Dishwasher including rail assembly

Abstract

A dishwasher according to an embodiment disclosed herein may comprise: a case; a tub provided inside the case and including a washing chamber; a basket which is arranged movably inside the tub and accommodates dishes, the basket comprising a plurality of wires arranged in a grid pattern; and a rail assembly disposed on a side surface of the tub and configured to support the movement of the basket. The rail assembly may include: a fixed rail coupled to the side surface of the tub; a first guide member coupled to the inside of the fixed rail and including a plurality of first ball bearings; a first moving rail that can slide relative to the fixed rail via the plurality of first ball bearings; a second guide member coupled to the inside of the first moving rail and including a plurality of second ball bearings; and a rail bracket coupled to the second moving rail and partially covering the plurality of second ball bearings.

Description

Dishwasher including rail assembly

[0001] One embodiment disclosed in this document relates to a dishwasher comprising a rail assembly.

[0002] A dishwasher is a device that automatically cleans food residue from dishes using detergent and washing water. The dishwasher includes a case with an opening for loading dishes on the front, a washing chamber formed inside the opening, and a door for opening and closing the opening. Inside the washing chamber, it may include a basket for storing dishes and a spray unit that sprays water onto dishes placed in the basket to clean dirt from the dishes.

[0003] Additionally, the dishwasher may include a rail assembly provided inside the case to guide the basket's entry into and / or withdrawal from the washing chamber. The rail assembly may be installed on each of the left and right inner sides of the tub forming the washing chamber. The rail assembly is partially coupled to the basket to guide and simultaneously support the horizontal and / or vertical movement of the basket.

[0004] The information described above may be provided as related art for the purpose of aiding understanding of the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the foregoing may be applied as prior art related to the present disclosure.

[0005] A dishwasher according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a case, a tub provided inside the case and including a washing chamber, a basket movably disposed inside the tub and containing dishes, comprising a plurality of wires arranged in a grid pattern, and a rail assembly disposed on the side of the tub and configured to support the movement of the basket. The rail assembly may include a fixed rail coupled to the side of the tub, a first guide member coupled to the inner side of the fixed rail and including a plurality of first ball bearings, a first movable rail disposed to be slidably movable relative to the fixed rail through the plurality of first ball bearings, a second guide member coupled to the inner side of the first movable rail and including a plurality of second ball bearings, a second movable rail disposed to be slidably movable relative to the first movable rail through the plurality of second ball bearings, and a rail bracket coupled to the second movable rail and disposed to partially cover the plurality of second ball bearings.

[0006] A rail assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a fixed rail, a first guide member coupled to the inner side of the fixed rail and comprising a plurality of first ball bearings, a first movable rail disposed to be slidably movable relative to the fixed rail through the plurality of first ball bearings, a second guide member coupled to the inner side of the first movable rail and comprising a plurality of second ball bearings, a second movable rail disposed to be slidably movable relative to the first movable rail through the plurality of second ball bearings, and a rail bracket coupled to the second movable rail and disposed to partially cover the plurality of second ball bearings.

[0007] However, the problems to be solved in this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and may be determined in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a dishwasher according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a dishwasher with one side cut off, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a rail assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a rail assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a rail assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a side view of a rail assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from one side.

[0014] FIG. 7 is a side view of a rail assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the other side.

[0015] FIG. 8a is a drawing relating to a part of a plan view of a rail assembly deformed by a vertical load according to a comparative example of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 8b is a drawing relating to a part of a plan view of a rail assembly deformed by a vertical load according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 9a is a vertical cross-sectional view of a rail assembly deformed by a vertical load according to a comparative example of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 9b is a vertical cross-sectional view of a rail assembly deformed by a vertical load according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] In the following description, the attached drawings are referenced, and specific examples of implementation are illustrated within the drawings. Additionally, other examples may be used and structural modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the various examples.

[0020] The terms used in this document are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the technical features of this document. For example, a component expressed in the singular form should be understood as a concept including singular or plural components unless the context clearly indicates only the singular form.

[0021] In this document, each of the following phrases may include any one of the items listed with the corresponding phrase, or any combination thereof: "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B or C," "at least one of A, B and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C." The term "and / or" as used in this document should be understood to encompass any possible combination of one or more of the multiple items listed with the corresponding term. Terms such as "first," "second," "first," or "second" as used in this document may be used simply to distinguish a component from another component and do not limit the components in any other aspect (e.g., importance or order).

[0022] Where it is stated that any (e.g., 1st) component is “coupled,” “connected,” “linked,” “coupled,” “supported,” “connected,” or “contacted” with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicationly,” it includes not only cases where the component is directly coupled, connected, linked, coupled, supported, or contacted with the other component, but also cases where it is indirectly coupled, connected, linked, coupled, supported, or contacted through a third component.

[0023] Terms such as "include" or "have" are intended to specify the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in this Document, and do not preclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof. When a component is said to be located "on" another component, this includes not only cases where the component is in contact with the other component, but also cases where another component exists between the two components.

[0024] As used in this document, the expression "configured to..." may be appropriately substituted depending on the context, for example, with "suitable for...", "capable of...", "designed to...", "modified to...", "made to...", or "capable of...". The term "configured to..." does not necessarily mean only that it is "specially designed" in hardware. Instead, in some situations, the expression "device configured to..." may mean that the device is "capable of..." in conjunction with other devices or components. For example, the phrase "device configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C" may refer to a device dedicated to performing the said operation, or it may refer to a general-purpose device capable of performing various operations, including the said operation.

[0025] Terms such as "upper side," "lower side," and "front-rear direction" used in this document are defined based on the drawings, and the shape and location of each component are not limited by these terms.

[0026] The description in this document is centered on specific embodiments, but this document is not limited to such specific embodiments and should be understood to encompass all various modifications, equivalents, and / or substitutions of the various embodiments described in this document. In relation to the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a dishwasher (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a dishwasher (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] All features, components, and / or arrangement relationships between components illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be included alone or in combination with features, components, and arrangement relationships between components described in other figures of this specification.

[0030] According to one embodiment, at least some of the features, components, and / or arrangement relationships between components described in relation to FIGS. 3 to 9b may be optionally combined with the features, components, and arrangement relationships between components described in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0031] Referring to FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 2, a dishwasher (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the dishwasher (1) may include a case (10), a tub (20), a door (11), a water tank (WT), a basket (50), a spray unit (40), an auxiliary spray unit (30), a hinge (90), and / or a sump assembly (70).

[0033] According to one embodiment, the case (10) can form the exterior of the dishwasher (1).

[0034] According to one embodiment, the dishwasher (1) may include a tub (20) provided inside a case (10). The tub (20) may be provided in a roughly box shape. One side of the tub (20) may be open. For example, the tub (20) may have an opening (20a). For example, the front of the tub (20) may be open. A user may store dishes inside the dishwasher (1) or take them out through the opening (20a) of the tub (20).

[0035] According to one embodiment, the dishwasher (1) may include a door (11) provided to open and close an opening (20a) of a tub (20). The door (11) may be installed in a case (10) to open and close an opening (20a) of the tub (20). The door (11) may be rotatably mounted on the case (10). The door (11) may be detachably mounted on the case (10).

[0036] According to one embodiment, the dishwasher (1) may include a hinge (90) that rotatably connects the door (11) to the case (10). The dishwasher (1) may be configured so that the door (11) opens from the top (e.g., in the Z-axis direction) to allow easy insertion or removal of dishes from the tub (20). Accordingly, one side of the hinge (90) may be connected to the bottom of the door (11), and the other side may be connected to the bottom of the case (10).

[0037] According to one embodiment, a dishwasher (1) may include a water tank (WT) provided to store water (e.g., wash water). The dishwasher (1) may store relatively clean wash water used in the rinsing step at the end of the cycle of the dishwasher (1) in the water tank (WT) without draining it. The wash water stored in the water tank (WT) may be used in the next cycle of the dishwasher (1). As a result, the amount of wash water used by the dishwasher (1) can be reduced by recycling the previously used wash water.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the water tank (WT) may be provided between the case (10) and the tub (20). However, it is not limited thereto, and the water tank (WT) may be designed to be in various locations, such as being provided inside the tub (20) or outside the case (10).

[0039] According to one embodiment, the dishwasher (1) may include a basket (50) provided inside a tub (20) to store dishes.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the basket (50) may include a plurality of baskets (51, 52, 53). The plurality of baskets (51, 52, 53) may be arranged to store various tableware.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the basket (50) may be provided so that tableware stored inside can be exposed to the outside and washed. For example, the basket (50) may be formed by a plurality of wires (50a) arranged in a grid pattern.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the basket (50) may include an intermediate basket (52) located in the middle in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the dishwasher (1) and a lower basket (51) located at the bottom in the height direction of the dishwasher (1). The intermediate basket (52) may be positioned to be supported by an intermediate rail assembly (100_2). The lower basket (51) may be positioned to be supported by a lower rail assembly (100_1). The intermediate rail assembly (100_2) and the lower rail assembly (100_1) may be installed on the side (20c) of the tub (20) so as to be slidable toward the opening (20a) of the tub (20). The side (20c) of the tub (20) may be a concept including the inner surface of the right wall and / or the inner surface of the left wall of the tub (20).

[0043] According to one embodiment, relatively bulky tableware can be stored in a plurality of baskets (51, 52). However, the types of tableware stored in the plurality of baskets (51, 52) are not limited to relatively bulky tableware. For example, not only relatively bulky tableware but also relatively small tableware can be stored in the plurality of baskets (51, 52).

[0044] According to one embodiment, the basket (50) may include an upper basket (53) located at the top in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the dishwasher (1). The upper basket (53) is formed in the form of a rack assembly so that relatively small tableware can be stored. For example, cooking tools or cutlery such as ladles, knives, and spatulas can be stored in the upper basket (53). Small cups such as espresso cups can be stored in the upper basket (53). However, the types of tableware stored in the upper basket (53) are not limited to the above examples.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the upper basket (53) may be positioned to be supported by the upper rail assembly (100_3). The upper rail assembly (100_3) may be installed on the side (20c) of the tub (20). For example, the upper basket (53) may be slidably moved by the upper rail assembly (100_3) and may be drawn into or withdrawn from the washing chamber (20S).

[0046] According to one embodiment, the basket (50) is not limited to the shape shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The basket (50) may include at least one of an upper basket (53), a middle basket (52), and / or a lower basket (51). For example, depending on the size of the tub (20), the upper basket (53) may not be included. For example, the basket (50) may be implemented with only the middle basket (52) and the lower basket (51). For example, the basket (50) may include only one of the upper basket (53), the middle basket (52), and the lower basket (51). For example, the basket (50) may be provided as a single basket.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the dishwasher (1) may include a washing chamber (20S), which is a space formed inside the tub (20). The washing chamber (20S) may be defined as an inner space of the tub (20). The washing chamber (20S) may be understood as a space where dishes placed in a basket (50) can be washed and dried by washing water.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the dishwasher (1) may include a spray unit (40) provided to spray wash water. The spray unit (40) may spray wash water into a washing chamber (20S). For example, the spray unit (40) may spray wash water toward dishes stored in a basket (50). The spray unit (40) may receive wash water from a sump assembly (70).

[0049] According to one embodiment, the injection unit (40) may include at least one injection unit. The injection unit (40) may include one injection unit or a plurality of injection units (41, 42, 43).

[0050] According to one embodiment, a plurality of spray units (41, 42, 43) may include a first spray unit (41) positioned at the bottom of a lower basket (51) in the height direction (e.g., Z-axis direction) of the dishwasher (1), a second spray unit (42) positioned at the bottom of a middle basket (52) in the height direction of the dishwasher (1), and a third spray unit (43) positioned at the top of an upper basket (53) in the height direction of the dishwasher (1). However, this is not limited thereto, and the plurality of spray units may be provided in two or four or more.

[0051] According to one embodiment, each of the plurality of spray units (41, 42, 43) may be arranged to spray cleaning water while rotating. Each of the first spray unit (41), the second spray unit (42), and the third spray unit (43) may be arranged to spray cleaning water while rotating. The plurality of spray units (41, 42, 43) may be named as a plurality of spray rotors. For example, each of the first spray unit (41), the second spray unit (42), and the third spray unit (43) may be named as the first spray rotor, the second spray rotor, and the third spray rotor.

[0052] However, the spray unit (40) may spray cleaning water in a manner different from the example described above. For example, at least one of the first spray unit (41), the second spray unit (42), and the third spray unit (43) may be fixed to one side of the lower surface of the tub (20). At this time, the first spray unit (41) is configured to spray cleaning water in an approximately horizontal direction by means of a fixed nozzle, and the cleaning water sprayed in an approximately horizontal direction from the nozzle of the first spray unit (41) may be directed upward by means of a switching assembly (not shown) disposed inside the cleaning chamber (20S). The switching assembly may be installed on a rail (not shown) and may be configured to be movable in translation along the rail (not shown). Meanwhile, although the first spray unit (41) was described as an example, the second spray unit (42) and the third spray unit (43) may also be configured to spray cleaning water using a fixed nozzle in the same manner as the example described above.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the dishwasher (1) may include an auxiliary spray unit (30). The auxiliary spray unit (30) is positioned on one side of the lower part of the washing chamber (20S) and can spray washing water onto a part of the washing chamber (20S). The auxiliary spray unit (30) is designed to spray washing water at a relatively high pressure compared to the spray unit (40) so as to intensively wash heavily soiled dishes. The auxiliary spray unit (30) may be omitted.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the auxiliary injection unit (30) may be detachably mounted at the bottom of the washing chamber (20S). The auxiliary injection unit (30) may be detachably mounted to the sump assembly (70). In the drawing, the auxiliary injection unit (30) is shown to include a circular shape, but is not limited thereto and may be provided in a shape similar to a plurality of injection units (41, 42, 43). The auxiliary injection unit (30) may be named an auxiliary injection rotor.

[0055] According to this embodiment, the plurality of injection units (41, 42, 43, 30) may include at least two of the first injection unit (41), the second injection unit (42), the third injection unit (43), and the auxiliary injection unit (30).

[0056] According to one embodiment, the dishwasher (1) may include a sump assembly (70).

[0057] According to one embodiment, a sump assembly (70) may be arranged to receive wash water. The sump assembly (70) may collect wash water from the wash chamber (20S). For example, to facilitate the collection of wash water by the sump assembly (70), the lower surface (20b) of the tub (20) may be provided to slope downward toward the sump assembly (70). Wash water from the wash chamber (20S) may flow along the slope of the lower surface (20b) of the tub (20) and flow smoothly into the sump assembly (70).

[0058] According to one embodiment, the sump assembly (70) may include a circulation pump (not shown) that pumps water (e.g., wash water) stored in the sump assembly (70) to a spray unit (40). For example, the circulation pump may be named a pump or a wash pump.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the sump assembly (70) may include a drain pump (not shown) for draining washing water and / or foreign matter (e.g., food washing water residue, etc.) remaining in the sump assembly (70).

[0060] According to one embodiment, the sump assembly (70) can pump collected wash water and supply it to the spray unit (40). The sump assembly (70) may include a connection port (not shown) that forms a flow path to supply wash water to the spray unit (40).

[0061] According to one embodiment, the dishwasher (1) may include a machine room (L), which is a space provided below the tub (20). The machine room (L) may be a place where a configuration for circulating and / or draining wash water is placed.

[0062] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the sump assembly (70) may be placed in the machine room (L). A majority of the sump assembly (70) may be placed in the machine room (L). For example, the area of ​​the sump assembly (70) located in the washing room (20S) may be smaller than the area of ​​the sump assembly (70) located in the machine room (L). By reducing the area of ​​the sump assembly (70) occupying the washing room (20S), the area of ​​the washing room (20S) can be secured. By doing so, the capacity of the washing room (20S) is increased, and dish storage capacity can be improved.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the dishwasher (1) may include a base frame (16). The base frame (16) may form a machine room (L) provided below the washing room (20S). The base frame (16) may be placed below the tub (20). The base frame (16) may be provided as part of the case (10). However, it is not limited thereto, and the base frame (16) may be provided as a separate component from the case (10). The base frame (16) may be provided to accommodate a sump assembly (70).

[0064] According to one embodiment, the dishwasher (1) may further include a rail assembly (100) for supporting a basket (50). According to one embodiment, the rail assembly (100) may be configured to support vertical movement (e.g., movement with respect to the Z-axis direction) and / or horizontal movement (e.g., movement with respect to the X-axis direction) of the basket (50).

[0065] According to one embodiment, the rail assembly (100) may be positioned on the side (20C) of the tub (20). For example, the rail assembly (100) may be positioned in pairs facing each other on the side (20C) of the tub (20). Each of the pair of rail assemblies (100) may be attached to the left / right end of the corresponding basket (50). The rail assembly (100) may be named a rack assembly, a guide assembly, or a support assembly.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the rail assembly (100) may include a lower rail assembly (100_1), an intermediate rail assembly (100_2), and / or an upper rail assembly (100_3).

[0067] According to one embodiment, a lower rail assembly (100_1) may be connected to a lower basket (51). The lower rail assembly (100_1) may secure the lower basket (51) inside the tub (20). The lower rail assembly (100_1) may guide or support the horizontal movement (e.g., sliding movement) of the lower basket (51) so that the lower basket (51) may be drawn into or drawn out of the tub (20). The lower rail assembly (100_1) may be named a first rail assembly.

[0068] For example, a middle rail assembly (100_2) can be connected to a middle basket (52). The middle rail assembly (100_2) can secure the middle basket (52) inside the tub (20). The middle rail assembly (100_2) can guide or support the horizontal movement (e.g., sliding movement) of the middle basket (52) so that the middle basket (52) can be drawn into or drawn out of the tub (20). The middle rail assembly (100_2) may be named a second rail assembly.

[0069] For example, the upper rail assembly (100_3) can be connected to the upper basket (53). The upper rail assembly (100_3) can secure the upper basket (53) inside the tub (20). The upper rail assembly (100_3) can guide or support the horizontal movement (e.g., sliding movement) of the upper basket (53) so that the upper basket (53) can be drawn into or drawn out of the tub (20). The upper rail assembly (100_3) may be named the third rail assembly.

[0070] In the drawing, the rail assembly (100) is depicted as including three rail assemblies (100_1, 100_2, 100_3), but this is exemplary and it can be understood that the number of rail assemblies (100) may change in correspondence with the number of baskets (50).

[0071] Hereinafter, the structure of the rail assembly (100) will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7.

[0072] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a rail assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0073] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a rail assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0074] FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a rail assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0075] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing the first moving rail (130) and the second moving rail (150) of the rail assembly (100) in a partially withdrawn state.

[0076] FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a rail assembly (100) with the rack bracket (170) omitted (or removed).

[0077] The embodiments of FIGS. 3 to 5 can be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0078] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the rail assembly (100) may include a fixed rail (110), a first guide member (120), a first movable rail (130), a second guide member (140), a second movable rail (150), a rail bracket (160), and / or a basket bracket (170).

[0079] According to one embodiment, the fixed rail (110) may be attached to the side (20c) of the tub (e.g., the tub (20) of FIG. 1). For example, the fixed rail (110) may be secured to the side (20c) of the tub (20) through a fastening member (P1), such as a screw or a bolt and a nut. The fixed rail (110) may be understood as a support structure for securing and supporting other components of the rail assembly (100) to the dishwasher (1).

[0080] According to one embodiment, the fixed rail (110) may include a fixed rail body (111) and two or more fastening parts (113).

[0081] According to one embodiment, the fixed rail body (111) can form the exterior of the fixed rail (110).

[0082] The fixed rail body (111) may include a first fixed rail body portion (1111), a second fixed rail body portion (1112), and a third fixed rail body portion (1113).

[0083] The first fixed rail body portion (1111) may extend along the longitudinal direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the rail assembly (100). The first fixed rail body portion (1111) may be named the first fixed rail middle portion (1111).

[0084] According to one embodiment, two or more fastening portions (113) may be spaced apart along the longitudinal direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the first fixed rail body portion (1111). The fastening portions (113) may be provided to have an embossing structure with respect to the first fixed rail body portion (1111). For example, the fastening portions (113) may include one side (or outer side) that is recessed into the first fixed rail body portion (1111). For example, the fastening portions (113) may include another side (or inner side) that protrudes into the first fixed rail body portion (1111) in a direction away from the cleaning chamber (e.g., cleaning chamber (20S) of FIG. 1) of the tub (e.g., tub (20) of FIG. 1) (or an inner direction, e.g., Y-axis direction). A fastening hole (1131) into which a fastening member (P1) is inserted and fixed may be formed on the inner side of the fastening part (113).

[0085] The second fixed rail body portion (1112) may be formed by bending to one side from the top of the first fixed rail body (1111). For example, the second fixed rail body portion (1112) may be bent from the first fixed rail body portion (1111) toward the cleaning chamber (e.g., cleaning chamber (20S) of FIG. 1) of the tub (e.g., tub (20) of FIG. 1) in a direction (or outward direction, e.g., -Y-axis direction). The second fixed rail body portion (1112) may cover the upper side of the first upper ball bearing (121a) of the first guide member (120). The second fixed rail body portion (1112) may be formed in a partially curved shape to correspond to the curvature of the first upper ball bearing (121a). The second fixed rail body portion (1112) may be named the first fixed rail upper portion (1112).

[0086] The third fixed rail body portion (1113) may be formed by bending to one side from the bottom of the first fixed rail body (1111). For example, the third fixed rail body portion (1113) may be bent from the first fixed rail body portion (1111) toward the cleaning chamber (e.g., cleaning chamber (20S) of FIG. 1) of the tub (e.g., tub (20) of FIG. 1) in a direction (or outward direction, e.g., -Y-axis direction). The third fixed rail body portion (1113) may cover the lower side of the first lower ball bearing (121b) of the first guide member (120). The third fixed rail body portion (1113) may be formed in a partially curved shape to correspond to the curvature of the first lower ball bearing (121b). The third fixed rail body portion (1113) may be named the first fixed rail lower portion (1113).

[0087] According to one embodiment, the first guide member (120) may be disposed on the inner side of the fixed rail (110). The first guide member (120) may include a plurality of first ball bearings (121) and a first retainer (123).

[0088] According to one embodiment, a plurality of first ball bearings (121) may include a plurality of first upper ball bearings (121a) positioned above the first retainer (123) and a plurality of first lower ball bearings (121b) positioned below the first retainer (123).

[0089] According to one embodiment, the first retainer (123) may be configured to maintain and / or fix the spacing of a plurality of first ball bearings (121). A plurality of first ball bearings (121) may be arranged in the first retainer (123) to maintain a predetermined spacing.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the first retainer (123) may include a first-1 retainer portion (1231), a first-2 retainer portion (1232), and a first-3 retainer portion (1233).

[0091] According to one embodiment, the first-1 retainer portion (1231) may extend along the longitudinal direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the rail assembly (100). The first-1 retainer portion (1231) may be named the first retainer intermediate portion.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the first-2 retainer portion (1232) may be formed by bending to one side from the top of the first-1 retainer portion (1231). For example, the first-2 retainer portion (1232) may be bent from the first-1 retainer portion (1231) toward the cleaning chamber (e.g., cleaning chamber (20S) of FIG. 1) of the tub (e.g., tub (20) of FIG. 1) in a direction (or outward direction, e.g., -Y-axis direction). The first-2 retainer portion (1232) may partially cover the upper side of the first movable rail (130). A plurality of first grooves (not shown) may be formed in the first-2 retainer portion (1232) for the placement and / or fixation of a plurality of first upper ball bearings (121a). For example, the plurality of first grooves (not shown) may be spaced apart at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the first-second retainer portion (1232). The first-second retainer portion (1232) may be named the first retainer upper portion.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the first-third retainer portion (1233) may be formed by bending to one side from the bottom of the first-first retainer portion (1231). For example, the first-third retainer portion (1233) may be bent from the first-first retainer portion (1231) toward the cleaning chamber (e.g., cleaning chamber (20S) of FIG. 1) of the tub (e.g., tub (20) of FIG. 1) in a direction (or outward direction, e.g., -Y-axis direction). The first-third retainer portion (1233) may partially cover the lower side of the first movable rail (130). A plurality of second grooves (not shown) may be formed in the first-third retainer portion (1233) for the placement and / or fixation of a plurality of first lower ball bearings (121b). For example, the plurality of second grooves (not shown) may be spaced apart at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the first-third retainer portion (1233). The first-third retainer portion (1233) may be named the first retainer lower portion.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the first movable rail (130) may be disposed inside the first guide member (120). The first movable rail (130) may be slidably disposed relative to the fixed rail (110) through a plurality of first ball bearings (121) of the first guide member (120). For example, the first movable rail (130) may slide forward (e.g., in the X-axis direction) relative to the fixed rail (110) through a plurality of first ball bearings (121). For example, the first movable rail (130) may slide backward (e.g., in the -X-axis direction) relative to the fixed rail (110) through a plurality of first ball bearings (121).

[0095] According to one embodiment, the first moving rail (130) may include a first-1 moving rail body part (131), a first-2 moving rail body part (132), and a first-3 moving rail body part (133).

[0096] According to one embodiment, the first-1 movable rail body portion (131) may extend along the longitudinal direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the rail assembly (100). The first-1 movable rail body portion (131) may be named the first movable rail middle portion.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the first-second movable rail body portion (132) may be formed by bending to one side from the top of the first-first movable rail body portion (131). For example, the second movable rail body portion (132) may be bent from the first-first movable rail body portion (131) toward the cleaning chamber (e.g., cleaning chamber (20S) of FIG. 1) of the tub (e.g., tub (20) of FIG. 1) in a direction (or outward direction, e.g., -Y-axis direction). The first-second movable rail body portion (132) may cover the upper side of the second upper ball bearing (141a) of the second guide member (140). The first-second movable rail body portion (132) may be formed in a partially curved shape to correspond to the curvature of the second upper ball bearing (141a). The first-second movable rail body portion (132) may be named the first movable rail upper portion.

[0098] According to one embodiment, the first-third movable rail body portion (133) may be formed by bending to one side from the bottom of the first-first movable rail body portion (131). For example, the third movable rail body portion (133) may be bent from the first-first movable rail body portion (131) toward the cleaning chamber (e.g., cleaning chamber (20S) of FIG. 1) of the tub (e.g., tub (20) of FIG. 1) in a direction (or outward direction, e.g., -Y-axis direction). The first-third movable rail body portion (133) may cover the lower side of the second lower ball bearing (141b) of the second guide member (140). The first-third movable rail body portion (133) may be formed in a partially curved shape to correspond to the curvature of the second lower ball bearing (141b). The first-third movable rail body portion (133) may be named the first movable rail lower portion.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the second guide member (140) may be disposed on the inner side of the first movable rail (130). The second guide member (140) may include a plurality of second ball bearings (141) and a second retainer (143).

[0100] According to one embodiment, a plurality of second ball bearings (141) may include a plurality of second upper ball bearings (141a) positioned above the second retainer (143) and a plurality of second lower ball bearings (141b) positioned below the second retainer (143).

[0101] According to one embodiment, the second retainer (143) may be configured to maintain and / or fix the spacing of a plurality of second ball bearings (141). A plurality of second ball bearings (141) may be arranged in the second retainer (143) to maintain a predetermined spacing.

[0102] According to one embodiment, the second retainer (143) may include a second-1 retainer portion (1431), a second-2 retainer portion (1432), and a second-3 retainer portion (1433).

[0103] According to one embodiment, the second-1 retainer portion (1431) may extend along the longitudinal direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the rail assembly (100). The second-1 retainer portion (1431) may be named the second retainer intermediate portion.

[0104] According to one embodiment, the second-2 retainer portion (1432) may be formed by bending to one side from the top of the second-1 retainer portion (1431). For example, the second-2 retainer portion (1432) may be bent from the second-1 retainer portion (1431) toward the cleaning chamber (e.g., cleaning chamber (20S) of FIG. 1) of the tub (e.g., tub (20) of FIG. 1) in a direction (or outward direction, e.g., -Y-axis direction). The second-2 retainer portion (1432) may partially cover the upper side of the second movable rail (150). A plurality of third grooves (not shown) may be formed in the second-2 retainer portion (1432) for the placement and / or fixation of a plurality of second upper ball bearings (141a). For example, the plurality of third grooves (not shown) may be spaced apart at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the second-2 retainer portion (1432). The second-2 retainer portion (1432) may be named the second retainer upper portion.

[0105] According to one embodiment, the second-third retainer portion (1433) may be formed by bending to one side from the bottom of the second-first retainer portion (1431). For example, the second-third retainer portion (1433) may be bent from the second-first retainer portion (1431) toward the cleaning chamber (e.g., cleaning chamber (20S) of FIG. 1) of the tub (e.g., tub (20) of FIG. 1) in a direction (or outward direction, e.g., -Y-axis direction). The second-third retainer portion (1433) may partially cover the lower side of the second movable rail (150). A plurality of fourth grooves (not shown) may be formed in the second-third retainer portion (1433) for the placement and / or fixation of a plurality of second lower ball bearings (141b). For example, the plurality of fourth grooves (not shown) may be spaced apart at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the second-third retainer portion (1433). The second-third retainer portion (1433) may be named the second retainer lower portion.

[0106] According to one embodiment, a second moving rail (150) may be disposed inside the second guide member (140). The second moving rail (150) may be slidably disposed relative to the first moving rail (130) through a plurality of second ball bearings (141) of the second guide member (140). For example, the second moving rail (150) may slide forward (e.g., in the X-axis direction) relative to the first moving rail (130) through a plurality of second ball bearings (141). For example, the second moving rail (150) may slide backward (e.g., in the -X-axis direction) relative to the first moving rail (130) through a plurality of second ball bearings (141).

[0107] According to one embodiment, the second movable rail (150) may include a second movable rail body (151), a plurality of fastening holes (152), and a fixing hole (153).

[0108] According to one embodiment, the second movable rail body (151) may include a second-1 movable rail body portion (1511), a second-2 movable rail body portion (1512), and a second-3 movable rail body portion (1513).

[0109] According to one embodiment, the second-1 movable rail body portion (1511) may extend along the longitudinal direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the rail assembly (100). The second-1 movable rail body portion (1511) may be named the second movable rail middle portion.

[0110] According to one embodiment, the second-2 movable rail body portion (1512) may be formed by bending to one side from the top of the second-1 movable rail body portion (1511). For example, the second-2 movable rail body portion (1512) may be bent from the second-1 movable rail body portion (1511) in a direction away from the cleaning chamber (e.g., cleaning chamber (20S) of FIG. 1) of the tub (e.g., tub (20) of FIG. 1) (or inward direction, e.g., Y-axis direction). The second-2 movable rail body portion (1512) may cover the lower side of the first upper ball bearing (141a) of the second guide member (140). The second-2 movable rail body portion (1512) may be formed in a partially curved shape to correspond to the curvature of the second upper ball bearing (141a). The second-2 moving rail body part (1512) can be named the second moving rail upper part.

[0111] According to one embodiment, the second-third movable rail body portion (1513) may be formed by bending to one side from the bottom of the second-first movable rail body portion (1511). For example, the second-third movable rail body portion (1513) may be bent from the second-first movable rail body portion (1511) in a direction away from the cleaning chamber (e.g., cleaning chamber (20S) of FIG. 1) of the tub (e.g., tub (20) of FIG. 1) (or inward direction, e.g., Y-axis direction). The second-third movable rail body portion (1513) may cover the upper side of the second lower ball bearing (141b) of the second guide member (140). The second-third movable rail body portion (1513) may be formed in a partially curved shape to correspond to the curvature of the second lower ball bearing (141b). The second-third moving rail body part (1513) can be named the second moving rail lower part.

[0112] According to one embodiment, a plurality of fastening holes (152) of the second movable rail (150) may be spaced apart along the longitudinal direction (e.g., X-axis direction) of the second movable rail (150). A rail bracket (160) may be coupled to the second movable rail (150) by inserting a fastening member (P2) into the plurality of fastening holes (152) and fixing it.

[0113] According to one embodiment, the fixing hole (153) of the second movable rail (150) may be formed at a position corresponding to the fastening portion (163) of the rail bracket (160). A fixing member (e.g., the fixing member (180) of FIG. 7) for fixing the fastening member (P3) may be inserted into the fixing hole (153). The coupling structure of the rail bracket (160) and the basket bracket (170) through the fastening portion (163) of the rail bracket (160) and the fixing hole (153) of the second movable rail (150) will be described with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

[0114] According to one embodiment, a rail bracket (160) may be coupled to a second movable rail (150). As described above, the rail bracket (160) may be coupled to the second movable rail (150) through a fastening member (P2), such as a rivet. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the rail bracket (160) and the second movable rail (150) may be coupled to each other by various coupling methods such as caulking or welding. The rail bracket (160) may be positioned to partially cover a plurality of second ball bearings (141) of the second guide member (140) while coupled to the second movable rail (150). The rail bracket (160) may form a predetermined area (A1, A2 in FIG. 6) that overlaps with the plurality of second ball bearings (141) when viewed from the side during sliding of the second movable rail (150). For example, the rail bracket (160) may form a first area (A1) located on the upper side of the rail bracket (160) and overlapping with a plurality of second upper ball bearings (141a) when viewed from the side during the sliding of the second movable rail (150). For example, the rail bracket (160) may form a second area (A2) located on the lower side of the rail bracket (160) and overlapping with a plurality of second lower ball bearings (141b) when viewed from the side during the sliding of the second movable rail (150). The size (or width, overlapping range) of the aforementioned predetermined areas (A1, A2) may change depending on the degree of sliding of the second movable rail (150).

[0115] According to one embodiment, the upper portion (160a) of the rail bracket (160) may be positioned to have a predetermined height difference (ΔH) with respect to a plurality of second upper ball bearings (141a). For example, the upper portion (160a) of the rail bracket (160) may be located above the plurality of second upper ball bearings (141a). For example, the lower portion (160b) of the rail bracket (160) may be positioned to have a predetermined height difference with respect to a plurality of second lower ball bearings (141b). For example, the lower portion (160b) of the rail bracket (160) may be located below the plurality of second lower ball bearings (141b).

[0116] According to one embodiment, the rail bracket (160) can function as a stopper that limits the movement of the second moving rail (150) relative to the first moving rail (130) when a lateral load (W) is applied to the rail assembly (100). For example, when a lateral load (W) is applied to the rail assembly (100), the rail bracket (160) can limit the movement of the second moving rail (150) by the upper (160a) or lower (160b) of the rail bracket (160) coming into contact with the first moving rail (130). Additionally, the contact between the rail bracket (160) and the first moving rail (130) can prevent a ball bearing (e.g., a second ball bearing (141)) from coming out of the rail assembly (100).

[0117] According to one embodiment, the rail bracket (160) may be positioned to form a predetermined gap (G) with respect to the first movable rail (130). For example, the rail bracket (160) may be spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the horizontal direction (e.g., Y-axis direction) with respect to the first movable rail (130) to form a gap (G) between the rail bracket (160) and the first movable rail (130). The gap (G) may be designed within a range where no interference occurs between the first movable rail (130), the second movable rail (150), and the rail bracket (160) when no lateral load (W) is applied to the rail assembly (100). The gap (G) between the rail bracket (160) and the first movable rail (130) can be designed with consideration of the tolerance regarding the diameter of the second ball bearing (141), the tolerance regarding the height of the first movable rail (130) (e.g., length along the Y-axis), the tolerance regarding the height of the second movable rail (150) (e.g., length along the Y-axis), and / or the tolerance regarding the height of the fastening member (P2) (e.g., length along the Y-axis). The gap (G) can be designed, for example, to be within about 0.675 to 1.185 mm.

[0118] According to one embodiment, the rail bracket (160) may include a cover portion (161), an extension portion (162), and a fastening portion (163).

[0119] According to one embodiment, the cover portion (161) may partially cover a plurality of second ball bearings (141) while coupled to the second movable rail (150). For example, the cover portion (161) may be a part of a rail bracket (160) that overlaps with the second ball bearings (141) to form a predetermined area (A1, A2) while coupled to the second movable rail (150).

[0120] According to one embodiment, the extension portion (162) may extend forward (e.g., in the X-axis direction) from the cover portion (161) with respect to the sliding direction of the second moving rail (150). The height of the extension portion (162) (e.g., H2 in FIG. 6) may be lower than the height of the cover portion (161) (H1 in FIG. 6).

[0121] According to one embodiment, two or more fastening portions (163) may be provided on the rail bracket (160). For example, as illustrated in the drawing, the fastening portion (163) may be formed on each of the cover portion (161) and the extension portion (162) of the rail bracket (160). The fastening portion (163) may be provided to have an embossing structure on the cover portion (161) and / or the extension portion (162). For example, the fastening portion (163) may include a side surface (or outer surface) protruding from the cover portion (161) and / or the extension portion (162). For example, the fastening portion (163) may include a recessed other side (or inner side) from the cover portion (161) and / or extension portion (162) in a direction away from the cleaning chamber (e.g., the cleaning chamber (20S) of FIG. 1) of the tub (e.g., the tub (20) of FIG. 1) (or an inner direction, e.g., the Y-axis direction). The fastening portion (163) may be provided with a fastening groove (e.g., the fastening groove (1631) of FIG. 6) into which a fastening member (P3) for joining the rail bracket (160) and the basket bracket (170) is inserted and fixed. The structure of the fastening groove (1631) will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

[0122] According to one embodiment, the fastening portion (163) may include a fixing groove (164) formed on the upper and / or lower side of the fastening portion (163) and into which a fixing member (180) is partially inserted and fixed.

[0123] According to one embodiment, the basket bracket (170) can be coupled to the rail bracket (160). For example, the basket bracket (170) can be coupled to cover the outer side of the rail bracket (160). The basket bracket (170) can be fixed to the rail bracket (160) by inserting and fixing a fastening member (P3) into a fastening groove (1631) of the rail bracket (160).

[0124] According to one embodiment, the basket bracket (170) may include a basket bracket body (171) having a fastening hole through which a fastening member (P3) passes, and a coupling part (172) provided at an end (e.g., rear end) of the basket body (171). Two or more coupling parts (172) may be provided symmetrically above and below at the rear end of the basket body (171). The coupling part (172) may have a hook shape to partially surround the wire (50a) of the basket (50) for coupling with the basket (50).

[0125] FIG. 6 is a side view of a rail assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from one side.

[0126] FIG. 7 is a side view of a rail assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the other side.

[0127] FIG. 6 is a drawing of a rail assembly (100) viewed from one side, in which the basket bracket (170) is omitted (or removed) while the second movable rail (150) to which the rail bracket (160) is attached slides along a predetermined distance relative to the first movable rail (130).

[0128] FIG. 7 is a view of a rail assembly (100) with a basket bracket (170) attached, in a state where the second movable rail (150) with the rail bracket (160) attached has slid a predetermined distance relative to the first movable rail (130), viewed from the other side opposite to one side of FIG. 6.

[0129] The embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7 can be optionally combined with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0130] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a rail assembly according to one embodiment (e.g., rail assembly (100) of FIGS. 3 and 4) may include a fixed rail (e.g., fixed rail (110) of FIGS. 3 and 4), a first guide member (e.g., first guide member (120) of FIGS. 4), a first movable rail (130), a second guide member (140), a second movable rail (150), a rail bracket (160), a basket bracket (170), and a fixed member (180).

[0131] According to one embodiment, the rail bracket (160) may include a cover portion (161), an extension portion (162), and a fastening portion (163).

[0132] According to one embodiment, the fastening portion (163) of the rail bracket (160) may include a fastening groove (1631) into which a fastening member (P3) for fixing the rail bracket (160) and the basket bracket (170) is inserted and fixed. The fastening groove (1631) may be formed by partially cutting the fastening portion (163).

[0133] According to one embodiment, the fastening groove (1631) may include an open end (1631a) that is open to the outside of the fastening portion (1631) and a closed end (1631b) that extends vertically from the open end (1631a). The fastening groove (1631) may have an "L" shape when viewed approximately from the side. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the shape of the fastening groove (1631) may be designed in various ways. A fastening member (P3) may be inserted into the open end (1631a) of the fastening groove (1631) and fixed and supported at the closed end (1631b) along the path formed by the fastening groove (1631).

[0134] According to one embodiment, the second movable rail (150) may include a fixing hole (153) into which a fixing member (180) is inserted. The fixing hole (153) may be provided at a position corresponding to the fastening portion (163) of the rail bracket (160). The fixing hole (153) may have an hourglass shape when viewed from the side. For example, the fixing hole (153) may have a shape in which the width decreases from the top to the bottom and then increases again.

[0135] According to one embodiment, the fixing member (180) may have a shape that partially corresponds to the fixing hole (153) of the second moving rail (150).

[0136] According to one embodiment, the fixing member (180) may be inserted into and fixed in the fixing hole (153) of the second movable rail (150). The fixing member (180) may have a clip shape. For example, while the fixing member (180) is inserted into the fixing hole (153) of the second movable rail (150), the upper and lower portions, respectively, may be engaged with the fixing groove (164) of the corresponding rail bracket (160), or engaged with the upper portion and / or lower portion of the corresponding rail bracket (160).

[0137] According to one embodiment, the fixing member (180) can cover the fastening member (P3) that is inserted into the fixing hole (153) of the second movable rail (150) and exposed to the outside, while the rail bracket (160) and the basket bracket (170) are joined by the fastening member (P3). Accordingly, the fastening member (P3) is prevented from detaching from the rail bracket (160), so that the connection between the rail bracket (160) and the basket bracket (170) can be made secure.

[0138] FIG. 8a is a drawing relating to a part of a plan view of a rail assembly (100a) deformed by a vertical load according to a comparative example of the present disclosure.

[0139] FIG. 8b is a drawing relating to a part of a plan view of a rail assembly (100) deformed by a vertical load according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0140] The configuration of the rail assembly (100a) of FIG. 8a may be all or partly the same as the configuration of the rail assembly (100) of FIG. 3 to FIG. 7.

[0141] In the rail assembly (100a) according to the comparative example of FIG. 8a, the rail bracket (160) may be omitted compared to the rail assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure of FIG. 8b.

[0142] Referring to FIG. 8a, although not explicitly shown in the drawing, when a vertical load is applied to a basket (50) coupled to a rail assembly (100a) while the second movable rail (150) is withdrawn relative to the first movable rail (130), the rear end of the second movable rail (150) may move or bend by a predetermined value (d1) (e.g., about 1.94 mm) from the first movable rail (130) by a lever action. At this time, the predetermined value (d1) may be referred to as the amount of movement or bending of the second movable rail (150).

[0143] Referring to FIG. 8b, although not explicitly shown in the drawing, when a vertical load is applied to a basket (50) coupled to a rail assembly (100) while the second movable rail (150) is withdrawn relative to the first movable rail (130), the rear end of the second movable rail (150) coupled with the rail bracket (160) may move or bend by a predetermined value (d2) (e.g., about 0.83 mm) from the first movable rail (130) by lever action. At this time, the predetermined value (d1) may be referred to as the amount of movement or bending of the second movable rail (150).

[0144] Comparing FIG. 8a and FIG. 8b, it can be seen that when a rail bracket (160) is provided, the rigidity of the rail assembly (100) is reinforced, and the amount of flow or bending due to the lever effect is reduced.

[0145] FIG. 9a is a vertical cross-sectional view of a rail assembly (100a) deformed by a vertical load according to a comparative example of the present disclosure.

[0146] FIG. 9b is a vertical cross-sectional view of a rail assembly (100) deformed by a vertical load according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0147] The configuration of the rail assembly (100a) of FIG. 9a may be all or partly the same as the configuration of the rail assembly (100) of FIG. 3 to FIG. 7.

[0148] In the rail assembly (100a) according to the comparative example of FIG. 9a, the rail bracket (160) may be omitted compared to the rail assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure of FIG. 9b.

[0149] Referring to FIG. 9a, although not specified in the drawing, when a vertical load is applied to a basket (50) coupled to a rail assembly (100) while the second movable rail (150) is withdrawn relative to the first movable rail (130), the first movable rail (130) may be deformed by a predetermined value (e.g., about 11.1 mm) as a moment force acting in a counterclockwise direction (DR_T) is applied. The predetermined value may be referred to as torsional displacement.

[0150] Referring to FIG. 9b, although not explicitly shown in the drawing, when a vertical load is applied to a basket (50) coupled to a rail assembly (100a) while the second movable rail (150) is withdrawn relative to the first movable rail (130), the first movable rail (130) may be deformed by a predetermined value (e.g., about 8.7 mm) as a moment force acting in a counterclockwise direction (DR_T) is applied. The predetermined value may be referred to as torsional displacement. However, compared with FIG. 9a, it can be seen that the torsional displacement is reduced as the rigidity is reinforced by the rail bracket (160) being coupled to the second movable rail (150).

[0151] In the case of the rail assembly provided in the dishwasher, the rail assembly itself has weak rigidity, so the rail assembly is structured to be susceptible to lateral loads. In the case of existing rail assemblies, the ball bearing is prevented from disengaging only by the amount of horizontal overlap between the movable rail and the ball bearing, so there is a problem in that when a lateral load is applied to the rail assembly, the movable rail deforms and the ball bearing can disengage.

[0152] According to one embodiment, a rail assembly having a rail bracket coupled to a second movable rail and a dishwasher including the same can be provided.

[0153] However, the problems to be solved in this disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and may be expanded in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0154] According to one embodiment, as a rail bracket is coupled to the second movable rail, the rigidity of the rail assembly itself can be reinforced.

[0155] According to one embodiment, a rail bracket coupled to a second movable rail partially covers a plurality of ball bearings of a second guide member, thereby preventing the ball bearings from disengaging when a lateral load is applied.

[0156] The effects obtainable from the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0157] A dishwasher (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a case (10), a tub (20) provided inside the case (10) and including a washing chamber (20S), a basket (50) movably disposed inside the tub (20) and containing dishes, the basket (50) including a plurality of wires (50a) arranged in a grid pattern, and a rail assembly (100) disposed on the side (20c) of the tub (20) and configured to support the movement of the basket (50). The rail assembly (100) may include a fixed rail (110) coupled to the side (20c) of the tub (20), a first guide member (120) coupled to the inner side of the fixed rail (110) and comprising a plurality of first ball bearings (121), a first movable rail (130) slidably positioned to the fixed rail (110) through the plurality of first ball bearings (121), a second guide member (140) coupled to the inner side of the first movable rail (130) and comprising a plurality of second ball bearings (141), a second movable rail (150) slidably positioned to the first movable rail (130) through the plurality of second ball bearings (141), and a rail bracket (160) coupled to the second movable rail (150) and positioned to partially cover the plurality of second ball bearings (141).

[0158] According to one embodiment, the plurality of second ball bearings (141) may include a plurality of second upper ball bearings (141a) located above the second retainer (143) of the second guide member (140) and a plurality of second lower ball bearings (141b) located below the second retainer (143) of the second guide member (140). The rail bracket (160) may include a first end (160a) located above the second plurality of upper ball bearings (141a) and a second end (160b) located below the second plurality of lower ball bearings (141b) while coupled to the second movable rail (150).

[0159] According to one embodiment, the rail bracket (160) may include a cover portion (161) that partially covers the plurality of second ball bearings (141) while coupled to the second movable rail (150), and an extension portion (162) that extends forward from the cover portion (161) with respect to the sliding direction of the second movable rail (150).

[0160] According to one embodiment, the height (H2) of the extension portion (162) may be lower than the height (H1) of the cover portion (161).

[0161] According to one embodiment, the basket (50) and the rail bracket (160) may be combined with a basket bracket (170). The basket bracket (170) may be fixed to the rail bracket (160) through a fastening member (P3).

[0162] According to one embodiment, the rail bracket (160) may include two or more fastening grooves (1631) spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the rail bracket (160) and into which the fastening member (P3) is inserted.

[0163] According to one embodiment, the fastening groove (1631) may include an open end (1631a) that is open to the outside of the rail bracket (160) and a closed end (1631b) that extends vertically from the open end (1631a). The fastening member (P3) may be supported by the closed end (1631b) and fixed to the rail bracket (160).

[0164] According to one embodiment, the fastening groove (1631) may be formed in an overall L-shape.

[0165] According to one embodiment, the second movable rail (150) may include a fixing hole (153) formed at a position corresponding to the fastening groove (1631). The rail assembly (100) may include a fixing member (180) that is inserted into the fixing hole (153) and partially covers and fixes the fastening member (P3) exposed to the outside through the fixing hole (153).

[0166] According to one embodiment, the rail bracket (160) may be spaced apart from the first movable rail (130) by a gap (G) of a predetermined distance.

[0167] According to one embodiment, the gap (G) may be within the range of 0.675 to 1.185 mm.

[0168] A rail assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a fixed rail (110), a first guide member (120) coupled to the inside of the fixed rail (110) and comprising a plurality of first ball bearings (121), a first movable rail (130) slidably disposed with respect to the fixed rail (110) through the plurality of first ball bearings (121), a second guide member (140) coupled to the inside of the first movable rail (130) and comprising a plurality of second ball bearings (141), a second movable rail (150) slidably disposed with respect to the first movable rail (130) through the plurality of second ball bearings (141), and a rail bracket (160) coupled to the second movable rail (150) and disposed to partially cover the plurality of second ball bearings (141).

[0169] According to one embodiment, the plurality of second ball bearings (141) may include a plurality of second upper ball bearings (141a) located above the second retainer (143) of the second guide member (140) and a plurality of second lower ball bearings (141b) located below the second retainer (143) of the second guide member (140). The rail bracket (160) may include a first end (160a) located above the second plurality of upper ball bearings (141a) and a second end (160b) located below the second plurality of lower ball bearings (141b) while coupled to the second movable rail (150).

[0170] According to one embodiment, the rail bracket (160) may include a cover portion (161) that partially covers the plurality of second ball bearings (141) while coupled to the second movable rail (150), and an extension portion (162) that extends forward from the cover portion (161) with respect to the sliding direction of the second movable rail (150).

[0171] According to one embodiment, the height (H2) of the extension portion (162) may be lower than the height (H1) of the cover portion (161).

Claims

1. In the dishwasher (1), Case(10); A tub (20) provided inside the above case (10) and including a cleaning chamber (20S); A basket (50) that is movably disposed inside the tub (20) and accommodates tableware, comprising a plurality of wires (50a) arranged in a grid pattern shape; and It includes a rail assembly (100) positioned on the side (20c) of the tub (20) and configured to support the movement of the basket (50), and The above rail assembly (100) is, A fixed rail (110) coupled to the side (20c) of the above tub (20); A first guide member (120) coupled to the inner side of the fixed rail (110) and comprising a plurality of first ball bearings (121); A first movable rail (130) arranged to be slidably movable relative to the fixed rail (110) through the plurality of first ball bearings (121); A second guide member (140) coupled to the inner side of the first moving rail (130) and including a plurality of second ball bearings (141); A second moving rail (150) slidably positioned with respect to the first moving rail (130) through the plurality of second ball bearings (141); and A dishwasher comprising a rail bracket (160) coupled to the second moving rail (150) and positioned to partially cover the plurality of second ball bearings (141).

2. In Paragraph 1, The plurality of second ball bearings (141) include a plurality of second upper ball bearings (141a) located above the second retainer (143) of the second guide member (140) and a plurality of second lower ball bearings (141b) located below the second retainer (143) of the second guide member (140). A dishwasher, wherein the rail bracket (160) comprises, when coupled to the second movable rail (150), a first stage (160a) located above the plurality of second upper ball bearings (141a) and a second stage (160b) located below the plurality of second lower ball bearings (141b).

3. In Paragraph 1 or 2, The above rail bracket (160) is, A dishwasher comprising a cover portion (161) that partially covers a plurality of second ball bearings (141) while coupled to the second moving rail (150), and an extension portion (162) that extends forward from the cover portion (161) with respect to the sliding direction of the second moving rail (150).

4. In Paragraph 3, A dishwasher in which the height (H2) of the extension part (162) is lower than the height (H1) of the cover part (161).

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 4, It includes a basket bracket (170) coupled to the basket (50) and the rail bracket (160), and The basket bracket (170) is a dishwasher that is fixed to the rail bracket (160) through a fastening member (P3).

6. In Paragraph 5, The above rail bracket (160) is, A dishwasher comprising two or more fastening grooves (1631) spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the rail bracket (160) and into which the fastening member (P3) is inserted.

7. In Paragraph 6, The above fastening groove (1631) includes an open end (1631a) that is open to the outside of the rail bracket (160) and a closed end (1631b) that extends vertically from the open end (1631a). The above fastening member (P3) is a dishwasher that is supported by the closed end (1631b) and fixed to the rail bracket (160).

8. In Paragraph 6 or 7, The above fastening groove (1631) is formed in an overall L-shape, a dishwasher.

9. In any one of paragraphs 6 through 8, The second moving rail (150) includes a fixing hole (153) formed at a position corresponding to the fastening groove (1631), and The above rail assembly (100) is, A dishwasher comprising a fixing member (180) that is inserted into the fixing hole (153) and partially covers and fixes the fastening member (P3) exposed to the outside through the fixing hole (153).

10. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 9, The above rail bracket (160) is a dishwasher spaced apart from the outside of the first movable rail (130) by a gap (G) of a predetermined distance.

11. In Paragraph 10, A dishwasher in which the gap (G) is within the range of 0.675 to 1.185 mm.

12. In the rail assembly (100), Fixed rail (110); A first guide member (120) coupled to the inner side of the fixed rail (110) and comprising a plurality of first ball bearings (121); A first movable rail (130) arranged to be slidably movable relative to the fixed rail (110) through the plurality of first ball bearings (121); A second guide member (140) coupled to the inner side of the first moving rail (130) and including a plurality of second ball bearings (141); A second moving rail (150) slidably positioned with respect to the first moving rail (130) through the plurality of second ball bearings (141); and A rail assembly comprising a rail bracket (160) coupled to the second movable rail (150) and arranged to partially cover the plurality of second ball bearings (141).

13. In Paragraph 12, The plurality of second ball bearings (141) include a plurality of second upper ball bearings (141a) located above the second retainer (143) of the second guide member (140) and a plurality of second lower ball bearings (141b) located below the second retainer (143) of the second guide member (140). The rail assembly, wherein the rail bracket (160) is coupled to the second movable rail (150) and includes a first stage (160a) located above the plurality of second upper ball bearings (141a) and a second stage (160b) located below the plurality of second lower ball bearings (141b).

14. In Paragraph 12 or 13, The above rail bracket (160) is, A rail assembly comprising a cover portion (161) that partially covers a plurality of second ball bearings (141) while coupled to the second movable rail (150), and an extension portion (162) that extends forward from the cover portion (161) with respect to the sliding direction of the second movable rail (150).

15. In Paragraph 14, The height (H2) of the extension portion (162) is lower than the height (H1) of the cover portion (161), in a rail assembly.

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