GB2151464A

GB2151464A - Dishwashing machine

Info

Publication number: GB2151464A
Application number: GB08427019A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Walter Spitzer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-12-22
Filing date: 1984-10-25
Publication date: 1985-07-24
Also published as: DE3346522A1; GB2151464B; FR2556952A1; GB8427019D0; IT8424235A0; IT8424251V0; IT1179537B

Abstract

A dishwashing machine comprises a rinsing container (2), at least one crockery basket (4) arranged therein, and a spray arm (7) which is fed by a circulating pump and rotatable through recoil effect of the spray jets issuing from nozzles (8). The machine also comprises drying equipment controllable by way of a programming device, and drive means to set the spray arm (7) into rotation during a drying programme with the circulating pump switched off or idling. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dishwashing machine The present invention relates to a dishwashing machine.

It is known to conduct the steam arising in the rinsing container of a dishwashing machine out through suitable openings in the rinsing container wall or to suck it out by a blower. Arrangements of that kind have the disadvantage that the steam condenses externally of the rinsing container either on the dishwashing machine itself or on surfaces in the region of its installation.

It is also known to condense steam, which is conducted out of the rinsing container, on suitable surfaces in the machine housing, for example in a channel system. However, measures of that kind are relatively expensive and are not suitable for a rapid steam clearance of the rinsing chamber.

Moreover, it is known, during the program section "drying", to condense the vapour, which arises through the evaporation of the water adhering to the crockery, at the container inside wall and door surfaces. Since the rinsing container, particularly because of required noise damping, has an insulating shell, the condensation effect on the rinsing container surfaces is small, particularly if for cost reasons a blower for the drying air circulation is omitted.

Finally, a program-controlled dishwashing machine with a rinsing container, which receives crockery baskets and is connected to a water feed duct, is known (AT-PS 222 840), in the bottom of which is provided a drainage trough for the connection of a circulating and emptying pump. The circulation of the rinsing liquid or thereafter of the drying air takes place by way of the circulating pump as well as a fixed spray device and the heating of the rinsing liquid or of the drying air takes place through an electric heater. The heater is arranged in front of the inlet of the pump for conveying rinsing water as well as for conveying drying air. The door must be opened by the operator for elimination of the vapour arising during the drying and for avoidance of excess pressure in the rinsing container.

It would thus be desirable to improve the measures for evaporation of the water adhering to crockery and condensing of the resulting steam during the drying phase of dishwashing machine operation.

According to the present invention there is provided a dishwashing machine comprising a rinsing container, a basket arranged in the container to hold crockery to be washed, a rotatable spray device provided with nozzles arranged to spray jets of liquid to effect washing of such crockery and by reaction to cause rotation of the device, a pump operable to supply liquid to the spray device, drying means operable to effect drying of such crockery, and drive means operable to rotate the spray device during operation of the drying means and withholding of liquid supply to the spray device.

Through the mechanical rotation of the spray device during the drying operation, an air circulation, which may accelerate and improve the drying process, is produced in the rinsing container without the use of additional blower and with the avoidance of a pressure rise.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional elevation of the upper portion of a household dishwashing machine embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional plan view of part of the machine of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown part of a household dishwashing machine comprising a rinsing container 2 which has a charging opening closed by a front door 3 and which is disposed in a housing 1. At least one crockery basket 4 for the reception of the crockery to be cleaned is arranged in the rinsing container 2. The crockery is sprayed with rinsing liquid during the rinsing operations, for which purpose a circulating pump (not shown) conveys rinsing liquid by way of a duct 5 to at least one spray arm 7 provided with spray nozzles 6. In that case, the spray arm is set into rotation by the recoil effect produced at drive nozzles 8.

A feed pipe 9, the opening of which is enlarged upwardly in funnel shape and separated by a free path 10 from the nozzleshaped opening of the duct 5, is mounted in the basket 4 in the illustrated embodiment (cf.

the dishwashing machine described in OE-OS 14 28 357). The spray arm 7 is suspended at the lower end of the pipe 9, which serves to conduct the rinsing liquid into the spray arm.

A bearing 11 by which the spray arm 7 is mounted on the feed pipe 9 includes a freewheel, so that the feed pipe is not corotated in the rinsing oPerations when the sPray arm, acted on by the rinsing liquid, turns due to the recoil effect of its drive nozzles 8. An electric motor 13 is provided externally of the rinsing chamber, in particular above a lid 12 of the container 2, and has a drive shaft which extends through a liquidtight seal into the container 2 and which carries a toothed drive wheel 14. The wheel 14, in driving connection with a toothed rim 15 or tha lika of the feed pipe 9, is beyond that provided externally of the rinsing sPace above the rinsing container lid 12. The feed pipe 9 is rotatably retained in a bearing 16 in the basket 4.

The electric motor 13 has voltage applied thereto by way of a program control device (not shown) during a program section "drying" and in that case~with the circulating pump switched off so as not to feed liquid to the spray arm 7~mechanically sets the spray arm together with the feed pipe 9 into rotation. The moist drying air in the rinsing container is circulated by the rotational movement of the sPray arm and the drying process and the vapour clearance of the moist air are thereby enhanced.

The drive for the feed pipe 9 can also take place by way of, for examPle, two wheels 14 and 17 driven by a motor, or by way of a belt drive and belt pulley, a friction wheel or the like.

In a modification with a lower spray arm, which is drivable during the program section "drying" and rotatably mounted underneath the lower crockery basket, for example on a vertical pipe of a circulating pump pressure stub, the drive thereof could take place through the emptying pump motor or, after pumping away of the rinsing liquid, through the motor of the idling circulating pump.

Claims

1. A dishwashing machine comprising a rinsing container, a basket arranged in the container to hold crockery to be washed, a rotatable spray device Provided with nozzles arranged to spray jets of liquid to effect washing of such crockery and by reaction to cause rotation of the device, a pump operable to supply liquid to the spray device, drying means operable to effect drying of such crockery, and drive means operable to rotate the sPray device during operation of the drying means and withholding of liquid supply to the spray device.

2. A dishwashing machine as claimed in claim 1, the drive means comprising a motor drivingly coupled to the spray device by disengageable drive coupling means.

3. A dishwashing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spray device comprises at least one spray arm provided with the nozzles and mounted on the lower end of a liquid feed pipe extending through the basket, the feed pipe having an inlet disposed to receive liquid from the pump by way of a free flow path and the drive means comprising an electric motor which is arranged to be supplied with operating voltage during operation of the drying means and is provided with a drive element drivingly coupled to a driven element on the pipe to effect rotation of both the pipe and the or each spray arm.

4. A dishwashing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the driven element is one of a friction wheel, a toothed wheel and a belt Pulley.

5. A dishwashing machine as claimed in either claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the motor is arranged above a ceiling of the container and the feed pipe is vertically mounted in a bearing in the basket, the or each spray arm being mounted on the pipe by means of a freewheel device effective during rotation of the spray device caused by the spray jets.

6. A dishwashing machine as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the drive element comprises two drive wheels.

7. A dishwashing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spray device comprises at least one spray arm provided with the nozzles and rotatably mounted below the basket on a vertically extending liquid feed pipe arranged to receive liquid pumped by the pump, the drive means comprising a motor arranged to drive said pump or a further pump for pumping liquid out of the machine.

8. A dishwashing machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.