JP3495624B2 - Dishwasher - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dishwasher for washing and drying dishes. 2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional dishwasher / dryer, water is collected in a water receiving portion provided at the bottom of a washing / drying chamber, and water in the water receiving portion is bent into a required shape, for example, a so-called rod-shaped heater, for example, a so-called so-called heater. The sheathed heater is heated to a required temperature, and the heated warm water is sprayed toward the washing and drying chamber. After washing, the washing water is drained, and then the washing and drying chamber is heated by the heater and the dishes and the like are washed. Is to be dried. [0003] Generally, tableware is stored in a net basket in a washing and drying room. Among the tableware placed on the net basket, small tableware such as chopsticks and spoons are used. It may fall off from the mesh of the net basket to the water receiving side. In such a case, small tableware falling out of the net basket may be caught in a state of crossing over the heater. In such a situation, for example, when the small tableware is made of a synthetic resin material, wood, or the like, there is a possibility that the small tableware may be scorched by the heat of the heater. On the other hand, as shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 10-163698, for example, the present applicant has provided a heater cover for covering the entire heater above a rod-shaped heater bent to a required shape. Proposes to avoid heat loss due to an emergency contact of small tableware with a heater. The heater cover is formed of a large flat plate that covers not only above the heater but also an inner space area surrounded by the heater. [0005] However, in this proposed technique, in the drying step, air taken from the outside by a blower fan is applied to a heater to be supplied as warm air to the washing and drying chamber. The air cannot be directed above the heater. In view of the above, a ventilation duct is provided to allow air to be blown in from below the heater cover and efficiently hit the heater, and the air heated by the heater is discharged to the upper washing and drying chamber. For ease of use, many through holes are provided throughout the heater cover made of a flat plate. [0007] In the above-mentioned proposed technique, the provision of the heater cover makes it possible to avoid the heat loss caused by the small tableware coming into contact with the heater. Due to its existence, a great deal of contrivance is required regarding the form of air supply to the heater side and the form of hot air release to the cleaning and drying chamber side when hot air is obtained by the heater in the drying step. In particular, regarding the point of using the air duct for supplying air to the heater side, the cost of parts and assembly increases, resulting in a high initial cost. [0008] In addition, in the drying process, the air taken in from outside by a blower fan is not applied to the heater to generate hot air in the drying step, but is simply washed and dried only by the radiant heat of the heater. Even in the case where the room is warmed, the heater cover obstructs the rise of the radiant heat of the heater, so that the drying performance is easily lowered and the ambient temperature inside the heater cover is lower than that of the cleaning and drying room. There is a concern that the temperature may increase and the temperature control in the drying step cannot be performed properly. [0009] In view of such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to improve the drying performance of a dishwasher while avoiding heat loss due to accidental contact of small dishes with a heater. I have. [0010] A dishwasher according to the first aspect of the present invention is to wash and dry tableware stored in a washing and drying chamber with water at a required temperature.
The water receiving portion for reserving the washing water to the bottom of the washing and drying chamber is provided, the reservoir in the interior of the water receiving unit, the water receiving portion in the cleaning process a rod-shaped heater which is bent into a desired shape
Water to the required temperature,
Used to heat the air supplied to the receiving part
The heater is provided in a floating state in a substantially horizontal posture, and small tableware such as chopsticks and spoons are provided above the rod-shaped heater.
When it falls from the mesh of the net basket to the water receiving side,
Prevent small dishes from coming into direct contact with the heater
Heater guards are provided with a required gap.
The heater guard of the shape corresponding to the planar shape of the heater
And cover both sides of the heater at both ends in the width direction.
And that a flange part bent downward is provided.
In addition, multiple layers penetrating in the thickness direction throughout the heater guard
A number of through holes are provided. [0015] In short, in the present invention, the heater guard is approximated to the planar shape of the heater so that the entire heater is not unnecessarily covered with the heater guard. It has a shape. As a result, the original function of the heater guard, that is, the heat loss caused by the small tableware coming into contact with the heater can be avoided, and the occurrence of the problem described in the conventional example due to the presence of the heater guard can be avoided. become able to. In other words, if the drying mode is such that air taken in from the outside by a blower fan is applied to a heater and supplied as warm air to the washing / drying chamber, the heater guard of the present invention may be used. Even if the outside air is sent to the heater side from above, the air can easily hit the heater, so that the air duct as described in the conventional example becomes unnecessary. On the other hand, if the drying mode is such that the drying is performed only by the radiant heat of the heater, the heater guard of the present invention makes it difficult to hinder the rise of the radiant heat of the heater. And the ambient temperature in the washing and drying chamber become close to each other. Thus, according to the configuration of the present invention, the drying mode is not limited. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the drawings. 1 to 3 show one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the dishwasher, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line (2)-(2) of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is one end of the heater guard with respect to the heater. It is a perspective view which shows a locking form. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes an entire dishwasher, 2 denotes an outer case, 3 denotes a door, 4 denotes a washing and drying chamber, 5 denotes a water receiving portion, 6 denotes a fountain blade, 7 denotes a pump, Reference numeral 8 denotes a blower fan, 9 denotes a heater, and 10 denotes a heater guard. The dishwasher / dryer 1 in this embodiment comprises:
Tableware (not shown) stored in the washing / drying chamber 4 is washed with water at a required temperature and dried with warm air. The above-mentioned outer case 2 has a box shape with an open front, and a door 3 is provided at the front opening of the outer case 2 so as to be openable and closable. The washing / drying chamber 4 is provided inside the outer case 2 and stores tableware to be washed. The water receiving section 5 is provided at the bottom of the washing / drying chamber 4 so as to be one step lower, and supplies and stores washing water such as tap water. The fountain blade 6 is provided at the bottom of the washing and drying chamber 4 so as to be rotatable in a substantially horizontal posture.
A shower nozzle 6a for ejecting water upward is provided. The pump 7 introduces water stored in the water receiver 5 into the fountain blades 6 and drains water stored in the water receiver 5 to the outside. The blower fan 8 is installed in a gap between the outer case 2 and the side wall of the washing / drying chamber 4, takes in air from the outside, and contacts the heater 9 in the water receiving section 5 to wash as hot air. It is supplied to the drying chamber 4 side. The heater 9 heats the tap water supplied and stored in the water receiving section 5 to a required temperature, and also heats the air supplied from the blower fan 8 described above.
Although not shown in detail, the heater 9 is a so-called sheath heater in which a heating element is housed inside a rod-shaped metal tube. In this embodiment, the heater 9 has a shape bent substantially in a U-shape when viewed from a plane, and both ends thereof are part of a peripheral wall of the water receiving portion 5 so that the heater 9 has a substantially horizontal posture inside the water receiving portion 5. Mounted in a cantilevered state. The heater guard 10 is provided above the heater 9 in a non-contact state, and among the tableware stored in the washing and drying chamber 4, small tableware such as chopsticks and spoons is meshed with a mesh basket (not shown). This is to prevent the small tableware from coming into direct contact with the heater 9 when the small tableware falls off from the water receiving unit 5 side. In this embodiment, as the heater guard 10, a wire made of metal or a heat-resistant synthetic resin material is bent so as to approximate the planar shape of the heater 9, that is, approximate a U-shape. At one end in the longitudinal direction of the heater guard 10, a locking bent portion 10a locked at both ends of the heater 9 is provided.
On the other end in the longitudinal direction, a screwing bent portion 1 screwed to a screwing projection 11 projecting from the water receiving portion 5 is provided.
0b are provided, and are arranged above the heater 9 so as to be in a parallel posture with a required gap therebetween.
The root of the heater 9 is not a heating element, and the heater guide 10 does not overheat even if the heater 9 is locked by the locking bent portion 10a. The thermistor 12 for controlling the temperature of the heater 9 is provided beside and below the two linear portions of the heater 9 in the water receiving portion 5, and the heater 9 is driven when the heating temperature of the heater 9 rises abnormally. Two thermostats 13 and 14 for stopping are provided in a non-contact state.
The thermistor 12 and the thermostats 13 and 14 correspond to the temperature sensor of the present invention. Next, the basic operation of the dishwasher 1 will be described. That is, inside the washing and drying chamber 4,
The tableware mounted on the net basket is stored, and the lid 3 is closed. In this state, although not shown, a user operates a start switch or the like to continuously perform a washing step of washing dishes and a drying step of drying. In the washing step, a required amount of washing water such as tap water is supplied to the water receiving section 5 and the washing water is supplied to the heater 9.
Then, the hot water is heated to a required temperature and guided into the fountain blade 6 by the pump 7. The fountain blade 6 is driven to rotate, and hot water is supplied from the shower nozzle 6a to the washing / drying chamber 4.
The tableware is discharged toward the tableware stored inside the tableware, and the tableware is washed with the shower-like hot water. The hot water from which the dishes have been washed falls into the water receiving section 5 while containing the dirt components, and the washing water is again
It will be guided to the fountain blade 6. In other words, hot water is circulated in such a form to wash the dishes. This washing process is time-controlled by a timer or the like, and the washing water in the water receiving portion 5 is drained by rotating the pump 7 in reverse according to the elapse of the required time, and the washing process is completed.
Then, it moves to a drying process. In the drying step, the blower fan 8 and the heater 9 are driven. By this blower fan 8, external air is drawn into the space between the outer case 2 and the washing / drying chamber 4 from the air suction port 2 a provided in the outer case 2, and from this space to the inside of the water receiver 5. Is sent. This water receiver 5
The air introduced into the inside becomes warm air by being heated by the heater 9 and is sent to the washing and drying chamber 4. This hot air is applied to the dishes in the washing and drying chamber 4, so that the water drops adhering to the dishes are evaporated by the hot air. This warm air is sent out through exhaust ports 4 a and 2 b provided at required positions above the washing and drying chamber 4 and the outer case 2. The drying process is also time-controlled by a timer or the like, and the driving of the blower fan 8 and the heater 9 is stopped as the required time elapses, and the process ends. By the way, in each of the above-mentioned steps, even if small dishes such as chopsticks and spoons among the dishes mounted in the net basket and stored in the washing and drying chamber 4 fall out of the net basket, these small dishes may be removed. The abutment comes into contact with the heater guard 10 above the heater 9 but does not need to contact the heater 9. Further, even if the small tableware is placed on the heater guard 10 in a state of crossing over the heater guard 10, the small tableware is not
Avoiding scorching with the heat of Moreover, since the heater guard 10 is formed of a wire disposed only on the upper surface of the heater 9,
In particular, in the drying step, the air supplied from the blower fan 8 does not hinder the air from being applied from above the heater 9, so that it is not necessary to provide a conventional blower duct. Further, the heater guard 10 can smoothly raise the warm air obtained by heating by the heater 9 with little resistance, so that the warm air is efficiently supplied to the cleaning / drying chamber 4. As a result, the drying performance is improved. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to only the above embodiment, and various applications and modifications are conceivable. (1) In the above embodiment, the heater guard 10 made of a wire is exemplified. However, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, a flat plate (metal or heat-resistant synthetic resin material) approximating the planar shape of the heater 9 is used. ) Can be used. The heater guard 20 is provided for the heater 9.
And a reinforcing bar 20a is provided midway between the two straight portions, and heaters 9 are provided at both ends in the width direction of the entire region in the longitudinal direction.
Flange 20 bent downward so as to cover the side surface of
b is provided. On one end side of the heater guard 20 in the longitudinal direction, locking pieces 20c which are locked on both ends of the heater 9 are provided.
A screwing portion 20d screwed to a screwing protrusion 11 protruding from the water receiving portion 5 is provided at the center of one of the reinforcing bars 20a in the longitudinal direction. Are arranged so as to be in a parallel posture via a required gap. In such a heater guard 20, since only a part of the upper surface and a part of the side surface of the heater 9 is covered, in the drying step, compared with the above embodiment,
Although it is difficult for the air supplied from the blower fan 8 to directly hit the upper part of the heater 9, this air flows around the heater guard 20 and reaches the heater 9 side, so that the blower duct as in the conventional example is used. Is no longer necessary. However, in the heater guard 20 of this embodiment, the air supplied from the blower fan 8 is applied to the heater 9 as efficiently as possible, so that the air flow is smooth. A plurality of through holes 20e penetrating in the thickness direction are provided in the entire area of the guard 20. In this case, if the number of the through holes 20e of the heater guard 20 is too large, the strength of the heater guard 20 itself may be reduced.
, Thermistor 12 and thermostats 13 and 14
The number of the through holes 20e in the area near the
It is preferable to set the number relatively larger than the number of 0e. Alternatively, the opening area of the through hole 20e in a region near the thermistor 12 and the thermostats 13 and 14 may be set to be larger than the opening area of the through hole 20e in other regions. In the heater guard 20 of this embodiment, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the contact of the small tableware with the heater 9 is prevented, and the air supplied from the blower fan 8 is smoothly moved above the heater 9. Can be used. In particular, as in this embodiment, if the flange portions 20b which are bent downward so as to cover the side surfaces of the heater 9 are provided at both ends in the width direction of the entire area in the longitudinal direction of the heater guard 20, the small tableware for the heater 9 can be provided. It is possible to reliably prevent not only contact from above but also contact from the side. (2) In the above embodiment, in the drying step, air taken in from outside by the blower fan 8 is applied to the heater 9 to supply the air as warm air to the washing and drying chamber 4. A configuration in which the cleaning / drying chamber 4 is simply warmed only by the radiation heat of the heater 9 may be adopted. In this case, in the drying step, the rise in the radiant heat of the heater 9 is not disturbed by the heater guard 10, so that the ambient temperature below the heater guard 10 and the ambient temperature inside the cleaning / drying chamber 4 become similar, Temperature control in the drying process is performed properly. According to the first aspect of the present invention, the heater guard prevents the small dishes from coming into contact with the heater.
The presence of the heater guard makes it possible to avoid a decrease in drying performance as described in the conventional example. [0045]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a dishwasher / dryer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line (2)-(2) of FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a form of engagement of one end of a heater guard with respect to a heater. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing another example of a heater guard of a dishwasher and dryer of the present invention. 5) An arrow view of a cross section of the line. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a form in which one end of a heater guard is locked to a heater. [Description of References] 1 Dishwasher / dryer 2 Outer case 4 Washing / drying chamber 5 Water receiving section 6 Fountain blade 7 pump 8 blower fan 9 heater 10 heater guard

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Tomoya Kawaguchi 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Inside Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-1-1121031 (JP, A) Hei 10-243911 (JP, A) Actually open 1988-177451 (JP, U) Japanese Patent Publication 50-31734 (JP, B1) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A47L 15 / 42

Claims (1)

(57) [Claim 1] A dishwasher / dryer for washing and drying tableware stored in a washing / drying room with water at a required temperature, wherein the bottom of the washing / drying room is washed. A water receiving portion for storing water is provided. Inside the water receiving portion, there is provided a rod-shaped heater bent into a required shape, and water stored in the water receiving portion in a washing process.
To the required temperature, and in the drying process
A heater used to heat air supplied to the heater is provided in a floating state in a substantially horizontal posture, and a small food such as a chopstick or a spoon is provided above the rod-shaped heater.
When instruments fall off from the mesh of the net basket to the water receiving side
In addition, the small tableware directly contacts the heater
A heater guard for preventing
Cage, the heater guard, corresponding to the planar shape of the heater
It consists of a flat plate and covers both sides of the heater at both ends in the width direction.
When the flange part bent downward is provided as
In both cases, a plurality of transparent holes penetrating in the thickness direction throughout the heater guard
A dishwasher or dryer having holes .