Dishwasher

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dishwasher having a rod-shaped light-emitting surface of which the longitudinal width is much larger than the transverse width, wherein the light-emitting surface of a lighting device can be disposed as close as possible to the open front surface of a tub to improve light-emitting efficiency and visibility of the dishes placed inside the tub.

Description

dishwasher

[0001] The present invention relates to a dishwasher, and more particularly, to a dishwasher having a light-emitting surface having a rod shape in which a longitudinal width is much larger than a transverse width, and wherein the light-emitting surface of a lighting device is positioned as close as possible to the open front surface of a tub, thereby improving visibility and light-emitting efficiency of dishes placed inside a tub.

[0002]

[0003] A dishwasher is a device that washes items stored inside, such as dishes and cooking utensils, by spraying a cleaning solution, such as water. The cleaning solution may contain detergent.

[0004] A dishwasher is generally configured to include a tub that forms a washing space, a storage section that accommodates items to be washed inside the washing tub, a spray arm that sprays washing water into the storage section, and a sump that stores water and supplies washing water to the spray arm.

[0005] By using this dishwasher, the time and effort required to wash dishes and other items after a meal can be reduced, contributing to user convenience.

[0006] Typically, a dishwasher is configured to perform a washing cycle for washing an object to be washed, a rinsing cycle for rinsing the object to be washed, and a drying cycle for drying the object to be washed after washing and rinsing are completed.

[0007] Before the process, the user must open and close the door to store the dishes inside the dishwasher and to take out the washed and dried dishes after the process is completed.

[0008] In order to effectively check the storage status of dishes and the washing status of dishes without pulling the storage compartment containing dishes out of the tub when opening and closing the door, at least one lighting device may be provided inside the tub.

[0009] Considering the shape of the tub in the form of a box with an open front, the lighting device can be positioned to irradiate visible light toward the dishes on either the rear side or both sides of the tub that constitute the inner surface of the tub.

[0010] However, the lighting device applied to the dishwasher may be provided in the form of a point light with a relatively small light-emitting area.

[0011] Therefore, it is generally difficult to effectively illuminate dishes stored in a tub using only a single lighting device.

[0012] In this regard, U.S. Patent Publication No. 10,281,134 (Prior Document 001) discloses a configuration of a dishwasher equipped with a lighting device of the surface lighting type having a light-emitting surface having a relatively much larger light-emitting area than that of the point lighting type.

[0013] The lighting device of the dishwasher disclosed in prior art document 001 may be provided in multiple units, and each unit may be arranged to be fixed to the rear surface of the tub.

[0014] At this time, the light source unit, which constitutes each lighting device and is composed of electric components, is configured to be fixed to the outer surface of the rear surface of the tub so as not to be affected by the high temperature and humidity environment formed inside the tub.

[0015] On the rear surface of the tub, a plurality of openings are formed with an open area corresponding to the area of ​​the light-emitting surface corresponding to each lighting device to allow visible light generated from the light source to be introduced into the interior of the tub.

[0016]

[0017] The lighting device of the aforementioned prior art document 001 is arranged inside the rear surface of the tub so that the light-emitting surface is parallel to the rear surface of the tub, and the light-emitting surface is configured to illuminate the interior of the tub by irradiating visible light from the rear surface of the tub toward the front surface.

[0018] Therefore, since the light-emitting surface of the lighting device is blocked by the dishes placed in the storage unit, the lighting effect on the dishes placed in the front of the storage unit is inevitably reduced, which is a problem.

[0019] Additionally, the lighting device of prior art document 001 is configured such that some of the components are placed outside the tub and the remaining components are placed inside the tub.

[0020] In this way, a plurality of fasteners extend through the tub as a means for fastening the components of the lighting device placed inside the tub and the components of the lighting device placed outside the tub together to the tub.

[0021] Accordingly, the dishwasher of prior art document 001 has a problem in that the rigidity of the rear surface of the tub where the through hole and the fastening hole are formed is inevitably significantly reduced because, in addition to the through hole having a considerably large open area corresponding to the area of ​​the light-emitting surface, a fastening hole through which each fastener passes must be formed around the through hole.

[0022] In addition, the dishwasher of prior art document 001 has the problem that the manufacturing cost and manufacturing time may increase due to additional processing of fastening holes in addition to the through holes.

[0023] The present invention has been devised to solve the problems of the prior art, and its first object is to provide a dishwasher having a light-emitting surface having a rod shape in which the longitudinal width is much larger than the transverse width, and in which the light-emitting surface of the lighting device is positioned as close as possible to the open front surface of the tub, thereby improving the visibility and light-emitting efficiency of dishes placed inside the tub.

[0024] In addition, the present invention has a second object of providing a dishwasher in which space utilization can be maximized by arranging the light-emitting surface as close as possible to the front surface of the tub, but arranging the lighting device and the light-emitting surface in a position where interference with other components of the dishwasher can be minimized.

[0025] In addition, the third object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher in which the lighting device is configured to be positioned entirely within the tub, thereby minimizing the size of the opening, thereby effectively preventing a decrease in rigidity of the tub and significantly reducing the possibility of leakage.

[0026] The objectives of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Other objectives and advantages of the present invention not mentioned above can be understood through the following description and will be more clearly understood through the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objectives and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims.

[0027]

[0028] A dishwasher according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a tub that accommodates dishes and forms a washing space with an open front; a storage portion that is retractably arranged in the washing space and on which the dishes are placed; a guide rail that is arranged in the washing space and supports the storage portion with respect to the tub so that it is retractable; and a lighting device that has a light-emitting surface that irradiates visible light toward the washing space and is installed on an inner surface of the tub; wherein the light-emitting surface is characterized in that it extends linearly from one edge to the other edge.

[0029] In addition, the above-mentioned edge may be the upper edge of the light-emitting surface, and the above-mentioned other edge may be the lower edge of the light-emitting surface.

[0030] Additionally, the gap between the upper edge and the lower edge can be maintained constant while progressing from the front edge of the light-emitting surface toward the rear edge of the light-emitting surface.

[0031] Additionally, the gap between the front edge and the rear edge can be maintained constant while progressing from the upper edge toward the lower edge.

[0032] In addition, the tub includes an upper tub forming an upper surface of the tub; a bottom tub forming a lower surface of the tub; and a mid tub disposed between the upper tub and the bottom tub and coupled to the upper tub and the bottom tub, respectively; and the upper end may be disposed at a position lower than a joint formed by connecting the upper tub and the mid tub in the vertical direction.

[0033] In addition, the guide rail includes a top rail positioned at the uppermost side in the vertical direction; a lower rail positioned at the lowermost side in the vertical direction; and an upper rail positioned between the top rail and the lower rail in the vertical direction; and the upper rail may be positioned closer to the joint between the joint and the upper rail in the vertical direction.

[0034] In addition, the guide rail includes a top rail positioned at the uppermost side in the vertical direction; a lower rail positioned at the lowermost side in the vertical direction; and an upper rail positioned between the top rail and the lower rail in the vertical direction; and the lower edge may be positioned between the upper rail and the lower rail in the vertical direction.

[0035] Additionally, the lower edge may be positioned closer to the lower rail among the upper rail and the lower rail in the vertical direction.

[0036] In addition, the guide rail includes a top rail positioned at the uppermost side in the vertical direction; a lower rail positioned at the lowermost side in the vertical direction; and an upper rail positioned between the top rail and the lower rail in the vertical direction; and the front edge of the light-emitting surface may be positioned further rearward than the front end of the lower rail in the front-back direction.

[0037] Additionally, the front edge of the light-emitting surface may be positioned further forward than the front end of the upper rail in the front-back direction.

[0038] Additionally, the lighting device can be fixed to at least one inner surface of the left or right side of the tub.

[0039] In addition, at least one of the left side or the right side of the tub is provided with an opening that connects the inside and the outside of the tub, and the lighting device can be placed in the tub across the inside and the outside of the tub by passing through the opening.

[0040] In addition, the lighting device includes a light source unit that generates the visible light; a light guide plate that converts the movement path of the visible light generated from the light source unit; a housing that has a first receiving space that accommodates the light guide plate and a second receiving space that accommodates the light source unit; and a cover that is coupled to the housing and closes the first receiving space, and has a diffusion plate that forms the light-emitting surface and diffuses visible light introduced through the light guide plate toward the light-emitting surface; and an insert portion that protrudes toward the inner surface of the tub and extends to the outside of the tub through the opening portion is provided on one side of the housing, and the housing can be entirely disposed inside the tub except for the insert portion.

[0041] Additionally, the lighting device can be fixed to the tub by the insert portion.

[0042] In addition, the second receiving space is formed inside the insert portion, and one end of the light source portion can extend to the outside of the tub through the insert portion and the opening.

[0043] Meanwhile, a dishwasher according to another embodiment of the present invention comprises: a tub that accommodates dishes and forms a washing space with an open front; a storage portion that is retractably arranged in the washing space and on which the dishes are placed; a guide rail that is arranged in the washing space and supports the storage portion in a retractable manner with respect to the tub; and a lighting device that is installed on an inner surface of the tub and has a light-emitting surface that irradiates visible light toward the washing space; wherein the light-emitting surface linearly extends from one edge to the other edge, the one edge being a front edge of the light-emitting surface, and the other edge being a rear edge of the light-emitting surface.

[0044] In addition, the guide rail includes a top rail positioned at the uppermost side in the vertical direction; a lower rail positioned at the lowermost side in the vertical direction; and an upper rail positioned between the top rail and the lower rail in the vertical direction; and the front edge may be positioned further rearward than the front end of the lower rail in the front-back direction.

[0045] Additionally, the shear edge may be positioned further rearward than the front end of the upper rail in the forward-rear direction.

[0046] Additionally, the light-emitting surface may include a first light-emitting surface and a second light-emitting surface that are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction.

[0047] In addition, the first light-emitting surface may be arranged between the lower rail and the upper rail in the vertical direction, and the second light-emitting surface may be arranged between the upper rail and the top rail in the vertical direction.

[0048]

[0049] A dishwasher according to the present invention has a light-emitting surface having a rod shape in which the longitudinal width is much larger than the transverse width, and the light-emitting surface of the lighting device is positioned as close as possible to the open front surface of the tub, thereby having the effect of improving visibility and light-emitting efficiency for dishes placed inside the tub.

[0050] In addition, the dishwasher according to the present invention has the effect of maximizing space utilization by arranging the light-emitting surface as close as possible to the front surface of the tub, but arranging the lighting device and the light-emitting surface in a position where interference with other components of the dishwasher can be minimized.

[0051] In addition, the dishwasher according to the present invention has the effect of minimizing the size of the opening by configuring the lighting device to be positioned entirely within the tub, thereby effectively preventing a decrease in the rigidity of the tub and significantly reducing the possibility of leakage.

[0052] In addition to the effects described above, specific effects of the present invention are described below while explaining specific details for carrying out the invention.

[0053]

[0054] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the dishwasher illustrated in Figure 1.

[0056] Figure 3 is a front perspective view showing the dishwasher door of Figure 1 in an open state.

[0057] Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the door of the dishwasher illustrated in Figure 1.

[0058] Figure 5 is a partial enlarged view of Figure 3.

[0059] FIG. 6 is a partial enlarged view of FIG. 3, which is a drawing for explaining the arrangement position of the lower part of the light-emitting surface of the lighting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] FIG. 7 is a partial enlarged view of FIG. 3, and is a drawing for explaining the arrangement position of the upper part of the light-emitting surface of the lighting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of a lighting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the lighting device illustrated in Fig. 8 installed in a tub.

[0063] Figures 10 and 11 are front perspective views showing the process of attaching the lighting device shown in Figure 8 to the left side of the tub.

[0064] Fig. 12 is a partially enlarged view of a dishwasher for explaining the arrangement of a lighting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0065]

[0066] The above-described objects, features, and advantages will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the technical idea of ​​the present invention. In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of known technologies related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar components.

[0067] Although terms like "first" and "second" are used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used merely to distinguish one component from another, and unless otherwise specified, a "first" component may also be a "second" component.

[0068] Throughout the specification, unless otherwise specifically stated, each element may be singular or plural.

[0069] Hereinafter, the phrase "any configuration is placed on (or below)" a component or "on (or below)" a component may mean that any configuration is placed in contact with the upper surface (or lower surface) of said component, and that other configurations may be interposed between said component and any configuration placed on (or below) said component.

[0070] Additionally, when it is described that a component is "connected," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the components may be directly connected or connected to one another, but that other components may also be "interposed" between the components, or that each component may be "connected," "coupled," or "connected" through another component.

[0071] As used herein, singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "consisting of" or "comprising" should not necessarily be construed to include all of the components or steps described in the specification, and should be construed to mean that some of the components or steps may not be included, or that additional components or steps may be included.

[0072] Additionally, the singular expressions used herein include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "consist of" or "comprises" should not be construed to necessarily include all of the various components or various steps described in the specification, and should be construed to mean that some of the components or some of the steps may not be included, or that additional components or steps may be included.

[0073] Throughout the specification, when we refer to "A and / or B", this means A, B, or A and B, unless otherwise stated, and when we refer to "C through D", this means C or more and D or less, unless otherwise stated.

[0074] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to drawings showing a configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] [Overall structure of a dishwasher]

[0076] Hereinafter, the overall structure of the dishwasher (1) according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0077] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view showing a dishwasher (1) according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view briefly showing the internal structure of the dishwasher (1) according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a front perspective view showing the dishwasher (1) with the door (30) open.

[0078] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, a dishwasher (1) according to the present invention comprises a case (10) forming an outer shape, a tub (20) installed inside the case (10) and forming a washing space (21, 21a) in which an object to be washed is washed and having an open front surface, a door (30) for opening and closing the open front surface of the tub (20), a driving unit (40) located at the bottom of the tub (20) for supplying, collecting, circulating, and draining washing water for washing an object to be washed, a storage unit (50) detachably provided in the internal washing space (21, 21a) of the tub (20) for placing an object to be washed, and a spray unit installed adjacent to the storage unit (50) for spraying washing water for washing an object to be washed.

[0079] At this time, the objects to be washed placed in the storage unit (50) may be, for example, dishes, plates, spoons, chopsticks, and other cooking utensils. Unless otherwise stated, the objects to be washed will be referred to as dishes.

[0080] The tub (20) can be formed in a box shape with the front surface entirely open, and corresponds to a configuration known as a so-called washing tank.

[0081] A washing space (21, 21a) is formed inside the tub (20), and the open front surface (22) can be opened and closed by a door (30).

[0082] The tub (20) can be formed by pressing a metal plate that is resistant to high temperature and moisture, for example, a plate made of stainless steel.

[0083] In addition, a number of brackets may be arranged on the inner surface of the tub (20) for the purpose of supporting and installing functional components such as the storage section (50) and the injection section described later inside the tub (20).

[0084] Meanwhile, the driving unit (40) may be configured to include a sump (41) for storing washing water, a sump cover (42) for dividing the sump (41) from the tub (20), a water supply unit (43) for supplying washing water from the outside to the sump (41), a drain unit (44) for discharging the washing water of the sump (41) to the outside, and a washing pump (45) and a supply path (46) for supplying the washing water of the sump (41) to the injection unit. The sump cover (42) is arranged on the upper side of the sump (41) and may serve to divide the tub (20) and the sump (41).

[0085] Additionally, the sump cover (42) may be provided with a plurality of recovery holes for recovering the washing water sprayed into the washing space (21, 21a) through the spray unit into the sump (41).

[0086] That is, the washing water sprayed from the spray unit toward the dishes falls to the lower part of the washing space (21, 21a) and can be returned to the sump (41) through the sump cover (42).

[0087] The washing pump (45) is provided on one side of the sump (41) and serves to pressurize washing water and supply it to the spray unit.

[0088] One end of the washing pump (45) may be connected to the sump (41) and the other end may be connected to the supply path (46). The washing pump (45) may be equipped with an impeller (451) and a motor (453). When power is supplied to the motor (453), the impeller (451) rotates, and the washing water in the sump (41) is pressurized and then supplied to the injection unit through the supply path (46).

[0089] Although not shown, the washing pump (45) may be equipped with a washing water heater to heat the washing water supplied during the washing cycle or the heated rinsing cycle.

[0090] Meanwhile, the supply path (46) can play a role in selectively supplying the washing water supplied from the washing pump (45) to the spray unit.

[0091] For example, the supply path (46) may include a first supply path (461) connected to the lower injection arm (61), a second supply path (463) connected to the upper injection arm (62) and the top nozzle (63), and the supply path (46) may be provided with a supply path switching valve (465) that selectively opens and closes the supply paths (461, 463).

[0092] At this time, the supply path switching valve (465) can be controlled so that each of the supply paths (461, 463) is opened sequentially or simultaneously.

[0093] Meanwhile, the spray unit is provided to spray washing water onto dishes, etc. stored in the storage unit (50).

[0094] More specifically, the spray unit may include a lower spray arm (61) located at the bottom of the tub (20) and spraying washing water to the lower rack (51), an upper spray arm (62) located between the lower rack (51) and the upper rack (52) and spraying washing water to the lower rack (51) and the upper rack (52), and a top nozzle (63) located at the top of the tub (20) and spraying washing water to the top rack (53) or the upper rack (52).

[0095] In particular, the lower spray arm (61) and the upper spray arm (62) are rotatably provided in the washing space (21, 21a) of the tub (20) so as to spray washing water while rotating toward the dishes in the storage unit (50).

[0096] The lower spray arm (61) can be rotatably supported on the upper side of the sump cover (42) so as to be able to spray washing water toward the lower rack (51) while rotating at the lower side of the lower rack (51).

[0097] Additionally, the upper spray arm (62) can be rotatably supported by the spray arm holder (467) so as to be able to spray the washing water while rotating between the lower rack (51) and the upper rack (52).

[0098] Meanwhile, although not shown, the lower surface (25) of the tub (20) may further be provided with a means for diverting the washing water sprayed from the lower spray arm (61) in an upward direction (U-direction) to increase the washing efficiency.

[0099] Since the detailed configuration of the injection unit is applicable to a configuration already known in the art, a description of the specific configuration of the injection unit is omitted below.

[0100] Meanwhile, a storage compartment (50) for storing dishes may be provided in the washing space (21, 21a).

[0101] The storage section (50) is provided so as to be withdrawable from the inside of the tub (20) through the open front surface of the tub (20).

[0102] By way of example, FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment in which a storage compartment is provided, including a lower rack (51) located at the bottom of a tub (20) and capable of storing relatively large dishes, an upper rack (52) located above the lower rack (51) and capable of storing medium-sized dishes, and a top rack (53) located at the top of the tub (20) and capable of storing small dishes, etc. The present invention is not limited thereto, but will be described based on an embodiment of a dishwasher (1) provided with three storage compartments (50) as illustrated.

[0103] These lower racks (51), upper racks (52) and top racks (53) can each be configured to be pulled out through the open front face of the tub (20).

[0104] To this end, guide rails (54) may be provided on both sides of the wall forming the inner surface of the tub (20), and as described below, the guide rails (54) may include, for example, an upper rail (542), a lower rail (541), and a top rail (543).

[0105] Wheels may be provided at the bottom of each of the lower racks (51), upper racks (52), and top racks (53). Users can store dishes in these lower racks (51), upper racks (52), and top racks (53) by pulling them out through the front of the tub (20), or can easily take out washed dishes from them.

[0106] The guide rail (54) may be provided as a fixed guide rail in the form of a simple rail for guiding withdrawal and insertion of the storage unit (50) or as an elastic guide rail for guiding withdrawal and insertion of the storage unit (50) and increasing the withdrawal distance according to withdrawal of the storage unit (50). For example, the lower rail (541) may be provided as a fixed guide rail, and the top rail (543) and the upper rail (542) may be provided as elastic guide rails.

[0107] Meanwhile, the door (30) has the purpose of opening and closing the open front surface (22) of the above-described tub (20).

[0108] A hinge part (not shown) for opening and closing the door (30) is provided at the lower part of the front surface that is normally open, and the door (30) can be opened by rotating around the hinge part as a rotation axis.

[0109] Here, the outer surface of the door (30) may be provided with a handle (31) for opening the door (30) and a control panel (32) for controlling the operation of the dishwasher (1).

[0110] As illustrated, the control panel (32) may be equipped with a display (33) that visually displays information about the current operating status of the dishwasher (1), a button section (34) including a selection button for inputting a user's course selection operation, and a power button for inputting a user's operation for turning the dishwasher on and off.

[0111] Meanwhile, the rear panel (30b) forming the inner side of the door (30) can form one side of the tub (20) when the door (30) is closed and at the same time form a seating surface on which the lower rack (51) of the storage section (50) can be supported when the door (30) is fully opened.

[0112] For this purpose, when the door (30) is fully opened, it is preferable that the rear panel (30b) of the door (30) form a horizontal plane in the same direction as the direction in which the guide rail (54) along which the lower rack (51) is guided extends.

[0113] As shown in Fig. 4, the rear panel (30b) constituting the inner side of the door (30) may further be provided with a detergent supply device (200) for automatically supplying detergent into the interior of the tub (20).

[0114] Additionally, a door position detection unit (36) may be provided on the outer side of the upper surface of the tub (20) to detect whether the door (30) is closed or open. For example, the door position detection unit (36) may include a door position sensor (S_d) or a latch sensor that detects the position of a door latch (not shown).

[0115] Meanwhile, a drying air supply unit (80) may be provided at the bottom of the tub (20) to generate and supply high-temperature or low-temperature drying air to the washing space inside the tub (20).

[0116] As shown, the drying air supply unit (80) may be configured to include a filter member (883) that filters outside air, a blower fan (825) that generates a drying air stream, a heater (84) that heats the drying air stream, and an air flow guide (83) that is placed inside the tub (20) and guides the drying air stream.

[0117] By supplying high-temperature drying air or low-temperature drying air through a drying air supply unit (80) like this into the interior of the tub (20) during the drying cycle (S5), the drying efficiency and sterilization effect on dishes can be significantly improved compared to the past.

[0118] Meanwhile, some of the air current supplied to the inside of the tub (20) and humidified while drying dishes may be discharged to the outside, and the remaining part may be configured to be sucked into the drying air supply unit (80). The discharge of the air current may be accomplished through partial opening of the door (30) or through a separate exhaust means not shown.

[0119] In addition, a lighting device (71) may be further provided inside the tub (20) as a means for illuminating the washing space (21, 21a) by irradiating visible light.

[0120] The lighting device (71) can be placed on at least one of the right side (27) and the left side (26) of the inner surface of the tub (20) so as to effectively illuminate the washing space (21, 21a).

[0121] Through this lighting device (71), even in a situation where the aforementioned storage unit (50) is not pulled out of the tub (20), the user can effectively check the storage status of the dishes placed in the storage unit (50) and the washing status of the dishes.

[0122] To minimize power consumption, the lighting device (71) can be turned on and supplied with power only when the door (30) is confirmed to be open through the door position detection unit (36).

[0123] The detailed configuration of each embodiment of the lighting device (71) is described below with reference to FIG. 5 and below.

[0124] [Detailed configuration of the lighting device according to the first embodiment]

[0125] Hereinafter, a lighting device (71) according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 11.

[0126] First, referring to FIG. 5, the lighting device (71) according to the first embodiment of the present invention can be arranged to be fixed to at least one of the left side (26) or the right side (27) of the tub (20).

[0127] More specifically, as shown, a lighting device (71) for illuminating the interior of the tub (20) can be placed on the left side (26) and the right side (27) of the tub (20) at positions as close as possible to the open front side (22) of the tub (20).

[0128] At this time, the lighting device (71) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may be provided as a pair having the same size and appearance on the left side (26) of the tub (20) and the right side (27) of the tub (20), respectively.

[0129] In this way, by configuring the lighting device (71) to be equipped with only one pair, the number of lighting devices (71) can be minimized, and as described later, the number of openings to be formed on the left side (26) and right side (27) of the tub (20) can be minimized.

[0130] In order to increase the lighting efficiency for dishes placed in the washing space (21a) of the tub (20) and to minimize interference with the second supply path (463), a pair of lighting devices (71) can be placed at positions symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane dividing the tub (20) into left and right directions.

[0131] Meanwhile, the lighting devices (71) provided as a pair can be formed to have the same shape and size, with only the positions where they are arranged being different.

[0132] Therefore, the following description will be based on the lighting device (71) placed on the left side (26) of the tub (20), and unless otherwise stated, the contents described below can be equally applied to the lighting device (71) placed on the right side.

[0133] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the lighting device (71) according to the first embodiment of the present invention is configured to illuminate the interior of the tub (20) in a surface-emitting manner.

[0134] At this time, in order to effectively illuminate the interior of the tub (20), the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) is positioned as close as possible to the front surface (22) of the tub (20), and can be arranged to extend linearly in the up-down direction from one edge to the other edge.

[0135] In this case, when arranged to extend linearly in the vertical direction, one edge of the light-emitting surface (71a) can be the upper edge (71a1), and the other edge of the light-emitting surface (71a) can be the lower edge (71a2).

[0136] As illustrated, the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) may be provided in an approximately rectangular shape, and more specifically, may be provided in a bar shape in which the vertical width is much larger than the horizontal width. In other words, the vertical direction may be the longitudinal direction of the light-emitting surface (71a).

[0137] For example, the ratio of the vertical width to the horizontal width can be set to 20:1 to 30:1.

[0138] At this time, as illustrated, the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) can be maintained at a constant distance while the gap between the upper edge (71a1) and the lower edge (71a2) progresses from the front edge (71a3) toward the rear edge (71a4), and the gap between the front edge (71a3) and the rear edge (71a4) can be maintained at a constant distance while progressing from the upper edge (71a1) toward the lower edge (71a2).

[0139] Accordingly, the lighting device (71) according to the first embodiment of the present invention can continuously irradiate visible light having a uniform amount of light in the up-down direction toward dishes placed inside the tub (20).

[0140] Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the upper edge (71a1) of the light-emitting surface (71a) having a rectangular shape can be positioned so as to be placed higher than the upper rail (542) in the vertical direction, and preferably, it can be positioned closer to the upper joint (20d) between the upper joint (20d) formed when the upper tub (20) and the mid tub (20) constituting the tub (20) are joined and the upper rail (542).

[0141] More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the tub (20) forming the washing space (21a) of the dishwasher (1) may be composed of a plurality of parts.

[0142] For example, the tub (20) may be composed of three parts.

[0143] In the case where the tub (20) is composed of three parts, the tub (20) may include an upper tub (20a) forming an upper surface (24), a bottom tub (20c) forming a lower surface (25) of the tub (20), and a mid tub (20b) positioned between the upper tub (20a) and the bottom tub (20c) and coupled to each of them. The mid tub (20) may form a left side (26), a right side (27), and a rear side (23) of the tub (20).

[0144] The upper tub (20a) forming the upper surface (24) of the tub (20) can be formed by pressing a metal plate having a predetermined heat resistance and corrosion resistance, preferably a stainless steel plate.

[0145] At this time, the side edges and rear edges of the upper tub (20a) coupled to the mid tub (20b) can be formed as curved surfaces having a predetermined curvature.

[0146] In addition, the upper tub (20a) forms the upper edge of the open front surface (22) of the tub (20). As illustrated in FIG. 4, the open front surface (22) of the tub (20) may be relatively weak in strength and thus may be easily deformed by external force. To prevent such deformation, the front edge of the upper tub (20a), which forms the upper edge of the front surface (22), may be provided with an upwardly extending surface extending in a flange shape.

[0147] The bottom tub (20c) forming the lower surface (25) of the tub (20) can be formed, like the upper tub (20a), by press processing of a metal plate having a predetermined heat resistance and corrosion resistance, preferably a stainless steel plate.

[0148] At this time, the side edges and rear edges of the bottom tub (20c) that are combined with the mid tub (20b) can be formed as curved surfaces having a predetermined curvature.

[0149] In addition, a sump hole for mounting a sump for storing washing water may be formed in the center of the bottom tub (20c), and a mounting surface for supporting a lower rack (51) may be formed on the side.

[0150] As shown in Fig. 3, a base (90) having a predetermined receiving space formed therein can be combined on the lower side of the bottom tub (20c).

[0151] As with the upper tub (20a) and the bottom tub (20c), the mid tub (20b) forming the two sides (26, 27) and the rear side (23) of the tub can be formed by pressing a metal plate having a predetermined heat resistance and corrosion resistance, preferably a stainless steel plate.

[0152] As shown, the side edges and rear edge of the upper tub (20a) can be joined with the upper edge of the mid tub (20b).

[0153] Additionally, the side edges and rear edges of the bottom tub (20c) can be joined to the lower edge of the mid tub (20b).

[0154] At this time, in order to prevent leakage of washing water and to ensure a strong bond between them, the upper tub (20a) and the mid tub (20b), and the mid tub (20b) and the bottom tub (20c) can be joined to each other by welding, for example, by seam welding.

[0155] Here, as is known in the art, deep welding is a type of electric resistance welding that performs continuous spot welding with a roller-shaped electrode, and is a welding method mainly used for joints that require airtightness and watertightness.

[0156] To form the tub (20), it is divided into three parts: an upper tub (20a), a mid tub (20b), and a bottom tub (20c). However, if the seam welding method is used, the welding line is formed on the same plane. Therefore, the processing time required for the welding operation can be reduced compared to other welding methods, which can have the advantage of being possible.

[0157] In particular, as shown in FIG. 6, an upper joint (20d) can be formed at a portion where the upper tub (20) and the mid tub (20) are joined by deep welding, and the position of the upper edge (71a1) of the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) can be set so that interference with the upper joint (20d) does not occur and so that it is lower than the upper joint (20d), which becomes the upper limit point at which the light-emitting surface (71a) can be linearly extended.

[0158] Meanwhile, the lower edge (71a2) of the light-emitting surface (71a) can be positioned so as to be placed between the upper rail (542) and the lower rail (541) in the vertical direction, and preferably, can be positioned closer to the lower rail (541) than to the upper rail (542).

[0159] Accordingly, the lower edge (71a2) of the light-emitting surface (71a) can be extended to a position lower than the upper end of the lower rack (51) that is retractably supported on the lower rail (541).

[0160] Meanwhile, as described above, the light emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) can be positioned as close as possible to the open front surface (22) of the tub (20), unlike in the past.

[0161] As described above, the open front side (22) of the tub (20) is closed by the rear panel (30b) of the door (30).

[0162] As shown in Fig. 4, in order to more effectively seal the open front surface (22) of the tub (20), the rear panel (30b) of the door (30) may be provided with a rear protruding surface (30b1) that is formed convexly toward the tub (20).

[0163] The rear protrusion (30b1) of the rear panel (30b) passes through the open front surface (22) of the tub (20) and enters the interior of the tub (20), so that when the door (30) is closed, the open front surface (22) of the tub (20) can be effectively sealed.

[0164] In this way, a door joining space (21b) can be formed in the front area of ​​the internal space (21) of the tub (20) so that entry into the rear panel (30b) of the door (30) can be easily formed.

[0165] The door coupling space (21b) may have a shape that is more extended toward the front than the washing space (21a) so as to have a larger cross-sectional area than the washing space (21a), which is the rear area of ​​the internal space (21) of the tub (20).

[0166] Although not shown, a door gasket may be provided on the rear side of the door joint space (21b) to improve the sealing performance between the rear panel (30b) of the door (30) and the tub (20).

[0167] In this way, considering the spatial constraints in which the rear panel (30b) of the door (30) is inserted, the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) can be arranged on the front edge side of the washing space (21a) where the washing space (21a) is the starting point, immediately behind the door gasket.

[0168] More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 5, a front end of a lower rail (541) may be formed at the starting point of the washing space (21a), and the lower rail (541) may extend linearly from the front end toward the rear surface (23) of the tub (20).

[0169] Accordingly, the lower edge (71a2) of the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) can be arranged higher than the lower rail (541) in the vertical direction by avoiding the lower rail (541), and the front edge (71a3) of the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) can be arranged further rearward than the front end of the lower rail (541) in the front-back direction.

[0170] In addition, the front edge (71a3) of the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) can be positioned further rearward in the front-rear direction than the door gasket into which the rear panel (30b) of the door (30) is inserted so as to avoid the rear panel (30b) of the door (30).

[0171] At this time, as shown in Fig. 5, the front end of the upper rail (542) may be placed further rearward in the forward-backward direction than the front end of the lower rail (541).

[0172] Accordingly, the front edge (71a3) of the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) can be positioned further forward than the front end of the upper rail (542) and the upper rail bracket (not shown) that supports the upper rail (542) so that it can be withdrawn from the tub (20) in the front-back direction.

[0173] That is, the front edge (71a3) of the light-emitting surface (71a) can be placed between the front end of the upper rail (542) and the front end of the lower rail (541) in the front-back direction, and accordingly, the portion of the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) that is covered by the upper rail (542) and the upper rack (52) can be minimized, and the light-emitting efficiency of the lighting device (71) can be improved.

[0174] Meanwhile, the rear edge (71a4) of the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) may be configured to be at the same position as the front end of the upper rail (542) in the front-back direction or to be positioned further rearward than the upper rail (542).

[0175] In addition, the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) according to the first embodiment of the present invention is arranged in the tub (20) so as to extend linearly in a direction intersecting with the extension direction of the upper rail (542), i.e., in the up-down direction. In addition, as described above, the upper rail (542) may be provided as a telescopic rail so as to support the upper rack (52) so as to be retractable.

[0176] Therefore, in order to prevent interference during the withdrawal / intake process of the upper rack (52), the thickness in the left / right direction of the portion of the lighting device (71) placed on the inner surface of the left side (26) of the tub (20) may be set to be smaller than the gap between the upper rail (542) placed on the left side (26) of the tub (20) and the left side (26) of the tub (20).

[0177] Meanwhile, since the open front surface (22) of the door (30) cannot but have relatively low rigidity, a reinforcing means may be added in addition to the upward extension surface of the flange shape described above.

[0178] The reinforcing means of the tub (20) may be a tub frame (29) attached to the outer surface of the tub (20) as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7.

[0179] More specifically, the tub frame (29) may include a front upper frame (291) attached to the upper surface (24) of the tub (20) adjacent to the open front surface (22) of the tub (20), a front side frame (292) attached to both sides (26, 27) of the tub (20) adjacent to the open front surface (22) of the tub (20), a support frame (294) that mutually connects the tub (20) and the base (90), and a rear upper frame (293) attached to the upper surface (24) of the tub (20) adjacent to the rear surface (23) of the tub (20).

[0180] In particular, the front upper frame (291), front side frame (292) and support frame (294) are arranged along the edge of the open front surface (22) of the tub (20), but can be configured to be coupled to the outer surface of the door coupling space (21b) described above.

[0181] Additionally, the front upper frame (291), front side frame (292), and support frame (294) can be configured to have a front-rear width corresponding to the front-rear width of the door joining space (21b).

[0182] Therefore, based on the outer surface of the tub (20), it is necessary to place it in a position where the front side frame (292) and the support frame (294) can be avoided as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0183] That is, as illustrated, the lighting device (71) and the light-emitting surface (71a) of the lighting device (71) according to the first embodiment of the present invention can be arranged adjacent to the front side frame (292) and the support frame (294) in the front-back direction and further rearward than these.

[0184] In addition, the lighting device (71) according to the first embodiment can be placed in the tub (20) across the inside and outside of the tub (20) by passing through the opening (261) of the tub (20) as described later.

[0185] That is, only a part of the components of the lighting device (71) may be configured to be placed inside the tub (20), and openings may be formed on the left side (26) and the right side (27) of the tub (20) so that a part of the lighting device (71) may pass through. As illustrated, the opening (261) formed on the left side (26) may be formed between the upper and lower ends of the support frame (294) in the vertical direction, corresponding to the lower edge of the light-emitting surface (71a).

[0186] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 11 below, the detailed configuration of the lighting device (71) disposed entirely inside the tub (20) according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0187] As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, a lighting device (71) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may be configured to include a light source unit (713) that generates visible light, a light guide plate (714) that converts the movement path of the visible light (L) generated by the light source unit (713), a housing (711) that accommodates and supports the light source unit (713) and the light guide plate (714), a cover (716) that has a diffusion plate (7161) that is coupled to the front of the housing (711) and forms a light-emitting surface (71a), and a housing fastening unit (717) that secures the housing (711) to the tub (20).

[0188] The light source unit (713) is partially placed inside the tub (20) and serves to generate visible light by receiving external power.

[0189] That is, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the light source unit (713) corresponding to the electric component can be extended inwardly through the opening (261) formed on the left side (26) of the tub (20) so that the influence of the washing water can be minimized, and can be arranged across the inside and outside of the tub (20).

[0190] As described below, a second receiving space (7112a) extending across the outside and inside of the tub (20) can be formed in the insert portion (7112) of the housing (711), and the light source portion (713) can be placed in the second receiving space (7112a).

[0191] For example, the light source unit (713) may be configured to include at least one light source element (7132) and a circuit board (7131) on which at least one light source element (7132) is mounted.

[0192] The light source element (7132) can be applied without limitation as long as it is a means that can receive power and generate a predetermined amount of visible light, and can be an LED element as an example.

[0193] The present invention is not limited thereto, but will be described below based on an embodiment in which an LED element is applied as a light source element (7132).

[0194] As shown, in order to minimize the left-right size of the lighting device (71) and the number of light source elements (7132), visible light generated from the light source elements (7132) may be configured to be introduced through the lower surface of the light guide plate (714) and enter the interior of the light guide plate (714).

[0195] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a configuration in which light source elements (7132) are concentratedly arranged only in an area overlapping the circuit board (7131) and the lower surface of the light guide plate (714) in the vertical direction so that the light source elements (7132) can irradiate visible light intensively toward the lower surface of the light guide plate (714).

[0196] In this case, when the light source elements (7132) are concentratedly arranged only in the area overlapping the bottom surface of the circuit board (7131) and the light guide plate (714) in the vertical direction, the area where the circuit board (7131) is placed inside the tub (20) can be minimized, and accordingly, the left-right thickness of the lighting device (71) for the portion placed inside the tub (20) can be kept very small.

[0197] The light guide plate (714) is placed outside the tub (20) and serves to convert the path of visible light generated from the light source element (7132) toward the diffusion plate (7161) placed in front.

[0198] As described above, visible light generated from the light source element (7132) can be introduced into the interior through the lower surface of the light guide plate (714), and the visible light introduced into the interior can be reflected and dispersed, and its direction of movement can be changed to face the diffusion plate (7161) described later.

[0199] As illustrated, in order to maximize the introduction area of ​​visible light from the light source element (7132) and to uniformly irradiate the introduced visible light toward the diffusion plate (7161), the light guide plate (714) may be configured to include, for example, an expansion portion (7142) whose cross-sectional area gradually expands as it progresses downward toward the lower surface, and a flat portion (7141) that is continuously formed on the expansion portion (7142) and whose thickness in the left-right direction is maintained approximately constant.

[0200] One side of the light guide plate (714) facing the diffuser plate (7161), that is, the portion excluding the right side and the bottom side based on the illustrated state, is blocked from transmitting visible light by the housing (711) described later, so a state can be created in which visible light cannot pass through, and visible light can be irradiated to the outside of the light guide plate (714) only through the left side of the light guide plate (714).

[0201] The housing (711) is placed in surface contact with the inner surface of the tub (20) and serves to accommodate the light guide plate (714) and the light source unit (713) and to fix them to the tub (20).

[0202] To this end, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the housing (711) may be provided with a housing body (7111) that is fixed in close contact with the inner surfaces of both sides (26, 27) of the tub (20) and has a first receiving space (7111a), and an insert portion (7112) that protrudes laterally from the housing body (7111) and has a first receiving space (7111a).

[0203] The housing body (7111) may be provided in a box shape with one side open toward the internal space (21) of the tub (20). Based on the state illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the open side may be the right side.

[0204] A first receiving space (7111a) extending in the vertical direction can be formed inside the housing body (7111) so as to accommodate the entire light guide plate (714).

[0205] The insert portion (7112) is integrally formed to protrude from the left side of the housing body (7111) and serves to form a second receiving space (7112a) in the shape of a channel in which the aforementioned light source portion (713) can be received.

[0206] For this purpose, the insert portion (7112) may be provided in a cylindrical shape extending from the lower end of the housing body (7111) toward the left side (26) of the tub (20) on the left side of the housing body (7111).

[0207] Accordingly, a second receiving space (7112a) can be formed, one end of which is connected to the first receiving space (7111a) by the insert portion (7112) and the other end is connected to the external space of the tub (20).

[0208] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the other end of the insert portion (7112) can extend to the outside of the tub (20) through the opening (261) of the tub (20), and the circuit board (7131) of the light source portion (713) arranged in the second receiving space (7112a) of the insert portion (7112) can extend to the outside through the opening (261) of the tub (20) and the insert portion (7112).

[0209] That is, the circuit board (7131) and the insert portion (7112) can be placed in the tub (20) so as to extend across the outside and inside of the tub (20) through the opening (261).

[0210] Accordingly, the lighting device (71) according to the first embodiment of the present invention can be placed entirely inside the tub (20) except for the insert portion (7112) and the circuit board (7131).

[0211] At this time, the insert portion (7112) can act as a fastening means for fixing the lighting device (71) to the tub (20).

[0212] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the other end of the insert portion (7112) passes through the opening (261) of the tub (20) and extends to the outside of the tub (20).

[0213] At this time, a housing fastening part (717) that is coupled to the other end of the insert part (7112) can be placed on the outside of the tub (20).

[0214] The housing fastening portion (717) may be provided in a hollow nut shape so that the other end of the insert portion (7112) can be inserted.

[0215] In order for the other end of the insert portion (7112) to be inserted and coupled, the inner hollow portion of the housing fastening portion (717) may have a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the other end of the insert portion (7112).

[0216] As illustrated by way of example, when the insert portion (7112) is provided in a square cylinder shape, a square hole may be formed on the inside of the housing fastening portion (717).

[0217] The outer edge of the housing fastening portion (717) may be provided with at least one concavely formed catch groove (7171).

[0218] In correspondence with at least one of the hooking grooves (7171) of the housing fastening portion (717), the other end of the insert portion (7112) may be provided with a first hook portion (7113a) in the shape of a hook that is hooked and connected to the hooking groove (7171). The first hook portion (7113a), together with the first hook portion (7113a) and the second hook portion (7113b) described below, constitutes a fastening portion (7113) for fastening the housing (711) to the tub (20) or for fastening the cover (716).

[0219] In the illustrated embodiment, considering the square cylinder shape as an example, one first hook portion (7113a) is provided on each of the four sides of the insert portion (7112), and four catching grooves (7171) are provided correspondingly. The present invention is not limited thereto, but the following description will be made based on a configuration in which four first hook portions (7113a) and four catching grooves (7171) are provided as in the illustrated embodiment.

[0220] Figure 10 illustrates the process of combining the insert portion (7112) and the first hook portion (7113a).

[0221] When the other end of the insert portion (7112) passes through the opening (261) of the tub (20) from the inside of the tub (20), the other end of the insert portion (7112) can be spaced apart from the outer surface of the tub (20) by a predetermined distance, as shown in FIG. 9.

[0222] In this way, with the insert portion (7112) inserted into the opening (261) of the tub (20), the housing fastening portion (717) can be forcefully fitted to the other end of the insert portion (7112) from the outside of the tub (20).

[0223] As shown in Fig. 9, when the first hook portion (7113a) of the insert portion (7112) is caught in the catch groove (7171) of the housing fastening portion (717), the left side (26) of the tub (20) is caught between the housing body (7111) and the housing fastening portion (717), so that the lower part of the housing body (7111) and the insert portion (7112) can be firmly fixed to the left side (26) of the tub (20).

[0224] Meanwhile, as a means for preventing leakage through the opening (261) of the tub (20) as shown, the lighting device (71) according to the first embodiment of the present invention may further include a gasket (712).

[0225] For example, the gasket (712) may be configured to include a cylindrical portion (7121) coupled to the outer surface of the insert portion (7112) and a flange portion (7122) integrally connected to the inner end of the cylindrical portion (7121).

[0226] The barrel part (7121) is connected to the outer surface of the insert part (7112) in a surface contact state and can extend through the opening (261) of the tub (20). Therefore, leakage of washing water between the outer surface of the insert part (7112) and the opening (261) of the tub (20) can be prevented by the barrel part (7121).

[0227] The flange portion (7122) is positioned in surface contact between the left side of the housing body (7111) and the left side (26) of the tub (20), thereby preventing water leakage between them.

[0228] In addition, the gasket (712) may be formed of a material having a predetermined elasticity, for example, natural rubber or synthetic rubber. Accordingly, when the insert portion (7112) and the housing fastening portion (717) are combined, the flange portion (7122) is elastically deformed while being caught between the housing body (7111) and the left side (26) of the tub (20), so the flange portion (7122) can additionally perform a loosening prevention function of applying preload to prevent the coupling between the insert portion (7112) and the housing fastening portion (717) from being released.

[0229] Meanwhile, the lower side of the housing body (7111) may further include a flange (7114) arranged to surround one end of the insert portion (7112).

[0230] The contact area between the flange portion (7122) of the gasket (712) and the housing body (7111) can be expanded through the flange (7114), thereby improving the leak prevention function and loosening prevention function of the gasket (712).

[0231] The cover (716) forms a light-emitting surface (71a) and has a diffusion plate (7161) that diffuses visible light introduced through the light guide plate (714) toward the light-emitting surface (71a), and is coupled to the housing (711) to serve to close the first receiving space (7111a).

[0232] Based on the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the right side of the cover (716) arranged parallel to the light guide plate (714) can act as a diffusion plate (7161) that acts as a light emitting surface (71a).

[0233] However, the cover (716) may be formed entirely of a single material, identical to the diffuser plate (7161). In this case, when the cover (716) is formed entirely of a single material, the right side, front side (7164), rear side (7165), top side (7162), and bottom side (7163) of the cover (716), excluding the open left side, can function as light-emitting surfaces to which visible light (L) can be irradiated.

[0234] The cover (716) is coupled to the housing body (7111) of the housing (711) to close the first receiving space (7111a) of the housing body (7111) and prevent washing water from flowing into the interior of the first receiving space.

[0235] As a means for coupling and fastening to the housing body (7111), as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, a fastening tab (7167) having a coupling hole protruding toward the housing body (7111) may be integrally provided on the front surface (7164) and the rear surface (7165) of the cover (716). A third hook portion (7113c) that is hooked to the coupling hole of the fastening tab (7167) may be integrally formed on the front surface and the rear surface of the housing body (7111).

[0236] In addition, a hook hole (7163a) that is formed concavely downward may be provided on the lower surface (7163) of the cover (716), and a hook projection that is inserted into the hook hole (7163a) may be integrally formed on the lower surface of the housing body (7111).

[0237] Meanwhile, as a means to prevent washing water from flowing into the first receiving space, a pair of connecting ribs (7166) arranged in parallel with respect to the front surface (7164) and the rear surface (7165) may be integrally provided inside the cover (716).

[0238] A pair of connecting ribs (7166) may be arranged in parallel to form a pair of slots having a predetermined spacing with respect to the front surface (7164) and the rear surface (7165) of the cover (716), respectively.

[0239] The predetermined interval can correspond to the thickness of the front and rear surfaces of the housing body (7111).

[0240] Accordingly, when the cover (716) is coupled to the housing body (7111), the front and rear surfaces of the housing body (7111) are fitted into respective slots formed inside the cover (716), so that the coupling area between the cover (716) and the housing body (7111) can be expanded, thereby effectively preventing washing water from flowing into the first receiving space (7111a).

[0241] Meanwhile, as described above, the lighting device (71) according to the first embodiment of the present invention is bonded and fixed in a surface contact state to the inner surfaces of both sides (26, 27) of the tub (20).

[0242] As described above, the fixing means for the lower part of the lighting device (71) to the tub (20) can be the insert part (7112) of the housing (711) and the housing fastening part (717).

[0243] Meanwhile, as a fixing means for the upper part of the lighting device (71) for the tub (20), a fastening bracket may be provided on the inner surface of both sides (26, 27) of the tub (20).

[0244] FIG. 11 illustrates the configuration of a fixing bracket (262) provided on the left side (26) of the tub (20) as an example. In the case where a lighting device (71) is also provided on the right side (27) of the tub (20), a fastening bracket having the same shape and configuration may be provided on the right side (27) of the tub (20), and unless otherwise described, the configuration of the fixing bracket (262) described below may be equally applied to the right side (27) of the tub (20).

[0245] As shown in Fig. 11, a fixing bracket (262) for fixing and supporting the upper part of the lighting device (71) may be provided on the inner surface of the left side (26) of the tub (20).

[0246] For example, the fixed bracket (262) may be configured to include a plate-shaped bracket body (2621) that is fixed in a surface-contact state to the inner surface of the tub (20), a first fastening bracket (2622) that is bent in a direction from the bracket body (2621) toward the housing (711) of the lighting device (71), and a pair of second fastening brackets (2623).

[0247] The bracket body (2621) can be formed by pressing a stainless steel plate, taking into account the usage environment where it is exposed to high temperature washing water, similar to the tub (20).

[0248] To prevent leakage, the plate-shaped bracket body (2621) can be attached to the tub (20) in a surface-contact state, and preferably can be firmly attached to the inner surface of the tub (20) through welding.

[0249] The first fastening bracket (2622) is formed integrally with the bracket body (2621) and can be formed by bending the upper edge of the bracket body (2621) toward the upper surface of the housing (711) of the lighting device (71).

[0250] Accordingly, one end of the first fastening bracket (2622) can be a fixed end integrally connected to the bracket body (2621), and the other end of the first fastening bracket (2622) can be a free end coupled to the housing (711) of the lighting device (71).

[0251] The first fastening bracket (2622) can be resiliently and detachably coupled to the upper surface of the housing (711) of the lighting device (71).

[0252] As illustrated in Fig. 11, a second hook portion (7113b) may be formed to protrude on the upper surface (7162) of the lighting device (71) corresponding to the first fastening bracket (2622).

[0253] Accordingly, when the upper part of the lighting device (71) is pushed toward the fixing bracket (262), the second hook part (7113b) presses the first fastening bracket (2622) and elastically deforms the first fastening bracket (2622) while being coupled, and after the coupling is completed, the elastic force of the first fastening bracket (2622) effectively prevents the second hook part (7113b) and the upper part of the housing (711) from being separated in the upward and left-right directions.

[0254] A pair of second fastening brackets (2623) can be formed by bending the front and rear edges of the bracket body (2621) toward the front and rear surfaces of the housing (711) of the lighting device (71), respectively.

[0255] Accordingly, one end of each second fastening bracket (2623) can be a fixed end integrally connected to the bracket body (2621), and the other end of each second fastening bracket (2623) can be a free end coupled to the housing (711) of the lighting device (71).

[0256] Unlike the first fastening bracket (2622), no hook-and-loop connection is formed between the pair of second fastening brackets (2623) and the housing (711).

[0257] However, the minimum gap between the pair of second fastening brackets (2623) may be formed smaller than the front-back width of the housing (711), so that when the housing (711) is inserted between the pair of second fastening brackets (2623), the pair of second fastening brackets (2623) may be elastically deformed, thereby forming a state in which the housing (711) is elastically pressed.

[0258] Therefore, after the connection is completed, the upper part of the housing (711) can be effectively prevented from being dislodged in the forward and backward direction by the elastic force of a pair of second fastening brackets (2623).

[0259] [Detailed configuration of the lighting device according to the second embodiment]

[0260] Hereinafter, a lighting device (72) according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 12.

[0261] Referring to FIG. 12, similar to the first embodiment described above, a lighting device (72) according to the second embodiment of the present invention is arranged to be fixed to the left side (26) and the right side (27) of the tub (20).

[0262] However, unlike the first embodiment, the lighting device (72) according to the second embodiment is placed in the tub (20) so that the light-emitting surface (71a) extends linearly in the front-rear direction.

[0263] More specifically, the light-emitting surfaces (72a, 72b) of the lighting device (72) according to the second embodiment may be arranged to linearly extend from one edge to the other edge, such that the one edge becomes the front edge (72a3, 72b3) and the other edge becomes the rear edge, and the front-back direction becomes the longitudinal direction.

[0264] That is, the lighting device (72) according to the second embodiment of the present invention has almost the same basic configuration as the second embodiment described above, but can be configured differently only in the arrangement direction of the light-emitting surfaces (72a, 72b) compared to the first embodiment described above.

[0265] Therefore, in the following, only the parts related to the configuration that are different from the first embodiment will be described, and the description of the configuration that is the same as or overlapping with the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0266] As illustrated in FIG. 12, the lighting device (72) according to the second embodiment of the present invention can be arranged in the tub (20) so that the front-back direction becomes the longitudinal direction.

[0267] For example, the light-emitting surfaces (72a, 72b) of the lighting device (72) according to the second embodiment may be arranged along a direction parallel to the extension direction of the top rail (543), upper rail (542), and lower rail (541) placed inside the tub (20).

[0268] In this way, the light-emitting surfaces (72a, 72b) of the lighting device (72) are arranged in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the top rail (543), upper rail (542), and lower rail (541), thereby providing the effect of illuminating the internal space (21) of the tub (20) in the front-rear direction.

[0269] However, in the case where only one lighting device (72) is arranged on each of the left side (26) of the tub (20) and the right side (27) of the tub (20), a state in which visible light is blocked by the upper rack (52) may be formed.

[0270] That is, when the light-emitting surface (72a, 72b) of the lighting device (72) is positioned lower than the upper rack (52), the lighting effect for the lower rack (51) can be further improved, but the lighting effect for the top rack (53) can be halved because visible light is blocked by the upper rack (52).

[0271] In addition, when the light-emitting surface (72a, 72b) of the lighting device (72) is positioned higher than the upper rack (52), the lighting effect for the top rack (53) can be further improved, but the lighting effect for the lower rack (51) can be halved because visible light is blocked by the upper rack (52).

[0272] Considering this situation, the lighting device (72) according to the second embodiment may be provided as a pair spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction on the left side (26) of the tub (20) and the right side (27) of the tub (20).

[0273] Figure 12 illustrates a configuration in which a pair of lighting devices (72) are spaced apart in the vertical direction on the inner surface of the right side (27) of the tub (20).

[0274] Although omitted in Fig. 12, a pair of lighting devices (72) having the same configuration can be spaced apart in the vertical direction.

[0275] For convenience, the following description will be based on the lighting device (72) placed on the right side (27) of the tub (20), but unless otherwise stated, the same content can also be applied to the left side (26) of the tub (20).

[0276] As illustrated in Fig. 12, when a pair of lighting devices (72) are arranged in parallel on the right side (27) of the tub (20), the pair of light-emitting surfaces (72a, 72b) may include a first light-emitting surface (72a) and a second light-emitting surface (72b) that are arranged spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction.

[0277] For convenience, among the pair of light-emitting surfaces (72a, 72b), the one positioned at a lower position is referred to as the first light-emitting surface (72a), and the one positioned at a higher position is referred to as the second light-emitting surface (72b).

[0278] As illustrated, the first light-emitting surface (72a) of the lighting device (72) according to the second embodiment can be placed between the lower rail (541) and the upper rail (542) in the vertical direction.

[0279] In this case, in order to maximize the lighting effect for the lower rack (51), the first light-emitting surface (72a) is positioned higher than the upper end of the lower rack (51), is positioned between the lower rack (51) and the upper rack (52) in the vertical direction, and can extend along the space between the lower rack (51) and the upper rack (52).

[0280] Additionally, the second light-emitting surface (72b) of the lighting device (72) according to the second embodiment can be placed between the upper rail (542) and the top rail (543) in the vertical direction.

[0281] In this case, in order to maximize the lighting effect for the upper rack (52), the second light-emitting surface (72b) is positioned higher than the top of the upper rack (52), is positioned between the upper rack (52) and the top rack (53) in the vertical direction, and can extend along the distance between the upper rack (52) and the top rack (53).

[0282] Meanwhile, similar to the first embodiment, the lighting device (72) according to the second embodiment is configured to extend linearly.

[0283] In this way, considering the linearly extended shape, the front edge (72a3) of the first light-emitting surface (72a) and the front edge (72b3) of the second light-emitting surface (72b) need to be placed in the area where the upper rail (542) is placed and fixed.

[0284] That is, as shown in Fig. 12, since the front end of the lower rail (541), which is the starting point of the lower rail (541), is formed as a curved surface, taking this into consideration, the front edge (72a3) of the first light-emitting surface (72a) and the front end of the second light-emitting surface (72b) can be positioned further rearward in the front-back direction than the front end of the lower rail (541).

[0285] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 12, since a curved portion is provided on the right side (27) of the tub (20) at a position corresponding to the front end side of the upper rail (542) where the upper rail (542) is the starting point, taking this into consideration, the front edge (72a3) of the first light-emitting surface (72a) and the front edge (72b3) of the second light-emitting surface (72b) can be positioned further rearward in the front-back direction than the front end of the upper rail (542).

[0286] Although not shown, for similar reasons, the rear edge of the first light-emitting surface (72a) and the rear edge of the second light-emitting surface (72b) may be positioned further forward in the forward-backward direction than the rear end of the upper rail (542).

[0287] Therefore, the front-back width of the first light-emitting surface (72a) and the front-back width of the second light-emitting surface (72b) can be formed smaller than the front-back length of the upper rail (542).

[0288] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the drawings exemplified above, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and drawings disclosed herein, and that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Furthermore, even if the operational effects according to the configuration of the present invention have not been explicitly described while describing the embodiments of the present invention, it is natural that the effects predictable by the corresponding configuration should also be acknowledged.

Claims

1. A tub that accommodates dishes and forms a washing space with an open front; A storage unit that is positioned so as to be withdrawable in the above washing space and in which the dishes are placed; A guide rail disposed in the above washing space and supporting the storage unit so that it can be withdrawn from the tub; and A lighting device having a light-emitting surface that irradiates visible light toward the washing space and is installed on the inner surface of the tub; Including, A dishwasher in which the above light-emitting surface extends linearly from one edge to the other edge.

2. In paragraph 1, The above-mentioned edge becomes the upper edge of the above-mentioned light-emitting surface, A dishwasher in which the above other edge becomes the lower edge of the above light-emitting surface.

3. In paragraph 2, A dishwasher in which the gap between the upper edge and the lower edge is maintained constant while progressing from the front edge of the light-emitting surface toward the rear edge of the light-emitting surface.

4. In paragraph 3, A dishwasher in which the gap between the front edge and the rear edge remains constant as it progresses from the upper edge to the lower edge.

5. In paragraph 2, The above tub, An upper tub forming the upper surface of the above tub; a bottom tub forming the lower surface of the above tub; and A mid tub disposed between the upper tub and the bottom tub, and coupled to the upper tub and the bottom tub respectively; Including, A dishwasher in which the upper tub and the mid tub are connected at a lower position than the joint formed by the upper tub and the mid tub in the vertical direction.

6. In paragraph 5, The above guide rail is, Top rail located at the topmost position in the vertical direction; The lower rail is positioned at the lowest position in the vertical direction; and An upper rail positioned between the top rail and the lower rail in the vertical direction; Including, A dishwasher in which the upper support is positioned closer to the joint between the joint and the upper rail in the vertical direction.

7. In paragraph 2, The above guide rail is, Top rail located at the topmost position in the vertical direction; The lower rail is positioned at the lowest position in the vertical direction; and An upper rail positioned between the top rail and the lower rail in the vertical direction; Including, A dishwasher in which the lower edge is positioned between the upper rail and the lower rail in the vertical direction.

8. In paragraph 7, A dishwasher in which the lower edge is positioned closer to the lower rail among the upper rail and the lower rail in the vertical direction.

9. In paragraph 2, The above guide rail is, Top rail located at the topmost position in the vertical direction; The lower rail is positioned at the lowest position in the vertical direction; and An upper rail positioned between the top rail and the lower rail in the vertical direction; Including, A dishwasher in which the front edge of the above-mentioned light-emitting surface is positioned further rearward than the front end of the lower rail in the front-back direction.

10. In paragraph 9, A dishwasher in which the front edge of the above-mentioned light-emitting surface is positioned further forward than the front end of the upper rail in the front-back direction.

11. In paragraph 1, A dishwasher wherein the lighting device is fixed to at least one inner surface of the left or right side of the tub.

12. In paragraph 11, At least one of the left or right sides of the tub is provided with an opening that connects the inside and the outside of the tub, The above lighting device is a dishwasher that is arranged in the tub through the opening and across the inside and outside of the tub.

13. In paragraph 12, The above lighting device, A light source unit that generates the above visible light; A light guide plate that changes the path of visible light generated from the above light source; A housing having a first receiving space for receiving the light guide plate and a second receiving space for receiving the light source unit; and A cover having a diffusion plate that forms the light-emitting surface and diffuses visible light introduced through the light guide plate toward the light-emitting surface, and is coupled to the housing to close the first receiving space; Including, One side of the housing is provided with an insert portion that protrudes toward the inner surface of the tub and extends to the outside of the tub through the opening, A dishwasher in which the above housing is entirely placed inside the above tub, excluding the above insert portion.

14. In paragraph 13, The above lighting device is a dishwasher fixed to the tub by the insert part.

15. In paragraph 13, The above second receiving space is formed inside the above insert portion, A dishwasher in which one end of the light source portion extends to the outside of the tub through the insert portion and the opening.

16. A tub that accommodates dishes and forms a washing space with an open front; A storage unit that is positioned so as to be withdrawable in the above washing space and in which the dishes are placed; A guide rail disposed in the above washing space and supporting the storage unit so that it can be withdrawn from the tub; and A lighting device having a light-emitting surface that irradiates visible light toward the washing space and is installed on the inner surface of the tub; Including, The above light-emitting surface extends linearly from one edge to the other edge, The above-mentioned edge becomes the front edge of the above-mentioned light-emitting surface, A dishwasher in which the above other edge becomes the rear edge of the above light-emitting surface.

17. In paragraph 16, The above guide rail is, Top rail located at the topmost position in the vertical direction; The lower rail is positioned at the lowest position in the vertical direction; and An upper rail positioned between the top rail and the lower rail in the vertical direction; Including, A dishwasher in which the above shear edge is positioned further rearward than the front end of the lower rail in the front-back direction.

18. In paragraph 17, A dishwasher in which the above shear edge is positioned further rearward than the front end of the upper rail in the front-back direction.

19. In paragraph 17, A dishwasher in which the light-emitting surface includes a first light-emitting surface and a second light-emitting surface that are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction.

20. In paragraph 19, The above first light-emitting surface is arranged between the lower rail and the upper rail in the vertical direction, A dishwasher in which the second light-emitting surface is positioned between the upper rail and the top rail in the vertical direction.

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