A cleaning machine and a cleaning method
By introducing a sunken heating element and water tank structure into the dishwasher, combined with a floating pump housing and space guide vanes, the problem of residual water at the bottom of the dishwasher is solved, achieving a waterless cleaning and drying effect, and improving the cleanliness and safety of the washing machine.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NINGBO FOTILE KITCHEN WARE CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2023-06-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-10
AI Technical Summary
Existing dishwashers have the problem of not being able to completely drain the water at the bottom of the cabinet, which leads to bacterial growth and secondary pollution, and also results in poor cleaning performance.
A submerged heating element and water storage tank structure were designed, combined with a floating pump casing and spatial guide vanes, to achieve steam pre-washing, sterilization and drying. The opening and closing of the return water port is controlled by water pressure to ensure water flow stability and no residual water.
It achieves a waterless cleaning effect, improves cleaning and drying efficiency, avoids bacterial growth, and enhances the cleanliness and safety of the cleaning machine.
Smart Images

Figure CN116746850B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of dishwasher technology, specifically to a washing machine and washing method for cleaning tableware, fruits and vegetables. Background Technology
[0002] For larger dishwashers, at least two sets of spray arms, arranged vertically, are typically used to achieve better washing results. During operation, the wash pump delivers water to each spray arm for vertical spraying. After rinsing the dishes, the water that falls back down collects in a water cup at the bottom of the dishwasher. The wash pump then delivers the fallen water back to each spray arm, completing one water circulation cycle.
[0003] The applicant's earlier application CN201211216094.7, "Water Flow System for Cleaning Machine and Cleaning Machine," discloses a structure in which a guide vane is installed in the pump casing to divert water. One stream of water is output through a first outlet at the top of the pump casing, and the other stream is output through a second outlet on the side of the pump casing. The guide vane itself does not move. Under the diversion effect of the guide vane, the interference problem between the two streams of water is eliminated, the energy loss of the water flow is reduced, and both streams of water can maintain a high head and a large flow rate. Moreover, the operation of the entire water flow system can be completed by only one centrifugal impeller, the overall structure is simple, and the production cost is reduced. However, since the pump casing is fixed to the bottom of the housing with screws, there is a height difference at the various connection structures. As a result, after cleaning, some residual water remains at the bottom of the housing and cannot be completely drained. Long-term storage can easily breed bacteria and cause secondary pollution.
[0004] Therefore, the structure of the aforementioned cleaning machine needs further improvement. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a cleaning machine that can easily achieve zero residual water and provide heating space for steam, thereby improving the cleaning effect, in light of the current state of the prior art.
[0006] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a cleaning method that effectively improves the cleaning effect, in view of the current state of the prior art.
[0007] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows:
[0008] A cleaning machine includes a housing, a spray arm, and a pumping mechanism. The spray arm is located in the housing and is arranged near the bottom of the housing. The pumping mechanism is used to pump water from the housing to the spray arm. A sunken heating element is installed at the bottom of the housing, and a water storage tank is formed at the heating element that is lower than the bottom wall of the housing. The pumping mechanism is located in the housing, and the bottom of the pump casing has a water inlet corresponding to the water storage tank, and the top has a water outlet connected to the spray arm. A support edge extending downward and supporting the water storage tank is provided at the bottom edge of the pump casing, and a return water outlet is provided on the support edge.
[0009] As an improvement, the pump casing includes an upper casing and a lower casing that can be interlocked to enclose the pump chamber. The upper casing is buoyantly constrained above the lower casing. The supporting edge is located at the bottom edge of the lower casing. The edge of the upper casing is provided with a surrounding edge that can seal the return water inlet when it sinks under its own weight and open the return water inlet when it floats up under water pressure. With the above structure, the return water inlet can be sealed during the steam pre-washing, steam sterilization, and drying stages. When the power mechanism is not running, steam is automatically driven from bottom to top and transported to the washing chamber through the spray arm. During the water washing stage, the return water inlet is automatically opened without affecting the return water efficiency. At the same time, since the floating of the upper casing is achieved by water pressure, the upper casing can also automatically adjust the pump chamber volume according to the water pressure, thereby making the water flow output stable and eliminating the problem of spray arm shaking and jamming caused by unstable water flow velocity.
[0010] Preferably, the lower housing includes a first horizontal portion and a supporting edge extending downward from the edge of the first horizontal portion. The water inlet is located at the center of the first horizontal portion. The upper housing includes an annular second horizontal portion corresponding to the first horizontal portion. The surrounding edge extends downward from the outer edge of the second horizontal portion and is arranged around the supporting edge. An upwardly extending cylinder is provided at the inner edge of the second horizontal portion. The top of the cylinder gradually converges radially towards the center to form the water outlet. The cylinder and the upper surface of the first horizontal portion together enclose the pump chamber. This structure facilitates relative floating between the upper and lower housings.
[0011] To facilitate the connection between the spray arm and the pumping mechanism, the edge of the outlet extends upward to form an outlet sleeve, which is detachably connected to the inlet at the bottom of the spray arm.
[0012] Preferably, the upper surface of the first horizontal portion is provided with an upwardly extending limiting post, and correspondingly, the second horizontal portion has a limiting opening for the limiting post to pass through. The top of the limiting post is provided with a limiting part that can limit the upper shell after it floats. The limiting distance of the limiting post on the upper shell is basically the same as the height of the return water inlet, to ensure smooth opening and closing of the return water inlet.
[0013] Preferably, the upper surface of the first horizontal portion is recessed at its outer edge to form a receiving groove, in which a sealing ring is embedded that can contact and seal with the inner surface of the upper housing after the upper housing sinks.
[0014] In this invention, the pumping mechanism includes a spatial guide vane, an impeller, and a pump casing. The spatial guide vane includes a cover plate and guide vanes. The cover plate is horizontally disposed in the middle of the pump casing and divides the inner cavity of the pump casing into a relatively independent upper cavity and a lower cavity. The outlet is connected to the upper cavity. There are multiple guide vanes arranged vertically on the lower surface of the cover plate. The multiple guide vanes cover the circumferential area of the cover plate and are arranged at intervals along the circumference. The guide vanes extend spirally inward from the edge of the cover plate against the direction of water flow. A flow channel is constrained between two adjacent guide vanes. The cover plate portion corresponding to the top of the guide vane is at least partially missing to form a gap for the flow channel to connect with the upper cavity. The impeller is rotatably disposed in the lower cavity. The bottom of the impeller has an inlet corresponding to the suction port and the side has an outlet corresponding to the gap. This invention incorporates a spatial guide vane and impeller within the pump casing to guide and pressurize axially incoming water before axially outputting it, thus meeting water pressure requirements. Furthermore, the spray arm is mounted on the pump casing without needing to engage with the impeller, improving the stability of the water flow entering the spray arm and consequently enhancing its rotational stability. Simultaneously, since the impeller no longer engages with the spray arm's inlet, the water pressure at the inlet is stabilized, preventing gas intake and water leakage issues.
[0015] Preferably, the suction port is located on the bottom wall of the pump casing. The bottom wall of the pump casing surrounding the suction port extends radially from the outside to the inside and from top to bottom to form a first guide surface. The suction port is located at the lowest point of this first guide surface, thus forming a downward-protruding suction port. The impeller is a centrifugal impeller. This structure helps to further improve the water suction efficiency and rectify and guide the water entering the suction port, reducing energy loss.
[0016] Preferably, the outer ends of the guide vanes are arranged close to the inner circumferential wall of the pump casing and near the edge of the impeller. In two adjacent guide vanes, the outer ends of the first guide vane and the inner ends of the second guide vane are staggered to enclose the flow channel. The cover plate is missing from the outer end of the corresponding first guide vane to the outer end of the second guide vane, forming the notch. This structure ensures a proper connection between the notch and the outlet end of the flow channel, reducing energy loss.
[0017] Preferably, the outlet is located in the center of the top wall of the pump casing, and the upper surface of the cover plate is provided with converging vanes that spiral from the edge to the center to gather the water flow delivered through the notch towards the outlet. This structure can rectify and guide the water flow entering the upper cavity, avoid energy loss caused by water flow turbulence, and improve water pressure and head.
[0018] Preferably, the upper surface of the cover plate is provided with a guide cone that gradually extends upward from the edge to the center, and the tip of the guide cone is arranged corresponding to the outlet. Multiple converging blades are arranged at intervals around the circumference of the cover plate, and the bottom edge of each converging blade is located on the upper surface of the guide cone. This structure can rectify and guide the water flow entering the upper cavity, avoiding energy loss caused by turbulent water flow and improving water pressure and head.
[0019] Preferably, a drive component for driving the impeller to rotate is disposed below the pump casing. The drive component is located at the bottom of the outer casing and extends axially upward through the heating element and the suction port to connect with the impeller. With this structure, the suction gap of the pump casing can be set very low to avoid gas from sucking in water, and the return stroke can be further shortened to improve pumping efficiency.
[0020] A cleaning method, using the aforementioned cleaning machine, includes the following steps:
[0021] (1) Steam pre-wash
[0022] The upper shell sinks under the action of gravity, and the surrounding edge seals the return water port on the support side;
[0023] Water is introduced into the tank, and the water flows into the water storage tank through the gap between the bottom edge of the perimeter and the bottom edge of the support. The amount of water introduced does not exceed the volume of the water storage tank.
[0024] The heating element is activated to heat the water in the water tank to form steam. The steam enters the washing chamber through the pump chamber and spray arm to wet the contaminants on the surface of the tableware at high temperature.
[0025] (2) Fill the tank with water until the water level covers the pump mechanism and the spray arm;
[0026] The pump mechanism and heating element are activated, and the washing water circulates between the bottom of the tank, the pump chamber, and the spray arm. During this process, the water pressure generated in the pump chamber pushes the upper shell upward, and the surrounding edge moves upward relative to the supporting edge, opening the return water port. The water at the bottom of the tank is quickly drawn into the water storage tank through the return water port and heated. It then enters the pump chamber through the suction port and then enters the spray arm through the pump chamber, spraying upward to clean the tableware.
[0027] Preferably, after step (2) is completed, the water is drained. After the water is drained, there is residual water in the water storage tank. The upper shell sinks under the action of gravity, and the surrounding edge seals the water return port on the support side.
[0028] The heating element is activated to heat the water in the water tank to form steam. The steam enters the washing chamber through the pump chamber and spray arm to sterilize and dry the surface of the tableware at high temperature. The dried moisture is discharged through the exhaust port of the cabinet.
[0029] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows: In solving the problem of residual water due to uneven bottom of the cabinet, the present invention, contrary to the conventional approach of making the bottom of the cabinet flat, sets up a sunken heating element and forms a water storage tank. Before washing, a small amount of water can be added to the water storage tank and heated to perform steam pre-washing of the tableware. During washing, a large amount of water is added and the washing water is heated by the heating element, which can improve the heating efficiency. After washing, the residual water can be turned into steam by heating the element to sterilize and dry the tableware, achieving zero residual water and good cleaning and drying effect. Attached Figure Description
[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the cleaning machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0031] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the bottom structure;
[0032] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0033] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of the image;
[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the pump casing in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0035] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the bottom structure;
[0036] Figure 7 for Figure 5 Exploded view;
[0037] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the space guide vane in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0038] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the bottom structure. Detailed Implementation
[0039] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.
[0040] like Figures 1-9 As shown, the cleaning machine of this embodiment includes a housing 01, a spray arm 02, and a water pumping mechanism. The bottom of the housing 01 is provided with a recessed return water area 011, and the top of the return water area 011 is covered with a filter plate. The spray arm 02 is rotatably disposed in the housing 01 and is located above the filter plate near the bottom of the housing 01. The water pumping mechanism is used to pump water from the return water area 011 of the housing 01 to the spray arm 02.
[0041] A recessed heating element 4 is installed at the bottom of the return water area 011 of the box 01, that is, a heating element 4 that is recessed downward relative to the bottom wall of the return water area 011. The heating element 4 is a thick film heating plate. A water storage tank 41 is formed at the heating element 4 that is lower than the inner bottom wall of the box 01. The pump mechanism is located in the box 01, and the bottom of the pump casing 1 has a water inlet 11 corresponding to the water storage tank 41, and the top has a water outlet 12 that is connected to the spray arm 02. A support edge 13 extending downward and supporting the periphery of the water storage tank 41 is provided at the bottom edge of the pump casing 1. A return water outlet 131 is provided on the support edge 13.
[0042] The pump casing 1 includes an upper casing 14 and a lower casing 15 that can be fastened together to enclose the pump chamber 10. The upper casing 14 is vertically and horizontally constrained above the lower casing 15. The support edge 13 is located at the bottom edge of the lower casing 15. The edge of the upper casing 14 is provided with a surrounding edge 141 that can seal the return water port 131 when it sinks under its own weight and open the return water port 131 when it floats up under water pressure. With the above structure, the return water port 131 can be sealed during the steam pre-washing, steam sterilization and drying stages. When the power mechanism is not running, steam is automatically driven from bottom to top and transported to the washing chamber through the spray arm. During the water washing stage, the return water port 131 is automatically opened without affecting the return water efficiency. At the same time, since the floating of the upper casing 14 is achieved by water pressure, the upper casing 14 can also automatically adjust the volume of the pump chamber 10 according to the water pressure, thereby making the water flow output stable and eliminating the problem of spray arm shaking and jamming caused by unstable water flow velocity.
[0043] The lower housing 15 includes a first horizontal portion 151 and a supporting edge 13 extending downward from the edge of the first horizontal portion 151. A water inlet 11 is located at the center of the first horizontal portion 151. The upper housing 14 includes an annular second horizontal portion 142 corresponding to the first horizontal portion 151. A surrounding edge 141 extends downward from the outer edge of the second horizontal portion 142 and is arranged around the supporting edge 13. An upwardly extending cylindrical body 143 is provided at the inner edge of the second horizontal portion 142. The top of the cylindrical body 143 gradually converges radially towards the center to form a water outlet 12. The cylindrical body 143 and the upper surface of the first horizontal portion 151 together enclose the pump chamber 10. This structure facilitates relative floating between the upper housing 14 and the lower housing 15.
[0044] To facilitate the connection between the spray arm 02 and the pump mechanism, the edge of the outlet 12 extends upward to form an outlet sleeve 121, which is detachably connected to the inlet at the bottom of the spray arm 02 via a snap-fit structure.
[0045] The upper surface of the first horizontal section 151 is provided with an upwardly extending limiting post 152. Correspondingly, the second horizontal section 142 has a limiting opening 1421 for the limiting post 152 to pass through. The top of the limiting post 152 is provided with a limiting part 1521 that can limit the upper housing 14 after it floats. The limiting distance of the limiting post 152 on the upper housing 14 is basically the same as the height of the return water port 131 to ensure smooth opening and closing of the return water port 131.
[0046] The upper surface of the first horizontal portion 151 is recessed at its outer edge to form a receiving groove 1522, in which a sealing ring 6 is embedded, which can contact and seal with the inner surface of the upper housing 14 after the upper housing 14 is sunk.
[0047] In this embodiment, the pumping mechanism includes a spatial guide vane A, an impeller 3, and a pump casing. The spatial guide vane A includes a cover plate 2 and guide vanes 21. The cover plate 2 is horizontally disposed in the middle of the pump casing 1 and divides the inner cavity of the pump casing 1 into a relatively independent upper cavity 101 and a lower cavity 102. The outlet 12 is connected to the upper cavity 101. There are multiple guide vanes 21 and they are arranged vertically on the lower surface of the cover plate 2. The multiple guide vanes 21 cover the circumferential area of the cover plate 2 and are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction. The guide vanes 21 extend spirally from the edge of the cover plate 2 inward against the direction of water flow. A guide channel 23 is constrained between two adjacent guide vanes 21. The part of the cover plate 2 corresponding to the top of the guide vane 21 is at least partially missing to form a gap 24 for the guide channel 23 to communicate with the upper cavity 101. The impeller 3 is rotatably disposed in the lower cavity 102. The impeller 3 is a centrifugal impeller. In this embodiment, a spatial guide vane and impeller are provided in the pump casing to guide and pressurize axially incoming water through circumferential means before axially outputting it, in order to meet the water pressure requirements. Based on this, the spray arm is set on the pump casing without needing to cooperate with the impeller, which improves the stability of the water flow entering the spray arm and thus improves the rotational stability of the spray arm. At the same time, since the impeller no longer corresponds to the water inlet of the spray arm, the water pressure at the water inlet of the spray arm is stabilized, avoiding the problems of gas intake and water leakage.
[0048] The suction port 11 is located on the bottom wall of the pump casing 1. The bottom wall of the pump casing 1 surrounding the suction port 11 extends radially from the outside to the inside and from top to bottom to form a first guide surface 111. The suction port 11 is located at the lowest end of the first guide surface 111, thus forming a downward-protruding suction port 11. This structure is beneficial for further improving the water suction efficiency and rectifying and guiding the water entering the suction port, thereby reducing energy loss.
[0049] The outer ends of the guide vanes 21 are arranged close to the inner circumferential wall of the pump casing 1 and close to the edge of the impeller 3. In two adjacent guide vanes 21, the outer end portion of the first guide vane 21 and the inner end portion of the second guide vane 21 are staggered to enclose the guide channel 23. The cover plate 2 is missing from the corresponding outer end of the first guide vane 21 to the outer end of the second guide vane 21, forming a gap 24. This structure allows the gap to be properly connected to the outlet end of the guide channel, reducing energy loss.
[0050] The outlet 12 is located in the center of the top wall of the pump casing 1. The upper surface of the cover plate 2 is provided with a converging vane 25 that spirals from the edge to the center to gather the water flow delivered through the notch 24 to the outlet 12. This structure can rectify and guide the water flow entering the upper cavity, avoid energy loss caused by water flow turbulence, and improve water pressure and head.
[0051] The upper surface of the cover plate 2 is provided with a guide cone 26 that gradually extends upward from the edge to the center, and the tip of the guide cone 26 is arranged corresponding to the outlet 12. Multiple converging vanes 25 are arranged at intervals around the cover plate 2, and the bottom edge of the converging vanes 25 is located on the upper surface of the guide cone 26. This structure can rectify and guide the water flow entering the upper cavity, avoid energy loss caused by water flow turbulence, and improve water pressure and head.
[0052] A drive unit 5 for driving the impeller rotation is installed below the pump casing 1. The drive unit 5 is a motor, located at the bottom of the casing, and its power output shaft 51 extends upward through the heating element, the suction port 11, and connects to the impeller 3. With this structure, the suction gap of the pump casing 1 can be set very low to avoid gas intake of water, and the return stroke can be further shortened to improve pumping efficiency.
[0053] The cleaning method in this embodiment includes the following steps:
[0054] (1) Steam pre-wash
[0055] The upper shell 14 sinks under the action of gravity, and the surrounding edge 141 seals the return water port 131 on the supporting edge 13;
[0056] Water is introduced into the box 01, and the water flows into the water storage tank 41 through the gap between the bottom edge of the perimeter 141 and the bottom edge of the support 13. The amount of water introduced is not greater than the volume of the water storage tank 41.
[0057] The heating element 4 is activated to heat the water in the water storage tank 41 to form steam. The steam enters the washing chamber through the pump chamber 10 and the spray arm 02 to wet the contaminants on the surface of the tableware at high temperature.
[0058] (2) Water is introduced into the tank 01 until the water level covers the pump mechanism and the spray arm 02.
[0059] The water pump mechanism and heating element 4 are activated, and the washing water circulates between the bottom of the tank 01, the pump chamber 10, and the spray arm 02. During this process, the water pressure generated in the pump chamber 10 pushes the upper shell 14 upward, and the surrounding edge 141 moves upward relative to the supporting edge 13, opening the return water port 131. The water at the bottom of the tank 01 is quickly drawn into the water storage tank 41 through the return water port 131 and heated. It then enters the pump chamber 10 through the water inlet 11 and then enters the spray arm 02 through the pump chamber 10, spraying upward to clean the tableware.
[0060] (3) Drainage: After drainage, there is residual water in the water storage tank 41. The upper shell 14 sinks under the action of gravity, and the surrounding edge 141 seals the return water port 131 on the support edge 13.
[0061] The heating element 4 is activated to heat the water in the water storage tank 41 to form steam. The steam enters the washing chamber through the pump chamber 10 and the spray arm 02 to sterilize and dry the surface of the tableware at high temperature. The dried moisture is discharged through the exhaust port on the side wall of the cabinet 01.
[0062] In this embodiment, instead of the conventional approach of making the bottom of the cabinet 01 flat, a sunken heating element 4 is set up to solve the problem of residual water due to unevenness at the bottom of the cabinet 01. A small amount of water can be added to the water storage tank 41 and heated before washing to pre-wash the tableware with steam. During washing, a large amount of water is added and heated by the heating element 4 to improve heating efficiency. After washing, the residual water can be turned into steam by the heating element 4 to sterilize and dry the tableware, achieving no residual water and good cleaning and drying effects.
[0063] The specification and claims of this invention use terms indicating direction, such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "side," "top," and "bottom," to describe various exemplary structural parts and elements of the invention. However, these terms are used herein merely for ease of explanation and are determined based on the exemplary orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Since the embodiments disclosed in this invention can be arranged in different orientations, these terms indicating direction are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limitations. For example, "upper" and "lower" are not necessarily limited to directions opposite to or consistent with the direction of gravity.
Claims
1. A cleaning machine, comprising a housing (01), a spray arm (02), and a water pumping mechanism, wherein the spray arm (02) is disposed in the housing (01) and arranged near the bottom of the housing (01), and the water pumping mechanism is used to pump water from the housing (01) to the spray arm (02), characterized in that: The bottom of the housing (01) is equipped with a sunken heating element (4), and a water storage tank (41) is formed at the heating element (4) that is lower than the inner bottom wall of the housing (01). The pump mechanism is located in the housing (01), and the bottom of the pump casing (1) has a water inlet (11) corresponding to the water storage tank (41), and the top has a water outlet (12) connected to the spray arm (02). The bottom edge of the pump casing (1) is provided with a support edge (13) that extends downward and supports the periphery of the water storage tank (41). 13) A return water inlet (131) is opened on the top; the pump casing (1) includes an upper casing (14) and a lower casing (15) that can be fastened together to enclose the pump chamber (10). The upper casing (14) is constrained above the lower casing (15) by floating up and down. The support edge (13) is located at the bottom edge of the lower casing (15). The edge of the upper casing (14) is provided with a surrounding edge (141) that can seal the return water inlet (131) after sinking with its gravity and open the return water inlet (131) after floating up with water force.
2. The cleaning machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower housing (15) includes a first horizontal portion (151) and a support edge (13) extending downward from the edge of the first horizontal portion (151). The water inlet (11) is located in the center of the first horizontal portion (151). The upper housing (14) includes an annular second horizontal portion (142) arranged corresponding to the first horizontal portion (151). The surrounding edge (141) extends downward from the outer edge of the second horizontal portion (142) and is arranged around the support edge (13). An upwardly extending cylinder (143) is provided at the inner edge of the second horizontal portion (142). The top of the cylinder (143) gradually converges radially toward the center to form the water outlet (12). The cylinder (143) and the upper surface of the first horizontal portion (151) together enclose the pump chamber (10).
3. The cleaning machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The edge of the outlet (12) extends upward to form an outlet sleeve (121), which is detachably connected to the inlet at the bottom of the spray arm (02).
4. The cleaning machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper surface of the first horizontal portion (151) is provided with an upwardly extending limiting post (152). Correspondingly, the second horizontal portion (142) has a limiting opening (1421) for the limiting post (152) to pass through. The top of the limiting post (152) is provided with a limiting part (1521) that can limit the upper shell (14) after it floats up.
5. The cleaning machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper surface of the first horizontal portion (151) is recessed at its outer edge to form a receiving groove (1522), in which a sealing ring (6) is embedded, which can contact and seal with the inner surface of the upper housing (14) after the upper housing (14) is sunk.
6. The cleaning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The pumping mechanism includes a spatial guide vane (A), an impeller (3), and the pump casing. The spatial guide vane (A) includes a cover plate (2) and guide vanes (21). The cover plate (2) is horizontally positioned in the middle of the pump casing (1) and divides the inner cavity of the pump casing (1) into a relatively independent upper cavity (101) and a lower cavity (102). The outlet (12) is connected to the upper cavity (101). There are multiple guide vanes (21) arranged vertically on the lower surface of the cover plate (2). The multiple guide vanes (21) cover the circumferential area of the cover plate (2) and are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction. The guide vane (21) extends spirally inward from the edge of the cover plate (2) against the direction of water flow. A guide channel (23) is constrained between two adjacent guide vanes (21). At least part of the cover plate (2) corresponding to the top of the guide vane (21) is missing to form a notch (24) for the guide channel (23) to communicate with the upper cavity (101). The impeller (3) is rotatably disposed in the lower cavity (102). The bottom of the impeller (3) has an inlet (31) arranged corresponding to the suction port (11), and the side has an outlet (32) arranged corresponding to the notch (24).
7. The cleaning machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The suction port (11) is located on the bottom wall of the pump casing (1). The bottom wall of the pump casing (1) around the suction port (11) extends radially from the outside to the inside and from the top to the bottom to form a first guide surface (111). The suction port (11) is located at the lowest end of the first guide surface (111) to form a downward-protruding suction port (11).
8. The cleaning machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The outer end of the guide vane (21) is arranged close to the inner circumferential wall of the pump casing (1) and the outer end is arranged close to the edge of the impeller (3). In the two adjacent guide vanes (21), the outer end of the first guide vane (21) and the inner end of the second guide vane (21) are arranged in an alternating manner to enclose the guide channel (23). The cover plate (2) is missing in the range from the outer end of the first guide vane (21) to the outer end of the second guide vane (21) to form the notch (24).
9. The cleaning machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The outlet (12) is located in the center of the top wall of the pump casing (1), and the upper surface of the cover plate (2) is provided with a converging blade (25) that extends spirally from the edge to the center and is used to gather the water flow delivered through the notch (24) to the outlet (12).
10. The cleaning machine according to claim 9, characterized in that: The upper surface of the cover plate (2) is provided with a guide cone (26) that gradually extends upward from the edge to the middle, and the tip of the guide cone (26) is arranged corresponding to the outlet (12). There are multiple converging blades (25) and they are arranged at intervals around the cover plate (2). The bottom edge of the converging blades (25) is located on the upper surface of the guide cone (26).
11. The cleaning machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: Below the pump casing (1) is a drive unit (5) for driving the impeller to rotate. The drive unit (5) is located at the bottom of the casing and the power output shaft (51) extends upward through the heating element (4), the water inlet (11) and connects to the impeller.
12. A cleaning method, characterized in that: The application of the cleaning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 11 includes the following steps: (1) Steam pre-wash The upper shell (14) sinks under the action of gravity, and the surrounding edge (141) seals the return water port (131) on the supporting edge (13); Water is introduced into the box (01), and the water flows into the water storage tank (41) through the gap between the bottom edge of the perimeter (141) and the bottom edge of the support (13). The amount of water introduced is not greater than the volume of the water storage tank (41). The heating element (4) is activated to heat the water in the water storage tank (41) to form steam. The steam enters the washing chamber through the pump chamber (10) and the spray arm (02) to wet the contaminants on the surface of the tableware at high temperature. (2) Water is introduced into the tank (01) until the water level covers the pump mechanism and the spray arm (02); The water pump mechanism and heating element (4) are activated, and the washing water circulates between the bottom of the tank (01), the pump chamber (10), and the spray arm (02). During this circulation, the water pressure generated in the pump chamber (10) pushes the upper shell (14) upward, and the side (141) moves upward relative to the support side (13) to open the return water port (131). The water at the bottom of the tank (01) is quickly sucked into the water storage tank (41) through the return water port (131) and heated. It then enters the pump chamber (10) through the water inlet and then enters the spray arm (02) through the pump chamber (10) to spray upward and clean the tableware.
13. The cleaning method according to claim 12, characterized in that: After step (2) is completed, the water is drained. After the water is drained, there is residual water in the water storage tank (41). The upper shell (14) sinks under the action of gravity, and the surrounding edge (141) seals the return water port (131) on the supporting edge (13). The heating element (4) is activated to heat the water in the water storage tank (41) to form steam. The steam enters the washing chamber through the pump chamber (10) and the spray arm (02) to sterilize and dry the surface of the tableware at high temperature. The dried moisture is discharged through the exhaust port of the box body (01).