JP2019063493A - dishwasher - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a dishwasher supplying charged fine particle water or ions into a washing tank in a preliminary washing step when a user determines that objects to be washed have a lot of stains at the time of collective washing, and suppressing occurrence of smell caused from food residue adhering to the objects to be washed in the washing tank and propagation of various germs.SOLUTION: A dishwasher performs a preliminary washing step after objects 8 to be washed are stored in a washing tank 2 before performing a main washing step. The preliminary washing step includes: a preliminary washing operation by washing water jetted through a washing nozzle 7; and an ion introducing operation activating an electrostatic atomization device 18 to supply charged fine particle water into the washing tank 2 by sending air. The dishwasher enables suppression of occurrence of odor caused by food residue adhering to the objects 8 to be washed in the washing tank 2 and propagation of various germs.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a dishwasher. In particular, the present invention relates to a dishwasher equipped with a device for disinfecting the inner surface of a to-be-cleaned material and a washing tank.

  A dishwasher having a drying function, which includes an ion generating unit that disinfects and deodorizes an object to be cleaned and the inner surface of a cleaning tank, has been conventionally proposed.

  The configuration and operation of a conventional dishwasher will be described using FIGS. 5 and 6 (see, for example, Patent Document 1). FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of a conventional dishwasher equipped with an ion generation unit. FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a conventional electrostatic atomizer (ion generating unit) of a dishwasher provided with an ion generating unit.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the washing tank 102 is provided inside the dishwasher body 101. An object to be cleaned 108 such as a dish is stored inside the cleaning tank 102 and is cleaned by the cleaning water jetted from the cleaning nozzle 107. Water or hot water is supplied as wash water into the wash tank 102 by a water supply valve (not shown). A drain hole 104 is provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank 102. A cleaning pump 105 is attached in communication with the drain hole 104. The cleaning pump 105 is configured to circulate cleaning water inside the cleaning tank 102. The drainage hole 104 is provided with a residue filter 106 for collecting residues contained in the washing water.

  In the above configuration, when the cleaning pump 105 is driven, the cleaning water supplied into the cleaning tank 102 passes through the residual filter 106 and is sucked into the cleaning pump 105, and the inner bottom of the cleaning tank 102 is cleaned by the cleaning pump 105. Is supplied to the cleaning nozzle 107 provided in The washing water jetted from the washing nozzle 107 circulates along a route of returning to the drainage hole 104 again after washing the object to be washed 108. Under the present circumstances, the residue etc. which fell off from the to-be-cleaned object 108 flow in into the residue filter 106 with washing water. The residue having a size that can not pass through the residue filter 106 is collected by the residue filter 106.

  Between the cleaning nozzle 107 and the bottom of the cleaning tank 102, a heater 109 for heating the cleaning water is provided. Above the cleaning nozzle 107, a tableware cage 110 configured to arrange the objects to be cleaned 108 in order is provided. Further, the drainage pump 111 drains the cleaning water in the cleaning tank 102 to the outside through the drainage hose 112.

  A drying unit is provided inside the dishwasher body 101. The drying unit sends warm air to the cleaning tank 102 to dry the object to be cleaned 108. The drying unit is configured by providing a blower fan 113 and a heater 116 in the air passage 115. When the blower fan 113 is driven, the air in the cleaning tank 102 is heated by the heater 116 for drying, and then fed into the cleaning tank 102 again to accelerate the drying of the object to be cleaned 108.

  A control unit 117 is provided inside the dishwasher main body 101. The control unit 117 controls the electric components such as the water supply valve, the washing pump 105, the drainage pump 111, the heater 109, the blower fan 113, and the heater 116 to execute the washing process, the rinsing process, and the drying process. In addition, an operation unit (not shown) is provided on the front of the dishwasher body 101. A user selects a driving course and the like by the operation unit.

  Furthermore, an ion generating unit 118 is provided on the inner top surface of the cleaning tank 102. The ion generation unit 118 generates ion particles to perform sterilization and deodorization of the object to be cleaned 108 and the inner surface of the cleaning tank 102.

  The tableware washing machine described in patent document 1 is equipped with the electrostatic atomizer as an ion generation part 118. As shown in FIG. Dishwasher starts operation of electrostatic atomizer before washing process, releases charged fine particle water generated by electrostatic atomizer and makes it adhere to to-be-washed thing 108 before washing Routine cleaning to improve the cleaning performance.

  The configuration and operation of the electrostatic atomizer (ion generator 118) in Patent Document 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The electrostatic atomizer (ion generating unit 118) cools the moisture in the air by the cooling unit 118a, which is a Peltier unit or the like, and generates condensed water. Then, the generated condensed water is supplied to the discharge electrode 118 b. When high voltage is applied between the discharge electrode 118b and the counter electrode 118c in a state where condensed water is supplied to the discharge electrode 118b, the condensed water at the tip portion of the discharge electrode 118b has a large energy (high density A large amount of negatively charged nanometer-sized charged fine particle water is generated under the repulsive force of the electric charge, and is released to the outside of the electrostatic atomizer (ion generating portion 118), that is, to the inside of the cleaning tank 102.

  Moreover, the structure provided with the ion generator as the ion generation part 118 like other conventional dishwashers is proposed (for example, refer patent document 2). The ion generator supplies the generated ions to the washing tank 102, and disinfects and deodorizes the object to be washed 108 and the inner surface of the washing tank 102.

JP, 2008-237439, A Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2004-351012

  However, as a method of using the dishwasher, there are many cases where the user cleans the dishes (washed objects) used in a plurality of meals together. That is, breakfast is easy to finish, so the number of dishes used is small, and the number of dishes used for lunch is small because the number of dishes used is small, as compared to dinners for a family as a whole. There are few dishes used in Therefore, a driving method (hereinafter, referred to as "collective washing") is generally carried out in which the dishes used for breakfast and lunch are collectively washed after lunch.

  In such a case, the dishes used at breakfast may be easily washed and then set in the washing tank, but food debris and the like remain on the surface of the dishes. The dishes used for breakfast are left in this state until the washing operation of the dishwasher after the lunch is over, so there is a possibility that various bacteria attached to the generation of odors and residues may be propagated.

  The above-described conventional dishwasher is configured to reduce odor, suppress the growth of bacteria, and eliminate bacteria by charged fine particle water or ions. However, any configuration has a problem that it can not cope with the dishes set before the final washing in the collective washing.

In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, a dishwasher according to the present invention comprises: a cleaning tank for storing an object to be cleaned; a cleaning unit for cleaning the object to be cleaned; and an ion generating unit for generating charged particulate water or ions. And an iontophoresis device for supplying charged fine particle water or ions generated by the ion generation unit into the washing tank by blowing, and a control unit for executing a preliminary washing process, a main washing process, a rinsing process, and a drying process. The control unit is configured to perform the preliminary washing step before performing the main washing step after the object to be washed is stored in the washing tank, and the preliminary washing step is performed from the washing portion. The pre-washing operation by the jetted washing water and the ion introducing operation of operating the ion generation unit to supply charged particulate water or ions into the washing tank.

  According to this configuration, when performing collective washing, alleviating odor, suppressing breeding of various germs and eliminating by removing charged particulate water and ions from the object to be washed which has been set before the main washing step. Fungus becomes possible.

  In the dish washer of the present invention, when performing collective washing, the charged fine particle water and ions are attached to the object to be washed which has been set before the main washing step, thereby alleviating odor and breeding of bacteria. It is possible to control and eliminate bacteria.

Side cross-sectional view of the dishwasher in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention Principal part sectional view of the introduction air path of the dishwasher in the present embodiment The figure which shows the sequence at the time of the lump washing course driving | operation of the dishwasher in this Embodiment. Timing chart showing operation of ion introduction operation of the dishwasher in the present embodiment Side cross-sectional view of a conventional dishwasher equipped with an ion generation unit Detailed view of the electrostatic atomizer (ion generation unit) of the dishwasher equipped with the conventional ion generation unit

  A dishwasher according to a first aspect of the present invention is generated by a cleaning tank for storing an object to be cleaned, a cleaning unit for cleaning the object to be cleaned, an ion generating unit for generating charged particulate water or ions, and the ion generating unit. The ion introducing device for supplying charged fine particle water or ions into the washing tank by air blowing, and a control unit for executing a preliminary washing step, a main washing step, a rinsing step, and a drying step, the control unit After the object is stored in the washing tank, the preliminary washing step is performed before the main washing step, and the preliminary washing step is a preliminary washing operation with washing water sprayed from the washing unit. And an ion introducing operation of operating the ion generation unit to supply charged fine particle water or ions into the cleaning tank.

  According to this configuration, when performing collective washing, alleviating odor, suppressing breeding of various germs and eliminating by removing charged particulate water and ions from the object to be washed which has been set before the main washing step. Fungus becomes possible.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in particular, in the first aspect, the control unit can execute the preliminary washing step every time the object to be washed is stored in the washing tank before the main washing step. It is comprised. According to this configuration, for example, when the pre-washing step is performed before the main washing step, such as a collective washing course, each time the object to be washed is set in the washing tank a plurality of times before the main washing, , Pre-wash operation and iontophoresis operation are performed. Thereby, each time the object to be cleaned is newly set, sterilization and deodorization of the object to be cleaned and the inner surface of the cleaning tank can be performed. And the main washing process performed after that can be performed efficiently, and the washing effect can be heightened.

  According to a third invention, in particular, in the first or second invention, in the pre-washing step, the iontophoresis operation is performed after the pre-washing operation. The charged fine particles of water and ions are fine, and it is difficult for them to penetrate into residue such as thick food waste. With the above configuration, the amount of dirt attached to the object to be washed before the ions are supplied is reduced by the pre-washing step, and thereafter the charged fine particles of water and ions are left by performing the ion introduction operation. It can be penetrated into the inside to enhance the sterilization and deodorizing effects.

  In the fourth invention, in particular, in any of the first to third inventions, whether or not the pre-washing step is performed is configured to be selectable by the user. According to this configuration, when the user determines that the object to be cleaned is very clean, and when the user sets the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank in a state where the object to be cleaned is easily washed in advance, It is possible to eliminate the pre-washing process and to reduce the amount of water used in the dishwasher. In addition, when there is a lot of dirt on the object to be cleaned, the preliminary washing step is set to be performed prior to the main washing step to reduce the amount of dirt attached to the object to be washed and It is possible to sterilize and deodorize the washings and the inner surface of the washing tank.

  According to a fifth invention, in particular, in any one of the first to fourth inventions, the ion generation unit includes a cooling unit, and the control unit causes a predetermined time to elapse after operating the ion generation unit. After that, the ion introducing unit is operated. With this configuration, the ion generation unit can rapidly cool the cooling unit to accelerate the generation of condensed water.

  According to a sixth invention, in particular, in any one of the first to fifth inventions, the control unit operates the ion generation unit continuously or intermittently in the ion introduction operation. With this configuration, it is possible to balance the performance and the life in the operation of the device of the ion generation unit to maintain the performance and operate for a long life.

  In the seventh invention according to any one of the first to sixth inventions, in particular, the iontophoresis device is also used as a blower included in a drying unit performing the drying step, and the control unit is configured to In the ion introduction operation and the drying step, the air volume of the blower is made different. With this configuration, the air blower for drying is used in common, and charged fine particle water or ions are supplied into the cleaning tank, so that no dedicated air blower or air passage from the ion generation unit to the cleaning tank is required. An inexpensive dishwasher can be provided.

  In addition, by performing the ion introduction operation and the drying step with different appropriate air flow rates, charged ionized water or ions are generated in a stable state in the ion introduction operation, and it is ensured to all positions in the cleaning tank. Supply, to reduce odor and to control the growth of bacteria. In the drying step, the object to be washed can be dried in a short time.

  In an eighth invention according to any one of the first to seventh inventions, in particular, the air flow detection unit for detecting the air volume of the iontophoresis device, the control unit detects at least the air flow according to the detection result of the air flow detection unit. It controls any of the iontophoresis device and the ion generating unit. With this configuration, the control unit can appropriately control the concentration of the charged fine particle water supplied into the cleaning tank, and can alleviate odor and suppress the growth of bacteria.

  Hereinafter, one embodiment of a dishwasher according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited by the embodiment.

Embodiment 1
Hereinafter, the dishwasher of Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of the dishwasher in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2: is principal part sectional drawing of the introductory air path of the dishwasher in this Embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a washing tank 2 is provided inside the main body 1 of the dishwasher. A to-be-cleaned object 8 such as a dish is accommodated in the inside of the cleaning tank 2 and is cleaned by the cleaning water jetted from the cleaning nozzle 7 which is a cleaning unit. Water or hot water is supplied from the water supply unit 3 into the cleaning tank 2 as cleaning water. A drainage hole 4 is provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank 2. A cleaning pump 5 is attached in communication with the drain hole 4. The washing pump 5 is configured to circulate washing water inside the washing tank 2. The drainage hole 4 is provided with a residue filter 6 for collecting residues contained in the washing water.

  When the cleaning pump 5 is driven, the cleaning water supplied into the cleaning tank 2 passes through the residual filter 6 and is sucked into the cleaning pump 5. Then, it is supplied to the cleaning nozzle 7 provided at the inner bottom portion of the cleaning tank 2 by the cleaning pump 5. The washing water jetted from the washing nozzle 7 circulates along a route of returning to the drainage hole 4 again after washing the object to be washed 8. Under the present circumstances, the residue etc. which fell off from the to-be-cleaned object 8 flow into the residue filter 6 with wash water. The residue of a size that can not pass through the residue filter 6 is collected by the residue filter 6.

  Between the cleaning nozzle 7 and the bottom of the cleaning tank 2, a cleaning water heater 9 for heating the cleaning water is provided. Above the cleaning nozzle 7, a tableware cage 10 configured to arrange the objects to be cleaned 8 in order is installed. The drainage pump 11 drains the cleaning water in the cleaning tank 2 to the outside through the drainage hose 12.

  A drying unit is provided inside the main body 1. The drying unit sends warm air to the cleaning tank 2 to dry the object to be cleaned 8. The drying unit is configured by providing a blower fan 13 as a blower and a heater 16 for heating air in the air passage 20. One end of the air passage 20 is in communication with the cleaning tank 2, and the other end is in communication with the outside of the main body 1 by the outside air suction port 14. A filter 15 is disposed at the outside air suction port 14. The filter 15 collects dust and the like contained in the outside air, and keeps the air taken into the air passage 20 from the outside air suction port 14 clean.

  When the blower fan 13 is driven, the air from which dust and the like are removed by the filter 15 is taken into the air passage 20 from the outside air suction port 14. The air taken into the air passage 20 is heated by the heater 16 and then fed into the washing tank 2 to dry the object to be washed 8 and the washing tank 2. Thus, the air containing moisture in the cleaning tank 2 is exhausted from the exhaust port (not shown). The drying unit may include a dehumidifying unit, and air for drying may be configured to circulate between the cleaning tank 2 and the dehumidifying unit.

  A control unit 17 is provided inside the main body 1. The control unit 17 controls electric parts such as the water supply unit 3, the washing pump 5, the drainage pump 11, the washing water heater 9, the blower fan 13 and the heater 16 to perform a preliminary washing process, a main washing process, a rinsing process, and a drying process. Run. In addition, an operation unit (not shown) is provided on the front surface of the main body 1. The user sets the driving course and the like by the operation unit.

Furthermore, as the ion generation unit, an electrostatic atomization device 18 is provided in the air passage 20 (introduction air passage). The electrostatic atomizer 18 generates negatively charged nanometer-sized charged fine particle water. The charged fine particle water thus produced is mixed with the air fed into the cleaning tank 2 through the air passage 20 by the blower fan 13 which is a blower, and is supplied into the cleaning tank 2. We perform sterilization and deodorization of the inside. In the present embodiment, the iontophoresis device is configured to include an electrostatic atomization device 18 (ion generation unit), a blower fan 13 which is also used as a drying unit, and an air passage 20. With this configuration, the dedicated air blower or air passage from the ion generation unit to the cleaning tank 2 is required by supplying charged fine particle water or ions into the cleaning tank 2 by using it also as the air blowing fan 13 for drying. Since it does not, it can provide an inexpensive dishwasher.

  In addition, an air blower and an air path may be separately comprised by an iontophoresis apparatus and a drying part. With this configuration, the control unit 17 can control the respective blowers individually and more accurately.

  The electrostatic atomizing device 18 is disposed in the air passage 20 downstream of the blower fan 13. The heater 16 is disposed in the air passage 20 downstream of the electrostatic atomizing device 18. The filter 15 is disposed at the outside air suction port 14. The filter 15 may be disposed at any position in the air passage 20 upstream of the electrostatic atomization device 18.

  Further, the air flow detection unit 23 that detects the air volume may be disposed downstream of the heater 16 in the air flow passage 20. The air flow detection unit 23 is not limited to the air flow rate meter that directly detects the air flow rate, and is configured to detect the wind speed and estimate the air flow rate, or detect the temperature downstream of the heater 16. Alternatively, the air volume may be estimated from the rate of cooling.

  Next, the configuration and operation of the air passage of the dishwasher in the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the air passage 20 is constituted by a main air passage 20 a and a sub air passage 20 b branched from the main air passage 20 a to a part of the main air passage 20 a and provided in parallel. The electrostatic atomizer 18 is disposed in the sub air passage 20b. In the sub air passage 20b, a part of the air taken into the air passage 20 by the blower fan 13 branches from the main air passage 20a to the sub air passage 20b and passes through the electrostatic atomization device 18, and then enters the main air passage 20a. Configured to merge.

  The sub air passage 20b is configured so that the cross-sectional area of the air passage is smaller than the main air passage 20a at a predetermined ratio. As a result, the amount of air passing through the sub air passage 20b is reduced, and the flow velocity of air passing through the electrostatic atomizing device 18 is smaller than the flow velocity of air passing through the main air passage 20a.

  A wall surface 22 is provided in the merging section 20c, which returns from the sub air passage 20b to the main air passage 20a, so as to protrude into the main air passage 20a. The wall surface 22 is formed on the upstream side of the merging portion 20c so as to be inclined to the downstream side. That is, the blower fan 13 side of the merging portion 20c is covered with the wall surface 22, and the cleaning tank 2 side is opened. The main air path 20a is configured to be narrowed locally at this portion by the wall surface 22.

  The electrostatic atomizer 18 is configured in the same manner as the electrostatic atomizer (ion generator 118) described in the conventional example. Therefore, the electrostatic atomizer 18 will be described with reference to FIG. The electrostatic atomizing device 18 (ion generating unit) cools the moisture in the air by the cooling unit 18a formed of a Peltier unit or the like to generate condensation water. Then, the generated condensed water is supplied to the discharge electrode 18b. In addition, the discharge electrode 18 b may be cooled so as to condense directly on the discharge electrode 18 b.

  When a high voltage is applied between the discharge electrode 18b and the counter electrode 18c in a state where the condensed water is supplied to the discharge electrode 18b, the condensed water at the tip portion has a large energy (the repulsion force of the charge having a high density) ), And negatively charged nanometer-sized charged fine particle water is produced and released. The charged fine particle water thus released is introduced into the cleaning tank 2 from the sub air passage 20b through the main air passage 20a.

With regard to the dishwasher configured as described above, the operation and action in the case where the object to be cleaned is cleaned using the electrostatic atomizing device 18 operated and the generated charged fine particle water will be described.

  When the blower fan 13 is operated, outside air is taken into the main body 1 from the outside air suction port 14. The taken-in outside air passes through the filter 15 to remove dust and the like, and is then introduced into the cleaning tank 2 through the air passage 20. With this configuration, dust and the like can be prevented from adhering to the discharge electrode 18b and the counter electrode 18c of the electrostatic atomizing device 18, and the generation of charged fine particle water or ions can be stabilized.

  At this time, the sub air passage 20b branched from the main air passage 20a has a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the main air passage 20a. Therefore, a small flow of air flows through the sub air passage 20b with respect to the air flowing through the main air passage 20a. The flow velocity of the wind flowing through the sub air passage 20b is smaller than the flow velocity of the wind flowing through the main air passage 20a. The wind flowing through the sub air passage 20 b passes through the electrostatic atomizing device 18 disposed in the sub air passage 20 b.

  Thus, when the electrostatic atomization device 18 is operated by reducing the flow velocity of the air passing through the electrostatic atomization device 18, the condensed water generated by the cooling unit 18a such as the Peltier unit is a wind. Can be prevented from being appropriately generated under the influence of Further, by adjusting the speed of the air passing through the electrostatic atomizing device 18 by the branched configuration of the main and sub air paths, the supply of the generated condensed water to the discharge electrode 18 b can be stabilized.

  In addition, the charged fine particle water or ions are reliably attached to all the objects to be cleaned 8 set in the cleaning tank 2 and the entire inner surface of the cleaning tank 2, thereby alleviating odor and suppressing the reproduction of bacteria and eliminating bacteria. You can In order to reliably exhibit the effect, it is desirable to generate a predetermined amount of charged fine particle water or ions.

  Next, the drying process and the ion introduction operation of the object to be cleaned in the dishwasher will be described. In the present description, the item to be cleaned is referred to as a dish.

  Drying of the dishes requires the amount of heat required to dry the dishes and efficient evaporation of water by the wind flowing on the surface of the dishes. Therefore, a relatively large air flow is required during drying. The ion introduction operation is to supply charged fine particle water or ions to the washing tank 2 for deodorization and sterilization before the main washing step or after the drying step, and the air volume as in the drying step is unnecessary. That is, because of the relatively slow wind speed required for the iontophoretic operation by the ion generating unit such as the electrostatic atomizer 18, it is not beneficial for the drying of the dishes to reduce the overall air volume. As a countermeasure against this, it is conceivable to provide a dedicated fan for the electrostatic atomizing device 18. However, providing a fan dedicated to the electrostatic atomizing device 18 separately from the blower fan 13 reduces the internal volume of the cleaning tank 2, the operation of the control unit 17 becomes complicated, and the dishwasher becomes expensive. Etc, it is not a good idea.

  As described above, it is desirable that the control unit 17 execute the air introduction operation and the drying process with different air volumes. The dishwasher in the present embodiment is configured to change and control the air volume so as to use an appropriate air volume in each of these operations. That is, the control unit 17 controls the amount of air suitable for the generation of the charged fine particle water in the electrostatic atomization device 18 in the ion introduction operation, and performs control to exhibit the drying performance of the dishes in the drying process. As a result, in the ion introduction operation, charged fine particle water or ions can be generated in a stable state, reliably supplied to all the positions in the washing tank, and the odor can be alleviated and disinfected. Further, in the drying step, the dishes can be dried in a short time.

In the dishwasher according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, in the air passage 20, the sub air passage 20b is branched from the main air passage 20a and provided in parallel with the main air passage 20a.
The electrostatic atomizer 18 is disposed in the sub air passage 20b. The control unit 17 controls the blower fan 13 so that the air volume is suitable for the ion introduction operation by the electrostatic atomization device 18. With this configuration, a predetermined air volume branches and passes through the electrostatic atomizing device 18 in the sub air passage 20b. Then, the air containing the charged particulate water joins the main air passage 20a, and is supplied to the cleaning tank 2 on the air having a high flow velocity flowing through the main air passage 20a. As a result, the electrostatic atomizing device 18 can sufficiently generate charged particulate water, and the blower fan 13 can reliably supply the generated charged particulate water into the cleaning tank 2.

  The merging portion 20c returning from the sub air passage 20b to the main air passage 20a is provided with a wall surface 22 closed to the blower fan 13 side, opened toward the cleaning tank 2 side, and inclined to the downstream side. As a result, the main air passage 20a is configured such that the cross-sectional area is locally narrowed at the junction 20c returning from the sub air passage 20b to the main air passage 20a. With this configuration, even when pressure loss occurs in the main air passage 20a to the cleaning tank 2 side, a sub-air passage is generated by the venturi effect generated by the flow of air having a large flow rate in the main air passage 20a and a high flow velocity. The air of 20b is sucked. As a result, the air in the sub air passage 20b can be prevented from flowing backward in the direction of the electrostatic atomizing device 18, and the charged fine particle water can be stably supplied into the cleaning tank 2.

  In addition, at the time of the ion introduction operation | movement by the electrostatic atomization apparatus 18, it distributes downstream from the electrostatic atomization apparatus 18 in the main air path 20a more downstream than the junction part 20c which returns to the main air path 20a from the sub air path 20b. The provided drying heater 16 is not operated. By this, the state of the charged fine particle water generated by the electrostatic atomizing device 18 can be stably maintained.

  Further, on the downstream side of the electrostatic atomizing device 18, a blow detection unit 23 for detecting an air volume is disposed. The control unit 17 measures the amount of air passing through the air passage 20 based on the detection result of the air flow detection unit 23. The control unit 17 controls the blower fan 13 so as to obtain a predetermined air volume particularly in the ion introduction operation. Alternatively, the control unit 17 controls the electrostatic atomization device 18 so as to have a predetermined ion concentration in the ion introduction operation. As a result, the concentration of the charged fine particle water supplied into the cleaning tank 2 can be properly controlled to reduce odor and eliminate bacteria.

  In the method of adjusting the concentration of the charged fine particle water supplied into the cleaning tank 2, the amount of generation of the electrostatic atomizing device 18 may be changed with respect to the air volume of the blower fan 13.

  Furthermore, the control of the air volume at the time of the ion introduction operation may be a method of controlling the blower fan 13 by estimating it from the air volume at the drying step. That is, it is a method of utilizing the cooling state of heater 16 energized at the time of a drying process as blowing detection part 23 for measuring the amount of winds. Specifically, when the heater 16 is used in the drying step, the temperature rise of the air passing through the heater 16 is measured. When the temperature rise of the air is small with respect to the heat input to the heater 16, the cooling effect is high because the air volume is large. On the contrary, when the temperature rise of air is large, the cooling effect is low because the air volume is small. Thus, the air volume in the drying process can be estimated by the relationship between the heat input from the heater 16 and the air volume.

  If the blower fan 13 detects its rotational speed, the air volume can be determined from the characteristics of the rotational speed and the air volume. The control unit 17 can control the blower fan 13 to an air volume suitable for the ion introduction operation using this characteristic. Furthermore, the air flow rate of the blower fan 13 is reduced by clogging of the filter 15 of the outside air suction port 14. Therefore, if the air volume is measured each time the drying process, it is possible to grasp the change in the air volume due to clogging of the filter 15 or the like. And since clogging of the filter 15 is unlikely to change suddenly suddenly, it is possible to control the blower fan 13 by utilizing the air volume state of the drying process at the time of ion introduction operation and to blow air with a proper air volume.

  Next, the operation and action of the electrostatic atomization device 18 during the course operation of the dishwasher in the present embodiment will be described using the drawings. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a sequence of the combined washing course operation of the dishwasher of the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the user first sets the object to be cleaned 8 such as tableware in the tableware basket 10 and stores the inside of the cleaning tank 2 (step S1). The user operates the operation unit to select a course for collectively washing, such as when additionally washing objects 8 after this, and collectively washing after additional setting, or when sending off the main washing for convenience. S2). The control unit 17 executes the pre-washing process on the set item to be washed 8 by selecting the collective washing course. In the preliminary washing step, a preliminary washing operation with washing water jetted from the washing nozzle 7 (step S3) and a charged fine particle water introducing operation (in which the charged fine particle water is supplied into the washing tank 2 by operating the electrostatic atomizer 18) And ion introduction operation, step S4).

  The control unit 17 performs the preliminary washing operation for a predetermined time (step S3). Next, the control unit 17 performs charged particle water introduction operation (step S4). Specifically, the control unit 17 operates the electrostatic atomizing device 18 and the blower fan 13. The electrostatic atomizer 18 generates charged particulate water. The charged fine particle water thus generated is supplied into the cleaning tank 2 by the blower fan 13 and suppresses the generation of odor and the growth of bacteria caused by food residue adhering to the to-be-cleaned object 8 stored in the cleaning tank 2 it can.

  The charged particulate water is supplied into the cleaning tank 2 by operating the electrostatic atomizer 18 continuously or intermittently. The charged fine particle water may be supplied for a predetermined time or continuously until the next main washing step is started, and the operation time is not particularly limited. About operating the electrostatic atomizer 18 which is an ion generation part continuously or intermittently, the performance and the life in operation of the device of an ion generation part should just be balanced. By this, the ion generation part can operate | move to long life, maintaining performance.

  In the case of the combined washing course, the user additionally sets the object to be washed 8 in the tableware basket 10 until the main washing process is started, and stores the inside of the washing tank 2 (Yes in step 5). . In this case, the control unit 17 executes the preliminary washing process of steps S3 to S4 each time it is detected that the object to be washed 8 is stored in the washing tank 2 and the setting is completed. With this configuration, when the object to be cleaned 8 is set a plurality of times in the cleaning tank 2 before the main cleaning step, the preliminary cleaning operation and the ion introduction operation are performed as the preliminary cleaning step each time. Thereby, whenever the to-be-cleaned object 8 is newly set, sterilization and deodorizing of the to-be-cleaned object 8 and the washing tank 2 inner surface can be performed. And the main washing process performed after that can be performed efficiently, and the washing effect can be heightened.

  Next, when the user finishes the final setting of the object to be cleaned 8 or when it is time to perform the main washing process after setting (No in step S5), the user performs the setting completion operation using the operation unit ( Step S6). This operation is an instruction to shift to the next step, and the control unit 17 executes the main washing step, the rinsing step, and the drying step (step S7). Then, when all the steps of the combined washing course are completed, the washing operation is ended.

  Note that even after the drying step is completed, the short-time ion introduction operation may be repeated at predetermined time intervals until the object to be cleaned 8 is taken out of the cleaning tank 2 (step 8). As a result, charged fine particle water or ions can be appropriately supplied into the cleaning tank 2, and odor mitigation and sterilization can be continued.

As described above, the dishwasher according to the first embodiment executes the washing operation of the collective washing course.

  Here, the details of the operation of the electrostatic atomizer 18 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing the operation of the electrostatic atomizer 18 and the blower fan 13 in the ion introducing operation of the dishwasher of the present embodiment. The configuration of the electrostatic atomizing device 18 is the same as that of the prior art, and FIG. 6 is used.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 17 starts the operation of the blower fan 13 with a delay of time T from the start of operation of the electrostatic atomizing device 18. The electrostatic atomizing device 18 cools the air by the cooling unit 18 a made of a Peltier unit or the like to generate condensed water. In the electrostatic atomizing device 18 of the present embodiment, the discharge electrode 18 b is cooled by the cooling unit 18 a. Thus, the dew condensation water is directly generated and supplied to the discharge electrode 18b, but the blower fan 13 is not operated in an initial state of the electrostatic atomization device 18 in order to make the condensation state more stable.

  By such control, the cooling unit 18a can rapidly cool the discharge electrode 18b, and can accelerate the generation of the condensed water. That is, continuous cooling including the same air in the vicinity of the discharge electrode 18b can be more efficiently cooled than cooling including air which is replaced with fresh air one after another by blowing air. Once the discharge electrode 18 b is cooled and condensation water begins to be generated, condensation water is continuously and stably generated. At this stage, the dew condensation water is sufficiently supplied to the discharge electrode 18b, and the generation of charged fine particle water by the discharge starts.

  The control unit 17 starts the operation of the blower fan 13 at the timing (for example, after the time T) at which the condensed water is continuously generated and the charged particulate water is generated as described above, and the charged particulate water is cleaned. Supply into the tank 2 Thereby, the electrostatic atomizer 18 can rapidly cool the cooling unit 18a to accelerate the generation of condensed water and generate charged particulate water in a short time.

  The length of time T until the electrostatic atomizer 18 is started and the blower fan 13 is started is not particularly limited. For example, when the time from the stop of the electrostatic atomizer 18 to the start of the next operation is short, it may be possible to stably generate charged particulate water immediately while the dew condensation state is maintained. The time T may be determined by the time of the operation stop. Moreover, since the time which dew condensation generate | occur | produces changes with the humidity of the air to be cooled, you may determine the time T by detecting the generation situation of dew condensation water.

  In the above, the washing operation of the dishwasher in the present embodiment has been described by exemplifying the washing course. However, it is also possible to perform the ion introduction operation after the rinsing step, the drying step, or the end of the operation, and the above description is effective when the electrostatic atomizing device 18 is operated.

  As described above, the dishwasher in the present embodiment is provided with the electrostatic atomizing device 18 for generating charged fine particle water, and the control unit 17 performs the operation after the object to be cleaned 8 is stored in the cleaning tank 2. It is configured to perform a pre-washing step before performing the washing step. The preliminary washing step includes a preliminary washing operation with washing water jetted from the washing nozzle 7 and an ion introducing operation for operating the electrostatic atomizing device 18 to supply charged fine particle water into the washing tank 2 by blowing air. According to this configuration, when the collective washing is performed, the charged fine particle water is attached to the to-be-cleaned object 8 set before the main washing, thereby alleviating the smell, suppressing the breeding of various bacteria and eliminating the bacteria. It becomes possible.

In addition, the control unit 17 is configured to be able to execute the preliminary washing step every time the object to be washed 8 is stored in the washing tank 2 until the main washing step. According to this configuration, for example, when the preliminary washing step is performed before the main washing step, such as a collective washing course, when the object to be washed 8 is set in the washing tank 2 multiple times before the main washing, In each case, the pre-washing operation and the ion introduction operation for supplying charged particulate water are performed. Thereby, whenever the to-be-cleaned thing 8 is newly set, the sterilization and deodorizing of the inner surface of the to-be-cleaned thing 8 and the washing tank 2 can be performed. And the main washing process performed after that can be performed efficiently, and the washing effect can be heightened.

  Further, in the pre-washing step, after the pre-washing operation, an ion introducing operation of supplying charged particulate water is performed. Charged fine particle water is fine, and it is difficult to penetrate into residue such as thick food waste. With the above configuration, the amount of dirt attached to the object to be cleaned 8 is reduced by the pre-washing step before the ions such as the charged fine particle water are supplied, and then the charged fine particle water is carried out by performing the ion introducing operation. Can be infiltrated into the residue to enhance the sterilization and deodorizing effects.

  In addition, the user can select whether or not to perform the pre-washing step. According to this configuration, when the user judges that the to-be-cleaned object 8 has very little contamination, and the user sets the to-be-cleaned object 8 dirty in advance in the washing tank 2 in a state of easy washing. If this is the case, the preliminary washing process can be omitted, and the water used in the dishwasher can be reduced. In addition, when the object to be cleaned 8 has a large amount of dirt, the preliminary washing step is set to be performed before the main washing step, and the amount of the dirt attached to the object to be washed 8 is reduced. It is possible to carry out sterilization and deodorization of the cleaning material 8 and the inner surface of the cleaning tank 2.

  In addition, the electrostatic atomizing device 18 which is an ion generating unit includes the cooling unit 18a, and the control unit 17 operates the electrostatic atomizing device 18, and then, after a predetermined time T has elapsed, the electrostatic atomizing device Operate 18 With this configuration, the electrostatic atomizer 18 can rapidly cool the cooling unit 18a to accelerate the generation of dew condensation water and generate charged particulate water in a short time.

  In addition, in the ion introduction operation for supplying charged particulate water, the electrostatic atomizer 18 is operated continuously or intermittently. This balances the performance and life in operation of the device of the electrostatic atomizer 18 so that the performance can be maintained and operated for a long life.

  In addition, the iontophoresis device is provided with the blower fan 13 included in the drying unit performing the drying process, and the control unit 17 executes the air volume of the blower fan 13 differently in the ion introduction operation and the drying process. . With this configuration, the air blowing fan 13 for drying is also used, and charged fine particle water or ions are supplied into the cleaning tank 2 so that the dedicated air blowing fan 13 from the electrostatic atomizing device 18 to the cleaning tank 2 or Since the air passage 20 is not required, an inexpensive dishwasher can be provided.

  In addition, charged fine particles or ions are generated in a stable state in the iontophoresis operation by performing with different appropriate air flow rates in the iontophoresis operation and the drying step, and to all the positions in the cleaning tank 2. It can be reliably supplied, and it is possible to alleviate odors and suppress the growth of bacteria. Further, in the drying step, the object to be cleaned 8 can be dried in a short time.

  In addition, the electrostatic atomization device 18 includes the air flow detection unit 23 that detects the air volume of the air flow fan 13, and the control unit 17 detects at least the air flow fan 13 and the electrostatic atomization device 18 according to the detection result of the air flow detection unit 23. Control one of them. By this configuration, the control unit 17 can appropriately control the concentration of the charged fine particle water supplied into the cleaning tank 2, and can alleviate odor and suppress the growth of bacteria.

Furthermore, an outlet air passage (not shown) through which air flows out from the cleaning tank 2 and an inlet air passage (not shown) through which air flows into the cleaning tank 2 are provided, and the outlet air passage and the inlet air passage Even if a circulating air passage (not shown) independent of the air passage 20 is formed, and an ion generating unit such as the electrostatic atomizing device 18 and an ion introducing device such as a fan are provided in the circulating air passage. Good. With this configuration, the charged particulate water or ions supplied into the cleaning tank 2 circulates and is not released to the outside, so more charged particulate water or ions can be supplied into the cleaning tank 2.

  Although the electrostatic atomization device 18 is automatically operated as a standard in the above-mentioned collective washing course, it is set as an optional function, and is configured to operate according to the user's judgment if necessary. It is also good.

  Further, in the present embodiment, although the ion generation unit is an electrostatic atomizer, by generating ions, the ion generator performs sterilization and deodorization of the inner surface of the object to be cleaned and the cleaning tank. The same effect can be obtained.

  As described above, the dish washer according to the present invention supplies charged fine particle water or ions into the washing tank in the preliminary washing step, when the user judges that the objects to be washed are dirty at the time of collective washing. Since generation of odor and growth of bacteria caused by food residue adhering to objects to be washed in the washing tank can be suppressed, it is useful as a domestic dishwasher, dish washer / dryer or dish dryer.

1 main body 2 washing tank 7 washing nozzle (washing section)
13 Blowing fan (blowing device, ion introduction device)
14 outside air suction port 15 filter 16 heater 17 control unit 18 electrostatic atomizer (ion generating unit)
18a cooling unit 20 air passage 20a main air passage 20b sub air passage 22 wall surface 23 air flow detection unit

Claims (8)

The cleaning tank for containing the object to be cleaned, the cleaning part for cleaning the object to be cleaned, charged fine particle water or ion generating part for generating ions, charged fine particle water or ions generated by the ion generating part by blowing An iontophoresis device to be supplied into the cleaning tank, and a control unit that executes a preliminary washing step, a main washing step, a rinsing step, and a drying step;
The control unit is configured to perform the preliminary washing step before performing the main washing step after the object to be washed is stored in the washing tank.
The preliminary washing step includes a preliminary washing operation with washing water jetted from the washing unit, and an ion introducing operation for operating the ion generation unit to supply charged fine particle water or ions into the washing tank.
dishwasher. The control unit is configured to be able to execute an arbitrary number of times of the preliminary washing process before the main washing process after the object to be washed is stored in the washing tank.
A dishwasher according to claim 1. In the pre-washing step, the iontophoresis operation is performed after the pre-washing operation.
A dishwasher according to claim 1 or 2. The presence or absence of the implementation of the pre-washing step is configured to be selectable by the user.
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The ion generating unit includes a cooling unit,
The control unit operates the iontophoresis device after a predetermined time has elapsed after operating the ion generation unit.
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The control unit operates the ion generation unit continuously or intermittently in the ion introduction operation.
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The iontophoresis apparatus is also used as a blower included in a drying unit performing the drying step, and the control unit is executed by making the air volume of the blower different between the ion introducing operation and the drying step. Do,
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 1 to 6. It has an air flow detection unit that detects the air volume of the ion introduction device,
The control unit controls at least one of the ion introduction device and the ion generation unit according to the detection result of the air flow detection unit.
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 1 to 7.