A dishwasher and a method of operating the same

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of dish-washing machine and its working method, dish-washing machine includes box, inside with washing chamber, the side wall of the box is equipped with with washing chamber being communicated with the air passage;Air inlet assembly, including air inlet pipe, located washing chamber outside and is equipped in the side wall of box, the air inlet pipe is equipped with with its inside being communicated with air inlet and air outlet, the air inlet is communicated with outside;Air passage is equipped with the flexible baffle that it is shielded, the flexible baffle and the air outlet of air inlet pipe are connected by air passage, the area of the air outlet of air passage is less than the area of air passage, the part of the flexible baffle corresponding air outlet of air passage has the air vent for the airflow in air passage to flow into washing chamber, the air outlet of air passage can be relative to box activity, so that the path of airflow flowing is flexible variable, increase the coverage area of airflow, and can be rapidly dispersed to all around, improve the uniformity of temperature field and flow field in box.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a dishwasher, and more specifically to a dishwasher and its operating method. Background Technology

[0002] Dishwashers are becoming increasingly common in kitchens. After the dishes are washed, there is a lot of moisture in the washing chamber of the dishwasher. In order to dry the dishes and prevent the growth of bacteria, a drying component is installed on the outer wall of the cabinet to heat the airflow in the washing chamber. The drying component inputs hot airflow into the washing chamber to dry the dishes.

[0003] For example, the Chinese invention patent CN202320953636.2 (publication number CN220344366U) discloses a "Washing Machine," in which the drying assembly includes an air inlet duct, a heating element, and a second airflow drive component. The air inlet duct has a second air inlet and a second air outlet. The second air inlet is in fluid communication with the outside environment, and the second air outlet is in fluid communication with a second air inlet hole on the housing. Along the airflow direction, the second air outlet is located downstream of the second air inlet. The second airflow drive component is installed on the air inlet duct and is used to drive the outside airflow through the air inlet duct to the second air outlet. In this embodiment, the second airflow drive component is a second fan, and the air outlet of the second fan faces the second air inlet of the air inlet duct, and the air inlet of the second fan is in fluid communication with the outside environment.

[0004] The heating element can be a PTC heating element, installed inside the air inlet duct, located in the airflow path from the second air inlet to the second air outlet. The heating element heats the airflow entering the air inlet duct into hot air, which then enters the washing chamber to dry the tableware.

[0005] Currently, most air inlet ducts are fixed to the housing with nuts, and the position and area of ​​the air inlet are fixed. When air is introduced, the airflow enters the cavity in a single, pre-set direction. With a single air inlet direction, the airflow cannot spread quickly to the surroundings, resulting in a small coverage area. In addition, some hot air will be blocked back, and the temperature and flow fields inside the cavity are unevenly distributed, which affects the drying effect. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a dishwasher that allows the airflow entering the washing chamber to cover a large area, in light of the current state of the prior art.

[0007] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a working method for the above-mentioned dishwasher, in view of the current state of the prior art.

[0008] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the first technical problem mentioned above is: a dishwasher, comprising...

[0009] The cabinet has a washing chamber inside, and the side wall of the cabinet is provided with an air vent that communicates with the washing chamber;

[0010] Air intake components, including

[0011] An air inlet pipe is located outside the washing chamber and on the side wall of the housing. The air inlet pipe has an air inlet and an air outlet that are connected to its interior. The air inlet is connected to the outside.

[0012] The feature is that a flexible baffle is provided at the air outlet to block it, the flexible baffle and the air outlet of the air inlet pipe are connected through the air outlet pipe, the area of ​​the air outlet end of the air outlet pipe is smaller than the area of ​​the air outlet, the flexible baffle has a vent on the part corresponding to the air outlet end of the air outlet pipe to allow the airflow in the air outlet pipe to flow into the washing chamber, and the air outlet end of the air outlet pipe can move relative to the housing.

[0013] A through hole can be directly made in the area of ​​the air duct on the flexible baffle, or the vent can include several slits on the flexible baffle, the size of which can change with the deformation of the flexible baffle.

[0014] The gap can be created only within the area enclosed by the air duct, but this requires a high degree of precision in matching the size of the gap with the size of the air duct. Therefore, the flexible baffle includes two flexible sheets that fit together. The vent is located on the flexible sheet near the washing chamber, and the gap extends beyond the perimeter of the air duct. Thus, the length of the gap does not need to be precisely controlled; ventilation is achieved as long as it exists within the area enclosed by the air duct. Furthermore, if the gap is located outside the area enclosed by the air duct, the airflow from the washing chamber will not escape due to the obstruction of the other flexible sheet.

[0015] In the above scheme, the air outlet includes a central region and at least two side regions radiating from the central region, which makes the movement path of the air duct large.

[0016] To allow the air duct to move, the air inlet duct includes a first duct body and a second duct body. The first duct body is fixed relative to the housing, the air inlet is located on the first duct body, and the air outlet is located on the second duct body. The second duct body can move relative to the first duct body. Because the second duct body is connected to the air duct, the movement of the second duct body will cause the air duct to move.

[0017] In order to allow the second tube to move relative to the first tube, the second tube extends vertically and is at least partially a flexible tube, such as a corrugated pipe.

[0018] To prevent the second pipe from twisting and knotting during operation, the air duct is connected to the second pipe via a connecting pipe. One end of the connecting pipe extends into the air outlet of the second pipe and the two are fixed relative to each other, while the other end is located in the air duct and can slide along it. The connecting pipe can also rotate relative to the air duct around its center line. This movable connection via the connecting pipe allows the second pipe to self-adjust relative to the air duct.

[0019] The air duct can have various movement modes. Preferably, the air inlet assembly also includes a drive mechanism connected to the air duct or the second duct body, so that the air duct can rotate around its centerline or move laterally or vertically. This gives the air duct multiple dimensions of movement and diversified paths, improving the uniformity of the temperature and flow fields inside the washing chamber.

[0020] Preferably, the air duct is fixedly connected to a vertically extending movable plate. The driving mechanism includes a first driving member, a first gear driven by the first driving member, and a rack fixedly mounted on the movable plate. When the second duct extends vertically, the rack extends vertically, and the first gear directly or indirectly meshes with the rack. When the first gear rotates, it drives the rack to move vertically, and the air duct moves vertically accordingly.

[0021] Furthermore, the drive mechanism also includes a second drive member, a second gear, and a turntable fixedly connected to the rack. A third gear is mounted on the turntable. The second gear is driven by the second drive member, and the second gear and the third gear mesh directly or indirectly. The centerline of the third gear extends laterally. Rotation of the second gear drives the third gear to rotate, causing the turntable to rotate, which in turn drives the movable plate to rotate, ultimately causing the air duct to rotate.

[0022] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the second technical problem mentioned above is: a method for operating the dishwasher, characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0023] (1) The air inlet assembly introduces hot air into the washing chamber, and at the same time the second drive unit drives the turntable to rotate. After the turntable rotates to a set angle, it stops rotating and then the next step is executed.

[0024] (2) The first driving component works, drives the rack, and drives the second tube to move back and forth, and then executes the next step;

[0025] (3) After the first drive unit has worked for a set time, the drying ends; or, after the first drive unit has worked for a set time, it stops working for a set time and then continues working for a set time, and so on at least once until the drying ends; or, after the first drive unit has worked for a set time, it returns to step (1) until the drying ends.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this invention are as follows: By setting a flexible baffle in the air outlet, the flexible baffle is connected to the air inlet pipe through the air outlet pipe. The air outlet end of the air outlet pipe can move relative to the box body, thereby allowing the position of the air outlet end of the air outlet pipe to move. This makes the airflow path flexible and variable, increases the coverage area of ​​the airflow, and can quickly diffuse in all directions, improving the uniformity of the temperature field and flow field inside the box body. Moreover, according to functional requirements, it can stop at any position in the moving path to increase the air intake at that point and strengthen the drying of specific areas. Because the flexible baffle can deform, no matter how the air outlet pipe moves, the area of ​​the flexible baffle outside the air outlet pipe will always block other areas of the air outlet, preventing air leakage. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure from another direction;

[0029] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a partial structure;

[0030] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A sectional view;

[0031] Figure 5 for Figure 3 Another sectional view;

[0032] Figure 6 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of point A;

[0033] Figure 7 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of point B;

[0034] Figure 8 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the decomposition process;

[0035] Figure 9 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the flexible baffle in the diagram;

[0036] Figure 10 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a local structure in the image;

[0037] Figure 11 for Figure 3 A partial sectional view. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0039] like Figures 1-11 As shown, the dishwasher of this preferred embodiment is used to clean tableware, which includes bowls, plates, knives, forks, pots and pans, etc. The dishwasher includes a cabinet 1 and an air inlet assembly.

[0040] The housing 1 has a washing chamber 11 inside, and an air vent 12 connected to the washing chamber 11 is provided on the side wall of the housing 1. The accompanying drawings of this embodiment only show a part of the housing 1, and the specific structure of the housing 1 can adopt the prior art.

[0041] The air intake assembly includes a fan 3, an air intake pipe 2, and a heating element. The air intake pipe 2 is located outside the washing chamber 11 and is installed on the side wall of the housing 1. The air intake pipe 2 is provided with an air inlet 21 and an air outlet 22 that are connected to its interior. The air inlet of the fan 3 is connected to the outside, and the air outlet of the fan 3 is connected to the air inlet 21, thereby enabling the air inlet 21 to be connected to the outside.

[0042] like Figures 4-7 As shown, in this embodiment, the air inlet pipe 2 includes a first pipe body 23 and a second pipe body 24. The first pipe body 23 is fixed relative to the housing 1. The air inlet 21 is located on the first pipe body 23, and the air outlet 22 is located on the second pipe body 24. The second pipe body 24 extends vertically and is at least partially a flexible hose, such as a corrugated pipe, so that the second pipe body 24 can move relative to the first pipe body 23. Of course, other methods can also be used to make the second pipe body 24 move relative to the first pipe body 23.

[0043] The area of ​​the air inlet 12 is larger than the area of ​​the air outlet 22. A flexible baffle 4 is provided at the air inlet 12 to block it. The flexible baffle 4 and the air outlet 22 of the air inlet duct 2 are connected through the air inlet duct 6. The area of ​​the air outlet end of the air inlet duct 6 is smaller than the area of ​​the air inlet 12. The part of the flexible baffle 4 corresponding to the air outlet end of the air inlet duct 6 has a ventilation opening for the airflow in the air inlet duct 6 to flow into the washing chamber 11.

[0044] Because the second pipe 24 is connected to the air duct 6, when the second pipe 24 moves, it will drive the air duct 6 to move. That is, the air outlet end of the air duct 6 can move relative to the box 1, so that the position of the air outlet end of the air duct 6 can be moved, making the airflow path flexible and variable, increasing the coverage area of ​​the airflow, and allowing it to spread rapidly in all directions, improving the uniformity of the temperature field and flow field inside the box 1. Moreover, according to functional requirements, it can be stopped at any position in the moving path to increase the air intake at that point and strengthen the drying of specific areas. Because the flexible baffle 4 can deform, no matter how the air duct 6 moves, the area of ​​the flexible baffle 4 outside the air duct 6 will always block the other areas of the air outlet 12, preventing air leakage.

[0045] The periphery of the air vent 12 is folded away from the washing chamber 11 to form a flange 13, and the periphery of the flexible baffle 4 is fixedly installed on the flange 13. Figure 9 As shown, the ventilation opening includes several slits 41 provided on the flexible baffle 4. The size of the slits 41 can change with the deformation of the flexible baffle 4. The flexible baffle 4 can be made of materials such as silicone or rubber that can be stretched or deformed.

[0046] In this embodiment, the flexible baffle 4 includes two flexible sheets that fit together. The vent is located on the flexible sheet near the washing chamber 11, and the gap 41 extends out of the periphery of the air duct 6. Multiple gaps 41 extend radially from the center of the air vent 21. The length of the gap 41 does not need to be precisely controlled; ventilation can be achieved as long as there is a gap 41 within the area enclosed by the air duct 6. The gap 41 located outside the area enclosed by the air duct 6 will not cause airflow to escape from the washing chamber 11 due to the obstruction of the other flexible sheet.

[0047] like Figure 6 , 7 As shown in Figures 8, 10, and 11, the air inlet assembly also includes a drive mechanism connected to the air duct 6 or the second pipe body 24, thereby enabling the air duct 6 to rotate around its centerline or move laterally or vertically. This provides the air duct 6 with multiple dimensions of movement and diverse paths, improving the uniformity of the temperature and flow fields inside the washing chamber 11. Here, "lateral" includes, but is not limited to, the horizontal direction, and can be a direction with an angle of less than 90° to the horizontal plane; similarly, "vertical" includes, but is not limited to, the vertical direction, and can be a direction with an angle of less than 90° to the vertical plane.

[0048] In this embodiment, the air outlet 12 includes a central region 121 and at least two side regions 122 radially distributed from the central region 121, which makes the movement path of the air duct 6 large.

[0049] The air duct 6 is fixedly connected to the vertically extending movable plate 7. The driving mechanism includes a first driving member 51, a first gear 52 driven by the first driving member 51, and a rack 53 fixedly mounted on the movable plate 7. When the second tube body 24 extends vertically, the rack 53 extends vertically, and the first gear 52 directly or indirectly meshes with the rack 53. When the first gear 52 rotates, it drives the rack 53 to move vertically, and the air duct 6 moves vertically accordingly.

[0050] The drive mechanism also includes a second drive member 54, a second gear 55, and a turntable 56 fixedly connected to a rack 53. A connecting plate 561 is provided on the turntable 56, and the connecting plate 561 is fixedly fitted to the rack 53. A third gear 57 is provided on the turntable 56. The second gear 55 is driven by the second drive member 54, and the second gear 55 and the third gear 57 mesh directly or indirectly. The centerline of the third gear 57 extends laterally. Rotation of the second gear 55 drives the third gear 57 to rotate, causing the turntable 56 to rotate, which in turn drives the movable plate 7 to rotate, ultimately causing the air duct 6 to rotate. If the first drive member 51 and the second drive member 54 work simultaneously, the air duct 6 can move laterally or vertically while rotating.

[0051] To prevent the second pipe body 24 from twisting and knotting when the air duct 6 moves, the air duct 6 and the second pipe body 24 are connected by a connecting pipe 8. One end of the connecting pipe 8 extends into the air outlet 22 of the second pipe body 24 and the two are relatively fixed, while the other end is located in the air duct 6 and can slide along the air duct 6. The connecting pipe 8 can also rotate relative to the air duct 6 around its center line. Through the movable connection of the connecting pipe 8, the second pipe body 24 has the ability to self-adjust relative to the air duct 6.

[0052] In this embodiment, one end of the connecting pipe 8 is threaded to the second pipe body 24, and the other end extends radially outward to form a limiting part 81. The air inlet end of the air passage pipe 6 is provided with a baffle 61. The limiting part 81 can abut against the baffle 61 to prevent the connecting pipe 8 from coming out of the air passage pipe 6.

[0053] In this embodiment, the movable plate 7 is provided with a through hole corresponding to the air outlet 22, and the movable plate 7 extends from the periphery of the through hole toward the flexible baffle 4 to form the air passage 6, and the air passage 6 passes through the flexible baffle 4. The baffle 61 is provided at the periphery of the through hole.

[0054] A fixing plate 9 is installed on the outer wall of the side wall of the housing 1. The fixing plate 9 presses against the baffle 4 to further fix the baffle 4. The fixing plate 9 is provided with air passage holes corresponding to the air passage 12. The movable plate 7 is located outside the fixing plate 9 and moves relative to the fixing plate 9. In this way, the movable plate 7 and the housing 1 are separated by the fixing plate 9 to prevent the movable plate 7 from directly contacting the housing 1, which would cause the housing 1 to wear or vibrate.

[0055] The dishwasher in this embodiment operates as follows:

[0056] (1) When the fan 3 and the heating element are working, the air inlet assembly introduces hot air into the washing chamber 11. At the same time, the second drive unit 54 drives the turntable 56 to rotate. The turntable 56 rotates to a set angle (e.g., 45°) and then stops rotating. Then the next step is executed. When the drying starts to rotate for the first time, the turntable 56 rotates with the center of the air outlet 21 as the origin.

[0057] (2) The first driving component 51 works, driving the rack 53 to move the second tube 24 back and forth (e.g., at a speed of 50-200 mm / min), and then the next step is executed;

[0058] (3) After the first drive unit 51 has worked for a set time, the drying ends; or, after the first drive unit 51 has worked for a set time (e.g., 5 min), it stops working for a set time (e.g., 5 min), and then the first drive unit 51 continues working for a set time (e.g., 5 min), and this cycle repeats at least once until the drying ends; or, after the first drive unit 51 has worked for a set time, it returns to step (1) until the drying ends.

[0059] As for how to determine when drying is finished, users can observe and judge for themselves, or they can set a program, such as detecting the temperature and humidity in the washing chamber 11, to determine this.

[0060] In summary, the second tube 24 can be stopped at any position in the moving path according to functional requirements, thereby increasing the air intake at that location and strengthening the drying of a specific area. This solution can also improve the uniformity of the temperature field and flow field inside the cavity, thus enhancing the drying effect.

[0061] Depending on the requirements, turntable 56 can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, and the rotation angle can be set to 45° / 90° / 135° / 180° / 225°... etc. It can move in 8 directions in a single segment or in 4 directions in a whole segment.

[0062] The first drive unit 51 and the second drive unit 54 can be manually controlled by the user to start or stop working, or they can be controlled by a controller; of course, the above working methods can also be omitted, and the user can control the working sequence, working time, etc. of the first drive unit 51 and the second drive unit 54 as needed.

[0063] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Since the embodiments disclosed in this invention can be arranged in different directions, these terms indicating direction are only for illustration and should not be regarded as limitations. For example, "upper" and "lower" are not necessarily limited to directions opposite to or consistent with the direction of gravity.

Claims

1. A dishwasher, comprising The box (1) has a washing chamber (11) inside, and the side wall of the box (1) is provided with an air vent (12) that communicates with the washing chamber (11); Air intake components, including An air inlet pipe (2) is located outside the washing chamber (11) and on the side wall of the box (1). The air inlet pipe (2) is provided with an air inlet (21) and an air outlet (22) that are connected to its interior. The air inlet (21) is connected to the outside. Its features are, A flexible baffle (4) is provided at the air inlet (12) to block it. The flexible baffle (4) and the air outlet (22) of the air inlet pipe (2) are connected through the air pipe (6). The area of ​​the air outlet end of the air pipe (6) is smaller than the area of ​​the air inlet (12). The part of the flexible baffle (4) corresponding to the air outlet end of the air pipe (6) has a ventilation opening for the airflow in the air pipe (6) to flow into the washing chamber (11). The air outlet end of the air pipe (6) can move relative to the box body (1).

2. The dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ventilation opening includes a plurality of slits (41) provided on the flexible baffle (4), the size of which can change with the deformation of the flexible baffle (4).

3. The dishwasher according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flexible baffle (4) includes two flexible sheets that fit together, the vent is located on the flexible sheet near the washing chamber (11), and the gap (41) extends out of the periphery of the air duct (6).

4. The dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air vent (12) includes a central region (121) and at least two side regions (122) radiating from the central region (121).

5. The dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air inlet pipe (2) includes a first pipe body (23) and a second pipe body (24). The first pipe body (23) is fixed relative to the housing (1). The air inlet (21) is located on the first pipe body (23), and the air outlet (22) is located on the second pipe body (24). The second pipe body (24) can move relative to the first pipe body (23).

6. The dishwasher according to claim 5, characterized in that: The second tube (24) extends vertically and is at least partially a flexible tube.

7. The dishwasher according to claim 5, characterized in that: The air duct (6) is connected to the second pipe body (24) through a connecting pipe (8). One end of the connecting pipe (8) extends into the air outlet (22) of the second pipe body (24) and the two are fixed relative to each other. The other end is located in the air duct (6) and can slide along the air duct (6). The connecting pipe (8) can rotate relative to the air duct (6) around its center line.

8. The dishwasher according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that: The air intake assembly also includes a drive mechanism that is driven to the air duct (6) or the second pipe body (24), so that the air duct (6) can rotate about its center line and / or move laterally and / or vertically.

9. The dishwasher according to claim 8, characterized in that: The air duct (6) is fixedly connected to the movable plate (7). The driving mechanism includes a first driving member (51), a first gear (52) driven and connected to the first driving member (51), and a rack (53) provided on the movable plate (7). When the second tube (24) extends vertically, the rack (53) extends vertically, and the first gear (52) and the rack (53) mesh directly or indirectly.

10. The dishwasher according to claim 9, characterized in that: The driving mechanism also includes a second driving member (54), a second gear (55), and a turntable (56) fixedly connected to the rack (53). The turntable (56) is provided with a third gear (57). The second gear (55) is drivenly connected to the second driving member (54), and the second gear (55) and the third gear (57) mesh directly or indirectly. The center line of the third gear (57) extends laterally.

11. A method of operating a dishwasher according to claim 10, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) The air inlet assembly introduces hot air into the washing chamber (11), and at the same time the second drive unit (54) drives the turntable (56) to rotate. After the turntable (56) rotates to a set angle, it stops rotating and then the next step is executed. (2) The first driving component (51) works, driving the rack (53) to move the second tube (24) back and forth, and then executes the next step; (3) After the first drive unit (51) has worked for a set time, the drying ends; or, after the first drive unit (51) has worked for a set time, it stops working for a set time and then continues working for a set time, repeating this cycle at least once until the drying ends; or, after the first drive unit (51) has worked for a set time, it returns to step (1) until the drying ends.

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