JP4780798B2 - Dishwasher - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a drawer-type dishwasher that performs steps such as washing, rinsing, and drying of tableware and cooking utensils (hereinafter referred to as tableware). It is related with the dishwasher provided with the assistance mechanism of the washing tank which hold | maintains by or pushes out this washing tank from a storage position.

In the built-in type drawer type dishwasher, the dishes are put in the washing tank pulled out from the washing machine main body, the washing tank is pushed into the washing machine main body and held in the storage position, and the upper opening of the washing tank is opened. After sealing with the inner lid, the dishes are washed and dried by performing various steps such as washing, rinsing and drying.
Among such dishwashers, there are known ones in which a user manually puts in and out the washing tank and one in which a user automatically puts in and out using a drive motor. This movement of the washing tank must be smooth, free from impact, good operability and easy to move, and when the washing tank is pushed into the main body of the washing machine, it is securely pulled into its storage position. Need to be retained.

In a dishwasher in which a washing tank is manually taken in and out, it is possible to adopt a reversing mechanism (toggle mechanism) as an assisting mechanism that draws and holds the washing tank into the storage position in the main body of the washing machine. Storage device ", Patent Document 1).
Moreover, the dishwasher which takes in and out a washing tank automatically with a drive motor is described in Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2002-345712 ("Dishwasher", patent document 2).

The conventional dishwasher described in the said patent document 1 is demonstrated referring FIGS. 7-10. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the dishwasher, and FIG. 8 is a view showing a main part of the dishwasher. FIG. 9 is an operation explanatory diagram when the cleaning tank is pushed into the storage position, and FIG. 10 is an operation explanatory diagram when the cleaning tank is pulled out from the storage position.
In each of the above drawings, the left side of the drawing is described as “front (side): B direction”, and the right side is described as “rear (side): A direction”. Further, the relative position of the cleaning tank 2 with respect to the cleaning machine body 1 is indicated by reference numerals “C” to “G” with reference to the rear end of the cleaning tank 2.

[Configuration of conventional dishwasher]
First, the configuration of a conventional dishwasher will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. This conventional dishwasher includes a box-shaped washing machine body 1 having an open front surface, and a washing tank 2 that can be stored in a storage space of the washing machine body 1 and has an upper opening. A cleaning / drainage pump 3 and the like are disposed below the bottom of the cleaning tank 2, and a cleaning nozzle 4 and a heater 5 are disposed inside the cleaning tank 2. It is assembled. Further, a cleaning basket 6 for storing tableware and the like is provided inside the cleaning tank 2 so as to be freely taken out.

  A pair of slide mechanisms 7 composed of rails or the like are provided on the left and right inner sides of the cleaning machine main body 1, and the cleaning tank 2 moves backward relative to the cleaning machine main body 1 in the storage movement direction indicated by an arrow A, Alternatively, the slide movement is possible in the forward pulling movement direction indicated by the arrow B. A door (main body lid) 9 having a handle (grip) 8 and the like is attached to the front surface of the cleaning tank 2 and is slid rearward (in the storage movement direction), so that as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the tableware can be washed and dried while being held in the storage position in the washing machine main body 1, and by sliding it forward (withdrawal movement direction), The washing tank 2 is pulled out from the washing machine main body 1 so that the tableware and the washing basket 6 can be taken out and stored. Further, a lid body 10 that seals the upper opening of the cleaning tank 2 at the storage position of the cleaning tank 2 is attached to the upper inside of the cleaning machine main body 1.

  As shown in FIG. 8, a rack 41 along the moving direction (front-rear direction) of the cleaning tank 2 is attached to one of the left and right inner sides of the cleaning machine main body 1, and a damper-type storage buffer is provided on the cleaning tank 2 side. A rotary damper 42 as a means is attached, and a pinion 43 projecting downward from the rotary damper 42 is provided so as to be able to mesh with or detach from the rack 41 on the washing machine main body 1 side. The rotary damper 42 is filled with a fluid such as oil and gives resistance to the rotating body (not shown) rotating in conjunction with the pinion 43 by a fluid, thereby braking the rotation of the pinion 43. It is a one-way type that applies braking to the rotation of the pinion 43 only when the cleaning tank 2 is moved backward.

  In the dishwasher having such a configuration, after the tableware is drawn forward from the washing machine main body 1 and, for example, the dishes are stored in the washing tank, the drawing position D (the washing tank at the D position in FIG. 9A) is provided. Toward the storage position C (see FIG. 10 (a) and FIG. 8 (c)) in which the cleaning tank 2 at the rear end is moved backward and stored in the main body 1 of the cleaning machine. When the pinion 43 of the rotary damper 42 meshes with the rack 41, that is, the deceleration operating position E (see FIGS. 8A, 8B and 9B) where the pinion 43 meshes with the rack 41. ), The rotation of the pinion 43 is braked by the action of the rotary damper 42. Therefore, even if the cleaning tank 2 is moved at a high speed, it is decelerated and moved slowly thereafter. The deceleration with respect to the cleaning tank 2 is for reducing the impact and preventing the user from putting a finger or the like between the cleaning tank 2 and the cleaning machine main body 1. A necessary position, for example, the cleaning tank 2 is set to be about 100 mm before reaching the storage position C.

  A catcher pin 12 protrudes in the lateral direction behind the right and left sides of the washing tank 2, and the main body of the washing machine is such that a catcher 45 that engages with the catcher pin 12 corresponds to the catcher pin 12. 1 is provided behind one of the left and right sides. The catcher 45 is constituted by a substantially L-shaped lever, and an intermediate portion thereof is pivotally attached to a pin 46 projecting from the washing machine main body 1, and the catcher pin 12 is provided at an upper free end thereof. A slit-like engagement groove 45a into which is inserted is formed. Further, one end side of a spring mounting plate 47 is pivotally attached to the pin 46 projecting from the washing machine main body 1, and a substantially arc-shaped guide groove 47 a is bored at the other end of the spring mounting plate 47. It is installed. A return pin 49 protruding from the return plate 48 is fitted into the guide groove 47a, and a spring 50 is stretched between the lower free end portion of the catcher 45 and the spring mounting plate 47. Yes.

  The return plate 48 is also constituted by a substantially L-shaped lever, and the return pin 49 projects from the lower free end thereof, and the upper free end thereof is inclined toward the outside of the washing machine body 1. Thus, the inclined guide portion 48a is formed. An intermediate portion of the return plate 48 is rotatably attached around a fixing pin 51 protruding from the cleaning machine main body 1, and at the rear side (storage movement direction side) of the cleaning tank 2 by the return spring 52, that is, In FIG. 8 (a), it is urged to rotate clockwise. In this way, as will be described later, the cleaning tank 2 is biased and moved toward the storage position C or the pull-out position D by the catcher 45 engaged with the catcher pin 12, the spring mounting plate 47, the spring 50, and the like. A toggle mechanism 53 that functions as a means is configured. When the spring mounting plate 47 and the return plate 48 constituting the toggle mechanism 53 move to the rear side and the front side (drawing movement direction side) of the cleaning tank 2, the biasing force switching position of the toggle mechanism 53 is changed. Is configured to do.

[Operation of conventional dishwasher]
Next, the operation of the conventional dishwasher having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10 mainly with respect to the operations of the rotary damper 42 and the toggle mechanism 53.
When the cleaning tank 2 is pushed backward (in the storage movement direction) from the state where it is in the drawing position indicated by “D” in FIG. 9A, the catcher pin 12 protruding from the cleaning tank 2 is The catcher 45 is fitted into the engagement groove 45a of the catcher 45, and the catcher 45 is rotated in the clockwise direction in the figure. Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. , The pinion 43 protruding from the rotary damper 42 meshes with the rack 41. The pinion 43 rotates as the pinion 43 meshes with the rack 41, but because the rotation of the pinion 43 is braked by the action of the rotary damper 42, even if the washing tank 2 is pushed in vigorously, After the deceleration operation position E, for example, from about 100 mm before the cleaning tank 2 reaches the storage position C, the moving speed of the cleaning tank 2 is decelerated and moved slowly.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9B, the spring 50 of the toggle mechanism 53 exceeds the pin 46 at the same time when the cleaning tank 2 reaches the deceleration action position E or in the vicinity of the front and rear of the deceleration action position E. Since the spring 50 exceeds the toggle switching position H, the catcher 45 that has been urged to rotate counterclockwise by the spring 50 until then is urged to rotate clockwise. In other words, when the cleaning tank 2 reaches the storage biasing operation position F, the cleaning tank 2 is biased and moved toward the rear storage position C by the action of the toggle mechanism 53. As a result, the cleaning tank 2 is toggled. By the urging movement by the mechanism 53 and the braking by the rotary damper 42, the mechanism 53 is moved to the storage position C at a substantially constant speed, and the upper opening of the cleaning tank 2 is sealed from above by the lid body 10 at the storage position C.

  Further, when the catcher pin 12 moves rearward along with the movement of the cleaning tank 2, the catcher pin 12 is guided by the inclined guide portion 48a of the return plate 48, as shown in FIGS. 8 (b) and 9 (b). As shown in FIG. 8 (c) and FIG. 10 (a), the catcher pin 12 moves while sliding in contact with the side surface of the return plate 48 and the cleaning tank 2 reaches the storage position C. It is located behind the return plate 48. As a result, when the cleaning tank 2 is next pulled forward, the catcher pin 12 first comes into contact with the rear side of the return plate 48, and the return plate 48 is moved to the return spring 52 as shown in FIG. Turn counterclockwise against the biasing force.

  By rotating the return plate 48 counterclockwise, the toggle switching position H of the toggle mechanism 53 with respect to the position of the cleaning tank 2 is changed, and the drawer biasing action position on the rear side of the storage biasing action position F described above. In G, the rotational biasing direction by the toggle mechanism 53 is switched, and the cleaning tank 2 is biased and moved toward the front drawing position D. In other words, the storage urging action position F is positioned in front of the drawer urging action position G, and the drawer urging action position G is set to about 30 mm from the storage position C. As a result, even if the cleaning tank 2 is pulled out, if the pulling amount is less than 30 mm, the cleaning tank 2 is returned again to the storage position C by the action of the toggle mechanism 53, and the pulling amount exceeds 30 mm. Then, it is urged and moved toward the front side. At this time, braking by the rotary damper 42 does not act, and the cleaning tank 2 is pulled out to the front pulling position D relatively quickly.

[Configuration and operation of another conventional dishwasher]
Next, another conventional dishwasher described in Patent Document 2 will be described.
In this other conventional dishwasher, a rack gear (rack) is attached to the lower part of the washing tank, and a drive motor having a speed reduction mechanism is attached to the washing machine body. A gear (pinion) is fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor, and this gear is meshed with a rack gear at the lower part of the cleaning tank. In contrast, it is configured to move in the rearward moving direction or in the forward pulling direction.
The movement operation of the cleaning tank is performed by turning on an operation switch provided on the operation panel. When this operation switch is turned on, the drive motor rotates forward or reverse at a constant speed to rotate the gear in one direction or the other direction, so the washing tank with the rack gear fixed is moved in the storage movement direction or pulled out at a constant speed. Moved in the direction.

JP 2002-291553 A JP 2002-345712 A

In the dishwasher equipped with the toggle mechanism described in Patent Document 1, when the washing tub 2 is pulled out from the storage position C toward the front pulling position D, or the cleaning tub 2 is pulled backward from the pulling position D. When pushing in toward the storage position C, an urging force in a direction that hinders the movement of the washing tank 2 may be applied to the washing tank 2 by the toggle mechanism 53, so that an operation force necessary for the movement of the washing tank 2 increases. Operability deteriorates. In particular, when starting to draw out the cleaning tank 2 in the storage position C, since a biasing force that prevents the toggle mechanism 53 from being pulled out is applied in addition to starting from a stopped state, a very large drawing force is required and operability is improved. bad.
If the setting of the urging force of the toggle mechanism is weakened in order to improve such operability, when the cleaning tank 2 is moved toward the storage position C, the force for pulling in the cleaning tank 2 is weakened. This causes a problem that the cleaning tank 2 cannot be reliably pulled into the storage position C.

  In the dishwasher described in Patent Document 2, the washing tank is moved in the storing movement direction or the drawing movement direction by the action of the gear and the rack gear driven by the drive motor. Because it is determined by the rotational speed of the drive motor and the user wants to move the washing tank in and out quickly, the moving speed cannot be increased, and the user cannot operate as expected. It was.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher equipped with an assisting mechanism for assisting the moving operation of the washing tank, in which the washing tank is manually inserted and removed by the user in order to solve the above-described problems. Assistance is provided so that the user can move the washing tank in and out at the desired moving speed so that the storage operation to the storage position and the pull-out operation from the storage position can be performed lightly and reliably. It is to devise about the mechanism.

The means for solving the above-mentioned problem is based on the fact that the assisting mechanism for assisting the moving operation of the washing tub in the dishwasher comprises a drive roller in contact with the washing tub.
(1) The dishwasher according to the present invention (corresponding to claim 1) can be stored in the main body of the cleaning machine and the storage space of the main body of the cleaning machine, and is movable between the storage position and the drawer position. Assuming a dishwasher consisting of a washing tank,
Provided with an assist mechanism that assists the movement of the washing tank,
The assisting mechanism includes a driving roller that is brought into contact with a retracting member provided on a side surface of the cleaning tank, and assists a moving operation of the cleaning tank by a frictional force between the driving roller and the retracting member. is there.

By being configured in this way, the assistance for the movement operation of the washing tub in the dishwasher acts between the cleaning roller and the driving roller that is in contact with the retracting member provided on the side surface of the washing tub. This can be done by using the friction force. As a result, the pulling-in or pushing-out operation of the cleaning tank does not generate a pulling-in force or pushing-out force that is higher than the frictional force, so it should be operated safely even if the user's hand or tableware is caught. be able to.
In addition, in the pushing or pulling-out operation of the cleaning tank, if the user operates with a force greater than the frictional force between the driving roller and the pull-in member provided on the side surface of the cleaning tank, the desired speed can be obtained regardless of the rotational speed of the driving roller. Since the push-in or pull-out operation can be performed at a speed, it is very convenient for the user.

(2) Further, in the dishwasher, the drive roller is slidably attached to the pull-in member of the main body of the washer, and the drive roller is urged in a direction to contact the cleaning tank Urging means can be provided. (Corresponding to claim 2)
According to such a configuration, the driving roller slidable in the vertical direction is biased by the biasing means such as a spring so that the pressing force of the driving roller against the drawing member of the cleaning tank is kept constant. Therefore, the pull-in force or push-out force due to the action of the frictional force can be stabilized.
In addition, even when the driving roller in contact with the cleaning tank is worn and the distance between the driving roller and the pulling member of the cleaning tank is changed, a stable frictional force can be secured, and the pulling force or pushing force can be secured. The power can be stabilized.

(3) Further, in the dishwasher, the driven roller is attached to the cleaning roller body so as to be slidable in the vertical direction so as to face the driving roller, and the driving roller and the driven roller are connected to the drawing member of the cleaning tank. And biasing means for biasing in a direction approaching each other. (Corresponding to claim 3)
According to such a configuration, the driving roller and the driven roller arranged opposite to each other are pressed against the cleaning tank from the upper and lower directions so as to balance the pressing force of both rollers applied to the cleaning tank. The pulling force or pushing force can be further stabilized.

(4) Further, in the dishwasher, the assisting mechanism is configured such that when the cleaning tank is pushed into the storage position, the assisting mechanism pulls out the cleaning tank from the time when it reaches the retracting position until it reaches the storage position. When it is pulled out to the position, it assists the moving operation of the cleaning tank and stops the assisting at the storing position of the cleaning tank in at least one of the period from the storage position until reaching the pull-in start position. (Corresponding to claim 4)
According to such a configuration, the range in which the movement operation of the cleaning tank is assisted by the assist mechanism is only when the cleaning tank is between the pull-in start position and the storage position, and most of the other movement range. Then, since the washing tank is not assisted by the assist mechanism and can move at a speed desired by the user, it is very easy to use.
Further, since the operation of the assist mechanism is stopped when the cleaning tank reaches the storage position, the cleaning tank is firmly held at the storage position by the frictional force of the stopped driving roller. Thereby, careless withdrawal of the cleaning tank can be prevented.
Furthermore, even if the user forcibly pulls out the cleaning tank held in the storage position, the assisting mechanism can only be applied with a force less than the frictional force of the drive roller, so the cleaning tank can be removed without damaging the assisting mechanism. It can be pulled out.

The specific effects of the present invention are summarized as follows.
Assistance for the movement operation of the washing tub in the dishwasher is performed by using a driving roller that is in contact with the washing tub and a frictional force acting between the washing tub and pulling or pushing out the washing tub. In operation, no pulling force or pushing force greater than the frictional force is generated, so that even if the user's hand or tableware is caught, it can be operated safely.
In addition, if the user operates the cleaning tank in a pushing or pulling operation with a force greater than the frictional force, the pushing or pulling operation can be performed at a desired speed regardless of the rotational speed of the driving roller. It is very convenient for users.

By urging the driving roller slidable in the vertical direction by an urging means such as a spring, the pressing force of the driving roller against the cleaning tank can be kept constant. The extrusion force can be stabilized.
In addition, even if the driving roller in contact with the cleaning tank wears out and the distance between the driving roller and the cleaning tank changes, a stable frictional force can be secured, so the pulling force or pushing force can be stabilized. Can be made.
Then, by pressing and sandwiching the driving roller and the driven roller disposed opposite to each other from the vertical direction to the cleaning tank, the pressing force of both rollers applied to the cleaning tank can be balanced. The pushing force can be further stabilized.

The washing tank is moved only when it is between the pull-in start position and the storage position, and can be moved at a speed desired by the user without being assisted in most other moving ranges. So it is very easy to use.
Further, when the cleaning tank reaches the storage position, the assisting mechanism is stopped, and the cleaning tank is firmly held at the storage position by the frictional force of the driving roller, so that it is possible to prevent the cleaning tank from being unintentionally pulled out.
Further, even when the user forcibly pulls out the cleaning tank in the storage position, the assisting mechanism can be pulled out without damaging the assisting mechanism because the assisting mechanism only has a force less than the frictional force of the driving roller. .

Below, the Example of the dishwasher of this invention is described, referring FIGS.
The present invention is an improvement of the assisting mechanism for assisting the moving operation of the washing tank moved in the front-rear direction in the above-described conventional dishwashing machine, in particular, the one described in Patent Document 1, other configurations. Since this is common to conventional dishwashers, the description of this embodiment will focus on the rotating roller mechanism, which is an assisting mechanism, and the description of other common configurations will be omitted. Moreover, in description of a present Example, the part which is common in the conventional dishwasher shown in FIGS. 7-10 is demonstrated using the same code | symbol.

[Configuration of rotating roller mechanism]
First, the configuration of the rotating roller mechanism 20 of the dishwasher according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a rotary roller mechanism and a pull-in position sensor of a dishwasher, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the rotary roller mechanism.
The rotating roller mechanism 20 includes a support case 21 fixed to the rear inner surface of the cleaning machine body 1, a drive roller case 22 and a driven roller case 24 that are slidably attached to the support case 21 in the vertical direction. A pair of press contact springs 25, 25 for applying a biasing force in a direction in which the drive and driven roller cases 22, 24 are brought close to each other, a drive roller 27 rotatably supported by the drive roller case 22, and a drive roller case The pull-in motor 26 is fixed to the motor 22 and drives the driving roller 27, and the driven roller 28 is rotatably supported by the driven roller case 24.
The rotating roller mechanism 20 having such a configuration presses the driving roller 27 and the driven roller 28 against the drawing member 29 provided on the side surface of the cleaning tank 2 when the cleaning tank 2 moves to a predetermined position. Thus, an assisting force is applied to the moving operation of the cleaning tank 2 by the frictional force between the driving roller 27 and the drawing member 29.

  The support case 21, the drive roller case 22, and the driven roller case 24 are made of, for example, a synthetic resin molded product. The drive roller case 22 and the driven roller case 24 are formed in substantially the same shape, are fitted into the support case 21 from the upper end side and the lower end side, and are supported so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. For example, both side walls of the support case 21 and the drive and driven roller cases 22 and 24 are formed in a fitting shape made up of grooves and ridges (see the upper side wall portions in FIG. 2C). ). In this way, the drive and driven roller cases 22 and 24 are supported on the support case 21 so as to be slidable only in the vertical direction, and movement in other directions is restricted.

A pulling motor 26 and a driving roller 27 are attached to the driving roller case 22. The pulling motor 26 is composed of a geared motor or the like with a built-in speed reduction mechanism, and is attached to the support case 21 side (washing machine main body side) of the drive roller case 22. The drive roller 27 is rotatably supported in the drive roller case 22 on the opposite side (cleaning tank side) to the pull-in motor 26, and is driven by the drive shaft 26a so as to be rotated by the pull-in motor 26. Are combined. The lower end of the drive roller case 22 is open, and the lower portion 27a of the drive roller 27 is exposed.
A driven roller 28 is attached to the driven roller case 24. The driven roller 28 is rotatably supported in a driven roller case 24 on the side opposite to the support case 21 (cleaning tank side), and the upper end portion of the driven roller case 24 is open. The upper part 28a of 28 is exposed. The lower part 27a and the upper part 28a of the driving and driven rollers 27, 28 are arranged to face each other in the vertical direction so that the pulling member 29 provided in the cleaning tank 2 can be pressed and clamped from the vertical direction. It consists of.

A pair of spring locking pieces 22a and 24a are provided on both side walls in the front-rear direction of the driving and driven roller cases 22 and 24, respectively, and the pair of spring locking pieces 22a and 24a are respectively pressed springs. 25 is stretched. The pair of pressure contact springs 25 apply a biasing force in the direction in which the driving roller case 22 and the driven roller case 24 approach each other, so that the driving roller 27 and the driven roller 28 supported by the roller cases 22 and 24 are These are held at a predetermined interval (interval slightly smaller than the thickness of the pull-in member 29 in the vertical direction).
When the cleaning tank 2 is moved toward the rear storage position and the retracting member 29 enters between the driving and driven rollers 27 and 28, the driving and driven rollers 27 and 28 are connected to the pair of press contact springs 25. It is pushed and expanded in the vertical direction against the urging force, and the pulling member 29 is pressed and clamped from the vertical direction. In this state, when the driving roller 27 is rotated forward or reverse by the pulling motor 26, the cleaning tank 2 is moved in the storage movement direction (rear) or pulled out by the frictional force between the driving roller 27 and the pulling member 29. It is moved in the moving direction (forward).

In the above-described embodiment, the case where both the drive roller case 22 and the driven roller case 24 are slidably supported on the support case 21 has been described, but one of the drive roller case 22 and the driven roller case 24 is described. It is also possible to have the same function as in the above-described embodiment by supporting only the slidable on the support case 21 and fixing the other to the support case 21.
Further, both the driving roller case 22 and the driven roller case 24 are fixed to the support case 21 to give the driving and driven rollers 27 and 28 themselves strong resilience, thereby causing the same function as in the above-described embodiment. It is also possible.

[Configuration of pull-in position sensor]
Next, the configuration of the pull-in position sensor 32 of the dishwasher according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
The pull-in position sensor 32 can be rotated by a pin 34a on the switch case 32a fixed to the back inner surface of the cleaning machine body 1, the pull-in switch 33 fixed to the switch case 32a, and the switch case 32a. The switch cam 34 is pivotally mounted to turn the pull-in switch 33 on and off. An engagement recess 34b is formed on the upper front side of the switch cam 34 so that a switch operation pin 30 provided on the side surface of the cleaning tank 2 is engaged. When the switch operation pin 30 is moved back and forth, the switch cam 34 is configured to rotate accordingly.

[Handle switch and its operating mechanism]
Next, the handle switch 35 and its operation mechanism of the dishwasher according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIGS. 3A and 3B are side views for explaining the operation mechanism of the handle switch. FIG. 3A shows a case where the handle switch is in an off state, and FIG. 3B shows a case where the handle switch is in an on state.
The handle switch 35 is fixed in a door 9 provided on the front surface of the cleaning tank 2, and is turned on / off by a handle lever 8 a rotatably provided in a handle 8 at an upper center portion of the door 9. It is supposed to be turned off.

  An operation mechanism for turning on / off the handle switch 35 includes a switch board 36 having an arm portion 36a and fixed in the door 9, and a handle lever pivotally attached to the arm portion 36a by a pin 36b. 8a, an operation arm 8b integrally coupled to the handle lever 8a, and a switch operation that is supported so as to be slidable in the vertical direction with respect to the switch board 36 and is slid up and down by the rotation of the operation arm 8b. It consists of a plate 37. As shown in FIG. 3A, the switch operation plate 37 is always urged upward by an urging means such as a spring (not shown), and a lock piece 37a provided at the upper end of the switch operation plate 37 is urged. By engaging with the lock plate 1a of the cleaning machine main body 1, the cleaning tank 2 is locked in the storage position. Further, the lower end portion of the switch operation plate 37 rotates the switch lever 35a by its vertical movement, thereby turning on / off the handle switch 35.

When the user does not perform the operation of pulling out the cleaning tank 2 (when the user does not hold the handle 8), the switch operation plate 37 is in the upper position by the action of the urging means (not shown). In this state, the cleaning tank 2 is locked at the storage position by the lock piece 37a, and the handle switch 35 is turned off. (See Fig. 3 (a))
When the user pulls the handle 8 forward to pull the cleaning tank 2 forward, the handle lever 8a moves clockwise around the pin 36b against the biasing force of the biasing means (not shown). It is rotated. As a result, the operation arm 8b integrated with the handle lever 8a is also rotated clockwise, and the switch operation plate 37 is slid downward, so that the cleaning tank 2 is unlocked and the handle switch 35 is moved. Turned on. (See Figure 3 (b))
The operation mechanism of the handle switch 35 described above is configured to turn on / off the handle switch 35 by turning the handle lever 8a. However, the operation switch 35 can be operated by providing a push button on the operation panel on the handle 8. It is also possible to make it possible.

[Configuration of control unit of dishwasher]
Next, the structure of the control part 13 of the dishwasher by a present Example is demonstrated, referring FIG.4 and FIG.5. FIG. 4 is a block diagram relating to the controller of the dishwasher, and FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the attachment position of the pull-in position sensor and the storage position sensor with respect to the movement position of the washing tank and the operating state of the rotating roller mechanism.
As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 13 of the dishwasher includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, a timer, and the like, receives input signals from various operation buttons 18 and other sensors 19, and displays / displays them. Control means 14 for operating the notification means 17 and a load drive circuit for driving various devices such as the cleaning / drainage pump 3, the water supply electromagnetic valve 16a, the heater 5, and the drying fan 16b by a command signal output from the control means 14. 15 is composed.
Such a control unit 13 is basically the same as the control unit of a conventional dishwasher, but in this embodiment, the storage position sensor 31, the pull-in position sensor 32, and the handle switch 35 are further used as sensors. And a pull-in motor 26 as a device driven by the load drive circuit 15.

  As described above, the pulling motor 26 is attached to the driving roller case 22 of the rotating roller mechanism 20 and rotates the driving roller 27. Further, the storage position sensor 31 and the pull-in position sensor 32 can detect the movement position of the cleaning tank 2 in the cleaning machine body 1 as schematically shown in FIG. And attached to a predetermined position of the cleaning machine main body 1. The storage position sensor 31 is for detecting that the cleaning tank 2 has reached the specified storage position C of the cleaning machine body 1, and the pull-in position sensor 32 is also shown in FIG. In addition, it is for detecting that the cleaning tank 2 has reached the pull-in start position I while being moved toward the rear storage position C. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the handle switch 35 is a switch that detects and turns on when the user places the hand on the handle 8 and pulls out the washing tank 2 in the moving direction. .

The pull-in start position I starts the forward rotation of the pull-in motor 26 in the middle of moving the cleaning tank 2 toward the rear storage position C, and starts the operation of starting the operation of drawing the cleaning tank 2 into the storage position C. This is the position of the tank 2. The pull-in start position I stops the reverse rotation of the pull-in motor 26 during the movement of the cleaning tank 2 toward the front pull-out position D, and ends the operation of pushing out the cleaning tank 2 from the storage position C. It is also the position of the washing tank 2.
Therefore, the pull-in position sensor 32 is attached at a position where it can be detected that the cleaning tank 2 has reached such a pull-in start position I. As a specific example, as schematically shown in FIG. 5 (a), in the dishwasher in which the washing tub 2 is pulled out by 500 mm and becomes the pull-out position D, the pull-in for detecting the pull-in start position I is detected. The position sensor 32 is attached so as to output a detection signal when the cleaning tank 2 is moved to 30 mm before the storage position C.

[Operation of rotating roller mechanism]
Next, the operation of the rotating roller mechanism 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. The rotating roller mechanism 20 having the above-described configuration is controlled by the control unit 13 and operates as follows with the movement of the cleaning tank 2.
When the cleaning tank 2 is in the front drawing position D (see FIG. 5 (a), the fully opened position pulled forward (leftward direction) from the position shown in FIG. 1 (a)), the cleaning tank 2 Since the retracting member 29 is at a position away from the rotating roller mechanism 20 and the storage position sensor 31 and the retracting position sensor 32 are both off, the retracting motor 26 remains stopped. Does not apply an assisting force to the washing tank 2 (see (3) in FIG. 5B). At this time, the driving roller 27 and the driven roller 28 of the rotating roller mechanism 20 are biased in a direction approaching each other and are held at a predetermined interval (FIGS. 2A and 2B). See).

From this state, when the cleaning tank 2 is pushed toward the rear storage position C and reaches a little before the drawing start position I, the switch operation pin 30 of the cleaning tank 2 is engaged with the engagement recess of the switch cam 34. 34a is engaged. When the washing tank 2 is continuously pushed backward, the drawing start position I is reached. While the washing tank 2 is moving backward, the switch cam 34 is rotated in the clockwise direction, whereby the drawing switch 33 is moved. Is operated to turn on the pull-in position sensor 32.
As described above, when the retracting position sensor 32 is turned on, the retracting motor 26 is rotated forward to rotate the driving roller 27 in the retracting direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 1A). The retracting member 29 of the cleaning tank 2 moving in the storage movement direction (rear) enters between the driving roller 27 and the driven roller 28, is pressed and sandwiched by both rollers 27, 28, and moves rearward. An assisting force is applied to the cleaning tank 2. Accordingly, the cleaning tank 2 is reliably pulled toward the storage position C (see (1) in FIG. 5B).

  Such a retraction operation of the cleaning tank 2 by the rotating roller mechanism 20 is performed while the cleaning tank 2 moves to the storing position C after reaching the pulling start position I as shown in FIG. When the storage position C is reached, the storage position sensor 31 is turned on. When the storage position sensor 31 is turned on, the retracting motor 26 is stopped, and the retracting operation of the cleaning tank 2 is completed. The cleaning tank 2 stored in the storage position C in this way is firmly held by the stopped drive roller 27 (see (4) in FIG. 5B).

  When the cleaning tank 2 in the storage position C is pulled forward, the user puts his hand on the handle 8 of the door 9 and pulls it. At this time, the handle lever 8a is rotated clockwise, thereby pulling the handle. The switch 35 is turned on (see FIG. 3B). At this time, since the cleaning tank 2 is located behind the drawing start position I and the drawing position sensor 32 remains on, the drawing motor 26 is reversed and the driving roller 27 is pushed out (FIG. 1). Rotate clockwise in (a). As a result, a forward assisting force is applied to the retracting member 29, and the cleaning tank 2 is pushed forward from the storage position C (see (2) in FIG. 5B).

When the cleaning tank 2 is moved forward and reaches the extrusion end position I (same as the pull-in start position I), the switch operation pin 30 of the cleaning tank 2 rotates the switch cam 34 counterclockwise. As a result, the pull-in switch 33 is operated, the pull-in position sensor 32 is turned off, and the pull-in motor 26 is stopped, so that the assistance for the forward movement operation of the cleaning tank 2 is completed ((3) in FIG. 5B). )).
As described above, when the washing tub 2 in the storage position C is pulled forward, the rotating roller mechanism 20 is used even though a heavy operating force is required at the time of starting to draw the heavy washing tub containing the dishes. As a result, a forward assisting force is applied to the cleaning tank 2, so that the cleaning tank 2 can be pulled out easily and the operability is extremely good.

As described above, the assisting force applied to the cleaning tank 2 by the rotating roller mechanism 20 is transmitted by the frictional force between the driving roller 27 and the cleaning tank 2 (retraction member 29). When this force is applied, slip occurs between these two members.
Therefore, the pulling-in or pushing-out operation of the cleaning tank 2 by the rotating roller mechanism 20 does not generate a pulling-in force or pushing-out force that is greater than the frictional force. Even when sandwiched between the main body 1 and the cleaning tank 2, it can be safely operated.
Further, when the user pushes or pulls out the cleaning tank 2, it can be moved faster than the moving speed of the pulling motor 26 by operating with a force greater than the frictional force.
Further, even when the user forcibly pulls out the cleaning tank 2 held in the storage position C, the rotating roller mechanism 20 is applied only with a force less than the frictional force, so that the rotating roller mechanism 20 is not damaged. The washing tank 2 can be pulled out.

The dishwasher described in the above embodiment is not provided with storage buffering means, but when the cleaning tank 2 is moved to the rear storage position C as in the conventional example, the movement of this cleaning tank is performed. Of course, storage buffer means such as a rotary damper that decelerates the speed may be provided.
When the washing tub 2 is moved toward the storage position C, the dishwasher provided with such storage buffer means can smoothly move the cleaning tub to the storage position after absorbing the shock. Even when tableware is put in the washing tank 2 and is heavy, after the shock is absorbed by the storage buffer means, the washing tank 2 can be reliably moved to the specified storage position C. The operability of the washing tank is further improved without impacting the surface.

[Operation of dishwasher]
Next, the operation of the rotating roller mechanism 20 when operating the dishwasher will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the dishwasher.
When the operation of the dishwasher is started, for example, when the power button is turned on, this operation flow is started (step 1 (indicated by S1 in the figure; the same applies to step 2 and subsequent steps)). First, it is determined whether or not the cleaning tank 2 is in the storage position C based on whether or not the storage position sensor 31 is off (step 2). In step 2, if the storage position sensor 31 is not OFF (if the cleaning tank 2 is in the storage position C), the process proceeds to step 7, and the user pulls out the cleaning tank 2 depending on whether or not the handle switch 35 is turned ON. Determine whether you are going. In Step 7, if the handle switch 35 is not turned on, the process proceeds to Step 10, and it is determined whether or not the start button is pressed and the operation is started.

If the operation is not started in step 10, the process proceeds to step 13, and it is determined whether or not a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed after the storage position is detected (NO is detected in step 2). If it is determined in step 13 that the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process returns to step 2 to determine whether or not the cleaning tank 2 is in the storage position C.
As described above, when the operation of the dishwasher is started, if the washing tub 2 is in the storage position C, a predetermined time is waited until the handle switch 35 is turned on or the operation is started by pressing the start button. (Steps 2, 7, 10, 13). If a predetermined time elapses during the standby, the operation flow is terminated and the power is turned off (step 14).

In step 2, if the storage position sensor 31 is off and the cleaning tank 2 is not in the storage position C (if it is pulled forward), the process proceeds to step 3 where the cleaning tank 2 that has been pulled forward is pushed. Until it reaches the pull-in start position I and waits until the pull-in position sensor 32 is turned on.
If the pull-in position sensor 32 is turned on in step 3, the pull-in motor 26 is turned on to rotate forward, thereby assisting the backward movement of the cleaning tank 2 and starting the pull-in operation (step 4). Proceed to In step 5, the process waits until the cleaning tank 2 reaches the storage position C and the storage position sensor 31 is turned on. When the storage position sensor 31 is turned on, the process proceeds to step 6, the pulling motor 26 is turned off to complete the pulling operation, the cleaning tank 2 is held in the storage position, and then the process returns to step 2, so Determine if there is. If the cleaning tank 2 is in the storage position C, it waits for a predetermined time (steps 2, 7, 10, 13).

When the handle switch 35 is turned on during the standby in steps 2, 7, 10 and 13 (step 7), the retracting motor 26 is turned on and reversely rotated to assist the forward movement of the cleaning tank 2. The extrusion operation is started (step 8), and the process proceeds to step 9. In step 9, the cleaning tank 2 moves forward, reaches an extrusion end position (same as the pull-in start position) I, and waits until the pull-in position sensor 32 is turned off. When the pull-in position sensor 32 is turned off, the process proceeds to step 6, and after the pulling motor 26 is turned off and the pushing operation is finished, the process returns to step 2 above. In step 2, it is determined whether or not the cleaning tank 2 is in the storage position C.
Similarly, when the start button is pressed and the operation is started during the standby in steps 2, 7, 10 and 13 (step 10), the operation proceeds to the next step 11 and waits until all the operations are completed. When the operation is finished in step 11, the operation flow is finished and the power is turned off (step 12).

These are the schematic diagrams for demonstrating the rotation roller mechanism and pull-in position sensor of the dishwasher by the Example of this invention, (a) is a side view, (b) is a front view. These are the schematic diagrams for demonstrating the rotation roller mechanism of the tableware washing machine by an Example, (a) is a side view, (b) is a rear view, (c) is the perspective seen from the washing tank side of the front. FIG. 4D is a sectional view taken along line dd in FIG. These are the typical side views of the upper part of the door in the tableware washing machine by an Example similarly, and are explanatory drawings of the operating mechanism of a handle switch. (a) shows a case where the handle switch is in an off state, and (b) shows a case where the handle switch is in an on state. These are the block diagrams explaining the control part in the dishwasher by the Example similarly. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining the attachment position of the pull-in position sensor and the storage position sensor with respect to the movement position of the washing tank, and (b) for explaining the operation state of the pull-in motor in the dishwasher according to the embodiment. It is a figure to do. These are the flowcharts explaining operation | movement of the tableware washing machine by an Example similarly. These are the typical longitudinal cross-sectional views of the conventional tableware washing machine, and show the state by which the washing tank was accommodated in the washing machine main body. These are the schematic diagrams explaining the principal part of the conventional tableware washing machine, (a) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view when a washing tank exists in a deceleration action position and a storage urging action position, (b) is (a). Plan sectional drawing, (c) is a plane sectional view when the cleaning tank is in the storage position. These are typical longitudinal cross-sectional views explaining operation | movement when pushing in a washing tank toward a storage position in the conventional tableware washing machine, (a) is in the middle of pushing in a washing tank, (b) is a washing tank. It shows when the vehicle is in the deceleration operation position and the storage urging operation position. These are typical longitudinal cross-sectional views explaining operation | movement when pulling out a washing tank from a storage position in the conventional tableware washing machine, (a) is a washing tank in a storage position, (b) is a washing tank. When is in the drawer biasing action position.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Washing machine main body 1a ... Main body lock plate 2 ... Cleaning tank 8 ... Handle 8a ... Handle lever 10 ... Cover body 11 ... Packing 20 ... Rotating roller mechanism 21 ... Supporting case 22 ... Drive roller case 22a ... Spring locking piece 24 ... Follower roller case 24a ... Spring locking piece 25 ... Pressure contact spring 26 ... Retraction motor 27 ... Drive roller 28 ... Driven roller 29 ... Retraction member 30 ... Switch operation pin 31 ... Storage position sensor 32 ... Retraction position sensor 33 ... Retraction switch 34 ... Switch cam 35 ... Handle switch 36 ... Switch board 37 ... Switch operation plate
37a ... Lock piece C ... Storage position D ... Pull-out position I ... Pull-in start (push-out end) position

Claims (4)

The main body of the washing machine,
In the dishwasher that can be stored in the storage space of the main body of the cleaning machine and that is movable between the storage position and the drawer position,
Provided with an assist mechanism that assists the movement of the washing tank,
The assisting mechanism includes a driving roller that is brought into contact with a retracting member provided on a side surface of the cleaning tank, and assists the moving operation of the cleaning tank by a frictional force between the driving roller and the retracting member. And dishwasher. The driving roller is slidably attached to the main body of the cleaning machine so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, and is provided with an urging unit that urges the driving roller in a direction to contact a drawing member provided on a side surface of the cleaning tank. The dishwasher according to claim 1. Opposite to the drive roller, a follower roller is mounted to be slidable in the vertical direction, the drive roller and the follower roller are in contact with a drawing member provided on the side surface of the washing tank, and The dishwasher according to claim 2, further comprising an urging means for urging in an approaching direction.   The assisting mechanism starts pulling in from the storage position when the cleaning tank is pushed into the storage position, from reaching the pull-in start position to reaching the storage position, or when the cleaning tank is pulled out to the pull-out position. 3. At least one of the steps until reaching the position, the assisting is performed with respect to the movement operation of the cleaning tank, and the assisting is stopped at the storing position of the cleaning tank. 3. The dishwasher according to 3.

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