Dishwasher

Abstract

To provide a dishwasher capable of detecting malfunctions or the like of a plurality of cleaning means by a single pressure sensor.SOLUTION: A dishwasher includes: a water distributing device 17 which supplies cleaning water from a cleaning pump 16 to cleaning means 9, 10, 11 inside a cleaning tank 3: and a pressure sensor 18 which detects supply of cleaning water to the cleaning means 9, 10, 11 by water pressure of the cleaning water. The water distribution device 17 has: a distribution chamber 28 which communicates with the cleaning pump 16 via a supply path 23 and communicates with the cleaning means 9, 10, 11; and supply switching means 29 which selectively supplies the cleaning water of the distribution chamber 28 to any of the cleaning means 9, 10, 11. The pressure sensor 18 is provided outside the distribution chamber 28 via a water pressure detection path 27 which communicates with the distribution chamber 28 so as to detect water pressure of the distribution chamber 28 present on an upstream side of the supply switching means 29.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dishwasher.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a dishwasher is known in which washing water is sprayed from a washing means toward an object to be washed accommodated in a washing tub for washing (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This dishwasher includes a washing tub that houses an object to be washed, a washing pump that pressurizes washing water, a plurality of washing means disposed in the washing tub and having injection ports for injecting washing water, a water distribution device that supplies the washing water from the washing pump to at least one of the plurality of washing means, and a pressure sensor that detects that washing water is being supplied to the washing means from the water distribution device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, for a dishwasher having such a configuration, for example, when the supply of washing water stops due to a sudden failure of the washing pump or the like, in order to be able to detect the failure immediately, pressure sensors must be arranged on all the washing means. That is, when constructing this system with one pressure sensor, since only one washing means on which the pressure sensor is arranged among the plurality of washing means can confirm the injection (supply) of washing water, when washing water is being supplied to other washing means other than one washing means, even if the washing pump fails, it cannot be detected.

[0005] Also, for example, when the supply of washing water stops due to clogging of the injection ports of the washing means, in order to detect this, there is a problem that, as described above, pressure sensors must be arranged for all the washing means. When constructing this system with one pressure sensor, among the plurality of washing means, only one washing means where the pressure sensor is arranged can confirm the injection (supply) of washing water. Therefore, clogging of the injection ports of the washing means other than the one washing means cannot be detected.

[0006] In view of the above disadvantages, an object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher that can detect malfunctions and the like of a plurality of washing means with a single pressure sensor.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] To achieve such an object, the present invention provides a dishwasher comprising a washing tub capable of accommodating an object to be washed, a washing pump for pressurizing washing water, a plurality of washing means arranged in the washing tub and having injection ports for injecting washing water, a water distribution device capable of supplying the washing water from the washing pump to the plurality of washing means, and a pressure sensor for detecting that washing water is being supplied from the water distribution device to the washing means based on the water pressure of the washing water. In the dishwasher, the water distribution device includes a distribution chamber that communicates with the washing pump via a supply passage and communicates with each of the plurality of washing means, and a supply switching means interposed between the distribution chamber and the plurality of washing means for selectively supplying the washing water supplied from the washing pump to any one of the plurality of washing means. The pressure sensor is disposed outside the distribution chamber via a water pressure detection passage that communicates with the distribution chamber so as to detect the water pressure of the distribution chamber existing on the upstream side of the supply switching means (First Invention).

[0008] According to the configuration of the first invention, a single pressure sensor is disposed outside the distribution chamber via a water pressure detection passage communicating with the distribution chamber so as to detect the water pressure in the distribution chamber existing upstream of the supply switching means. When the supply of washing water to each of the plurality of washing means stops due to a failure of the washing pump or the like, the failure of the washing pump can be detected by the single pressure sensor. Further, when the supply of washing water stops due to clogging of the injection port of at least one of the plurality of washing means, similarly, the clogging of the injection port of the at least one washing means can be detected by the single pressure sensor. As a result, it is possible to detect a failure of the washing pump or the like while achieving cost reduction and system simplification.

[0009] Further, in the first invention, when a line segment that bisects the distribution chamber orthogonally to the supply direction of the washing water from the washing pump to the distribution chamber via the supply passage is defined as a reference line, the supply passage and the water pressure detection passage are arranged at positions on opposite sides of each other via the reference line (second invention).

[0010] According to the configuration of the second invention, the responsiveness of the pressure sensor through the water pressure detection passage to the water pressure of the washing water supplied to the distribution chamber via the supply passage by the washing pump can be improved.

[0011] Further, in the first invention or the second invention, the distribution chamber is characterized by having a guide wall that guides the washing water supplied from the washing pump via the supply passage toward the water pressure detection passage (third invention).

[0012] According to the configuration of the third invention, since the washing water supplied to the distribution chamber via the supply passage by the washing pump is guided to the water pressure detection circuit by the guide wall, the responsiveness of the pressure sensor through the water pressure detection passage to the water pressure of the washing water can be further improved.

[0013] Further, in the third invention, a gap through which washing water can flow freely is formed between the supply switching means and the opposing surface of the guide wall that faces the supply switching means (fourth invention).

[0014] According to the configuration of the fourth invention, while improving the responsiveness of the pressure sensor to the pressure of the washing water supplied to the distribution chamber as described above, it is possible to reduce the decrease in water pressure due to pressure loss or the like with respect to the water distribution of the washing water to at least one of the plurality of washing means by the supply switching means.

[0015] Further, in the first invention, the water distribution device is characterized by having supply state detection means for detecting the supply state to the washing means by the supply switching means (fifth invention).

[0016] According to the configuration of the fifth invention, it becomes possible to estimate the washing means in which clogging of the injection port has occurred among the plurality of washing means.

[0017] It should be noted that in the present invention, in the configuration of the first invention, the configurations of the second to fifth inventions can be combined within a non - contradictory range.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] A dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the dishwasher 1 includes a dishwasher main body 2, a washing tank 3 provided inside the dishwasher main body 2, and an openable and closable front door 4 provided on the front surface of the dishwasher main body 2. Further, inside the dishwasher main body 2, a control device 5 composed of electronic components for controlling the washing operation and the like is provided.

[0020] A plurality of dish baskets 6 and 7 are provided in the washing tank 3. Although not shown in the drawings, various objects to be washed (for example, tableware such as plates and bowls, and small items such as chopsticks and spoons) are supported at predetermined positions of the objects to be washed in the dish baskets 6 and 7.

[0021] In addition, washing nozzles 9, 10, and 11 are disposed at the lower, middle, and upper parts of the dish baskets 6 and 7 inside the washing tank 3, respectively. Each of the washing nozzles 9, 10, and 11 includes a plurality of injection ports (not shown) for injecting washing water. Each of the washing nozzles 9, 10, and 11 is configured to rotate using the injection of the washing water injected from a predetermined injection port as power. The washing nozzles 9, 10, and 11 correspond to the washing means in the present invention.

[0022] The front door 4 closes the front side of the washing tank 3 watertightly during the washing operation. The front door 4 is provided with a hinge (not shown) on the lower side, and the front surface of the washing tank 3 can be opened by pulling down the upper edge side forward.

[0023] The dish baskets 6 and 7 are provided with a drawer rail mechanism (not shown) provided on both inner walls of the dishwasher main body 2. When the front surface of the washing tank 3 is opened, the dish baskets 6 and 7 can be pulled out from the front surface of the washing tank 3.

[0024] At the bottom of the washing tank 3, a water supply section 12 and a water storage section 13 are provided. A water supply passage 14 is connected to the water supply section 12. Tap water used as washing water is supplied into the washing tank 3 through the water supply passage 14. A water supply valve 15 is interposed in the water supply passage 14, and tap water, that is, washing water, is supplied into the washing tank 3 by opening and closing the water supply valve 15. The water storage section 13 temporarily stores the washing water.

[0025] Below the bottom of the washing tank 3, a washing pump 16, a water distribution device 17, a pressure sensor 18, and a drainage pump 19 are provided.

[0026] The washing pump 16 is connected to the water storage section 13 through a first lead-out passage 20, and the drainage pump 19 is connected to the water storage section 13 through a second lead-out passage 21. The washing water in the water storage section 13 is led out from the first lead-out passage 20 by driving the washing pump 16, and is led out from the second lead-out passage 21 by driving the drainage pump 19. A drainage passage 22 is connected to the discharge side of the drainage pump 19, and the washing water is discharged to an external drainage pipe or the like through the drainage passage 22.

[0027] The water distribution device 17 is connected to the discharge side of the washing pump 16 through a supply passage 23. Downstream of the water distribution device 17, washing water passages 24, 25, and 26 respectively connected to the washing nozzles 9, 10, and 11 extend. Further, the pressure sensor 18 is connected to the water distribution device 17 through a water pressure detection passage 27.

[0028] A heater (not shown) is built in the washing pump 16. This heater heats the washing water passing through the washing pump 16. In this embodiment, the washing pump 16 with a built-in heater is adopted, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, although not shown, a heater for generating warm water may be provided upstream or downstream of the washing pump 16.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2, the water distribution device 17 includes a distribution chamber 28 and a supply switching means 29. As shown in FIG. 3, the distribution chamber 28 is a space surrounded by a cylindrical peripheral wall, and communicates with the supply passage 23 and the water pressure detection passage 27.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, the supply switching means 29 includes a disk-shaped rotating body 31 having a plurality of through holes 30 and a motor 32 with a speed reduction mechanism (see FIG. 2) for driving the rotating body 31. The spaces between the through holes 30 of the rotating body 31 function as closing plates. When the rotating body 31 rotates and stops at a predetermined position, the through holes 30 open the upstream end of any one or all of the washing water passages 24, 25, and 26, and washing water is jetted from the washing nozzles 9, 10, and 11 connected to the opened washing water passages 24, 25, and 26.

[0031] By grasping the state of the rotating body 31, the jetting state of the washing water from the washing nozzles 9, 10, and 11 corresponding to the positions of the through holes 30 can be confirmed. The state of the rotating body 31 is detected by the supply state detection means 33 (see FIG. 2).

[0032] The supply state detection means 33 only needs to be such that the control device 5 electrically outputs information for grasping the state of the rotating body 31. Specifically, for example, although not shown, a cam having a recess formed at a predetermined position on the periphery may be provided coaxially with the rotating body 31, and a microswitch for detecting the position of the rotating body 31 by the recess of the cam may be provided as the supply state detection means 33, or a rotary encoder for detecting the position based on the rotation angle of the axis of the rotating body 31 may be provided as the supply state detection means 33.

[0033] The distribution chamber 28 communicates with the water pressure detection passage 27. Thereby, the pressure sensor 18 detects the pressure in the distribution chamber 28 via the water pressure detection passage 27. The detection signal of the pressure sensor 18 is input to the control device 5. The control device 5 grasps the pressure in the distribution chamber 28 through which the washing water passes before being branched into the respective washing water passages 24, 25, and 26 based on the detection signal of the pressure sensor 18.

[0034] And, for example, when a malfunction occurs in the cleaning pump 16, the control device 5 can quickly recognize that the pressure in the distribution chamber 28 is insufficient based on the detection signal of the pressure sensor 18. Further, even when clogging occurs in any of the injection ports of the cleaning nozzles 9, 10, and 11, the control device 5 can recognize a failure in the supply of cleaning water to the cleaning nozzles 9, 10, and 11 based on the position of the rotating body 31 by the supply state detection means 33 and the detection signal of the pressure sensor 18.

[0035] When the control device 5 recognizes a malfunction of the cleaning pump 16 or a failure in the supply of cleaning water to the cleaning nozzles 9, 10, and 11 as described above, the cleaning operation is stopped and an alarm is given by an alarm means (buzzer or error display) (not shown).

[0036] In this way, since the pressure in the distribution chamber 28 can be detected by the single pressure sensor 18 via the water pressure detection passage 27, the cost can be reduced and the control by the control device 5 can also be simplified.

[0037] Here, the excellent configuration of the water distribution device 17 according to the gist of the present invention will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 3, the supply passage 23 and the water pressure detection passage 27 are arranged on opposite sides of each other via the distribution chamber 28.

[0038] That is, in FIG. 3, when a line segment that bisects the distribution chamber 28 orthogonally to the supply direction of the cleaning water from the supply passage 23 to the distribution chamber 28 (arrow S in the figure) is defined as the reference line X, the supply passage 23 and the water pressure detection passage 27 are provided at positions opposite to each other via the reference line X. Further, in the present embodiment, the supply passage 23 and the water pressure detection passage 27 are provided such that the supply direction of the cleaning water in the supply passage 23 (arrow S in the figure) and the flow direction of the cleaning water in the water pressure detection passage 27 (arrow T in the figure) are parallel or substantially parallel.

[0039] By doing so, the discharge pressure of the cleaning water by the cleaning pump 16 can be smoothly propagated from the supply passage 23 through the distribution chamber 28 toward the water pressure detection passage 27, so that the responsiveness of the pressure sensor 18 can be improved.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, a guide wall 28a is formed inside the distribution chamber 28. The guide wall 28a is formed so as to guide the cleaning water supplied from the supply passage 23 to the distribution chamber 28 by the cleaning pump 16 toward the water pressure detection passage 27. By providing the guide wall 28a in the distribution chamber 28, the cleaning water in the distribution chamber 28 can be sent to the water pressure detection passage 27 prior to being supplied to the cleaning nozzles 9, 10, 11, and the responsiveness of the pressure sensor 18 can be further improved.

[0041] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, inside the distribution chamber 28, the opposing surface 28b facing the rotating body 31 is formed with a gap 28c from the rotating body 31. By forming the gap 28c, the pressure loss of the cleaning water flowing toward each of the cleaning water passages 24, 25, 26 via the rotating body 31 can be reduced with almost no inhibition of the effect of the above-described guide wall 28a.

[0042] Also, by detecting the pressure of the cleaning water in the distribution chamber 28 with a single pressure sensor 18, for example, an extremely low decrease in the amount of the cleaning water can be monitored, and there is no need to provide a water level sensor or the like. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, it can be suitably adopted for a dishwasher 1 having a configuration in which the front surface of the washing tub 3 is opened and closed by a front door 4 (so-called front open type) and no water level sensor for detecting the amount of water in the washing tub 3 is provided. Note that the configuration and its effect in the present invention are not limited to the front open type dishwasher 1, and can also be adopted, for example, for a pull-out type dishwasher in which the washing tub is pulled out and the upper surface of the washing tub is opened.

[0043] In addition, in the present embodiment, the water distribution device 17 is configured to distribute the cleaning water to the respective cleaning water passages 24, 25, and 26 by the rotation of the rotating body 31. However, in addition to this, for example, although not shown in the drawings, instead of the rotating body 31, on the downstream side of the distribution chamber 28, on-off valves may be provided in the respective cleaning water passages 24, 25, and 26. Also by this, by opening and closing each on-off valve separately, the supply of the cleaning water to the respective cleaning nozzles 9, 10, and 11 can be controlled.

Explanation of Signs

[0044] 1... Dishwasher, 3... Cleaning tank, 9, 10, 11... Cleaning nozzles (cleaning means), 16... Cleaning pump, 17... Water distribution device, 18... Pressure sensor, 23... Supply passage, 27... Water pressure detection passage, 28... Distribution chamber, 28a... Guide wall, 28b... Opposing surface, 28c... Gap, 29... Supply switching means, 33... Supply state detection means, X... Reference line.

Claims

1. A cleaning tank capable of accommodating an object to be cleaned; A cleaning pump for pressurizing cleaning water; A plurality of cleaning means are disposed in the cleaning tank and have nozzles for spraying cleaning water; a water distribution device capable of supplying wash water from the wash pump to a plurality of the wash means; a pressure sensor that detects, based on the water pressure of the flush water, whether flush water is being supplied from the water distribution device to the flushing means; In a dishwasher equipped with The water distribution device is a distribution chamber communicating with the cleaning pump via a supply passage extending from a discharge side of the cleaning pump and communicating with each of the plurality of cleaning means; a supply switching means for selectively supplying the cleaning water from the cleaning pump to any one of the cleaning means; having The pressure sensor includes: A water pressure detection passage is provided outside the distribution chamber so as to detect the water pressure in the distribution chamber located upstream of the supply switching means, the water pressure detection passage being connected to the distribution chamber. A dishwasher characterized by:

2. 2. The dishwasher according to claim 1, When a line segment that divides the distribution chamber in half perpendicular to a supply direction of wash water from the wash pump to the distribution chamber via the supply passage is set as a reference line, the supply passage and the water pressure detection passage are disposed on opposite sides of the reference line. A dishwasher characterized by:

3. In the dishwasher according to claim 1 or 2, The distribution chamber has a guide wall that guides the wash water supplied from the wash pump through the supply passage toward the water pressure detection passage. A dishwasher characterized by:

4. 4. The dishwasher according to claim 3, Between the supply switching means and a surface of the guide wall facing the supply switching means, a gap is formed through which cleaning water can freely flow. A dishwasher characterized by:

5. 2. The dishwasher according to claim 1, The water distribution device has a supply state detection means for detecting a supply state to the cleaning means by the supply switching means. A dishwasher characterized by:

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