Dishwasher with a pre-drying device, method for pre-drying dishes

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a dishwasher with a pre-drying device and a method for pre-drying dishes.

[0002] A dishwasher is used for the mechanical cleaning of dishes, whereby the dishes are first cleaned and then dried. During the cleaning process, the dishes are exposed to detergent. After cleaning, the dishes must be dried. Various drying methods are known from the prior art. One well-known drying method is condensation drying. In this process, the dishes are heated to a specific temperature (approx. 70 °C) using a rinse aid. Subsequently, the heat exchanger located in the side wall of the housing is filled with cold water, so that the hot residual water from the dishes condenses on the cool housing wall. Another form of condensation drying involves a fan that circulates warm, moist air through a closed, recirculating condensation drying system with a cold-water-filled heat exchanger, on which the moisture condenses.Another drying method involves zeolite, in which small mineral spheres are located in the base of the dishwasher. These absorb moisture during the drying cycle and release it only during the next wash cycle. In another drying method, the dishwasher door opens slightly and a fan vents the moist air to the outside.

[0003] German patent application DE 10 2014 001 944 A1 discloses, for example, a control method for a dishwasher. This method primarily involves operating a recirculating air blower located in a recirculation duct. The control method regulates the rotational speed of a rotor within the recirculating air blower. Furthermore, the method includes operating an exhaust fan. This patent application also discloses a dishwasher equipped, among other things, with a recirculating air blower. The recirculating air blower removes residual water through evaporation.

[0004] However, all these drying methods have the disadvantage that residual water remains in the concave bottoms of the upside-down containers after the drying process. This residual water is particularly bothersome for dishwasher users, as it requires manual drying and can lead to deposits or watermarks, among other things.

[0005] Document WO 2005 / 060 821 A1 describes a system in which heated air is blown upwards into the dishwasher tub via a lower spray arm. This system is intended to dry dishes faster using the heated, moving air, but it is not suitable for removing large amounts of residual water from recesses.

[0006] US Patent 6,053,185 A describes a system designed to remove water from the recesses of upside-down dishes using bursts of air. This system utilizes air rails with numerous air outlets, which are simultaneously supplied with compressed air pulses by a compressor. The necessary air pressure and volume to achieve a sufficiently intense burst at all outlets cannot be provided within the available space for additional components in a standard dishwasher. Furthermore, according to US Patent 6,053,185 A, the air jet from each nozzle is fanned out, which would require even higher air pressure and a larger volume of compressed air. The direction of the air bursts is fixed by the geometry of the air outlets, meaning that dishes not optimally positioned under the outlets will not dry properly.

[0007] Publication US 5 601 100 A discloses a machine in which manually held dishes can be rinsed with a jet of water and dried with a stream of air.

[0008] The present invention therefore aims to provide a dishwasher with a pre-drying unit that efficiently cleans and prepares dishes for immediate use, wherein the pre-drying unit is cost-effective, requires little maintenance, is space-saving, and can be easily integrated into existing systems. Furthermore, a method is to be provided that efficiently cleans and prepares dishes for immediate use. These objectives are achieved by the combination of features of claim 1.

[0009] Further embodiments and advantageous configurations are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0010] The pre-drying unit of the dishwasher according to the invention is arranged within a housing of the dishwasher in addition to a cleaning unit and a drying unit. The pre-drying unit comprises at least one air nozzle through which an air jet can be directed onto recesses in the dishes located in the dishwasher or onto positions where recesses are present when the dishes are arranged as intended. In the context of the invention, the term "directable" includes, on the one hand, static alignment by means of alignment devices, such as adjustable nozzles, which are aligned before the pre-drying unit is operated. In particular, the alignment devices can be aligned before the dishwasher is first put into operation, for example, during production."Alignable" further includes dynamic alignment during the operation of the pre-drying device by means of alignment devices that are movable during operation and / or by dynamic control of the air jet in different ways by a number of alignment devices that are not necessarily movable.

[0011] The at least one air nozzle allows the dishes to be exposed to a jet of air, preferably directed downwards or obliquely downwards, thereby removing any remaining rinsing liquid from the dish recesses after the cleaning process. The air jet of the pre-drying device must be designed to be sufficiently powerful per unit area and / or time to spray the rinsing liquid from the recesses and largely remove it. The adjustable parameters of the air jet include air pressure, direction, flow velocity, typical distances from the air nozzle to the dishes, outflow velocity from the air nozzle, duration and temporal modulation of the airflow, in particular air jet pulses and / or expansion angle and orientation of the air jet.The crucial point is that the air jet is transferred to the rinsing liquid in the recesses and is sufficient to spray most of the rinsing liquid over a typical wall height of the dish recesses.

[0012] Such a pre-drying device ensures that the dishes can be removed from the dishwasher ready for use, as the washing liquid remaining in the recesses no longer needs to be dried by hand.

[0013] Furthermore, such a pre-drying device allows for more energy-efficient drying of the dishes, since the rinsing liquid remaining in the recesses has been completely or at least largely removed and no longer needs to be dried using a less energy-efficient, and therefore more expensive and less environmentally friendly, heating process.

[0014] Since there is less water on the dishes and in the dishwasher after the pre-drying process, the actual energy-intensive drying process can be shorter and / or carried out at a lower temperature, so that less energy is consumed overall for the entire program consisting of actual drying and pre-drying.

[0015] In conjunction with such a pre-drying device, cleaning is also more efficient, as the rinse water remaining in the recesses is completely or at least largely removed, preventing the formation of deposits or water residue on the dishes. Deposits can include, for example, salts, detergents, or other substances soluble or suspended in the rinse water, which can be deposited on the dishes after the liquid evaporates, particularly through thermal drying. Spraying rinse water out of recesses in the dishes has the advantage that the substances contained in the liquid that do not evaporate or evaporate only with difficulty are removed along with the liquid.

[0016] At least one air nozzle can be designed to be movable, serving as an alignment device for directing the air jet. Alternatively, the air jet can also be aligned by variably controlling several fixed air nozzles. It is also conceivable to arrange cheaper, fixed nozzles—simpler in terms of design and maintenance—in areas above the dish rack, which is intended, for example, for dishes of a narrowly defined shape, and / or to arrange movable air nozzles in other areas above the dish rack, which is intended for dishes of varying shapes, some of which may not be known during the dishwasher's design. This would allow dishes of any shape and orientation in the dish rack to be dried efficiently by directing the air jet to areas where liquid-absorbing cavities might be present.

[0017] At least one nozzle can be shaped to generate a directed and / or focused jet of air. For example, a small angle of spread of the air jet ensures that it is focused and thus, even at low air pressure, still possesses a sufficiently high momentum to spray up residual water and remove it from the depressions.

[0018] In an advantageous embodiment of the pre-drying device, an air pressure generating device for producing an air jet is provided. This air pressure generating device comprises, for example, a compressor and / or a blower. Advantageously, at least one air duct system is also provided, which preferably has at least one nozzle. This air duct system is connected at one end to the air pressure generating device and at the other end to at least one nozzle. The air duct system can be designed, at least in sections, as a channel, a pipe, a hose, or another hollow body suitable for conveying air.

[0019] Another advantageous embodiment provides that the air duct system includes at least one valve, with each valve being positioned upstream of at least one air nozzle in the direction of airflow. The valve serves to open the path through the air duct system to the outlet of the air nozzle and to apply a jet of air to the dishes, or it serves to generate an air jet pulse to apply a burst of air to the dishes. The air jet pulses allow for a higher pressure at the air nozzle and in the airflow, resulting in more thorough blowing out of the indentations. This advantageously achieves efficient pre-drying.

[0020] The valves used are preferably controllable via an interface such that the nozzles can be controlled sequentially and / or in groups by a single controller. Sequential control of the valves allows powerful air jet pulses to be generated even with limited power from the air pressure generation device. Sequences of air jet pulses have the further advantage that, in a first phase, an air jet pulse can transfer a pulse to the remaining rinse water, and in a second phase, between two air jet pulses, a portion of the remaining rinse water can spray freely out of the dishes in the opposite direction to the direction of the air jet pulses.

[0021] In a special design, at least one valve is designed as a multi-way valve, which reduces the number of components used and the effort required for control.

[0022] Advantageously, fast-opening and / or fast-closing valves, for example electromagnetically or electropneumatically controlled valves, are used to control the blow nozzles. This enables particularly precise control of the valves and thus of the air jet pulses, and the generated air pressure is immediately available across the entire cross-section of the pipe.

[0023] In a special design, a single valve can also control several air nozzles, for example by means of a slide valve designed so that the different air nozzles release the airflow in a defined sequence.

[0024] The air distribution system can include a distributor for distributing the airflow to different sections of the system. The distributor has multiple compressed air outlets, each connected to a downstream air distribution system, such as an air guide rail or a connecting hose to a nozzle block. Specifically, valves for controlling the airflow to the downstream air distribution system can be arranged at the distributor's outlets. In one exemplary embodiment of the air guide rails, the distributor and the valves can be arranged, for example horizontally, such that the air guide rails are connected to the valves directly behind the rinsing tank wall.

[0025] In a special version, the air distribution system, and in particular the distributor, is designed to simultaneously function as a compressed air reservoir. This ensures a constant supply of compressed air without the need for a separate reservoir, allowing for a particularly space-saving design of the pre-drying unit.

[0026] The distributor is designed as, for example, a spherical, cubic or cuboid hollow body, and can form part of a flushing tank wall to save material and space.

[0027] For safety reasons, the air duct system can include a pressure relief valve on the pressure build-up side, for example at the distributor, which allows any excessive pressure to escape from the air duct system.

[0028] In another advantageous embodiment, a number of air nozzles are rigidly mounted and / or a number of additional air nozzles are movably mounted within the dishwasher on the air distribution system, such as an air-guiding plate and / or a grid, and / or the housing. An advantageous configuration of the air distribution system comprises a grid on which several air nozzles are arranged on longitudinal and / or transverse struts of the grid. This has the advantage that the wash water can flow freely between the grid struts and does not remain on the surface.

[0029] Depending on the design of the air distribution system, it can be advantageous to provide additional air nozzles, for example in air-guiding rails on the side walls of the housing, on the sides of the dish rack, in order to reliably blow an air jet onto the dishes located at the edges, especially below the fold-down shelves. In another advantageous embodiment, air nozzles are arranged directly on the underside of the fold-down shelves, the air supply to which is connected by inserting the dish rack into the rear wall of the wash tub.

[0030] The blow nozzles can preferably be controlled sequentially or in groups via an interface using valves, so that sufficient air pressure is available at the individual blow nozzles.

[0031] The movable nozzles are preferably swivelling within a suitably defined angular range. Moving the nozzles within a certain angular range is useful so that they can be adapted to different orientations of the openings in the recesses of the dishes being cleaned, ensuring that even with varying orientations, which can occur, for example, due to incorrect arrangement of the dishes within the dishwasher, the cleaning fluid is reliably blown out of the recesses.

[0032] The movable blow nozzles can, for example, be designed so that they are movably mounted at the nozzle base in a ball or axial joint and can be moved individually or in groups in one or more directions, for example via a control element acting on the nozzle outlet side of the joint, such as a pull rod, plate, tab, slide and / or a disc.

[0033] In another advantageous embodiment, only the nozzle heads are movably arranged. For example, a rotatable nozzle head is mounted on a nozzle arranged essentially downwards in such a way that the nozzle head rotates a defined distance, for example a quarter turn, with each burst of air, so that the air jet can blow a much larger area onto the dish below than without a rotatable nozzle head.

[0034] In a further advantageous embodiment, the air guidance system is designed as a rail system with at least one rail. Air nozzles or one, two, or more air nozzle blocks are attached to this rail and are movable by means of a drive mechanism. This rail system is arranged such that, by moving the air nozzles, all or at least a large portion of the dishes (for example, all glasses and cups, which typically have large indentations when placed upside down in the upper dish rack of the dishwasher) are reliably exposed to a jet of air through the air nozzles. Depending on the design of the rail system, two or more rails can also be provided to ensure reliable air blowing of the dishes. In the simplest case, the rails are arranged as two parallel, straight rails horizontally above the dish rack, running from front to back.The rails can also be arranged in the shape of a U, a circle, or as multiple rails in the longitudinal and / or transverse direction. To ensure the smooth movement of the nozzles or nozzle blocks, it is advantageous to install one or more guide rails.

[0035] By designing the nozzle blocks to be as flat as possible, the internal volume of the washing tank is only minimally restricted, and it is ensured that the nozzle blocks do not collide with the dishes during operation. Advantageously, the blow nozzles can be located almost entirely within the nozzle block. Only the nozzle head protrudes from the nozzle block.

[0036] The movement of the air nozzles and / or nozzle blocks is either stepwise or continuously variable. With stepwise movement, it is advantageous that an air jet is released onto the dishware at different positions after each step.

[0037] An advantageous design of the drive unit incorporates a slip clutch that engages when the driven nozzle or nozzle assembly encounters an obstacle, such as an excessively tall item in the dishwasher. The slip clutch causes the nozzle or nozzle assembly to remain in front of the obstacle until it begins to move backward, thus preventing damage to the dishwasher or the dishes.

[0038] The drive, as provided in some embodiments, can simultaneously serve as a coupling point for the airflow. The drive can be designed, among other things, as a gear drive consisting of two interlocking toothed discs. The two axes of rotation of the toothed discs are designed as cylindrical hollow bodies, which thus form part of the air duct system. The interlocking of the toothed discs also ensures the airflow, as this connects the two cylindrical air ducts of the gear drive. Furthermore, a rubber seal is provided, consisting of at least one rubber ring, designed to act as a self-sealer when the toothed discs interlock. Besides a gear drive, any drive that allows for the formation of a coupling point is also conceivable.Furthermore, other sealing materials are also conceivable that can have a self-sealing effect when connecting the two drive parts.

[0039] In an advantageous embodiment, the drive unit, for example an electric motor, is located behind the wall as viewed from the perspective of the rinsing tank and penetrates the wall only via a thin shaft within a sealed bearing. A spindle with a worm drive, for example, is flanged to the protruding shaft in the rinsing tank. The rotary motion of this spindle moves the nozzle assembly forward and backward. The nozzle assembly is designed as a hollow body on the side facing the wall and, in its final position, folds over the wall penetration, thus providing an additional seal during the rinsing process.

[0040] It is also conceivable that the power transmission from the drive to the washing tank, for example to a spindle, occurs without penetrating the tank wall. For this purpose, a number of magnets could be connected to the drive. When the magnets are set in motion by the drive, this movement can be transmitted through a magnetically permeable section of the tank wall, for example made of plastic, to a further number of magnets inside the tank, which are connected to a spindle, for example. This prevents washing fluid from reaching and damaging the drive.

[0041] In an advantageous embodiment, the drive is a compressed air drive. This embodiment has the advantage that only a compressed air connection hose needs to be routed into the interior of the rinsing tank, thus eliminating the need for any movable penetration of the wall, which could lead to leaks. The compressed air drive is implemented using a previously known method from compressed air technology, adapted to the specific conditions. The connection hose can be arranged separately or in combination with the connection hose to the nozzle blocks.

[0042] The drive using a compressed air actuator can be incremental, for example, by two counter-rotating discs that advance a defined range with each air pulse, thus moving the nozzle block incrementally. The compressed air actuator is preferably designed such that a defined number of air pulses are always released to the actuator between blowing cycles to ensure that the nozzle block travels a defined distance between blowing operations.

[0043] In one exemplary embodiment, the drive comprises a movably mounted worm drive on a threaded spindle. The pneumatic drive is advantageously located at the end of the threaded spindle in front of the rear wall of the rinsing tank and sets the spindle into a defined rotary motion with each burst of air. The worm drive thus moves the nozzle assembly forward or backward. The drive connections are, for example, integrated directly into the wall of the rinsing tank.

[0044] An alternative drive design involves the threaded spindle being a stationary component within the dishwasher, while the worm drive is achieved, for example, by a rotatably mounted cylinder inside the nozzle block. The cylinder's rotary motion is converted into linear motion, for instance, by means of an interlocking circumferential groove acting as a drive mechanism between the cylinder and the nozzle block.

[0045] The drive of the nozzle blocks, as well as the switching and end positions, can be controlled via position sensors and / or limit switches and an interface, via the number of air pulses delivered to the drive, and / or via a timer. For example, a nozzle block moves from a rear end position to the forward switching point and back to the end position. The next nozzle block can then move over the next area.

[0046] According to the invention, after pre-drying, it can be checked whether the air nozzle blocks are in their final position. This prevents malfunctions caused by an incorrect starting position, for example, because an air nozzle block was moved during loading of the dishwasher. If the air nozzle blocks are not in their final position after pre-drying, they can be moved into this position, for example, via the interface.

[0047] In an advantageous embodiment, at least one, but ideally several, for example four, air nozzles are arranged on a nozzle block. In another advantageous embodiment, two rows of air nozzles are arranged on each nozzle block. The first row of air nozzles is, for example, oriented to the left and is activated during the forward movement of the nozzle block. The second row of air nozzles is, for example, oriented to the right and is activated during the reverse movement of the nozzle block. This could be implemented, for example, in an embodiment with two nozzle blocks, each with two rows of four nozzles. This arrangement ensures that, with a relatively low compressor output, which only needs to supply four air nozzles, the entire surface of the dish rack is reached.

[0048] The control of the two rows of nozzles as well as the forward and reverse drive is achieved, for example, via four separate hoses, which are successively supplied with compressed air via the distributor.

[0049] In a further advantageous embodiment, the air nozzles are movably arranged on the air nozzle block. The nozzles can move continuously during the process or, for example, be oriented to the left during forward travel and flip to the right when reverse travel is initiated. This arrangement results in a uniform drying effect with fewer air nozzles.

[0050] The air outlet openings on the inner rinsing tank housing and the air inlet openings in the drive and in the blower nozzle block are advantageously all arranged horizontally in one plane, so that the connecting hoses between air outlet openings and air inlet openings only have to move in one horizontal plane, and can thus be guided more easily without protruding into the rinsing tank space.

[0051] To simplify the routing of the various connecting hoses required depending on the design of the nozzle blocks, these are grouped together, for example, in duo or multi hoses.

[0052] To counteract sagging and thus protrusion into the washing chamber, an advantageous embodiment incorporates a number of vertical, horizontally movable struts, preferably made of stainless steel or plastic, into the connecting hoses, which stabilize their horizontal movement. Alternatively, a vertically arranged link chain, as known from robotics and machine construction, can also prevent sagging. For example, lateral projections are arranged on the lower part of the link chain, which serve as supports for the connecting hoses.

[0053] In a further advantageous embodiment, a hose reel is arranged in the area of ​​the nozzle blocks. The reel functions similarly to a cable drum known from the prior art and, through the pre-tensioned spring force or the winding and unwinding coupled to the movement of the nozzle block, prevents the connecting hoses from hanging down and protruding into the washing chamber. Ideally, the hose reel is designed around a vertical axis and is located in front of the rear wall of the washing tank or directly on the nozzle block to minimize its footprint.

[0054] The connecting hoses can also be kept under tension by means of a rope stretched over weights or springs, for example, so that they do not protrude into the washing chamber.

[0055] In another advantageous embodiment, the air guidance system consists of at least one rotating disc on which air nozzles are arranged. In this configuration, several air nozzles are attached to a disc such that the rotation of the disc ensures that the entire dishware to be treated is adequately supplied with an air jet. To ensure efficient blowing out of the recesses, the air nozzles can be distributed on the disc such that, in a radial direction towards the outer edge of the disc, a larger number of air nozzles are located circumferentially to compensate for the shorter dwell time of the outer air nozzles over the respective dish recesses. Furthermore, it can be advantageous to provide two, three, or four identically designed discs within the housing.In all these variations, the rotation of the disc can be generated either by an electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic drive and / or by the air nozzles themselves, and can be stepwise or continuously. A stepping drive advantageously allows the disc's movement to be adapted to the air pulses from the air nozzles it carries. One possible drive via the air nozzles is achieved, for example, by orienting the nozzles so that the airflow direction lies in a plane that is essentially perpendicular to the disc's axis of rotation.

[0056] In a further advantageous embodiment, the air guidance system is designed as a rotating, in particular stepwise, blow-off arm, which is provided in addition to a spray arm. Furthermore, in an advantageous embodiment, at least one spray arm of the dishwasher is simultaneously designed as a blow-off arm. This offers the advantage that no additional element needs to be implemented in the dishwasher. In this specific design, the lines of the spray arm can function as air lines, for example, after the cleaning process. Alternatively, part of the air guidance system and / or the blow-off nozzles of the pre-drying device can also be arranged on at least one spray arm. It is also advantageous that the aforementioned blow-off arm can optionally be designed as an eccentric.This design of the blow-off arm offers the advantage that even dishes located in the corners of the dish racks are reliably exposed to an air jet. On all versions of the blow-off arm, at least one nozzle is positioned so that the rotation of the arm ensures that all dishes being treated are adequately exposed to an air jet. To ensure efficient cleaning of the recesses, the nozzles on the blow-off arm can be distributed with a greater number of nozzles towards the outer edge to compensate for the shorter dwell time of the outer nozzles over the respective recesses. In all these versions, the rotation of the blow-off arm can be generated either by an electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic drive and / or by the nozzles themselves.One possible method of driving the blow nozzles is, for example, by aligning the blow nozzles in such a way that the blowing direction lies in a plane which is essentially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the blowing arm.

[0057] In a further advantageous embodiment, the air guidance system is configured as a number of air rails, preferably extending longitudinally over the entire depth of the dish rack, which are equipped with a number of air nozzles. These air nozzles are preferably rigid or movable in at least one spatial direction or about at least one pivot axis. If a dish holding device such as the upper dish rack has, for example, five adjustment rows, a rail equipped with air nozzles is preferably arranged centrally above each adjustment row when the dish holding device is in the closed dishwasher. Furthermore, additional air rails equipped with air nozzles can be attached to the housing wall or laterally to the dish rack to reliably deliver an air jet to the dishes located at the edges, particularly below the fold-down shelves.The air nozzles within an air rail can also be further subdivided into rows or groups separated on the air side. The total number of air nozzles is preferably controlled sequentially or in groups via an interface using valves, ensuring that sufficient air pressure is always available at each nozzle. By arranging fixed rails equipped with air nozzles above, along with additional lateral rails equipped with air nozzles, reliable blowing of the dishes being treated can be ensured, as the dishes can be reliably exposed to an air jet from both above and from the side.

[0058] In a further advantageous embodiment, several air nozzle rails or at least one multi-channel air rail are arranged above each adjustment row. The air jets of these air nozzles, preferably pointing in different directions, reach a larger area of ​​the dish rack, thus also blowing off larger dishes or dishes that are not correctly positioned. A multi-channel air rail can, for example, be designed as a 3-channel air rail, with each channel having, for example, four to six air nozzles. The individual channels or air rails can be supplied with air sequentially by a distributor, so that even with a low-power air generator, sufficient pressure is always available to blow off the dishes.

[0059] In a further advantageous embodiment, at least one multi-channel air duct is assigned a sub-distributor, integrated within it and / or attached to it. This has the advantage that only one supply line needs to be installed from the main distributor to the multi-channel air duct, and the main distributor only needs to have a manageable number of valves and / or outlets. The individual channels of a multi-channel air duct are controlled by individual valves before each channel, or, for example, by a rotatable valve.

[0060] A perforated disc that only allows passage to one channel at a time. The adjustment of the perforated disc or another sub-distributor can, for example, be achieved with each burst of air released from the main distributor to the nozzles, or with a separately controlled burst of air.

[0061] In another advantageous embodiment, the sub-distribution of several multi-channel air ducts is controlled centrally, for example by a common valve. In this configuration, the same channels are always enabled in parallel by all air ducts, but only one multi-channel air duct at a time is supplied with compressed air, controlled by the main distributor. This centralized control of the sub-distribution reduces the number of components required and the complexity of the control system.

[0062] In a further advantageous embodiment, the air rails are movably arranged within the dishwasher. For example, the air rails are moved individually or in groups, either by a servo motor and / or pneumatically. Preferably, the air rails are designed to pivot to the right and / or left about a vertical axis and / or to move forward and / or backward. The movement of the air rails ensures that the air jet from each nozzle reaches a larger area of ​​the dish rack, thus also cleaning larger dishes and / or dishes that are not correctly positioned.

[0063] The present invention further relates to a dishwasher which, in addition to the cleaning device and the conventional drying device, has a pre-drying unit. The air nozzles of the pre-drying unit are arranged in the dishwasher above at least some of the dishes and blow a jet of air onto the dishes below. In this embodiment, the pre-drying unit can be located above, below the upper inner surface of the wash tub, and / or below a cutlery drawer and / or below a dish rack. This ensures that the pre-drying process is reliably carried out on every level of the dishwasher.If the dishwasher includes a cutlery drawer, the air nozzles of the pre-drying unit are either rigidly connected to the wash tub, or a number of air nozzles are arranged with a rear air supply coupling on the underside of the cutlery drawer. The pre-drying unit can also be located in the area below the upper dish rack.

[0064] An advantageous embodiment of the dishwasher provides that, in the design with the air duct system integrated into the cutlery drawer or one of the dish baskets, the air supply is hermetically sealed by preferably conical rubber seals when the respective drawer or dish basket is fully inserted, so that the air generated by the air pressure generator can reach the spray nozzles. This coupling functions similarly to the coupling points of the water distribution to the spray arms of conventional dishwashers.

[0065] In an advantageous design, the air nozzles of the pre-drying unit are positioned behind a height limiter. This prevents dishes placed too high from getting caught on the limiter while the dish rack is being inserted, allowing them to be repositioned. The height limiter is located, for example, at the front upper edge of the wash tub, the lower edge of the cutlery drawer, or the upper dish rack. In these locations, the height limiter can also serve as a handle for pulling out the cutlery drawer or dish rack. The height limiter reduces the pre-drying unit's susceptibility to malfunctions, as the air nozzles are not obstructed by contact with dishes.

[0066] Another advantageous embodiment of the dishwasher provides that the compressed air generation device supplies air from inside the dishwasher and / or from outside the dishwasher. Hygienic requirements are met through the use of filters, separators, and similar additional components. The compressed air generation device can consist of a compressor and / or a blower. Furthermore, a compressed air reservoir can be provided to ensure a constant supply of compressed air. When air is supplied from outside, an overpressure valve is advantageously provided on the wash tub, through which any overpressure generated inside the wash tub during the blow-off process can escape into the surrounding environment. Alternatively, the overpressure can also be released through the dishwasher's draining system.To maintain the odor seal via a siphon, some water can be added there, for example by the existing control system of the dishwasher, after pre-drying.

[0067] The compressor and compressed air storage tank can be integrated into the dishwasher, or provided externally and connected on the air side.

[0068] In a further advantageous embodiment of the dishwasher, at least one dish holding device is provided. This dish holding device has dish receiving devices whose orientation is complementary to the orientation of the arranged air nozzles. The dish receiving device comprises support surfaces and / or brackets arranged such that the openings of upwardly oriented cavities of dishes placed thereon are oriented opposite to the airflow direction of the at least one air nozzle. Providing such support surfaces or brackets offers the advantage that the air nozzles can be directly preset to a specific angle or angular range that is optimal for spraying the dishes, resulting in more efficient airflow. Furthermore, such dish receiving devices can prevent the dishes from tipping over.

[0069] The present invention further relates to a method for pre-drying dishes in a dishwasher. This method comprises at least the following steps: Arranging dishes in the dishwasher; spraying the dishes with at least one cleaning liquid; generating an air jet by means of an air pressure generating device; supplying the air jet to at least one nozzle via an air guidance system; directing the air jet onto recesses of the dishes located in the dishwasher or onto positions where dish recesses are located when the dishes are arranged as intended; spraying the dishes from above and / or from the side with an air jet through at least one nozzle.

[0070] The top-down application of air to the dishes results from the arrangement of the pre-drying device, which is always positioned above at least part of the dishes. Furthermore, it is advantageous that the air is applied with a jet of air or with pulses of air jets. By using pulses of air jets, the dishes can be subjected to a higher air pressure in bursts, resulting in more efficient air blowing.

[0071] After the pre-drying process, at the beginning of the conventional drying process there is little or no residual water in the bottom depressions of the upside-down vessels, so that afterwards, using the drying methods known from the prior art, an almost complete drying of the dishes is achieved.

[0072] With a pre-drying system featuring multiple air rails, the process can proceed as follows: After the final wash cycle, a compressor switches on and builds up pressure in the compressed air reservoir, which consists, for example, of a manifold and connecting hoses. Once a predefined pressure is reached, the first compressed air outlet valve of the manifold briefly opens, releasing a short burst of air onto the dishes in the first row of a dish rack via an air rail connected to it. After a short pause, the compressor has rebuilt the required pressure in the compressed air reservoir, and a second compressed air outlet valve of the manifold briefly opens. This process continues until all compressed air outlet valves of the manifold have been opened at least once. Then the compressor switches off, and the conventional drying process begins.The process can proceed analogously with other configurations of the pre-drying device.

[0073] Further advantages and embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings. Technical features with the same or similar effect are identified by the same reference numeral. For the sake of clarity, the identification of repeatedly depicted technical features is sometimes omitted.

[0074] They show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a pre-drying device of a dishwasher according to the invention; Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a dishwasher according to the invention; Fig. 3 a sectional view of the dishwasher according to the invention with a pre-drying device; Fig. 4 an advantageous embodiment of an air guidance system; Fig. 5 a further advantageous embodiment of the air guidance system; Fig. 6 a further advantageous embodiment of the air guidance system; Fig. 7 a further advantageous embodiment of the air guidance system; Fig. 8 a further advantageous embodiment of the air guidance system; Fig. 9 a schematic representation of a dish during the blow-off cycle; Fig. 10 an advantageous embodiment of a drive; Fig. 11 a sectional view of a dishwasher with a further advantageous embodiment of the air guidance system; Fig. 12 a sectional view along a sectioning axis Z of the Figure 11Fig. 13 Schematic vertical sectional drawings of exemplary arrangements of the pre-drying device in a dishwasher; Fig. 14 Schematic vertical sectional drawings of exemplary arrangements of a height limiter in a dishwasher; Fig. 15 A schematic representation of an exemplary pre-drying device with multi-channel air rails; Fig. 16 A schematic perspective drawing of a multi-channel air rail; Fig. 17 Schematic representation of a possible design of movable air nozzles; Fig. 18 Schematic representation of a possible design of an air rail with movable air nozzles; Fig. 19 A schematic bottom view of an exemplary pre-drying device; Fig. 20 A schematic perspective view of a dishwasher; Fig. 21 A particularly advantageous embodiment of the in Figure 20Fig. 22 a dishwasher shown; Fig. 22 an arrangement of air rails; Fig. 23 an air rail connected to a drive; Fig. 24 a schematic sectional drawing of a dishwasher; Fig. 25 schematically a further embodiment of a spindle drive; Fig. 26 schematically an advantageous embodiment of a movable air nozzle block; Fig. 27 schematically a compressed air drive on a spindle; Fig. 28 perspective schematic drawings of exemplary connecting hoses; Fig. 29 schematically an exemplary winding device; Fig. 30 in schematic top views possible geometries of guide rails; Fig. 31 a schematic vertical section of a particularly flat air nozzle block; Fig. 32 a schematic vertical section through a dishwasher with concealed nozzle blocks; Fig. 33 schematically a penetration-free power transmission into the interior of a dishwasher and Fig. 34 schematically shows an exemplary locking element.

[0075] Figure 1 Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a pre-drying device 1 of a dishwasher 100 according to the invention. At least one blow nozzle 2 is provided on this pre-drying device 1.

[0076] Figure 2Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a dishwasher 100 according to the invention, wherein this dishwasher 100 is equipped with a cleaning device 112, a drying device 113, an air pressure generating device 120, and a pre-drying device 1. A compressed air reservoir 121 with at least one valve 118 is provided between the air pressure generating device 120 and the pre-drying device 1. Via this valve 118, which is located upstream of a blower nozzle 2 in the air direction, the dishes 3 can be acted upon by a control unit 119 with an air jet or intermittently with air jet pulses. If the compressed air reservoir 121 has several compressed air outlets, in particular each with a valve 118, it can simultaneously also function as a distributor 30 of the air distribution system 6.

[0077] Figure 3Figure 1 shows a sectional view of the dishwasher 100 according to the invention with a pre-drying device 1. The dishwasher 100 comprises a housing 111, which defines an interior 110 of the dishwasher 100. The pre-drying device 1 shown is located above the dishes 3 and has two air nozzles 2. The dishes 3 shown have a recess 5 which is filled with a washing liquid 10. As shown, the opening 4 of the recess 5 of the dishes 3 is aligned by a support surface 116 such that the opening 4 of the recess 5 is almost opposite to the direction of airflow R of one of the air nozzles 2. In addition to the support surface 116, a holder 117 can also be provided on the dish rack 114. The support surface 116 and the holder 117 represent dish receiving devices 115 of the dish rack 114.

[0078] Figure 4Figure 1 shows an advantageous embodiment of an air guidance system 6. In this embodiment, the air guidance system 6 is designed as a plate 7. A plurality of air nozzles 2 are provided on this plate 7, which are arranged either rigidly and / or movably. In this embodiment, the air nozzles 2 can be controlled individually sequentially and / or in pairs and / or in groups.

[0079] Figure 5 Figure 1 shows a further advantageous embodiment of the air guidance system 6, which in this embodiment is designed as a rail system 11 with a spindle 24 for driving nozzle blocks 21 and / or nozzles 2. The rail system 11 comprises coupling gears 9 for the drive and at least one rail 11 on which nozzle blocks 21 and / or nozzles 2 are movably arranged.

[0080] Figure 6Figure 1 shows another advantageous embodiment of the air guidance system 6. In this embodiment, four identical discs 13 are provided within the dishwasher 100. Several air nozzles 2 are located on these discs 13, extending at least radially outwards towards the edge of the disc 13.

[0081] Figure 7 Figure 1 shows another advantageous embodiment of the air guidance system 6 as a vertical and horizontal section, in which the air guidance system 6 is depicted as a discharge arm 14. Several discharge nozzles 2 are also provided on this discharge arm 14, which is rotatable about a rotational axis 16.

[0082] Figure 8Figure 1 shows another advantageous embodiment of the air guidance system 6, which in this embodiment is designed as a blow-out arm 14 with an eccentric 15. Several blow-out nozzles 2, for example on blow-out nozzle blocks 21, are attached to this blow-out arm 14 with eccentric 15. Due to the design of the blow-out arm 14 as an eccentric 15, it moves during a rotational movement even over the corners of the dish rack 114 and also impinges an air jet L on the dishes 3 placed there.

[0083] Figure 9 Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a dish 3 during the blowing process, whereby the dish 3 is subjected to an air jet L in the blowing direction R through the blowing nozzle 2. This action blows the remaining rinsing liquid 10 out of the dish recess 5.

[0084] Figure 10Figure 1 shows an advantageous embodiment of a drive 8. The drive 8 is designed as a gear drive, comprising two interlocking toothed discs 9. The axes of rotation 91 of the toothed discs 9 are designed as cylindrical hollow bodies, which thus form part of the air duct system 6. Furthermore, a rubber ring 92 is provided, which acts as a self-sealing element when the toothed discs 9 interlock.

[0085] Figure 11Figure 1 shows a sectional view of the dishwasher 100 with a further advantageous embodiment of the air guidance system 6. The air guidance system 6 comprises five rails 17, each equipped with at least one air nozzle 2, and arranged above a dish rack 114 such that they can reliably spray the dishes 3 located in the dish rack 114 with an air jet L. Additionally, support surfaces 116, preferably designed as foldable brackets 117, are arranged on the dish rack 114. Furthermore, additional air nozzles 2, preferably directed downwards or obliquely downwards, are arranged on the side surfaces next to or on the dish rack 114. These nozzles allow, for example, dishes 3 below the support surfaces 116 to be sprayed with an air jet L from above or obliquely from above.The additional air nozzles 2 can be arranged as shown on the left on the dish basket 114 and / or the storage areas 116 or as shown on the right on a side rail 18 on a side surface of the washing chamber 110.

[0086] Figure 12 shows a sectional view along a section axis Z, which is located in the Figure 11 This section view shows five rails 17, each equipped with a blower nozzle 2. These rails 17 can be attached, among other things, to the housing 111 of the dishwasher 100, to a cutlery drawer, or to a dish basket 114.

[0087] Figures 13a and 13bThe schematic vertical sectional drawings show exemplary arrangements of the pre-drying device 1 in a dishwasher 100, which comprises a housing 111, a dish drawer 122, and an upper and a lower dish rack 114. The door of the dishwasher 100 is located on the right side and is not shown. The pre-drying device 1 can be mounted on the underside of the cutlery drawer 122 ( Fig. 13a ), above the upper dish basket 114 on the housing 111, on the underside of the upper dish basket 114 and / or below the upper dish basket 114 on the housing 111.

[0088] Figures 14a and 14bThe schematic vertical sectional drawings show exemplary arrangements of a height limiter 123 in a dishwasher 100, which includes a housing 111. The door of the dishwasher 100 is located on the right side and is not shown. The height limiter 123 is arranged in front of the pre-drying unit 1, so that dishes that are too tall in a dish rack (not shown) below the pre-drying unit 1 collide with the height limiter 123 and not with the pre-drying unit 1 when the dishwasher 100 is loaded. The height limiter can be attached to the upper inside of the housing 111 ( Fig. 14a ), on the underside of a cutlery drawer 123 ( Fig. 14b ) and / or be located on the underside of a dish basket (not shown).

[0089] Figure 15Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary pre-drying device 1 with multi-channel air rails 17. The depicted pre-drying device 1 comprises an air pressure generating unit 120, to whose compressed air outlet a distributor 30 is connected, which can also serve as a compressed air reservoir 121. A sub-distributor 31 is connected to each compressed air outlet of the distributor 30, and the individual channels 20 of each multi-channel air rail 17 are connected to the compressed air outlets of these sub-distributors. The outputs of the sub-distributors 31 can be controlled by a common actuating unit 32, so that individual channels 20 of several multi-channel air rails 17 can be opened simultaneously. For example, differently oriented air nozzles 2 in the multi-channel air rails 17 can be successively supplied with compressed air in order to direct the outgoing airflow to different areas below the pre-drying device 1.

[0090] Figure 16 Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective drawing of a multi-channel air rail 17. In the airflow in front of the multi-channel air rail 17, a rotatable perforated disc 29 can be arranged such that one hole 33 of the perforated disc 29 exposes one channel 20 of the multi-channel air rail 17, while the other channels 20 are covered. By rotating the perforated disc 29 (in the direction of the arrow), for example by pneumatic means, the hole 33 can be positioned in front of different channels 20. In this way, an air blast can be emitted through the nozzles 2 of each channel 20. By means of restrictive elements (not shown here), as in Figure 18 explained, the direction of rotation of the perforated disc 29 is determined and / or its correct positioning in front of the channels 20 is ensured.

[0091] Figures 17a and 17bFigure 1 schematically shows a possible configuration of movable blow nozzles 2. Each blow nozzle 2 is movably mounted (in the direction of the arrow) on a joint 40, for example a ball joint or axial joint. A control element 41, for example a pull rod, acting on the nozzle outlet side of the joint 40, allows the simultaneous alignment (in the direction of the arrow) of several blow nozzles 2. Figure 17a Figure 2 shows a schematic side view of four blow nozzles connected via a pull rod. Figure 17bFigure 1 shows a schematic top view of an alternative control element 41 in the form of a perforated tab. Due to the depicted, for example elliptical, shape of the holes 33 of the perforated tab, each of which can accommodate the tip of a blow nozzle 2, the tips of the blow nozzles can be moved both in a right-left direction and perpendicular to it by a right-left movement of the perforated tab. In this way, the air jet from each blow nozzle 2 can be directed over the largest possible area using simple means.

[0092] Figures 18a and 18b schematically show a possible design of an air rail 17 with movable blow nozzles 2 in top view ( Fig. 18a ) and in cross-section ( Fig. 18b) along the axis A-A'. A number of (in the illustrated example, three) blow nozzles 2 are rigidly connected to an inner nozzle head 51, which is rotatably mounted (in the direction of the arrow) on an outer nozzle head 50. The outer nozzle head 50 is rigidly connected to the air rail 17 or formed integrally with the air rail 17. The blow nozzles 2 are oriented such that the emerging air jet can set the inner nozzle head 51 into rotation. At the interface between the outer nozzle head 50 and the inner nozzle head 51, locking elements 53 can be provided, for example, in the manner of a ratchet, which allow rotation of the inner nozzle head 51 in only one direction and / or terminate a rotational movement in a predefined position.The locking elements 53 can also, for example, comprise a ball spring-mounted on the inner nozzle head 51, which, during a rotational movement of the inner nozzle head 51, is guided over an arrangement of sawtooth-shaped recesses in the outer nozzle head 50, with the ball engaging in each recess, and the sawtooth shape of the recesses permitting movement in only one direction of rotation. Of course, it is also conceivable that the ball is mounted on the outer nozzle head 50, and the recesses are located on the inner nozzle head 51.

[0093] Figure 19Figure 1 shows a schematic bottom view of an exemplary pre-drying device 1. The pre-drying device 1 comprises a distributor 30, which can simultaneously serve as a compressed air reservoir 121. Air rails 17 are connected to the compressed air outlets of the distributor 121 via a valve 118 each. The air nozzles 2 on the air rails 17 are aligned with positions where cavities of the dishes (not shown) arranged in a dish rack 114 located below the air rails 17 may be found.

[0094] Figure 20Figure 1 shows a schematic, perspective view of a dishwasher 100. The housing 111 of the dishwasher 100 contains an air pressure generating device 120 in the form of a compressor and a distributor 30 connected to the compressor's compressed air outlet, which can also serve as a compressed air reservoir 121. The distributor 30 has several compressed air outlets, each of which is connected to an air rail 17 in the interior 110 of the dishwasher 100 via valves 118. In the illustrated example, both the compressed air reservoir 121 and the interior 110 each have a pressure relief valve 124 through which excess air pressure can escape into the environment of the dishwasher 100.

[0095] Figure 21 shows a particularly advantageous design of the in Figure 20 Dishwasher 100 shown, in which the distributor 30 forms part of the rear wall of the interior 110.

[0096] Figure 22shows an arrangement of air rails 17 which are connected to form a blower nozzle grid 22.

[0097] Figure 23 Figure 1 shows an air rail 17 connected to a drive 8 in the form of an actuator. The drive 8 allows the air rail 17 to be moved along its longitudinal axis (in the direction of the arrow) and rotated about its longitudinal axis (in the direction of the arrow). This allows the blower nozzles 2 attached to the air rail to be aligned over a wide area.

[0098] Figure 24Figure 1 shows a schematic sectional drawing of a dishwasher 100. The housing 111 of the dishwasher 100 contains an air pressure generating device 120 in the form of a compressor and a distributor 30 connected to the compressor's compressed air outlet, which can simultaneously serve as a compressed air reservoir 121. A pneumatic actuator 23 and a nozzle block 21 with nozzles 2 are connected to the two compressed air outlets of the distributor 30 via connecting hoses 26. The pneumatic actuator 23 rotates a movable spindle 24 (in the direction of the arrow), thereby moving the nozzle block 21, which is supported by the spindle 24, along the spindle 24. A limit switch 25 is located at at least one end of the spindle 24. This switch stops the pneumatic actuator 23 and / or reverses its direction of movement as soon as the nozzle block 21 reaches the end of the spindle 24.

[0099] Figures 25a and 25bThe figures schematically show another embodiment of a spindle drive. Inside a nozzle block 21 is a drive 8 in the form of a cylinder mounted on a stationary spindle 24 with a circumferential bead 27 that engages in a groove 28 of the nozzle block 21. When the cylinder is set in rotation (in the direction of the arrow), the nozzle block 21 is thereby guided linearly along the spindle 24. Figure 25b is an enlargement of the blow nozzle block 21 made of Figure 25a .

[0100] Figure 26 Figure 1 schematically shows an advantageous embodiment of a movable nozzle block 21 with nozzles 2. The nozzle block 21 is movable along a spindle 24, which can be set in rotation by means of a rotation axis 91 guided through a wall of the interior 110 of a dishwasher 100. The rotation axis 91 is provided with a seal 92 at the wall penetration point, which prevents water from escaping from the interior 110.

[0101] to the drive 8 of the spindle 24, which is located in the housing 111 of the dishwasher. As additional protection, the blower nozzle block 21 has a cavity H which, in a rest position of the blower nozzle block 21, surrounds the wall penetration and is additionally sealed to the wall with a seal 92.

[0102] Figure 27 Figure 1 schematically shows a pneumatic drive 23 on a spindle 24. The pneumatic drive 23 shown has a pneumatic inlet E1 for forward travel along the spindle 24 and a pneumatic inlet E2 for reverse travel along the spindle 24.

[0103] Figures 28a and 28b Perspective schematic drawings of exemplary connecting hoses 26 are shown. To save space, the connecting hoses 26 can be used as a duo hose ( Fig. 28a ), which includes two channels 20, or as a multi-hose ( Fig. 28b), which comprises more than two channels 20. A vertical, horizontally movable bridge 34, for example a steel band, inside each of the connecting hoses 26 ensures that the connecting hoses 26 do not sag and come into contact with dishes.

[0104] Figure 29Figure 1 schematically shows an exemplary winding device 35, for example, in the form of a cable drum. As a blower nozzle block 21 moves (in the direction of the arrow) along a spindle 24, the winding device 35, for example by rotating (in the direction of the arrow) a drum, releases only such a length of a connecting hose 26 leading from the housing 111 of a dishwasher to the blower nozzle block 21 that it does not sag. As in the example shown, the winding device 35 can be mounted on or in the blower nozzle block 21 or on or in the housing 111 in a space-saving manner and advantageously has a vertical winding axis.

[0105] Figure 30a and 30b schematic top views show possible geometries of guide rails 19 on which nozzle blocks 21 can be moved in the interior 110 of a dishwasher. Figure 30aFigure 1 shows a particularly simple linear parallel arrangement of two guide rails 19, on each of which a blow nozzle block 21 can be moved (in the direction of the arrow). Figure 30b shows a U-shaped arrangement of a guide rail 19, on which a single blow nozzle block 21 (in the direction of the arrow) can travel over a larger area.

[0106] Figure 31 Figure 1 shows a schematic vertical section of a particularly flat blow nozzle block 21. The fact that essentially only the nozzle heads 52 of the blow nozzles 2 protrude from the blow nozzle block 21 makes a particularly flat and space-saving design possible.

[0107] Figure 32Figure 1 shows a schematic vertical section through a dishwasher 100 with concealed nozzle blocks 21. The nozzle blocks 21 are arranged in recesses in the housing 111 of the dishwasher 100 at the top of the interior 110 of the dishwasher 100, so as not to reduce the volume of the interior 110. There, the nozzle blocks 21 can be moved back and forth perpendicular to the plane of the figure, so that the air nozzles 2 of the nozzle blocks 21 cover the entire depth of the interior 110 with bursts of air. Each nozzle block 21 can include differently oriented nozzles 2, for example, facing downwards and downwards to the right, in order to cover the entire width of the interior 110 with bursts of air. For example, when a nozzle block 21 moves out of the plane of the figure, the nozzles 2 facing left can be activated, and when it moves into the plane of the figure, the nozzles 2 facing right can be activated.Alternatively, the nozzles 2 can also flip over at the reversal point of a nozzle block movement from a left-handed to a right-handed orientation or vice versa. A spray wheel 101 of the dishwasher 100 can be arranged between the nozzle blocks for distributing cleaning fluid.

[0108] Figure 33Figure 1 schematically shows a through-hole power transmission into the interior 110 of a dishwasher 100. A magnet 60, for example in the form of a magnetic disc, is moved by a drive 8, for example an electric motor, near a magnetically permeable section of the interior wall 61, for example made of plastic. Another magnet 60 is located in the interior 110 and is connected, for example, to a drive spindle 24. The magnetic coupling of the two magnets 60 allows movement from the drive 8 through the unperforated interior wall to be transmitted to the spindle 24, for example to move a nozzle assembly (not shown). Because the interior wall is unperforated, no washing fluid can escape from the interior 110.

[0109] Figures 34a, 34b and 34cFigure 1 schematically shows an exemplary locking element 53 between an outer nozzle head 50 and an inner nozzle head 51. The locking element comprises a ball 54 connected to the inner nozzle head 51 via a spring connection 55. The outer nozzle head 50 has a number of recesses V shaped such that the ball 54 can engage in each recess V, and displacement of the outer and inner nozzle heads relative to each other is only possible in one direction, as shown in the sequence of figures. Figures 34a-34b-34c illustrated. The spring connection 55 allows for advantageous displacement of the outer and inner nozzle heads relative to each other without any vertical offset. Reference symbol list

[0110] 1 Pre-drying device 2 Blow nozzle 3 Dish 4 Opening 5 Dish recess 6 Air guide system 7 Plate 8 Drive 9 Drive coupling gears 10 Rinsing fluid 11 Air guide rail system 12 Spray arm 13 Disc 14 Blow-out arm 15 Eccentric 16 Rotation axis 17 Air rail 18 Side air rail 19 Guide rail 20 Channel 21 Blow nozzle block 22 Blow nozzle grille 23 Pneumatic drive 24 Spindle 25 Limit switch 26 Connecting hose 27 Bead 28 Groove 29 Perforated disc 30 Distributor / Main distributor 31 Sub-distributor 32 Actuator 33 Hole 34 Bridge 35 Winder 40 Joint 41 Control element 50 Outer nozzle head 51 Inner nozzle head 52 Nozzle head 53 Damper element 54 Ball 55 Spring connection 60 Magnet 61 Interior wall section 91 Air-guiding rotation shaft 92 Rubber seal 100 Dishwasher 101 Spray wheel 110 Interior 111 Housing 112 Cleaning device 113 Drying device 114 Dish basket / Dish holder 115 Dish receiving device 116 Shelf 117 Bracket 118 Valve 119 Control 120 Air pressure generating device 121 Compressed air reservoir 122 Cutlery drawer 123 Height limit 124 Pressure relief valve A-A' Section axis E1 Compressed air inlet for forward travel E2 Compressed air inlet for reverse travel H Cavity R Exhaust direction L Air jet V Recess Z Section axis

Claims

1. A dishwasher (100) comprising a pre-drying device (1), a. wherein the pre-drying device (1) is arranged inside a housing (111) of the dishwasher (100) in addition to a cleaning device (112) and a drying device (113), b. wherein the pre-drying device (1) comprises an air pressure generating device (120) for generating a jet of air (L), c. wherein the air pressure generating device (120) comprises a compressor and a compressed air tank (121), d. wherein the pre-drying device (1) includes an air duct system (6), and e. wherein the air duct system (6) is equipped with a number of blower nozzles (2) and at least one distributor (30), characterised in that f.wherein the pre-drying device (1) comprises at least one means of alignment, by which a jet of air (L) can be aligned onto dish depressions (5), in order to remove rinsing liquid (10) remaining after the cleaning process from the dish depressions (5), g. wherein the blower nozzles (2) are designed to generate an aligned and focused jet of air (L), h. wherein the air duct system (6) includes a number of valves (118), i.wherein each valve (118) is arranged upstream of at least one blower nozzle (2) in the direction of the air flow for constant or pulsed treatment of the dishes (3) with a jet of air (L), j.wherein the valves (118) can be controlled via an interface, such that the blower nozzles (2) can be controlled sequentially and / or in groups by a controller (119)2. The dishwasher (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one means of alignment includes a movable blower nozzle (2) for aligning the jet of air (L).

3. The dishwasher (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the air duct system (6), in particular the distributor (30), comprises the compressed air tank (121).

4. The dishwasher (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a number of blower nozzles (2) is arranged rigidly and / or a further number of blower nozzles (2) is arranged movably inside the dishwasher (100) in / on a dish holding device (114) and / or a cutlery drawer (122) of the dishwasher (100), the air duct system (6) and / or the housing (111).

5. The dishwasher (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the air duct system (6) consists of a rail system (11), comprising at least one rail (11), on which the blower nozzles (2) or one, two or more blower nozzle blocks (21) are arranged so that they can be moved by means of a drive (8).

6. The dishwasher (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the air duct system (6) consists of at least one rotating disk (13), on which the blower nozzles (2) are arranged.

7. The dishwasher (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the air duct system (6) is formed as a blow-off arm (14), wherein a spray arm (12) for rinsing liquid (10) of the dishwasher (100) is also formed as the blow-off arm (14), or wherein the blow-off arm (14) is arranged in addition to the spray arm (12), and / or wherein the blow-off arm (14) is formed as an eccentric (15).

8. The dishwasher (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the air duct system (6) is formed as a number of single or multi-duct air rails (17), to which is fastened a number of the blower nozzles (2), wherein the single or multi-duct air rails (17) are arranged in a fixed and / or movable way above the dishes (3) and / or as side rails (18) at the side of the dishes (3).

9. The dishwasher (100) according to any one of the claims 1 to 8, including a housing (111) with an interior (110) for housing dishes (3), a cleaning device (112) for treating the dishes (3) with a rinsing liquid (10) and a drying device (113) for drying the dishes (3), characterised in that the pre-drying device (1) is arranged above at least a part of the dishes (3).

10. The dishwasher (100) according to claim 9, characterised in that the air pressure generating device (120) feeds air from the inside of the dishwasher (100) and / or from outside the dishwasher (100).

11. The dishwasher (100) according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that at least one dish holding device (114) is provided, having dish receiving devices (115), whose alignment is complementary to the alignment of the blower nozzles (2), wherein placement areas (116) and / or mountings (117) of the at least one dish holding device (114) are arranged such that openings (4) of depressions (5) pointing upwards of the dishes (3) on the dish receiving device (115) are aligned against a blow-off direction (R) of the blower nozzles (2).

12. A method for pre-drying of dishes (3) in a dishwasher (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 comprising the following steps: a. arranging dishes (3) in the dishwasher (100); b. treating the dishes (3) with at least one rinsing liquid (10); c. generating a jet of air (L) by means of the air pressure generation device (120); d. providing the jet of air (L) at the blower nozzles (2) via the air duct system (6); e. aligning the jet of air (L) on dish depressions (5) with the at least one means of alignment; f.treating the dishes (3) from above and / or at an angle from above with the jet of air (L) via the blower nozzles (2) in the air duct system (6).

13. The method according to claim 12, characterised in that the step of treating the dishes (3) with the jet of air (L) is carried out using pulsed jets of air.