A lower basket structure of a dishwasher

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of dishwashers, and discloses a lower basket structure of a dishwasher, comprising a lower basket body, two lifting mechanisms respectively arranged on both sides of the lower basket body, the lifting mechanisms being used to drive the lower basket body to lift and lower, a lifting and locking assembly comprising a slider that can slide forward and backward, a clamping column arranged on the slider, a spring that provides clamping force for the clamping column, and a clamping groove for the clamping column to be embedded on the corner of the end of the second swing arm close to the guide rail support plate. The lower basket structure is designed with a new lifting and locking assembly, which cleverly utilizes the structure of the second swing arm to open the clamping groove, and then adopts a combination of the slider and the clamping column in an integrated form. Under the action of the spring, the clamping column can cooperate with the clamping groove to limit the lifting and horizontal movement of the lower basket body, which greatly reduces the number of parts, reduces the manufacturing cost and assembly difficulty, and is also convenient for later maintenance and repair. Even if the clamping force of the clamping column gradually weakens or even loses the clamping force, it will not affect the normal lifting and use of the lower basket.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of dishwashers, and in particular to a lower basket structure of a dishwasher. Background Art

[0002] With the further development of dishwashers, dishwashers are not only used to wash dishes and dry and disinfect them. Some models of dishwashers also have functions such as washing fruits and vegetables, washing seafood, etc. In existing dishwashers, the bowl basket includes an upper bowl basket and a lower bowl basket. The upper bowl basket is used to place some smaller tableware, and the lower bowl basket has a larger capacity and is suitable for placing some larger tableware, such as soup pots, woks, etc. The lower bowl basket is located below the upper bowl basket. When in use, the lower bowl basket basically cannot be raised or lowered. Therefore, after the lower bowl basket is pulled out horizontally, the user must bend down several times to take or place the tableware, which is not ergonomic, especially not friendly to the elderly and pregnant women.

[0003] In order to solve the problem of lifting and using the lower basket, the existing patent (CN219374562U) provides a pull-up shelf structure, which drives the lower basket body to be lifted and lowered through a connecting rod mechanism. In order to ensure that the lower basket body is lifted into place, the upper and lower positions of the lower basket body will be locked through a locking mechanism. Specifically, the locking mechanism includes a hook, a lock hook, a reset torsion spring, and a lock hook reset assembly. The hook and the lock hook are respectively hinged to the lower basket guide rail fixing bracket, and the reset torsion spring is connected to the hook; the lock hook reset assembly is arranged on one side of the lock hook, and the spring core of the lock hook reset assembly is against the side of the lock hook. The lower basket guide rail fixing bracket is provided with a hook limit column for positioning the hook, and the lower basket guide rail fixing bracket is provided with a lock hook limit column for positioning the lock hook. Under the action of the reset torsion spring, the hook is close to the hook limit column, and under the action of the lock hook reset assembly, the lock hook is also close to the lock hook limit column. The hook and the lock hook do not contact each other, and the positions of the hook and the lock hook are the original positions. As the lower bowl basket body is almost lifted into place, the swing arm locking column on the second swing arm pushes the hook upward, and the hook rotates and contacts the lock hook and forces the lock hook to rotate, and the spring core in the lock hook reset assembly retreats. When the lock hook and the hook arc contact exceeds, the spring core in the lock hook reset assembly pushes forward under the action of the inner spring, so that the lock hook hooks the hook, thereby locking the upper and lower positions of the lower bowl basket.

[0004] This locking mechanism has a complex structure and many parts, which not only brings inconvenience to manufacturing and assembly, but also the dishwasher is often aged and deformed due to aging of the reset torsion spring in actual use, and can no longer drive the hook to close to the hook limit column to achieve initial positioning. The user pulls up the lower bowl basket body without knowing it, and the swing arm locking column on the second swing arm will cause a rigid collision with the hook, causing the hook's rotating shaft to deform and break due to the impact, causing serious damage to the locking mechanism; and because the swing arm locking column is interfered with by the hook and can no longer move into place, the lower bowl basket can no longer be lifted into place.

[0005] It can be seen that the existing technology still needs to be improved and enhanced. Summary of the invention

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a lower basket structure of a dishwasher, aiming to solve at least the technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0008] A lower basket structure of a dishwasher comprises a lower basket body, two lifting mechanisms respectively arranged on both sides of the lower basket body, the lifting mechanism comprising a gas spring damper, a first swing arm, a second swing arm, a base plate arranged on the inner side of a housing of the dishwasher, a side plate and an inner guide rail arranged on the side of the lower basket body, and an outer guide rail slidably connected to the inner guide rail, one end of the first swing arm and the second swing arm are pivotally connected to the base plate, the other end of the first swing arm and the second swing arm are pivotally connected to a guide rail support plate, the outer guide rail is fixedly connected to the guide rail support plate, and the The base plate, the first swing arm, the second swing arm and the guide rail support plate constitute a planar linkage mechanism, the tail of the gas spring damper is pivotally connected to the base plate, the output end of the gas spring damper is pivotally connected to the first swing arm, a lifting locking assembly is provided on the side plate, the lifting locking assembly includes a slider that can slide back and forth, a clamping column arranged on the slider, and a spring that provides a clamping force for the clamping column, a clamping groove for the clamping column to be embedded is provided on the corner of the end of the second swing arm close to the guide rail support plate, and the corner area where the clamping groove is located is sunken toward the lifting locking assembly.

[0009] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the lifting and locking assembly also includes a guide block integrally formed on the side panel, a front limit block arranged on the front side of the guide block, and a rear limit block arranged on the rear side of the guide block. The sliding groove on the guide block is slidably connected to the slider, and a boss is provided at the end of the slider facing the front limit block, which can pass through the front limit block, and the spring is sleeved on the boss.

[0010] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, one side of the slot protrudes upward to form a sliding-aiding inclined surface.

[0011] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, an arc-shaped slide groove is provided on the side plate, and a guide column is provided on the second swing arm, and the guide column can slide into the arc-shaped slide groove.

[0012] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the lower bowl basket body is provided with a fruit and vegetable washing area and a seafood washing area, and the seafood washing area can be covered with a top net cover.

[0013] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the bottom surface of the top mesh cover is provided with a magnetic strip that can be magnetically attracted to the upper opening of the seafood cleaning area, and the magnetic strip of the top mesh cover can also be magnetically attracted to the base plate.

[0014] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the fruit and vegetable washing area is divided into a large fruit washing area and a small fruit washing area, and the bottom grille density of the small fruit washing area is greater than the bottom grille density of the large fruit washing area.

[0015] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, a buckle that engages with the lower bowl basket body is provided on the back side of the side panel.

[0016] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, a handle is provided on the front end of the lower bowl basket body.

[0017] Beneficial effects of the present invention: Compared with the prior art, the lower basket structure provided by the present invention is designed with a new type of lifting and locking assembly, which cleverly utilizes the structure of the second swing arm to open a slot, and then adopts a combination of a slider and a clamping column that are integrally formed. Under the action of the spring, the clamping column can cooperate with the clamping slot to limit the lifting and horizontal movement of the lower basket body, greatly reducing the number of parts, reducing the manufacturing cost and assembly difficulty, and also facilitating later maintenance and repair. Since the clamping column is passively arranged on the periphery of the second swing arm, the spring has a longer service life and a lower failure rate than the tension spring and the torsion spring. Even if the clamping force of the clamping column gradually weakens or even loses the clamping force, the clamping column and the second swing arm tend to move away from each other, and the clamping column will not affect the normal up and down swinging of the second swing arm, let alone the normal lifting and lowering of the lower basket. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional diagram of the lower bowl basket structure provided by the present invention after being lifted into place.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional diagram of the lower bowl basket structure provided by the present invention when in operation.

[0020] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the component structure of the lifting mechanism.

[0021] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of the middle L area.

[0022] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the lower basket body during the lifting process.

[0023] Figure 6 It is a structural schematic diagram of locking the locking assembly after the lower basket body is lifted.

[0024] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the top mesh cover.

[0025] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of the guide rail support plate.

[0026] Description of the main component symbols: 1-lower basket body, 11-lifting handle, 2-lifting mechanism, 21-gas spring damper, 22-first swing arm, 23-second swing arm, 231-slot, 232-sliding slope, 233-guide column, 24-base plate, 25-side plate, 251-arc slide, 252-buckle, 26-inner guide rail, 27-outer guide rail, 28-guide rail support plate, 281-avoidance arc position, 3-lifting locking assembly, 31-slider, 32-card column, 33-spring, 34-guide block, 35-front limit block, 36-rear limit block, 37-convex column, 4-fruit and vegetable washing section, 41-large fruit washing section, 42-small fruit washing section, 5-seafood washing section, 51-top net cover, 511-magnetic strip, 61-housing, 62-upper basket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The present invention provides a lower basket structure of a dishwasher. In order to make the purpose, technical solution and effect of the present invention clearer and more specific, the present invention is further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] The present invention provides a lower basket structure of a dishwasher, which is applied to a cabinet dishwasher. Figure 2 As shown, the cabinet dishwasher includes a housing 61, an upper basket 62 that can slide forward and backward and is arranged in the housing 61, and a lower basket structure that can slide forward and backward and be lifted and lowered, see Figure 1-Figure 6The lower basket structure includes a lower basket body 1, two lifting mechanisms 2 respectively arranged on both sides of the lower basket body 1, the lifting mechanism 2 includes a gas spring damper 21, a first swing arm 22, a second swing arm 23, a base plate 24 arranged on the inner side of the housing of the dishwasher, a side plate 25 and an inner guide rail 26 arranged on the side of the lower basket body 1, and an outer guide rail 27 slidably connected to the inner guide rail 26, one end of the first swing arm 22 and the second swing arm 23 are pivotally connected to the base plate 24, the other ends of the first swing arm 22 and the second swing arm 23 are pivotally connected to a guide rail support plate 28, the outer guide rail 27 is fixedly connected to the guide rail support plate 28, the base plate 24, the first swing arm 22, the second swing arm 23 and the guide rail support plate 28 constitute a planar connecting rod mechanism, The body is a first swing arm 22 and a second swing arm 23 which are parallel to each other. The lines connecting the two pivot points on the first swing arm 22 and the two pivot points on the second swing arm 23 form a parallelogram. The tail of the gas spring damper 21 is pivotally connected to the base plate 24, and the output end of the gas spring damper 21 is pivotally connected to the first swing arm 22. A lifting locking assembly 3 is provided on the side plate 25. The lifting locking assembly 3 includes a slider 31 which can slide back and forth, a clamping column 32 arranged on the slider 31, and a spring 33 that provides a clamping force for the clamping column 32. A clamping groove 231 for the clamping column 32 to be embedded is provided on the corner of the end of the second swing arm 23 close to the guide rail support plate 28, and the corner area where the clamping groove 231 is located is set to sink toward the lifting locking assembly 3.

[0029] When the lower basket body 1 is in normal or working state, the lower basket body 1 is located inside the dishwasher and directly below the upper basket 62. At this time, the first swing arm 22 and the second swing arm 23 are facing vertically downward, and the lifting and locking assembly 3 on the side plate 25 is located behind the second swing arm 23. The lower basket body 1 is lifted by the lifting mechanism 2 to facilitate the user to take and put items. The lifting process is as follows: the user first pulls the lower basket body 1 out of the dishwasher horizontally, and the inner guide rail 26 on the lower basket body 1 moves relative to the outer guide rail 27. At this time, the lifting and locking assembly 3 on the side plate 25 is located in front of the second swing arm 23. It can be understood that since the corner area where the card slot 231 is located is sunken and is not coplanar with the body of the second swing arm 23, when the lifting and locking assembly 3 moves forward and backward, the card column 32 will not interfere with the body of the second swing arm 23. See Figure 5As shown, the user then applies an outward pulling force, and the lower basket body 1 will continue to move outward under the joint action of the gas spring damper 21 while moving upward, and the first swing arm 22 and the second swing arm 23 will also gradually swing from the vertical state to the horizontal state. The second swing arm 23 will contact the clamping column 32 on the slider 31 during the upward swinging process. Under the action of the second swing arm 23 swinging upward, the slider 31 will be driven to move forward. When the lower basket body 1 is fully lifted into place, the first swing arm 22 and the second swing arm 23 will be in a horizontal state. At this time, the clamping column 32 will be backward embedded in the clamping groove 231 of the second swing arm 23 under the thrust of the spring 33 to achieve locking. The lifting locking assembly 3, on the one hand, prevents the lower basket body 1 from moving backward in the horizontal direction, and prevents the lower basket body 1 from colliding with the upper basket 62. On the other hand, it provides a certain clamping force to limit the second swing arm 23 from swinging up and down, thereby enhancing the stability and safety of the lower basket when it is lifted and used. For the elderly and pregnant women, this design is more in line with ergonomic principles, reduces the number of times they bend over, and reduces the burden on the body.

[0030] It should be noted that in order to avoid interference between the sinking area of ​​the second swing arm 23 and the guide rail support plate 28 during the rotation of the second swing arm 23, Figure 8 As shown, an avoidance arc 281 is formed on the guide rail support plate 28 .

[0031] When the lower basket body 1 is to be lowered, the user only needs to slightly press down the lower basket body 1, and the clamping column 32 will slide out of the clamping slot 231 of the second swing arm 23, thereby unlocking the lifting locking assembly 3, and the lower basket body 1 can move downward to reset.

[0032] Compared with the prior art, the lower basket structure provided by the present invention is designed with a new type of lifting and locking assembly 3, which cleverly utilizes the structure of the second swing arm 23 to open the slot 231, and then adopts the combination of the slider 31 and the clamping column 32 in one piece. Under the action of the spring 33, the clamping column 32 can cooperate with the slot 231 to limit the lifting and horizontal movement of the lower basket body 1, which greatly reduces the number of parts, reduces the manufacturing cost and assembly difficulty, and is also convenient for later maintenance and repair. Since the clamping column 32 is passively arranged on the periphery of the second swing arm 23, the spring 33 has a longer service life and a lower failure rate than the tension spring and the torsion spring. Even if the clamping force of the clamping column 32 gradually weakens or even loses the clamping force, the clamping column 32 and the second swing arm 23 tend to move away from each other, and the clamping column 32 will not affect the normal up and down swinging of the second swing arm 23, and will not affect the normal lifting and use of the lower basket.

[0033] Specifically, the lifting locking assembly 3 also includes a guide block 34 integrally formed on the side plate 25, a front stopper block 35 arranged on the front side of the guide block 34, and a rear stopper block 36 arranged on the rear side of the guide block 34. The integrally formed structure has good rigidity, which greatly improves the assembly efficiency of the staff. The slide groove on the guide block 34 is slidably connected with the slider 31, ensuring the linearity and stability of the slider 31 when moving forward and backward, avoiding the slider 31 from deflecting or jamming during the movement, and improving the reliability of the locking assembly. The design of the front stopper block 35 and the rear stopper block 36 can effectively limit the range of motion of the slider 31, preventing the slider 31 from detaching from the guide block 34 or excessive displacement due to excessive external force, thereby protecting the slider 31 and the column 32 and extending the service life of the entire locking assembly. The end of the slider 31 facing the front stop block 35 is provided with a boss 37, the clamping column 32, the boss 37 and the slider 31 are integrally formed, the boss 37 can pass through the front stop block 35, the boss 37 is sleeved with the spring 33, and the assembly is simple. The spring 33 sleeved on the boss 37 provides a constant clamping force, even if the elastic force of the spring 33 decreases after long-term use, the basic locking function can be maintained, ensuring the safety and stability of the lower basket in the lifted state.

[0034] Because the clamping column 32 will continue to keep in contact with the straight edge of the second swing arm 23 before entering the clamping slot 231, and the clamping slot 231 forms a bend with the straight edge, in order to ensure that the clamping column 32 slides into the clamping slot 231 more smoothly and unimpeded, one side of the clamping slot 231 protrudes upward to form a sliding slope 232. When the lower bowl basket body 1 is fully lifted into place, the clamping column 32 slides downward along the sliding slope 232 until it is embedded in the clamping slot 231. The sliding slope 232 can ensure that the clamping column 32 accurately enters the clamping slot 231, improves the reliability of locking, and ensures that the lower bowl basket body 1 will not fall accidentally when in use.

[0035] Furthermore, the side plate 25 is provided with an arc-shaped slide groove 251, and the second swing arm 23 is provided with a guide column 233, and the guide column 233 can slide into the arc-shaped slide groove 251. During the ascending process of the lower basket body 1, the guide column 233 on the second swing arm 23 will enter the arc-shaped slide groove 251 on the side plate 25, preventing the lower basket body 1 from moving in the front-back direction during the ascending and descending process, and at the same time balancing the left-right movement of the lower basket body 1, preventing the lower basket body 1 from swinging left-right.

[0036] If fruits, vegetables or seafood are placed directly on the bowl basket, the bowl basket cannot support smaller fruits and seafood due to the large gaps between the skeleton grilles on the upper bowl basket 62 or the lower bowl basket, and the applicability is poor. Therefore, the lower bowl basket structure provided by the present invention is specially provided with a fruit and vegetable washing section 4 and a seafood washing section 5 on the lower bowl basket body 1, which can effectively meet the cleaning needs of different types of food ingredients, so that the dishwasher can not only wash tableware, but also wash fruits and seafood, thereby improving the functional diversity and practicality of the dishwasher. The design of the fruit and vegetable washing section 4 and the seafood washing section 5 can prevent smaller fruits or seafood from falling from the gaps between the skeleton grilles of the bowl basket, ensuring that all items to be washed can be properly supported, thereby improving the effectiveness and safety of washing. The seafood washing section 5 can be covered with a top mesh cover 51, which can effectively limit the range of activities of live seafood such as crayfish, and prevent them from crawling or jumping around during the cleaning process.

[0037] Furthermore, the bottom surface of the top net cover 51 is provided with a magnetic strip 511 that can be magnetically attracted to the upper opening of the seafood cleaning section 5. The magnetic design allows the top net cover 51 to be firmly adsorbed on the seafood cleaning section 5 when in use, making it easy to disassemble and assemble, and preventing the top net cover 51 from shifting or falling off due to water flow impact or the movement of live seafood during the cleaning process, thereby improving the stability during the cleaning process. The magnetic strip 511 of the top net cover 51 can also be magnetically attracted to the base plate 24, which means that when the top net cover 51 is not in use, it can be temporarily fixed to the base plate 24, avoiding the problem of having nowhere to put the top net cover 51 and increasing its versatility.

[0038] The fruit and vegetable washing section 4 is divided into a large fruit washing section 41 and a small fruit washing section 42. The density of the bottom grille of the small fruit washing section 42 is greater than that of the large fruit washing section 41, which can effectively prevent small fruits or vegetables from falling through the gaps in the bottom grille, ensuring that all items to be washed can be properly supported, reducing losses during the washing process. The large fruit washing section 41 is suitable for larger fruits, such as apples, pears, etc., while the small fruit washing section 42 is suitable for smaller fruits, such as grapes, cherries, etc. This design can provide targeted cleaning solutions based on the size characteristics of different fruits, ensuring that fruits of various sizes can be effectively cleaned.

[0039] Preferably, a buckle 252 that is engaged with the lower basket body 1 is provided on the back of the side panel 25. The buckle 252 cooperates with the grille bar to make the installation and removal of the side panel 25 simpler and faster. The design of the buckle 252 allows the side panel 25 to be firmly fixed to the lower basket body 1, thereby increasing the stability of the entire lower basket structure and preventing the side panel 25 from loosening or falling off due to external force during use.

[0040] Preferably, a handle 11 is provided on the front end of the lower basket body 1. The design of the handle 11 allows the user to have a clear point of force when pulling out or pushing the lower basket, which is convenient for the user to grasp and apply force, making the operation more convenient and quick.

[0041] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0042] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or mutual communication; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0043] It is understandable that those skilled in the art can make equivalent substitutions or changes based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, and all these changes or substitutions should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lower basket structure of a dishwasher, characterized in that: It includes a lower basket body and two lifting mechanisms respectively arranged on both sides of the lower basket body. The lifting mechanism comprises a gas spring damper, a first swing arm, a second swing arm, a base plate arranged on the inner side of the housing of the dishwasher, a side plate and an inner guide rail arranged on the side of the lower bowl basket body, and an outer guide rail slidably connected to the inner guide rail, one end of the first swing arm and the second swing arm are pivotally connected to the base plate, the other ends of the first swing arm and the second swing arm are pivotally connected to a guide rail support plate, the outer guide rail is fixedly connected to the guide rail support plate, the base plate, the first swing arm, the second swing arm and the guide rail support plate constitute a planar connecting rod mechanism, the tail of the gas spring damper is pivotally connected to the base plate, the output end of the gas spring damper is pivotally connected to the first swing arm, a lifting locking assembly is arranged on the side plate, the lifting locking assembly comprises a slider that can slide back and forth, a clamping column arranged on the slider, and a spring that provides a clamping force for the clamping column, a clamping groove for the clamping column to be embedded is provided on the corner of the end of the second swing arm close to the guide rail support plate, and the corner area where the clamping groove is located is set to sink toward the lifting locking assembly, The lifting and locking assembly also includes a guide block integrally formed on the side panel, a front limit block arranged on the front side of the guide block, and a rear limit block arranged on the rear side of the guide block. The sliding groove on the guide block is slidably connected to the slider. The end of the slider facing the front limit block is provided with a boss, which can pass through the front limit block, and the spring is sleeved on the boss.

2. The lower basket structure of the dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that: One side of the slot protrudes upward to form a sliding slope.

3. The lower basket structure of the dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side plate is provided with an arc-shaped slide groove, and the second swing arm is provided with a guide column, and the guide column can slide into the arc-shaped slide groove.

4. The lower basket structure of the dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower basket body is provided with a fruit and vegetable washing area and a seafood washing area, and the seafood washing area can be covered with a top net cover.

5. The lower basket structure of the dishwasher according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bottom surface of the top mesh cover is provided with a magnetic strip that can be magnetically attracted to the upper opening of the seafood cleaning area, and the magnetic strip of the top mesh cover can also be magnetically attracted to the base plate.

6. The lower basket structure of the dishwasher according to claim 4, characterized in that: The fruit and vegetable washing section is divided into a large fruit washing section and a small fruit washing section, and the bottom grill density of the small fruit washing section is greater than the bottom grill density of the large fruit washing section.

7. The lower basket structure of the dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The back of the side plate is provided with a buckle which is buckled with the lower bowl basket body.

8. The lower basket structure of the dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that: A handle is provided on the front end of the lower basket body.

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