A water-vapor separation device, a dishwasher inner container and a dishwasher

Abstract

This invention discloses a water vapor separation device, comprising: a housing having a steam inlet and multiple steam outlets; an impeller located within the housing, the impeller defining a steam inlet space it occupies and connected to the steam inlet; and multiple air ducts defined by duct walls and continuously arranged circumferentially along the impeller, one end of each air duct being connected to the steam inlet space and the other end being connected to a corresponding steam outlet. The air ducts have water vapor separation structures on their walls away from the impeller. This invention also discloses a dishwasher inner drum and a dishwasher. The advantages of this invention are that it forms a completely closed internal circulation structure, has a relatively simple structure, provides good water vapor separation effect and high efficiency, and offers a relatively complete drying mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a water vapor separation device, a dishwasher inner tank, and a dishwasher, and is mainly applied in the technical field of dishwashers. Background Technology

[0002] After a dishwasher finishes washing, the dishes remain warm, and there is still a lot of moisture and water droplets inside the drum. If this moisture is not dehumidified, it will condense back into water droplets after cooling and adhere to the inner walls and dishes, easily breeding bacteria. If the moisture is directly removed, the humidity in the dishwasher environment will increase, and the moisture will adhere to the dishwasher's exterior, affecting the kitchen environment.

[0003] Dishwashers use various drying methods, including natural drying via residual heat from the inner drum, enhanced airflow through a fan to remove moisture, enhanced drying with PTC heating elements, or condensation drying and air heating via a compressor. However, using auxiliary drying methods (PTC heating or compressor condensation drying) increases energy consumption, increases the size of the appliance, and consequently reduces the washing space. Furthermore, these methods either have longer drying times, poorer drying results, and can lead to microbial growth inside the dishwasher; or they do not effectively address the issues of moisture separation and removal.

[0004] In a prior art dishwasher, a work tray is fixedly connected to one side of the dishwasher body, and a connecting pipe is fixedly connected to the side of the work tray adjacent to the dishwasher body. A first connecting flange is fixedly connected to the end of the connecting pipe away from the work tray. During the drying process, the water vapor separator is activated to separate the water vapor generated inside the dishwasher tub. Simultaneously, a circulating fan is activated, drawing the dried water vapor filtered by the water vapor separator from the exhaust pipe into the intake pipe, and then using airflow to re-enter the dishwasher tub. This prior art requires a circulating fan to work with the water vapor separator for water vapor separation, and the drying efficiency is low, prone to airflow blockage or circulation problems. Furthermore, improper maintenance of the circulating fan can easily introduce dirt and cause internal contamination during startup.

[0005] In another prior art drying device for dishwashers and its usage method, the device includes a dishwasher cabinet, a condenser and heating device, and a drying spray device. The dishwasher cabinet includes an inner cabinet, an outer cabinet, and a door panel. The condenser and heating device is located between the inner and outer cabinets and includes a miniature fan, a steam-water cyclone separator, and a heating device. The miniature fan is embedded in the inner cabinet to extract water vapor from it. The miniature fan is connected to the steam-water cyclone separator via an exhaust pipe. The steam-water cyclone separator is connected to the heating device via a gas connecting pipe. The heating device is connected to the drying spray device. The steam-water cyclone separator is connected to the drying spray device via a condensate guide pipe. This prior art involves numerous devices and appliances, resulting in high cost, high energy consumption, and large size for the drying device. It also suffers from low drying efficiency and susceptibility to internal contamination. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a water vapor separation device, a dishwasher inner tank and a dishwasher, forming a completely closed internal circulation structure. The structure is relatively simple, the water vapor separation effect is good and the efficiency is high, and a relatively complete drying mechanism is provided.

[0007] The present invention is achieved through the following technical solution.

[0008] A water vapor separation device, comprising:

[0009] The casing has an air inlet and multiple air outlets;

[0010] An impeller located inside the casing, wherein the steam inlet space within the impeller is connected to the steam inlet;

[0011] Multiple air ducts, each at least partially curved, have two duct walls. The air ducts are arranged continuously along the circumference of the impeller. One end of each air duct is connected to the steam inlet space, and the other end is connected to the corresponding air outlet. A water vapor separation structure is provided on the duct wall corresponding to the outer curved side of the air duct.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, an inner wall with a gap between it and the inner side of the duct wall away from the impeller is provided, and a drainage channel is defined between the duct wall and the inner wall for receiving water separated by the water vapor separation structure.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, the water vapor separation structure includes a first part of the inner wall having a plurality of dehydration ports and the air duct wall, wherein the dehydration ports are arranged at intervals along the extending direction of the first part of the inner wall and are connected to the air duct and the drainage channel.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, the water vapor separation structure further includes a second portion of the inner wall that is broken at least at one point.

[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, the portion of the second inner wall located downstream of the break is disposed inside the portion upstream of the break, and the second inner wall defines a dehydration connection channel connecting the air duct and the drainage duct at the break.

[0016] As a further improvement of the present invention, the first part of the inner wall is close to the steam inlet space, and the second part of the inner wall is close to the air inlet.

[0017] As a further improvement of the present invention, the housing has at least one drain outlet, which is directly or indirectly connected to each of the drain channels.

[0018] As a further improvement of the present invention, the extension direction of the air duct connecting the steam inlet space is along the tangent of the impeller.

[0019] As a further improvement of the present invention, the steam inlet and the steam outlet are located on the same shell surface of the housing.

[0020] A dishwasher inner liner includes:

[0021] Inner liner;

[0022] At least one of the water vapor separation devices is disposed on the inner wall of the inner liner.

[0023] As a further improvement of the present invention, a box body is provided on the inner wall, the water vapor separation device is provided in the box body, and a drainage groove is provided at the bottom of the box body.

[0024] As a further improvement of the present invention, the box body includes a receiving groove formed on the inner wall and an inner lid covering the receiving groove.

[0025] A dishwasher having the dishwasher inner tub.

[0026] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0027] 1. The water vapor separation device of this application can perform multiple water vapor separations on the humid and hot gas in the inner environment of the inner liner and generate dry hot gas, which is then fed back into the inner environment of the inner liner for drying. Based on the water vapor separation mechanism of this embodiment, the inner environment of the inner liner can form a fully closed internal circulation airflow. Under the premise of drying the bowls in the inner liner, there is no need to introduce external drying gas, thereby avoiding the contamination of the inner environment of the inner liner.

[0028] 2. Under centrifugal force, the hot and humid gas enters each air duct from the steam inlet space. Due to inertia, the hot and humid gas will form more flowing water droplets on the inner wall of the air duct that is far away from the impeller. When it flows through the first part of the inner wall, it will enter the drainage channel through the dewatering port, which can achieve more complete water vapor separation.

[0029] 3. Based on the positional relationship between the upstream and downstream parts at the break in the inner wall of the second part, the inlet of the dehydration channel is aligned with the flow direction of the water droplets. This facilitates the dehydration channel in guiding the water droplets from the inner wall of the second part into the dehydration channel and finally into the drainage channel, thereby achieving a more thorough separation of water vapor.

[0030] 4. The air duct extends in a linear shape. The hot and humid gas flows from one end connected to the steam inlet space to the other end connected to the air outlet in the air duct. Since the dehydration ports are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the inner wall of the first part, the dehydration range of the water vapor separation structure is within the length of the inner wall of the first part. It is also matched with the flow path of the hot and humid gas and the flowing water droplets. This allows the air duct, which extends in a linear shape and has a long and narrow structure, to support this water vapor separation mechanism.

[0031] 5. The dehydration port of the first inner wall and the dehydration connecting channel of the second inner wall constitute a primary water vapor separation and a secondary water vapor separation. When the humid and hot gas has a high water content, water droplets form a flowing water film on the inner wall. As the flowing water film flows through the first inner wall, it can be continuously discharged from the dehydration port into the drainage channel, making the thickness of the flowing water film continuously thinner. When it flows through the second inner wall, it can be almost completely removed by the dehydration connecting channel. This makes the primary water vapor separation play a role similar to "weakening" and the secondary water vapor separation play a role similar to "closing". Attached Figure Description

[0032] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to aid in understanding the objectives and advantages of the present invention, wherein:

[0033] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the water vapor separation device for implementing Case 1;

[0034] Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the water vapor separation device for implementing Case 1;

[0035] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the drainage system for the water vapor separator in Case 1;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the explosion of the dishwasher inner tub in Case 2. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0038] The directional terms such as up, down, left, right, front, back, front, back, top, and bottom mentioned or possibly used in this specification are defined relative to the construction shown in the accompanying drawings. The terms "inner" and "outer" refer to directions toward or away from the geometric center of a specific component, respectively. These are relative concepts and may therefore vary depending on their location and usage. Therefore, these or other directional terms should not be interpreted as restrictive.

[0039] Implementation Case 1:

[0040] Reference Figures 1-3 A water vapor separation device includes a housing 1, an impeller 2, and multiple air ducts 3. The housing 1 has an inlet 11 and at least one outlet 12. In this embodiment, the water vapor separation device is used in the inner tub of a dishwasher. The humid and hot gas in the inner tub is sent into the inlet 11, where water vapor is separated from the humid and hot gas inside the housing 1 to generate dry hot gas. The dry hot gas is output from the outlet 12 to dry the internal environment of the inner tub.

[0041] In this embodiment, the impeller 2 is disposed inside the housing 1, and the steam inlet space 1A inside the impeller 2 is connected to the steam inlet 11 on the housing 1. The housing 1 has a built-in drive motor to drive the impeller 2 to rotate. The rotation of the impeller 2 creates a negative pressure environment, which allows hot and humid gas to be drawn from the steam inlet 11 into the steam inlet space 1A.

[0042] The number of air ducts 3 and air outlets 12 is the same. The air duct 3 has two air duct walls 31, which are at least partially curved, and multiple air ducts 3 are arranged along the axial direction of the impeller 2. One end of the air duct 3 is connected to the steam inlet space 1A, and the other end is connected to the corresponding air outlet 12. A water vapor separation structure 4 is provided on the air duct wall 31 on the outer curved side of the air duct 3.

[0043] After entering the steam inlet space 1A, the hot and humid gas rotates with the impeller 2. Due to inertia, it leaves the impeller 2 and, under centrifugal force, enters the air duct 3 from the steam inlet space 1A. Upon entering the air duct 3, the hot and humid gas forms flowing water droplets on the air duct wall 31 and the inner wall 41 (described later). Due to inertia, more water droplets form on the inner wall 41. Therefore, the water vapor separation structure 4, located on the air duct wall 31 of the impeller 2 within the air duct 3, achieves better water vapor separation. Since this embodiment uses multiple air ducts 3, for example… Figure 2The illustrated air ducts 3 consist of four sections, which can evenly distribute the moisture in the humid gas, resulting in a relatively small flow of humid gas in each duct 3. This means that the amount of water that needs to be separated in each duct 3 is also relatively small. Therefore, the water vapor separation structure 4 on one side of each air duct 3 can meet the water vapor separation requirements of the humid gas. Simultaneously, the four corresponding air outlets 12 are distributed on the four sides of the shell 1, ensuring a relatively uniform output of dry hot air, thus achieving a more uniform drying effect on the inner liner. Through the water vapor separation action of multiple air ducts 3 and multiple water vapor separation structures 4, the humid gas can gradually separate its moisture, thereby generating dry hot air. Finally, the dry hot air is output from the air outlets 12, drying the internal environment of the inner liner.

[0044] The water vapor separation device in this embodiment can perform multiple water vapor separations on the humid and hot gases in the inner environment of the liner, generating dry hot gases, which are then fed back into the inner environment of the liner for drying. Based on the water vapor separation mechanism of this embodiment, a fully enclosed internal circulation airflow is formed in the inner environment of the liner. While drying the bowls in the liner, there is no need to introduce external drying gases, thereby avoiding contamination of the inner environment of the liner.

[0045] In this embodiment, an inner enclosure wall 41 is provided on the inner side of the duct wall 31 away from the impeller 2. There is a gap between the inner enclosure wall 41 and the corresponding duct wall 31, and a drainage channel 5A is defined between the duct 3 and the inner enclosure wall 41. The function of the drainage channel 5A is to receive the water vapor separated by the water vapor separation structure 4.

[0046] In this embodiment, the water vapor separation structure 4 includes a first inner wall 41-1 with multiple dewatering ports 411 within its inner wall 41, and an air duct wall 31. The dewatering ports 411 of the first inner wall 41-1 are spaced apart along its extension direction, and each dewatering port 411 connects to the air duct 3 and the drainage duct 5A. The shape of the dewatering ports 411 can be either a trough-shaped structure or a perforated structure.

[0047] Driven by the impeller 2, the hot and humid gas enters the circumferentially arranged air ducts 3 through the steam inlet space 1A under centrifugal force. Due to inertia, the hot and humid gas will form a lot of flowing water droplets on the inner wall 41 corresponding to the air duct wall 31 away from the impeller 2. When flowing through the first part of the inner wall 41-1, it will enter the drainage channel 5A through the dewatering port 411, thereby realizing water vapor separation.

[0048] The air duct 3 extends in a linear shape. The hot and humid gas flows from one end connected to the steam inlet space 1A to the other end connected to the outlet 12 in the air duct 3. Since the dehydration ports 411 are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the inner wall 41-1 of the first part, the dehydration range of the water vapor separation structure 4 is within the length of the inner wall 41-1 of the first part. It is matched with the flow path of the hot and humid gas and the flowing water droplets, so that the air duct 3, which extends in a linear shape and has a long and narrow structure, can support this water vapor separation mechanism.

[0049] In this embodiment, the water vapor separation structure 4 also includes a second inner wall 41-2 that is broken at least once in the inner wall 41. The break in the second inner wall 41-2 connects the air duct 3 and the drainage channel 5A, so that the flowing water droplets on the inner wall 41 can enter the drainage channel 5A from the break in the second inner wall 41-2, thus achieving water vapor separation.

[0050] In this embodiment, the portion of the second inner wall 41-2 downstream of the break point is located inside the portion upstream of the break point. Here, upstream and downstream refer to the flow direction of hot and humid gas in the duct 3. Furthermore, the second inner wall 41-2 defines a dehydration connecting channel 5B at the break point, linking the duct 3 and the drainage channel 5A. Based on the positional relationship between the upstream and downstream portions of the second inner wall 41-2 at the break point, the inlet of the dehydration connecting channel 5B faces the flow direction of the water droplets. This facilitates the dehydration connecting channel 5B guiding water droplets from the second inner wall 41-2 into the dehydration connecting channel 5B, and ultimately into the drainage channel 5A.

[0051] The width of the dehydration connecting channel 5B should not be too large to avoid air leakage. Given this width limitation, the dehydration capacity of the dehydration connecting channel 5B also has an upper limit. Therefore, the number of dehydration connecting channels 5B formed at the break points of the inner wall 41-2 of the second part is not limited to... Figure 2 The output is one, or multiple, which constitute the second part of the inner wall 41-2 step-type water vapor separation method.

[0052] In this implementation case, it is particularly important to note that the first part of the inner wall 41-1 is close to the steam inlet space 1A, and the second part of the inner wall 41-2 is close to the air outlet 12. For humid and hot gas with low moisture content, when it passes through the first inner wall 41-1 near the steam inlet space 1A, the moisture can be basically separated out through the dehydration port 411 of the first inner wall 41-1. However, the size and number of dehydration ports 411 on the first inner wall 41-1 are limited to avoid air leakage, which would result in insufficient dry hot gas output from the outlet 12. This means that the amount of moisture separated by the first inner wall 41-1 has an upper limit threshold. When the moisture content in the humid and hot gas is high, the first inner wall 41-1 cannot separate all the moisture in the humid and hot gas. Therefore, the second inner wall 41-2 near the outlet 12 needs to perform water vapor separation through the dehydration connecting channel 5B. Therefore, in this embodiment, the dehydration port 411 of the first inner wall 41-1 and the dehydration connecting channel 5B of the second inner wall 41-2 constitute a primary water vapor separation and a secondary water vapor separation. When the humid gas has a high water content, water droplets form a flowing water film on the inner wall 41. As the flowing water film passes through the first inner wall 41-1, it is continuously discharged from the dehydration port 411 into the drainage channel 5A, causing the thickness of the flowing water film to gradually decrease. When it passes through the second inner wall 41-2, it can be almost entirely removed through the dehydration connecting channel 5B. Therefore, based on the position settings of the first inner wall 41-1 and the second inner wall 41-2, and the water vapor separation method of the dehydration port 411 and the dehydration connecting channel 5B, the primary water vapor separation in this embodiment acts as a water vapor separation mechanism similar to "weakening" and the secondary water vapor separation acts as a water vapor separation mechanism similar to "closing".

[0053] In practical applications, the water vapor separator can continuously separate water vapor from the humid and hot gas in the inner tank environment. When the water vapor separator is initially started, if the inner tank environment is very humid, the hot gas output by the water vapor separator will still contain a certain amount of moisture in the initial stage. However, based on the internal circulation airflow mechanism constructed by the water vapor separator, under the condition of completely eliminating external interference, the moisture content of the humid and hot gas entering the steam inlet 11 gradually decreases until the hot gas output from the outlet 12 is basically free of moisture.

[0054] In this embodiment, the housing 1 has at least one drain outlet 13, which is directly or indirectly connected to each drain channel 5A. Since the air duct 3 is arranged circumferentially along the impeller 2, the extension direction and position of each drain channel 5A are different. Some drain channels 5A are directly connected to the drain outlet 13, allowing water to drain, while others, even when directly connected, have difficulty draining water. Therefore, they need to be indirectly connected to the drain outlet 13 via other channels or spaces within the housing 1. The drain outlet 13 can be a perforated structure or a channel-shaped structure. For example, in this embodiment… Figure 3 As shown, the housing 1 has multiple drainage spaces 14 outside its side walls and air duct walls 31. The lower air duct 3 has its corresponding drainage channel 5A directly connected to the drain outlet 13 on the right side of the bottom of the housing 1. The upper air duct 3 has its corresponding drainage channel 5A connected to its corresponding drainage space 14, and water is discharged through the drain outlet 13 on the left side of the housing 1. The left air duct 3 has its corresponding drainage channel 5A connected to its corresponding drainage space 14, and water is discharged through the drain outlet 13 on the left side of the bottom of the housing 1. The right air duct 3 has its corresponding drainage channel 5A connected to its corresponding drainage space 14, and water is discharged through the drain outlet 13 on the rightmost side of the bottom of the housing 1. That is, in this embodiment, the lower drainage channel 5A is directly connected to the drain outlet 13, while the other drainage channels 5A are indirectly connected to the drain outlet 13. In addition, if more air ducts 3 are provided, to simplify the overall structure, two or more drainage channels 5A can share a single drain outlet 13.

[0055] In this embodiment, the steam inlet 11 and the steam outlet 12 are located on the same shell surface of the shell 1 and face the internal environment of the inner liner.

[0056] In this embodiment, the extension direction of the air duct 3 connecting the steam inlet space 1A is set along the tangential direction of the impeller 2. Since the outflow direction of the hot and humid gas from the steam inlet space 1A is along the tangential direction of the impeller 2, the air intake rate of the air duct 3 can be improved.

[0057] Implementation Case 2:

[0058] A dishwasher inner tub includes an inner tub and at least one water vapor separation device J. The number of water vapor separation devices J needs to be reasonably set according to the actual drying needs. The water vapor separation device J is shown in Embodiment 1.

[0059] In this embodiment, the water vapor separator J is installed on the inner wall K of the inner liner.

[0060] In this embodiment, a box L is provided on the inner liner, and a water vapor separator J is provided inside the box L. A drain trough LA is provided at the bottom of the box L. The water separated by the water vapor separator J is discharged from the shell 111 through the drain port 13 and discharged from the box L through the drain trough LA. The separated water flows to the bottom of the inner liner and is discharged from the inner liner after the inner liner is dried.

[0061] In this embodiment, the housing L includes a receiving groove L1 and an inner liner cover L2. The receiving groove L1 is formed by a recess in the inner liner wall K, and the inner liner cover L2 seals the receiving groove L1. Additionally, the housing L has openings at both the steam inlet 11 and the steam outlet 12 for inputting humid hot gas and outputting dry hot gas. The inner liner cover L2 can be fixedly connected to the inner liner wall K with fasteners, facilitating disassembly and installation.

[0062] Implementation Case 3:

[0063] A dishwasher has a dishwasher inner liner, as shown in Embodiment 2.

[0064] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A water vapor separation device, characterized in that, include: The housing (1) has an inlet (11) and multiple outlets (12). An impeller (2) is located inside the housing (1), and the steam inlet space (1A) inside the impeller (2) is connected to the steam inlet (11); Multiple at least partially curved air ducts (3), each air duct (3) having two air duct walls (31), the air ducts (3) being continuously arranged along the circumference of the impeller (2), one end of the air duct (3) being connected to the steam inlet space (1A), and the other end being connected to the corresponding air outlet (12), and a water vapor separation structure (4) being provided on the air duct wall (31) on the outer curved side of the air duct (3). An inner wall (41) with a gap between itself and the air duct wall (31) is provided on the inner side of the air duct wall (31) away from the impeller (2), and the gap defines a drainage channel (5A); the water vapor separation structure (4) includes a first inner wall (41-1) having a plurality of dewatering ports (411) in the inner wall (41), and a second inner wall (41-2) that is disconnected at least at one place in the inner wall (41), the dewatering ports (411) connecting the air duct (3) and the drainage channel (5A), the portion of the second inner wall (41-2) downstream of the disconnection is provided on the inner side of the portion upstream of the disconnection, and the disconnection defines a dewatering connecting channel (5B) connecting the air duct (3) and the drainage channel (5A).

2. The water vapor separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first part of the inner wall (41-1) is close to the steam inlet space (1A), and the second part of the inner wall (41-2) is close to the steam inlet (11).

3. The water vapor separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing (1) has at least one drain outlet (13), which is directly or indirectly connected to each of the drain channels (5A).

4. The water vapor separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The extension direction of the air duct (3) connecting the steam inlet space (1A) is along the tangent of the impeller (2).

5. The water vapor separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steam inlet (11) and the steam outlet (12) are located on the same shell surface of the shell (1).

6. A dishwasher inner liner, characterized in that, include: Inner liner; At least one water vapor separation device (J) as described in any one of claims 1-5 is disposed on the inner wall (K) of the inner liner.

7. The dishwasher inner liner according to claim 6, characterized in that, A box (L) is provided on the inner wall (K), the water vapor separation device (J) is provided inside the box (L), and a drainage groove (LA) is provided at the bottom of the box (L).

8. The dishwasher inner liner according to claim 7, characterized in that, The box body (L) includes a receiving groove (L1) formed on the inner wall (K) and an inner lid (L2) covering the receiving groove (L1).

9. A dishwasher, characterized in that, It has a dishwasher inner liner as described in any one of claims 6-8.

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