Universal and removable wash arms for dishwashers

Abstract

Universal and removable washing arm for dishwasher characterized in that it comprises two half-arms (1) each consisting of a half-arm base (11) comprising a groove (12) allowing a transparent slide (13) to slide for easy access to the interior of the half-arm (1), a central hub (2), consisting of a hub base (21) and two threaded holes (23) for screwing on one side a fixing end piece (4) to the water inlet pipe of the dishwasher and on the other a cap (3), depending on the position of the washing arm in the dishwasher. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Universal and removable washing arms for dishwashers

[0001] The present invention relates to wash arms compatible with practically all consumer dishwashers, and having the possibility of being disassembled by the user into several parts in order to be easily cleaned.

[0002] It concerns the field of generic spare parts for household appliances intended for domestic use.

[0003] The rotating wash arm system has existed on almost all dishwashers since their invention in 1886.

[0004] These are helical pieces of low thickness and length proportional to the volume of the tank, there are generally two of them, and they pivot around an axis located in the middle of the tank, and are equipped with nozzles which allow water to be sprayed onto the baskets in which the dishes to be washed are distributed.

[0005] The orientation of some of these nozzles allows the rotation of the washing arms by the centrifugal force of the pressurized water.

[0006] The currently known washing arms are made up of a single block, or sometimes a screwable or unclippable fixing on certain models, but which have never allowed access to the nozzles, which can become blocked.

[0007] It is known that the washing arms are one of the main elements of dishwashers, and that a good washing result lies in the quality and cleanliness of the latter.

[0008] Experience has shown that despite good maintenance of the dishwasher and regular cleaning of the various filters designed to be cleaned by the user, the wash arms can end up becoming clogged, and reduce the washing efficiency by reducing the water pressure coming out of the nozzles, or even completely blocking the latter, which can prevent the arms from rotating or spray the water irregularly, consequently leaving some of the dishes stored in the baskets uncleaned: in fact, it regularly happens that some of the water outlet nozzles arranged along the arm are blocked by paper or vegetable fibers, fruit seeds or fish bones, sometimes well fixed inside the cavity by limescale when the water is hard. During a wash cycle, the water circulates in a closed circuit, it is propelled by an electric pump from the bottom of the tank to the wash arms via a series of filters.Despite these, the impurities mentioned above manage to pass through, and remain trapped in the narrowest part of their path: the nozzles of the washing arms.

[0009] Experience has also shown that it is very difficult to clean a wash arm when the nozzles are clogged with food residue, because there is no access to the inner part of a wash arm.

[0010] To make the inside of the washing arm easily accessible, it was realized that it would be best if it could be dismantled into several parts so that it could be cleaned easily and quickly.

[0011] It is known that there is, to date, no standardization concerning either the shape of the washing arms of consumer dishwashers, or their fixing system, and that a washing arm from different manufacturers or from different generations is generally not compatible with others.

[0012] The main object of the invention is to be able to clean the washing arm at any time and easily by having access to the interior of the latter.

[0013] Another object of the invention is to be able to adapt to a maximum number of dishwashers marketed to the general public.

[0014] Another object of the invention is to be able to see at any time, without even removing the washing arms from the dishwasher, whether the latter are clogged with debris, and therefore need to be cleaned, thanks to transparent slides on the front face of the arms, making the inside of the arm visible.

[0015] Another object of the invention is that each element of the washing arm is assembled while maintaining perfect sealing and perfect support resistant to heat, humidity, water pressure, chemical products contained in the washing tablets, and multiple manipulations by the user. Prior art

[0016] CN109008871A describes a dishwasher wash arm that can be cleaned by the user, but in a completely different way from our invention, and with certain drawbacks. This arm includes several holes dedicated solely to cleaning the internal cavity, into which the user must screw fittings allowing water to be injected for cleaning the arm. When the arm is being cleaned, the holes not used for cleaning must first be blocked with sealing plugs. Once the arm is cleaned, the user must remove each plug, then replace others on the holes used for cleaning, before reintegrating the arm into the dishwasher and starting a cycle. This method turns out to be long and complex, requiring the use of numerous rubber parts, with a limited lifespan, and without having the visual certainty that the internal cavity of the arm has been completely cleaned. In addition, they are only useful on one type of dishwasher. The [Fig.l] clearly shows the upper and lower parts of the spray arm, which would suggest that the arm is made up of two parts. can be dismantled. Nowhere does the description state that: “the lower part (1) of the spray arm and the upper part (2) of the spray arm are welded and assembled by hot plate welding or the like, to form a hollow chamber.”

[0017] EP4023135A1 describes a washing arm having a specificity similar to that of our invention: It is composed of several distinct parts, including a hub and two half-arms, as can be clearly seen in the 2-dimensional figure, representing an exploded view of the arm. Only, this arm is designed during manufacture in three distinct parts, but assembled together definitively. It is designed in this way to allow the rotation of the half-arms around the hub, by means of a gear system, the purpose of which is to turn around their axis, during the washing cycle, to spray the water at different angles, and consequently increase the surface area of ​​the basket reached by the jets. The connection between each half-arm and the central hub is a pivot means, and not a fitting means. The different parts of this washing arm cannot be dissociated by the user without irreparably destroying the gear system.

[0018] The invention will be better understood from reading the attached figures in which

[0019] [Fig-1] represents the assembled washing arm, seen from above.

[0020] [Fig.2] represents the assembled washing arm, side view, in its environment

[0021] [Fig.3] represents an open half-arm and its slide, seen from above

[0022] [Fig.4] represents an open half-arm and its slide, seen from the front

[0023] [Fig.5] represents the hub, side view

[0024] [Fig.6] represents the hub, front view

[0025] [Fig.7] represents the hub, seen from above or below

[0026] [Fig.8] represents a fixing tip, front view

[0027] [Fig.9] represents a fixing tip, top view

[0028] The washing arms consist of a fixing end piece (4) which allows it to be fixed to the water pipe (9), the fixing end piece (4) is screwed onto a hub (2). On the hub (2) there are at least two tenons (22) at the lateral ends. These tenons (22) allow the half-spray arms (1) to fit together. The half-spray arms (1) consist of a base (11) with a groove (12) in its upper part, allowing a transparent slide (13) to slide which contains the spray nozzles (13). The transparent slide (13) allows the user to view the state of fouling of the half-spray arm (1) and to easily access the inside of the half-spray arm (1) to clean it.

[0029] The two half arms (1) have their lower face closed and their upper face open, and comprising a groove (12) all along its opening, in which a slide (13) is inserted, having the role of closing the half arms (1) and making them perfectly waterproof.

[0030] These slides (13) are two millimeter thick plates, trapezoidal in shape, made of transparent material, so that the user can see the inside of the washing arm and know immediately if the washing arm needs to be cleaned, without even removing it from the dishwasher. These plates include several nozzles (16), identical to each other, whose role is to spray water under pressure onto the dishes to be washed, in the same way as the original arms do.

[0031] Two additional nozzles are arranged directly on each half-arm base (11), one of which, the nozzle (15) is oriented at an angle, to allow the rotation of the arm around its axis, by centrifugal force. The nozzle (14), located at the thin end of each half-arm, is oriented outwards and is intended to clean the internal walls of the dishwasher. When the washing arm is assembled, all the nozzles are aligned with each other on the horizontal plane.

[0032] Each half-arm (1) has a mortise (17) at its widest end, provided for inserting a tenon (22) of the hub (2). These two half-arms (1), equipped with their slides (13), are identical to each other apart from the arrangement of the nozzles and are fixed symmetrically around a central hub (2).

[0033] In one embodiment, neodymium type magnets will be inserted symmetrically inside the bodies of the half-arms (1) and the hub (2), in order to reinforce the interlocking of these parts.

[0034] In another embodiment, additional smaller tenons and mortises are provided to reinforce the interlocking of the half-arms (1) to the hub (2).

[0035] The hub (2) consists of a hub base (21) comprising in its center two threaded holes (23), one on the lower face of the hub (2), the other on its upper face. At the lateral ends of the hub base (21) are the tenons (22) which fit into the mortises (17) of the half arms (1). The tenons (22) have been designed to fit as close as possible to the mortise (17) so that there is sufficient rigidity to withstand the pressure of the water while being able to be disengaged by an average user.

[0036] The threaded holes (23) allow either a fixing end piece (4) or a cap (3) to be screwed on.

[0037] This cap (3) has a thread (32) identical to that of the fixing end piece (4), and two notches (31) facilitating its screwing and unscrewing using a key (not shown).

[0038] When the wash arm is used to replace the original lower arm of the dishwasher, it is fixed above the water pipe (9), which is fixed in the middle of the lower part of the tub, on which the lower basket slides, the fixing tip (4) is screws into the lower threaded hole (23) of the hub (2), and the cap screws into the upper threaded hole of the hub (2).

[0039] Conversely, when the wash arm is used to replace the original upper arm of the dishwasher, it is fixed below the water pipe (9), which is fixed below the upper basket, and integral with the latter, the fixing end piece (4) is screwed into the upper threaded hole (23) of the hub (2), and the cap is screwed into the lower threaded hole of the hub (2).

[0040] In the particular case where the fixing system between the original washing arm of the dishwasher is done using a tip passing through the washing arm in its thickness to fix to the water pipe (9) of the dishwasher, one of the 2 threaded holes (23) of the hub (2) will receive a fixing tip (4), and the second will not receive a cap, it will remain empty.

[0041] The fixing end piece (4) consists, in the main embodiment, of a threaded disc (41), at least one upper collar (42), at least one lower collar (43), a fitting cone (44), and in certain embodiments at least two lugs (46). The lower collar (43) has a diameter greater than the fitting cone (44). The upper collar (42) makes it possible to limit the play during rotation of the fixing end piece (4) in the water pipe (9) of the dishwasher. The upper part of the lower collar (43) is beveled to facilitate its fitting and unfitting and to hold the fixing end piece (4) in the water pipe (9) of the dishwasher.

[0042] In another embodiment, it is at least two lugs (46), fixed around the outer part of the threaded disc (41), which hold the fixing end piece (4) fitted into the water conduit (9). They fit into a concentric groove located on the outer part of the water conduit (9).

[0043] The inner body of the fixing end piece (4) is hollowed out by a hollow tunnel (47) which allows the passage of water from the washing pump to the washing arm. During a washing cycle, the majority of the fitting cone (44) and the upper (42) and lower (43) collars penetrate inside the water conduit (9). The threaded disc (41), equipped, according to the embodiment, with lugs (46), remains outside the water conduit (9), at a defined height so that the washing arm assembled around the fixing end piece (4) is not hindered in its rotation by the walls of the dishwasher, nor by the dish baskets.

[0044] The fixing end piece (4), the cap (3), the hub (2), the two half-arms (1) and their two slides (13) are the seven parts which make up the washing arm of our invention, they can each be independently cleaned under running water, and the washing arm can be disassembled, completely cleaned and reassembled by the user in less than a minute.

[0045] If a brand A saddle dishwasher, equipped with removable wash arms of our invention, becomes unusable, and is replaced by a brand B saddle dishwasher, these wash arms can be reused in the latter, only the fixing end piece (4) will have to be replaced by that corresponding to brand B.

[0046] The tenon interlocking system (22) between the hub (2) and the two half-arms (1) may be reused to fix other types of half-arms, of future manufacture, having other objectives, for example to clean the dishwasher itself.

[0047] The nozzles will be placed in strategic locations so that the water is expelled towards the different elements to be cleaned: filters, product box, basket slides

[0048] The user can, as he wishes, attach these latter half-arms, or the half-arms (1) initially intended for cleaning dishes, to the hub (2).

[0049] The fixing end piece (4) can come in many different forms, depending on where it is placed in the saddle dishwasher, and especially depending on the brand and model of saddle dishwasher. So that the user knows which fixing end piece (4) to use on his own saddle dishwasher, each end piece (4) will be identified by a code corresponding to an equivalence table between each model of saddle dishwasher referenced, and the fixing end pieces (4) suitable for the upper and lower arms.

[0050] For example, for a brand A dishwasher, referenced “1” on the equivalence table, the fixing end pieces (4) necessary to adapt the washing arm of our invention to it, will bear the code “IB” for the fixing end piece adapting to the lower arm, and “1H” for the upper arm.

[0051] This code will be engraved or printed on a visible part of the part.

[0052] The present invention therefore relates to a universal and removable washing arm for saddle dishwasher characterized in that it comprises two half-arms (1) each consisting of a half-arm base (11) comprising a groove (12) allowing a transparent slide (13) to slide for easy access to the inside of the half-arm (1), a central hub (2), consisting of a hub base (21) and two threaded holes (23) for screwing on one side a fixing end piece (4) to the water inlet pipe of the saddle dishwasher and on the other a cap (3), depending on the position of the washing arm in the saddle dishwasher.

[0053] The present invention therefore relates to a washing arm characterized in that the slide (13) of each half-arm (1) is trapezoidal in shape and slides in the groove (12) of the half-arm (1) in order to close the half-arm (1) making it watertight, the slide (13) and the half-arm base (11) are dotted with nozzles (14, 15, 16) of the same diameters, the nozzles (14, 15, 16) are aligned but arranged asymmetrically on each of the slides and each of the half-arm bases (11) so that the pressurized washing water is distributed uniformly in the dishwasher tub to optimize the washing surface, the nozzle (14) at the thin end of each half-arm base arm (11) is oriented outwards to clean the internal walls of the dishwasher, the nozzle (15) of each half-arm base (11) is oriented at an angle relative to the other nozzles (14, 16) to allow rotation of the washing arm around its axis.

[0054] The present invention therefore relates to a washing arm characterized in that the two half-arms (1) fit into the hub (2) by means of two tenons (22) on the hub and mortises (17) on each half-arm (1), with a clearance such that the two half-arms (1) can be easily fitted and removed, but that they remain fitted during a washing cycle despite the water pressure and the heat, and that the fitting ensures perfect sealing.

[0055] The present invention therefore relates to a washing arm characterized in that the fixing end piece (4) consists of at least one upper collar (42), a lower collar (43), a threaded disc (41), a fitting cone (44), a beveled lower part, at least two lugs (46) and a hollow tunnel (47) over the entire length of the fixing means (4) to facilitate the passage of water.

[0056] The present invention therefore relates to a washing arm characterized in that the cap (3) consists of a disc comprising a thread (32) and at least two notches which make it easier to handle.

[0057] The present invention therefore relates to a washing arm characterized in that the attachment end piece (4) is equipped with an alphanumeric code, engraved or printed on the flat and visible part of the part, and corresponding to an equivalence table, referencing each attachment end piece (4) to the dishwasher models with which it is compatible, as well as its position at the top or bottom of the central hub (2) which will then make it possible to determine where the washing arm should be placed in the dishwasher.

Claims

Claims

1. Universal and removable washing arm for dishwasher characterized in that it comprises two half-arms (1) each consisting of a half-arm base (11) comprising a groove (12) allowing a transparent slide (13) to slide for easy access to the interior of the half-arm (1), a central hub (2), consisting of a hub base (21) and two threaded holes (23) for screwing on one side a fixing end piece (4) to the water inlet pipe of the dishwasher and on the other a cap (3), depending on the position of the washing arm in the dishwasher.

2. Washing arm according to claim 1, characterized in that the slide (13) of each half-arm (1) is trapezoidal in shape and slides in the groove (12) of the half-arm (1) in order to close the half-arm (1) making it watertight, the slide (13) and the half-arm base (11) are dotted with nozzles (14, 15, 16) of the same diameters, the nozzles (14, 15, 16) are aligned but arranged asymmetrically on each of the slides and each of the half-arm bases (11) so that the pressurized washing water is distributed uniformly in the dishwasher tank to optimize the washing surface, the nozzle (14) at the thin end of each half-arm base (11) is oriented outwards to clean the internal walls of the dishwasher, the nozzle (15) ... half-arm (11) is oriented at an angle relative to the other nozzles (14, 16) to allow rotation of the washing arm around its axis.

3. Washing arm according to claim 1, characterized in that the two half-arms (1) fit into the hub (2) by means of two tenons (22) on the hub and mortises (17) on each half-arm (1), with a clearance such that the two half-arms (1) can be easily fitted and unfitted, but that they remain fitted during a washing cycle despite the water pressure and the heat, and that the fitting ensures a perfect seal.

4. Washing arm according to claim 1 characterized in that the fixing end piece (4) consists of at least one upper collar (42), a lower collar (43), a threaded disc (41), a fitting cone (44), a beveled lower part, at least two lugs (46) and a hollow tunnel (47) over the entire length of the fixing means (4) to facilitate the passage of water.

5. Washing arm according to claim 1 characterized in that the plug (3) consists of a disc comprising a thread (32) and at least

6. two notches which make it easier to handle. Washing arm according to claims 1 and 4, characterized in that the fixing end piece (4) is equipped with an alphanumeric code, engraved or printed on the flat and visible part of the part, and corresponding to an equivalence table, referencing each fixing end piece (4) to the dishwasher models with which it is compatible, as well as its position at the top or bottom of the central hub (2) which will then make it possible to determine where the washing arm should be placed in the dishwasher.

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