Swing arm vessel cleaning machine and swing arm driving method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a swing arm vessel cleaning machine. The swing arm vessel cleaning machine comprises a spraying pipe and a reciprocating driving device used for driving the spraying pipe to swing. The reciprocating driving device comprises a driving motor, an eccentric shaft, a driving wheel, a driving arm and a swing arm, the output end of the driving motor is connected with the eccentric shaft, the eccentric shaft is sleeved with the driving wheel, the peripheral side of the driving wheel is connected with one end of the driving arm, the other end of the driving arm is pivoted with one end of the swing arm, and the other end of the swing arm is fixedly connected with the spraying pipe. A sliding groove is formed in the center area of the driving wheel in the radial direction, and the eccentric shaft is arranged in the sliding groove in a sliding mode. When the driving motor drives the eccentric shaft to rotate, the eccentric shaft slides along the sliding groove and is matched with the sliding groove to drive the driving wheel to periodically rotate in a reciprocating mode, the swing arm is pushed by the driving arm to swing in a reciprocating mode, and therefore the spraying pipe is driven to conduct reciprocating spraying cleaning on a vessel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of utensil cleaning equipment technology, and in particular to a swing-arm utensil cleaning machine and its swing-arm driving method. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing popularity of dishwashing machines, the cleaning method using oscillating spray pipes has begun to be applied. Traditional swing arm drives mostly rely on reducers, crank connecting rods, or multi-stage gear transmissions, resulting in a large number of parts and long transmission chains, which leads to a significant occupation of the effective space of the cleaning chamber. The drive components are mostly solid or thick-walled structures, with large overall mass and high rotational inertia, which can easily cause increased motor load, slow response, and high noise, which is not conducive to lightweight design and efficient space utilization.

[0003] Existing swing arms mostly use a single amplitude reciprocating swing or unidirectional rotation, which makes it difficult to achieve both "wide coverage" and "localized intensive rinsing". For areas with heavy oil stains or complex structures, cleaning dead spots or insufficient intensity are easily found, requiring extended working hours or increased water pressure to compensate, resulting in low energy efficiency.

[0004] The water spray holes are mostly straight circular holes or radial holes with a single axial direction, making it difficult to balance the coverage and flushing force; the hole shape is mostly straight holes of equal diameter or simple conical holes, and the water flow contraction and diffusion process is not optimized, which can easily lead to insufficient spray speed, uneven water curtain distribution or local turbulence, affecting the cleaning ability.

[0005] In summary, an improved solution is needed that is compact in structure, provides adequate coverage, has strong flushing force, and offers flexible control. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the problems of existing dishwashing machines, such as the large size of the swing arm drive mechanism, the large space occupied in the cleaning chamber, uneven spray coverage, obvious cleaning dead zones in some areas, and insufficient rinsing of the dish surface under a single swing mode, this invention proposes a swing arm dishwashing machine with a compact structure and finely adjustable spray coverage area, as well as its drive control scheme.

[0007] This invention provides a swing-arm utensil cleaning machine, including a spray pipe and a reciprocating drive device for driving the spray pipe to swing. The reciprocating drive device includes a drive motor, an eccentric shaft, a drive wheel, a drive arm, and a swing arm. The output end of the drive motor is connected to the eccentric shaft. The drive wheel is sleeved on the drive shaft, and one end of the drive arm is connected to its outer periphery. The other end of the drive arm is pivotally connected to one end of the swing arm, and the other end of the swing arm is fixedly connected to the spray pipe, forming a force transmission link from the drive wheel, drive arm, swing arm, and spray pipe. A groove is formed radially in the central region of the drive wheel, and the eccentric shaft is slidably disposed in the groove. When the drive motor drives the drive shaft to rotate, the eccentric shaft slides relative to the drive wheel in the groove. Through the cooperation between the groove and the eccentric shaft, the drive wheel is transformed from continuous unidirectional rotation to periodic reciprocating rotation, which in turn drives the swing arm to achieve reciprocating swing, thereby driving the spray pipe to reciprocate spray cleaning the utensils.

[0008] To reduce the space occupied by the drive mechanism in the cleaning chamber and to lower the rotational inertia of the moving parts, the present invention preferably designs the swing arm, drive arm, and drive wheel as thin-walled plate structures, which are arranged against the inner wall of the cleaning chamber of the cleaning machine, so that the drive mechanism is installed "against the wall". Furthermore, the drive wheel and drive arm can be integrally formed as a thin-walled metal structure with a plate thickness controlled within the range of 0.8mm to 5.0mm. Under the premise of meeting the strength and rigidity requirements, the overall weight is effectively reduced, which is conducive to improving the motor response speed and control accuracy, and reducing energy consumption and noise.

[0009] Regarding the oscillation motion, this invention does not employ a simple reciprocating oscillation with a single amplitude. Instead, it is designed to include alternating superimposed first and second oscillation amplitudes, where the first oscillation amplitude is greater than the second. The first oscillation amplitude corresponds to a larger swing angle, causing the water flow from the spray pipe to form a first fan-shaped spray area within the cleaning chamber. The second oscillation amplitude corresponds to a smaller swing angle, causing the water flow to form at least one second fan-shaped spray area within the first fan-shaped spray area, and the central angle of the second fan-shaped spray area is 1 / 5 to 1 / 2 of the central angle of the first fan-shaped spray area. Through the alternating superposition of large and small amplitudes, the spray water flow forms multiple locally enhanced spray areas within the main coverage area, thereby achieving repeated rinsing of specific areas while basically ensuring full chamber coverage.

[0010] Regarding the spray pipe structure, this invention further enhances the spraying effect through the arrangement and design of the spray holes. Multiple spray holes are arrayed axially along the pipe wall, with the axis of each spray hole forming an angle of 30° to 60° with the axis of the spray pipe. By arranging the spray hole axes at an inclination relative to the pipe axis, the sprayed water flow simultaneously possesses radial and tangential velocity components, forming a fan-shaped spray water curtain with a certain rotational tendency within the cleaning chamber. This increases the relative sliding and shearing action between the water flow and the surface of the vessel, thereby improving the cleaning ability. Furthermore, each spray hole adopts a variable-diameter hole structure that "decreases first and then increases" axially from the inlet end to the outlet end. The diameter of the hole at both the inlet and outlet ends is 1.2 to 1.5 times larger than the smallest diameter in the middle. This variable-diameter hole structure facilitates the contraction and acceleration of the water flow within the hole cavity, followed by appropriate diffusion at the outlet end. This increases the spray speed and forms a concentrated impact water jet, while mitigating the noise and turbulence easily generated by simple straight holes, improving spray uniformity and comfort.

[0011] This invention also provides a swing arm driving method compatible with the aforementioned swing arm dishwashing machine. This method uses a motor driver to output a composite control signal to the drive motor, causing the swing arm to produce a superimposed swing pattern of "first swing + second swing," thereby ensuring the overall sweeping range while increasing small-amplitude, high-frequency swings to enhance localized rinsing. Specifically: First, the motor driver outputs a first control signal to the drive motor, causing the drive motor to rotate continuously in a first direction. Through the aforementioned transmission relationship of the eccentric shaft, slide, drive wheel, drive arm, and swing arm, the swing arm is driven to perform periodic reciprocating oscillations, which are defined as the "first oscillation" in this invention.

[0012] During the first oscillation, the motor driver superimposes a second control signal onto the drive motor within a preset period, causing the drive motor to temporarily rotate in the opposite direction to the first direction, and the duration of this reverse rotation is less than 1 / 5 of the first oscillation period. By superimposing this second control signal on the first oscillation, the swing arm generates a reciprocating oscillation with a smaller amplitude and a higher frequency, which is defined in this invention as the "second oscillation." The first oscillation ensures that the spray pipe achieves a large-angle reciprocating sweep to cover most of the vessel surface; the second oscillation superimposes multiple small-amplitude oscillations at high frequency near the trajectory of the first oscillation, performing multiple rinses on local areas, effectively improving cleaning intensity and decontamination efficiency.

[0013] Regarding control parameters, the first control signal and the second control signal are superimposed to form a composite drive signal, causing the spray pipe to oscillate in the following way: the amplitude of the first oscillation is A, and the oscillation period is T; within a single period T, the amplitude of the second oscillation is B, and B < A / 5, and at least two independent second oscillations are superimposed within a single period T. The oscillation trajectory corresponding to the main amplitude A causes the water flow sprayed from the spray pipe to form a first fan-shaped spray area; within this first fan-shaped spray area, the second oscillation generated by the micro-amplitude B further forms at least two nested second fan-shaped spray areas, and the central angle of the second fan-shaped spray area is 1 / 5 to 1 / 2 of the central angle of the first fan-shaped spray area. By limiting the amplitude and number of times mentioned above, it can be ensured that within one first oscillation period, the spray pipe traverses the key area multiple times within the same large range, thereby achieving a "wide coverage + focused reinforcement" spray mode.

[0014] To achieve a reasonable temporal coupling between the first and second swings, this invention also limits the frequency and current amplitude of the control signals: the frequency of the first control signal is f1, the frequency of the second control signal is f2, and f2 > f1; simultaneously, the current amplitude of the second control signal is 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of that of the first control signal. By setting the frequency of the second control signal to be higher than that of the first control signal and the current amplitude to be smaller, the second swing is guaranteed to have a higher response frequency and a smaller swing amplitude, without significantly interfering with the overall sweeping rhythm of the first swing, while also allowing high-frequency local disturbances to be superimposed on the trajectory of the first swing, thereby achieving a complex swing trajectory under the premise of simple control.

[0015] In summary, this invention achieves its goals through: 1) The drive wheel structure, which uses an eccentric shaft and radial groove, converts the rotation of the motor into the periodic reciprocating swing of the swing arm. The structure is compact and the transmission path is clear. 2) The drive wheel, drive arm, and swing arm are designed as thin-walled plate-like structures that are arranged against the inner wall of the cleaning chamber. It is preferable to make the drive wheel and drive arm integrally formed, with the plate thickness controlled between 0.8mm and 5.0mm, which effectively reduces the volume and weight and frees up the effective space of the cleaning chamber. 3) In the swing mode, the first swing and the second swing are superimposed. By the ratio of the main amplitude A to the micro amplitude B, and by superimposing the second swing multiple times within a first swing cycle, multiple second fan-shaped spray areas with a central angle of 1 / 5 to 1 / 2 of the main fan shape are formed in the spray fan-shaped area, so as to achieve a combination of wide coverage and local enhancement. 4) The spray holes are arranged at an angle of 30° to 60°, and the spray holes are designed as variable diameter holes with the diameter at both ends being 1.2 to 1.5 times larger than the diameter at the middle, so that the spray water flow has higher speed, stronger shear force and better fan-shaped expansion effect. 5) By coordinating the settings of the first control signal and the second control signal in terms of frequency (f1 is 5-10Hz, f2 is 20-30Hz and f2>f1) and current amplitude (the second signal is 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the first signal), a stable and reliable superimposed trajectory of the first swing and the second swing can be obtained, and the control is simple to implement.

[0016] Therefore, the swing-arm dishwashing machine and its swing-arm driving method of the present invention can achieve the comprehensive technical effects of high utilization of the cleaning chamber space, wide spray coverage, strong local rinsing ability and significantly improved cleaning effect without significantly increasing structural complexity and cost. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the swing arm dishwashing machine of the present invention, with the swing arm in the first swing position.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the spray arm in the second swing position in this invention.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the spray arm in the third swing position in this invention.

[0020] Figure 4 This is an exploded structural diagram of the spray pipe assembly of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a side view of the spray pipe and its multiple inclined spray holes of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the first swing amplitude and the second swing amplitude of the swing arm in this invention.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the square wave waveforms of the first and second driving signals of the present invention as a function of time.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the trigonometric function waveform of the composite drive current of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a block diagram of the electrical control system of the arm-shaped dishwashing machine of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The dishwashing machine 100 in this embodiment has an overall vertical frame structure, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes a frame 101, a cleaning chamber 102, a spray assembly 103, a circulating water system 104, and drive and control components. The frame 101 forms a cavity in the vertical direction, which serves as the cleaning chamber 102 and related mechanisms, and its lower part is provided with support legs 106 for supporting the whole machine.

[0027] The cleaning chamber 102 is located in the middle of the frame 101, forming a closed or semi-closed space for accommodating utensils to be cleaned. The chamber is circumferentially enclosed by an inner wall panel 107, and a utensil basket or support can be installed within the chamber to hold tableware, utensils, etc. A spray assembly 103 is located above and / or below the cleaning chamber 102. The spray assembly 103 includes a horizontally arranged spray pipe 109 and multiple nozzles or water spray holes 139 (e.g., ...). Figure 5 As shown, it can spray cleaning fluid from the circulating water system into the cleaning chamber 102 at a certain pressure to rinse the surface of the vessel.

[0028] The lower space of the cleaning machine mainly houses the circulating water system 104 and corresponding drive components 111. The circulating water system 104 generally includes a water tank or collection tank 115, a circulating water pump 116, connecting pipes 117, and filter elements 118. The water tank collects the cleaning liquid returning from the cleaning chamber 102, which is then filtered and pressurized by the circulating water pump 116 and transported through pipes to the spray assembly 103, where it is sprayed onto the surface of the vessel again, thus achieving water recycling. Drive components, such as motors, can be arranged at the bottom or side of the frame 101, driving the spray pipe 109 or the spray swing arm 126 to rotate or swing through the transmission structure 113, so that the sprayed water forms a certain sweeping area within the cleaning chamber 102.

[0029] A spray assembly 103 is provided in the middle of the cleaning chamber 102 in a horizontal direction. The spray assembly 103 includes a spray pipe 109 extending in a horizontal direction and a reciprocating drive device 121 for driving the spray pipe 109 to swing.

[0030] The reciprocating drive device 121 is located in the lower part of the cleaning chamber 102, roughly against the inner wall of the cleaning chamber, to minimize the space occupied by the vessel. The reciprocating drive device 121 includes components such as a drive motor 122, an eccentric shaft 123, a drive wheel 124, a drive arm 125, and a swing arm 126. The output shaft of the drive motor 122 is connected to the eccentric shaft 123, so that the eccentric shaft 123 rotates synchronously with the drive motor 122.

[0031] The drive wheel 124 is mounted on an eccentric shaft 123 coaxial with the drive motor 122, and the wheel disc of the drive wheel 124 is arranged approximately vertically. The outer periphery of the drive wheel 124 is integrally pivotally connected to one end of the drive arm 125, which extends horizontally as a whole and is preferably arranged close to the lower inner wall of the cleaning chamber 102 to reduce encroachment on the internal space of the chamber. The other end of the drive arm 125 is pivotally connected to one end of the swing arm 126, and the two are connected by a hinge hole or a pin 132 to form a relative rotatable relationship.

[0032] The swing arm 126 is arranged along the length of the spray pipe 109, and its other end is fixedly connected to the spray pipe 109, so that when the swing arm 126 swings around its own pivot point 133, it can drive the entire spray pipe 109 to swing synchronously. In this way, the swinging motion generated by the reciprocating drive device 121 is ultimately transmitted to the spray pipe 109, so that the spray pipe 109 moves around an approximately horizontal axis 134 (e.g., ...) within the cleaning chamber 102. Figure 4 (As shown) it makes a reciprocating swing.

[0033] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a groove 135 is radially formed in the central region of the drive wheel 124. The groove 135 can be an elongated through-hole or a recessed structure 136 extending through the thickness of the drive wheel. The end of the eccentric shaft 123 extends into the groove 135 and can slide within it. The axis of the eccentric shaft 123 has a certain eccentricity relative to the axis of the motor's drive shaft. This structure allows the end of the eccentric shaft 123 to reciprocate within the groove 135 relative to the drive wheel 124 as it rotates with the motor's drive shaft.

[0034] During operation, the drive motor 122, when energized, drives the eccentric shaft 123 to rotate continuously around its axis. The end 137 of the eccentric shaft 123 is embedded in the radial groove 135 in the central region of the drive wheel 124, and slides back and forth within the groove 135 as the eccentric shaft rotates, applying alternating pushing / pulling forces to both sides of the groove. Because the drive wheel 124 oscillates periodically between two extreme angles (e.g., ... Figure 2 and Figure 3 (The two extreme angles shown correspond to the left and right swinging motions, respectively). As the drive wheel 124 swings left and right, the pivot point on its outer periphery drives the drive arm 125 to swing back and forth accordingly; the drive arm 125 then transmits this reciprocating motion to the swing arm 126 through the pivot point 133, causing the swing arm 126 to swing back and forth periodically around its pivot point 133, thereby driving the water spray pipe fixed to it to achieve reciprocating spraying.

[0035] Driven by the swing arm 126, the spray pipe 109 fixed to it swings back and forth synchronously. During the cleaning process, the circulating water system 104 delivers pressurized cleaning fluid to the spray pipe 109. The cleaning fluid is sprayed out through multiple spray holes 139 on the spray pipe 109, forming a fan-shaped spray water curtain 140 (e.g., ...) within the cleaning chamber 102. Figure 6 As shown in the figure, with the periodic oscillation of the spray pipe 109, the spray water curtain 140 repeatedly sweeps across the vessel within the cleaning chamber 102, achieving reciprocating spray cleaning of the vessel surface.

[0036] With the above structural arrangement, the rotational motion generated by the drive motor is successively transmitted through the eccentric shaft 123, the sliding groove 135 and the drive wheel 124, as well as the drive arm 125 and the swing arm 126, and finally converted into the reciprocating swing motion of the spray pipe 109, thereby completing the spraying action required for cleaning the utensils.

[0037] The spraying method, which uses the spray pipe 109 to reciprocate with the swing arm 126, has the following advantages compared to the unidirectional rotation or fixed spraying method: (1) The spray trajectory sweeps repeatedly in the same area, and the water flow washes the same surface of the vessel from different directions multiple times, which can effectively break the combination of oil stains and attachments with the surface of the vessel, improve the cleaning effect, and is especially effective in removing dirt from heavily soiled and obscured areas. (2) During the reciprocating spraying process, the direction of the spray pipe 109 relative to the vessel changes periodically, and the water inflow angle changes continuously, which can significantly reduce the cleaning dead angles caused by the vessel structure, so that the vessel surface at all heights and in all directions in the cleaning chamber can obtain a more uniform spray coverage. (3) Under a certain spray pressure, reciprocating spraying enhances the flushing effect by changing the direction of water spraying rather than simply increasing the water pressure or the water volume. This is beneficial to improve the cleaning efficiency of the unit water consumption without increasing the water consumption, thus achieving a balance between water conservation and efficient cleaning. (4) When the spray pipe 109 reciprocates, the relative sliding speed of the water flow on the surface of the vessel increases, which has both normal impact force and strong tangential scrubbing and shearing action, which is conducive to removing the softened dirt particles and reducing the risk of secondary adhesion.

[0038] Furthermore, the swing arm 126, the drive arm 125 and the drive wheel 124 are all thin-walled plate structures with a thickness much smaller than their length and width, preferably formed by stamping or bending thin metal sheets; The swing arm 126, drive arm 125 and drive wheel 124 are all arranged close to the inner wall 107 of the cleaning chamber 102 of the cleaning machine, so that the reciprocating drive device 121 is extended along the inner wall of the cleaning chamber, thereby reducing the projected area of ​​the reciprocating drive device 121 on the cross-section of the cleaning chamber 102 and reducing the occupation of the effective volume of the cleaning chamber 102 and the space for placing utensils.

[0039] Furthermore, the drive wheel 124 and the drive arm 125 are integrally formed thin-walled metal structures, and the thickness of the thin-walled structure is 0.8mm~5.0mm.

[0040] like Figure 6As shown, the swing arm 126 reciprocates around the fixed pivot axis 134. The swing of the swing arm 126 is not a single amplitude, but a compound swing formed by the alternating superposition of the first swing amplitude 144 and the second swing amplitude 145, wherein the first swing amplitude 144 is significantly larger than the second swing amplitude 145.

[0041] When only the first swing amplitude 144 is considered, the swing arm 126 can swing back and forth between the left extreme position 144A and the right extreme position 144B. The range of angles it sweeps is the first swing amplitude 144, which corresponds to the fan-shaped spray area formed by the water flow sprayed from the spray pipe 109 in the cleaning chamber. This area covers a large space within the cleaning chamber.

[0042] While the swing arm 126 reciprocates using the first swing amplitude 144, a second swing amplitude 144c is superimposed when the swing arm passes near a certain intermediate position 144c, causing the swing arm 126 to perform high-frequency reciprocating oscillations on both sides of the intermediate position 144c within a small angle range. The swing angle corresponding to the second swing amplitude 145 is significantly smaller than that of the first swing amplitude 144, and its swing trajectory is entirely within the sweeping range of the first swing amplitude 144.

[0043] like Figure 6 As shown, under the action of the second swing amplitude 145, the water flow sprayed out by the spray pipe 109 further forms at least one local second fan-shaped spray area 145S inside the first fan-shaped spray area 144S (for example, the second fan-shaped area can be formed near the sides or near the middle, indicated by the inner solid line fan shape).

[0044] Therefore, the reciprocating swing of the swing arm 126 includes alternating superimposed first swing amplitude 144 and second swing amplitude 145: the first swing amplitude 144 is used to obtain a larger overall spray coverage area, while the second swing amplitude 145 forms multiple locally reinforced second fan-shaped spray areas 151 within this range, realizing repeated and focused rinsing of the surface of the vessel.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the central angle of the second fan-shaped spray area 145s is preferably set to 1 / 5 to 1 / 2 of the central angle of the first fan-shaped spray area 144s. That is, if the central angle of the first fan-shaped spray area 144s is θ1, then the central angle θ2 of the second fan-shaped spray area 145s satisfies: θ2≈(1 / 5 to 1 / 2)•θ1. By limiting the second fan-shaped spray area 145s to the above angle range, on the one hand, it is ensured that the second fan-shaped spray area 145s is completely nested inside the first fan-shaped spray area 144s and will not exceed the coverage area of ​​the main spray; on the other hand, the second fan-shaped spray area 145s is relatively concentrated, and the spray energy is more easily superimposed in the local area, thereby achieving multiple enhanced scouring of key areas without significantly increasing the overall swing angle.

[0046] Furthermore, the central angle of the second fan-shaped spray area 145s is 1 / 5 to 1 / 2 of that of the first fan-shaped spray area 144s.

[0047] Furthermore, the central angle α of the first sector spray zone 144s ranges from 30 to 90°.

[0048] The first swing amplitude 144 corresponds to a relatively large central angle, causing the spray pipe 109 to form a wide-coverage first fan-shaped spray area 144s within the cleaning chamber. This ensures that the entire area where the vessel is placed is basically swept, avoiding overall cleaning blind spots. Secondly, the central angle of the second swing amplitude 145 is only 1 / 5 to 1 / 2 of the central angle of the first swing amplitude 144, and the high-frequency superposition within the first fan-shaped spray area 144s allows the water flow to be repeatedly rinsed in the same large local area, significantly improving the cleaning intensity. This is particularly beneficial for removing stubborn stains and residual dirt in the grooves and folds of the vessel. Thirdly, because the second swing amplitude 145 is small, it does not significantly increase the overall swing angle and mechanical stroke of the swing arm 126. Therefore, it does not significantly increase the load and energy consumption of the drive motor 122. Thus, it can achieve a wide-coverage, locally repeated and enhanced spray effect without significantly increasing water consumption, energy consumption, or structural complexity, resulting in higher overall cleaning efficiency.

[0049] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 The spray pipe 109 has multiple spray holes 139 arranged in an array along its axial direction 153 on its pipe wall 152. Each spray hole 139 can be arranged uniformly or at a preset interval along the length of the spray pipe 109. Preferably, the axis 155 of any spray hole 139 is inclined relative to the axis 134 of the spray pipe 109. The included angle b between the axis 1391 of the spray hole 139 and the axis 134 of the spray pipe 109 is 30° to 60°. In this specification, this included angle is defined as "spray angle b".

[0050] By limiting the spray angle b to the range of 30° to 60°, the sprayed water flow has both a significant radial component, enabling it to cover a large cross-sectional area within the cleaning chamber, and a certain tangential component, generating sliding and shearing action along the surface of the vessel, which is beneficial for removing attached dirt. If the spray angle is too small, the water flow direction is too close to the axial direction, resulting in insufficient radial expansion and a narrow coverage area; if the spray angle is too large, the water flow is sprayed almost radially, weakening the tangential component and hindering effective rinsing and sliding. Therefore, the above-mentioned spray angle range achieves a good balance between spray coverage and rinsing effect.

[0051] Furthermore, the water spray hole 139 is a variable diameter hole 161 arranged along its axial direction, with the hole diameter gradually decreasing and then gradually increasing to form a flow channel structure of a contraction section 165 and an expansion section 166, and the hole diameter of the expansion section 166 is 1.2 to 1.5 times larger than the hole diameter of the middle contraction section 165.

[0052] When the cleaning fluid enters the variable-diameter orifice through the inlet 162 under pressure, it is first compressed and accelerated in the contraction section 165, forming a high-speed water flow through the smallest orifice in the middle. Subsequently, the water flow diffuses and widens in the expansion section 166, forming a fan-shaped water curtain after being ejected into the cleaning chamber. Through the aforementioned variable-diameter orifice structure, the flow rate and impact force of the jet water are increased, and the water flow quickly expands into a fan-shaped water surface after leaving the spray hole, thereby increasing the instantaneous coverage area and improving the rinsing effect on the surface of the vessel.

[0053] This application also provides an electrical system for driving the nozzle.

[0054] The electrical system of the cleaning machine is powered by the mains power supply 178, which is located in the electrical box at the bottom of the frame 101. The power supply is used to isolate and convert the mains power, provide a stable DC operating voltage (e.g., 24V DC) to the main control unit 181, and provide the required power to the drive motor 122.

[0055] The main control unit 181 can be any form of microcontroller control board, PLC controller, or embedded industrial controller, and its built-in memory pre-stores the control program of the swing arm driving method. The output terminal of the main control unit 181 is provided with multiple digital / analog control interfaces or PWM output ports for outputting the first control signal 193 and the second control signal 194 to the motor driver 182; the input terminal 195 of the main control unit 181 can be optionally connected to human-machine interaction units 199 such as buttons, knobs, and displays for setting parameters such as the first swing period, the second swing frequency, and the working mode, and can also be connected to status detection units such as speed detection, position detection, or current detection for obtaining the operating status signals of the drive motor 122 or the swing arm 126 to realize closed-loop or semi-closed-loop control.

[0056] The motor driver 182 is preferably a dedicated drive module for driving a three-phase AC motor or a brushless DC motor, such as a low-power frequency converter, servo driver, or brushless motor drive board. The power terminal of the motor driver 182 is electrically connected to the drive motor 122, and its control terminal receives a first control signal 193 and a second control signal 194 from the main control unit 181. The first control signal 193 is used to set the basic direction and speed of the drive motor 122, corresponding to the continuous rotation of the drive motor 122 along the first direction, thereby realizing the swing of the first amplitude 144 of the swing arm under the action of the mechanical transmission mechanism.

[0057] like Figure 6 and Figure 9 As shown, the second control signal 194 is superimposed on the first control signal 193 in a short pulse manner within a preset period. This is used to cause the drive motor 122 to rotate in the opposite direction 226 or decelerate and swing back for a short time during the rotation in the first direction 220 without changing the main steering setting. This generates a second swing with a small amplitude and high frequency based on the first swing, forming a second swing amplitude 145.

[0058] In one specific implementation, the drive motor 122 can be a three-phase AC asynchronous motor, the motor driver 182 is a small frequency converter module, and the main control unit 181 controls the output frequency and direction of the frequency converter through two independent PWM signals. One set of PWM signals serves as the first control signal 193, used to generate the first swing amplitude 144; the other set of PWM signals serves as the second control signal 194, changing the instantaneous frequency of the frequency converter output or briefly switching the output phase sequence in the form of periodic short pulses, causing the motor to generate a reverse rotation 226 with a duration less than 1 / 5 of the first swing period, thus generating the second swing amplitude 145.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment, the control program for controlling the drive motor 122 is pre-stored in the memory of the main control unit 181. When the control program is executed by the processor of the main control unit 181, the control of the motor driver 182 includes the following steps: S1: The main control unit 181 outputs a first control signal 193 to the motor driver 182. The motor driver 182 drives the drive motor 122 to rotate continuously along a preset first direction 220 according to the first control signal 193, so that the drive motor 122 operates stably at a first set speed. After mechanical transmission through the eccentric shaft 123, drive wheel 124, drive arm 125, and swing arm 126, the drive motor 122 drives the swing arm 126 to perform periodic reciprocating oscillations. In this specification, the periodic reciprocating oscillation of the swing arm 126 is defined as "first oscillation 144". The first oscillation 144 corresponds to a larger oscillation amplitude, used to form the basic spray coverage area required for utensil cleaning.

[0060] S2: During the first swing 144, the main control unit 181 outputs a second control signal 194 to the motor driver 182 according to a preset time period or angle position determination logic. This causes the motor driver 182 to briefly change the output state of the drive motor 122 while maintaining the first control signal 193, causing the drive motor 122 to temporarily rotate in the opposite direction 226 to the first direction 220, or to generate a short-term oscillation in the second direction 226. The duration of the temporary reverse rotation 226 is limited to less than 1 / 5 of the first swing period 200. Through the periodic superposition of the second control signal 194, the swing arm 126 generates a small-amplitude, high-frequency reciprocating oscillation based on the first swing 222, thereby generating the second swing 145.

[0061] Furthermore, the first control signal 193 and the second control signal 194 are superimposed to form a composite drive signal. The composite drive signal causes the spray pipe to swing in the following ways: the swing amplitude of the first swing 144 is A and the swing period is T1; within a single period T1, the swing amplitude of the second swing 145 is B, and B < A / 5; at least two independent second swings 145 are superimposed within a single period T1.

[0062] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the drive motor 122 is a stepper motor. Figure 7 The first and second drive signals shown are composite drive signals used to control the rotation direction and number of steps of the stepper motor. Specifically, the first drive signal 193 is a positive pulse sequence relative to a reference level, which is output by the main control unit 181 to the pulse input terminal of the stepper motor driver. When the stepper motor driver receives a first drive pulse 193, it drives the stepper motor to rotate a predetermined step angle along the first direction 220.

[0063] The second drive signal is a negative pulse or a pulse sequence with opposite phase superimposed on the first drive signal. When the stepper motor driver receives the second drive pulse 194, it drives the stepper motor with a step sequence opposite to the first direction 220, causing the stepper motor to briefly rotate a certain number of step angles along the second direction 226. The pulse width 194 and the number of pulses of the second drive signal are significantly smaller than the total number of the first drive pulses 193, resulting in a small-amplitude oscillation. In this way, the first drive signal provides the positive main step amount of the stepper motor, and the second drive signal provides a small amount of reverse step amount superimposed on it, together forming a composite drive for the stepper motor.

[0064] Furthermore, such as Figure 8As shown, the frequency of the first control signal f1 is 5~10Hz, the frequency of the second control signal f2 is 20~30Hz, and f2>f1; the current amplitude 278 of the second control signal 194 is 1 / 3~1 / 2 of the first control signal 193.

[0065] In a preferred embodiment, the control current of the drive motor is considered as a function of time i(t), and the first control signal and the second control signal are respectively represented as trigonometric functions that change with time: .

[0066] in, This is the motor drive current corresponding to the first control signal. This is the motor drive current corresponding to the second control signal. and These are the current amplitudes of the first control signal and the second control signal, respectively. and The frequencies of the first control signal and the second control signal are respectively, satisfying:

[0067] And the amplitude relationship is:

[0068] The superimposed composite driving signal can then be expressed as:

[0069] Among them, low-frequency components The high-frequency, small-amplitude component is used to generate the first oscillation of the swing arm. This is superimposed to generate the second swing of the swing arm, thereby achieving composite control of the first and second swings.

[0070] Furthermore, Figure 8 In, the value is taken. ; ; Within a time range of 0 to 0.5 seconds, it can be clearly seen that the outer layer is a low-frequency, large waveform corresponding to the first control signal. This generates the first oscillation; high-frequency small ripples superimposed on it correspond to the second control signal. This produces a second oscillation.

[0071] Compared with traditional discrete driving methods such as square wave and trapezoidal wave, the above-mentioned trigonometric function driving method has the following advantages: 1. The trigonometric function waveform is continuous and smooth in time, with no abrupt changes in current rise and fall. This can significantly reduce the electromagnetic torque pulsation of the stepper motor or brushless motor, reduce the mechanical impact of the swing arm during the switching process between the first and second swings, and thus reduce the vibration and operating noise of the whole machine.

[0072] 2. Trigonometric functions inherently possess excellent superposition properties. The first and second swing components can be superimposed using simple amplitude and frequency adjustments to form a composite waveform. This facilitates the analysis and optimization of the swing arm motion and also allows for easy modification of the waveform during practical control. , , , Different combinations of main amplitude and micro amplitude can be achieved using parameters, resulting in high control flexibility.

[0073] 3. Trigonometric function drive signals can be directly generated in software using timers, lookup table algorithms, or CORDIC algorithms of microcontrollers or DSPs. Parameters such as frequency, phase, and amplitude can be precisely set and calibrated, making it easy to directly implement "f1, f2, and amplitude ratio" as specific control parameters, which is beneficial for consistency control during mass production.

[0074] 4. When using a stepper motor, the trigonometric function current can be used as the target current waveform for microstepping or micro-stepping, making the torque change of the motor more linear with each step, thereby improving the position control accuracy of the swing arm, making the superimposed second swing amplitude controllable and repeatable, which is beneficial to ensuring the angle range and position stability of the second fan-shaped spray area.

[0075] By using a composite drive signal in the form of a trigonometric function, a smooth and adjustable superposition control of the first and second swings can be achieved without adding a complex mechanical structure, further improving the spray uniformity and cleaning effect during the cleaning process of the vessel.

[0076] In summary, this application discloses a swing-arm utensil washing machine and its swing-arm driving method, belonging to the technical field of utensil washing equipment. Addressing the problems of existing washing machines such as large drive mechanism size, excessive space occupation in the washing chamber, uneven spray coverage, obvious localized cleaning dead zones, and difficulty in achieving balanced cleaning intensity, this application proposes a technical solution that coordinates structural and control optimization.

[0077] Structurally, this application employs a drive motor, eccentric shaft, drive wheel with radial grooves, drive arm, and swing arm transmission chain to convert the continuous rotation of the motor into the periodic reciprocating oscillation of the swing arm. The swing arm is fixedly connected to the spray pipe, allowing the spray pipe to spray reciprocally within the cleaning chamber. The drive wheel, drive arm, and swing arm are all designed as thin-walled plate-like structures arranged against the inner wall of the cleaning chamber, with some components integrally molded, significantly reducing the volume and weight of the drive device within the chamber. The variable-diameter spray holes arranged in an array on the spray pipe wall form a spray angle of 30° to 60° relative to the pipe axis, and adopt a variable-diameter hole type that "contracts in the middle and expands at both ends," enabling the sprayed water flow to form a fan-shaped water curtain while ensuring flow velocity, increasing the instantaneous coverage area and shearing and scouring effect.

[0078] In terms of control, this application outputs a first control signal and a second control signal through a main control unit and a motor driver to perform composite driving on a stepper motor or other drive motor: the first control signal forms a low-frequency, large-amplitude "first oscillation" to achieve basic spray coverage; the second control signal is superimposed on the first control signal in the form of a high-frequency, small-amplitude signal, causing the motor to produce a short-term reverse or slight oscillation during the first oscillation, thereby superimposing a high-frequency, small-amplitude "second oscillation" on the trajectory of the first oscillation. The two oscillations are superimposed in time and space, corresponding to the generation of one or more smaller second fan-shaped enhanced spray areas within the first fan-shaped spray area, realizing a "wide coverage, focused enhancement" spray mode. The control signals can be represented in trigonometric function form, and the frequency and amplitude ratio can be precisely set, facilitating the realization of smooth and adjustable composite driving.

[0079] This application utilizes a thin-walled, wall-mounted swing arm transmission structure, variable-diameter inclined water spray holes, and superimposed control of the first and second swings to effectively improve the space utilization of the cleaning chamber, reduce driving inertia and noise, and enhance the uniformity of spray coverage and local rinsing ability without significantly increasing structural complexity and energy consumption, thereby significantly improving the overall cleaning effect of the utensils.

Claims

1. A swing-arm dishwashing machine, characterized in that, include: Spray pipe and reciprocating drive device for driving the spray pipe to swing; The reciprocating drive device includes a drive motor, an eccentric shaft, a drive wheel, a drive arm, and a swing arm, with the output end of the drive motor connected to the eccentric shaft; The drive wheel is sleeved on the eccentric shaft, and one end of the drive arm is connected to its outer periphery. The other end of the drive arm is pivotally connected to one end of the swing arm, and the other end of the swing arm is fixedly connected to the spray pipe. The central region of the drive wheel is provided with a groove along its radial direction, and the eccentric shaft is slidably disposed in the groove; When the drive motor drives the eccentric shaft to rotate, the eccentric shaft slides along the slide groove. The cooperation between the slide groove and the eccentric shaft drives the drive wheel to rotate periodically, which in turn drives the swing arm to swing back and forth, thereby driving the spray pipe to spray and clean the vessel repeatedly.

2. The swing-arm dishwashing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The swing arm, drive arm, and drive wheel are all thin-walled plate-like structures, and the three are arranged against the inner wall of the cleaning chamber of the cleaning machine.

3. The swing-arm dishwashing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The drive wheel and the drive arm are integrally formed thin-walled metal structures with a plate thickness of 0.8mm to 5.0mm.

4. The swing-arm dishwashing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The reciprocating swing of the swing arm includes an alternately superimposed first swing amplitude and a second swing amplitude, wherein the first swing amplitude is greater than the second swing amplitude; wherein, the first swing amplitude causes the water flow sprayed from the spray pipe to form a first fan-shaped spray area in the cleaning chamber, and the second swing amplitude causes the water flow to form at least one second fan-shaped spray area in the first fan-shaped spray area, and the central angle of the second fan-shaped spray area is 1 / 5 to 1 / 2 of the central angle of the first fan-shaped spray area.

5. The swing-arm dishwashing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spray pipe has multiple spray holes distributed on its wall, and the angle between the axis of the spray hole and the axis of the spray pipe is 30° to 60°.

6. The swing-arm dishwashing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water spray hole is a variable diameter hole, with the diameter decreasing first and then increasing, and the diameter at the inlet and outlet ends is 1.2 to 1.5 times larger than the smallest diameter in the middle.

7. A swing arm driving method, applied to the swing arm dishwashing machine as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, include: S1. The motor driver outputs a first control signal to the drive motor, causing the drive motor to rotate continuously in a first direction, so as to drive the swing arm to perform a periodic reciprocating first swing. S2. During the first oscillation process, the motor driver superimposes a second control signal onto the drive motor within a preset period, causing the drive motor to temporarily rotate in the opposite direction to the first direction, and the duration of the reverse rotation is less than 1 / 5 of the first oscillation period; In step S2, a small-amplitude, high-frequency reciprocating second oscillation is superimposed on the first oscillation.

8. The swing arm driving method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first control signal and the second control signal are superimposed to form a composite drive signal, which causes the spray pipe to oscillate in a manner that satisfies: The amplitude of the first swing is A, and the swing period is T; Within a single period T, the amplitude of the second oscillation is B, and B < A / 5; At least two independent second oscillations are superimposed within a single period T.

9. The swing arm driving method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first oscillation causes the water flow from the spray pipe to form a first fan-shaped spray area within the cleaning chamber. The second oscillation causes the water flow to form at least two nested second fan-shaped spray areas within the first fan-shaped spray area, and the central angle of the second fan-shaped spray area is 1 / 5 to 1 / 2 of that of the first fan-shaped spray area.

10. The swing arm driving method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The frequency of the first control signal is f1, the frequency of the second control signal is f2, and f2 > f1; the current amplitude of the second control signal is 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of that of the first control signal.

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