Dishwasher

Abstract

To provide a dishwasher capable of easily taking in and out dishes.SOLUTION: The dishwasher 1 includes a body 2 having an opening 21, a basket 3, and a lifting mechanism 5 for lifting the basket 3. The elevating mechanism 5 includes a slide rail 51 that enables the car 3 to move in the front-rear direction, and a parallel link 52 that couples the car 3 and the slide rail 51. The parallel linkage 52 includes a first link portion 521 and a second link portion 522. The first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 are arranged in parallel so as to be inclined in the same direction. The parallel linkage 52 rotates about a portion 521b where the first link portion 521 is connected to the side of the slide rail 51 and a portion 522b where the second link portion 522 is connected to the side of the slide rail 51, so that the car 3 moves up and down.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to dishwashers. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a dishwasher that is built into a kitchen counter and forms part of a system kitchen (see paragraph 0024). This dishwasher is a so-called front-opening dishwasher, and the upper panel, which corresponds to a door member and closes the front opening of the main body of the dishwasher, is rotatable around a lower pivot axis relative to the main body of the dishwasher. In this dishwasher, dishes can be put in or taken out by opening and tilting the upper panel toward you and pulling out the dish basket stored inside the main body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-119744 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the dishwasher of Patent Document 1, dishes can be put in and taken out by pulling out the dish basket, but the kitchen counter can only be pulled out horizontally, so the user has to bend down over the dish basket that is pulled out to the bottom of the kitchen counter to put dishes in and take them out, making it difficult to put dishes in and take them out.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher that allows dishes to be easily loaded and unloaded. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the dishwasher of the present invention comprises: The elevator comprises a main body having an opening that opens forward, a first car disposed inside the main body, and a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the first car, the lifting mechanism includes a slide rail that enables movement of the first car in a forward and backward direction, and a parallel link that connects the first car and the slide rail, The parallel link has a first link portion and a second link portion, the first link portion and the second link portion are arranged in parallel so as to be inclined in the same direction, The first car moves up and down by rotating the parallel link around the part where the first link part is connected to the side of the slide rail and the part where the second link part is connected to the side of the slide rail, which act as rotation axes.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the dishwasher of the present invention comprises: The elevator comprises a main body having an opening that opens forward, a first car disposed inside the main body, and a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the first car, the lifting mechanism includes a slide rail that enables movement of the first car in a forward and backward direction, and a parallel link that connects the first car and the slide rail, The parallel link has a first link portion disposed on the side of the opening in a stored state and a second link portion disposed on the rear side of the main body, The first link portion and the second link portion are arranged in parallel, The first link unit and the second link unit are configured such that one end of each is connected to the inside of the side wall of the main body, the other end of each is connected to the side of the slide rail, and the first car is raised and lowered by rotating around the connection position to the side wall as a rotation axis, the parallel link is disposed at the other end so as to come into contact with a rail lock portion that locks the slide rail and a link lock portion that locks the parallel link; The link lock portion is disposed at a position overlapping the parallel link when viewed from the opening side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, a dishwasher that allows dishes to be easily loaded and unloaded can be provided. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a dishwasher according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a car (first car) is stored in a main body. [Figure 3] The figure shows the basket fully pulled out in front of the kitchen counter, with (a) showing the state before the basket is lifted, and (b) showing the state after the basket has been lifted until the rail locking section is locked. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the operation of the rail locking unit, and illustrate the rail locking unit as viewed from different angles. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of a rail locking portion. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the operation of a link lock portion. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the main parts of a dishwasher according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the lifting mechanism when the car is stored. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the lifting mechanism with the car lifted and locked. [Figure 10] 10 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of the lower end (other end) of the first link portion. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a plan view showing the state in which the locked state of the first link part is released by the lever. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a state in which the car (first car) is being pulled out forward from a stored state. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a cleaning method using fine bubbles, showing an outline of the configuration. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a cleaning method using fine bubbles, showing a first modified example of the configuration. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a cleaning method using fine bubbles, showing a second modified example of the configuration. [Figure 16] Cleaning process using microbubbles [Figure 17] A cleaning method using microbubbles in a dishwasher with an automatic dishwashing function DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An embodiment of a dishwasher according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The dishwasher described below is a dishwasher that is built into a kitchen counter, and is a so-called front-open type dishwasher.

[0011] [Example 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dishwasher according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The dishwasher 1 of this embodiment comprises a main body 2 having an opening 21 that opens to the front, a basket (first basket) 3 arranged inside the main body 2, and a lifting mechanism 5 that raises and lowers the basket 3. The lifting mechanism 5 comprises a slide rail 51 that enables the basket 3 to move forward and backward, a parallel link 52 that connects the basket 3 to the slide rail 51, a link auxiliary part 53 that connects the basket 3 to the parallel link 52, and a lever 55 that operates the basket 3. A side plate 22 is provided on the side of the main body 2, and an opening 21 is provided in the front, which is not blocked by the side plate 22.

[0012] The slide rail 51 has a first rail portion 511 and a second rail portion 512. The first rail portion 511 is assembled to the second rail portion 512 so as to be able to slide forward from a stored state. The slide rail 51 is disposed so as to extend horizontally and in the front-to-rear direction, with the first rail portion 511 extending further forward than the second rail portion 512. The first rail portion 511 has a connecting portion (parallel link connecting portion) 513 to which the parallel link 52 is connected. Note that the first rail portions 511 are provided with connecting members 54 that connect the two first rail portions 511 arranged on the left and right, thereby maintaining the distance between the first rail portion 511 and the second rail portion 512.

[0013] The parallel link 52 has a first link portion 521 and a second link portion 522. The first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 are arranged in parallel to be inclined in the same direction.

[0014] The first link portion 521 has one end located on the rear side in the stored state connected to the car base (first car base) 31 of the car 3 at connecting portion 521a, and the other end located on the front side connected to connecting portion 513 of the first rail portion 511 at connecting portion 521b. The second link portion 522 has one end located on the rear side in the stored state connected to the car base (first car base) 31 of the car 3 at connecting portion 522a, and the other end located on the front side connected to connecting portion 513 of the first rail portion 511 at connecting portion 522b.

[0015] In the following description, 521a, 522a, 521b, and 522b are symbols used for the ends of the first rail portion 511 and the second rail portion 512, and are also symbols used for the connecting portions (rotation shafts) formed at each end.

[0016] The parallel link 52 has portions 521b and 522b, which serve as rotation axes, connected to the first rail portion 511. That is, the parallel link 52 rotates around coupling portions 521b and 522b of the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 to the first rail portion 511 as rotation axes (rotation centers), and the car 3 rises and falls as the parallel link 52 rotates. In this case, the car (first car) 3 rises and falls as the parallel link 52 rotates around coupling portions 521b where the first link portion 521 is connected to the slide rail 51 side and coupling portion 522b where the second link portion 522 is connected to the slide rail 51 side as rotation axes. Furthermore, the parallel link 52 rotates around coupling portions 521a and 522a where the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 are connected to the car 3 side as rotation axes (rotation centers) as the car 3 rises and falls.

[0017] The connecting portion 513 of the first rail portion 511 is a portion where the parallel link 52 is connected to the slide rail 51, and is also a portion where the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 are connected to each other.

[0018] The link auxiliary part 53 connects the car 3 and the parallel link 52 and constitutes a drive mechanism for raising and lowering the car 3. When the car 3 is lifted, the link auxiliary part 53 serves as a drive mechanism for raising and lowering the car 3 and generates a drive force, and when the car 3 is stored downward from the lifted state, the link auxiliary part 53 serves as a damper for attenuating the descent speed of the car 3.

[0019] The drive mechanism of link auxiliary part 53 is, for example, a gas spring. Link auxiliary part 53, which is made up of a gas spring, has a cylinder 531 filled with gas, and a piston 532 that moves inside cylinder 531 while receiving gas pressure. One end of link auxiliary part 53 on the cylinder 531 side is connected to the parallel link 52 side, and the other end on the piston 532 side is connected to the car 3 side. Link auxiliary part 53 is also arranged so that one end of cylinder 531 side, which is connected to the parallel link 52 side, is located rearward in the front-to-rear direction relative to the other end of piston 532 side, which is connected to the car 3 side.

[0020] The dishwasher 1 of this embodiment has two baskets 3 and 4. The basket (first basket) 3 is located at the bottom of the main body 2 and may be referred to as the "lower basket." The basket (second basket) 4 is located at the top of the main body 2 and may be referred to as the "upper basket." In other words, the dishwasher 1 has the second basket 4, which is located above the first basket 3 when the first basket 3 is stored. In this embodiment, the lower basket 3, which is located at the bottom of the main body 2, is provided with a lifting mechanism 5, which lifts the lower basket 3 upward when the lower basket 3 is pulled out of the main body 2, making it easier to put dishes in and take them out. The upper basket 4, which is located at the top of the main body 2, is not provided with a lifting mechanism. The configuration of the baskets 3 and 4 is not limited to the above. For example, the upper basket 4 may not be provided. However, the basket (first basket) 3 with the lifting mechanism 5 is always provided.

[0021] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the car (first car) 3 is stored in the main body 2. Note that Fig. 2 shows a state in which the parallel link 52 is covered with a parallel link cover 523, and the link auxiliary part 53 is not shown. The car 3 is configured by assembling a car body 32 and a car base 31. A lever 55 is assembled to the car base 31 so as to surround the front and both left and right sides of the car 3. The lever 55 is configured to be rotatable within a predetermined range relative to the car base 31 around a fulcrum 551. In addition, a handle 550 is provided at the front end of the lever 55, which a person can grip to operate the lever 55.

[0022] The car 3 of this embodiment has a car base 31 around which the lever 55 is arranged, and the car base 31 has a connecting portion (fulcrum) 551 of the lever 55 and a connecting portion 311 of the parallel link 52. Therefore, the upper end 31a of the car base 31 is located above the connecting portions 551 and 311.

[0023] The car 3 is stored inside the main body 2 with the slide rail 51 and the parallel link 52 in the state shown in Fig. 2. In this state, one end of the rail locking part 56 provided on the first rail part 511 receives the weight of the car 3, and the other end is in a raised state.

[0024] The basket 3 is pulled out in front of the kitchen counter while maintaining the position shown in Figure 2, and when the second rail portion 512 is fully pulled out, the first rail portion 511 extends forward relative to the second rail portion 512 until the rail lock portion 56 reaches the rail lock position.

[0025] The parallel link 52 is provided with a parallel link cover 523 that covers the parallel link 52. The parallel link cover 523 is provided so as to cover at least the gap formed between the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522. This gap is represented by a dashed line 524 in FIG.

[0026] In this embodiment, the parallel link cover 523 is provided so as to cover the entire first link portion 521 from the outside in the width direction W of the car 3, and further extend beyond the gap 524 between the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 to cover a part of the second link portion 522. The parallel link cover 523 also covers connecting portions 521a, 522a of the first link portion 521 and the first link portion 522 with the car base 31. Link lock portions 57, which will be described later, are provided on the connecting portions 521a, 522a, and the parallel link cover 523 covers the link lock portions 57 from the outside in the width direction W.

[0027] As described above, the parallel link 52 has the parallel link cover 523 that covers the parallel link 52 and the link lock portion 57 .

[0028] 3 shows the state in which the basket 3 is completely pulled out in front of the kitchen counter, with (a) showing the state before the basket 3 is lifted, and (b) showing the state in which the basket 3 is lifted until the rail locking section 56 is locked. Note that FIG. 3 shows the slide rail 51 and parallel link 52 located at the back in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0029] (a) shows the state in which the basket 3 is fully pulled out in front of the kitchen counter and has not yet been lifted. (b) shows the state in which the basket 3 is lifted from the state in (a) by holding the handle 550. In the state in (b), the basket 3 is slightly lifted, but not completely lifted.

[0030] In (b), the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 are in a state in which they have rotated about the connecting portions 521b and 522b so that the connecting portions 521a and 522a with the car 3 are raised. At this time, the gap formed between the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 is larger than in the state of (a). To prevent the user from inserting their fingers or the like into this gap, the parallel link 52 is provided with the above-mentioned parallel link cover 523 (see FIG. 2).

[0031] The lifting mechanism 5 is equipped with a rail locking unit 56 that restricts the slide rail 51 from moving backward when it is advanced forward. The operation of the rail locking unit 56 will be described with reference to Fig. 4 together with Fig. 3. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of the rail locking unit 56, and illustrates the rail locking unit as viewed from different angles in (a) and (b).

[0032] As shown in Fig. 3(a), when the basket 3 is fully pulled out in front of the kitchen counter, the rail locking portion 56 provided on the first rail portion 511 is in a state in which one end 56a bears the weight of the basket 3 and the other end 56b is raised as shown in Fig. 4. One end 56a of the rail locking portion 56 is the end on the front side in Fig. 3, and the other end 56b is the end on the back side in the figure.

[0033] Fig. 3(b) shows the state in which the car 3 is lifted by holding the handle 550 from the state shown in Fig. 3(a). In Fig. 3(b), as the car 3 is lifted, one end (the front side in the figure) of the rail locking part 56 is released from the load of the car 3, and the other end (the back side in the figure) moves downward. In Fig. 4(b), the rail locking part 56 rotates around the fulcrum 561, as shown by the arrow in (b).

[0034] At this time, the other end 56b of the rail locking portion 56 engages with the engaging portion 2a on the main body 2 side, restricting the retraction of the first rail portion 511. In other words, the rail locking portion 56 is locked when the first rail portion 511 is in the rail lock position. At this time, the second rail portion 512 is also locked. In this embodiment, the engaging portion 2a is configured on the front surface of the main body 2, but this is not limited to this.

[0035] The structure of the rail locking portion 56 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the structure of the rail locking portion 56. Note that in Fig. 5, the rail locking portion 56 is depicted semi-transparently, allowing the biasing spring 563 provided inside to be seen through.

[0036] The rail locking part 56 is attached to the first rail part 511 by a rail locking part attachment part 511a provided on the first rail part 511. The rail locking part 56 is provided so as to be rotatable around a fulcrum 561. A biasing member 563 is provided inside the rail locking part 56, and the rail locking part 56 is biased to the locked state. In this embodiment, a spring is provided as the biasing member 563.

[0037] When one end 56a of the rail locking portion 56 is released from the load of the car 3, the rail locking portion 56 rotates around the fulcrum 561 due to the biasing force of the biasing member 563, and engages with the locking portion 2a on the main body 2. Note that Fig. 5 shows the rail locking portion 56 engaged with the locking portion 2a on the main body 2.

[0038] The biasing member 563 biases the rail locking portion 56 so as to maintain a state in which one end 56a of the rail locking portion 56 is raised and the other end 56b is lowered. Therefore, when the car 3 returns to the stored state, the biasing member 563 receives the load of the descending car 3 and exerts a force in a direction that pushes the car 3 back upward. Therefore, the rail locking portion 56 has a damper function, and the lifting mechanism 5 has a function of absorbing impact when the car 3 descends.

[0039] When putting tableware in or taking out the basket 3, the basket 3 is further lifted from the state shown in Fig. 3(b) to the state shown in Fig. 1. When the basket 3 reaches the state shown in Fig. 1, the parallel link 52 is locked, and the basket 3 is maintained in the state shown in Fig. 1 until this lock is released.

[0040] The link lock unit 57 that locks the parallel link 52 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the operation of the link lock unit 57. Note that Fig. 6 illustrates the lever 55 with the first link 521 and the second link 522 in perspective. In Fig. 6(b), the two-dot chain line represents the slide rail 51. The lifting mechanism 5 includes a link lock unit 57 that locks the car 3 and the parallel link 52 at a predetermined position, and levers 55 that surround the front and left and right sides of the car 3. Specifically, the car 3 is fixed at a predetermined height by fixing the rotation of the parallel link 52 at a predetermined position. For this purpose, the link lock unit 57 has fitting units 555, 571a that fit together when the angle θ between the parallel link 52 and the slide rail 51 becomes a predetermined angle θ1 (see FIG. 6(b)). Furthermore, the lever 55 has fitting units 555 located at the left and right rear parts of the car 3, and constitutes an unlocking unit that unlocks the link lock unit 57.

[0041] The link lock portion 57 is composed of a rotating member (disk-shaped member) 571 provided at one end (connection portion with the car 3) 521a of the first link 521, and a locking portion 555 provided on the lever 55. The rotating member 571 rotates together with the rotation of the first link 521. In this case, the center of rotation of the rotating member 571 is located at the connection portion 521a of the first link 521 with the car 3. This is because the rotating member 571 is attached to the first link 521 by utilizing the connection portion 521a of the first link 521 with the car 3.

[0042] The rotating member 571 does not have to be attached to the first link 521, but may be attached to the second link 522. The rotating member 571 may be provided on the parallel link 52 so as to move in conjunction with the parallel link 52.

[0043] The fitting portions 555, 571a are composed of a locking portion (fitting convex portion) 555 provided on the lever 55 and a fitting concave portion 571a provided on the rotating member 571. Fig. 6(a) shows a state in which the car 3 is being lifted from the stored state, and the fitting convex portion 555 of the lever 55 slides on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating member 571. In this case, the car 3 is lifted by holding the handle 550 provided on the front end portion of the lever 55, so that the fitting convex portion 555 of the lever 55 is in a lowered state. The movement of the lever 55 and the rotating member 571 at this time is indicated by arrows.

[0044] Fig. 6(b) shows a state in which the car 3 is completely lifted. In this case, the lever 55 is not operated, so the fitting convex portion 555 of the lever 55 is displaced upward from the state shown in Fig. 6(a) and is ready to fit into the fitting concave portion 571a of the rotating member 571. Then, the fitting convex portion 555 of the lever 55 fits into the fitting concave portion 571a of the rotating member 571, thereby locking the parallel link 52.

[0045] Figure 6(c) shows the state when parallel link 52 is unlocked. In this case, by lifting handle 550 of lever 55, engaging protrusion 555 of lever 55 is displaced downward from the state shown in Figure 6(b). As a result, engaging protrusion 555 of lever 55 is disengaged from engaging recess 571a of rotating member 571, and parallel link 52 is unlocked. As such, in the dishwasher of this embodiment, lever 55 has unlocking portions disposed on the left and right rear portions of basket 3 that release the lock of link lock portion 57.

[0046] It is preferable that the angle formed between the slide rail 51 and the parallel link 52 when the car 3 rises or falls be set to a range of 90 degrees or less. In other words, when the car 3 is raised, the angle θ formed between the slide rail 51 and the parallel link 52 is 90 degrees or less.

[0047] The rotating member 571 has a fitting recess 571a and the like, and its outer periphery is formed in a complex shape. In addition, since the rotating member 571 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the parallel link 52, it is covered with a parallel link cover part 523 (see FIG. 2) to prevent the user from touching it.

[0048] In the dishwasher of Example 1, when the basket 3 for holding dishes is lifted from the storage state (FIG. 2), the parallel link 52 transitions from a more horizontal state to a more vertical state. In other words, when the basket 3 is moved downward from the lifted state, the parallel link 52 transitions from a more vertical state to a more horizontal state. In this case, when the basket 3 is lifted from the storage state, it is displaced so that the vertical movement amount is greater than the horizontal movement amount. In this example, this type of link mechanism (lifting mechanism 5) is referred to as a "slide-up type."

[0049] [Example 2] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the main parts of a dishwasher according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Note that FIG. 7 omits the illustration of some components, such as the front slide rail 51 and the basket 3. Components similar to those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, for components given the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be explained below. The components different from the first embodiment will be explained below.

[0050] 7 shows a state in which basket 3 has been pulled out from main body 2 and then lifted up, with slide rail 51 and parallel link 52 locked. Similar to dishwasher 1 of Example 1, dishwasher 1 of this example includes main body 2 having opening 21 opening to the front, basket (first basket) 3 arranged inside main body 2, and lifting mechanism 5 for raising and lowering basket 3. Lifting mechanism 5 includes slide rail 51 that enables basket 3 to move forward and backward, parallel link 52 that connects basket 3 and slide rail 51, link auxiliary part 53 that connects basket 3 and parallel link 52, and lever 55 that operates basket 3.

[0051] In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the dishwasher 1 has a second basket 4 disposed above the first basket 3 when the basket (first basket) 3 is stored.

[0052] The dishwasher 1 of this embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment in the configuration of the lifting mechanism 5. The differences between the first embodiment and the present embodiment will be specifically described below.

[0053] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the lifting mechanism 5 in a state in which the car 3 is stored. The slide rail 51 of this embodiment includes a rail support member 514, and is supported by the side wall 22 of the main body 2 by the rail support member 514. Specifically, the second rail portion 512 is fixed to the rail support member 514.

[0054] The parallel link 52 has a first link portion 521 that is arranged on the side of the opening 21 in the stored state, and a second link portion 522 that is arranged on the back side of the main body 2. The first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 are arranged in parallel.

[0055] In this embodiment, the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 have their respective one ends 521a, 522a rotatably connected to the inside of the side wall 22 of the main body 2, and their respective other ends 521b, 522b rotatably connected to the side of the slide rail 51. Specifically, the other end 521b of the first link portion 521 and the other end 522b of the second link portion 522 are rotatably connected to the rail support member 514. The first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 are configured to rotate around the position of connection to the side wall 22 as the rotation axis, thereby raising and lowering the car 3.

[0056] The parallel link 52 is arranged at the other end 521b or 522b to be in contact with the rail lock portion 56 that locks the slide rail 51 and the link lock portion 57 that locks the parallel link 52. The link lock portion 57 is fixed to both of the two links that make up the parallel link 52. This allows the link lock portion 57 to be firmly fixed to and locked on the parallel link 52. Specifically, the first link portion 521 is arranged at its lower end (other end) 521b to be in contact with the rail lock portion 56 that fixes the slide rail 51 and the link lock portion 57 that fixes the first link portion 521. In other words, the parallel link 52 that is in contact with the rail lock portion 56 and the link lock portion 57 is the first link portion 521. By providing the rail lock portion 56 and the link lock portion 57 on the side of the first link portion 521, unnecessary interference between the link portions 56, 57 and the parallel link 52 can be avoided, and the link portions 56, 57 can be arranged compactly.

[0057] The other end 521b of the first link portion 521, the other end 522b of the second link portion 522, the rail lock portion 56, and the link lock portion 57 are arranged on the same plane of the flat rail support member 514, and as a result, the rail lock portion 56 and the link lock portion 57 are arranged in a position overlapping with the parallel link 52 when viewed from the side of the opening 21. This eliminates the thickness of the link lock portion 57, allowing the car 3 to be made larger.

[0058] In the state where the car 3 is stored (the state shown in FIG. 8), the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 are oriented such that their longitudinal directions are aligned with the vertical direction.

[0059] The link auxiliary part 53, which generates a driving force to lift the car 3, is connected between the side wall of the main body 2 and the parallel link 52. In this embodiment, the link auxiliary part 53 connects the car 3 and the second link part 522. For this purpose, the second link part 522 is provided with a connecting part 522c that protrudes in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the second link part 522. The function of the link auxiliary part 53 is the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0060] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the lifting mechanism 5 in a state in which the car 3 is lifted and locked. The first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 rotate about connection positions 521a, 522a with the side wall 22 as the rotation center, thereby raising and lowering the car 3. In the state in which the car 3 is lifted and locked as shown in Fig. 9, the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 are oriented such that their longitudinal directions are aligned horizontally. In accordance with their rotation relative to the side wall 22, the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 also rotate relative to the car 3 at connection positions 521b, 522b with the car 3, thereby maintaining the horizontality of the car 3.

[0061] Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of the lower end (other end) 521b of the first link portion 521. In Fig. 10, (a) shows a state in which the car 3 is stored, (b) shows a state in which the car 3 is being lifted, and (c) shows a state in which the car 3 is completely lifted.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 10(a), the parallel link 52 has a convex portion 525 at its lower end, and as shown in FIG. 10(b), the parallel link 52 rotates when the car 3 rises, thereby releasing the contact between the convex portion 525 and the rail lock portion 56. At this time, the rail lock portion 56 is released from contact with the convex portion 525 of the parallel link 52, and is thereby fitted into the concave portion 515 of the slide rail 51. In this embodiment, the convex portion 525 is provided on the first link portion 521, and the concave portion 515 of the slide rail is provided on the first rail portion 511. In the following description, it is assumed that the convex portion 525 is provided on the first link portion 521.

[0063] After the rail locking portion 56 is fitted into the recessed portion 515 of the slide rail 51, the first link portion 521 is further rotated in the same direction with the other end portion 511b in contact with the link locking portion 57, as shown in FIG. 10(c), thereby engaging the convex portion 525 with the engaging portion 574 of the link locking portion 57. At this time, the link locking portion 57 locks the first link portion 521 as the convex portion 525 of the first link portion 521 engages with the engaging portion 574.

[0064] The rail locking portion 56 has a biasing member and is biased to the locked state. Similarly, the link locking portion 57 is configured to be rotatable around a connecting portion 572 to the rail support member 514 as a rotation axis (rotation center), and is biased by a biasing member 573.

[0065] To release the locked state by the rail locking portion 56, the first link portion 521 is rotated in the order of (c), (b), and (a) to bring the convex portion 525 of the first link portion 521 into contact with the rail locking portion 56, and the convex portion 525 presses the rail locking portion 56, thereby releasing the locked state by the rail locking portion 56 as shown in (a). In this case, it is necessary to release the locked state of the first link portion 521 by the link locking portion 57.

[0066] Fig. 11 is a plan view showing how the lock state of the first link portion 521 by the lever 55 is released. (a) shows a state in which the car 3 is fully lifted and the rail lock portion 56 and the link lock portion 57 are locked, and (b) shows a state in which the handle 550 of the lever 55 is lifted to store the car 3. Note that Fig. 11 shows a see-through state of the second rail portion 512 and the lever 55.

[0067] The lifting mechanism 5 includes a lever 55 that surrounds the front and the left and right sides of the car 3. A handle 550 is provided on the lever 55 at the portion surrounding the front of the car 3. The lever 55 also has unlocking portions 553 that are located at the left and right rear portions of the car 3 and that unlock the link lock portion 57. When storing the car 3, the lever 55 of the handle 550 is raised (the state shown in FIG. 11(b)). The lever 55 is divided into a plurality of portions 556a to 556d, and the plurality of portions 556a to 556d are connected to adjacent divided portions by connecting portions 557a to 557d and are configured to be rotatable about the connecting portions 557a to 557d as rotation axes.

[0068] Connecting portions 557a and 557d are rotation shafts fixed to first rail portion 511, and connecting portions 557b and 557c are rotation shafts that are not fixed to first rail portion 511. When handle 550 of lever 55 is lifted, divided portions 556a to 556d rotate, as shown in FIG. 10(b), and the rear end portion of divided portion 556a is lifted. Then, unlocking portion 553 moves upward, thereby releasing the lock of link lock portion 57.

[0069] That is, when lowering basket 3, lever 55 moves unlocking portion 553 at the rear end upward and rotates link lock portion 57 so that engagement portion 574 moves downward, thereby disengaging engagement portion 574 of link lock portion 57 from protrusion 525 of parallel link 52. A damping unit may be provided on the rear wall of the refrigerator compartment to absorb impact on the basket and the dishes inside it when basket 3 is lowered for storage. Even if basket 3 contains delicate dishes, it can be driven gently to prevent damage. Furthermore, providing a damping unit on the rear wall of the refrigerator compartment, i.e., not mounting the damping unit on the rail, allows for greater flexibility in rail design.

[0070] FIG. 12 is a plan view showing a state in which the car (first car) 3 is being pulled out forward from the stored state. In this embodiment, when the car 3 is in the stored state shown in Fig. 8, a large gap exists between the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522, and when the car 3 is in the fully lifted state shown in Fig. 9, the gap between the first link portion 521 and the second link portion 522 becomes smaller. In this embodiment, too, a parallel link cover 523 is provided for the same reason as in Example 1. Therefore, the parallel link 52 has the parallel link cover 523 that covers the gap 524 formed between the first link portion 51 and the second link portion 52.

[0071] [Example 3] In Example 3, a cleaning method that uses microbubbles to improve cleaning effectiveness will be described. Therefore, in this example, a method of generating microbubbles by supplying air from the outside is used, rather than a method of reducing the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path through which water is supplied. Furthermore, in this example, microbubbles are generated continuously by circulating the flow path through which air is introduced from the outside, rather than in a single pass, and a larger number of microbubbles can be generated.

[0072] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a cleaning method using fine bubbles, showing an outline of the configuration. The washing machine includes a washing tub for storing dishes, a water circulation path 71 for supplying water to the washing tub, and an air mixing path 74 for mixing air into a circulation pump 72 through an air intake port 73 in the circulation path 71. The air intake port 73 is located at a position higher than the water level L1 where the washing process is performed. To prevent water spray from entering, the air intake port 73 may open downward at a position higher than the water level L1. Furthermore, because wastewater that has passed through the food residue filter 80 and dirt that has passed through the filter pass through the piping 81, clogging of the air mixing path 74 on the discharge port 77 side is likely to occur. Therefore, the inner diameter of the air mixing path 74 on the discharge port 77 side of the piping may be larger than the inner diameter on the air intake port 73 side. This can prevent clogging of the piping.

[0073] In this embodiment, negative pressure is created inside the pipe 81 through which water flows, and air is sucked in through the outlet 77 of the air mixing path 74, generating microbubbles. In this case, as the flow rate of the water in the pipe 81 increases, the pressure sucking in the air increases, thereby increasing the amount of microbubbles generated. Therefore, by making the inner diameter of the pipe 81 at the point where it intersects with the outlet 77 the smallest within the circulation path, a Venturi effect is created, increasing the flow rate and increasing the amount of microbubbles generated through the outlet 77. Furthermore, the air mixing path 74 is provided with an openable and closable valve 75, allowing the amount of air intake to be controlled. The arrows on the air mixing path 74 indicate the direction of air (gas) flow.

[0074] During the cleaning process, when foaming state detection sensor 76 detects foaming, it closes valve element 75, reduces the amount of air intake, and suppresses excessive foaming. Foaming state detection sensor 76 can be configured, for example, with two electrodes 76 arranged vertically. When foam is generated to a height of, for example, L2, shorting out the two electrodes 76a and 76b, the electrical resistance between the two electrodes 76 changes. Foaming can be detected by detecting this change in electrical resistance. At this time, if the amount of air intake decreases, the flow rate of water circulating through circulation path 71 increases, so the driving speed of circulation pump 72 may be reduced.

[0075] At the beginning of the cleaning process or during the water supply process, a water supply control operation is performed to supply water up to a predetermined water level, and when the circulation pump 72 is driven, air is drawn in from the air mixing path 74 while cleaning water is discharged from the discharge port 77, making it possible to clean with water containing fine bubbles (bubble water) from the circulating water discharge port 82, and the cleaning effect can be improved by the fine bubbles.

[0076] These microbubbles adsorb oil on dishes, and the oil is removed by the contact between the microbubbles and the oil, the impact of the bubbles breaking, and the effect of the microbubbles coagulating to separate the dirt from the dishes.Furthermore, by mixing a surfactant with the microbubbles, the cleaning effect can be further improved.

[0077] FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a cleaning method using fine bubbles, showing a first modified example of the first embodiment. The water circulation path 71 is provided with an air inlet path 74 that introduces air into the circulation pump 72 through an air inlet 73. The arrow on the air inlet path 74 indicates the direction of air (gas) flow. The air inlet path 74 is provided in a food residue filter 80 that captures dirt flaking off dishes. The air inlet path 74 and the food residue filter 80 may be integrated. The air inlet path 74 is user-removable, allowing for easy maintenance by the user even if the air inlet path 74 becomes clogged with food residue or oily dirt. The air inlet 73 is located above the water level L1 used for the washing process. To prevent water spray from entering, the air inlet 73 may open downward at a position above the water level L1. Unlike the configuration shown in Figure 13, this is a simpler configuration without a valve 75 for adjusting the amount of air intake. The amount of air intake is adjusted by changing the drive speed of the circulation pump 72. When air is not being sucked in, the drive rotation speed of the circulation pump 72 is controlled so that water remains in the aeration path 74. When air is being sucked in, the drive rotation speed of the circulation pump 72 is controlled so that water does not remain in the aeration path 74. In this way, with a low-cost, easy-to-maintain configuration, dishes and cooking utensils can be washed with water containing fine bubbles.

[0078] FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of a cleaning method using fine bubbles, showing a second modification of the third embodiment. In Modification 2, the air mixing path 74 is arranged without bending within the circulation path 71. Compared to Modification 1, the air mixing path 74 does not bend and is shorter, making it easier for the user to handle. Furthermore, when the inner diameter of the first piping section 81a including the horizontal portion within the circulation path is R1, the inner diameter of the second piping section 81b connecting the filter section to the first piping section 81a is R2, and the inner diameter of the air mixing path 74 arranged within the second piping section 81b is R3, the following formula (1) is established, and R3 - R2 is made smaller. R3-R2≦R1 …(1) In other words, it is preferable to reduce R3-R2 because reducing the size of the piping around the air mixing path 74 increases the flow rate in the piping and makes it easier to generate many fine bubbles. Also, fine bubbles are more likely to be generated if the discharge port 77 of the air mixing path 74 is located closer to the first piping portion 81b.

[0079] The washing process will be explained using Figures 16 and 17. Figure 16 describes the washing process for a dishwasher in which the user adds dishes and detergent before starting the washing operation, and Figure 17 describes the washing process for a dishwasher with an automatic detergent addition function. In either case, there is a process including a pre-wash as wash 1 and a main wash as wash 2, and the pre-wash is carried out first, followed by the main wash.

[0080] Pre-washing roughly cleans away dirt adhering to dishes, reducing the amount of dirt adhering to the dishes. Wetting the dirt also improves its removability. Main washing cleans strongly adhering dirt that could not be removed by pre-washing. Both the pre-washing and washing processes involve the steps of supplying water, washing, and draining.

[0081] <First control flow in the configuration of this embodiment> In the pre-wash process, the washing solution is prepared by mixing water and detergent. In Figure 16, the water supply valve is opened to supply water to the detergent previously added by the user, generating the detergent solution. In Figure 17, the automatic detergent dispenser adds detergent, and the water supply valve is opened to add water to generate the detergent solution. Next, in the wash process, valve 75 is opened, and fine bubbles are added to the detergent solution to wash the laundry. To raise the wash water temperature to an appropriate level, a sheathed heater 78 and a temperature regulator 79 may be provided, and the heater may be used to perform a warm wash in the main wash process. Since not turning on the heater reduces power consumption, the heater may be turned off for the normal wash cycle and turned on only for cycles that require enhanced soil removal. After the wash cycle of the pre-wash process, the water is drained. When the user adds detergent in Figure 16, only a portion of the water is drained, leaving the detergent water. On the other hand, in the automatic detergent dispenser shown in Figure 17, all the water may be drained and completely new water may be used for the main wash cycle.

[0082] Next, the main wash process begins. In this process, water is supplied by opening the water supply valve, and detergent water is again prepared by mixing detergent. The circulation pump may be driven again to supply fine bubbles to this detergent water during the main wash process, but the valve body 75 may be closed during the main wash to wash without using fine bubbles. This suppresses foaming during the main wash and prevents residual rinsing (such as foam buildup) during the rinsing process.

[0083] <Second control flow in the configuration of this embodiment> The pre-washing is the same as in the first control flow.

[0084] In the main wash, the valve body 75 is opened and washing is performed with water containing detergent and fine bubbles, thereby achieving a higher level of cleaning power than the first control flow.

[0085] The rinsing process is performed multiple times, with the number of rinses being greater than in the first control flow, thereby reducing residual rinsing.

[0086] <Third control flow in the configuration of this embodiment> In the pre-wash, the valve body 75 is opened and cleaning is performed using fine bubbles. At this time, detergent is added and cleaning is performed with water containing detergent and fine bubbles, thereby removing more stubborn dirt.

[0087] In the main wash, the valve body 75 is opened and washing is performed with water containing detergent and fine bubbles, thereby achieving a higher cleaning power than the first control flow and the second control flow.

[0088] The rinsing process is performed multiple times, with the number of rinses being greater than in the first control flow, thereby reducing residual rinsing.

[0089] <Fourth control flow in the configuration of this embodiment> In the pre-wash, the valve body 75 is opened and cleaning is performed using fine bubbles. At this time, detergent is added and cleaning is performed with water containing detergent and fine bubbles, thereby removing more stubborn dirt.

[0090] In the main wash, the valve body 75 is closed and the machine is washed with water containing fine bubbles. This not only provides a cleaning effect from the fine bubbles, but also prevents fine particles such as surfactants and dirt from remaining behind by being adsorbed by the fine bubbles.

[0091] In the four control flows described above, the intake valve 73 may be opened during the rinsing process to rinse using fine bubbles and prevent residual rinsing. Also, a sheathed heater 78 and a temperature regulator 79 may be provided to raise the temperature of the cleaning water to an appropriate level.

[0092] The fine bubble generator of this embodiment can be applied to built-in dishwashers that are incorporated into system kitchens, such as front-opening dishwashers in which the door opens and closes by tilting to the front, as well as to drawer-type sliding-open dishwashers, and can also be applied to tabletop dishwashers.

[0093] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those including all of the configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1...dishwasher, 2...main body, 3...basket (first basket), 4...second basket, 5...lifting mechanism, 21...opening, 22...side wall of main body 2, 31...basket base, 31a...upper end of basket base 31, 51...slide rail, 52...parallel link, 53...link auxiliary part, 55...lever, 56...rail lock part, 57...link lock part, 311...connecting part of parallel link 52 in basket base 31, 511...first rail part, 512...second rail part, 515...slide rail 51 recessed portion, 521...first link portion, 521a...one end portion (rotational axis) of the first link portion 521, 521b...portion (rotational axis) where the first link portion 521 is connected to the side of the slide rail 51, 522...second link portion, 522a...one end portion (rotational axis) of the second link portion 522, 522b...portion (rotational axis) where the second link portion 522 is connected to the side of the slide rail 51, 523...parallel link cover, 524...gap formed between the first link portion 51 and the second link portion 52, 525...convex portion at the lower end of the parallel link 52, 551...connection portion (fulcrum) of the lever 55 at the car base 31, 553...unlock portion provided on the lever, 555...engagement portion provided on the lever 55, 571a...engagement portion of the rotating member 571 provided on the parallel link 52, 574...engagement portion of the link lock portion 57.

Claims

1. The elevator comprises a main body having an opening that opens forward, a first car disposed inside the main body, and a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the first car, the lifting mechanism includes a slide rail that enables movement of the first car in a forward and backward direction, and a parallel link that connects the first car and the slide rail, The parallel link has a first link portion and a second link portion, the first link portion and the second link portion are arranged in parallel so as to be inclined in the same direction, The first basket of this dishwasher is raised and lowered by the rotation of the parallel link, with the part where the first link part is connected to the side of the slide rail and the part where the second link part is connected to the side of the slide rail acting as a rotation axis.

2. 2. The dishwasher of claim 1, the lifting mechanism includes a link auxiliary part that connects the first car and the parallel link, The link auxiliary unit constitutes a drive mechanism for raising and lowering the first basket.

3. 3. The dishwasher according to claim 2, A dishwasher in which the drive mechanism of the link auxiliary part is a gas spring.

4. 2. The dishwasher of claim 1, The slide rail has a first rail portion and a second rail portion, the first rail portion is assembled to the second rail portion so as to be slidable forward from a stored state, The parallel link has a portion that serves as the rotation axis connected to the first rail portion.

5. 2. The dishwasher of claim 1, the lifting mechanism includes a link lock unit that locks the first car and the parallel link at a predetermined position, The link lock portion has a fitting portion that fits into the parallel link when the angle between the parallel link and the slide rail becomes a predetermined angle.

6. 6. The dishwasher according to claim 5, the lifting mechanism includes levers surrounding the front and left and right sides of the first car, The lever has the fitting portion located at the left and right rear portions of the first basket and constitutes an unlocking portion that unlocks the link lock portion.

7. 6. The dishwasher according to claim 5, The parallel link has a parallel link cover that covers the parallel link and the link lock portion.

8. 7. The dishwasher according to claim 6, the first car has a car base around which the lever is disposed; the car base has a connection portion between the lever and the parallel link; In this dishwasher, the upper end of the basket base is located above the connecting portion.

9. 2. The dishwasher of claim 1, The dishwasher, wherein the lifting mechanism includes a rail locking portion that restricts the slide rail from moving backward when the slide rail is advanced forward.

10. 10. The dishwasher of claim 9, The rail locking portion has a damper function, The lifting mechanism absorbs impact when the first basket is lowered.

11. 2. The dishwasher of claim 1, In the dishwasher, when the first basket is lifted, the angle formed between the slide rail and the parallel link is 90 degrees or less.

12. 2. The dishwasher of claim 1, A dishwasher having a second basket disposed above the first basket when the first basket is stored.

13. The elevator comprises a main body having an opening that opens forward, a first car disposed inside the main body, and a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the first car, the lifting mechanism includes a slide rail that enables movement of the first car in a forward and backward direction, and a parallel link that connects the first car and the slide rail, the parallel link has a first link portion disposed on the side of the opening in a stored state and a second link portion disposed on the rear side of the main body, The first link portion and the second link portion are arranged in parallel, The first link unit and the second link unit are configured such that one end of each is connected to the inside of the side wall of the main body, the other end of each is connected to the side of the slide rail, and the first car is raised and lowered by rotating around a connection position to the side wall as a rotation axis, the parallel link is disposed at the other end so as to come into contact with a rail lock portion that locks the slide rail and a link lock portion that locks the parallel link; The link lock portion is disposed at a position overlapping the parallel link when viewed from the opening side.

14. 14. The dishwasher of claim 13, the parallel link has a convex portion at a lower end portion, and rotates when the first car ascends to release the contact state between the convex portion and the rail lock portion, The rail locking portion is fitted into a recess of the slide rail when the contact state between the rail locking portion and the protrusion of the parallel link is released.

15. 15. The dishwasher of claim 14, After the rail locking portion is fitted into the recessed portion of the slide rail, the parallel link further rotates in the same direction with the other end portion in contact with the link locking portion, thereby engaging the convex portion with the engaging portion of the link locking portion, The link locking portion locks the parallel link by the convex portion of the parallel link engaging with the engaging portion.

16. 16. The dishwasher of claim 15, the lifting mechanism includes levers surrounding the front and left and right sides of the first car, The lever has unlocking portions located at the left and right rear portions of the first basket for unlocking the link locking portions.

17. 17. The dishwasher of claim 16, When the first basket is lowered, the lever moves the unlocking portion at the rear end upward and rotates the link lock portion so that the engagement portion moves downward, thereby disengaging the engagement portion of the link lock portion from the convex portion of the parallel link.

18. 14. The dishwasher of claim 13, The parallel link has a parallel link cover that covers a gap formed between the first link portion and the second link portion.

19. 14. The dishwasher of claim 13, In a dishwasher, a parallel link that contacts the rail lock portion and the link lock portion is the first link portion.

20. 14. The dishwasher of claim 13, A dishwasher having a second basket disposed above the first basket when the first basket is stored.

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