Height adjustment mechanism of a dishwasher

Abstract

The utility model discloses a height adjusting mechanism of dish washer, including base, sprocket, chain, transmission assembly and support foot structure, and base is used for supporting the dish washer inner container, sprocket rotatablely installed in base and is supported by base, and chain is around sprocket, and chain is used for driving sprocket to rotate around the axis of sprocket, and support foot structure is connected with sprocket transmission through transmission assembly, thereby can lift relative to base. By the utility model, the height of dish washer is conveniently adjusted, and the adjustment efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of household appliance technology, and in particular to a height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, dishwashers require bottom leveling during installation to ensure stability, smooth operation, and noise reduction. Most current height adjustment mechanisms on the market use manually screwing on threaded feet. This process is extremely inconvenient, requiring installers to bend over or even lie down, repeatedly screwing on the feet by feel in confined spaces, and repeatedly getting up to check the level – inefficient and labor-intensive. This method also provides a poor user experience, easily soiling clothes or causing arm injuries. More importantly, traditional threaded feet are directly exposed to damp, oily environments, making the threads prone to contamination, jamming, or loosening under prolonged vibration, leading to inaccurate leveling. Re-adjustment then requires repeating this tedious process, resulting in poor maintainability.

[0003] Therefore, this utility model provides a height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher to facilitate height adjustment and improve adjustment efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher, so as to facilitate the adjustment of the height of the dishwasher and improve the adjustment efficiency.

[0005] The objective of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0006] A height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher includes:

[0007] Base, the base being used to support the dishwasher inner tub;

[0008] A sprocket, which is rotatably mounted on and supported by the base;

[0009] A chain, the chain being wound around the sprocket, the chain being used to drive the sprocket to rotate about the axis of the sprocket;

[0010] Transmission components;

[0011] The support foot structure is connected to the sprocket drive via the transmission assembly, thereby enabling it to be raised and lowered relative to the base.

[0012] Furthermore, the sprocket includes a wheel body and a plurality of driven protrusions, the plurality of driven protrusions being arranged circumferentially around the wheel body at intervals, so that a receiving groove is formed between two adjacent driven protrusions; the chain includes a drive bar and a plurality of drive protrusions, the plurality of drive protrusions being mounted on the drive bar and distributed sequentially at intervals along the extension direction of the drive bar, some of the drive protrusions being respectively received in one of the receiving grooves, and the drive protrusions driving the driven protrusions to rotate around the axis of the wheel body.

[0013] Furthermore, the driven protrusion includes two unit clamping blocks. The two unit clamping blocks belonging to the same driven protrusion are arranged at intervals along the axis of the sprocket. The interval between the two unit clamping blocks belonging to the same driven protrusion forms a clamping space. The portion of the transmission bar that is wrapped around the outer periphery of the wheel body passes through multiple clamping spaces.

[0014] Furthermore, the extension trajectory of the transmission bar has a ring-shaped structure.

[0015] Furthermore, the support foot structure includes a threaded support rod, which is connected to the sprocket via the transmission assembly, thereby enabling it to be raised and lowered relative to the base.

[0016] Furthermore, the transmission assembly includes a first gear, a second gear, and a transmission frame; the first gear is coaxially connected to the sprocket and rotates with the sprocket; at least one second gear is provided, the second gear is located circumferentially to the first gear and meshes with the first gear, and the number of teeth of the second gear is greater than the number of teeth of the first gear; the transmission frame has a threaded hole, and the threaded hole is threadedly connected to the threaded support rod.

[0017] Further, the first gear is a sun gear, which is rotatably sleeved around the threaded support rod; the second gear is a planetary gear; the transmission frame includes a nut, a planetary carrier, and an internal gear ring; the threaded hole is provided in the nut; the planetary carrier is rotatably sleeved around the threaded support rod, the nut is installed on the planetary carrier and supports the planetary carrier; the planetary carrier has at least one planetary rod, which extends along the axial direction of the support leg structure, and each planetary gear is pivotally connected to the planetary carrier through one of the planetary rods; the internal gear ring, the sun gear, and the threaded support rod are coaxially arranged, the internal gear ring surrounds the sun gear, the planetary gear is located between the internal gear ring and the sun gear, and the planetary gear meshes with the internal gear ring.

[0018] Furthermore, the base is connected to a protective shell, which is arranged circumferentially around the internal gear ring and encloses a receiving space. One end of the receiving space is open, and the base covers the opening. The sprocket, the transmission assembly, and the support foot structure are all located within the receiving space. The protective shell has an opening that connects the external environment and the receiving space. A portion of the chain extends along the opening into the external environment.

[0019] Furthermore, the threaded support rod is provided with a limiting through hole, which penetrates the opposite sides of the threaded support rod radially; the protective shell is provided with a limiting groove, which extends along the axial direction of the threaded support rod and penetrates the protective shell along the wall thickness direction to connect the external environment and the accommodating space; an anti-rotation member is detachably inserted into the limiting through hole, and the anti-rotation member passes through the limiting groove.

[0020] Furthermore, the protective shell and / or the base are provided with a partition post, which passes through the clearance opening to divide the clearance opening into two mutually isolated inlets and outlets; a portion of the chain extends into the external environment along one of the inlets and outlets, and another portion of the chain extends into the external environment along the other inlet and outlet.

[0021] Furthermore, the base is connected to a protective shell, the protective shell having a non-circular hole; the threaded support rod has a slit edge extending axially along the threaded support rod, so that the threaded support rod has an anti-rotation surface extending axially along the threaded support rod, the anti-rotation surface being slidably inserted into the non-circular hole relative to it; the transmission assembly includes a nut, the threaded support rod being threadedly connected to the nut, the nut being installed on the base to support the base in raising and lowering relative to the threaded support rod.

[0022] Furthermore, the support foot structure is provided in multiple ways, and the multiple support foot structures are distributed at intervals along the horizontal direction.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0024] Based on a design that uses a chain to drive a sprocket to adjust the height of the support leg structure relative to the dishwasher, installers no longer need to adjust the support leg structure in confined spaces. They simply need to pull the chain to transmit rotational motion to the sprocket, which in turn drives the dishwasher to rise and fall relative to the support leg structure via a transmission assembly. This design places the control panel in a more easily accessible location, effectively avoiding repeated bending or lying down, thus reducing labor intensity and operation time, and making the height adjustment process more efficient and effortless. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 A in the diagram represents a height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to this utility model, and its positional relationship with the dishwasher protective shell is shown.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the height adjustment mechanism of a dishwasher according to the present invention, wherein the diagram is an exploded view;

[0027] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The exploded view of the transmission assembly shown;

[0028] Figure 4 for Figure 2 The diagram shows the protective shell structure.

[0029] Figure 5 for Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of the sprocket and the first gear.

[0030] Figure 6 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the meshing relationship between the first gear, the second gear, the base, and the threaded support rod;

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a second embodiment of the height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to the present invention, wherein figure 8 is an exploded view.

[0032] In the diagram: 1. Base; 2. Sprocket; 21. Wheel body; 22. Driven protrusion; 221. Unit clamping block; 222. Clamping space; 23. Accommodating groove; 3. Chain; 31. Transmission protrusion; 32. Transmission bar; 4. Transmission assembly; 41. First gear; 42. Second gear; 43. Transmission frame; 431. Threaded hole; 432. Nut; 433. Planetary carrier; 4331. Planetary rod; 434. Internal gear ring; 5. Support foot structure; 51. Threaded support rod; 511. Limiting through hole; 6. Protective shell; 61. Accommodating space; 62. Opening; 63. Clearance opening; 64. Limiting groove; 7. Separator; 8. Non-circular hole; 9. Anti-rotation surface. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present invention will now be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, without conflict, the various embodiments or technical features described below can be arbitrarily combined to form new embodiments.

[0034] It should be noted that when an element is described as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly attached to the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is described as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementations.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the specification of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0036] See Figures 1-2 A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher, comprising a base 1, a sprocket 2, a chain 3, a transmission assembly 4, and a support foot structure 5. The base 1 supports the dishwasher inner tub; the sprocket 2 is rotatably mounted on and supported by the base 1; the chain 3 is wound around the sprocket 2 and is used to drive the sprocket 2 to rotate around its axis; the support foot structure 5 is connected to the sprocket 2 via the transmission assembly 4, thereby enabling it to be raised and lowered relative to the base 1.

[0037] The specific working principle of this utility model is as follows: The operator pulls the chain 3, which drives the sprocket 2 to rotate around its axis. The rotation of the sprocket 2 converts the horizontal rotational motion into vertical linear motion through the transmission component 4 connected to it, ultimately driving the dishwasher to rise or fall relative to the support foot structure 5, thereby smoothly and precisely adjusting the height of the base 1 supporting the inner tub until the entire machine reaches a horizontal and stable state. This design moves the operating interface externally to facilitate the adjustment of the dishwasher's height and improve adjustment efficiency.

[0038] Clearly, based on the design of adjusting the height of the support leg structure 5 relative to the dishwasher by driving the sprocket 2 with the chain 3, the installer does not need to adjust the support leg structure 5 in a confined space. They only need to pull the chain 3 to transmit the rotational motion to the sprocket 2, which in turn drives the dishwasher to rise and fall relative to the support leg structure 5 via the transmission component 4. This design places the control interface in a more easily accessible position, effectively avoiding repeated bending or lying down, thus reducing labor intensity and operation time, and making the height adjustment process more efficient and effortless.

[0039] In this embodiment, the support foot structure 5 supports the dishwasher in multiple ways. The support foot structure 5 receives unified drive from the sprocket 2 and chain 3 system via the transmission assembly 4. When the support foot structure 5 is in contact with the ground, it supports the dishwasher. The support foot structure 5 can be located at the bottom of the dishwasher, serving as the base of the entire machine and fixed to the ground. Height adjustment is achieved by displacement of the support foot structure 5 through the transmission structure. When the support foot structure 5 is connected to the top of the dishwasher, it suspends the dishwasher. The height of the dishwasher can be changed by adjusting the length of the support foot structure 5. Regardless of the installation method, the operator only needs to operate through the unified chain 3 to easily complete the leveling adjustment, simplifying the debugging process in different installation scenarios.

[0040] It is worth noting that the transmission component 4 mentioned in this utility model has several different configurations:

[0041] In one embodiment, the transmission assembly 4 employs a worm gear mechanism. Specifically, a worm is coaxially and fixedly connected to the sprocket 2, and this worm meshes with a vertically positioned worm wheel. When the chain 3 drives the sprocket 2 and the worm to rotate, it drives the worm wheel to rotate. A nut 432 is fixed to the center of the worm wheel, and this nut 432 forms a threaded pair with the screw on the support leg structure 5. Therefore, the rotation of the worm wheel is converted into the linear lifting and lowering motion of the screw. The core advantage of this structure is that the worm gear pair has a natural reverse self-locking characteristic, which can effectively prevent the support leg structure 5 from falling back under vibration, ensuring a high degree of long-term stability.

[0042] In another embodiment, the transmission assembly 4 is a combination of a bevel gear and a lead screw. In this configuration, the sprocket 2 is connected to a horizontal bevel gear via a shaft, which meshes with a vertically mounted driven bevel gear, thereby converting the rotational motion of the sprocket 2 about a horizontal axis into rotation about a vertical axis. The center of the driven bevel gear is fixedly connected to the upper end of the lead screw, which engages with a nut 432 fixed to the base 1 or the inner liner structure. When the driven bevel gear rotates, it drives the lead screw to make a vertical linear motion, thereby lifting or lowering the support leg structure 5. This structure can efficiently change the direction of power transmission and achieve motion conversion within a compact space.

[0043] In another embodiment, the transmission component 4 can be directly fitted with a nut 432 fixed to the sprocket 2. This allows for height adjustment via transmission to the support foot structure 5. A vertical screw is fixedly connected to the center of the sprocket 2, and this screw itself is part of the support foot structure 5. The screw passes through a threaded hole 431 (i.e., nut 432) on the base 1. When the operator pulls the chain 3 to rotate the sprocket 2, the sprocket 2 and the screw rotate together. Since the screw is restricted from vertical movement (e.g., by a retaining ring or by engaging with a keyway in the base 1 to transmit only rotation), according to the principle of threaded transmission, the fixed nut 432 on the base 1, meshing with the screw, forces the screw to produce a vertical linear motion, thereby achieving the raising and lowering of the support foot structure 5. This structure integrates the sprocket 2 and the lifting screw into one unit, resulting in a very small number of parts and the shortest transmission path.

[0044] More preferably, the sprocket 2 includes a wheel body 21 and multiple driven protrusions 22, which are circumferentially spaced around the wheel body 21 to form a receiving groove 23 between adjacent driven protrusions 22; the chain 3 includes a drive bar 32 and multiple drive protrusions 31, which are mounted on the drive bar 32 and distributed sequentially at intervals along the extension direction of the drive bar 32, with some drive protrusions 31 respectively receiving in one of the receiving grooves 23, and the drive protrusions 31 driving the driven protrusions 22 to rotate around the axis of the wheel body 21. In simple terms, the sprocket 2 design includes a wheel body 21 and multiple circumferentially spaced driven protrusions 22, with receiving grooves 23 formed between adjacent protrusions; the chain 3 includes a drive bar 32 and drive protrusions 31 distributed sequentially along its extension direction. When an installer pulls the chain 3, a certain drive protrusion 31 on the chain 3 will embed into a corresponding receiving groove 23 on the sprocket 2 and make close contact with the driven protrusion 22 on the side of the groove. By continuously pulling chain 3, the transmission protrusion 31 acts like a lever, pushing the driven protrusion 22, thereby driving the entire sprocket 2 to rotate around its axis by a certain angle. As chain 3 moves, after the current transmission protrusion 31 disengages from the receiving groove 23, the next adjacent transmission protrusion 31 on chain 3 will immediately engage with the next receiving groove 23 on sprocket 2, pushing the next driven protrusion 22 again, achieving intermittent yet continuous power transmission. The rotational motion of sprocket 2 is converted into vertical linear motion through the connected transmission component 4 (such as a worm gear or bevel gear), ultimately driving the support foot structure 5 to produce precise lifting and lowering displacement relative to the base 1. This engagement method of protrusions and grooves ensures reliable transmission, effectively prevents slippage, and provides the operator with clear feedback on the stops, facilitating fine-tuning of the height.

[0045] More preferably, the driven protrusion 22 includes two unit clamping blocks 221. The two unit clamping blocks 221 belonging to the same driven protrusion 22 are spaced apart along the axis of the sprocket 2. The gap between the two unit clamping blocks 221 belonging to the same driven protrusion 22 forms a clamping space 222. The portion of the transmission bar 32 that wraps around the outer periphery of the wheel body 21 passes through multiple clamping spaces 222. This double-sided clamping structure provides clear radial positioning and reliable axial limiting for the transmission bar 32 of the chain 3, effectively preventing the chain 3 from lateral slippage or detaching from the sprocket 2 during transmission, ensuring the stability and reliability of power transmission. When the transmission protrusion 31 drives the driven protrusion 22, the force is evenly transmitted to the clamped transmission bar 32 through the unit clamping blocks 221, avoiding stress concentration and improving transmission smoothness and component durability. Furthermore, this structure enhances the overall meshing stiffness of chain 3 and sprocket 2, enabling it to better withstand vibration loads and prevent transmission failure due to vibration in the dishwasher's operating environment. This optimized design achieves precise and reliable height adjustment while further simplifying the assembly process and improving the maintainability and overall lifespan of the mechanism during long-term use.

[0046] More preferably, the extension trajectory of the drive bar 32 is a loop structure. This design allows the operator to pull the chain 3 from any direction to drive the sprocket 2 to rotate. In this embodiment, pulling clockwise or counterclockwise corresponds to raising or lowering the support foot structure 5, respectively, improving the flexibility and convenience of operation. At the same time, the loop structure ensures that the drive bar 32 is subjected to uniform force and has a stable path, effectively preventing the chain 3 from becoming loose or stuck on the non-working side, thus enhancing the reliability of the transmission and the stability of the overall structure.

[0047] More preferably, the support foot structure 5 includes a threaded support rod 51, which is connected to the sprocket 2 via a transmission assembly 4, allowing it to be raised and lowered relative to the base 1. The inherent fine-tuning characteristics of the threaded transmission enable precise control of the height of the support foot structure 5, achieving accurate leveling. More importantly, the threaded pair possesses natural self-locking properties; once adjusted to the correct position, it reliably locks in place without external driving force, effectively resisting the continuous vibrations generated during the dishwasher's daily operation. This fundamentally prevents the leveling inaccuracies caused by vibration-induced loosening of traditional support feet, ensuring the long-term stability and low noise of the equipment.

[0048] More preferably, the transmission assembly 4 includes a first gear 41, a second gear 42, and a transmission frame 43; the first gear 41 is coaxially connected to the sprocket 2 and rotates with the sprocket 2; at least one second gear 42 is provided, the second gear 42 is located circumferentially to the first gear 41 and meshes with the first gear 41, and the number of teeth of the second gear 42 is greater than the number of teeth of the first gear 41; the transmission frame 43 has a threaded hole 431, which is threadedly connected to a threaded support rod 51. When the chain 3 drives the sprocket 2 to rotate, the first gear 41 coaxially connected to it rotates synchronously. The first gear 41 meshes with the second gear 42, which has more teeth, forming a reduction gear pair. The key to this design is that the second gear 42 has more teeth than the first gear 41, which means that speed reduction and torque amplification are achieved, that is, the rapid rotation of the sprocket 2 (first gear 41) is converted into the slow rotation of the second gear 42, while the output torque is significantly amplified. This amplified torque is transmitted to the transmission frame 43 connected to the second gear 42. The threaded hole 431 inside the transmission frame 43 and the threaded support rod 51 form a helical transmission pair. Therefore, the slow rotation of the transmission frame 43 is ultimately converted into a smooth, powerful, and precise linear lifting motion of the threaded support rod 51. The increased torque from the reduction gear pair allows the operator to drive the support rod to lift and lower the dishwasher body with only a small force when pulling the chain 3, making the adjustment process extremely effortless. At the same time, the reduction ratio slows down the lifting speed of the support rod, allowing for fine-tuning of the height, with a leveling accuracy far exceeding that of traditional direct screwing methods.

[0049] More preferably, the first gear 41 is a sun gear, which is rotatably sleeved on the periphery of the threaded support rod 51; the second gear 42 is a planet gear; the transmission frame 43 includes a nut 432, a planet carrier 433, and an internal gear ring 434; a threaded hole 431 is provided in the nut 432; the planet carrier 433 is rotatably sleeved on the periphery of the threaded support rod 51, the nut 432 is installed on the planet carrier 433 and supports the planet carrier 433; the planet carrier 433 is provided with at least one planet rod 4331, which extends along the axial direction of the support foot structure 5, and each planet gear is pivotally connected to the planet carrier 433 through one of the planet rods 4331; the internal gear ring 434, the sun gear, and the threaded support rod 51 are coaxially arranged, the internal gear ring 434 surrounds the periphery of the sun gear, the planet gear is located between the internal gear ring 434 and the sun gear, and the planet gear meshes with the internal gear ring 434. When chain 3 drives sprocket 2 and its coaxial sun gear to rotate, the sun gear drives several planet gears meshing with it to rotate together. Since the planet gears simultaneously mesh with the fixed internal gear ring 434, they cannot simply rotate on their own axis; instead, driven by the sun gear, they rotate on their own axis while revolving around the sun gear. This revolving motion drives the entire planet carrier 433 to rotate slowly via the planetary rod 4331, which is pivotally connected to the planet gears. Finally, the nut 432 connected to the planet carrier 433 rotates accordingly. The threaded hole 431 inside the nut 432 and the threaded support rod 51 form a helical transmission pair, thus converting the rotational motion of the planet carrier 433 into a precise linear lifting motion of the support rod. The planetary gear mechanism highly integrates power transmission and reduction functions within a compact space coaxial with the support rod, achieving a reduction ratio far exceeding that of ordinary gear pairs by utilizing the tooth difference between the internal gear ring 434 and the sun gear. This allows the operator to output a huge torque to lift the entire dishwasher with only a very small force pulling chain 3, making operation extremely convenient. Multiple planetary gears share the load, making the transmission process smoother and more reliable, with even force distribution. This improves the rigidity and durability of the entire adjustment mechanism and effectively suppresses vibration and impact. The large reduction ratio naturally reduces the lifting speed of the support rod, resulting in higher accuracy in height adjustment and avoiding the overly abrupt or inaccurate adjustments of traditional methods. It is worth noting that in this embodiment, if the helical support rod is fixed, the transmission assembly 4 moves the dishwasher upwards via the nut 432.

[0050] More preferably, a height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher also includes a protective shell 6. The protective shell 6 is arranged circumferentially around the inner gear ring 434 and encloses a receiving space 61. One end of the receiving space 61 is open 62, and the base 1 is covered by the opening 62. The sprocket 2, the transmission component 4, and the support foot structure 5 are all located within the receiving space 61. The protective shell 6 has an avoidance opening 63, which connects the external environment and the receiving space 61. A portion of the chain 3 extends along the avoidance opening 63 to the external environment. The protective shell 6 and the base 1 together form a robust and sealed protective cover, completely enclosing the core components such as the sprocket 2, the planetary gear transmission component 4, and the threaded pair. This effectively isolates the harsh environment at the bottom of the dishwasher, which is damp, greasy, and full of detergent foam. This fundamentally prevents transmission jamming, parts corrosion, and premature aging caused by oil intrusion, thereby improving the reliability and service life of the entire adjustment system. This integrated encapsulation structure combines all moving parts into a single module, enhancing the overall rigidity and stability of the mechanism and better withstanding impacts during transportation and installation. It also simplifies on-site installation, allowing installers to directly position and install the entire module without dealing with scattered parts. The clearance opening 63 on the protective shell 6 ensures smooth extension of the chain 3 for operation, while precisely controlling the size of its opening 62 to minimize the exposure of internal space. This allows for external adjustment while maintaining a clean internal environment. To ensure a stable connection between the base 1 and the protective shell 6, and to facilitate maintenance, the base 1 includes multiple fasteners spaced circumferentially along its perimeter. The protective shell 6 has multiple fastening blocks; the fasteners and blocks cooperate to prevent the base 1 and the protective shell 6 from separating vertically. Multiple circumferentially spaced fasteners and fastening blocks form a uniformly stressed snap-fit ​​connection system, effectively preventing the base 1 and protective shell 6 from separating vertically due to load or vibration. This ensures the structural integrity and stability of the entire adjustment mechanism during dishwasher operation. Compared to traditional screw connections, this snap-fit ​​connection allows for quick assembly and disassembly without tools. When the internal sprocket 2, chain 3, or transmission assembly 4 needs maintenance, maintenance personnel can easily separate the base 1 and protective shell 6 by manually disengaging the circumferential fasteners. This design simplifies the maintenance process and improves maintainability. This design ensures product reliability during long-term use while reducing subsequent maintenance costs and time.

[0051] More preferably, the threaded support rod 51 is provided with a limiting through hole 511, which penetrates the opposite sides of the threaded support rod 51 radially; the protective shell 6 is provided with a limiting groove 64, which extends along the axial direction of the threaded support rod 51 and penetrates the protective shell 6 along the wall thickness direction to connect the external environment and the accommodating space 61. An anti-rotation member is detachably inserted into the limiting through hole 511, and the anti-rotation member passes through the limiting groove 64. In one embodiment, after the dishwasher height adjustment is completed and the anti-rotation member is inserted, this component rigidly connects the support rod, transmission frame 43, and even the entire planetary gear system radially to the protective shell 6, thereby effectively restricting the circumferential rotational freedom of the threaded support rod 51. In this state, when the chain 3 drives the sprocket 2 and the transmission assembly 4 to operate, the thread engaging with the nut 432 in the transmission assembly 4 will take effect. Since the threaded support rod 51 is locked by the anti-rotation component and cannot rotate, the rotational motion of the nut 432 will be converted into relative linear motion between the threaded support rod 51 and the nut 432 along the axis. Furthermore, because the nut 432 is connected to the base 1 supporting the inner tub through structures such as the transmission frame 43 and the planetary carrier 433, it drives the dishwasher to lift and lower as a whole to adjust its height.

[0052] More preferably, the protective shell 6 and / or base 1 are provided with a partition post 7, which passes through the clearance opening 63 to divide the clearance opening 63 into two mutually isolated inlets and outlets; a portion of the chain 3 extends into the external environment along one of the inlets and outlets, and the other portion of the chain 3 extends into the external environment along the other inlet and outlet. This design solves the problem of twisting, crossing, or even knotting that may occur in a single wide opening of the ring chain 3, providing clear physical isolation and guidance for the entry and exit sections of the chain 3, ensuring that the chain 3 always moves smoothly within a preset plane, and improving the smoothness and reliability of operation. This structure clearly separates the operator's "pulling side" from the chain 3's "return side," making the operation intention clear and unambiguous. For example, pulling one side of the chain 3 upward raises the machine, and pulling the other side downward lowers it, forming an intuitive two-way adjustment logic and effectively avoiding misoperation. Compared to a wide opening 62, the two relatively narrow inlets and outlets can more effectively restrict pollutants such as humid and polluted air, oil stains, and small insects from entering the internal storage space 61 of the protective shell 6. Together with the partition column 7, they form a more complete sealing barrier, providing better protection for the internal transmission mechanism and ensuring its long-term reliability and lifespan.

[0053] See Figure 7 This is the second embodiment of the present invention. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment lies in the limiting method for restricting the rotation of the threaded support rod 51 on the protective shell 6.

[0054] More preferably, the base 1 is connected to a protective shell 6, which has a non-circular hole 8; the threaded support rod 51 has a tangled edge that extends axially along the threaded support rod 51, so that the threaded support rod 51 has an anti-rotation surface 9 extending axially along the threaded support rod 51, and the anti-rotation surface 9 and the non-circular hole 8 are slidably inserted into each other in a relatively vertical manner; the transmission assembly 4 includes a nut 432, the threaded support rod 51 is threadedly connected to the nut 432, and the nut 432 is installed on the base 1 to support the base 1 in a vertical manner relative to the threaded support rod 51. This embodiment achieves an integrated, permanent anti-rotation mechanism without additional parts by slidingly engaging the axially extending anti-rotation surface 9 on the threaded support rod 51 with the non-circular hole 8 on the protective shell 6. Compared with the first embodiment, which requires manual insertion and removal of the anti-rotation component, this design simplifies the structure, reduces the number of parts, and eliminates the risk of failure caused by forgetting to install or accidentally losing the anti-rotation component, thereby improving the inherent reliability of the mechanism. During adjustment, when chain 3 drives sprocket 2 to rotate nut 432, the threaded support rod 51, which is restricted from rotating by non-circular hole 8, will be forced to make axial linear movement under the thread drive of nut 432, thereby raising and lowering the dishwasher via nut 432. The friction interference that the support rod may generate with the ground or base during rotation makes the adjustment process smoother, and the control of the adjustment amount more intuitive and precise. At the same time, the large-area sliding contact between non-circular hole 8 and anti-rotation surface 9 provides good guidance and support, enhancing the stability of the support rod under load and lateral force, effectively preventing jamming and wear, and ensuring the long-term accuracy and durability of the adjustment mechanism during long-term use.

[0055] Furthermore, multiple support foot structures 5 are provided, distributed at intervals along the horizontal direction. By setting multiple horizontally spaced support foot structures 5, a stable multi-point support system is formed. This design effectively overcomes the inherent defects of single-point support: when there is only one support foot, the pulling force of the chain 3 during adjustment may generate an overturning moment, causing friction or even displacement between the bottom of the support foot and the ground. This not only makes adjustment difficult but also easily scratches the ground and affects positioning accuracy. With multi-point support, the support feet mutually constrain each other, forming a stable support plane that effectively resists the lateral forces generated during adjustment, preventing any single support foot from unexpectedly rotating or displacing horizontally. This allows each support foot, driven by its transmission component 4, to strictly execute vertical lifting and lowering movements, ensuring a smooth and precise adjustment process, ultimately laying a solid foundation for achieving stable overall leveling of the dishwasher.

[0056] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of those different embodiments or examples.

[0057] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0058] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and these should all be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher, characterized in that, include: Base (1), the base (1) is used to support the inner tub of the dishwasher; A sprocket (2), which is rotatably mounted on and supported by the base (1); A chain (3) is wound around the sprocket (2) and the chain (3) is used to drive the sprocket (2) to rotate around the axis of the sprocket (2); Transmission component (4); The support foot structure (5) is connected to the sprocket (2) via the transmission assembly (4), thereby enabling it to be raised and lowered relative to the base (1).

2. The height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sprocket (2) includes a wheel body (21) and a plurality of driven protrusions (22). The plurality of driven protrusions (22) are arranged circumferentially around the wheel body (21) to form a receiving groove (23) between two adjacent driven protrusions (22). The chain (3) includes a drive bar (32) and a plurality of drive protrusions (31). The plurality of drive protrusions (31) are mounted on the drive bar (32) and distributed sequentially at intervals along the extension direction of the drive bar (32). Some of the drive protrusions (31) are respectively housed in one of the receiving grooves (23). The drive protrusions (31) drive the driven protrusions (22) to rotate around the axis of the wheel body (21).

3. The height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to claim 2, characterized in that, The driven protrusion (22) includes two unit clamping blocks (221). The two unit clamping blocks (221) belonging to the same driven protrusion (22) are arranged at intervals along the axis of the sprocket (2). The interval between the two unit clamping blocks (221) belonging to the same driven protrusion (22) forms a clamping space (222). The portion of the transmission bar (32) that is wrapped around the outer periphery of the wheel body (21) passes through multiple clamping spaces (222).

4. The height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to claim 2, characterized in that, The extension trajectory of the transmission bar (32) is in the form of a ring.

5. The height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support foot structure (5) includes a threaded support rod (51), which is connected to the sprocket (2) via the transmission assembly (4), thereby enabling it to be raised and lowered relative to the base (1).

6. The height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to claim 5, characterized in that, The transmission assembly (4) includes a first gear (41), a second gear (42), and a transmission frame (43); the first gear (41) is coaxially connected to the sprocket (2) and rotates with the sprocket (2); at least one second gear (42) is provided, the second gear (42) is located circumferentially to the first gear (41) and meshes with the first gear (41), and the number of teeth of the second gear (42) is greater than the number of teeth of the first gear (41); the transmission frame (43) has a threaded hole (431), and the threaded hole (431) is threadedly connected to the threaded support rod (51).

7. The height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first gear (41) is a sun gear, which is rotatably sleeved on the periphery of the threaded support rod (51); the second gear (42) is a planet gear; the transmission frame (43) includes a nut (432), a planet carrier (433), and an internal gear ring (434); the threaded hole (431) is located in the nut (432); the planet carrier (433) is rotatably sleeved on the periphery of the threaded support rod (51), and the nut (432) is installed on the planet carrier (433) and supports the planet carrier (433); the planet carrier ( 433) At least one planetary rod (4331) is provided, the planetary rod (4331) extends along the axial direction of the support foot structure (5), and each planetary gear is pivotally connected to the planet carrier (433) through one of the planetary rods (4331); the internal gear ring (434), the sun gear and the threaded support rod (51) are coaxially arranged, the internal gear ring (434) surrounds the sun gear, the planetary gear is located between the internal gear ring (434) and the sun gear, and the planetary gear meshes with the internal gear ring (434).

8. The height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to claim 7, characterized in that, The base (1) is connected to a protective shell (6), which is arranged around the circumference of the internal gear ring (434) and encloses to form an accommodating space (61). One end of the accommodating space (61) is open (62), and the base (1) is covered by the opening (62). The sprocket (2), the transmission assembly (4), and the support foot structure (5) are all located in the accommodating space (61). The protective shell (6) has a clearance opening (63), which connects the external environment and the accommodating space (61). A portion of the chain (3) extends out to the external environment along the clearance opening (63).

9. The height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to claim 8, characterized in that, The threaded support rod (51) is provided with a limiting through hole (511), which penetrates the opposite sides of the threaded support rod (51) radially; the protective shell (6) is provided with a limiting groove (64), which extends along the axial direction of the threaded support rod (51) and penetrates the protective shell (6) along the wall thickness direction to connect the external environment and the accommodating space (61). An anti-rotation member is detachably inserted into the limiting through hole (511), and the anti-rotation member passes through the limiting groove (64).

10. The height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to claim 8, characterized in that, The protective shell (6) and / or the base (1) are provided with a partition post (7), which passes through the clearance opening (63) to divide the clearance opening (63) into two mutually isolated inlets and outlets; a part of the chain (3) extends into the external environment along one of the inlets and outlets, and the other part of the chain (3) extends into the external environment along the other inlet and outlet.

11. The height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to claim 5, characterized in that, The base (1) is connected to a protective shell (6), which has a non-circular hole (8); the threaded support rod (51) has a tangent edge that extends along the axial direction of the threaded support rod (51) so that the threaded support rod (51) has an anti-rotation surface (9) that extends along the axial direction of the threaded support rod (51), and the anti-rotation surface (9) and the non-circular hole (8) are slidably inserted into each other in a relatively vertical manner; the transmission assembly (4) includes a nut (432), which is threadedly connected to the threaded support rod (51) and is installed on the base (1) so as to support the base (1) to rise and fall relative to the threaded support rod (51).

12. The height adjustment mechanism for a dishwasher according to claim 11, characterized in that, The support foot structure (5) is provided in multiple ways, and the multiple support foot structures (5) are distributed at intervals along the horizontal direction.

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