Dish wash machine

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dishwasher with improved washing efficiency compared to a conventional dishwasher, comprising: a water tank; at least one mixing unit installed on the bottom surface of the water tank to mix water and air and supply it into the water tank; a water supply unit installed at the bottom of the water tank to supply water to the mixing unit; and an air supply unit installed at the bottom of the water tank to supply air to the mixing unit. The mixing unit comprises: a water pipe connection unit connected to the water supply unit to receive and discharge water from the water supply unit; a lower cap located above the water pipe connection unit, fixed at a distance from the top of the water pipe connection unit, and having a hole formed through it; an air pipe having one end inserted into the hole and the other end connected to the air supply unit to form a flow path so that air supplied from the air supply unit is discharged into the hole; and an upper cap formed above the lower cap at a distance from the lower cap.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a dishwasher, and more specifically, to a dishwasher with improved washing efficiency compared to a conventional dishwasher. Background Technology

[0003] A dishwasher is a home appliance that automatically washes dishes. Dishwashers use high-pressure water and detergent to clean dishes, kitchen utensils, and cooking utensils. Dishwashers were first developed in the 1920s and became popular in the United States in the 1950s. Over time, dishwashers have evolved, and currently, models equipped with various functions are being released.

[0004] Dishwashers clean dishes in various ways. The vortex dishwasher is one of the devices that cleans dishes in various ways; it works by placing dishes to be cleaned into a water-filled tank and generating a vortex inside the tank to remove food residue from the dishes. However, if this type of vortex dishwasher uses only the vortex of water and detergent, there is a problem where cleaning power is reduced. Prior art literature

[0006] (Patent Document 0001) KR 10-2017-0108747 A (Publication Date 2017.09.27.)(Patent Document 0002) KR 10-2021-0041206 A (Publication Date 2021.04.15.) The problem to be solved

[0007] The present invention was devised to solve the problems described above, and the purpose of the dishwasher according to the present invention is to provide a dishwasher with improved cleaning efficiency compared to conventional dishwashers by mixing water and air to form a vortex. means of solving the problem

[0009] A dishwasher according to the present invention for solving the technical problem described above comprises: a water tank; at least one mixing unit installed on the bottom surface of the water tank to mix water and air and supply it into the water tank; a water supply unit installed at the bottom of the water tank to supply water to the mixing unit; and an air supply unit installed at the bottom of the water tank to supply air to the mixing unit, wherein the mixing unit comprises: a water pipe connection unit connected to the water supply unit to receive and discharge water from the water supply unit; a lower cap located above the water pipe connection unit, fixed at a distance from the top of the water pipe connection unit, and having a hole formed through it; an air pipe having one end inserted into the hole and the other end connected to the air supply unit to form a flow path so that air supplied from the air supply unit is discharged into the hole; and an upper cap formed above the lower cap at a distance from the lower cap.

[0010] In addition, the cross-sections of the lower cap and the upper cap, respectively, are arc-shaped with their centers located on the lower side.

[0011] In addition, the length of the string of the lower cap is greater than the length of the string of the upper cap.

[0012] In addition, the length of the string of the lower cap is smaller than the length of the string of the upper cap.

[0013] Additionally, the water tank includes a water intake port formed on the bottom surface and a buffer space located below the water intake port, a first water channel connecting the water supply unit and the mixing unit, a second water channel connecting the water supply unit and the buffer space, a drainage channel connected to the second water channel, and a drainage valve installed on the drainage channel to open and close the drainage channel.

[0014] Additionally, the water pipe connection includes an extension extending in the height direction and a coupling formed on the lower side of the extension and connected to the water supply unit.

[0015] In addition, it further includes a heater that controls the temperature of the water contained inside the tank.

[0016] In addition, the air piping is configured such that the first part on the mixing section side and the remaining second part can be separated and combined with each other based on an arbitrary position at the lower end of the mixing section, and

[0017] The first part comprises having one end coupled to a hole in the lower cap, and the second part comprises having one end configured to be coupled and detachable from the other end of the first part, and the other end connected to the air supply unit. Effects of the invention

[0019] According to various embodiments of the present invention, a large amount of water and high-pressure air are rapidly mixed in the mixing section, thereby forming a strong vortex to clean the object to be cleaned, which has the effect of improving cleaning efficiency.

[0020] In addition, according to the dishwasher of the embodiment, by installing a heater on the bottom surface of the water tank to maintain the water contained therein at a high temperature, there is an improved effect of being able to wash objects more easily.

[0021] In addition, according to the dishwasher of the embodiment, since water is not used in excess of what is necessary by circulating the water in the water tank, there is an effect of using water efficiently.

[0022] In addition, according to the dishwasher of the embodiment, since the circulation and drainage of water within the tank can be performed through a single pipe, there is an improved effect of being able to be simply configured. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dishwasher according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a dishwasher according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an upper plan view of a dishwasher according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views of a mixing section of a dishwasher according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the mixing section of a dishwasher according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the mixing section of a dishwasher according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the mixing section of a dishwasher according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0025] Hereinafter, the most preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail to enable a person skilled in the art to easily practice the present invention. The presented configuration may be extended to objects that produce the same purpose and effect. Sub-concepts of the presented configuration may be deemed implied even if not explicitly stated.

[0027] [First Example]

[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dishwasher according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a dishwasher according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a dishwasher according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, a dishwasher according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a water tank (100), a lower part (110), a mixing part (400), a water supply part (200), an air supply part (300), and a controller (500).

[0030] The mixer of the present invention is composed of a mixing section (400) that mixes water and air.

[0031] The water tank (100) is a part that accommodates water and objects to be washed, such as plates or bowls. The water tank (100) itself may be formed of a metal material that does not rust in water, such as stainless steel. At the bottom of the water tank (100), among the components described above, a lower part (110) is located that accommodates the water supply unit (200), the air supply unit (300), and related devices.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower part (110) is connected to the water tank (100) and supports the water tank (100), forming a kind of receiving space inside. The lower part (110) can also be formed of a metal material that does not rust in water, that is, the same material as the water tank (100), and can be formed of a material having sufficient rigidity to withstand the load of water and objects to be washed contained in the water tank (100).

[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the lower portion (110) may include an outer cover (111). The water supply unit (200) and air supply unit (300) described above may be accommodated inside the outer cover (111). A drain valve (20) may be exposed to the outside of the outer cover (111). A moving part (101) is formed at the bottom of the lower portion (110) so that the dishwasher according to the first embodiment of the present invention can be moved.

[0034] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the mixing unit (400) is installed on the bottom surface of the water tank (100) and configured to mix water and air and supply them into the water tank (100). The mixing unit (400) itself is formed across the upper and lower portions relative to the bottom surface of the water tank (100) and is connected to the water supply unit (200) and air supply unit (300), which will be described later, to receive water and air. In this embodiment, the mixing unit (400) may be located in the central portion relative to the bottom surface of the water tank (100), but the present invention does not limit the location of the mixing unit (400) to the central portion of the bottom surface of the water tank (100). The location of the mixing unit (400) can be freely changed on the bottom surface of the water tank (100) as needed, and at least one or more can be installed. In this case, it is natural that it is extended and connected to the water supply unit (200) and air supply unit (300) by a conventional connection method.

[0035] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the water supply unit (200) is located inside the lower part (110) and is connected to the mixing unit (400) to supply water to the mixing unit (400). The water supply unit (200) is connected to the mixing unit (400) through the first water flow path (40) and can receive water from the outside through the external water flow path (30). An external valve (10) that operates manually or automatically is formed in the external water flow path (30) so that the external water flow path (30) can be opened and closed to determine whether water is supplied from the outside, and the external valve (10) can be closed according to the user's needs and water can be supplied to the water tank (100) through any method such as a separate water valve (not shown) installed on the upper part of the water tank or a water hose.

[0036] The water supply unit (200) may include a motor for transporting water and an impeller connected to the rotating shaft of the motor and rotating. Water moving from the water supply unit (200) to the mixing unit (400) side through the first water flow path (40) is supplied while rotating to a certain degree through the impeller. The water supplied to the mixing unit (400) side while rotating by the impeller can be discharged while rotating inside the mixing unit (400).

[0037] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the air supply unit (300) is located at the lower part (110) and supplies air to the mixing unit (400). To this end, the air supply unit (300) may be connected to the mixing unit (400) through an air pipe (50). The air supply unit (300) may include a device such as a pump or a compressor for supplying air, and sucks in external air to supply high-pressure air to the mixing unit (400) through the air pipe (50).

[0038] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the controller (500) is a part for user operation and can be positioned in a manner attached to the upper part of the water tank (100), and can also be installed in multiple units by attaching them to the front part of the water tank (100). The controller (500) can control the operation of the water supply unit (200) and the air supply unit (300), and may be equipped with a button to operate the heater, which will be described later. More specifically, the controller (500) may be equipped with a button for driving / operating the water supply unit (200), the air supply unit (300), and the heater, and may also be equipped with a display that shows the current status information of the dishwasher (whether it is running, water temperature, etc.). For the above-described operation, the controller (500) may be connected to the water supply unit (200), the air supply unit (300), and the heater via wired or wireless connection, and the controller (500) may generate a control signal by operation of the user and transmit the control signal to at least one of the water supply unit (200), the air supply unit (300), and the heater.

[0039] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the dishwasher according to the first embodiment of the present invention may further include a heater (140).

[0040] In this embodiment, the heater (140) may be installed on the bottom surface of the water tank (100). The heater (140) controls the temperature of the water contained within the water tank (100). The reason the heater (140) controls the temperature of the water contained within the water tank (100) is that water at a higher temperature can more easily clean the object to be cleaned. The heater (140) may be composed of a type of heating element.

[0041] FIGS. 4 and FIGS. 5 are perspective views of the mixing section of a dishwasher according to the first embodiment of the present invention viewed from different angles, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the mixing section of a dishwasher according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] As illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6, in this embodiment, the mixing section (400) may include a water pipe connection section (410), a lower cap (430), a first support section (421), an upper cap (440), and a second support section (422), and may add an air pipe (50) as shown in FIG. 6.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the water pipe connection (410) has threads formed on its inner surface. The water pipe connection (410) is a part that is screw-coupled to the first water channel (40) through the threads formed on the outer surface of the first water channel (40) described above, and water that has moved to the first water channel (40) is discharged through the top.

[0044] The lower cap (430) is positioned above the water pipe connection part (410) but is fixed at a distance from the upper end of the water pipe connection part (410). To this end, both ends of the first support part (421) each connect the end of the water pipe connection part (410) and the lower cap (430). The first support part (421) is in the shape of a bar extending to one side, and at least two or more may be provided between the water pipe connection part (410) and the lower cap (430). In this embodiment, a total of three first support parts (421) may be provided between the water pipe connection part (410) and the lower cap (430). The three first support parts (421) may be spaced apart from each other at a certain angle and arranged radially with respect to the center of the water pipe connection part (410). In this embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a total of three first support parts (421) are arranged spaced apart at a certain angle. Therefore, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the first support member (421) at an angle of 120 degrees.

[0045] The lower cap (430) is a part for supplying water supplied through the water pipe connection (410) in all directions. To this end, the cross-section of the lower cap (430) may be in the shape of an arc with its center located at the bottom, and water that collides with the lower surface of the lower cap (430) through the water pipe connection (410) may be dispersed outward along the lower surface of the lower cap (430) and discharged.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a hole (431) may be formed through the center portion of the lower cap (430). An air pipe (50) may be inserted and fixed into the hole (431), and air supplied through the air pipe (50) may be supplied between the lower cap (430) and the upper cap (440), discharged into the space between the lower cap (430) and the upper cap (440), and mixed with water.

[0047] The upper cap (440) may also be spaced apart from the lower cap (430) to a certain extent on the upper part of the lower cap (430). The upper cap (440) is a part for efficiently mixing water and air while spraying and discharging air discharged through the hole (431) in all directions. The upper cap (440) may also have a cross-section in the shape of an arc with the center located at the bottom, and may not have a separate hole formed. A second support member (422) is formed between the lower cap (430) and the upper cap (440) to space the lower cap (430) and the upper cap (440) apart. The second support member (422) is a bar-shaped member that spaces the lower cap (430) and the upper cap (440) apart in the same way as the first support member (421), and multiple members may be positioned and connected between the lower cap (430) and the upper cap (440).

[0048] Referring to FIG. 6, the air pipe (50) can be configured in the middle part of the water pipe connection part (410). That is, it means that the air pipe (50) is inserted by penetrating the middle part of the water pipe connection part (410) or the first water flow path (40). In addition, the air pipe (50) of the mixing part (400) can be fitted into a hole formed in the lower cap (430).

[0049] Additionally, the air pipe coming from the air supply unit (300) is separated from the lower part of the mixing unit (400), and the separated pipes can be joined together by means such as fitting, and the joint part can be sealed to prevent air leakage. The part through which the air pipe (50) passes in the first water flow path (40) is sealed to prevent leakage of the first water flow path (40).

[0050] As illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6, in this embodiment, the length of the chord of the upper cap (440) may be shorter than the length of the chord of the lower cap (430). A chord is a line segment connecting the two ends of a circle or a curved arc. Based on FIG. 6, the length of the chord connecting two points of the upper cap (440) and the lower cap (430) at the same height is shorter for the upper cap (440) than for the lower cap (430). Through the above configuration, the present invention allows air to be discharged more effectively through the space between the lower cap (430) and the upper cap (440), thereby further improving the mixing efficiency of water and air.

[0051] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the water tank (100) includes a water intake port (120) and a buffer space (130). The water intake port (120) is formed by drilling a plurality of holes in the bottom surface of the water tank (100) to circulate the water contained in the water tank (100) and to reuse it for washing dishes located inside the water tank (100). As illustrated in FIG. 3, the water intake port (120) itself may be formed on both sides based on the bottom surface of the water tank (100), and may be formed in a certain portion or entirely.

[0052] The buffer space (130) is a portion located at the bottom of the water intake port (120). The buffer space (130) is a portion intended to prevent the circulation path itself from being blocked by the water intake port (120) itself. That is, even if some of the multiple water intake ports (120) are blocked by contaminants, the buffer space (130) is formed at the bottom of the water intake port (120), so it is not directly connected to the second water path (60) which serves as the water circulation path, and thus the second water path (60) itself is not blocked.

[0053] The second water path (60) may be branched out from the middle section and connected to the drainage path (70). A drainage valve (20) may be additionally installed on the drainage path (70) to open and close the drainage path (70), thereby operating to determine whether water is circulating or draining.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 1, the drain valve (20) is exposed to the outside of the lower part (110), so that the drain valve (20) can be operated more easily by the user.

[0055] The process of washing an object to be washed using a dishwasher according to the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 will be explained.

[0056] First, the user places a dish to be cleaned and a cleaning detergent inside the water tank (100), operates the controller (500), opens the external valve (10), and operates the water supply unit (200) and the air supply unit (300). During the above process, the drain valve (20) operates to close the drainage path (70). The water supply unit (200) is connected to the mixing unit (400) through the first water path (40) and can receive water from the outside through the external water path (30). Depending on the user's needs, the external valve (10) may be closed to shut it off, and water may be supplied to the water tank (100) through any method, such as a separate water valve (not shown) installed on the top of the water tank or a water hose.

[0057] When water is supplied through the external water channel (30), if it is determined that a sufficient amount of water has flowed into the water tank (100), the user closes the external water channel (30) by operating the controller (500) or the external valve (10). The user can control the temperature of the water to a constant level by operating the heater (140) by operating the controller (500) as needed.

[0058] When the user operates the controller (500) for cleaning, water inside the water tank (100) is mixed with air and circulated through the first water path (40), the water tank (100), the water intake port (120), and the second water path (60) to clean the object contained inside the water tank (100). Since this method does not use more water than necessary, it has the effect of using water efficiently.

[0059] When it is determined that the dishes have been sufficiently washed while circulating water, the user can operate the controller (500) to stop the operation of the water supply unit (200) and the air supply unit (300), and operate the drain valve (20) to open the drainage path (70) and discharge the water. Regarding the amount of water supplied through the external water path (30) described above, a flow meter may be installed on the external water path (30) to provide information to the user in a manner such as directly transmitting flow information to the controller (500) or an electronic device carried by the user.

[0060] In addition to the user directly operating the controller (500) or each component to control whether it operates as described above, there may also be an embodiment in which a separately programmed type of control device automatically controls each component [water supply unit (200), air supply unit (300), heater (140), external valve (10) and drain valve (20)] when a specific condition is met. In this case, the control device may be connected to each component via wired or wireless connection so as to apply control signals to each component and receive status information, and the control device may be implemented as an electronic device or a device including an electronic device that has been programmed with the operation described above.

[0061] In the washing process described above, additional materials that increase the washing efficiency of the object to be washed, such as washing balls or pieces of scouring pads, may be introduced into the water tank (100).

[0063] [2nd Example]

[0064] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the mixing section of a dishwasher according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] As illustrated in FIG. 7, the mixing section (400) of the dishwasher according to the second embodiment of the present invention is such that, in the mixing section (400) of the dishwasher according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above, the length of the string of the upper cap (440) is greater than the length of the string of the lower cap (430).

[0066] That is, in this embodiment, the upper cap (440) may be formed to cover the lower cap (430). In this case, the degree to which the discharge hole is covered by the upper cap (440) is greater than in the first embodiment described above, so that water and air are mixed more irregularly, and the vortex phenomenon is amplified.

[0067] In this embodiment, unlike the second support member (422) of the mixing section (400) of the dishwasher according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above, the first support member (421) is extended and formed so that the first support member (421) supports both the lower cap (430) and the upper cap (440). However, the present invention is not limited to the method of supporting the lower cap (430) and the upper cap (440) while separating them, in the case of the mixing section (400) of the dishwasher according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above, there may also be an embodiment in which a second support member (422) configured separately from the first support member (421) is provided to separate and support the lower cap (430) and the upper cap (440) from each other.

[0069] [3rd Example]

[0070] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the mixing section of a dishwasher according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0071] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the mixing section (400) of the dishwasher according to the third embodiment of the present invention is divided into an extension section (411) and a coupling section (412) in the water pipe connection section (410) of the mixing section (400) of the dishwasher according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above.

[0072] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the extension (411) has a tubular shape and extends in the height direction. When installed in the water tank (100), at least a portion of the extension (411) extends upward from the bottom surface of the water tank (100). That is, the lower cap (430) and the upper cap (440) located above the extension (411) are positioned above the mixing section (400) of the dishwasher according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention described above. This is to increase the portion where water and air are mixed and discharged according to the type of object to be cleaned or the cleaning environment, thereby further improving cleaning efficiency.

[0073] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the connecting part (412) is formed at the bottom of the extension part (411), and its diameter may be formed larger than or equal to that of the extension part (411). Screw threads are formed on the inner surface of the connecting part (412), and the connecting part (412) is screw-coupled with the first water pipe connection part (410). Additionally, the air pipe (50) of the mixing part (400) can be fitted into a hole formed in the lower cap (430). Furthermore, the air pipe (50) coming from the air supply part (300) can be separated into a first part on the mixing part (400) side and a second part remaining at the lower part of the mixing part (400). More specifically, one end of the first part can be coupled to the hole (431) of the lower cap (430), and the other end can be coupled to one end of the second part. The other end of the second part can be connected to the air supply part (300). The first part and the second part can be separated or joined in various ways, such as by fitting, and the joined parts can be sealed to prevent air leakage.

[0075] The technical concept of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the above-described embodiments. Not only is the scope of application diverse, but various modifications are possible at the level of a person skilled in the art without departing from the essence of the invention claimed in the claims. Therefore, such improvements and modifications fall within the scope of protection of the present invention insofar as they are obvious to a person skilled in the art. Explanation of the symbols

[0077] 10: External valve 20: Drain valve 30: External water channel 40: First water channel 50: Air piping 60: Second water flow path 70 : Drainage Euro 100 : Aquarium 101 : Moving part 110 : Lower part 111 : Outer cover 120 : Water intake 130 : Buffer space 140 : Heater 200: Water supply unit 300: Air supply unit 400: Mixing section 410: Water pipe connection section 411 : Extension part 412 : Connection part 421: 1st support section 422: 2nd support section 430 : Bottom cap 431 : Hole 440 : Top cap 500 : Controller

Claims

Claim 1 A mixer used in a dishwasher comprising: a water pipe connection portion for supplying and discharging water; a lower cap located above the water pipe connection portion, fixed at a distance from the upper end of the water pipe connection portion, and having a hole formed through it; an air pipe having one end inserted into the hole and the other end connected to an air supply portion to form a flow path so that air supplied from the air supply portion is discharged into the hole; and an upper cap formed above the lower cap at a distance from the lower cap; wherein the cross-sections of the lower cap and the upper cap are each shaped like an arc with the center located at the lower side. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 A mixer according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the string of the lower cap is greater than the length of the string of the upper cap. Claim 4 A mixer according to claim 1, characterized in that the length of the string of the lower cap is smaller than the length of the string of the upper cap. Claim 5 A mixer according to claim 1, wherein the water pipe connection part comprises: an extension part extending in the height direction; and a coupling part formed on the lower side of the extension part and connected to a water supply part. Claim 6 A mixer according to claim 1, wherein the air piping is configured such that a first part and a second part, which is the remainder, are separable and connectable to each other, and one end of the first part is connected to a hole in the lower cap, and one end of the second part is configured such that it is separable and connectable to the other end of the first part, and the other end is connected to the air supply unit. Claim 7 A dishwasher comprising a mixer according to any one of paragraphs 1 and 3 through 6.

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