Spray arm for dishwasher, spray arm assembly, and dishwasher

Abstract

A spray arm (10) for a dishwasher (200), a spray arm assembly (100), and a dishwasher (200). A plurality of first water outlets (121) and a plurality of second water outlets (122) are formed on the spray arm (10), and the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122) are disposed on two sides of a rotation axis (a) of the spray arm (10), respectively. A virtual plane perpendicular to the rotation axis (a) and located on a same side as the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122) is defined as a first reference plane (q), and the first reference plane (q) is located on a side of the spray arm (10) facing away from the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122). A virtual plane parallel to the rotation axis (a) and a first direction (x) and located on a same side as the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122) is defined as a second reference plane (p), the first direction (x) being perpendicular to the rotation axis (a). Openings of the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122) face away from the first reference plane (q) and the second reference plane (p), respectively.

Description

Spray arm, spray arm assembly and dishwasher

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent applications No. 202311125993.0 and No. 202322379222.6 filed on September 1, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of household appliances, and in particular to a spray arm for a dishwasher, a spray arm assembly, and the dishwasher. Background Art

[0004] In the related art, a dishwasher is equipped with a plurality of rotating spray arms for spraying water to clean the dishes in the dish basket. In order to achieve a larger washing area, the rotating spray arms are generally arranged with a plurality of spray holes, and the water jets from the spray holes are used to clean the dishes in the dishwasher.

[0005] However, the spray holes on the rotating spray arm are mostly arranged vertically, so that the water column sprayed by the spray hole is roughly in a vertical state, which can only provide a certain impact force on the tableware in the vertical direction and cannot achieve multi-angle cleaning.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a spray arm, a spray arm assembly, and a dishwasher for a dishwasher, which are used to solve the problem in the related art that the water column sprayed from the spray hole is roughly vertical, can only provide a certain impact force on the tableware in the vertical direction, and cannot achieve multi-angle cleaning.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a spray arm for a dishwasher is provided. The spray arm has a cavity formed therein and is further formed with a plurality of first and second water outlets communicating with the cavity. The plurality of first and second water outlets are located on the same side of the spray arm. The plurality of first and second water outlets are disposed on the surface of the spray arm along a first direction on opposite sides of the spray arm's rotation axis. The first direction is perpendicular to the rotation axis. A virtual plane perpendicular to the rotation axis and located on the same side as the plurality of first and second water outlets is a first reference plane. The first reference plane is located on the side of the spray arm facing away from the plurality of first and second water outlets. A virtual plane parallel to the rotation axis and the first direction and located on the same side as the plurality of first and second water outlets is a second reference plane. The plurality of first and second water outlets are each oriented in a direction away from the first and second reference planes.

[0009] In some embodiments, the spray arm includes: a first end plate; a second end plate, the second end plate is arranged opposite to the first end plate along a second direction, the second direction is parallel to the rotation axis, and the second end plate is formed with the multiple first water outlets and the multiple second water outlets; a first side plate, the first side plate is connected between the first end plate and the second end plate; and a second side plate, the second side plate is arranged opposite to the first side plate along a third direction, the second side plate is connected between the first end plate and the second end plate, and the third direction, the second direction and the first direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0010] In some embodiments, the opening directions of the plurality of first water outlets and the plurality of second water outlets are both in a direction in which the second end plate is away from the first end plate and in a direction in which the second side plate is away from the first side plate.

[0011] In some embodiments, an acute angle formed between the opening directions of the plurality of first water outlets and the second reference plane is greater than an acute angle formed between the opening directions of the plurality of second water outlets and the second reference plane.

[0012] In some embodiments, the opening directions of the plurality of first water outlets are parallel.

[0013] In some embodiments, the opening directions of the plurality of second water outlets are parallel.

[0014] In some embodiments, the openings of at least two of the first water outlets are arranged at an angle.

[0015] In some embodiments, the openings of at least two of the second water outlets are arranged at an angle.

[0016] In some embodiments, a plurality of the first water outlets are spaced apart in the first direction.

[0017] In some embodiments, a plurality of the second water outlets are spaced apart in the first direction.

[0018] In some embodiments, the trajectory circles formed by the first water outlets and the second water outlets rotating around the rotation axis are nested with each other.

[0019] In some embodiments, the trajectory circle formed by one of the first water outlets is located between the trajectory circles formed by two adjacent second water outlets.

[0020] In some embodiments, a trajectory circle formed by the second water outlet is located between the trajectory circles formed by two adjacent first water outlets.

[0021] In some embodiments, the projection of the water curtain sprayed by at least one of the plurality of first water outlets and the plurality of second water outlets on the second reference plane is fan-shaped.

[0022] In some embodiments, projections of water curtains ejected from two adjacent water outlets among the plurality of first water outlets and the plurality of second water outlets have an overlapping area on the second reference plane.

[0023] In some embodiments, the spray arm includes: a spray arm body, the spray arm body is formed with a plurality of openings, the plurality of openings include a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings, the plurality of first openings and the plurality of second openings are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the rotation axis along the first direction; a plurality of nozzles, each of the nozzles is formed with an injection channel, and each of the nozzles is connected to the spray arm body, the plurality of nozzles include a plurality of first nozzles and a plurality of second nozzles, the injection channels of the plurality of first nozzles are connected to the plurality of first openings in a one-to-one manner, the injection channels of the plurality of first nozzles are away from the first opening to form the plurality of first water outlets, the injection channels of the plurality of second nozzles are connected to the plurality of second openings in a one-to-one manner, and the injection channels of the plurality of second nozzles are away from the second opening to form the plurality of second water outlets.

[0024] In some embodiments, the injection channel includes: a first channel, the first channel is connected to the opening; a second channel, the second channel is connected to the first channel, the second channel is arranged farther away from the opening than the first channel, the side of the second channel away from the first channel forms the first water outlet or the second water outlet, the projection of the inner wall surface of the second channel in the second reference plane is strip-shaped, and the maximum width of the second channel in the third direction is smaller than the minimum width of the first channel in the third direction.

[0025] In some embodiments, a projection of an inner wall surface of the second channel on the second reference plane is convex in a direction away from the first channel.

[0026] In some embodiments, the width of the first channel in the third direction gradually decreases from one side of the first channel close to the opening to the other side of the first channel.

[0027] In some embodiments, the injection channel includes: a third channel, the third channel is connected between the first channel and the second channel, and the inner wall surface of the third channel bulges in a direction away from the first channel.

[0028] In some embodiments, the inner wall surface of the second channel includes a first surface and a second surface oppositely distributed along the third direction, and the first surface and the second surface are both planes and parallel to each other.

[0029] In some embodiments, two adjacent water outlets among the plurality of first water outlets and the plurality of second water outlets are spaced apart in the third direction.

[0030] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a spray arm assembly is provided, comprising: the above-mentioned spray arm; and a mounting seat, wherein the mounting seat is connected to the spray arm.

[0031] In some embodiments, the spray arm assembly includes two spray arms, the two spray arms are spaced apart along the direction of the rotation axis, the rotation axes of the two spray arms are collinear, and the rotation directions of the two spray arms around the rotation axis are opposite.

[0032] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a dishwasher is provided, comprising: the above-mentioned spray arm assembly; and a housing, wherein the spray arm assembly is disposed in the housing.

[0033] According to the spray arm, spray arm assembly and dishwasher of some embodiments of the present disclosure, the opening directions of the multiple first water outlets and the multiple second water outlets located on opposite sides of the rotation axis are set to be away from the first reference plane and away from the second reference plane. In this way, when the spray arm rotates 180° around the rotation axis, the spray fluid in one area will be changed from being ejected from the multiple first water outlets to being ejected from the multiple second water outlets, and the direction of the fluid ejected from the multiple second water outlets is opposite to the direction of the fluid ejected from the multiple first water outlets. In this way, multi-angle cleaning can be achieved in one area, the cleaning is more comprehensive, the washing blind spots are less likely to occur, and the cleaning cleanliness of the items to be cleaned at a greater depth can be guaranteed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and those skilled in the art can derive other drawings based on these drawings without inventive effort.

[0035] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a spray arm assembly according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] FIG2 is a schematic top view of the spray arm assembly shown in FIG1 ;

[0037] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the AA direction in FIG2 ;

[0038] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the BB direction in FIG2 ;

[0039] FIG5 is a schematic diagram showing the opening direction of the water outlet of the spray arm assembly shown in FIG1 ;

[0040] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of fluid distribution of the spray arm assembly shown in FIG1 in one state;

[0041] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of fluid distribution when the spray arm assembly shown in FIG1 is sprayed in another state;

[0042] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a spray head in a spray arm assembly according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0043] FIG9 is a perspective structural diagram of the nozzle shown in FIG8 ;

[0044] FIG10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the nozzle shown in FIG8 ;

[0045] 11 is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of trajectory circles formed by the water outlets of the spray arm assembly rotating around the rotation axis according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0046] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of a spray arm assembly according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0047] FIG13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the spray arm assembly shown in FIG12;

[0048] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a dishwasher in one state according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0049] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the dishwasher shown in FIG. 14 in another state.

[0050] Reference numerals:

[0051] 10. Spray arm; 1. Spray arm body; 11. First end plate; 12. Second end plate; 121. First water outlet; 122. Second water outlet; 1231. First opening; 124. Spray head; 1241. Spray channel; 1242. First spray head; 1243. Second spray head; 1244. First channel; 1245. Second channel; 1246. Third channel; 1247. First surface; 1248. Second surface; 13. First side panel; 14. Second side panel; 15. Cavity; 20. Mounting seat; 30. Bearing; 100. Spray arm assembly; 200. Dishwasher; 300. Bowl basket; 400. Items to be cleaned; x, first direction; y, second direction; z, third direction; a, axis of rotation; q, first reference surface; p, second reference surface DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure more clear, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0053] In the following description, when referring to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. Instead, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present disclosure, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0054] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a spray arm assembly according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a dishwasher provided in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure in one state; and Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the partial structure of the dishwasher shown in Figure 14 in another state. Referring to Figure 1 , in a first aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a spray arm 10 , which is used in a dishwasher 200 (see Figures 14 and 15 ) to spray fluid when the dishwasher 200 is in use, thereby cleaning items 400 stored in the dishwasher 200 through the sprayed fluid.

[0055] Figure 2 is a schematic top view of the spray arm assembly shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the AA direction in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the BB direction in Figure 2. In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1 to 4, the spray arm 10 is formed with a cavity 15. The spray arm 10 is also formed with a plurality of first water outlets 121 and a plurality of second water outlets 122 that communicate with the cavity 15. The plurality of first water outlets 121 and the plurality of second water outlets 122 are located on the same side of the spray arm 10, so that the spray arm 10 can clean the items 400 to be cleaned that are located on the side where the plurality of first water outlets 121 and the plurality of second water outlets 122 are located, thereby facilitating the determination of the placement of the items 400 to be cleaned within the dishwasher 200.

[0056] In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 1 , if the plurality of first water outlets 121 and the plurality of second water outlets 122 are located at the top of the spray arm 10, the fluid sprayed from the plurality of first water outlets 121 and the plurality of second water outlets 122 will be located approximately at the top of the spray arm 10. Thus, the items to be cleaned 400 can be designed to be located at the top of the spray arm 10 within the dishwasher 200, allowing the items to be cleaned 400 to be cleaned by the fluid sprayed from the first water outlets 121 and the second water outlets 122. In some embodiments, the plurality of first water outlets 121 and the plurality of second water outlets 122 can also be located at the bottom, side, or other locations of the spray arm 10, without limitation.

[0057] In some embodiments, a plurality of first water outlets 121 and a plurality of second water outlets 122 are disposed on the surface of the spray arm 10 along a first direction x on opposite sides of the rotation axis a of the spray arm 10. The first direction x is perpendicular to the rotation axis a. Disposing the plurality of first water outlets 121 and the plurality of second water outlets 122 on opposite sides of the rotation axis a increases the area of ​​the spray arm 10 where the water outlets are located, thereby increasing the number of water outlets provided and expanding the cleaning range of the spray arm 10, compared to when all water outlets are located on a single side of the rotation axis a.

[0058] If the first reference plane q is defined as a virtual plane perpendicular to the rotation axis a and located on the same side as the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122, then the first reference plane q is located on the side of the spray arm 10 facing away from the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122. If the second reference plane p is defined as a virtual plane parallel to the rotation axis a and the first direction x and located on the same side as the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122, then the openings of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122 are both oriented away from the first reference plane q and away from the second reference plane p. The openings of the first water outlets 121 and the second water outlets 122 can be oriented in the direction of the central axis of the first water outlet 121 and the second water outlet 122, as will be further explained below.

[0059] In some embodiments, if the opening directions of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122 are all in the direction away from the first reference plane q, then the opening directions of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122 can be a direction perpendicular to the first reference plane q and away from the first reference plane q (as indicated by f in Figure 5, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the opening direction of the water outlet of the spray arm assembly shown in Figure 1), or can be a direction that is at an angle to the first reference plane q and away from the first reference plane q (as indicated by e1, e2, e3, e4, and e5 in Figure 5). In some embodiments, if the opening directions of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122 are all in the direction away from the second reference plane p, then the opening directions of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122 can be in the direction perpendicular to the second reference plane p and away from the second reference plane p (as indicated by g in Figure 5), or can be in the direction at an angle to the second reference plane p and away from the second reference plane p (as indicated by e1, e2, e3, e6, and e7 in Figure 5).

[0060] In summary, if the opening directions of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122 are all away from the first reference plane q and away from the second reference plane p, then the opening directions of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the opening directions of the multiple second water outlets 122 are all at angles with the first reference plane q and the second reference plane p (such as the directions indicated by e1, e2, and e3 in Figure 5).

[0061] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the fluid distribution of the spray arm assembly shown in FIG1 in one state; FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the fluid distribution of the spray arm assembly shown in FIG1 in another state. In the disclosed embodiment, the opening directions of the plurality of first water outlets 121 and the plurality of second water outlets 122 located on opposite sides of the rotation axis a are both set to face away from the first reference plane q and the second reference plane p. Thus, referring to FIG6 and FIG7 , when the spray arm 10 rotates 180° about the rotation axis a, the spray fluid in an area (such as the upper left in FIG6 ) is changed from being ejected from the plurality of first water outlets 121 to being ejected from the plurality of second water outlets 122, and the direction of the fluid ejected from the plurality of second water outlets 122 is opposite to the direction of the fluid ejected from the plurality of first water outlets 121. This enables multi-angle cleaning of an area, making cleaning more comprehensive, reducing the occurrence of blind spots, and ensuring the cleanliness of items 400 to be cleaned at a greater depth.

[0062] The shape of the spray arm 10 can be arbitrary. For example, the cross section of the spray arm 10 perpendicular to the first direction x can be circular, waist-shaped, polygonal, etc., which is not limited to this.

[0063] In the disclosed embodiment, referring to Figures 1 to 4, the spray arm 10 includes a first end plate 11, a second end plate 12, a first side plate 13, and a second side plate 14. The second end plate 12 is arranged relative to the first end plate 11 along a second direction y, which is parallel to the rotation axis a. The first side plate 13 is connected between the first end plate 11 and the second end plate 12, and the second side plate 14 is connected between the first end plate 11 and the second end plate 12. The second side plate 14 is arranged relative to the first side plate 13 along a third direction z, and the third direction z, the second direction y, and the first direction x are perpendicular to each other, making the structure of the spray arm 10 relatively simple and easy to manufacture. In some embodiments, the second end plate 12 can be formed with a plurality of first water outlets 121 and a plurality of second water outlets 122. The first reference plane q is located on the side of the first end plate 11 facing away from the second end plate 12, and the second reference plane p is located on the side of the first side plate 13 facing away from the second side plate 14. Therefore, the opening directions of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122 are all away from the first reference plane q and away from the second reference plane p, which can be: the opening directions of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122 are all away from the first end plate 11 and the second side plate 14 is away from the first side plate 13.

[0064] In some embodiments, a plurality of first water outlets 121 and a plurality of second water outlets 122 are formed on the spray arm 10 , and the plurality of first water outlets 121 and the plurality of second water outlets 122 may be directly formed on the spray arm body 1 of the spray arm 10 .

[0065] In some embodiments, the spray arm body 1 may include a first end plate 11, a second end plate 12, a first side plate 13 and a second side plate 14. The spray arm body 1 forms multiple first water outlets 121 and multiple second water outlets 122, and multiple first water outlets 121 and multiple second water outlets 122 can be formed for the second end plate 12.

[0066] In some embodiments, a plurality of first water outlets 121 and a plurality of second water outlets 122 are formed on the spray arm 10. Alternatively, the spray arm 10 includes a spray arm body 1 and a plurality of spray heads 124 connected to the spray arm body 1. The spray arm body 1 is formed with a plurality of openings, the plurality of openings including a plurality of first openings 1231 and a plurality of second openings. The plurality of first openings 1231 and the plurality of second openings are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the rotation axis a along the first direction x; each spray head 124 is formed with a spray channel 1241, and the plurality of spray heads 124 include a plurality of The first nozzle 1242 and the plurality of second nozzles 1243 are connected in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of first openings 1231. The spray channels 1241 of the plurality of first nozzles 1242 are connected in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of first openings 1231. The spray channels 1241 of the plurality of first nozzles 1242 are connected in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second openings. The spray channels 1241 of the plurality of second nozzles 1243 ... side away from the second opening to form a plurality of second outlets 122. The spray arm 10 is designed to include a spray arm body 1 and a nozzle 124, and the nozzle 124 is provided with a spray channel 1241 for spraying fluid. In this way, by designing the structure of the spray flow channel of the nozzle 124

[0067] In some embodiments, the spray arm body 1 may include a first end plate 11, a second end plate 12, a first side plate 13, and a second side plate 14. The spray arm body 1 may have multiple openings. The second end plate 12 may have multiple openings. Multiple spray heads 124 may be connected to the spray arm body 1. Multiple spray heads 124 may be connected to the second end plate 12.

[0068] In some embodiments, the spray arm 10 is formed with a plurality of first water outlets 121. Alternatively, at least one first water outlet 121 and at least one first opening 1231 may be directly formed on the spray arm body 1 of the spray arm 10. A first nozzle 1242 is provided at each first opening 1231. The spray channel 1241 of each first nozzle 1242 forms the first water outlet 121 on a side facing away from the first opening 1231. In some embodiments, the spray arm 10 is formed with a plurality of second water outlets 122. Alternatively, at least one second water outlet 122 and at least one second opening may be directly formed on the spray arm body 1 of the spray arm 10. A second nozzle 1243 is provided at each second opening. The spray channel 1241 of each second nozzle 1243 forms the second water outlet 122 on a side facing away from the second opening.

[0069] Please refer to Figures 6 and 7. Among the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122, the water curtain sprayed by at least one water outlet is fan-shaped in projection within the second reference plane p. Compared with the fluid sprayed from the water outlet in a columnar shape, the fan-shaped water curtain has a wider coverage area, a larger cleaning range, and a better cleaning effect.

[0070] In some embodiments, the projection of the water curtain sprayed from the water outlet within the second reference plane p is fan-shaped, and the second reference plane p is parallel to the rotation axis a. Then, during the rotation of the spray arm 10 around the rotation axis a, the water curtain sprayed from the water outlet will be roughly cylindrical, so that the coverage area is wider.

[0071] In the disclosed embodiment, among the plurality of first water outlets 121 and the plurality of second water outlets 122, the projection of the water curtain ejected from some of the water outlets may be fan-shaped within the second reference plane p, or the projection of the water curtain ejected from all of the water outlets may be fan-shaped within the second reference plane p, without limitation thereto. The central angle of the fan-shaped water curtain ejected from the water outlet may be greater than or equal to 10° to ensure that the water curtain ejected from each water outlet has sufficient coverage area and a larger cleaning range. The central angle of the fan-shaped water curtain ejected from each water outlet may be the same or different, without limitation thereto.

[0072] In some embodiments, among the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122, the projections of the water curtains sprayed from two adjacent water outlets within the second reference plane p have an overlapping area. In this way, during the rotation of the spray arm 10 around the rotation axis a, the annular columnar water curtains formed by the two water outlets can fill each other, reducing the cleaning blind spots of the two adjacent water outlets, thereby improving the cleaning effect.

[0073] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a spray head in a spray arm assembly according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG9 is a perspective schematic diagram of the spray head shown in FIG8; and FIG10 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the spray head shown in FIG8. Referring to FIG4, FIG8 to FIG10, the spray channel 1241 of the spray head 124 may include a first channel 1244 and a second channel 1245. The first channel 1244 is located closer to the opening than the second channel 1245. The first channel 1244 is connected to the opening and the second channel 1245. The second channel 1245 forms a first water outlet 121 or a second water outlet 122 on a side away from the first channel 1244. The inner wall of the second channel 1245 is strip-shaped as projected onto the second reference plane p. The maximum width of the second channel 1245 in the third direction z is less than the minimum width of the first channel 1244 in the third direction z, so that the fluid sprayed through the second channel 1245 can be projected onto the second reference plane p in a generally fan-shaped manner.

[0074] The fluid flow path within spray arm 10 is: cavity 15 - opening - first channel 1244 - second channel 1245. Because the opening is smaller than cavity 15, the maximum width of second channel 1245 in the third direction z is smaller than the minimum width of first channel 1244 in the third direction z. Therefore, as the fluid flows from cavity 15 to second channel 1245, its pressure increases at least twice. This helps to increase the pressure of the fluid sprayed from first outlet 121 and / or second outlet 122, enhance the impact force of the fluid, and thus improve the cleanliness of the items 400 being cleaned.

[0075] In some embodiments, the width of the first channel 1244 in the third direction z gradually decreases from one side of the first channel 1244 close to the opening to the other side of the first channel 1244, so that the fluid flows smoothly in the first channel 1244 and the pressure of the fluid gradually increases, thereby enhancing the injection pressure of the fluid injected from the first water outlet 121 and / or the second water outlet 122. The inner wall surface of the first channel 1244 can be roughly in the shape of a frustum, etc., so that the pressure of the fluid in the first channel 1244 gradually and smoothly increases.

[0076] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the second channel 1245 may include a first surface 1247 and a second surface 1248 that are arranged relative to each other along a third direction z. The first surface 1247 and the second surface 1248 are both planar and parallel to each other, so that after the fluid is ejected between the first surface 1247 and the second surface 1248, a generally flat fan-shaped water curtain is formed. This makes the shape of the fan-shaped water curtain controllable, thereby reducing the difficulty of designing the coordination between the various water outlets and improving the cleaning effect. The opening direction of the first water outlet 121 can be parallel to the first surface 1247 of its corresponding injection channel 1241, and the opening direction of the second water outlet 122 can be parallel to the first surface 1247 of its corresponding injection channel 1241. The opening direction of the first water outlet 121 is set at an angle to the first reference plane q or the second reference plane p. The first surface 1247 of the injection channel 1241 corresponding to the first water outlet 121 can be set at an angle to the first reference plane q or the second reference plane p. The opening direction of the second water outlet 122 is set at an angle to the first reference plane q or the second reference plane p, and the first surface 1247 of the injection channel 1241 corresponding to the second water outlet 122 is set at an angle to the first reference plane q or the second reference plane p.

[0077] The distance between the first surface 1247 and the second surface 1248 may be larger than the aperture of the residue filter in the dishwasher 200 to prevent smaller residues from passing through the residue filter into the injection channel 1241 and clogging the nozzle 124 .

[0078] The projection of the inner wall of second channel 1245 on the second reference plane p is convex in a direction away from first channel 1244. This facilitates forming a fan-shaped projection of the fluid ejected from second channel 1245 on the second reference plane p. This also improves the structural strength of nozzle 124, prevents damage to second channel 1245 due to water flow impact, and enhances the durability of nozzle 124. When the inner wall of second channel 1245 includes first surface 1247 and second surface 1248, the projection of the inner wall of second channel 1245 on the second reference plane p is convex in a direction away from first channel 1244. The first surface 1247 and the second surface 1248 may be substantially fan-shaped annular surfaces, with the first surface 1247 and the second surface 1248 convex in a direction away from first channel 1244.

[0079] In some embodiments, the injection channel 1241 further includes a third channel 1246, which is connected between the first channel 1244 and the second channel 1245. The inner wall of the third channel 1246 bulges away from the first channel 1244. By providing the third channel 1246 connected between the first channel 1244 and the second channel 1245, the dimensional changes from the first channel 1244 to the third channel 1246 and from the third channel 1246 to the second channel 1245 are more stable compared to when the second channel 1245 is directly connected to the first channel 1244. This helps increase the pressure of the fluid in the injection channel 1241 and reduces the impact of the fluid on the nozzle 124. The inner wall of the third channel 1246 can be generally hemispherical, for example, and is not limited thereto.

[0080] In some embodiments, the showerhead 124 may be a structure with substantially uniform thickness to avoid stress weak points.

[0081] In the disclosed embodiment, the driving force for the spray arm 10 to rotate about the rotation axis a can come from a driving member or the driving force of the fluid flowing within the spray arm 10. When the driving force for the spray arm 10 to rotate about the rotation axis a comes from a driving member, the output end of the driving member can be connected to the spray arm 10 to drive the spray arm 10 to rotate about the rotation axis a. When the driving force for the spray arm 10 to rotate about the rotation axis a comes from the driving force of the fluid flowing within the spray arm 10, the acute angle between the opening orientations of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the second reference plane p can be designed to be greater than the acute angle between the opening orientations of the multiple second water outlets 122 and the second reference plane p, such that an angular difference exists between the opening orientations of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the opening orientations of the multiple second water outlets 122. Consequently, when the spray arm 10 is in use, it can rotate about the rotation axis a driven by the fluid ejected from the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122. This eliminates the need for a driving member, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0082] In some embodiments, when the acute angle between the opening directions of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the second reference plane p is greater than the acute angle between the opening directions of the multiple second water outlets 122 and the second reference plane p, the side where the multiple first water outlets 121 with the larger angle are located is the driving side, and the side where the multiple second water outlets 122 with the smaller angle are located is the counter-driving side. The side with the smaller angle can be offset, thereby driving the spray arm 10 to rotate.

[0083] In some embodiments, the acute angle between the opening orientations of the plurality of first water outlets 121 and the second reference plane p is greater than the acute angle between the opening orientations of the plurality of second water outlets 122 and the second reference plane p. Alternatively, the smallest acute angle among all acute angles between the opening orientations of all first water outlets 121 and the second reference plane p is greater than the largest acute angle among all acute angles between the opening orientations of all second water outlets 122 and the second reference plane p. That is, the acute angle between the opening orientation of any first water outlet 121 and the second reference plane p is greater than the acute angle between the opening orientations of each second water outlet 122 and the second reference plane p. In some embodiments, the acute angle between the opening orientation of each first water outlet 121 and the second reference plane p is greater than or equal to 28° and less than or equal to 32°, and the acute angle between the opening orientation of each second water outlet 122 and the second reference plane p is greater than or equal to 8° and less than or equal to 12°.

[0084] The acute angle between the opening directions of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the second reference plane p is greater than the acute angle between the opening directions of the multiple second water outlets 122 and the second reference plane p. It can also be that the acute angle between the opening direction of each first water outlet 121 and the second reference plane p is greater than the acute angle between the opening direction of its adjacent second water outlet 122 and the second reference plane p.

[0085] FIG11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the distribution of trajectory circles formed by the water outlets of a spray arm assembly according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure as they rotate about the rotation axis. Referring to FIG11 , each first water outlet 121 and each second water outlet 122 forms a corresponding trajectory circle as they rotate about the rotation axis a. A second water outlet 122 adjacent to a first water outlet 121 may be a second water outlet 122 corresponding to a trajectory circle closest to the first water outlet 121 among the trajectory circles corresponding to the plurality of second water outlets 122.

[0086] In some embodiments, the disclosed embodiment does not limit the specific angle difference between the opening direction of the first water outlet 121 and the opening direction of the second water outlet 122 and the acute angle between them and the second reference plane p. It is only necessary to satisfy that the angle difference can be used to drive the spray arm 10 to rotate around the rotation axis a.

[0087] In some embodiments, the opening directions of multiple first water outlets 121 can be parallel, and the opening directions of at least two first water outlets 121 can also be set at an angle; the opening directions of multiple second water outlets 122 can be parallel, and the opening directions of at least two second water outlets 122 can also be set at an angle. There is no limitation on this, and the opening directions of each first water outlet 121 and each second water outlet 122 can be flexibly designed according to actual needs.

[0088] The plurality of first water outlets 121 may be spaced apart in the first direction x, and the plurality of second water outlets 122 may be spaced apart in the first direction x, so that the fluids sprayed through different water outlets can clean different areas of the article 400 to be cleaned.

[0089] In some embodiments, the trajectory circles formed by the rotation of each first water outlet 121 and each second water outlet 122 around the rotation axis a can be nested with each other. The trajectory circle formed by a first water outlet 121 can be located between the trajectory circles formed by two adjacent second water outlets 122, or the trajectory circle formed by a second water outlet 122 can be located between the trajectory circles formed by two adjacent first water outlets 121.

[0090] Among the plurality of first water outlets 121 and the plurality of second water outlets 122 , two adjacent water outlets may be spaced apart in the third direction z so that the water curtains formed by the water outlets can be staggered to avoid mutual interference that may affect the cleaning effect.

[0091] Secondly, the embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a spray arm assembly 100 , which includes the above-mentioned spray arm 10 and a mounting base 20 . The mounting base 20 is connected to the spray arm 10 , and can be used to realize the installation and positioning of the spray arm 10 in the dishwasher 200 .

[0092] In some embodiments, the mounting base 20 can be rotatably mounted in the dishwasher 200, and the rotation axis of the mounting base 20 relative to the dishwasher 200 is colinear with the rotation axis a of the spray arm 10. The mounting base 20 can be mounted in the dishwasher 200 by snap-fitting or other means, which is not limited to this.

[0093] Figure 12 is a schematic structural diagram of a spray arm assembly according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 1, the spray arm assembly 100 may include a single spray arm 10. Referring to Figure 12, the spray arm assembly 100 may also include two spray arms 10, and the two spray arms 10 may be spaced apart in the direction of the rotation axis a, and the rotation axes a of the two spray arms 10 may be collinear to expand the cleaning range of the spray arm assembly 100. In some embodiments, the spray arm assembly 100 in the embodiment of the present disclosure may also include three spray arms 10, four spray arms 10, and so on. In the case where the spray arm assembly 100 includes three spray arms 10 or four spray arms 10, its structure is roughly similar to the structure of two spray arms 10. The following is an illustrative description using the spray arm assembly 100 including two spray arms 10 as an example.

[0094] Since a single spray arm 10 adopts a driving scheme in which the acute angle between the opening direction of the first water outlet 121 on one side and the second reference plane p is larger than the acute angle between the opening direction of the second water outlet 122 on the other side and the second reference plane p, there will be a situation where one side has a poor cleaning effect on deeply concave dishes due to the excessively small jet angle. Based on this, the embodiment of the present disclosure adopts a spray arm assembly 100 comprising two spray arms 10, and the two spray arms 10 rotate in opposite directions around the rotation axis a. This can take advantage of the bidirectional spray arm 10 to achieve complementary spray angles and directions of the spray arms 10, thereby achieving more comprehensive washing in three dimensions.

[0095] In some embodiments, the trajectory circle formed by the water outlets (first water outlet 121, second water outlet 122) of one spray arm 10 of the two spray arms 10 and the trajectory circle formed by the water outlets (first water outlet 121, second water outlet 122) of the other spray arm 10 can be staggered. In some embodiments, the trajectory circle formed by the water outlets (first water outlet 121, second water outlet 122) of one spray arm 10 of the two spray arms 10 and the trajectory circle formed by the water outlets (first water outlet 121, second water outlet 122) of the other spray arm 10 can be nested with each other, that is, the trajectory circle formed by the water outlets (first water outlet 121, second water outlet 122) of one spray arm 10 of the two spray arms 10 can be located between the trajectory circles formed by two adjacent water outlets (first water outlet 121, second water outlet 122) of the other spray arm 10.

[0096] The rotational speeds of the two spray arms 10 about the rotation axis a can be equal or unequal. When the rotational speeds of the two spray arms 10 about the rotation axis a are equal, their movement is synchronized. Therefore, the two spray arms 10 can be designed to intersect to reduce mutual interference between the fluids sprayed by the two spray arms 10. When the rotational speeds of the two spray arms 10 about the rotation axis a are unequal, their movement is asynchronous. The two spray arms 10 can rotate to an intersecting configuration or to a configuration where their projections within the first reference plane q substantially overlap. Since the substantially overlapping configuration is only momentary, the interference effect on the fluids sprayed by the two spray arms 10 is extremely short and can be ignored.

[0097] FIG13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the spray arm assembly shown in FIG12. Referring to FIG13, the cavities 15 of the two spray arms 10 can be connected, allowing fluid to flow from one spray arm 10 to the other spray arm 10. Compared to connecting the two spray arms 10 to the fluid separately, this reduces the number of connecting pipes and simplifies the structure of the spray arm assembly 100.

[0098] In some embodiments, the two spray arms 10 may be connected via a bearing 30. The outer ring of the bearing 30 may be mounted on one of the two spray arms 10, and the inner ring of the bearing 30 may be mounted on the other of the two spray arms 10. The bearing 30 may be a roller bearing 30, which is not limited thereto.

[0099] In some embodiments, the mounting base 20 can be a hollow structure. One of the two spray arms 10 can be positioned proximate to the mounting base 20, with its cavity 15 communicating with the mounting base 20. The other spray arm 10 can be positioned on a side of one of the two spray arms 10 away from the mounting base 20, with its cavity 15 communicating with the cavity 15 of the other spray arm 10. In this manner, fluid can be supplied to both spray arms 10 simply by connecting the mounting base 20 to a fluid supply source via a pipeline, simplifying the pipeline connection process.

[0100] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a dishwasher 200 , which includes a spray arm assembly 100 and a housing, wherein the spray arm assembly 100 is disposed in the housing.

[0101] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a dishwasher according to some embodiments of the present disclosure in one state; FIG15 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the dishwasher shown in FIG14 in another state. Referring to FIG14 and FIG15 , the dishwasher 200 further includes a basket 300. The spray arm assembly 100 can be located on one side of the basket 300, and the first and second water outlets 121, 122 of the spray arm assembly 100 can be located on a side facing the basket 300. When the spray arm assembly 100 is in operation, the fluid sprayed through the first and second water outlets 121, 122 can clean the items 400 to be cleaned placed in the basket 300.

[0102] 14 and 15 , it can be seen that the opening directions of the multiple first water outlets 121 and the multiple second water outlets 122 located on opposite sides of the rotation axis a in the spray arm 10 are set to be away from the first reference plane q and away from the second reference plane p. This can achieve that when the spray arm 10 rotates 180° around the rotation axis a, the spray fluid in an area (at the items to be cleaned 400) will be changed from being ejected from the multiple first water outlets 121 to being ejected from the multiple second water outlets 122, and the direction of the fluid ejected from the multiple second water outlets 122 is opposite to the direction of the fluid ejected from the multiple first water outlets 121, thereby achieving multi-angle cleaning in an area, making the cleaning more comprehensive, less prone to washing blind spots, and ensuring the cleaning cleanliness of the items to be cleaned 400 with a greater depth.

[0103] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "first", "second", etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to specific circumstances. In addition, in the description of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" refers to at least two, for example, two, three, four, and so on. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and subsequent associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0104] The above disclosure is merely a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure and certainly cannot be used to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, equivalent changes made according to the claims of the present disclosure are still within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A spray arm (10) for a dishwasher (200), comprising a cavity (15) formed in the spray arm (10), and a plurality of first water outlets (121) and a plurality of second water outlets (122) formed on the spray arm (10) and communicating with the cavity (15), wherein the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122) are located on the same side of the spray arm (10), and the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122) are respectively arranged on opposite sides of a rotation axis (a) of the spray arm (10) along a first direction (x) on the surface of the spray arm (10), wherein: The first direction (x) is perpendicular to the rotation axis (a); A virtual surface perpendicular to the rotation axis (a) and located on the same side of the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122) is a first reference surface (q), and the first reference surface (q) is located on a side of the spray arm (10) away from the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122); a virtual surface parallel to the rotation axis (a) and the first direction (x) and located on the same side of the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122) is a second reference surface (p); Wherein, the opening directions of the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122) are both in a direction away from the first reference plane (q) and away from the second reference plane (p).

2. The spray arm (10) according to claim 1, further comprising: A first end plate (11); a second end plate (12), the second end plate (12) being arranged opposite to the first end plate (11) along a second direction (y), the second direction (y) being parallel to the rotation axis (a), the second end plate (12) being formed with the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122); a first side plate (13), the first side plate (13) being connected between the first end plate (11) and the second end plate (12); and a second side plate (14), the second side plate (14) and the first side plate (13) being arranged opposite to each other along a third direction (z), the second side plate (14) being connected between the first end plate (11) and the second end plate (12), the third direction (z), the second direction (y) and the first direction (x) being perpendicular to each other; Wherein, the opening directions of the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122) are both the direction in which the second end plate (12) turns away from the first end plate (11) and the direction in which the second side plate (14) turns away from the first side plate (13).

3. The spray arm (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The acute angle between the opening directions of the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the second reference plane (p) is greater than the acute angle between the opening directions of the plurality of second water outlets (122) and the second reference plane (p).

4. The spray arm (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The opening directions of the plurality of first water outlets (121) are parallel, and / or the opening directions of the plurality of second water outlets (122) are parallel.

5. The spray arm (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The opening directions of at least two of the first water outlets (121) are arranged at an angle, and / or the opening directions of at least two of the second water outlets (122) are arranged at an angle.

6. The spray arm (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: A plurality of the first water outlets (121) are arranged at intervals in the first direction (x), and a plurality of the second water outlets (122) are arranged at intervals in the first direction (x); The trajectory circles formed by the rotation of each of the first water outlets (121) and each of the second water outlets (122) around the rotation axis (a) are nested with each other, wherein a trajectory circle formed by one of the first water outlets (121) is located between trajectory circles formed by two adjacent second water outlets (122), or a trajectory circle formed by one of the second water outlets is located between trajectory circles formed by two adjacent first water outlets (121).

7. The spray arm (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The projection of the water curtain sprayed by at least one of the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122) on the second reference plane (p) is fan-shaped; and the projection of the water curtain sprayed by two adjacent water outlets on the second reference plane (p) have an overlapping area.

8. The spray arm (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: A spray arm body (1), wherein the spray arm body (1) is formed with a plurality of openings, wherein the plurality of openings include a plurality of first openings (1231) and a plurality of second openings, the plurality of first openings (1231) and the plurality of second openings being respectively arranged on opposite sides of the rotation axis (a) along the first direction (x); A plurality of spray heads (124), each of the spray heads (124) is formed with a spray channel (1241), each of the spray heads (124) is connected to the spray arm body (1), the plurality of spray heads (124) comprises a plurality of first spray heads (1242) and a plurality of second spray heads (1243), the spray channels (1241) of the plurality of first spray heads (1242) are connected to the plurality of first openings (1231) in a one-to-one correspondence, the spray channels (1241) of the plurality of first spray heads (1242) are on a side away from the first openings (1231) to form the plurality of first water outlets (121), the spray channels (1241) of the plurality of second spray heads (1243) are connected to the plurality of second openings in a one-to-one correspondence, the spray channels (1241) of the plurality of second spray heads (1243) are on a side away from the second openings to form the plurality of second water outlets (122).

9. The spray arm (10) according to claim 8, wherein: The injection channel (1241) comprises: a first channel (1244), the first channel (1244) being connected to the opening; A second channel (1245), wherein the second channel (1245) is connected to the first channel (1244), the second channel (1245) is arranged farther away from the opening than the first channel (1244), the side of the second channel (1245) farther away from the first channel (1244) forms the first water outlet (121) or the second water outlet (122), the projection of the inner wall surface of the second channel (1245) in the second reference plane (p) is strip-shaped, the maximum width of the second channel (1245) in the third direction (z) is smaller than the minimum width of the first channel (1244) in the third direction (z), and the third direction (z) is perpendicular to the second reference plane (p).

10. The spray arm (10) according to claim 9, wherein: The projection of the inner wall surface of the second channel (1245) within the second reference plane (p) is convex in a direction away from the first channel (1244); and / or From the side of the first channel (1244) close to the opening to the other side of the first channel (1244), the width of the first channel (1244) in the third direction (z) gradually decreases.

11. The spray arm (10) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The injection channel (1241) comprises: A third channel (1246), wherein the third channel (1246) is connected between the first channel (1244) and the second channel (1245), and an inner wall surface of the third channel (1246) bulges in a direction away from the first channel (1244).

12. The spray arm (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein: The inner wall surface of the second channel (1245) includes a first surface (1247) and a second surface (1248) which are relatively distributed along the third direction (z), and the first surface (1247) and the second surface (1248) are both planes and parallel to each other.

13. The spray arm (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein: Among the plurality of first water outlets (121) and the plurality of second water outlets (122), two adjacent water outlets are arranged at intervals in a third direction (z), and the third direction (z) is perpendicular to the second reference plane (p).

14. A spray arm assembly (100), comprising: At least one spray arm (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 13; as well as A mounting seat (20) connected to the spray arm (10).

15. The spray arm assembly (100) according to claim 14 comprises two spray arms (10), the two spray arms (10) are arranged at intervals along the direction where the rotation axis (a) is located, the rotation axes (a) of the two spray arms (10) are collinear, and the rotation directions of the two spray arms (10) along the rotation axis (a) are opposite.

16. A dishwasher (200), comprising: At least one spray arm assembly (100) according to claim 14 or 15; and A shell, wherein the spray arm assembly (100) is arranged in the shell.

Images