WO2008125504A1

WO2008125504A1 - Water-conducting household appliance

Info

Publication number: WO2008125504A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/053983
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniel Delle; Erwin Frank; Franz GRÜLL; Karlheinz Rehm
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
Priority date: 2007-04-12
Filing date: 2008-04-03
Publication date: 2008-10-23
Also published as: DE102007017282A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a water-conducting household appliance, particularly a dishwasher or washing machine, having a water softening device, comprising a regenerating agent container (10) having a regenerating agent receiving chamber (24), into which a regenerating agent (11) and water can be conducted and from which a brine (12) formed by the regenerating agent (11) and the water can be discharged via an overflow duct (22) having a predefined cross-sectional surface, further having a brine screen (28) that is arranged in the regenerating agent container (10) and associated with the overflow duct (22), the water-conducting household appliance being characterized in that the brine screen (28) has a screen surface, which is larger than the cross-sectional surface of the overflow duct (22). The water-conducting household appliance according to the invention has the advantage that due to the arrangement of the brine screen (28) and the brine receiving chamber (32) the pressure loss is lower and the overflow cannot become caked or clogged by the regenerating agent.

Description

Water-conducting household appliance

The present invention relates to a water-conducting household appliance, in particular a dishwasher or washing machine.

Conventional household water appliances, such as washing machines and

Dishwashers, are usually equipped with a water softening device, which softens the fresh water. Such a water softening device, in short softener, usually comprises an ion exchanger and a container for a regenerating agent, e.g. Regenerating salt, as well as the associated lines, which carry the hot water.

Such regenerant containers are already known in the art. The invention is based on conventional salt containers for water-conducting household appliances. These include a chamber containing the regenerating salt. The bottom of the chamber is formed by a sieve. The inner walls of the chamber are designed so that at least at one point a double wall is present, the inner of the two walls not closing upwards and thus forms an overflow, so that overflowing brine following the gravity between the two walls of the chamber flows down and from there, for example is passed to the ion exchanger. Conventional softeners of this type work on this principle. After each flushing of the water-conducting household appliance, the ion exchanger must be regenerated. A defined amount of fresh water is passed from below through the sieve, which defines the bottom of the chamber, into the salt container. As a result, a defined amount of brine is displaced from the interior of the chamber, passes over and is passed into the ion exchanger.

In DE 102 04 548 B4 a softening device for carrying out a method for salt defect detection is described, wherein the softening device comprises an ion exchanger connected to a fresh water connection and a salt container. The container has an upwardly open chamber which receives the salt. In the lower part of the chamber is limited by a sieve. Through this sieve, process water can enter the chamber and flow through the salt lying on the sieve. The salt is thereby partially dissolved and forms a brine. The upper Limiting the upwardly open chamber thus forms an overflow, over which the brine, as soon as water flows from below through the sieve, overflows and is guided via lines to the ion exchanger. The disadvantage of the softener according to DE 102 04 548 B4 is that over the overflow salt grains are also washed into the line and salt grains are deposited and incrustations form in the region of the lines.

In the prior art, this problem has been solved by the fact that the overflow was separated from the salt-containing chamber by a sieve.

In the utility model DE 77 24 693 U1 a salt container is disclosed, the brine overflow is covered by a sieve. The disadvantage of this design, however, is that the brine overflow has a small diameter and the sieve only covers this small opening thus. Thus, a relatively high pressure for the flow is needed.

In CH 69 06 547, the drain for the brine from the chamber containing the salt is protected by a sieve ring. This has the disadvantage that it has very small dimensions.

The published patent application DE 1 913 591 discloses a cylindrical container with two coaxial spaces, wherein the outer is designed as a salt receiving space and the inner space forms a Solesammelraum from which brine is discharged. This container has no overflow channel, but the water flows in the interior of the salt receiving space at the same height as again from where it is supplied, so that the supplied water forms depending on the speed of filling and the amount of salt brine and thus the brine concentration varies greatly.

The object of the present invention was to provide a water-conducting household appliance with a regenerant container, which at least partially eliminates the disadvantages of the prior art.

This object is achieved by a water-conducting household appliance and a regenerant according to the appended independent claims. The Subclaims relate to preferred embodiments which can be used individually or in combination with each other.

In particular, the present invention relates to a water-conducting household appliance, in particular dishwasher or washing machine, comprising a water softening device comprising a regenerant container having a regenerant receiving space into which a regenerating agent and water are insertable and from which a brine formed by the regenerating agent and the water via an overflow channel is executable with a predetermined cross-sectional area, with a arranged in the Regeneriermittelbehälter brine filter, which is assigned to the overflow channel, according to the invention is characterized in that the brine screen has a screen surface which is greater than the cross-sectional area of the overflow channel.

The advantage of the inventive arrangement of a large compared to the cross-sectional area of the overflow channel Solesiebs is a very low pressure loss, since there is no risk of clogging of the overflow channel by salt grains.

Another advantage of the regenerant container according to the invention is that the brine is discharged in a constant concentration, even if differently grained regenerating salt is used.

Preferably, a regeneration agent tank described in detail below is used in a flow-through arrangement of a softener. In principle, however, it is suitable for any kind of softener.

The forcibly traversed container can be arranged outside the household appliance or in a component which comprises a supply line via a backflow preventer with a ventilation opening, a forced-flow through the ion exchanger and a positively controlled multi-way valve.

Such Regeneriermittelbehälter is suitable for complete flooding, with the salt bristling or Clogging of the overflow channel and no adverse flows arise. So the regenerant is consumed evenly and it creates a brine with constant concentration. The regenerant is preferably a regenerating salt. Regardless of the grain size of the regenerating salt, the use of salt is the same for the same amount of regeneration. The salt container is vented by the inventive overflow channel assembly after filling the regenerating agent during regeneration independently and completely flooded. The amount of brine can be set variably by passage volume or volume.

The regenerant container comprises inside a regenerant receiving space, in which via an opening the regenerating agent is filled. Depending on the embodiment and installation location, the opening can be arranged at the top or at the side and can be closed with a lid.

The regenerant receiving space is bounded by portions of an outer and inner wall, as well as by a bottom strainer and the brine strainer. The bottom sieve forms a boundary to a water inlet channel. Through the water inlet channel, which is connected to the fresh water system, water can be passed into the regenerant receiving space. There, the water at least partially dissolves the salt in the regenerant receiving space and forms the brine.

The regenerant container also has laterally an outer and an inner wall, wherein the inner wall or at least a portion thereof together with a portion of the outer wall defines an overflow channel located in the interior of the salt container. The upper edge of the inner wall constitutes an overflow through which brine can flow out of the regenerant receiving space when the level of brine reaches the height of the overflow.

The overflow channel is separated from the regenerant receiving space by the brine strainer, whereby brine can pass through the brine strainer. The brine strainer thus forms a wall or at least a portion of a wall of a brine receiving space, and this brine receiving space communicates with the overflow channel. On the one hand, the brine strainer serves to cover the opening of the overflow channel, so that it can not become clogged by regenerant granules when the regenerant receiving space is flooded. However, unlike conventional salt containers of the prior art, the area of the brine screen is larger than the cross-sectional area of the overflow channel, and the brine strainer preferably defines a brine receiving space communicating with the overflow channel. Advantageously, the brine receiving space is at least partially disposed below the overflow. Thereby, when the regenerant receiving space of the regenerant container is flooded, the brine can first flow through the brine screen into the brine receiving space before reaching the overflow.

The overflow channel preferably consists of at least a first and a second portion, and the first and the second portion are angled to each other.

In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the inner wall is preferably angled toward the remainder of the inner wall of the container, and at least a portion of the brine screen is parallel to the angled portion. Such a preferred angled arrangement of the brine receiving chamber ensures that it is located below the overflow. In addition, this arrangement is contrary to a common form for regenerant container, which, although having vertical side walls, but upwardly have an opening with a smaller diameter than the container diameter, through which the salt can be filled. The upward taper is preferably achieved by obliquely angled wall sections.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the inner wall and thus the overflow channel can also describe a doubly angled shape. By this is meant that the overflow channel has two vertical sections and between these two sections an angled and thus inclined section. The same shape thus has the inner wall whose upper edge represents the overflow. The brine strainer is preferably mounted below the lower bend on the inner wall and extends with a first portion parallel to the angled portion of the angled portion of the inner wall. A second portion of the brine screen is parallel to the upper vertical portion of the inner wall. Such an embodiment is shown for example in FIG. The brine strainer is further attached to the upper vertical portion of the outer wall.

It is preferably provided that the sieve is arranged at a distance from the bottom sieve. This ensures that there is no short circuit due to salt bridge formation between sieve and bottom sieve.

It is inventively preferred that the Soleaufnahmeraum a partial volume of

Make up the regenerant receiving space. In this case, the partial volume can make up at least 2%, preferably at least 5%, preferably at least 10%, preferably at least 20%, of the volume of the regenerant receiving space.

The advantage of such a brine-receiving space is that the brine strainer prevents the turbulence of the salt granules, which arise in the interior of the regenerant receiving space, from affecting the outflow of the brine. Thus, also differently granulated regenerating salt can be used, and the brine is nevertheless discharged in a constant concentration. The uniformity of the sols with differently grained regenerating salts is favored by the fact that the sieve begins at a defined distance from the bottom sieve.

The container may have a cuboid shape or a cylindrical shape or any other suitable shape.

Another aspect of the present invention is a regenerant container, as has already been described above in connection with the water-conducting household appliance.

The water-conducting household appliance may be, for example, a washing machine or a dishwasher. In the following the invention will be explained in more detail by means of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawing.

In it show schematically:

1 is a cross-sectional view of a salt container according to the invention in a first embodiment,

2 shows a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in detail also in the cross-sectional view,

3 shows a cross-sectional view of a salt container according to the invention in a second embodiment,

In the following description of the figures, the same reference numerals designate the same or comparable components.

1 shows a cross-sectional view of a salt container 10 according to the invention in a first embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, it is a salt container 10, which can be filled with salt 1 1 through an opening in the upper region 13. The opening in the upper region 13 can be closed with a cover 14. In the container there is salt 1 1 and water is insertable, so that a brine 12 forms by dissolving the salt in the water.

The salt container 10 has an outer wall 16 which is substantially vertical at least in a section of the salt container 10, and an inner wall 18 which is substantially vertical at least in a section of the salt container 10. The inner wall 18 is not connected to the outer wall at its upper edge 20 16 connected. These two walls 16, 18 together define an overflow channel 22, wherein the upper edge 20 of the inner wall 16 forms an overflow 20.

The salt container 10 has an inner salt receiving space 24, which is bounded by sections of the walls 16, 18, and by a bottom sieve 26 and a brine screen 28. The bottom sieve 26 forms a boundary to a water inlet channel 30. By the Water inlet channel 30, which is connected to the fresh water system, water can be passed into the salt container 10. It flows through the bottom sieve 26 in the salt receiving space 24, penetrates the salt contained therein 1 1 and dissolves this at least partially to brine 12. From a certain amount of liquid, the level exceeds the height of the overflow 20, and the brine 12 flows into the overflow channel 22 from. However, before the level of the brine 12 reaches the height of the overflow 20, the brine 12 strikes the brine strainer 28 and flows through it.

In the illustrated embodiment, the inner wall 18 has a portion 18 a angled to the remaining portion of the inner wall 18, to which a portion of the brine strainer 28 is arranged in parallel. The two angled sections, together with the two further sections of the brine strainer 28 and the inner wall 18, form the walls of a brine receiving space 32 which communicates with the overflow channel 22.

The brine screen 28 has a screen surface which is larger than the cross-sectional area of the overflow channel 22. In this case, the passage surface of the brine screen 28 is understood to mean the screen surface. This has the advantage that when filling the salt container 10, wherein water is introduced from below through the bottom sieve 26, the brine 12 formed from the existing salt 11 and the water first passes through the brine filter 28 in the brine receiving space 32 before it overflow 20 reached. This prevents currents that arise during filling of the salt container 10, whirl up salt grains and flooded them to the opening of the overflow channel 22, where they can clog them. Another advantage is the fact that the brine receiving space 32 is large enough to receive sufficient brine without creating unfavorable flows as the brine 12 drains into the overflow channel 22. This further leads to a low pressure loss, and the salt container can be completely flooded without problems. The angled arrangement of the Soleaufnahmeraumes 32 and the brine strainer 28 shown in Figure 1 is a preferred space-saving arrangement. It is advantageous to keep the filling opening 13 for the salt 11 smaller in diameter than the diameter of the salt container. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, this necessitates an obliquely angled section of the outer wall 16 of the salt container 10, which merges upward again into a vertical section towards the filling opening. Fig. 2 shows a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in detail also in the cross-sectional view. In this embodiment, the overflow channel 22 and thus also the inner wall 18, three sections, of which two sections are vertical and the portion is arranged angled therebetween. This has the advantage that the overflow 20, ie the upper edge of the inner wall 18 can be arranged very far up in the container 10. The brine screen 28 is partially parallel with the upper vertical portion of the inner wall 18 and is secured to the also vertical portion of the outer wall 16 by a horizontal portion.

3 shows a cross-sectional view of a salt container 10 according to the invention in a second embodiment. In this salt container 10, only the filling opening for the salt (corresponding to the opening 13 in Figure 1) is arranged laterally and therefore shown as a dashed circle. In this embodiment, the brine screen 28 is flat and has no angled portions. This is advantageous because it allows easy production.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 salt containers

11 salt

12 brine

13 upper area

14 lids

16 Outer wall

18 inner wall

18a angled section

20 overflow

22 overflow channel

24 regenerant receiving space

26 bottom sieve

28 brine strainer

30 water inlet channel

32 brine storage room

Claims

claims

1. A water-conducting household appliance, in particular dishwasher or washing machine, with a water softening device, comprising a Regeneriermittelbehälter (10) having a Regeneriermittelaufnahmeraum (24), in which a regenerating agent (1 1) and water can be inserted and from the one by the regeneration means (11 ) and water-formed brine (12) via an overflow channel (22) can be executed with a predetermined cross-sectional area, with a in the regenerant (10) arranged Solesieb (28), which is associated with the overflow channel (22), characterized in that the brine screen (28) has a screen area which is larger than the cross-sectional area of the overflow channel (22).

2. Water-conducting household appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the overflow channel (22) by a portion of an outer wall (16) and by an inner wall (18) of the salt container (10) is formed and.

3. Water-conducting household appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper edge of the inner wall (18) forms an overflow (20) in the overflow channel (22)

4. Water-conducting household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the brine strainer (28) forms at least a portion of a wall of a brine receiving space (32).

5. Water-conducting household appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that the Soleaufnahmeraum (32) is arranged at least partially below the overflow (20).

6. Water-conducting household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the overflow channel (22) consists of at least a first and a second section and that the first and the second section are arranged angled to each other.

7. Water-conducting household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a portion (18 a) of the inner wall (18) is formed angled and.

8. Water-conducting household appliance according to claim 7, characterized in that at least a portion of the brine filter (28) is arranged parallel to the angled portion (18 a).

9. Water-conducting household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sieve (28) spaced from the bottom sieve (26) is arranged.

10. Water-conducting household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the volume of the brine receiving space (32) is a partial volume of the regenerant receiving space (24).

11. Regenerant container (10), characterized by the features described in one of the preceding claims.