to evacuate the washing water, the discharge pipe has a curved section serving as a siphon and passing above the maximum level of liquid in the washing chamber, a device being provided for exerting a pressure of liquid under pressure in the pipe to cause siphoning, which avoids the insertion of a pump. The document is silent with respect to unclogging.
Document GB2300242B discloses a method of cleaning deposits from the inside of a pipe, comprising flushing a liquid through the pipe, and locally increasing the liquid flow rate adjacent the pipe wall for removing the deposits.
Document US3,268,937 discloses a drain and waste pipe cleaner device which is hand operated and power driven.
Further, European Patent Publication EP1256308 discloses a dishwashing machine which comprises a built-in garbage shredder that has a rotor adapted to selectively rotate in the two opposite directions as driven by a bi-directional electric motor, which is controlled by sensors adapted to cause the rotor to reverse the direction of rotation thereof when the resisting torque applied to the same rotor is detected to exceed a pre-determined threshold value.

Object of the Invention

It is therefore the object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for unclogging a drain pipe of a dishwasher in an efficient manner.

Description of the Invention

The before mentioned object is solved by a dishwasher according to claim 1.
This embodiment is helpful, as it provides for a mechanism to shred the clogging material by the movement of the sharp hood inside the drain pipe.
Further preferred embodiments are subject-matter of dependent claims and/or of the following specification parts.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the system comprises the auxiliary pipe extending from a part of the drain pipe such that the sharp hood is adapted to be reducible and housed in the auxiliary pipe when the sharp hood is not operating onto the clogging material inside the drain pipe.
This embodiment is beneficial as it provides a mechanism to keep the drain pipe unobstructed whenever the drain pipe is clear without any obstruction, and no shredding of the clogging material is required.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the dishwasher, the auxiliary pipe extends from the drain pipe in a tilting fashion.
This embodiment is helpful, as it helps in easy placement of the sharp hood into the drain flow whenever it is required during unclogging operation.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the dishwasher comprises a wire attached to the sharp hood at one end and anchored out of the drain pipe or the auxiliary pipe at another end and adapted to facilitate movement of the sharp hood in the drain pipe.
This embodiment is helpful, as it facilitates movement of the sharp hood in a guided and controlled fashion with the support of the wire.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the system comprises a rotatable disc anchoring the wire, and adapted to wind and unwind the wire for facilitating movement of the sharp hood inside the drain pipe.
This embodiment is helpful, as it further facilitates for controlled movement of the sharpened hood.
According to another preferred embodiment of the dishwasher, the rotatable disc is physically coupled to the auxiliary pipe, such that the wire extends from the disc into the auxiliary pipe, and further extendable into the drain pipe from the auxiliary pipe.
This embodiment is helpful, as it facilitates the guided and controlled movement of the sharpened hood from and into the auxiliary tube.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the system comprises a motor functionally coupled to the wire for moving the wire for facilitating the movement of the sharp hood inside the drain pipe.
This embodiment is beneficial, as it provides a machine provided movement of the sharp hood, which requires minimal human efforts.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the system comprises a sensor unit functionally coupled to the drain pipe and adapted to generate a sensing data related to presence of the clogging material inside the drain pipe.
This embodiment is beneficial, as it provides a mechanism to identify clogging of the drain pipe.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the dishwasher, the sensor unit comprises an ultrasonic generator adapted to generate an ultrasonic sound wave and to direct the ultrasound sound wave towards the drain pipe, and an ultrasonic receiver adapted to receive the ultrasound sound waves after being reflected, and to generate the sensing data based on the reflected ultrasound wave.
This embodiment is beneficial, as it provides for an efficient and easily implementable sensing unit.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the system comprises a microcontroller adapted to receive the sensing data from the sensing unit, and adapted to process the sensing data, and to determine the presence of the clogging material inside the drain pipe.
This embodiment is beneficial, as it provides for an automated mechanism for determining clogging of the drain pipe.
According to a further optional embodiment of the dishwasher, the microcontroller is adapted to process the sensing data by comparing the sensing data with a reference value, and to determine presence of the clogging material inside the drain pipe.
This embodiment is beneficial, as it provides an efficient and accurate mechanism for determining clogging of the drain pipe. Comparing with reference values helps in providing accuracy in determination of presence of the clogging material.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the dishwasher, the microcontroller is adapted to process the sensing data and adapted to determine a length of the drain pipe where the clogging material is clogging inside the drain pipe.
This embodiment is beneficial, as it provides an identification of the length where the clogging operation is required. Hence, the sharp hood can be moved to the location of the determined length for performing unclogging operation. This helps in accurate movement of the sharp hood inside the drain pipe.
According to another optional embodiment of the dishwasher, the microcontroller is adapted to generate a trigger based on determination of the presence of the clogging material inside the drain pipe, the system comprising a controller adapted to receive the trigger from the microcontroller and adapted to control the motor based on the trigger.
This embodiment is beneficial, as it provides for automatic functioning of the system without much human intervention, where sensing of clogging material, and operating on the clogging material both is automated.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the dishwasher, the sharp hood is having trapezoid shape.
This embodiment is beneficial, as it facilitates in faster and easier movement of the sharp hood inside the drain pipe.
Further benefits, goals and features of the present invention will be described by the following specification of the attached figures, in which components of the invention are exemplarily illustrated. Components of the devices and method according to the inventions, which match at least essentially with respect to their function, can be marked with the same reference sign, wherein such components do not have to be marked or described in all figures.
The invention is just exemplarily described with respect to the attached figure in the following.

Brief Description of the Drawing

Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a system for unclogging a drain pipe of a washing apparatus, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Drawing

The present invention focuses on unclogging of a drain pipe inside a dishwasher, n particular a drain pipe of a dishwasher or connected to a diswasher. While carrying out washing of goods, whether, utensils, plates, clothes or any other goods, a good amount of dirt is drained out of the washing apparatus. Many times, such dirt includes solid particles which do not fully gets dissolved in washing liquids, or water, on completion of a washing operation inside the washing apparatus. These solid particles, or clogging material clogs the drain pipe, which results in increasing pressure inside the drain pipe and blocking of the drain pipe. In the current invention, a sharp hood is used, which passes through the drain pipe to cut across through the clogging material, and thus allowing the clogging material to flow through the drain pipe, and further unclogging the drain pipe.
Fig. 1 shows a system 1 for unclogging a drain pipe 2 of a washing apparatus. The figure shows a part of the drain pipe 2 in whose conjunction the system 1 is placed and functions. The system 1 includes a sharp hood 3 which has sharp edges 4. This sharp hood 3 moves through the drain pipe 2, so that it cuts through a clogging material clogging the drain pipe 2.
The sharp hood 3 is housed at least partly inside an auxiliary pipe 5 when the sharp hood is not performing the unclogging operation by moving inside the auxiliary pipe 5. The auxiliary pipe 5 extends from the drain pipe 2 in a tilting fashion. This tilting fashion extension of the auxiliary pipe 5 provides an easy introduction of the sharp hood 3 inside the drain flow into the drain pipe 2, whenever the unclogging operation has to begin.
In one embodiment, the auxiliary pipe 5 is not required, however, the sharp hood 3 can be kept exposed to the drain flow at one of the sides of the drain pipe 2. In another embodiment, a housing can be provided within the drain pipe 2 along with one of the sides of the drain pipe 2. However, through these embodiments, there may be an obstruction in drain flow.
In another embodiment, the auxiliary pipe 5 can be extending perpendicular to the drain pipe 2. However, in such scenario, introduction of the sharp hood 3 in the drain flow may not be that smooth, with respect to the scenario, when the auxiliary pipe 5 extends in tilting fashion from the drain pipe.
The system 1 also includes a wire 6, which is attached to the sharp hood 3 at one of its ends 7, and to the auxiliary pipe 5 at its other end 8. Through the movement of wire 6 inside the drain pipe 2, it facilitates movement of the sharp hood 3 to the inside the drain pipe 2, and also into and out of the auxiliary pipe 5. In one embodiment, the wire 6 is not provided, however, other mechanisms for movement for the sharp hood 3 can be used, like magnetism. In this type of embodiment, a pair of magnetic attracting material shall be placed in the sharp hood 3, and at the side of the drain pipe 2 or outside the drain pipe 2. Once the magnetic material at the side of drain pipe 2, or outside the drain pipe 2 is moved, the sharp hood 3 shall accordingly be moved.
The system 1 can also include a rotatable disc 9 onto which the wire 6 winds or unwinds. The ending and unwinding of wire moves the wire 6 into and out of the drain pipe 2, which further facilitates movement of the sharp hood 6 inside the drain pipe 2, as one end of the wire 6 is fixed to the sharp hood 3. In one embodiment, the rotatable disc 9 is not required, and just the wire 6 can be laterally moved into and out of the drain pipe, without winding and unwinding.
The rotatable disc 9 is physically coupled to the auxiliary pipe 5, such that the wire 6 is extendable into the drain pipe 2 through the auxiliary pipe 5. This helps in bringing the sharp hood 3 into and out of the auxiliary pipe 5, so that the sharp hood 3 can be housed into the auxiliary pipe 5, when the sharp hood 3 is not performing unclogging operation within the drain pipe 2. In another embodiment, the rotatable disc 9 can be physically coupled to the drain pipe 2 directly, specifically in the scenario when the auxiliary pipe 5 is not provided, or the auxiliary pipe 5 is housed within the drain pipe 2.
The system 1 preferably includes a motor 10, which is coupled to the rotatable disc 9 for rotating the disc 9, so that wire 6 can wind or unwind. In one embodiment, the motor 10 is not provided, and winding or unwinding of the wired can be manually handled. In another embodiment, where the rotatable disc 9 is not provided, the motor 10 can facilitate in lateral movement of the wire 6 into and out of the drain pipe 2.
The system can further include a sensor unit 11 which is made up of an ultrasonic generator 13 and an ultrasonic receiver 14. The ultrasonic generator 13 generates an ultrasonic sound wave which is directed towards the drain pipe 2. When the ultrasound sound waves are reflected back, its values shall be different with respect to presence and absence of the clogging material. The ultrasound receiver 14 receives the ultrasound sound waves after being reflected and generates a sensing data 12. In one embodiment, the sensing unit 11 is not required, however, a user when identifies by himself, due to improper functioning of the washing apparatus, may facilitate through human intervention movement of the sharp hood 3.
Such human intervention can be completely manual using certain mechanical mechanism or can be motorized which requires minimal human efforts. In another embodiment, the sensing unit 11 need not be based on ultrasonic, however, it can be based on optics, use of piezo, or any other mechanisms.
The system 1 can further include a microcontroller 15, which receives the sensing data 12 from the sensing unit 11 and processes the sensing data 12. Based on the processing, the microcontroller 15 determines the presence of the clogging material inside the drain pipe 2. In one embodiment, the microcontroller 15 is not provided, and there is no automatic mechanism provided for automating of unclogging of the drain pipe 2 based on identification of the clogging material in the drain pipe 2. In such scenario, the sensing data 12 may be displayed onto a display provided on the washing apparatus or provided as part of the system 1, and the user take cognizance of such displayed sensing data 12 to further take action for triggering the unclogging operation carried out by the sharp hood 3.
The microcontroller 15 processes the sensing data 12 by comparing the sensing data 12 with a reference value 16 and determines presence of the clogging material inside the drain pipe 2. The reference value 16 can be stored inside a memory provided as part of the system 1 and can be fetched by the microcontroller 15 while processing the sensing data 12. In an alternate embodiment, the system 1 may be provided by an input mechanism where a user can itself provide the reference value 16 while the microcontroller 15 is processing the sensing data 12. The reference value 16 can also be fetched by the microcontroller 15 from a table storing multiple reference values 16 with respect to various parameters, like types of cleaning operations, types of cleaning devices, diameter of drain pipe, etc. The reference value 16 can be soft coded and can be changed by the user as per his requirements from time to time. In another embodiment, the microcontroller 15 does not need to fetch a reference value 16 for comparing with the sensing data 12, however, the microcontroller 15 can be programmed to decide based on the sensing data 12, whether there shall be clogging material or not in the drain pipe 2.
The microcontroller 15 processes the sensing data 12 and further determines the length 17 of the drain pipe 2 where the clogging material is clogging the drain pipe 2. This enables a user to move the sharp hood 3 to the specific length or location of the drain pipe 2 where the clogging has occurred. This brings efficiency in the clogging operation. In one embodiment, the length 17 of the drain pipe 2 where clogging has occurred is not determined by the microcontroller 15, and it just determines the presence of the clogging material. In such scenario, the user has to use his own judgement to move the sharp hood 3.
The microcontroller 15 generates a trigger 18, if the microcontroller 15 determines presence of the clogging material inside the drain pipe 2. The microcontroller 15 is further functionally coupled to a controller 19 and sends the trigger 18 to the controller 19. The controller 19 is further functionally coupled to the motor 10. When the controller 19 receives the trigger 18, it triggers the motor 10 to rotate in either of the directions, for either winding the wire 6 or unwinding the wire 6. By winding and unwinding the wire 6 while unclogging operation, the sharp hood 3 can be moved to and from the inside of the drain pipe so that the sharp hood 3 can cut through the clogging material multiple times, so to break down the clogging material in smallest possible form, to allow a regular drain flow. When the clogging material breaks off and moves out of the drain pipe, the trigger 18 shall be released to the controller 19, such that it rotates the rotatable disc 9 to wind the wire completely, so that the sharp hood 3 can be brought back into the auxiliary pipe 5 for housing. In one embodiment, the microcontroller 15 does not need to generate the trigger 18, and the controller 19 is not provided. In such scenario, the microcontroller 15 just determines the presence of the clogging material, and the human intervention is required from the user, to start the unclogging operation.
The trigger 18 may also be related to moving the sharp hood 3 only to a particular length 17 where the clogging material is present and clogging the drain pipe 3.
The sharp hood 3 preferably is in a trapezoid shape, which substantially helps while moving the sharp hood 3 at least in one direction. As shown in figure 1, the edges of two surface, one that is attached to the wire 6, and the surface opposite to it, both of them have sharp edges. In one embodiment, only one of the surfaces can have sharp edges. The sharp hood 3 can be of any other shape, like rectangular, with any one or more edges as sharpened.
The system 1 has a particular utility in any kind of washing apparatus, like washing machine for clothes, dish washer, etc., which can wash any kinds of goods, and is provided with drain pipes, and in whom generally washing operations are performed using fluids.
Thus, the present invention provides a dishwasher with a system 1 for unclogging a drain pipe 2 of a washing apparatus which enables washing of goods inside the washing apparatus. The system 1 includes a sharp hood 3 having at least one of the edges 4 sharpened. The sharp hood 3 moves along the drain pipe 2, inside the drain pipe 2 so as to shred a clogging material clogging the drain pipe 2.

List of reference numbers

1: system
2: drain pipe
3: sharp hood
4: edges of the sharp hood
5: auxiliary pipe
6: wire
7, 8: ends of the wire
9: rotatable disc
10: motor
11: sensor unit
12: sensing data
13: ultrasonic generator
14: ultrasonic receiver
15: microcontroller
16: reference value
17: length of the drain pipe where clogging is occurred
18: trigger
19: controller

Claims

A dishwasher comprising a drain pipe (2) and optionally an auxiliary pipe (5), wherein the dishwasher further comprises a system (1) for unclogging the drain pipe (2) of the dishwasher which enables washing of goods inside the dishwasher, the system (1) comprising:
- a sharp hood (3) having at least one of the edges (4) sharpened, characterized in that the sharp hood (3) is adapted to move along the drain pipe (2) and inside the drain pipe (2), so as to shred a clogging material clogging the drain pipe (2)- a wire (6) attached to the sharp hood (3) at one end (7) and anchored out of the drain pipe (2) or the auxiliary pipe (5) at another end (8), and adapted to facilitate movement of the sharp hood (3) in the drain pipe (2)
and

- a motor (10) functionally coupled to the wire (6) for moving the wire (6) for facilitating the movement of the sharp hood (3) inside the drain pipe (2).
The dishwasher according to the claim 1 comprising:
- the auxiliary pipe (5) extending from a part of the drain pipe (2), such that the sharp hood (3) is adapted to be housed in the auxiliary pipe (5) when the sharp hood (3) is not operating onto the clogging material inside the drain pipe (2).
The dishwasher according to the claim 2, wherein the auxiliary pipe (5) extends from the drain pipe (2) in a tilting fashion.
The dishwasher according to the claim 1 further comprising:
- a rotatable disc (9) anchoring the wire (6), and adapted to wind and unwind the wire (6) for facilitating movement of the sharp hood (3) inside the drain pipe (2).
The dishwasher according to the claim 4, wherein the rotatable disc (9) is physically coupled to the auxiliary pipe (5), such that the wire (6) extends from the rotatable disc (9) into the auxiliary pipe (5), and is further extendable into the drain pipe (2) from the auxiliary pipe (5).
The dishwasher according to any of the claims 1 to 5 comprising:
- a sensor unit (11) functionally coupled to the drain pipe (2), and adapted to generate a sensing data (12) related to presence of the clogging material inside the drain pipe (2).
The dishwasher according to the claim 6, wherein the sensor unit comprising:
- an ultrasonic generator (13) adapted to generate an ultrasonic sound wave and to direct the ultrasound sound wave towards the drain pipe (2), and

- a ultrasonic receiver (14) adapted to receive the ultrasound sound waves after being reflected, and to generate the sensing data (12) based on the reflected ultrasound wave.
The dishwasher according to any of the claims 6 or 7 comprising:
- a microcontroller (15) adapted to receive the sensing data (12) from the sensing unit (11) and adapted to process the sensing data (12), and to determine presence of the clogging material inside the drain pipe (2).
The dishwasher according to the claim 8, wherein the microcontroller (15) is adapted to process the sensing data (12) by comparing the sensing data (12) with a reference value (16), and to determine the presence of the clogging material inside the drain pipe (2).
The dishwasher according to any of the claims 8 or 9, wherein the microcontroller (15) is adapted to process the sensing data (12), and adapted to determine a length (17) of the drain pipe (2) where the clogging material is clogging inside the drain pipe (2).
The dishwasher according to any of the claims 8 to 10, wherein the microcontroller (15) is adapted to generate a trigger (18) based on determination of the presence of the clogging material inside the drain pipe (2), the system (1) comprising:
- a controller (19) adapted to receive the trigger (18) from the microcontroller (15), and adapted to control the motor (10) based on the trigger (18).
The dishwasher according to any of the claims 1 to 11, wherein the sharp hood (3) is having trapezoid shape.