WO2020052267A1

WO2020052267A1 - Dishwasher and method for operating same

Info

Publication number: WO2020052267A1
Application number: PCT/CN2019/087502
Authority: WO
Inventors: 迪格曼罗伯特·M; 博耶乔尔; 薛维军; 张薇
Original assignee: 佛山市顺德区美的洗涤电器制造有限公司
Priority date: 2018-09-12
Filing date: 2019-05-18
Publication date: 2020-03-19
Also published as: EP3834694A4; CN112543612A; EP3834694B1; EP3834694A1; CN112543612B; ES2961793T3; PL3834694T3; EP3834694C0

Abstract

A dishwasher (10), comprising a washing tank (16), one or more sprayers (620), a liquid supply source (622), and an air supply source (624). The one or more sprayers (620) are disposed in the washing tank (16). The liquid supply source (622) and the air supply source (624) are provided with a single motor (730) and are operated by means of the single motor (730). The dishwasher (10) employs the single motor (730) to drive an air pump (725) and a water pump (723 ) to operate separately or together, and can reduce the water volume required to wash dishes in the dishwasher (10), enhance drying performance, and/or improve washing performance by accelerating the water flow. A method for operating the dishwasher (10).

Description

Dishwasher and method for operating the same

Cross-reference to related applications

This application is filed on the basis of the Chinese patent application with the application number of 201811208319.8 and the application date of October 16, 2018, and the US patent application of the application number of 16 / 129,192 and the application date of September 12, 2018, and Priority is claimed for the Chinese patent application and the US patent application, the entire contents of the Chinese patent application and the entire content of the US patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical field

The present application relates to the technical field of kitchen appliances, and in particular, to a dishwasher and a method for operating the dishwasher.

Background technique

Typical dishwashers use separate motors: one for the rotary water pump and the other for the rotary air pump. In this way, since two motors need to be driven independently, resources such as time, energy, and water are usually wasted. In addition, the working process of the dishwasher is: put the dishware into the dishwasher, select the washing program, press the corresponding selection switch, turn on the power, and the program controller starts to work. After the water reaches a certain temperature, it is sprayed out through the spray hole of the spray arm. The spray arm is rotated by the reaction force of the spray water, and continuously sprays water on the tableware, thereby reducing the viscosity and adhesion of the grease, and spraying the dirt clean. Because the spray arm of the existing dishwasher is fixed on the base of the dishwasher, its driving force is the reaction force of water spray. In this way, the flushing angle and range of the spray arm are also relatively fixed, which leads to the existing washing There is a dead angle in the dishwasher, and the dishes cannot be washed thoroughly.

Summary of the Invention

To this end, one aspect of the present application proposes a dishwasher, which is driven by a single motor to drive the air pump and the water pump to operate independently or together, which can reduce the amount of water needed to wash dishes in the dishwasher and improve drying Performance, and / or improved washing performance by accelerating water flow.

Another aspect of the present application also proposes a method of operating a dishwasher.

A dishwasher according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application includes: a washing tub; one or more sprayers provided in the washing tub; a liquid supply source and an air supply source, the liquid supply The source and the air supply source have a single motor and are operated by the single motor; the liquid supply source includes a water pump driven by the single motor, the water pump being in fluid communication with one or more of the ejectors, and Configured to supply liquid to the one or more ejectors to spray the liquid onto dishes provided in the washing tub; and the air supply source includes an air pump driven by the single motor, so The air pump is in fluid communication with one or more of the ejectors, and is configured to supply the one or more ejectors with pressurized air to inject the pressurized air to a On the cutlery.

According to the dishwasher according to the embodiment of the present application, a single motor-driven air pump and a water pump are operated separately or together, which can reduce the amount of water required to wash dishes in the dishwasher and avoid wasting time, energy, water and other resources. Moreover, drying performance can be improved, and / or washing performance can be improved by accelerating water flow.

In some embodiments, the air pump and the water pump are mounted on opposite ends of the single motor, or the air pump and the water pump are mounted on one end of the single motor.

In some embodiments, the water pump is provided between the air pump and the single motor, or the air pump is provided between the water pump and the single motor.

In some embodiments, the single electric machine includes one or more clutches operatively engaging at least one of the water pump and the air pump.

In some embodiments, the air supply further includes at least one air compressor in fluid communication with the one or more ejectors.

In some embodiments, the dishwasher further includes a hydraulic circuit connected between the liquid supply source, the air supply source, and the one or more ejectors.

In some embodiments, the hydraulic circuit includes a first check valve and a second check valve, the first check valve and the second check valve are respectively configured to restrict liquid backflow to the air supply Source and restrict the return of pressurized air to the liquid supply.

In some embodiments, the hydraulic circuit includes a valve configured to selectively connect the one or more injectors to each of the liquid supply source and the air supply source.

In some embodiments, the one or more ejectors include a first ejector and a second ejector, and the dishwasher further includes a first valve and a second valve, the first valve and the second valve, respectively Connected to the first injector and the second injector to control a fluid flowing to the first injector and the second injector.

In some embodiments, the dishwasher further includes a controller connected to the liquid supply source and the air supply source.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to control the liquid supply, the air supply and / or the hydraulic circuit to selectively inject liquid or pressurized air through the one or more ejectors .

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to control the liquid supply source, the air supply source and / or the hydraulic circuit through the one or more ejectors during a washing operation of a washing cycle. Spraying liquid, and controlling the liquid supply source, the air supply source, and / or the hydraulic circuit to spray pressurized air through the one or more ejectors during a drying operation of a washing cycle.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to control the liquid supply source, the air supply source and / or the hydraulic circuit simultaneously spray liquid and pressurized air through the one or more ejectors.

In some embodiments, the dishwasher further includes one or more additional sprayers, and the additional sprayers are disposed in the washing tub and are connected only with the liquid supply source and the air supply source. One is connected in fluid communication.

In some embodiments, the single electric machine includes one or more one-way bearings that are operatively engaged with at least one of the water pump and the air pump.

In some embodiments, the dishwasher further includes a driving device for driving the sprayer, the driving device includes: a mounting shell; a transmission assembly, the transmission assembly is disposed in the mounting shell; and a drive A motor, a drive shaft of the drive motor is connected to the transmission assembly, and the transmission assembly is connected to the ejector.

In some embodiments, the transmission assembly includes a driving gear connected to the driving motor and a driven gear connected to the driving gear, and the driven gear is connected to the injector.

In some embodiments, the driven gear includes a first driven gear and a second driven gear that are engaged on both sides of the driving gear, and the first driven gear and the second driven gear are symmetrical Distributed on both sides of the driving gear; the one or more injectors include a first injector and a second injector, the first driven gear is connected to the first injector, and the second slave A moving gear is connected to the second injector.

In some embodiments, a first limiting tooth is provided on the first driven gear, a second limiting tooth is provided on the second driven gear, and the first limiting tooth is used to limit the A limit position where the driving gear rotates counterclockwise, and the second limit tooth is used to limit the limit position where the driving gear rotates clockwise.

In some embodiments, the transmission assembly further includes a connecting rod, the driven gear includes a first driven gear and a second driven gear, the driving gear, the first driven gear, the link And the second driven gear are connected in sequence; the one or more injectors include a first injector and a second injector, the first driven gear is connected to the first injector, and the first Two driven gears are connected to the second injector.

In some embodiments, the ejector is a tubular spray element, and the driving device is configured to drive the tubular spray element to rotate about an axis of the tubular spray element.

In some embodiments, the transmission assembly is provided with a transmission portion, and the transmission end of the tubular spray element is provided with a mating portion, and the mating portion is drivingly connected to the transmission portion.

In some embodiments, a plurality of fixing members are provided on an outer wall of the washing tub, and a connecting member adapted to be fixed to the fixing member is provided on the mounting shell, and the connecting member is adapted to the fixing member. fixed.

In some embodiments, the fixing member includes a first fixing member and a second fixing member spaced apart in a first direction, and the first fixing member and the second fixing piece are spaced apart in a second direction. There are multiple; the connecting member includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member spaced apart in the first direction, and the first connecting member and the second connecting member are spaced apart in the second direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

In some embodiments, the first fixing member is formed with a mounting groove provided in a through direction in the first direction; the first connecting member is convexly provided with a guide portion extending along the first direction, so The guide portion is adapted to be inserted into the mounting groove.

A dishwasher according to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present application includes: a washing tub; a water pump; an air pump; wherein the water pump and the air pump are operated by a single motor;

One or more first sprayers, the one or more first sprayers are provided in the washing tub; one or more second sprayers, the one or more second sprayers are provided in the washing tub Inside the washing tub; the water pump is in fluid communication with the one or more first ejectors and is configured to supply liquid to the one or more first ejectors to inject the liquid to the The dishes in the washing tub; the air pump is in fluid communication with the one or more second ejectors and is configured to supply pressurized air to the one or more second ejectors to supply the Pressurized air is sprayed onto the dishes provided in the washing tub; and a hydraulic circuit in fluid communication with the one or more first ejectors and / or the one or more second ejectors, And is configured to supply liquid and pressurized air from the air pump and / or the water pump driven by the single motor.

In some embodiments, the dishwasher further includes a driving device, the driving device includes a mounting shell, a transmission component, and a driving motor, the transmission component is disposed in the mounting casing, and a driving shaft of the driving motor is connected In the transmission assembly, the transmission assembly is connected to the first injector and the second injector.

In some embodiments, the transmission assembly includes a driving gear connected to the single motor and a driven gear connected to the driving gear, and the driven gear includes a first gear adapted to mesh with both sides of the driving gear. A driven gear and a second driven gear, the first driven gear and the second driven gear are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the driving gear, and the first driven gear is connected to the first driven gear Injector, the second driven gear is connected to the second ejector.

A method of operating a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present application includes: operating a single motor to drive an air pump and a water pump;

Supplying one or more ejectors provided in the washing tub of the dishwasher through the water pump of the dishwasher to spray the liquid onto the dishes provided in the washing tub; and

Pressurized air is supplied into the one or more ejectors through the air pump of the dishwasher to spray the pressurized air onto the dishes provided in the washing tub.

In some embodiments, the liquid and the pressurized air are supplied simultaneously.

In some embodiments, supplying the pressurized air includes injecting the pressurized air into the liquid supplied by the water pump.

In some embodiments, the liquid and the pressurized air are supplied separately.

In some embodiments, the supplying of the liquid is performed when the washing operation of the washing cycle is performed, and the supplying of the pressurized air is performed when the drying operation of the washing cycle is performed.

These and other advantages and features that are characteristic of this application are set forth in the appended claims and constitute a part of the specification. However, for a better understanding of the present application and the advantages and objects that can be achieved by using the present application, please refer to the accompanying drawings and accompanying explanatory content, which describe exemplary embodiments of the present application. This summary is intended to introduce some concepts further described in the detailed description below, and is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to help limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dishwasher according to some embodiments of the present application.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary control system of the dishwasher shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is a side perspective view of a tubular spraying element and a driving device of the dishwasher shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the tubular spray element and the driving device shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of another tubular spray element and a drive device according to some embodiments of the present application, and includes a valve that restricts the flow to the tubular spray element.

FIG. 6 is an embodiment of the valve shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is another embodiment of the valve shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is another embodiment of the valve shown in FIG. 5.

9 is a functional top plan view of an exemplary wall-mounted tubular spray element and driving device according to some embodiments of the present application.

FIG. 10 is a functional top plan view of an exemplary rack-mounted tubular spray element and drive device according to some embodiments of the present application.

11 is a functional top plan view of another exemplary rack-mounted tubular spray element and driving device according to certain embodiments of the present application.

12 is a functional perspective view of a dishwasher including a plurality of tubular spray elements according to some embodiments of the present application.

FIG. 13 is a functional top plan view of an exemplary mechanically connected plurality of tubular spray elements according to some embodiments of the present application.

14 is a functional top plan view of an exemplary tubular spray element that is also rotatable about a lateral axis according to some embodiments of the present application.

15 is a functional top plan view of an exemplary tubular spray element that is also moveable about a lateral axis according to some embodiments of the present application.

FIG. 16 is a functional front view of an exemplary tubular ejection element system including different types of deflectors according to some embodiments of the present application.

17 is a partial functional top plan view of another exemplary tubular injection element system including different types of deflectors according to some embodiments of the present application.

18 is a functional front view of an exemplary tubular spray element system for ejecting pressurized air during a drying operation of a washing cycle, according to some embodiments of the present application.

FIG. 19 is a functional front view of an exemplary dual-purpose tubular spray element system for selectively ejecting a washing fluid during a washing operation and a drying operation of a washing cycle according to some embodiments of the present application; Pressurized air.

FIG. 20 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary tubular spray element system capable of selectively spraying wash fluid and / or pressurized air according to certain embodiments of the present application.

FIG. 21 illustrates a block diagram of another exemplary tubular spray element system capable of selectively spraying wash fluid and / or pressurized air according to certain embodiments of the present application.

22 is a block diagram of yet another exemplary embodiment of a tubular spray element system according to certain embodiments of the present application, the system being capable of selectively spraying wash fluid and / or pressurized air.

23 is a flowchart of an exemplary sequence of operations for performing a washing cycle using a tubular spray element system according to some embodiments of the present application.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of another dishwasher according to some embodiments of the present application.

FIG. 25 is a block diagram of the hydraulic and electronic circuits of the dishwasher shown in FIG. 24.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing an exemplary operation sequence of supplying liquid and pressurized air simultaneously through one or more ejectors in the dishwasher shown in FIGS. 24-25.

FIG. 27 is a partial schematic view of another dishwasher showing an air supply source and a water flow supply source operated by a single motor.

FIG. 28 is a partial schematic view of another embodiment of an air supply source and a water flow supply source operated by a single motor.

FIG. 29 is a partial schematic view of another embodiment of an air supply source and a water flow supply source operated by a single motor.

FIG. 30 is a partial schematic view of another embodiment of an air supply source and a water flow supply source operated by a single motor.

FIG. 31 is a block diagram of a hydraulic and electronic circuit of the dishwasher shown in FIG. 30.

FIG. 32 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a dishwasher of the present application.

FIG. 33 is a schematic structural diagram of a water supply system of a dishwasher.

FIG. 34 is an exploded structure diagram of a dishwasher driving device and an inner tank installation.

FIG. 35 is a partially enlarged view at A in FIG. 34.

FIG. 36 is a schematic sectional view of a dishwasher.

FIG. 37 is a partially enlarged view at B in FIG. 36.

FIG. 38 is an exploded structure diagram of the first embodiment of the driving device.

FIG. 39 is a schematic exploded view of the first embodiment of the driving device from another perspective.

FIG. 40 is an exploded structure diagram of the second embodiment of the driving device.

detailed description

The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are exemplary, and are intended to explain the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application. In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", " Rear "," left "," right "," vertical "," horizontal "," top "," bottom "," inside "," outside "," clockwise "," counterclockwise "," axial ", The directions or positional relationships indicated by "radial" and "circumferential" are based on the positional or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying the device or element referred to. It must have a specific orientation and be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, so it cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

In certain embodiments of the present application, one or more tubular spray elements may be discretely guided by one or more driving devices so that when a washing cycle is performed, a fluid such as a washing liquid and / or pressurized air Spray into the washing tub of the dishwasher. In this regard, the tubular spray element may be considered to include an elongated body, which in some embodiments may be generally cylindrical, and in other embodiments the elongated body may also have other cross-sectional profiles. The elongated body has one or more holes provided on its outer surface and in fluid communication with a fluid supply, for example, through one or more internal channels defined therein. The tubular spray element also has a longitudinal axis generally defined along its longest dimension, and the tubular spray element rotates about the longitudinal axis. Further, a driving device is connected to the tubular spraying element to discretely guide the tubular spraying element to a plurality of rotational positions around the longitudinal axis. The tubular spray element may also have a cross-sectional profile that varies along the longitudinal axis. It can thus be understood that, as shown in the various embodiments herein, the tubular spray element need not have a circular cross-sectional profile along its length. In addition, in some embodiments, the one or more holes located on the outer surface of the tubular spray element may be arranged as nozzles, and may be fixed relative to other holes on the tubular spray element Movable (for example, rotating, swinging, etc.). Further, the outer surface of the tubular spray element may be defined on a plurality of parts of the tubular spray element, that is, the outer surface need not be formed of a single integral part.

In one embodiment, for example, a single brushed or brushless DC motor can be used to drive the gear mechanism to rotate the corresponding tubular spray element, and each tubular spray element can be mounted on a base containing a valve that is used to Cut off and / or control fluid, for example, a valve similar to a shutter in a camera, or an aperture valve that can be controlled by rotation in any direction. In some cases, the base may further include the DC motor.

As can be seen more clearly below, the combination of a DC motor and control valve dedicated to the tubular spray element opens up additional factors that can be adjusted to improve dishwasher efficiency, control and performance. Controllable variables include, for example, the speed, direction, and / or activation of the tubular spray element. In some embodiments, for a normal wash setting, all tubular spray elements may be open and spray the wash liquid at a low speed. The tubular spraying element located near the wall of the washing tub can be controlled to rotate without spraying the washing liquid on the side of the washing tub directly, thereby reducing the noise generated by the washing operation. However, the tubular spray element located in the center of the washing tub may be allowed to rotate in all directions, and the direction may be changed occasionally. In some embodiments, the power zone can be formed by closing certain tubular spray elements (except one or more elements located near the cutlery basket), thereby increasing the fluid pressure in the active tubular spray element for strong washing. Further, in certain embodiments, the tubular spray element may be controlled to rotate in a relatively small (e.g., about 5-10 °) arc to focus the spray in a smaller area / range. In addition, in order to improve the efficiency, the tubular spray element can be turned on and off cyclically to reduce the required amount of washing liquid. In addition, it should be understood that, in some embodiments, the flow rate and / or pressure of the fluid supply may also change as the tubular spray element is cycled on and off, or may be dispensed for the use of a tubular spray element. The required flow rate and / or pressure in the case of a fluid.

Reference is now made to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary dishwasher 10 in which the various techniques and methods described herein may be implemented. The dishwasher 10 is a domestic-type built-in dishwasher, and thus includes a front-mounted door 12 that provides an entrance to a washing tub 16 accommodated in a cabinet or a case 14. The door 12 is usually hinged along the bottom edge and pivots between an open position and a closed position (not shown) shown in FIG. 1. When the door 12 is in the open position, one or more sliding shelves, such as a lower shelf 18 and an upper shelf 20, can be entered, in which various dishes to be washed are placed. The rollers 22 support the lower shelf 18, and the side rails 24 support the upper shelf 20, and each shelf can be moved between the loading (extending) and washing (receiving) positions in a generally horizontal direction. The user's control of the dishwasher 10 is usually achieved by a control panel (not shown in FIG. 1), which is usually provided on the top or front of the door 12. And it should be understood that in different dishwasher designs, the control panel may include various types of input and / or output devices, such as various knobs, keys, lights, switches, text and / or graphic displays, touch screens, etc. These devices allow the user to configure one or more settings and start and stop wash cycles.

In addition, in certain embodiments of the present application, the dishwasher 10 may include one or more tubular spray elements (TSEs) 26 to direct the washing liquid to the dishes placed in the

shelves

18,20. As can be seen more clearly below, the tubular spray elements 26 are rotatable about their respective longitudinal axes and can be discretely guided by one or more drive means (not shown in Figure 1) to control each The direction in which the tubular spraying element sprays the washing liquid. In some embodiments, the washing liquid may be dispensed only through a tubular spray element, but this application is not so limited. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, one or more rotating spray arms, such as the upper spray arm 28, may also be provided to direct additional washing liquid to the dishes. In some embodiments of the present application, other ejectors (such as wall-mounted ejectors, rack-mounted ejectors, swing-type ejectors, fixed ejectors, rotary ejectors, centralized ejectors, etc.) ) In combination with one or more tubular spray elements.

The embodiments discussed below will focus on implementing the methods described below in a hinged door dishwasher. It should be understood, however, that in certain embodiments, the methods described herein may also be used in conjunction with other types of dishwashers. For example, in certain embodiments, the methods described herein can be used for commercial purposes. In addition, at least some of the methods described herein can be used in conjunction with other configurations of dishwashers, including dishwashers with sliding drawers or dishwashers with sinks, such as the dishwasher integrated in the sink machine.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the dishwasher 10 may be controlled by a controller 30 that receives inputs from multiple components and drives multiple components in response thereto. The controller 30 may, for example, include one or more processors and a memory (not shown), and the program code may be stored in the memory for execution by the one or more processors. The memory may be embedded in the controller 30, but may also be considered to include volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory, cache memory, flash memory, programmable read-only memory, read-only memory, and the like, as well as including A memory storage space physically located elsewhere in the controller 30, for example, in a mass storage device or on a remote computer connected to the controller 30.

As shown in FIG. 2, the controller 30 may be connected to various components, such as an inlet valve 32, which is connected to a water source to introduce water into the washing tub 16 and thereby connect it with detergent, rinsing agent and / or Various additives form various washing liquids when mixed. The controller may also be connected to a heater 34, a pump 36, an air supply source 38, a drain valve 40, and a diverter 42, which heats the fluid, and the pump 36 pumps the fluid to the washing machine in the dishwasher. An arm and other spraying devices recirculate the washing liquid in the washing tub, the air supply source 38 provides a source of pressurized air to dry the dishes in the dishwasher, and the drain valve 40 is connected to the drain pipe to guide the fluid Out of the dishwasher, the diverter 42 is used to control the flow of the pumped fluid to the different tubular spray elements, spray arms and / or other sprayers during the wash cycle. In certain embodiments, a single pump 36 may be used, and the drain valve 40 may be configured to direct the pumped fluid to a drain pipe or diverter 42 such that the pump 36 is used to both Drain the fluid and recirculate it in the dishwasher. In a further embodiment, a separate pump can be used to drain the dishwasher and recirculate the fluid. In some embodiments, the diverter 42 may be a passive diverter that automatically sorts different outlets; in other embodiments, the diverter 42 may be a controllable power diverter to direct fluid to Specific exit. In various embodiments, the air supply source 38 may be implemented as an air pump / air compressor or fan, and may include a heater and / or other air conditioning device to control the temperature of the pressurized air output by the air supply source (E.g., cooling and / or heating) and / or humidity (e.g., removing moisture from the air and / or substances in the air stream).

In the illustrated embodiment, the pump 36 and the air supply source 38 collectively realize the fluid supply of the dishwasher 10, so that when the washing operation and the drying operation of the washing cycle are performed, the washing liquid source and the compressed gas source are supplied for use, respectively. The washing fluid may be considered a fluid, which is usually a liquid doped with at least water, and in some cases, other components such as detergents, rinse aids, and other additives. For example, during a rinsing operation, the washing fluid may include only water. In some cases, the wash fluid may include only steam. Pressurized air is commonly used for drying operations, and may or may not be subjected to heating and / or dehumidifying treatment before being sprayed into the washing tub. However, it should be understood that pressurized air may not be used for drying purposes in some embodiments, so the air supply source 38 may be omitted in some cases. In addition, in some cases, the tubular spraying element may be used only for spraying the washing fluid or spraying pressurized air, and other sprayers or spray arms are used for other purposes, so the application is not limited to spraying the washing liquid using the tubular spraying element. And pressurized air.

The controller 30 may also be connected to the dispenser 44 to trigger the dispensing of detergent and / or rinsing agent into the washing tub at an appropriate time when the washing cycle is performed. In some embodiments, additional sensors and actuators may also be used, including a temperature sensor 46 for determining the temperature of the washing liquid, a door switch 48 for determining when to lock the door 12, and preventing the door from The door lock 50 is opened during the washing cycle. In addition, the controller 30 may be connected to a user interface 52 including various input / output devices such as knobs, dials, sliders, switches, keys, lights, text and / or graphic displays, touch screen displays, speakers , Image capture devices, microphones, etc., for receiving input from and communicating with users. In certain embodiments, the controller 30 may also be connected to one or more network interfaces 54, for example, to communicate with wired and / or wireless networks (e.g., Ethernet, Bluetooth, NFC, cellular, and other suitable networks). External equipment connection. As understood by those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure, additional components may also be connected to the controller. For example, as described in more detail below, one or more TSE drive devices 56 and / or one or more TSE valves 58 may be provided in some embodiments to discretely control the One or more TSEs.

In addition, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the controller 30 may be implemented outside the dishwasher, for example, within a mobile device, in a cloud computing environment, etc., such that at least a portion of the functions described herein can be controlled in the control Implementation of the external implementation of the processor. In some embodiments, the controller 30 may operate under the control of an operating system, and may execute or otherwise rely on various computer software applications, components, programs, objects, modules, data structures, and the like. In addition, the controller 30 may also incorporate hardware logic to implement some or all of the functions disclosed herein. Further, in some embodiments, in order to implement the embodiments disclosed herein, the sequence of operations performed by the controller 30 may be implemented by using program code, the program code including one or more instructions, the instructions in various The memory and the storage device reside at different times, and when one or more hardware-based processors read and execute the instruction, the instruction performs an operation that embodies the required function. In addition, in some embodiments, such program code may be distributed as a program product in various forms, and regardless of the computer-readable medium including, for example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for actually performing the distribution This particular type also applies to this application. In addition, it should be understood that the various operations described herein may be combined, separated, reordered, undone, changed, omitted, parallelized, and / or supplemented with other techniques known in the art. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific order of operations described herein.

Various changes and modifications of the dishwasher shown in Figs. 1-2 will be apparent to those skilled in the art, which will become apparent from the following description. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific implementations discussed herein.

Referring now to FIG. 3, in certain embodiments, a dishwasher may include one or more discretely orientable tubular spray elements, such as a tubular spray element 100 connected to a drive device 102. The tubular spraying element 100 may be configured as a tube or other elongated body provided in the washing tub and rotating about the longitudinal axis L. Additionally, the tubular spray element 100 is generally hollow or includes at least one or more internal fluid channels in fluid communication with one or more holes 104 extending through its outer surface. Each hole 104 can be used to direct the spray fluid into the washing tub, and each hole can be configured in various ways to provide various types of spray patterns, such as flow, fan spray, concentrated spray, and the like. In some cases, the hole 104 may also be configured as a fluid nozzle that provides a swing jet pattern.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the holes 104 may all be positioned to direct fluid from the axis L along the same radial direction, thereby concentrating all the ejected fluids in approximately the same radial direction indicated by the arrow R. However, in other embodiments, the holes may be arranged differently around the outer surface of the tubular spray element, for example, to provide sprays from two, three or more radial directions, distributing the sprays around the circumference of the tubular spray element. On one or more arcs, and so on.

The tubular spray element 100 is in fluid communication with a fluid supply source 106, for example, through a port 108 of the drive device 102 to direct fluid from the fluid supply source into the washing tub through one or more holes 104. The driving device 102 is connected to the tubular spray element 100 and is configured to discretely guide the tubular spray element 100 to each of a plurality of rotational positions about the longitudinal axis L. “Discrete guidance” means that the drive device 102 is capable of substantially rotating the tubular spray element 100 to a controlled rotation angle (or at least within a range of rotation angles) about the longitudinal axis L. Therefore, the driving device 102 can intelligently concentrate the injection of the tubular injection element 100 between a plurality of rotation positions, instead of uncontrollably rotating the tubular injection element 100, or uncontrollably placing the tubular injection element in two fixed rotation positions Swing. It should also be understood that rotating the tubular spray element to a controlled rotation angle may refer to an absolute rotation angle (eg, about 10 ° from the original position) or may refer to a relative rotation angle (eg, about 10 ° from the current position).

The drive device 102 is also shown with an electrical connection 110 for connection to the controller 112, and a housing 114 is shown for receiving various components in the drive device 102, which will be described in more detail below. discuss. In the illustrated embodiment, the drive device 102 is configured as a base that supports the end of the tubular spray element through a rotary connector and effectively places the tubular spray element in fluid communication with the port 108.

Through intelligent control provided by the driving device 102 and / or the controller 112, the injection mode and cycle parameters can be increased and optimized for different situations. For example, the tubular spray element near the center of the washing tub may be configured to rotate 360 °, while the rotation of the tubular spray element near the wall of the washing tub may be limited to about 180 ° to avoid spraying directly onto any wall of the washing tub wall And this is a big source of dishwasher noise. In another case, it may be desirable to direct or focus the tubular spray element on a fixed or a small range of rotational positions (e.g., about 5-10 °) to provide a concentrated spray liquid, vapor, and Air, or air, for example, for cleaning toaster residue on tableware or pans. In addition, in some cases, the rotation speed of the tubular spray element can be varied throughout the rotation to provide longer durations within certain ranges of the rotation position, thereby providing more concentrated washing for specific areas within the washing tub , While still maintaining 360 ° rotation. In various embodiments of the present application, the control of the tubular spray element may include control of a rotational position, a rotational speed or rate, and / or a rotational direction.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of the tubular spray element 100 and the drive device 102 in more detail, while the housing 114 is omitted for clarity. In this embodiment, the driving device 102 includes a driving motor 116, and the driving motor 116 may be an alternating current (AC) or a direct current (DC) motor, for example, a brushless DC motor, a stepper motor, etc. An assembly 101 such as a gearbox is mechanically connected to the tubular spray element 100. The transmission assembly 101 includes a driving gear 118 and a driven gear 120 connected to the driving motor 116 and the tubular injection element 100, respectively.

The driving device 102 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 32-40. The driving device 102 can control the rotation angle of the tubular spray element 100, thereby improving the cleaning effect of the tubular spray element 100.

In an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. 32, the dishwasher is a sink dishwasher, and the sink dishwasher is disposed adjacent to the sink. Specifically, the sink dishwasher may be integrally formed with the sink, or may be integrated with the sink. Removable connection.

Referring to FIG. 32 to FIG. 36, the dishwasher proposed in the present application includes a washing tub 90, a tubular spraying element 100 and a driving device 102, wherein the tubular spraying element 100 is disposed in the washing tub 90 and the tubular spraying element 100 The first end is a driving end, the second end of the tubular spraying element 100 is a water inlet end, and the tubular spraying element 100 is provided with a plurality of spray holes; the driving device 102 and the tubular spraying element 100 The driving end is drivingly connected, and the driving device 102 is configured to drive the tubular spraying element 100 to rotate about an axis of the tubular spraying element 100.

Since the dishwasher proposed by the present application uses a tubular spraying element 100 instead of a spraying arm, the tubular spraying element 100 rotates around the axis to change the spraying angle, thereby changing the flushing range. In this way, at least the following two beneficial effects can be achieved. First, the tubular spray element 100 has a small volume and a small footprint, so the sink dishwasher has a larger storage space. In addition, because the tubular spray element 100 rotates about its axis, the space occupied by the tubular spray element 100 is equal to its actual volume. Therefore, it can ensure that the sink dishwasher has a large storage space. Secondly, since the tubular spraying element 100 is controlled by the driving device 102, the rotation angle of the tubular spraying element 100 can be accurately controlled, so that the flushing angle and flushing range of the tubular spraying element 100 can be accurately controlled to avoid cleaning dead angles. Allows dishes to be washed thoroughly.

Further, please refer to FIG. 32 and FIG. 33. In order to obtain different cleaning effects, in an embodiment of the present application, the washing tub 90 has multiple washing zones, and each washing zone is provided with a water supply system. Since different water supply systems are connected to different washing areas, different water supply systems can be set to different washing strengths, so that different strength washing can be achieved in different washing areas.

In an embodiment of the present application, the washing tub 90 includes a plurality of partitioned tanks, and each of the tanks forms a washing area. Specifically, in this embodiment, the washing tub 90 includes a first tank body 11 and a second tank body 17 which are arranged in a partition. A first washing area is formed in the first tank body 11, and a second tank body 17 is formed in the second tank body 17. Forming a second washing area; the water supply system includes a first water supply system 70 and a second water supply system 80, the first water supply system 70 is provided corresponding to the first washing area, and the second water supply system 80 corresponds to the first Two washing area settings.

The first washing zone can be set as a general washing zone, the second washing zone can be set as a strong washing zone, the water supply system is a dual water system, and the strengths of the first water supply system 70 and the second water supply system 80 of the dual water system are different. Settings, so a single wash can achieve strong and weak partitions, so that users can wash dishes with different turbidity in a targeted manner.

In addition, the tableware can be washed in different degrees through the washing areas with different strengths in sequence. Specifically, the tableware to be washed can be washed in the strong washing area first, the food residues can be washed out, and then the ordinary washing area can be washed. Rinse the oil thoroughly.

However, the design of the present application is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the first tank body 11 and the second tank body 17 may also be connected to each other. In this way, the tableware can be easily transferred from the strong washing area to the ordinary washing area.

Further, referring to FIG. 34, in order to easily change the volume of the accommodating space of the washing tub 90, in an embodiment of the present application, the washing tub 90 is provided with a movable partition 60. In this way, the washing tub 90 can It is divided into a first tank 11 and a second tank 17. When a partition 60 is installed, the partition 60 can separate the washing tub 90 into a first tank 11 and a second tank 17. When the partition plate 60 is in communication, the first tank body 11 and the second tank body 17 communicate with each other. In this way, the washing tub 90 can accommodate tableware with a larger volume, such as pots and large plates.

Now, the movable installation structure of the partition plate 60 will be described in detail. In this embodiment, an inner wall surface of the washing tub 90 is provided with a chute extending in the up-and-down direction, and the partition plate 60 can be installed on the drawing wall. In the chute. As a preferred mode, a hand groove is provided on the upper part of the partition plate 60, so that the partition plate 60 can be easily pulled.

Further, please continue to refer to FIG. 34. In order to improve the sealing performance of the partition plate 60 and prevent the partition plate 60 from leaking water, in an embodiment of the present application, a bottom wall of the washing tub 90 corresponding to the partition plate 60 is provided with a sealing wall. The bottom of the partition plate 60 is in abutting contact with the sealing wall. After the sealing wall is provided, the position of the partition plate 60 can be raised, so that the water pressure at the joint between the partition plate 60 and the washing tub 90 can be reduced, thereby improving the sealing performance of the partition plate 60 and avoiding the first tank 11 and Water in the second tank 17 flows with each other.

As a preferred manner, a groove is provided on the top of the sealing wall, and a bottom of the partition plate 60 is fit and embedded in the groove. In this way, not only the sealing performance of the partition plate 60 can be further improved, but also the connection strength between the partition plate 60 and the washing tub 90 can be improved.

Further, the installation structure of the water supply system will now be described. In this embodiment, the partition 60 is provided in the middle of the washing tub 90, the first water supply system 70 is provided on the outer wall surface of the bottom wall of the first tank 11, and the second water supply system 80 is provided on an outer wall surface of the bottom wall of the second tank body 17, and the first water supply system 70 and the second water supply system 80 are symmetrically disposed with respect to a plane where the partition plate is located. Since the partition 60 is provided in the middle of the washing tub 90, the structures of the first tank 11 and the second tank 17 are symmetrical, and the structures of the first water supply system 70 and the second water supply system 80 are similar and the weight is the same. A water supply system 70 is installed on the bottom wall surface of the first tank body 11 and a second water supply system 80 is installed on the bottom wall surface of the second tank body 17, which can make the structure of the dishwasher symmetrical and stable.

Further, referring to FIG. 33, in order to make the structure of the dishwasher more stable, in an embodiment of the present application, the water softener and the motor pump of the water supply system are disposed on a diagonal line of the bottom wall of the tank. The water cup assembly of the water supply system is located between the water softener and the motor pump. Specifically, the first water supply system 70 includes a first water softener 71, a first water cup assembly, a first motor pump 72, a first water supply pipe 73, and a first water softener 71, which are connected in sequence. A water cup assembly and a first connection pipe of the first motor pump 72; the first motor pump 72 and the first water softener 71 are disposed on a diagonal line of a bottom wall of the first tank body 11; and / or

The second water supply system 80 includes a second water softener 81, a second water cup assembly, a second motor pump 82, a second water supply pipe 83, and a second water softener 81 and the second water cup assembly connected in sequence. And a second connection pipe with the second motor pump 82; the second motor pump 82 and the second water softener 81 are disposed on a diagonal line of the bottom wall of the second tank body 17.

Further, please still refer to FIG. 33. In order to make the arrangement of the first water supply system 70 and the second water supply system 80 more compact, in an embodiment of the present application, the first water supply system 70 and the second water supply system 80 are Staggered distribution. Specifically, the first water softener 71 is extended to the second water supply system 80 side; and / or the second motor pump 82 is extended to the first water supply system 70 side.

As a preferred mode, the water supply system further includes a pressure holding pipe that connects the motor pump and the water supply pipe, and the diameter of the pressure holding pipe is larger than the diameter of the water supply pipe. The pressure is more stable.

Please refer to FIG. 34 to FIG. 39, the driving device 102 of the dishwasher will now be described. The driving device 102 functions to drive the tubular spray element 100 to rotate about its axis. The driving device 102 includes a mounting shell 103 and a transmission assembly. 101 and a driving motor 116, wherein the transmission assembly 101 is disposed in the mounting case 103, the driving motor 116 is disposed on the mounting case 103, and a driving shaft of the driving motor 116 is connected to the transmission assembly 101.

First, since the driving device 102 proposed in the present application can drive the tubular spraying element 100 to rotate, it is possible to actively control the washing angle of the tubular spraying element 100 to avoid the dead angle of washing, so that the tableware can be thoroughly washed. Secondly, since the driving motor 116 is disposed on the mounting case 103 and the transmission component 101 is disposed in the mounting case 103, the driving device 102 can be modularized, and the trouble of installing the transmission component 101 and the driving motor 116 separately can be avoided. Finally, the modular drive device 102 can be easily installed in different installation environments, and therefore can be widely used in sink dishwasher, cabinet dishwasher, desktop dishwasher and other types of products.

It should be emphasized here that the driving device proposed in this application is not only widely used in various dishwashers, but also can be applied to cleaning equipment of fruit and vegetable machines, medical equipment and other devices.

Further, in an embodiment of the present application, the transmission assembly 101 includes a driving gear 118 connected to the driving motor 116 and a driven gear connected to the driving gear 118.

As a preferred manner, in this embodiment, the transmission assembly 101 is a gear transmission assembly, and the driven gear includes a first driven gear 221 and a second driven gear that are adapted to mesh with both sides of the driving gear 118. Gear 223, the first driven gear 221 and the second driven gear 223 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the driving gear 118, and the tubular injection element 100 includes a first tubular injection element and a second tubular injection Element, the first driven gear 221 is connected to the first tubular spray element, and the second driven gear 223 is connected to the second tubular spray element. Since the first driven gear 221 and the second driven gear 223 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the driving gear 118, the first driven gear 221 and the second driven gear 223 can be smoothly rotated, and more importantly, The first driven gear 221 and the second driven gear 223 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the driving gear 118, which can make the structure of the gear transmission assembly 101 compact, thereby achieving miniaturization of the gear transmission assembly 101.

Further, as shown in FIG. 38, considering that the rotation of the tubular spray element 100 has a certain range, in order to enable the tubular spray element 100 to stop rotating when it reaches a boundary of a preset range, in an embodiment of the present application, the first A driven gear 221 is provided with a first limiting tooth 221a, a second driven gear 223 is provided with a second limiting tooth 223a, and the first limiting tooth 221a is used to limit the driving gear 118 to reverse The limit position for clockwise rotation. The second limit tooth 223a is used to limit the limit position for clockwise rotation of the driving gear 118.

Further, referring to FIG. 38, the structure of the mounting shell 103 will now be described in detail. In this embodiment, the mounting shell 103 includes a detachably connected front shell 1031 and a rear shell 1032, the front shell 1031 and the rear shell 1032 are fastened to form a mounting cavity, and the transmission component 101 is provided in the mounting Cavity.

Specifically, a plurality of first fixing holes are provided on the periphery of the front case 1031 at intervals, and a plurality of second fixing holes are provided on the periphery of the rear case 1032 corresponding to the plurality of first fixing holes. After the first fixing holes are aligned with the second fixing holes, The front case 1031 and the rear case 1032 are detachably connected by screws or rivets.

Further, the mounting structure of the gear and the mounting case 103 will now be described in detail. A positioning column 111 is protruded on the inner wall surface of the front case 1031 near the rear case 1032, the driving gear 118 and the driven The gear is provided with a mounting hole corresponding to the positioning column 111, and the positioning column 111 is matched with the mounting hole. The alignment of the positioning column 111 and the mounting hole can facilitate the installation of the driving gear 118 and the driven gear. .

However, the design of this patent is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the transmission assembly 101 is a gear link transmission assembly, and the gear link transmission assembly 101 includes a driving motor 116, a driving gear 118, a connecting rod 119, and a driven gear which are sequentially connected and connected. A gear 120, wherein the driven gear 120 includes a first driven gear 221 and a second driven gear 223; the tubular spraying element 100 includes a first tubular spraying element and a second tubular spraying element, the first driven gear 221 is connected to the first tubular spraying element, and the second driven gear 223 is connected to the second tubular spraying element.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 40, the linkage mode of the gear link 119 transmission assembly will now be described. First, the driving motor 116 transmits a driving force to the driving gear 118, and the driving gear 118 is connected to the first driven gear 221. The first driven gear 221 transmits a driving force to the second driven gear 223 through the link 119, the first driven gear 221 is connected to the first tubular injection element, and the second driven gear 223 is connected to the second tubular injection Element, so that the driving force can be transmitted to the first and second tubular ejection elements.

Further, referring to FIG. 35 and FIG. 40, the transmission structure of the driving device 102 and the tubular injection element will be described in detail. The transmission component is provided with a transmission portion, and the transmission end of the tubular spray element is provided with a mating portion, and the mating portion is drivingly connected with the transmission portion. Specifically, in this embodiment, the transmission portion is a hexagonal transmission shaft fixed on the driven gear of the transmission component, the matching portion is a hexagonal hole opened at the transmission end, and the hexagonal transmission shaft is adapted to be inserted Provided in the hexagonal hole.

However, the design of the present application is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the positions of the hexagonal transmission shaft and the hexagonal hole can be reversed, that is, the transmission component is provided with a hexagonal hole, and the transmission end of the tubular spray element is provided with a hexagonal transmission shaft. The structure of the transmission part is not limited to the hexagonal transmission shaft, but may also be a transmission shaft with a rectangular cross section, a transmission shaft with a triangular cross section, or the like. As a preferred manner, in this embodiment, a stepped shaft is further provided between the hexagonal transmission shaft and the gear, so that the hexagonal transmission shaft and the gear can be securely connected.

Further, referring to FIG. 34 and FIG. 35, the installation structure of the driving device 102 and the washing tub 90 of the dishwasher will be described in detail. A plurality of fixing members are provided on an outer wall of the washing tub 90, and a connecting member adapted to be fixed to the fixing member is provided on the mounting shell 103, and the connecting member is adapted to be fixed to the fixing member.

Specifically, the fixing member includes a first fixing member 19 and a second fixing member 15 spaced apart in a first direction, and the first fixing member 19 and the second fixing member 15 are spaced apart in a second direction. A plurality of connectors are provided; the connectors include first connectors 121 and second connectors 123 spaced apart in a first direction, and the first connectors 121 and the second connectors 123 are in a second direction. A plurality are arranged at intervals; the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first direction is an up-down direction, and the second direction is an anterior-posterior direction. Since the fixing member and the connecting member are provided at a plurality of intervals in the up-and-down and anterior-posterior directions, the driving device can be guaranteed. The stability of 102 and washing tub 90 after installation.

As a preferred manner, in an embodiment of the present application, the first fixing member 19 is formed with a mounting groove provided in a through direction in the first direction; the first connecting member 121 is convexly provided along the first A guide portion 121a extending in one direction is adapted to be inserted into the installation groove. The installation of the guide portion 121a and the installation groove has a positioning function. In this way, the installation of the driving assembly and the washing tub 90 can be facilitated.

Specifically, the installation process of the driving assembly and the washing tub 90 will now be described in detail. First, insert the guide portion 121a into the mounting groove. After the guide portion 121a and the mounting groove are installed in place, the first fixing piece 19 is aligned with the mounting hole on the first connecting piece 121, and the second fixing piece 15 and the second connecting piece The mounting holes on 123 are relatively aligned. At this time, the drive assembly can be installed on the outer wall of the washing tub 90 by installing screws or rivets into the mounting holes.

Other methods of mechanically connecting the drive motor 116 to the tubular spray element 100 may be used in other embodiments, such as different numbers and / or types of gears, belt and pulley drive devices, magnetic drives, hydraulic drives, companies Rod, friction, etc.

In addition, an optional position sensor 122 may be provided in the tubular spray element driver 102 to determine the rotational position of the tubular spray element 100 about the axis L. In some embodiments, the position sensor 122 may be an encoder or a Hall sensor, or the position sensor 122 may be implemented in other ways, for example, integrated in a stepper motor, where the rotational position of the motor is used to determine the tubular injection element Rotation position. The position sensor 122 may also sense only a limited rotational position (eg, home position, 30 or 45 ° increments, etc.) about the axis L. Further, in some embodiments, the rotational position may be controlled using time and programming logic, for example, relative to the original position, and in some cases, the rotational position may be controlled without feedback from a motor or position sensor. In some embodiments, the position sensor 122 may also be disposed outside the driving device 102.

The internal passage 124 of the tubular spray element 100 is in fluid communication with an internal passage 126 that leads to a port 108 (not shown in FIG. 4) in the drive device 102 through a rotary connector 128. In an example embodiment, the connector 128 is formed by a bearing 130 mounted in the channel 126, wherein one or more deformable pieces 134 are provided at the end of the tubular spray element 100 to fix the tubular spray element 100 to the driving device 102 on. A seal 132, such as a lip seal, may also be formed between the tubular spray element 100 and the driving device 102. Other ways of providing fluid flow while rotatably connecting the tubular spray elements can be used in other embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 5, in some embodiments, it may also be desirable to incorporate the valve 140 into the drive device 142 to regulate the flow of fluid to the tubular spray element 144 (for clarity, other elements of the drive device 142 have been omitted in FIG. 5) ). The valve 140 may be an on-off valve in some embodiments, or it may be a variable valve that controls the flow rate in other embodiments. In further embodiments, the valve may be provided outside the drive device or otherwise separated from the drive device, and it may be dedicated to a tubular spray element or used to control multiple tubular spray elements. The valve 140 may be integrated or otherwise adjacent to the rotary connector between the tubular spray element 144 and the drive device 142. By adjusting the flow of fluid to the tubular spray element, for example, by selectively closing the tubular spray element, water can be saved and / or the entire hydraulic power is pushed by a smaller number of tubular spray elements, and a high pressure region can be formed.

In some embodiments, the actuation of the valve 140 may be independent of the rotation of the tubular spray element 144, for example, using an aperture valve, butterfly valve, gate valve, plunger valve, piston valve, valve with rotatable disc, ball valve, etc. Moreover, the valve 140 may be actuated by a solenoid, a motor, or other independent mechanism from a mechanism that rotates the tubular spray element 144. However, in other embodiments, the valve 140 may be actuated by rotation of the tubular spray element 144. In some embodiments, for example, the rotation of the tubular spray element 144 to a predetermined rotational position may be a shut-off valve 140. For example, the valve 140 includes an arc-shaped channel that allows fluid flow to flow only in a specific range of rotational positions.

As another example, as shown by valve 150 in FIG. 6, the valve may be actuated by excessively rotating the tubular spray element. For example, the valve 150 includes a port 152 that is selectively closed by a door 154 that pivots about a pin 156. The door 154 (for example, by a spring) is biased to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 6 and includes a branch 158 which is selectively connected to the stopper 160 in a predetermined rotation position, which indicates a tubular shape One end of the range R1 of the effective ejection position of the ejection element. When the rotation of the tubular spray element exceeds the range R1, for example, within the range R2, the branch 158 is connected with the stopper 160 to pivot the door 154 to the position 154 'shown by the dotted line and the sealed port 152.

As yet another example, as shown by the valve 170 of FIG. 7, the valve may be actuated by the counter-rotation of the tubular spray element. For example, the valve 170 includes two ports 172 that are selectively closed by a door 174 that pivots about a one-way bearing 176. The door 174 (for example, by a spring) is biased to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 7. When the tubular spray element rotates clockwise, the door 174 remains in a position that allows fluid flow through the port 172. However, when rotated counterclockwise, the door 174 is rotated to a position 174 'shown by a dotted line to seal the port 172 by the action of the one-way bearing 176.

As yet another example, as shown by the valve 180 in FIG. 8, the valve 180 may be a variable valve, for example, an iris valve including a port 182 selectively adjusted by a plurality of iris members 184. Each aperture member 184 includes a pin 186 that sits on a track 188 to change the opening size of the port 182. In some embodiments, the valve 180 may be independently actuated (e.g., by a solenoid or a motor) by the rotation of the tubular spray element, or it may be via the rotation of the tubular spray element by using a suitable mechanical link Actuation, for example, rotation to a predetermined position, excessive rotation or reverse rotation.

It should also be noted that, for a generally U-shaped track 188, in some embodiments, the valve 180 may be configured to close by a predetermined amount by reverse rotation, but remain open when rotated in both directions. Specifically, the valve 180 may be configured: when the pin 186 is placed on any branch of the U-shaped track, the valve is opened; but when the pin 186 is placed in the center portion of the track, the valve is closed, the track having the center from the valve The shortest radial distance of the line. The valve 180 may be configured such that when the tubular ejection element rotates in one direction and the pin 186 is placed at one end of the track 188, the valve is fully opened, and then, when the tubular ejection element rotates in the opposite direction in a reverse direction by a first preset amount (for example , Preset degree), the pin 186 travels along the track 188 to the center portion to completely close the valve. Then, when the tubular ejection element is rotated in the reverse direction in the reverse direction by more than the first preset amount, the pin 186 continues to travel along the track 188 to the opposite end, thereby re-opening the valve so that the valve remains open by the continuous rotation in the reverse direction.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-11, in various embodiments, the tubular spray element may be installed in the washing tub in various ways. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 (as described above), in some embodiments, the tubular spray element may be mounted to a wall (e.g., a side wall, a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, or a door) of a washing tub, And can be oriented in all directions, for example, horizontal, vertical, front-to-back, left-right, or at an angle. It should also be understood that the driving device may be provided in the washing tub, for example, mounted on the wall of the washing tub or on a supporting structure such as a shelf, or alternatively, part or all of the tube-type spray element driving device may be placed in The outside of the washing tub, for example, has a part of the drive means or a tubular spraying element protruding through a hole in the washing tub. Alternatively, a magnetic driving device may be used to drive the tubular spraying element in the washing tub, and the tubular spraying element uses an externally mounted driving device.

In addition, as shown in the tubular spraying element 200 in FIG. 9, unlike the tubular spraying element 100 in FIG. 3, which can be mounted in a cantilever manner, the tubular spraying element can also be mounted on the wall 202 of the washing tub, and the

hubs

204, 206 Both ends are supported, one or both of which may include components of the drive. In this regard, the tubular spray element 200 extends generally parallel to the wall 202, rather than extending substantially perpendicular to the wall 202 as the tubular spray element 100 in FIG.

In other embodiments, the tubular spray element may be rack-mounted. For example, the tubular spray element 210 shown in FIG. 10 may be mounted on a shelf (not shown), and may be docked to a docking port 216 on a wall 212 of the washing tub through a docking portion 214. In this embodiment, the driving device 218 is also rack-mounted. Therefore, in addition to the fluid connection between the docking portion 214 and the docking port 216, a plurality of cooperative contacts 220 are provided on the docking portion 214 and the docking port 216. 121, thereby providing power to the driving device 218 and being in electrical communication with the controller 224.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 11, the tubular spraying element 230 may be rack-mounted, but for a driving device 232 mounted on the wall 234 of the washing tub instead of the rack-mounted, the tubular spraying element 230 may be Separation. The docking portion 236 and the docking port 238 provide fluid communication with the tubular spray element 230 while being able to rotate the tubular spray element 230 about its longitudinal axis under the control of the driving device 232. The controller 240 provides control of the driving device 232. In some cases, the drive 232 may include a rotatable and keyed channel in which the end of the tubular spray element may be received.

FIG. 12 next shows a dishwasher 250 including a washing tub 250 and upper and

lower shelves

254, 256, and having a plurality of

tubular spray elements

258, 260, 262 distributed throughout the washing tub 252, for Circulate the washing fluid inside the dishwasher. The tubular spraying element 258 may be rack-mounted, supported by the lower side of the upper shelf 254, and extending from the back to the front in the washing tub 252. The tubular spray element 258 may also interface with a rear wall-mounted drive (not shown in FIG. 12), for example, as discussed above in connection with FIG. 11. In addition, through a connector (not shown) suspended from the upper shelf 254, the tubular spray elements 258 may be rotatably supported at one or more points along their respective longitudinal axes. As such, the tubular spray element 258 may be sprayed upward into the upper shelf 254 and / or sprayed downward into the lower shelf 256, and in some embodiments, may be used to concentrate the washing fluid in the cutlery basket or either shelf On other areas of the rack to provide centralized washing. The tubular spraying element 260 may be wall-mounted under the lower shelf 256, and both ends thereof may be supported by the side wall of the washing tub 252, extending from left to right, and generally transverse to the tubular spraying element 258. In some embodiments, each

tubular spray element

258, 260 may have a separate drive, while in other embodiments, some or all of the

tubular spray elements

258, 260 may be mechanically connected and driven by a common drive .

In certain embodiments, the

tubular spray elements

258, 260 may themselves provide sufficient washing action and coverage. However, in other embodiments, additional tubular spray elements may be used, such as a tubular spray element 262 supported above the upper shelf 254 on one or both of the top and rear walls of the washing tub 252. Additionally, in some embodiments, additional spray arms and / or other sprayers may be used. It should also be understood that although FIG. 12 shows 10 tubular spray elements, a greater or lesser number of tubular spray elements may be used in other embodiments.

Next, as shown in FIG. 13, in some embodiments, it may be necessary to use the same driving device to drive a plurality of tubular spray elements. For example, the example dishwasher 300 may include three

drive devices

302, 304, 306 interconnected by

fluid supply tubes

308, 310. The driving device 302 can directly drive a tubular spraying element 312 similar to the driver 102 shown in FIG. 3 and drive an additional tubular spraying element 314 that extends substantially transverse to the tubular spraying element 312 and includes two gears The mechanical connectors of 316, 318 are mechanically connected and fluidly connected through a pipe 320. Similarly, the driver 304 can directly drive the tubular spray element 322 and the additional tubular spray element 324, which extends generally transversely to the tubular spray element 322 and is mechanically connected by a mechanical connector including two

gears

326, 328 Is fluidly connected through a pipe 330.

In addition, the driver 306 can directly drive a pair of

tubular spray elements

332, 334 that extend along similar longitudinal axes and include drive gears 336, 338, respectively.

Tubular jet elements

340, 342, 344, and 346 are connected to

tubular jet elements

332, 334 at an angle of about 45 °, said

tubular jet elements

340, 342, 344, and 346 being passed through corresponding

machinery including gears

348, 350, 352, and 354 The connectors are mechanically connected to the

gears

336, 338 and are fluidly connected through the

headers

356, 358.

It should be understood that the configuration shown in FIG. 13 may be implemented at different heights in the washing tub, for example, bottom, top, and / or intermediate positions, and may be mounted to a shelf or the wall of the washing tub. It should also be understood that different embodiments may support myriad variations in the direction, number, and orientation of tubular spray elements. Further, it should be understood that, in general, a plurality of tube-type spray elements may be driven by the same driving device, and a plurality of tubular spray elements may be provided in a washing tub and may extend in different directions and / or in different planes, To provide greater coverage in the washing tub.

14 and 15, it should be understood that in some embodiments of the present application and in different planes, the tubular spray element may be rotatable, or may be moved in other ways, in addition to rotating about its longitudinal axis. For example, FIG. 14 shows a dishwasher 400 including a washing tub 406 and first and second

tubular spray elements

402, 404. Each

tubular spray element

402, 404, in addition to rotating about its longitudinal axis, can also rotate about a

corresponding hub

408, 410, which is disposed at an opposite corner of the washing tub 406. Each

hub

408, 410 defines a rotation axis that is approximately transverse to the longitudinal axis of the respective

tubular spray element

402, 404, and the rotation axis is disposed near one end of the respective

tubular spray element

402, 404 such that The opposite ends of the respective

tubular spray elements

402, 404 move along the arcuate paths A1, A2, for example, to the positions 402 ', 404' shown by dashed lines.

It should be understood that each

hub

408, 410 may include a plurality of drive means including a drive means for rotating the

tubular spray elements

402, 404 about its longitudinal axis, and a drive means for rotating the

tubular spray elements

402, 404 around it. Driving device for rotation of the lateral rotation axis. In some embodiments, the two drive devices may also interconnect and / or share the same components (eg, gears and / or motors). In other embodiments, the driving means for rotating about the longitudinal axis and / or about the lateral axis of rotation may be separated from the

hubs

402, 404 and in a suitable manner as understood by those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. Connect mechanically.

It should be understood that by moving the tubular spraying element along the paths A1, A2, the entire cross section (including the corners) of the washing tub 406 can be substantially covered, thereby minimizing the blind area where insufficient spraying occurs. In addition, it should be understood that in order to avoid collisions between the

tubular spray elements

402, 404, the tubular spray elements may be configured to rotate on different planes (e.g., at different heights within the washing tub), or, optionally, may coordinate the Control of the position of each

tubular spray element

402, 404 along the paths A1, A2 to avoid collisions even if the elements are in the same plane.

Referring now to FIG. 15, the tubular spray element may be movable in addition to or instead of the rotation shown in FIG. 14. FIG. 15 particularly illustrates a dishwasher 420 including a washing tub 422 and a pair of

tubular spray elements

424, 426 supported by

rails

428, 430 to move substantially linearly along the axes A3, A4 (e.g., reaching the Out positions 424 ', 426'), the axes A3, A4 are generally transverse to the longitudinal axes of the respective

tubular spray elements

424, 426. Each

track

428, 430 may include a plurality of drive means including a drive means for moving the

tubular spray elements

424, 426 about its longitudinal axis, and a drive means for moving the

tubular spray elements

424, 426 along its transverse axis A3, A4 mobile drive. In some embodiments, the two drive devices may also interconnect and / or share the same components (eg, gears and / or motors). In one example, the

rails

428, 430 may be configured to "roll" the

tubular spray elements

424, 426 between the

respective positions

424, 424 'and 426, 426' using a single motor like a roll of wood, and in some cases, The valve may be configured to shut off the fluid flow in a particular rotational position (for example, to avoid hitting the wall of the washing tub). In other embodiments, the drive means for rotating about the longitudinal axis and / or moving along the transverse axis may be separated from the

rails

428, 430 and in a suitable manner as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. Connect mechanically.

Referring now to FIGS. 16-17, in some embodiments, a deflector may be used in conjunction with a tubular spray element to promote fluid diffusion and / or prevent fluid from hitting the barrel wall. For example, as shown in Fig. 16, in order to achieve a good fluid distribution, the deflector may have various contours and shapes. The dishwasher includes a shelf 440 below which a plurality of tubular spray elements 444 (shown from their respective ends) are provided. Deflectors, such as

deflectors

446, 448, and 450, can be used to deal with fluid distribution issues associated with having a fixed spray device. For example, the deflector 446 may have an angular shape and be used to restrict fluid from being directed to the wall of the washing tub, while the deflector 448 may have a star-shaped cross-section and may be used by multiple tubular spray elements 444 to pass only the proper The tubular spray element is guided in a manner to direct the fluid up into the shelf 442 or down into the lower shelf (not shown). The deflector 450 may be planar in nature and may cause one tubular spray element 444 to spray upward and the other tubular spray element to spray downward.

In some embodiments, the deflector may be integrated into the shelf, for example, into its wires as shown by the deflector 446, or it may be mounted on or otherwise supported by the shelf. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the deflector may be mounted on the wall of the washing tub as shown by the

deflectors

448 and 450. In addition, although the deflectors shown in Figs. 16-17 are inherently fixed, in some embodiments the deflectors may also be movable, for example, for redirecting fluid between multiple directions, such as for example deflection As shown by the deflector 450, it is connected to a motor 452 capable of rotating the deflector 450 about its longitudinal axis. For example, in some embodiments, the orientation of the deflector may be controllable such that the jet fluid directed to the deflector through the tubular spray element may be controllably redirected.

It should be understood that the deflector may use a number of different cross-sectional profiles and, in particular, may be configured for a particular application. In addition, as shown in the dishwasher 460 in FIG. 17 (which is a top plan view), the outline of the deflector may also vary along its length. Specifically, the dishwasher 460 includes a washing tub 462 having a plurality of tubular spray elements 464 and a plurality of deflectors therebetween, such as

deflectors

466, 468, and 470. The deflector 466 is corrugated along its length, and the deflector 468 forms a curved state along its shape. The deflector 470 has a combination of angle and curve. As will be understood by those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure, other profiles may be used.

18-23, although the previous embodiments discussed herein have focused primarily on tubular spray elements used to spray washing fluid (e.g., washing liquid) onto dishes during a washing operation of a washing cycle, in some cases In the embodiment, the tubular spraying element can also be used to spray pressurized air onto the dishes during the drying operation of the washing cycle, for example, to blow off the water collected on the cup and the dishes after the rinsing is completed.

As shown in the dishwasher 480 in FIG. 18, for example, the washing tub 482 may include upper and

lower shelves

484, 486 and a plurality of

tubular spray elements

488, 490, 492, and 494, the plurality of

tubular spray elements

488, 490, 492 and 494 are configured as "air knives" for spraying pressurized air during the drying operation. The

tubular spray elements

488, 490 may be disposed above the upper rack 484 located on the top corner of the washing tub 482, and thus, the

tubular spray elements

488, 490 may be restricted to rotate by about 90 °. On the other hand, the

tubular spraying elements

492, 494 are disposed between the

shelves

484, 486 along the side wall of the washing tub 482, and are restricted to rotate by about 180 °. In this embodiment, the

tubular spraying elements

488, 490, 492, 494 are dedicated to spraying pressurized air, and thus, the

tubular spraying elements

488, 490, 492, 494 may have a hole size and be appropriately adjusted according to the respective drying functions. Numbering. In some embodiments, an additional tubular spraying element (not shown) may be used to spray the washing liquid, while in other embodiments, other sprayers may be used, for example, wall-mounted sprayers, spray arms, rack mounts Ejector, etc.

Alternatively, as shown in the dishwasher 500 in FIG. 19, the tubular spraying element may be dual-purpose and may be used to spray washing liquid and pressurized air for washing and drying operations in a washing cycle. The washing tub 502 includes upper and

lower racks

504, 506, and above the upper rack 504 is a pair of top tubular spraying elements 508 configured to spray downwardly by a rotation of about 180 °. A pair of central tubular spray elements 510 and a pair of side wall tubular spray elements 512 are directly below the upper shelf 504 and above the lower shelf 506. The pair of central tubular spray elements 510 are configured for 360 ° rotation, so The pair of side wall tubular spray elements 512 are configured for rotation of about 180 °. Located below the lower shelf 506 are a pair of lower central tubular spray elements 514 configured for rotation of approximately 180 °, and a pair of lower corner tubular spray elements 516 configured for rotation of approximately 90 °. It should be understood that, in some embodiments, the tubular spraying element may also be arranged to extend from one side to the other side in the washing tub, instead of extending from back to front, or may be arranged to extend in other desired orientations .

Each of the tubular spray elements 508-516, or at least a subset of the tubular spray elements 508-516, can be used to spray washing liquid and pressurized air, individually or in combination, if required by a particular application. To support this dual function, it may be necessary to include one or more valves between the tubular spray element and the dishwasher's pump and air supply. For example, FIG. 20 illustrates such an arrangement in which a three-way valve 520 selectively connects one or both of the pump 522 and the air supply 524 to one or more tubular spray elements 526. In some embodiments, valve 520 may connect only one of pump 522 and air supply 524 to tubular spray element 526 at a time, while in other embodiments, valve 520 may be configured to coordinate pump 522 and air supply Flow between 524.

FIG. 21 shows an alternative arrangement in which the pump 530 and the air supply source 532 are connected to one or more tubular spray elements 534 through

corresponding check valves

536, 538, so that the pump 532 can be activated when spray fluid needs to be sprayed, and when needed The air supply source 534 may be activated when the pressurized air is sprayed. At the same time, the check valve 536,538 prevents another supply from flowing back when the supply is not working, and in some embodiments, the check valve 536,538 allows both supplies to work simultaneously if needed .

FIG. 22 shows another alternative arrangement in which different subsets of the

tubular spray elements

540, 542 are connected to a pump 544 and an air supply source 546, respectively. In this arrangement, each of the

tubular spray elements

540, 542 can be optimized for a respective wash / dry function, and no mixing occurs between the pump 544 and the air supply 546.

It should be understood that, as mentioned above, in view of being able to turn off the tubular spray elements individually, by selectively closing some of the tubular spray elements to reduce the amount of air required for drying, the air pressure can generally be maintained at a higher level. Otherwise, if all the tubular spray elements are active at the same time as the drying operation is performed, the required air flow may require a larger-capacity air pump or fan in the air supply to generate sufficient air movement to force the movement to converge on the Water on any tableware. Because the volume of washable liquid that can be sprayed during a wash operation is relatively large, this concern may not be as great during a wash operation. Therefore, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to operate multiple tubular spray elements simultaneously during a washing operation, while operating the multiple tubular spray elements sequentially during a drying operation. For example, FIG. 23 illustrates one such operation sequence for a washing cycle of a dishwasher controller, whereby during a washing operation (block 550), a plurality of tubular spraying elements may be operated simultaneously to spray washing liquid Into the washing tub, and during the drying operation (block 552), the same tubular spray element may be operated sequentially or separately to spray pressurized air into the washing tub, thereby reducing any given situation during the drying operation The maximum amount of air that needs to be supplied.

Referring now to FIGS. 24-26, although the various embodiments discussed above partially disclose the supply of liquid and pressurized air to one or more tubular spray elements, one of ordinary skill will also readily recognize that the techniques discussed herein also Can be used with ejectors other than tubular spray elements. For example, FIG. 24 illustrates a dishwasher 600 including a washing tub 602, a door 604, an upper shelf 606, and a lower shelf 608. Ejectors of various station types can also be used in this dishwasher for dishwashing, as well as to meet specific washing needs. For example, some dishwashers may be designed with a rotatable spray arm, such as a central rotatable spray arm 610 and / or a lower rotatable spray arm 612 disposed below the upper shelf 606 and the lower shelf 608, respectively. Some designs may also include an upper rotatable spray arm (not visible in FIG. 24) provided on the top wall of the washing tub 602. In addition, in addition to or in place of a rotatable spray arm, certain dishwasher designs may include various sprayers or nozzles, such as various wall-mounted nozzles 614 and / or various rack-mounted nozzles 616. Some injectors or nozzles may be fixed, while other injectors or nozzles may be rotatable, oscillating, or otherwise movable to provide different spray patterns. In addition, some sprayers or nozzles can be configured for general coverage of the area inside the washing tub, some sprayers or nozzles can provide more powerful and / or concentrated sprays, and some sprayers or nozzles can be dedicated to specific tasks (E.g. spray items in cutlery baskets, inside bottles, extremely dirty kitchen surfaces, etc.). Furthermore, in certain embodiments, for the purposes of this aspect of the application, a tubular spray element may also be considered an injector.

As shown in FIG. 25, and consistent with certain embodiments of the present application, these kinds of injectors (represented collectively by 620) can also be connected to a liquid supply source 622 (e.g., a pump) and an air supply source 624 through a hydraulic circuit 626 In the above, the hydraulic circuit 626 enables liquid (for example, washing liquid) and pressurized air to be sprayed onto the dishes in the washing tube through an ejector. The hydraulic circuit 626 may include one or more supply pipes, conduits, diverters, etc., and one or more valves, for example, any of the various types of valves discussed above, including check valves and controllable valves Various valves controlled by 628, the controller 628 can also control each of the liquid supply source 622 and the air supply source 624 (the electrical connection is indicated by a dotted line). The partial hydraulic circuit 626 may also be integrated into any one of the liquid supply source 622, the air supply source 624, and / or one or more of the injectors 620. In some embodiments, the hydraulic circuit may be configured to inject pressurized air from the air supply 624 into the liquid stream from the liquid supply 622, although the application is not limited thereto. In addition, the hydraulic circuit may include many of the various arrangements discussed above in connection with FIGS. 20-23. It should also be understood that the hydraulic circuit 626 is also capable of delivering fluid only to portions of the ejector 620 and / or simultaneously delivering different fluid compositions to different ejectors or combinations of ejectors, and some of the additional in the dishwasher 600 The injector 600 may be all independent of the hydraulic circuit 626.

In some embodiments, the controller 628 may control the liquid supply 622, the air supply 624, the clutch 737, the air compressor 740, one or more motors (e.g., a single motor for the liquid / air supply), and / or The hydraulic circuit 626 is used to selectively inject liquid or pressurized air through the ejector 620, that is, liquid is ejected through the liquid supply source 622 or pressurized air is ejected through the air supply source 624, but not both. For example, as described above, it may be necessary to use a sprayer to spray liquid from the liquid supply source 622 during the washing operation of the washing cycle, while spraying pressurized air from the air supply source 624 during the drying operation of the washing cycle.

Further, in certain embodiments, the controller 628 may control the liquid supply source 622, the air supply source 624, and / or the hydraulic circuit 626 to simultaneously eject liquid and pressurized air through the ejector 620, i.e., eject substantially simultaneously from The liquid of the liquid supply source 622 and the pressurized air from the air supply source 624. In some embodiments, this can effectively aerate the washing liquid, and in some embodiments, it can reduce water consumption. Additionally, in some embodiments, doing so may enable the mechanical motion of the injector to be changed or controlled.

Control of the controller 628 may include control of the hydraulic circuit 626, for example, by opening or closing one or more valves, by changing the position of a mixing valve or a variable valve, by changing the fluid path between two different endpoints, etc. . The controller 628 may also include control of each of the liquid supply source 622 and the air supply source 624, for example, by opening or closing any of the supply sources 622, 624 (e.g., disengaging or engaging one or more clutches, changing one Rotation of one or more motor shafts, different control of the one or more motors, turning the motor on or off), by changing the pressure or flow rate of any one of the supply sources 622,624, or by changing any of the supply sources 622,624 Some other parameters (e.g. temperature, introduction of additives, pressure, etc. if supported). It should also be understood that in some embodiments, for example, the use of a one-way valve as disclosed in FIG. 21, the hydraulic circuit may be completely passive, and thus may not support control of any component of the hydraulic circuit 626 by the controller 628 .

In some embodiments, it may also be desirable to supply both liquid and pressurized air to dynamically change the ratio of liquid and pressurized air supplied to the ejector, for example, to control the mechanical action of the ejector. For example, as shown in FIG. 26, the controller 628 may be configured to dynamically change the liquid-to-air ratio to control one or more when one and more ejectors (block 640) are supplied with liquid and pressurized air simultaneously. Outputs from multiple injectors (block 642). Such changes may include, for example, temporarily opening or closing the liquid and / or air supply and / or valves connected thereto to communicate alternate liquid and / or pressurized air, changing the mixing valve to change the liquid delivered, and adding The ratio of compressed air, the output of one or both of the

supply sources

622, 624, the flow rate, and / or the pressure, or other means understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, in some cases it may be necessary to inject pressurized air into the wash liquid stream so that the ejector produces a higher speed wash liquid.

Although multiple actuators may be used with embodiments of a water supply source and an air supply source, in some embodiments, equipment such as, but not limited to, the dishwasher 700 may include a liquid supply source 722 and have a single actuator (Eg, a motor) an air supply 724. A single motor 730 may selectively operate air and / or water supplied to one or more ejectors 720 (eg, the same or different ejectors). The single motor 730 may operate the air pump 725 of the air supply source and / or the water pump 723 of the water supply source to selectively operate water (e.g., circulating water, recirculating water, and in some cases, such as detergent, Additional components of rinsing agents and other additives), air, or a combination thereof are operated onto one or more ejectors. This single motor 730 may also be used with the water pump 723, or drive additional water pumps to discharge the contents of the washing tub during one or more dishwashing cycles. It should be understood that in some embodiments, another water pump and motor may be used to empty the washing tub. It should be understood that a single motor of an air supply and a water supply may be in fluid communication with multiple devices in a dishwasher or device, and is not limited to one or more ejectors. For example, other devices or functions in the appliance or dishwasher may include dry structures, materials, additives, filters or similar devices located in one or more chambers or air channels, ventilation, cooling / heating, recirculating air / Water, drainage, etc. For example, the air may be conditioned by heating, cooling, and / or dehumidifying. In addition, for example, materials can be used to condition the air, such as, but not limited to, metal shelving, zeolites, and lithium chloride. In addition, for example, a single motor for air supply and water supply can be used for laundry applications.

The water pump 723 and the air pump 725 may form multiple configurations or configurations with a single or common motor 730. In one embodiment shown in FIGS. 27 and 30, a water pump 723 and an air pump or blower 725 may be placed on

opposite ends

732, 734 of the motor 730 and connected to one or more shafts 736 outward therefrom. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 28, a water pump 723 and an air pump 725 are provided on the same end or side 732 of the motor 730 and are connected to one or more shafts 736 extending outwardly therefrom. In one embodiment shown in FIG. 28, the water pump 723 may be placed between the air pump 725 and the motor 730. Alternatively, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 29, the air pump 725 may be disposed between the water pump 723 and the motor 730. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the air pump may be mounted around the circumference of the water pump. In various embodiments, the motor may be electric. Moreover, in some embodiments, the motor may be a variable speed or fixed speed motor.

In some embodiments, the one or more air pumps 725 and the one or more water pumps 723 may be operated with the common motor 730 in various methods and manners to operate individually or together. One or more clutches or connections 737 may be used to start or stop the air pump 725 and / or the water pump 723. The one or more clutches 737 may be operated electronically and / or magnetically independently or collectively during one or more cycles. For example, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 28, one or more clutches 737 may be provided between the air pump 725 and the water pump 723 to operate the two pumps independently and / or simultaneously. Further, in some embodiments, one or more one-way bearings 739 may be used to start / stop the air pump 725 and / or the water pump 723. For example, in one embodiment shown in FIG. 30, a one-way bearing 739 is used, which may allow the drive shaft 736 to rotate clockwise to operate the water pump 723, and a counterclockwise rotation of the drive shaft 736 may operate the air pump 725. In addition, in one or more cycles, the air pump 725 and the water pump 723 may rotate together in the same direction or opposite directions. In addition, in some embodiments, both the air pump and the water pump can operate substantially simultaneously in multiple cycles (eg, when connectors, clutches, and / or one-way bearings are not used or used). In addition, for example, when using aeration during one or more wash cycles, both the air pump and the water pump can be used simultaneously. In other examples, an air pump and a water pump may be used together when drying and draining water in the washing tub are performed simultaneously.

In addition, in some embodiments, the air compressor 740 may be used within the dishwasher 700. If an air compressor 740 is used, it may be in fluid communication with an air supply, hydraulic circuit, and / or controller to compress air supplied to one or more ejectors individually, and / or to supply one or more The air mixed with a plurality of ejectors is compressed. As shown in one embodiment in FIG. 30, during one or more dishwashing cycles, the air compressor 740 may be in fluid communication with at least the air pump 725 to operate at one or more desired pressures or pressure ranges, at Air is injected with or without water / additives in one or more injectors.

As shown in FIG. 31, consistent with certain embodiments of the present application, these different types of injectors (represented collectively by 620) may also be connected to a liquid supply source 722 (e.g., a pump) via a hydraulic circuit 726 via a single motor 730 and One or two of an air supply 724 (e.g., a pump), and the hydraulic circuit 726 causes one or both of the liquid (e.g., washing liquid) and pressurized air to be sprayed onto the dishes in the washing tube via an ejector. The hydraulic circuit 726 may include one or more supply pipes, conduits, shunts, etc., and one or more valves, for example, any of the various types of valves discussed above, including one-way valves and may be controlled by the controller 728 For various valves to be controlled, the controller 728 can also control each of the liquid supply source 722 and the air supply source 724 (the electrical connection is indicated by a dotted line). The controller may operate the air compressor 740 to pressurize air or a combination of air and washing liquid. Part of the hydraulic circuit 726 may also be integrated into any of the liquid supply 722, the air supply 724, the motor 730, and / or one or more of the injectors 720. In some embodiments, the hydraulic circuit may be configured to inject pressurized air from the air supply 724 into the liquid stream from the liquid supply 722, although the application is not limited thereto. In addition, the hydraulic circuit 726 may include many of the various arrangements discussed above in connection with FIGS. 20-23. It should also be understood that the hydraulic circuit 726 is also capable of delivering fluid only to portions of the ejector 720 and / or simultaneously delivering different fluid compositions to different ejectors or combinations of ejectors, and some of the additional in the dishwasher 700 The injector may be all independent of the hydraulic circuit 726.

In some embodiments, the controller 728 may control the liquid supply 722, the air supply 724, the clutch 737, the air compressor 740, one or more motors (e.g., a single motor 730 for the liquid / air supply), and / Or hydraulic circuit 726 to selectively eject liquid or pressurized air through the ejector 720, ie, eject liquid from the liquid supply source 722 or pressurized air from the air supply source 724, but not both. Further, for example, different ejectors may eject only air, only liquid, or both liquid and air. For example, as described above, it may be necessary to use a sprayer to spray liquid from the liquid supply source 722 during the washing operation of the washing cycle, while spraying pressurized air from the air supply source 724 during the drying operation of the washing cycle.

In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms “one embodiment”, “some embodiments”, “examples”, “specific examples”, or “some examples” and the like means specific features described in conjunction with the embodiments or examples , Structure, material, or characteristic is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic expressions of the above terms are not necessarily directed to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, without any contradiction, those skilled in the art may combine and combine different embodiments or examples and features of the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

In this application, the terms "installation," "connected," "connected," and "fixed" should be broadly understood unless otherwise specified and limited. For example, they can be fixed connections or removable connections. Or can be integrated; it can be mechanical, electrical, or communicable with each other; it can be directly connected, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction between two elements, Unless otherwise clearly defined. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific situations.

In this application, unless explicitly stated and defined otherwise, the first feature "on" or "down" of the second feature may be the first and second features in direct contact, or the first and second features indirectly through an intermediate medium. contact. Moreover, the first feature is "above", "above", and "above" the second feature, which means that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or merely indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. The first feature is “below”, “below”, and “below” of the second feature. The first feature may be directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or it may simply indicate that the first feature is less horizontal than the second feature.

Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, it can be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limitations on the present application. Those skilled in the art may, within the scope of the present application, understand the above. Embodiments are subject to change, modification, substitution, and modification.

Claims

A dishwasher comprising:

Washing bucket

One or more sprayers, said sprayers being provided in said washing tub;

A liquid supply source and an air supply source, said liquid supply source and said air supply source having a single motor and operated by said single motor;

The liquid supply source includes a water pump driven by the single motor, the water pump being in fluid communication with the one or more ejectors and configured to supply liquid to the one or more ejectors to supply the Liquid is sprayed on the dishes provided in the washing tub; and

The air supply source includes an air pump driven by the single motor, the air pump being in fluid communication with one or more of the ejectors, and configured to supply pressurized air to the one or more ejectors, To spray the pressurized air onto the dishes provided in the washing tub.
The dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein the air pump and the water pump are mounted on opposite ends of the single motor, or the air pump and the water pump are mounted on one end of the single motor .
The dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein the water pump is provided between the air pump and the single motor, or the air pump is provided between the water pump and the single motor.
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the single motor includes one or more clutches operatively engaged in the water pump and the air pump At least one.
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the air supply source further comprises at least one air compressor in fluid communication with the one or more ejectors .
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a hydraulic circuit connected to the liquid supply source, the air supply source, and the one or more ejectors between.
The dishwasher according to claim 6, wherein the hydraulic circuit includes a first check valve and a second check valve, the first check valve and the second check valve are respectively configured to restrict Liquid returns to the air supply and restricts the return of pressurized air to the liquid supply.
The dishwasher according to claim 6, wherein the hydraulic circuit includes a valve configured to selectively connect the one or more ejectors to the liquid supply source and the air supply Each of the sources.
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 6-8, wherein the one or more ejectors include a first ejector and a second ejector, and the dishwasher further includes a first valve and a first Two valves, the first valve and the second valve are connected to the first injector and the second injector, respectively, to control the fluid flowing to the first injector and the second injector.
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 6 to 9, further comprising a controller connected to the liquid supply source and the air supply source.
The dishwasher according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to control the liquid supply source, the air supply source and / or the hydraulic circuit selectively by the one or more ejectors Spray liquid or pressurized air.
The dishwasher according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to control the liquid supply source, the air supply source and / or the hydraulic circuit through The one or more ejectors spray liquid, and during the drying operation of the washing cycle, the liquid supply source, the air supply source and / or the hydraulic circuit are sprayed and pressurized by the one or more ejectors air.
The dishwasher according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to control the liquid supply source, the air supply source and / or the hydraulic circuit through the one or more ejectors simultaneously Spray liquid and pressurized air.
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 1-13, further comprising one or more additional sprayers, the additional sprayers being provided in the washing tub and only connected to the liquid supply source It is connected in fluid communication with one of the air supply sources.
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the single motor includes one or more one-way bearings operatively engaging the water pump and the At least one of the air pumps.
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a driving device for driving the sprayer, the driving device comprising:

Mounting shell

A transmission assembly provided in the mounting shell; and

A drive motor, a drive shaft of the drive motor is connected to the transmission assembly, and the transmission assembly is connected to the ejector.
The dishwasher according to claim 16, wherein the transmission assembly includes a driving gear connected to the driving motor and a driven gear connected to the driving gear, and the driven gear is connected to the ejector .
The dishwasher according to claim 17, wherein the driven gear includes a first driven gear and a second driven gear engaged with both sides of the driving gear, the first driven gear and the The second driven gear is symmetrically distributed on both sides of the driving gear;

The one or more injectors include a first injector and a second injector, the first driven gear is connected to the first injector, and the second driven gear is connected to the second injector .
The dishwasher according to claim 18, wherein the first driven gear is provided with a first limiting tooth, the second driven gear is provided with a second limiting tooth, and the first limiting gear The position-limiting tooth is used to limit the limit position where the driving gear rotates counterclockwise, and the second position-limiting tooth is used to limit the limit position where the driving gear rotates clockwise.
The dishwasher according to claim 17, wherein the transmission assembly further comprises a connecting rod, the driven gear includes a first driven gear and a second driven gear, the driving gear, the first driven gear, The moving gear, the connecting rod, and the second driven gear are sequentially connected in transmission;

The one or more injectors include a first injector and a second injector, the first driven gear is connected to the first injector, and the second driven gear is connected to the second injector .
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 16-20, wherein the sprayer is a tubular spraying element, and the driving device is configured to drive the tubular spraying element to rotate about an axis of the tubular spraying element.
The dishwasher according to claim 21, wherein the transmission component is provided with a transmission portion, and the transmission end of the tubular spray element is provided with a mating portion, and the mating portion is drivingly connected to the transmission portion.
The dishwasher according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein a plurality of fixing members are provided on an outer wall of the washing tub, and the mounting shell is provided with a connection adapted to be fixed to the fixing members. Piece, the connecting piece is adapted to be fixed with the fixing piece.
The dishwasher according to claim 23, wherein the fixing member includes a first fixing member and a second fixing member spaced apart in a first direction, and the first fixing member and the second fixing member are Multiple are arranged at intervals in the second direction;

The connecting member includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member spaced apart in a first direction, and a plurality of the first connecting member and the second connecting member are spaced apart in a second direction;

The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.
The dishwasher according to claim 24, wherein the first fixing member is formed with a mounting groove provided in the first direction, and the first connecting member is convexly provided along the first direction. An extended guide portion is adapted to be inserted into the mounting groove.
A dishwasher comprising:

Washing bucket

Water pump

Air pump

Wherein the water pump and the air pump are operated by a single motor;

One or more first sprayers, the one or more first sprayers are provided in the washing tub;

One or more second sprayers, the one or more second sprayers are provided in the washing tub;

The water pump is in fluid communication with the one or more first ejectors, and is configured to supply liquid to the one or more first ejectors to inject the liquid into a washing tank provided in the washing tub. On the tableware

The air pump is in fluid communication with the one or more second ejectors and is configured to supply pressurized air to the one or more second ejectors to inject the pressurized air to Said dishes in the washing tub; and

A hydraulic circuit in fluid communication with the one or more first injectors and / or the one or more second injectors and configured to be driven from the air pump driven by the single motor And / or the water pump supplies liquid and pressurized air.
The dishwasher according to claim 26, further comprising a driving device, the driving device comprising a mounting case, a transmission component, and a driving motor, the transmission component being disposed in the mounting casing, and driving of the driving motor A shaft is connected to the transmission assembly, and the transmission assembly is connected to the first injector and the second injector.
The dishwasher according to claim 27, wherein the transmission assembly includes a driving gear connected to the single motor and a driven gear connected to the driving gear, and the driven gear includes a gear adapted to mesh with the driving gear. The first driven gear and the second driven gear on both sides of the driving gear, and the first driven gear and the second driven gear are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the driving gear,

The first driven gear is connected to the first injector, and the second driven gear is connected to the second injector.
A method of operating a dishwasher, wherein the method includes:

Operate a single motor to drive the air and water pumps;

Supplying one or more ejectors provided in the washing tub of the dishwasher through the water pump of the dishwasher to spray the liquid onto the dishes provided in the washing tub; and

Pressurized air is supplied into the one or more ejectors through the air pump of the dishwasher to spray the pressurized air onto the dishes provided in the washing tub.
The method according to claim 29, wherein the liquid and the pressurized air are supplied simultaneously.
The method according to claim 29 or 30, wherein supplying the pressurized air includes injecting the pressurized air into the liquid supplied by the water pump.
The method according to claim 29, wherein the liquid and the pressurized air are separately supplied.
The method according to claim 29 or 32, supplying the liquid is performed when a washing operation of a washing cycle is performed, and supplying the pressurized air is performed when a drying operation of the washing cycle is performed.