Patent Application
20250228424
The disclosure relates to a dish washer and a method of controlling the same, and more specifically, to a dish washer having a device for throwing in detergent and a method of controlling the same.
The dish washer is a machine for automatically cleaning soiled dishes with a detergent and water.
The dish washer is a machine for automatically cleaning soiled dishes with a detergent and water.
The dish washer includes a main body, a washing chamber formed by a tub arranged in the main body, a storage container arranged in the washing chamber to store dishes, and an injection unit arranged to inject water to the storage container.
The storage container usually has two- or three-tiers, and a plurality of injection units are provided and arranged to correspond to the storage containers to inject water to where each storage container is placed.
The dish washer may include a drain hose through which to drain the injected water from inside the washing room to the outside after dish washing is finished.
To prevent the occurrence of backflow in the drain hose, at least a portion of the drain hose needs to be placed into a curved shape at a position higher than the bottom of the washing room.
The traditional dish washer includes at least three additional components that have the aforementioned forms and that are fixed in the dish washer.
An automatic detergent injection device of the traditional dish washer stores only one batch of detergent, or needs to periodically restore the detergent because an amount of the detergent that may be stored therein at a time is small even when the automatic detergent injection device is able to store multiple batches of detergent.
Furthermore, for such a reason that the size of the detergent is not uniform when the detergent is thrown in by the automatic detergent injection device, the detergent may not be properly thrown in but stuck.
The disclosure provides a dish washer and method for controlling the same, which allows many solid detergents to be stored and automatically thrown in at a required moment while performing washing.
The disclosure also provides a dish washer and method of controlling the same, having increased convenience of use by automatically detecting whether there is a stored solid detergent and the detergent is stuck and feeding this back.
Technological objectives of the disclosure are not limited to what are mentioned above, and throughout the specification, it will be clearly appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that there may be other technological objectives unmentioned.
According to an aspect of the disclosure, a dish washer includes a main body; a tub arranged in the main body; a door to open or close the tub; an input device arranged on an outside of the main body; and an automatic detergent injection device arranged to discharge a solid detergent into the tub, the automatic detergent injection device includes a storage chamber in which a plurality of solid detergents to be stacked and loaded in a vertical direction, an ejector configured to discharge one of the plurality of solid detergents out of the storage chamber, a seating portion where the one solid detergent discharged from the storage chamber is to be seated, and at least one processor configured to control the ejector to discharge the one solid detergent out of the storage chamber in response to receiving a selection of a washing course being input through the input device, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether there is an error in discharging of the one solid detergent or not based on a number of revolutions of a motor in the ejector, and control the ejector based on a result of the determining.
The ejector may include a cam configured to rotate to move the one solid detergent out of the storage chamber, and the at least one processor may determine that an error occurs in discharging the one solid detergent based on rotation of the cam being stopped before one-round rotation of the cam member in a forward direction.
The at least one processor may rotate the cam in a backward direction based on determining that the error occurs in discharging the one solid detergent.
The at least one processor may generate a control signal for a notification based on determining that an error occurs in discharging the one solid detergent.
The automatic detergent injection device may further include a storage chamber sensor to detect a solid detergent in the storage chamber, and a seating portion sensor to detect the one solid detergent seated in the seating portion, and the at least one processor may determine that the solid detergent is not seated in the seating portion based on a result of the detecting of the seating portion sensor, and determine that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent in response to determining that there is the solid detergent in the storage chamber based on an output of the storage chamber sensor.
The ejector may include a cam to move the one solid detergent out of the storage chamber through rotation, and rotate the cam member in a backward direction based on determining that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent.
The at least one processor may generate a control signal for a notification based on determining that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent.
The ejector may include a cam configured to rotate to move the one solid detergent out of the storage chamber, and the at least one processor may rotate the cam one round in the forward direction to discharge the one solid detergent out of the storage chamber in response to a selection of a washing course being input through the input device.
The at least one processor may determine whether a solid detergent is seated in the seating portion based on an output of the seating portion sensor after rotating the cam in the forward direction.
The at least one processor may rotate the cam member one more round in the forward direction based on determining that the solid detergent is not seated in the seating portion.
According to an aspect of the disclosure, a method of controlling a dish washer including a main body, a tub arranged in the main body, a door to open or close the tub and an input device arranged on an outside of the main body includes receiving a selection of a washing course through the input device; controlling an ejector to discharge one solid detergent out of a storage chamber in which a plurality of solid detergents to be stacked and loaded therein in a vertical direction, in response to the selection of the washing course being received; determining whether there is an error in discharging the solid detergent based on a number of revolutions of a motor in the ejector; and controlling the ejector based on a result of the determining.
The ejector may include a cam configured to move the one solid detergent out of the storage chamber through rotation, and the determining of whether there is an error in discharging the solid detergent may include determining that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent based on rotation of the cam member being stopped before one-round rotation of the cam in the forward direction.
The method may further include rotating the cam backward based on determining that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent.
The method may further include generating a control signal for a notification based on determining that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent.
The method may further include detecting a solid detergent in the storage chamber, and detecting whether the one solid detergent discharged from the storage chamber is seated in a seating portion where the one solid detergent is to be seated, and the determining of whether there is an error in discharging the solid detergent may include, based on determining that the solid detergent is not seated in the seating portion as a result of detecting the seating portion and that there is the solid detergent in the storage chamber based on a result of the detecting the storage chamber, determining that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent.
The ejector may include a cam configured to move the one solid detergent out of the storage chamber through rotation, and the method may further include rotating the cam in a backward direction based on determining that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent.
The method may further include generating a control signal for a notification based on determining that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent.
The ejector may include a cam configured to move the one solid detergent out of the storage chamber through rotation, and the controlling of the ejector may include rotating the cam one round in the forward direction to discharge the one solid detergent out of the storage chamber.
The method may further include determining whether a solid detergent is seated in the seating portion based on a result of detecting the seating portion after rotating the cam in the forward direction.
The method may further include rotating the cam one more round in the forward direction based on determining that no solid detergent is seated in the seating portion.
According to the disclosure, many solid detergents are stored and automatically thrown in at a required moment during washing, thereby increasing convenience of use.
Furthermore, convenience of use may also increase by automatically detecting whether there is a stored solid detergent and the detergent is stuck and feeding this back.
Embodiments and features as described and illustrated in the disclosure are merely examples, and there may be various modifications replacing the embodiments and drawings at the time of filing this application.
Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts or components.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the disclosure. It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprise” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Furthermore, throughout the specification, when a component is “connected” or “coupled” to another component, it includes not only a case that the component is directly connected or coupled to the other component but also a case that they are indirectly connected or coupled to each other.
The terms including ordinal numbers like “first” and “second” may be used to explain various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are only for the purpose of distinguishing a component from another. Thus, a first component discussed below could be termed a second component and vice versa, without departing from the teachings of the disclosure. Descriptions shall be understood as to include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items when the items are described by using the conjunctive term “˜ and/or ˜,” or the like.
Throughout the specification, when an element is mentioned as being located “on” another element, it implies not only that the element is abut on the other element but also that a third element exists between the two elements.
The terms “up-down direction”, “height direction”, “vertical direction”, etc., as herein used may refer to direction Z with respect to the perspective view of a dish washer of
The term “dish(es)” will now be used as a concept that encompasses cups, cutlery, many different cooking tools, etc.
Reference will now be made to embodiments of the disclosure, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
A dishwasher 1 may include a tub 12 arranged within a main body 10. The tub 12 may be shaped substantially like a box. One side of the tub 12 may be opened. The tub 12 may include an opening 12a. For example, the tub 12 may be opened toward the front, i.e., a first direction X.
The dishwasher 1 may further include a door 20 arranged to open or close the opening 12a of the tub 12. The door 20 may be installed on the main body 10 to open or close the opening 12a of the tub 12. The door 20 may be rotationally installed on the main body 10 through a member such as a hinge 25. The door 20 may be installed to be detachable from the main body 10.
For example, the door 20 may be pivotally hinged at a lower end of the main body 10. A rotation shaft of the hinge 25 may extend in a second direction Y, which is a left-right direction of the main body 10, so that the door 20 is rotated in front of the main body 10 in a front-back direction.
For example, the door 20 may be hinged with a hinge arranged on the left of right side of the main body 10 in the second direction Y in front of the main body 10. The door 20 may be arranged to pivot on the hinge arranged on the left and/or right side of the main body 10 from the second direction Y to the first direction X.
The door 20 may include an outer surface 22 that defines an exterior of the dish washer 1 along with the main body 10, and an inner surface 21 that faces the interior of the tub 12 when the door 20 closes the tub 12.
The dishwasher 1 may further include a storage container provided in the tub 12 to receive dishes. The storage container may include a plurality of baskets 51, 52 and 53.
The storage container may include a middle basket 52 located in the middle in a direction of the height of the dish washer 1 and a lower basket 51 located in a lower portion in the direction of the height of the dish washer 1. The middle basket 52 may be arranged to be supported on a middle guide rack 13b. The lower basket 51 may be arranged to be supported on a lower guide rack 13a. The middle guide rack 13b and the lower guide rack 13a may be installed on a side 12d of the tub 12 to be slidable toward the opening 12a of the tub 12. The side 12d of the tub 12 may be a concept including inner surfaces of left and right walls of the tub 12.
Dishes having relatively large volume may be received in the lower basket 51 and the middle basket 52. However, the types of the dishes to be received in the lower and middle baskets 51 and 52 are not limited to the dishes having relatively large volume. That is, not only the dishes having relatively large volume but also dishes having relatively small volume may be received in the plurality of baskets 51, 52 and 53.
The storage container 50 may include an upper basket 53 located in an upper portion of the height of the dish washer 1. The upper basket 53 may be formed in the shape of a rack assembly to receive dishes having relatively small volume. For example, cooking tools or cutlery such as ladles, knives, turners, etc., may be received in the upper basket 53, and small cups such as espresso cups may be received in the rack assembly. However, the types of dishes to be received in the upper basket 53 are not limited thereto.
The upper basket 53 may be arranged to be supported by the upper guide rack 13c. The upper guide rack 13c may be installed on the side 12d of the tub 12. For example, the upper basket 53 may be slidable by the upper guide rack 13c, and put into a cleaning chamber C or pulled out of the cleaning chamber C.
The storage container is not limited to the form as shown in
The dish washer 1 may include the cleaning chamber C, a space formed in the tub 12. The cleaning chamber C may be defined as an inner space of the tub 12. The cleaning chamber C may be formed as a space enclosed by a lower surface 12b, an upper surface 12c and the sides 12d of the tub 12, and the inner surface 21 of the door 20 when the door 20 closes the tub 12.
The cleaning chamber C may refer to a space where dishes contained in the baskets 51.52 and 53 may be washed by water and dried.
The dish washer 1 may include an injection device 40 arranged to inject water. The injection device 40 may receive water from a sump assembly 70.
The injection device 40 may include the plurality of injection units 41, 42 and 43.
For example, the plurality of injection units 41, 42 and 43 may include a first injection unit 41 arranged under the lower basket 51 in the direction of height of the dish washer 1, a second injection unit 42 arranged under the middle basket 52 in the direction of height of the dish washer 1, and a third injection unit 43 arranged above the upper basket 53 in the direction of height of the dish washer 1.
Each of the plurality of injection units 41, 42 and 43 may be arranged to inject water while being rotated. Each of the first injection unit 41, the second injection unit 42 and the third injection unit 43 may be arranged to inject water while being rotated. The plurality of injection units 41, 42 and 43 may be referred to as a plurality of injection rotors. The first injection unit 41, the second injection unit 42 and the third injection unit 43 may be referred to as the first injection rotor 41, the second injection rotor 42 and the third injection rotor 43, respectively.
The injection device 40 may inject water in a manner different from the aforementioned example. For example, unlike the second injection unit 42 and the third injection unit 43, the first injection unit 41 may be fixed to a side of a lower surface 12b of the tub 12. The first injection unit 41 may be provided to substantially horizontally inject water through a fixed nozzle, and the water injected substantially horizontally from the nozzle of the first injection unit 41 may be turned in a different direction by a switching assembly (not shown) arranged in the cleaning chamber C to be move upward. The switching assembly may be installed on a rail by a holder and may make translational movement along the rail.
The dish washer 1 may include the sump assembly 70.
The sump assembly 70 may be arranged to accommodate water. The sump assembly 70 may collect water of the cleaning chamber C. For example, the lower surface 12b of the tub 12 may be sloped down toward the sump assembly 70 to easily collect the water. The water in the cleaning chamber 12 may flow along the slope of the lower surface 12b of the tub 12 and smoothly flow into the sump assembly 70.
The sump assembly 70 may include a circulation pump 30 for pumping the water stored in the sump assembly 70 into the injection device 40.
The sump assembly 70 may include a drain pump 60 for draining water and debris (for example, food waste) left in the sump assembly 70.
The sump assembly 70 may pump and provide the collected water to the injection device 40. The sump assembly 70 may be connected to the injection device 40 to supply water to the injection device 40.
The sump assembly 70 may be connected separately to each of the first injection unit 41, the second injection unit 42 and the third injection unit 43. For example, the sump assembly 70 may be connected separately to respective connectors connected to the first injection unit 41, the second injection unit 42 and the third injection unit 43. The connector may be provided in the form of a connection port, a duct, etc.
For example, the second injection unit 42 and the third injection unit 43 may be configured with one connector, in which case water provided through the one connector may flow into the connector. The water flowing into the connector may be branched and provided to at least one of the second injection unit 42 and the third injection unit 43 while flowing.
The dish washer 1 may include an alternating device (not shown) for selectively supplying water to the injection device 40. The alternating device may be operated to selectively provide water to the respective connectors connected to the injection devices 41, 42 and 43. For example, the alternating device may provide water selectively to at least one of the connector connected to the first injection device 41 and the connector connected to the second injection device 42.
The dish washer 1 may include a machine room L, which is a space arranged under the tub 12. Components for circulating water may be arranged in the machine room L.
For example, at least a portion of the sump assembly 70 may be placed in the machine room L. Most of the sump assembly 70 may be placed in the machine room L. Of the entire volume of the sump assembly 70, volume that is positioned in the cleaning chamber C may be smaller than the volume positioned in the machine room L. By reducing the volume of the sump assembly 70 that occupies the cleaning chamber C, more volume of the cleaning chamber C may be secured. This may lead to an increase in capacity of the cleaning chamber C, and thus, more dishes may be received therein.
The dish washer 1 may include an automatic detergent injection device 1000 arranged to put a solid detergent into the tub 12. The dish washer 1 may include a detergent container 90 arranged to put not only the solid detergent but also powdery detergent or liquid detergent into the tub 12.
When the user inputs information about a small cleaning mode for cleaning a small amount of dishes or a quick cleaning mode that minimizes a cleaning time through an input module of the dish washer 1 or a mobile device, a control device 1900 as will be described later may control the dish washer 1 to selectively put the detergent stored in the detergent container 90 into the tub 12 based on a user input obtained from a main control device. The solid detergent refers to a solid detergent hardened into a certain form. The solid detergent may be substantially shaped like a block, so the solid detergent may be referred to as various terms such as a detergent block, a block-type detergent, etc. The solid detergent is not limited to a certain shape or size, but may have various shapes.
The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be arranged to load a plurality of solid detergents. The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be arranged to put one of the plurality of solid detergents into the tub 12 while the dish washer 1 is washing the dishes.
For example, the dish washer 1 may be arranged to wash the dishes through a preliminary washing stage, a main washing stage, a rinsing stage, and a drying stage. The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be arranged to put the solid detergent into the tub 12 before the main washing stage begins or in the beginning of the main washing stage.
The detergent container 90 may be arranged to accommodate powdery detergent or liquid detergent. The detergent container 90 may be arranged to put the detergent into the tub 12 while the dish washer 1 is washing the dishes.
The dish washer 1 may be arranged to put a detergent selected by the user from among the detergent accommodated in the detergent container 90 or solid detergents loaded in the automatic detergent injection device 1000 into the tub 12.
The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be placed on the inner surface 21 of the door 20. Specifically, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be arranged to be coupled onto the inner surface 21 of the door 20.
The detergent container 90 may be placed on the inner surface 21 of the door 20. The automatic detergent injection device 1000 and the detergent container 90 may be arranged in the third direction Z, which is the vertical direction, when the door 20 closes the tub 12.
As the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is arranged on the door 20, it may be pivoted along with the door 20 when the door 20 is pivoted.
When a position at which the door 20 closes the tub 12 is defined as a first position 20A and a position at which the door 20 opens the tub 12 is defined as a second position 20B, the door 20 may be arranged to open or close the tub 12 by moving between the first position 20A and the second position 20B.
The second position 20B of the door 20 may be defined as one of the positions at which the door 20 opens the tub 12 and desirably, as a position at which a dish stored in the tub 12 may be taken out of the tub 12. For example, the second position 20B of the door 20 may be where an extending direction of the inner surface 21 of the door 20 corresponds to the first direction X.
The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be engaged with the door 20 and arranged to move between a first position 1000A of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 corresponding to the first position 20A of the door 20 and a second position 1000B of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 corresponding to the second position 20B of the door 20.
When the door 20 closes the tub 12, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be located in the first position 1000A, and when the door 20 opens the tub 12, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be located in the second position 1000B.
As shown in
The user may open a storage chamber cover 1140 of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 and load the plurality of solid detergents in the storage chamber 1200.
In a conventional case, the user needs to load the detergent in the automatic detergent injection device or the detergent container each time the dish washer performs washing on the dishes, causing inconvenience to the user. On the other hand, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 of the dish washer 1 according to an embodiment may be arranged to load a plurality of solid detergents into the automatic detergent injection device 1000 at the user's one-time loading, and may put only one of the plurality of solid detergents into the tub 12 in a one-round washing process when the dish washer 1 performs the washing process.
During a washing process of the dish washer 1, water may be brought into the automatic detergent injection device 1000 during the washing process of the dish washer 1 as the plurality of solid detergents remain in the automatic detergent injection device 1000, which may cause disfiguration of the plurality of solid detergents.
As the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is moved between the first position 1000A and the second position 1000B, there may be a problem that the plurality of solid detergents loaded in the automatic detergent injection device 1000 deviate from where they are stored.
The automatic detergent injection device 1000 that may solve the problem will now be described in detail.
As shown in
The housing 1100 may include a first housing 1110 that forms a storage chamber 1200 as will be described later, and a second housing 1120 coupled with the first housing 1110.
The first housing 1110 may be arranged to be coupled onto the inner surface 21 of the door 20.
The second housing 1120 may be arranged to be coupled with the first housing 1110 in the first direction X when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A.
The second housing 1120 may form the storage chamber 1200 together with the first housing 1110. The second housing 1120 may include a storage chamber opening 1121 arranged to open the storage chamber 1200 to the outside. The second housing 1120 may include an inlet 1122 connected to a seating portion 1400, which will be described later, and arranged for a solid detergent discharged from the automatic detergent injection device 1000 to be put into the tub 12.
The housing 1100 may include a middle housing 1130 arranged between the first housing 1110 and the second housing 1120 to support e.g., an ejector 1300 arranged in the housing 1100.
For example, such a component as the ejector 1300 may be seated on the first housing 1110 and supported by the middle housing 1130. For example, such a component as the ejector 1300 may be seated on the second housing 1120 and supported by the middle housing 1130.
For example, the middle housing 1130 may be integrally formed with the first housing 1110. For example, the middle housing 1130 may be integrally formed with the second housing 1120.
The housing 1100 may include the storage chamber cover 1140 placed on the second housing 1120 and arranged to open or close the storage chamber opening 1121.
The housing 1100 may include an inlet cover 1150 placed on the second housing 1120 and arranged to open or close the inlet 1122.
The first housing 1110 may include a control device seating portion 1111 arranged in the opposite direction to a direction in which the first housing 1110 is coupled with the second housing 1120 and having the control device 1900 for controlling the automatic detergent injection device 1000 seated therein.
For example, the control device seating portion 1111 may be located in an outer side in the housing 1100, which is formed by coupling between the first housing 1110 and the second housing 1120. For example, the control device seating portion 1111 may be located in the housing 1100 formed by coupling between the first housing 1110 and the second housing 1120.
The first housing 1110 may include a control device cover 1112 for covering the control device seating portion 1111 from outside. As the control device cover 1112 is located outside of the internal space of the housing 1100 rather than being located in the internal space of the housing 1100 formed by coupling between the first and second housings 1110 and 1120, when the control device 1900 needs to be replaced, the control device 1900 may be easily replaced without a need to separate the first and second housings 1110 and 1120.
The control device 1900 may control operations of the ejector 1300 and a seating portion door 1410, which will be described later, and control the automatic detergent injection device 1000 based on sensing values of various sensors.
The control device 1900 may be arranged to communicate with the main control device of the dish washer 1. For example, the control device 1900 and the main control device may constitute a controller of the dish washer 1.
The main control device may obtain a user input through an input module of the dish washer 1 or a mobile device, and based on this, control operation of the dish washer 1.
The main control device may transmit information about the received user input to the control device 1900. The control device 1900 may control the automatic detergent injection device 1000 based on the information about the input received from the main control device.
The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may include electric wires W that electrically connect the control device 1900 to electric parts arranged to operate the automatic detergent injection device 1000. The electric wires W may electrically connect the control device 1900 to electric parts (a driving motor 120, a seating portion door driver 1470 and various sensors) arranged to operate the automatic detergent injection device 1000 to put one of the plurality of solid detergents loaded in the storage chamber 1200 or 1200′ into the tub 12.
For example, the electric wire W may electrically connect the main control device, a power supplier and the control device 1900 of the dish washer 1. For example, the electric wire W may be arranged to electrically connect only some of the components such as various electric parts of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 and the control device 1900 or the main control device of the dish washer 1.
For example, at least some of the components such as various electric parts of the automatic detergent injection device 1000, sensors, the control device 1900 or the main control device of the dish washer 1 may be arranged to transmit or receive signals to or from one another through wireless communication instead of being electrically connected to one another by the electric wires W.
The control device 1900 may control the automatic detergent injection device 1000 based on sensing values of the various sensors of the automatic detergent injection device 1000. This will be described in detail later.
As shown in
The storage chamber 1200 may be arranged such that the plurality of solid detergents are stacked in the third direction Z, which is the vertical direction, when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A. For example, the storage chamber 1200 may be provided as multiple storage chambers 1200 and 1200′. However, for convenience of explanation, one storage chamber 1200 will be focused in the following description.
The storage chamber 1200 may be provided as a space formed by the first housing 1110 and the second housing 1120. It may be provided as a space having long sides 1201 extending in the third direction Z when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A for the plurality of solid detergents to be stacked and loaded in the third direction Z.
For example, the storage chamber 1200 may be provided as a space formed by the first housing 1110. For example, the storage chamber 1200 may be provided as a space formed by the second housing 1200.
When the storage chamber cover 1140 opens the storage chamber opening 1121, the storage chamber 1200 may be opened to the outside through the storage chamber opening 1121. As shown in
As the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located on the inner surface 21 of the door 20, when the door 20 is open, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be located outside the cleaning chamber C so that the user may easily throw in the detergent.
The storage chamber 1200 may be provided to have a volume equal to or larger than a certain size to store the plurality of solid detergents. As described above, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located on the inner surface 21 of the door 20, the volume of the cleaning chamber C may be reduced with an increase of the volume of the storage chamber 1200 in the first direction X. To prevent the volume of the storage chamber 1200 from increasing in the first direction X, the storage chamber 1200 may be arranged such that the plurality of solid detergents are stacked in the third direction Z, which is the vertical direction, when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A.
When the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A, the plurality of solid detergents may be loaded in the storage chamber 1200 to be stacked only in the third direction Z rather than in the first direction X.
As the storage chamber 1200 is formed for the plurality of solid detergents to be stacked only in the third direction Z, as described above, the space of the cleaning chamber C may be obtained to the maximum in the first direction X, and it is also possible for the automatic detergent injection device 1000 to obtain a space even in the second direction Y of the storage chamber 1200.
As the storage chamber 1200 is formed for the plurality of solid detergents to be stacked only in the third direction Z, driving components of the ejector 1300 such as a transfer member 1330 of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 or an electronic component such as the control device 1900 may be arranged in the second direction Y with respect to the storage chamber 1200, thereby minimizing the volume of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 in the second direction Y.
This enables additional components other than the automatic detergent injection device 1000 to be arranged outside the automatic detergent injection device 1000 in the second direction Y on the inner surface 21 of the door 20, thereby increasing a ratio of volume of the internal space of the tub 12 to the volume of the main body 10 of the dish washer 1.
It is not limited thereto, and when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A, the plurality of solid detergents may be loaded in the storage chamber 1200 to be stacked only in the second direction Y, which is the left-right direction.
The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may include the ejector 1300 that moves one of the plurality of solid detergents out of the storage chamber 1200 so that the one of the plurality of solid detergents loaded in the storage chamber 1200 is discharged out of the storage chamber 1200. For example, the ejector 1300 may be provided as a plurality of ejectors 1300 and 1300′, which correspond to the plurality of storage chambers 1200 and 1200′. However, for convenience of explanation, one ejector 1300 will be focused in the following description.
The ejector 1300 may be arranged to discharge one of the plurality of solid detergents stacked in the third direction Z, which is located at the lowermost position in the third direction Z, from the storage chamber 1200, when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A.
The ejector 1300 may be located on one side 1201a of the long side 1201 in the extending direction of the long side 1201. When the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A, the one side 1201a of the long side 1201 may be on a lower side in the third direction Z and the other side 1201b of the long side 1201 may be on an upper side.
The ejector 1300 may be located underneath the storage chamber 1200 in the third direction Z so that a solid detergent located at the lowermost position in the third direction Z is discharged from the storage chamber 1200 among the plurality of solid detergents stacked in the third direction Z.
When the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A, the ejector 1300 may discharge a solid detergent located nearest to a lower surface 1220 of the storage chamber 1200 among the plurality of solid detergents out of the storage chamber 1200.
For example, the ejector 1300 may be arranged to press the solid detergent seated on the lower surface 1220 of the storage chamber 1200 among the plurality of solid detergents.
That the solid detergent is seated on the lower surface 1220 means that the solid detergent is supported by the lower surface 1220 or that the solid detergent is located to contact the lower surface 1220, and thus, means that the solid detergent is located in a position where the solid detergent is pressed by the ejector 1300 to be discharged from the storage chamber 1200.
The storage chamber 1200 may include a storage chamber outlet 1210 arranged for one solid detergent to be discharged out of the storage chamber 1200 by the ejector 1300.
The storage chamber outlet 1210 may be located underneath the storage chamber 1200 for one of the plurality of solid detergents stacked in the third direction Z, which is located at the lowermost position in the third direction Z, to be discharged out of the storage chamber 1200.
Both the storage chamber outlet 1210 and the ejector 1300 are located under the storage chamber 1200 so that one solid detergent located at the lowermost position among the plurality of solid detergents stacked in the third direction Z may be discharged out of the storage chamber 1200.
When a solid detergent located at the lowermost position among the plurality of solid detergents is discharged out of the storage chamber 1200 as the storage chamber 1200 is arranged for the plurality of solid detergents to be stacked in the third direction Z, the plurality of solid detergents may be moved down by the gravity with respect to the stacked direction.
As all the plurality of solid detergents are moved down, a solid detergent that has been located right on top of the solid detergent discharged out of the storage chamber 1200 is moved to be adjacent to the lower surface 1220 of the storage chamber 1200 and located in the space where the discharged solid detergent has been located. The solid detergent may be discharged out of the storage chamber 1200 by the ejector 1300 in the next washing process of the dish washer 1.
Specifically, as the storage chamber 1200 is arranged for the plurality of solid detergents to be stacked in the third direction Z and the ejector 1300 is located underneath the storage chamber 1200 when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A, the plurality of solid detergents may be discharged out of the storage chamber 1200 from the lowest one in the third direction Z in the stacked order.
It is not limited thereto, and the ejector 1300 may be arranged to discharge one of the plurality of solid detergents stacked in the third direction Z, which is located at the top in the third direction Z, from the storage chamber 1200.
As shown in
In the following description, the solid detergent D is assumed to have the width d1 longer than the length d2 and the height h.
For example, the solid detergent D may be loaded in the storage chamber 1200 such that a direction of the smallest of the width d1, the length d2 and the height h corresponds to a direction in which the solid detergent is stacked.
This is to maximize the number of solid detergents D to be loaded in the storage chamber 1200.
For example, when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A, the solid detergent D may be loaded in the storage chamber 1200 in a direction in which a plane of the solid detergent D formed in directions of the width d1 and the length d2 faces a cross-sectional area S of the storage chamber 1200 formed in the first direction X and the second direction Y.
For example, the plurality of solid detergents D may be stacked in the storage chamber 1200 in a direction of the height h of the solid detergent D.
The solid detergent may be provided in various sizes depending on the ingredient, function or manufacturer of the solid detergent, but the volume of the solid detergent may be mainly set in proportion to the volume of the cleaning chamber of the dish washer. The volume of the cleaning chamber is set in a certain range, so the volume of the solid detergent may be set in a certain range as well, and thus, the width, length and height of the solid detergent may have similar designs regardless of the type.
The solid detergent D as will be described below may be defined as, for example, a suitable solid detergent D to be loaded in the automatic detergent injection device 1000 of the dish washer 1, and the width d1, the length d2 and the height h of the solid detergent D are defined to have values of the width, length and height of various solid detergents that may be loaded in the automatic detergent injection device 1000 of the dish washer 1, which are changeable within a certain range. For example, the width d1 and the length d2 are defined based on dimensions formed with the first direction X and the second direction Y, and the width may be defined as d2 while the length may be defined as d1.
An area s (hereinafter, referred to as a cross-sectional area of the storage chamber 1200) with the first direction X and the second direction Y of the storage chamber 1200 when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position A may be provided to have a size that allows the solid detergent D to be easily loaded and stacked in the third direction Z.
The cross-sectional area S of the storage chamber 1200 may be formed by a pair of sides having width L1 extending in the second direction Y and a pair of sides having length L2 extending in the first direction X, when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A. For example, the width L1 and the length L2 are defined based on dimensions formed with the first direction X and the second direction Y, and the width may be defined as L2 while the length may be defined as L1.
The width L1 of the cross-sectional area S of the storage chamber 1200 is the length between a right side 1230 and a left side 1240 of the storage chamber 1200 in the second direction Y, and the length L2 of the cross-sectional area S of the storage chamber 1200 is the length between an inner surface 1260 of the storage chamber 1200 and a storage chamber opening 1121 in the first direction X.
When the solid detergent D is loaded in the storage chamber 1200, one side of the solid detergent D having the width d1 may be located to correspond to a side of the cross-sectional area S of the storage chamber 1200 having the width L1, and the other side of the solid detergent D having the length d2 may be located to correspond to a side of the cross-sectional area S of the storage chamber 1200 having the length L2.
As described above, the length d2 of the solid detergent D may be formed to be shorter than the width d1, and the width L1 of the cross-sectional area S may be formed to be longer than the length L2. Furthermore, the width d1 of the solid detergent may be formed to be longer than the height h of the solid detergent D, and the length L2 of the cross-sectional area S may also be formed to be longer than the height h of the solid detergent D.
The width L1 of the cross-sectional area S may be set to be longer than the width d1 of the solid detergent D by 10% to 30% of the width d1 of the solid detergent D.
The length L2 of the cross-sectional area S may be set to be longer than the length d2 of the solid detergent D by 10% to 30% of the length d2 of the solid detergent D.
The cross-sectional area S of the storage chamber 1200 may be formed with the aforementioned numerical values such that the plurality of solid detergents are stably moved down in the storage chamber 1200 while maintaining the stacked arrangement when a solid detergent located at the lowermost position in the third direction Z is moved out of the storage chamber 1200 by the ejector 1300.
When the width and length L1 and L2 of the cross-sectional area S are set to be longer than the width and length d1 and d2 of the solid detergent D by less than about 10% of the width and length of the solid detergent D, the plurality of solid detergents may be stuck in the storage chamber 1200 while moving down in the storage chamber 1200, which may hinder the solid detergents from being moved down.
For example, when the solid detergent located in the lowermost position in the third direction Z among the plurality of stacked solid detergents is moved down, it may fail to be seated on the lower surface 1220 of the storage chamber 1200 and may be stuck in the storage chamber 1200, in which case even with an operation of the ejector 130, a pressurizer 1312a, which will be described later, is unable to easily press the solid detergent located in the lowermost position in the third direction Z, so that the solid detergent may not be discharged out of the storage chamber 1200.
When the width and length L1 and L2 of the cross-sectional area S are set to be longer than the width and length d1 and d2 of the solid detergent D by more than about 30% of the width and length of the solid detergent D, the stacked arrangement may break down by e.g., rotational movement while the solid detergents are moving down in the storage chamber 1200.
For example, as the cross-sectional area S is formed to be wider than a solid detergent, the solid detergent may be turned or moved obliquely to the third direction Z so that the plurality of solid detergents may not be moved in the third direction but may be moved in the first direction X or the second direction Y simultaneously, thereby preventing maintaining of the stacked arrangement.
Hence, the width and length L1 and L2 of the cross-sectional area S may be set to be longer than the width and length d1 and d2 of the solid detergent D by 10% to 30% of the width and length d1 and d2 of the solid detergent D.
As the cross-sectional area S of the storage chamber 1200 is formed to have the length L2 longer than the length d2 of the solid detergent D, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may have certain thickness in a direction in which the length L2. extends
Accordingly, when the door 20 is located in the first position 20A, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 protrudes inward of the tub 12 in the first direction X from the door 20, making the internal space of the tub 12 partially narrowed.
The lower basket 51, in particular, which is located at a level substantially corresponding to the automatic detergent injection device 1000 in the third direction Z may collide with the automatic detergent injection device 1000 in the first direction X when the door 20 is located in the first position 20A. To prevent this, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be arranged to be spaced from the lower basket 51 in the first direction X when located in the first position 1000A. For example, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be arranged to be spaced from the middle basket 52 in the first direction X when located in the first position 1000A.
The door 20 may be located in the second position 20B so that the lower basket 51 may be pulled out forward from the tub 12 in the first direction X, and as the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is provided to have certain thickness in an extension direction of the length L2 when the lower basket 51 is pulled out forward, pulling out the lower basket 51 may be limited by the thickness of the automatic detergent injection device 100.
The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be arranged to be coupled to the inner surface 21 of the door 20. The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be coupled with the door 20 so that at least a portion of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be inserted to the inside of the door 20 in the first direction X when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is coupled to the inner surface 21.
Accordingly, when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A, a separation distance may be easily formed between the automatic detergent injection device 1000 and the lower basket 51 in the first direction X.
Hence, when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the second position 1000B, protrusion of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is minimized in the third direction Z, so that the lower basket 51 may be easily pulled out without limitation of the automatic detergent injection device 1000.
For example, when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the second position 1000B, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be coupled onto the inner surface 21 of the door 2 such that the top of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 in the third direction Z is positioned to be lower than the bottom of the lower basket 51 in the third direction Z. Accordingly, when the lower basket 51 is slid out of the tub 12 while the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the second position 1000A, the lower basket 51 may be pulled out of the tub 12 without being stuck by the automatic detergent injection device 1000.
The ejector 1300 may include a pressing member 1310 for pressing one of the plurality of solid detergents stacked in the third direction Z, which is located at the lowermost position in the third direction Z, to be moved out of the storage chamber 1200.
The pressing member 1310 may include a cam member for pressing the solid detergent by rotation. The pressing member 1310 will now be referred to as a cam member 1310.
The cam member 1310 may include a pressurizer 1312a arranged to protrude from an edge of the cam member 1310 and press the solid detergent while rotating along with the rotation of the cam member 1310.
The pressurizer 1312a may be arranged to rotate along with the rotation of the cam member 1310 and move into the storage chamber 1200, pressing one of the plurality of solid detergents stacked in the third direction Z, which is located at the lowermost position in the third direction Z, to be moved to the outlet 1210. The cam member 1310 may move the solid detergent by pressing the solid detergent in the rotation direction of the cam member 1310.
For convenience of explanation, the rotation direction of the cam member 1310 and left or right of the cam member 1310 will be described based on what is shown in
Furthermore, the cam member 1310 will now be described by taking the cam member 1310 of the ejector 1300 arranged on the left in the second direction Y as shown in
When the rotation direction of the cam member 1310 is the clockwise direction, the ejector 1300 located underneath the storage chamber 1200 may move the solid detergent seated on the lower surface 1220 of the storage chamber 1200 to the right of the storage chamber 1200 while rotating clockwise.
In order for the solid detergent being moved to the right to be discharged out of the storage chamber 1200, the storage chamber outlet 1210 may be arranged underneath the right side 1230 of the storage chamber 1200.
The storage chamber 1200 may include a through portion 1221 formed at the lower surface 1220 of the storage chamber 1200 and arranged for the pressurizer 1312a to be moved from outside of the storage chamber 1200 to inside of the storage chamber 1200.
The through portion 1221 may be formed to extend not only to the lower surface 1220 of the storage chamber 1200 but also to the right side 1230 and the left side 1240 of the storage chamber 1200.
The pressurizer 1312a may be rotated by the rotation of the cam member 1310 to be moved into the storage chamber 1200 through the bottom of the left side 1240 and the through portion 1221 at the lower surface 1220 or to be moved out of the storage chamber 1200 through the bottom of the right side 1230 and the through portion 1221 at the lower surface 1220.
In this case, the pressurizer 1312a may be arranged to rotate while pressing the solid detergent seated on the lower surface 1220 so that the solid detergent is moved to the right.
The through portion 1221 may be arranged such that at least a portion of the lower surface 1220 is open, as shown in
The through portion 1221 may be arranged such that not all but a portion of the lower surface 1220 is opened.
For example, an area of the through portion 1221 formed at the lower surface 1220 may be formed to be smaller than an area of a closed lower surface 1222 in the third direction Z. The closed lower surface 1222 in the third direction Z will now be referred to as a supporting surface 1222. This is because the supporting surface 1222 supports the lowermost solid detergent in the third direction Z.
For example, the through portion 1221 may be formed to extend from a center of the lower surface 1220 in the first direction X toward the second direction Y. With this, front and back of the through portion 1221 in the first direction X may be arranged with the supporting surface 1222.
This is to have the lowermost solid detergent in the third direction Z stably positioned on the lower surface 1220 when the plurality of solid detergents are stacked. The supporting surface 1222 may support the lowermost solid detergent in the third direction Z for the solid detergent to be adjacent to the lower surface 1220, and accordingly, the pressurizer 1312a may easily press the solid detergent by moving through the through portion 1221.
Especially, the supporting surface 1222 may be arranged in front of and behind the through portion 1221 in the first direction X so that the lowermost solid detergent in the third direction Z is supported by the storage chamber 1200 to be substantially parallel with the third direction Z.
Accordingly, when moved out of the storage chamber 1200 by the pressurizer 1312a, the solid detergent may be moved in the second direction Y in a state of being substantially parallel with the third direction Z.
For example, the supporting surface 1222 may guide the solid detergent moved in the second direction Z to be moved in the state of being parallel with the third direction Z. Based on
When the solid detergent is moved in the second direction Y while positioned to be slanted to the third direction Z, the solid detergent may be turned due to the center of gravity or moved to a direction other than the second direction Y, failing to be moved toward the storage chamber outlet 1210, and may not be discharged out of the storage chamber 1200.
Based on the rotation direction of the cam member 1310, edges of the cam member 1310 may include a plurality of cam sections divided in the rotation direction. Assuming that a cam section having an edge with the shortest radius from a rotation shaft 1313 of the cam member 1310 among the plurality of cam sections is defined as a first cam section 1310A1, the first cam section 1310A1 may be arranged at the top of the cam member 1310 when the dish washer 1 is not operated in a washing process.
The pressurizer 1312a may be arranged to protrude with a certain height to the first cam section 1310A1 in the radial direction of the cam member 1310.
The pressurizer 1312a may be arranged to protrude with the certain height to the first cam section 1310A1 in the radial direction of the cam member 1310 such that pressing power for moving the solid detergent D to the storage chamber outlet 1210 may be delivered to the solid detergent D.
The pressurizer 1312a may be arranged to protrude with the certain height to the first cam section 1310A1 in the radial direction of the cam member 1310 to press only the solid detergent D that is located in the lowermost position in the third direction Z but not to press the solid detergents D located over the lowermost solid detergent D while the cam member 1310 is rotating.
For example, the pressurizer 1312a may be arranged to protrude 15 mm to the first cam section 1310A1 in the radial direction of the cam member 1310.
The first cam section 1310A1 may be arranged to be lower than the supporting surface 1222 in the third direction Z when the first cam section 1310A1 of the cam member 1310 is located at the top of the cam member 1310. This is for one side of the lowermost solid detergent among the plurality of solid detergents not to be pressed upward in the third direction Z but positioned to be substantially parallel with the third direction Z in the storage chamber 1200 when the lowermost solid detergent is placed on a lower surface 1220 of the storage chamber 1200.
On the other hand, as shown in
The rotation shaft 1313 of the cam member 1310 may be arranged to extend to the first direction X when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A. The cam member 1310 is arranged so that the radial direction of the cam member 1310 is perpendicular to the first direction X, and thus, when the cam member 1310 is placed in the housing 1100, the volume in the first direction X may be minimized. This is to maximize the volume of the cleaning chamber C in the first direction X, as described above.
The ejector 1300 may include a driving motor 1320 for generating rotational force to drive the cam member 1310. The driving motor 1320 may be arranged such that a rotation shaft 1321 of the driving motor 1320 extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction X when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A. Hence, the volume in the first direction X may be minimized when the driving motor 1320 is arranged in the housing 1100. This is to maximize the volume of the cleaning chamber C in the first direction X, as described above.
The ejector 1300 may include a transfer member 1330 for delivering the rotational force generated from the driving motor 1320 to the pressing member 1310.
The transfer member 1330 may include a plurality of gears. As the rotation shaft 1313 of the cam member 1310 is arranged to extend in the first direction X and the rotation shaft 1321 of the driving motor 1320 is arranged to extend to a direction perpendicular to the first direction X, the transfer member 1330 may include a worm gear to vertically change the transfer direction of the driving power. For example, the transfer member 1330 may include a bevel gear.
When the transfer member 1330 includes the worm gear, random rotation of the cam member 1310 by external force may be prevented.
As the worm gear of the transfer member 1330 is arranged to extend in a direction perpendicular to the first direction X in which the rotation shaft 1313 of the cam member 1310 extends, the volume in the first direction X may be minimized when the transfer member 1330 is arranged in the housing 1100. This is to maximize the volume of the cleaning chamber C in the first direction X, as described above.
The transfer member 1330 may connect the cam member 1310 and the driving motor 1320 to deliver the rotational force generated from the driving motor 1320 to the cam member 1310, in which case the transfer member 1330 may be configured so that the cam member 1310 is able to rotate at a suitable rotation speed. For example, the transfer member 1330 may be configured to reduce the rotation speed of the rotation shaft 1321 of the driving motor 1320. The transfer member 1330 may be configured in various manners depending on target rotation speed of the cam member 1310, rotation speed of the driving motor 1320, etc.
The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may include a holder 1500 arranged to maintain the plurality of solid detergents to be stacked in the storage chamber 1200 while the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A and second position 1000B or is moving between the first position 1000A and the second position 1000B.
The holder 1500 may be moved by a guide formed on both sides 1230 and 1240 of the storage chamber 1200 in a direction in which the long side 1201 of the storage chamber 1200 extends.
The holder 1500 may be arranged to be moved toward the plurality of solid detergents in a direction in which the plurality of solid detergents are stacked in the storage chamber 1200. This is because the direction in which the plurality of solid detergents are stacked corresponds to the direction in which the long side 1201 of the storage chamber 1200 extends.
The holder 1500 may be provided to be located above the plurality of solid detergents in the storage chamber 1200 when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A.
The holder 1500 may be arranged to be moved down from an upper portion of the storage chamber 1200 when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A. The holder 1500 may be arranged to be moved down by gravity in the storage chamber 1200 when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A.
When the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A, the stacked direction of the plurality of solid detergents may correspond to the third direction Z, and the holder 1500 may be arranged to be moved down by gravity in the third direction Z and press down an uppermost solid detergent in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents.
The holder 1500 may include a weight member arranged to have more than a certain weight to be moved in the third direction Z by gravity. For example, the weight member may be integrally formed with the holder 1500. For example, the weight member may be arranged to be coupled with the holder 1500.
For example, the holder 1500 may be formed of a heavy-weighted material to have a certain weight or heavier.
The holder 1500 may be as heavy as the certain weight or more, thereby pressing the plurality of solid detergents down in the third direction Z.
When a solid detergent located in the lowermost position in the third direction Z is discharged out of the storage chamber 1200 by the ejector 1300, the plurality of solid detergents may be moved down by gravity in the third direction Z, which is the stacked direction, and the holder 1500 may guide the plurality of solid detergents to be moved down by pressing down the plurality of solid detergents with the gravity.
For example, when one of the plurality of solid detergents stacked in the third direction Z partly deviates from the arrangement and thus, some of the solid detergents are supported on the both sides 1230 and 1240 of the storage chamber 1200, limiting the downward movement of the plurality of solid detergents, the holder 1500 may guide the plurality of solid detergents to move down by pressing down the plurality of solid detergents.
As described above, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be arranged such that the plurality of solid detergents are stacked in the third direction Z when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A, thereby increasing space efficiency of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 and the dish washer 1 in the first and second directions X and Y.
Furthermore, as the plurality of solid detergents are arranged in the direction of gravity, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be arranged to easily discharge the plurality of solid detergents in sequence from the lowest one in the direction of gravity.
However, when the door 20 is rotated from the first position 20A to the second position 20B to open the tub 12 or located in the second position 20B, the plurality of solid detergents may be arranged so that the stacked direction is different from the third direction Z.
In this case, as the stacked direction of the plurality of solid detergents is different from the gravity direction, any of the plurality of solid detergents deviates from the stacked structure, breaking down the stacked arrangement of the plurality of solid detergents in the third direction Z.
For example, as described above, the solid detergent D may be loaded in the storage chamber 1200 in a direction in which a plane of the solid detergent D formed with directions of the width d1 and the length d2 faces the cross-sectional area S of the storage chamber 1200 formed with the first direction X and the second direction Y.
For example, the plane of the solid detergent D formed with directions of the width d1 and the length d2 may be a curved plane rather than a normal flat plane, in which case the solid detergents D that face each other in the stacked direction when the plurality of solid detergents D are stacked may meet on their respective curved planes, so that the stacked arrangement of the plurality of solid detergents may break down when the stacked direction of the plurality of solid detergents is different from the gravity direction.
In other words, as it is more difficult to maintain the stacked state when the solid detergents D are stacked to face each other on their curved planes, the holder 1500 may press the plurality of solid detergents D in the stacked direction when the stacked direction corresponds to the gravity direction and support the solid detergents D when the stacked direction is different from the gravity direction, thereby maintaining the arrangement of the plurality of solid detergents D.
When the stacked arrangement of the plurality of solid detergents breaks down, moving of the plurality of solid detergents in the gravity direction may be limited even when the door 20 is located back in the first position 20A, the solid detergent located in the lowermost position in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents may be abnormally seated on the lower surface 1220 of the storage chamber 1200 and thus, the solid detergent may not be discharged out of the storage chamber 1200 by the ejector 1300.
That the solid detergent is abnormally seated on the lower surface 1220 means that the solid detergent located on the lower surface 1220 is not pressed by the ejector 1300 or is not moved out of the storage chamber 1200 even when pressed by the ejector 1300.
To avoid this, the holder 1500 may be provided to prevent breakdown of the stacked arrangement of the plurality of solid detergents when the direction in which the plurality of solid detergents are stacked is different from the third direction Z due to the movement of the door 20.
The holder 1500 may be arranged to maintain the stacked arrangement of the plurality of solid detergents while the door 20 opened at the first position 20A is moving to the second position 20B or even when the door 20 is located in the second position 20B.
The holder 1500 may be arranged to support a solid detergent located in the uppermost position in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents when the stacked direction of the plurality of solid detergents is different from the third direction Z.
The holder 1500 may be arranged to be fixed in a position adjacent to the solid detergent located in the uppermost position in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents when the stacked direction of the plurality of solid detergents is different from the third direction Z.
When the stacked direction of the plurality of solid detergents is different from the third direction Z, the holder 1500 that is temporarily fixed may prevent deviation of the solid detergent located in the uppermost position in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents from the stacked arrangement by blocking movement of the solid detergent located in the uppermost position in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents.
The storage chamber 1200 may include a guide rail 1290 for guiding movement of the holder 1500 in the storage chamber 1200.
The holder 1500 may be guided by the guide rail 1290 to make translational motion in the extension direction of the long side 1201 of the storage chamber 1200.
The guide rail 1290 may be arranged for the holder 1500 to be moved down in the third direction Z when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A.
For example, the holder 1500 may include a guide projection to be inserted to the guide rail 1290. The guide projection of the holder 1500 may be inserted to the guide rail 1290 and moved in a direction in which the guide rail 1290 extends.
The guide rail 1290 may be arranged to extend in the extension direction of the long side 1201 of the storage chamber 1200. The holder 1500 may be arranged to be movable in an extension direction of the guide rail 1290.
The guide rail 1290 may include a bump 1293 provided to limit movement of the holder 1500 when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is not located in the first position 1000A.
The movement of the holder 1500 may be limited in the storage chamber 1200 as the movement of the guide projection of the holder 1500 is limited by the bump 1293 while the door 20 is moving from the first position 20A to the second position 20B.
The holder 1500 may also be arranged to maintain the stacked arrangement of the plurality of solid detergents even when the door 20 is located in the second position 20B.
The holder 1500 may be arranged to support a solid detergent located in the uppermost position in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents when the stacked direction of the plurality of solid detergents is different from the third direction Z.
The holder 1500 may be arranged to be fixed in a position adjacent to the solid detergent located in the uppermost position in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents when the stacked direction of the plurality of solid detergents is different from the third direction Z.
Hence, when the direction in which the plurality of solid detergents are stacked is different from the third direction Z, the holder 1500 may be temporarily fixed in the storage chamber 1200 by the bump 1293, and movement of a solid detergent located in the uppermost position in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents may be limited by the fixed holder 1500.
As the stacked arrangement of the plurality of solid detergents may be maintained even when the direction in which the plurality of solid detergents are stacked is different from the third direction Z, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be arranged for one of the plurality of solid detergents to be discharged out of the storage chamber 1200 and thrown into the tub 12 even though the plurality of solid detergents are to be stacked in the third direction Z when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A.
The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may include the seating portion 1400 arranged for a solid detergent discharged from the storage chamber 1200 to be seated thereon.
The seating portion 1400 may be arranged to connect to the storage chamber outlet 1210. The seating portion 1400 may include a seating portion inner space 1401 connected to the storage chamber outlet 1210.
One of the plurality of solid detergents may be discharged from the storage chamber 1200 through the storage chamber outlet 1210 and moved into the seating portion inner space 1401.
The seating portion may include a discharge guide 1430 connected to the tub 12. The discharge guide 1430 may have a space connected to the seating portion inner space 1401.
For example, the seating portion inner space 1401 and the discharge guide 1430 may be formed as a single space, and the seating portion inner space 1401 and the space of the discharge guide 1430 may be divided by a seating portion opening 1420 that is opened or closed by the seating portion door 1410, which will be described later.
For example, the lower end of the seating portion inner space 1401 in the third direction Z is formed with the seating portion opening 1420, and the discharge guide 1430 may be an area formed down from the seating portion opening 1420 in the third direction Z.
The seating portion 1400 may be arranged for a solid detergent moved into the seating portion inner space 1401 to be temporarily seated in the seating portion 1400 and then thrown into the tub 12.
The seating portion 1400 may include the seating portion opening 1420 through which the seating portion inner space 1401 is connected to the discharge guide 1430 connected to the tub 12. The seating portion opening 1420 may be arranged to be opened toward the third direction Z when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A.
The seating portion 1400 may include the seating portion door 1410 to open or close the seating portion opening 1420. The seating portion door 1410 may be arranged to form the lower side of the seating portion inner space 1401 when the seating portion door 1410 closes the seating portion opening 1420.
The seating portion door 1410 may include a seating surface 1411 on which the solid detergent is seated thereon when the seating portion door 1410 closes the seating portion opening 1420. The seating surface 1411 may be located to face up in the third direction Z when the seating portion door 1410 closes the seating portion opening 1420.
For example, the seating portion opening 1420 may be defined as a plane closed by the seating portion door 1410 of the seating portion inner space 1401. Accordingly, an area formed above the upper side of the seating portion opening 1420 may be defined as the seating portion inner space 1401, and an area formed under the lower side of the setting portion opening 1420 may be defined as the discharge guide 1430. When the seating portion door 1410 closes the seating portion opening 1420, the seating surface is placed on the seating portion opening 1420 and thus, the seating surface 1411 may be defined as a lower plane of the seating portion inner space 1401.
For example, the lower side of the seating portion inner space 1401 may be defined with the seating portion opening 1420, but when the seating portion door 1410 closes the seating portion opening 1420, the lower side of the seating portion inner space 1401 may be defined with the seating portion door 1410.
The seating portion door 1410 may be arranged to shut the seating portion inner space 1401 tightly from outside when the seating portion door 1410 closes the seating portion opening 1420, and arranged for the seating portion inner space 1401 to connect to the tub 120 when the seating portion door 1410 opens the seating portion opening 1420.
The seating portion 1400 may include the seating portion door driver 1470 arranged to open or close the seating portion door 1410.
For example, the seating portion door driver 1470 may include a driving motor and a transfer member.
For example, the transfer member of the seating portion door driver 1470 may include a plurality of gears. For example, when the driving motor is rotated in one direction, the plurality of gears may transfer the rotational force of the one direction to the seating portion door 1410. In a state of the seating portion door 1410 closing the seating portion opening 1420, the seating portion door 1410 may be rotated in one direction to open the seating portion opening 1420 according to the received rotational force.
For example, when the driving motor is rotated in the other direction, the plurality of gears may transfer the rotational force of the other direction to the seating portion door 1410. In a state of the seating portion door 1410 opening the seating portion opening 1420, the seating portion door 1410 may be rotated in the other direction to close the seating portion opening 1420 according to the received rotational force.
The seating portion opening 1420 may be connected to the inlet 1122 by the discharge guide 1430. One solid detergent located in the seating portion inner space 1401 may be discharged out of the seating portion inner space 1401 through the seating portion opening 1420, discharged out of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 through the inlet 1122 from the seating portion opening 1420, and thrown into the tub 12.
The seating portion 1400 may include the discharge guide 1430 formed between the seating portion opening 1420 and the inlet 1122 for guiding the solid detergent to be moved from the seating portion opening 1420 to the inlet 1122.
A solid detergent discharged from the storage chamber 1200 may be temporarily seated in the seating portion 1400, and specifically, the solid detergent may be located on the seating surface 1411 of the seating portion door 1410 that forms the lower side of the seating portion inner space 1401.
The inlet 1122 may be opened or closed by the inlet cover 1150, and may be arranged such that the solid detergent discharged along the discharge guide 1430 presses the inlet cover 1150, which in turn opens the inlet 1122.
The solid detergent may pass through the inlet 1120 while pressing the inlet cover 1150 and may be moved into the tub 12.
When the seating portion door 1410 opens the seating portion opening 1420, the solid detergent located on the seating portion door 1410 is moved down by gravity and discharged out of the seating portion inner space 1401 through the seating portion opening 1420.
The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be arranged such that a solid detergent discharged from the storage chamber 1200 is not discharged right out of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 but discharged out of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 via the seating portion 1400 when moving out of the storage chamber 1200.
The storage chamber 1200 may include a middle door 1250 arranged to open or close the storage chamber outlet 1210. The middle door 1250 may be arranged to limit the solid detergent loaded in the storage chamber 1200 being moved to the seating portion 1400 by external force instead of being discharged out of the storage chamber 1200 by the ejector 1300.
The middle door 1250 may be arranged to be biased in a direction that closes the storage chamber outlet 1210 The middle door 1250 may include an elastic member 1251 and may be arranged to close the storage chamber outlet 1210 by being biased in a direction toward the storage chamber outlet 1210 by the elastic member 1251.
A solid detergent pressed by the ejector 1300 and moved to the storage chamber outlet 1210 among the plurality of solid detergents loaded in the storage chamber 1200 may press the middle door 1250 to open the middle door 1250, and may be moved into the seating portion 1400 through the storage chamber outlet 1210 as the middle door 1250 is opened.
Even when the solid detergent is moved to the storage chamber outlet 1210 by external force instead of the pressure of the ejector 1300, the solid detergent may be blocked by the middle door 1250, prevented from passing through the storage chamber outlet 1210, and prevented from falling out of the storage chamber 1200.
When a solid detergent is moved by the pressurizer 1312a and collides with the middle door 1250, the ejector 1300 may press the solid detergent to make the biased middle door 1250 opened by the pressure of the solid detergent.
The force by the elastic member 1251 for the middle door 1250 to close the storage chamber outlet 1210 may be set to be substantially less than the force of the pressure of the ejector 1300 for the solid detergent to press the door 1250.
The storage chamber outlet 1210 is not connected directly to the tub 12 but the seating portion 1400 is formed between the storage chamber outlet 1210 and the tub 12, so that the storage chamber outlet 1210 is connected to the tub 12 through the seating portion 1400.
When the storage chamber outlet 1210 is connected directly to the tub 12, water left in the tub 12 may flow into the storage chamber 1200 through the storage chamber outlet 1210, and thus, the water may destroy or deform the plurality of solid detergents loaded in the storage chamber 1200.
To prevent this, the storage chamber outlet 1210 is not connected directly to the tub 12 but may be connected indirectly to the tub 12 through the seating portion 1400.
The seating portion 1400 may be arranged for the seating portion inner space 1401 to be connected to the tub 12 by opening the seating portion opening 1420 only when the solid detergent is to be thrown into the tub 12. In a stage where the solid detergent is not put into the tub 12, the seating portion door 1410 may close the seating portion opening 1420 to minimize flows of the water left in the tub 12 into the the seating portion inner space 1401.
The seating portion 1400 may include a seating portion sensor 1440 for detecting whether a solid detergent is seated in the seating portion 1400.
As the storage chamber 1200 is arranged to connect to the seating portion 1400, the seating portion sensor 1440 may need to detect whether the solid detergent discharged from the storage chamber 1200 is seated in the seating portion 1400.
The seating portion sensor 1440 may be provided as a position sensor. For example, the seating portion sensor 1440 may include a light sensor.
The seating portion sensor 1440 may detect whether a solid detergent is located in the seating portion 1400, and a control device 1900 (see
The control device 1900 may receive information about whether a solid detergent is loaded in the storage chamber 1200, whether the detergent is seated in the seating portion 1400 after the ejector 1300 is operated while the solid detergent is loaded in the storage chamber 1200, and whether the solid detergent is discharged from the seating portion 1400 after being seated in the seating portion 1400, and based on this, control the automatic detergent injection device 1000.
The control device 1900 may be arranged to communicate with a main control device and for a controller to control the dish washer 1 based on the received information.
For example, the control device 1900 and the main control device are sub-components of the controller, and both the dish washer 1 and the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may be arranged to be controlled by the controller. However, as long as the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is concerned, it will now be assumed that the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is controlled by the control device 19000.
For example, when the seating portion sensor 1440 does not detect any solid detergent after the ejector 1300 is operated, the control device 1900 may determine that the solid detergent is not discharged from the storage chamber 1200 because no solid detergent is loaded in the storage chamber 1200 or determine that the solid detergent is not discharged from the storage chamber 1200 because of malfunctioning of the ejector 1300 while the solid detergent is loaded in the storage chamber 1200, and based on this, control the automatic detergent injection device 1000.
For example, the control device 1900 may control the ejector 1300 to be operated again to move a solid detergent into the seating portion 1400. Furthermore, the control device 1900 may communicate with the main control device, and based on the value of the communicating, the controller may control the dish washer 1 to prevent a process of the dish washer 1 from being performed.
For example, when the seating portion sensor 1440 keeps failing to detect any solid detergent after the control device 1900 controls the ejector 1300 to be operated again, the control device 1900 may communicate with the main control device and, based on a value of the communicating, the controller may control the dish washer 1 to prevent a process of the dish washer 1 from being performed. Furthermore, the controller may control a display to notify the user that there is no solid detergent in the storage chamber 1200.
For example, the display may be implemented as one located on the main body 10 of the dish washer 1. For example, the display may be implemented in a separate device arranged to communicate with the dish washer 1.
For example, when the seating portion sensor 1440 does not detect any solid detergent after a solid detergent is detected in the seating portion and the detected state is maintained, the control device 1900 may determine that a solid detergent is discharged from the seating portion 1400 and put into the tub 12, and based on this, control the automatic detergent injection device 1000. For example, the control device 1900 may communicate with the main control device, and based on a value of the communicating, the controller may control the dish washer 1 to perform a washing process of the dish washer 1.
The control device 1900 may be configured to understand all the aforementioned situations as the seating portion sensor 1440 detects a location of the solid sensor in the seating portion 1400, so the number of additional sensors for detecting the location of the solid detergent may be minimized. Specifically, the control device 1900 may determine whether a solid detergent is located in the storage chamber 1200 or in the seating portion inner space 1401 or outside the seating portion 1400 only with the seating portion sensor 1440 placed in the seating portion 1400 without a need for an additional position sensor located in the storage chamber 1200 or the discharge guide 1430 for detecting the location of the solid detergent. This will be described in detail later.
As described above, the storage chamber 1200 may be provided in the plural. For example, two storage chambers 1200 may be arranged.
For convenience of explanation, the storage chamber 1200 arranged on the left in the second direction Y in
An ejector for discharging the solid detergent stored in the first storage chamber 1200 is defined as the first ejector 1300 and an ejector for discharging the solid detergent stored in the second storage chamber 1200′ is defined as a second ejector 1300′. Furthermore, the holder 1500 located in the first storage chamber 1200 is defined as the first holder 1500, and the holder 1500 located in the second storage chamber 1200′ is defined as a second holder 1500′.
The first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ may be arranged to be spaced from each other in the second direction Y. As the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ include long sides extending in the third direction Z when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is located in the first position 1000A, the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ need to be spaced apart in the second direction Y to be efficiently arranged in the automatic detergent injection device 1000.
With the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′, when solid detergents are to be loaded in the automatic detergent injection device 1000, the user may load more solid detergents at a time.
The seating portion 1400 may be arranged between the first storage chamber 1200 and the second storage chamber 1200′ in the second direction Y. As described above, the first storage chamber 1200 may be connected to the seating portion 1400 and the second storage chamber 1200′ may also be connected to the seating portion 1400.
Accordingly, the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ may be arranged to connect to the tub 12 through the single seating portion 1400 arranged between the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ in the second direction Y.
As the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ share the seating portion 1400, expansion of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is minimized in the second direction Y. Specifically, when the seating portion 1400 is provided in the plural to correspond to the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′, the volume of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may increase in the second direction Y due to the plurality of seating portions, but the automatic detergent injection device 1000 as described above is arranged so that the single seating portion 1400 is connected to both the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′, thereby minimizing the length of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 in the second direction Y.
In
As described above, the first cam member 1310 may move the solid detergent seated on the first lower surface 1220 of the first storage chamber 1200 to the right of the first storage chamber 1200 while rotating clockwise, and as the first storage chamber outlet 1210 is arranged under the first right side of the first storage chamber 1200, the solid detergent may be moved into the seating portion 1400 arranged on the right to the first storage chamber 1200.
The first cam member 1310 may be engaged with the first driving motor 1320 and the first transfer member 1330 to be rotated clockwise.
On the other hand, the second cam member 1310′ may be rotated counterclockwise. Unlike the first ejector 1300, the second ejector 1300′ may be arranged to move the solid detergent loaded in the second storage chamber 1200′ to the left.
The second cam member 1310′ may be engaged with a second driving motor 1320′ and a second transfer member 1330′ to be rotated counterclockwise.
The second cam member 1310′ may move the solid detergent seated on a second lower surface 1220′ of the second storage chamber 1200′ to the left of the second storage chamber 1200′ while rotating counterclockwise, and as a second storage chamber outlet 1210′ is arranged under the second left side of the second storage chamber 1200′, the solid detergent may be moved into the seating portion 1400 arranged on the left to the second storage chamber 1200′.
The second storage chamber 1200′ may include a second through portion 1221′ formed at the second lower surface 1220′ of the second storage chamber 1200′ and arranged for a second pressurizer 1312a′ to be moved from outside of the second storage chamber 1200′ to inside of the second storage chamber 1200′.
The second through portion 1221′ may be formed to extend not only to the second lower surface 1220′ of the second storage chamber 1200′ but also to second right side 1230′ and second left side 1240′ of the second storage chamber 1200′.
A second pressurizer 1312a′ may be rotated by the rotation of the second cam member 1310′ to be moved into the second storage chamber 1200′ through the bottom of the second right side 1230′ and a second through portion 1221′ at the second lower surface 1220′ or to be moved out of the second storage chamber 1200′ through the bottom of the second left side 1240′ and the second through portion 1221′ at the second lower surface 1220′.
A second pressurizer 1312a′ may be arranged to rotate while pressing the solid detergent seated on the second lower surface 1220′ so that the solid detergent is moved to the left.
The first rotation shaft 1313 of the first cam member 1310 may be located between the first left side 1240 and the first right side 1230 of the first storage chamber 1200 in the second direction Y. For example, the first rotation shaft 1313 of the first cam member 1310 may be located in the middle of the left side 1240 and the right side 1230 of the first storage chamber 1200 in the second direction Y.
A second rotation shaft 1313′ of the second cam member 1310′ may be located between the second left side 1240′ and the second right side 1230′ of the second storage chamber 1200′ in the second direction Y. For example, the second rotation shaft 1313′ of the second cam member 1310′ may be located in the middle of the second left side 1240′ and the second right side 1230′ of the second storage chamber 1200′ in the second direction Y.
The reason why the first and second rotation shafts 1313 and 1313′ of the first and second cam members 1310 and 1310′ are each located in the middle of the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ in the second direction Y is to stably support and press the solid detergent when the first and second pressurizers 1312a and 1312a′ of the first and second cam members 1310 and 1310′ are rotated.
When the first and second rotation shafts 1313 and 1313′ of the first and second cam members 1310 and 1310′ are each located out of the center of the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ in the second direction Y, it may be difficult for the first and second pressurizers 1312a and 1312a′ to stably support the solid detergent because the first and second pressurizers 1312a and 1312a′ pass through the first and second through portions with less than a certain length in a section where the first and second pressurizers 1312a and 1312a′ are to pass through the first and second through portions 1221 and 1221′ by rotation of the first and second cam members 1310 and 1310′.
The first and second pressurizers 1312a and 1312a′ may not stably press the solid detergent loaded in the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ as the first and second pressurizers 1312a and 1312a′ pass through the first and second through portions 1221 and 1221′ with less than the certain length in a section where the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ are to pass through the first and second through portions 1221 and 1221′ and come into and out of the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′.
To prevent this, in order for more than a certain length of the first and second pressurizers 1312 and 1312a′ to pass through and rotate in a section where the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ come into or out of the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ through the first and second through portions 1221 and 1221′, the first and second rotation shafts 1313 and 1313′ of the first and second cam members 1310 and 1310′ may be each located in the middle of the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ in the second direction Y.
Furthermore, when the first and second rotation shafts 1313 and 1313′ of the first and second cam members 1310 and 1310′ are not located in the middle of the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ in the second direction Y, the volume of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 increases in the second direction Y, so it is desirable to locate each of the first and second rotation shafts 1313 and 1313′ of the first and second cam members 1310 and 1310′ in the middle of the first and second storage chambers 1200 and 1200′ in the second direction Y.
The first ejector 1300 and the second ejector 1300′ may be arranged to be mirror-symmetrically driven in the second direction Y with respect to the seating portion 1400. The first cam member 1310 and the second cam member 1310′ may be arranged to be rotated in the opposite directions to form the mirror-symmetry with respect to the seating portion 1400.
As the first storage chamber 1200 and the second storage chamber 1200′ are arranged on either side of the seating portion 1400 in the second direction Y and the solid detergent discharged from the first or second storage chamber 1200 or 1200′ is to be moved into the seating portion 1400, the first ejector 1300 and the second ejector 1300′ may be driven mirror-symmetrically with respect to the seating portion 1400 in the second direction Y.
The width L1 of the first storage chamber 1200 and the width L1 of the second storage chamber 1200′ in the second direction Y may be set to be almost equal.
The width L1 of the first or second storage chamber 1200 or 1200′ and the width L3 of the seating portion 1400 in the second direction Y may substantially correspond to each other. This is because, when the width L3 of the seating portion 1400 is much shorter than the width L1 of the first or second storage chamber 1200 or 1200′ in the second direction Y, the solid detergent to be discharged into the seating portion 1400 from the first or second storage chamber 1200 or 1200′ is not seated on the seating portion door 1410 but may be stuck in the seating portion inner space 1401.
On the other hand, when the width L3 of the seating portion 1400 is much longer than the width L1 of the first or second storage chamber 1200 or 1200′ in the second direction Y, the volume of the seating portion 1400 excessively increases in the second direction Y, causing a problem excessively increasing the volume of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 in the second direction Y.
Hence, as described above, it is desirable to set the width L3 of the seating portion 1400 to correspond to the width L1 in the second direction Y of the first or second storage chamber 1200 or 1200′ having the cross-sectional area S with consideration for the size of the solid detergent.
Operations of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 will now be described in detail.
As shown in
For example, the control device 1900 may control the first ejector 1300 to be operated. The control device 1900 may control the first ejector 1300 to be operated again or the second ejector 1300′ to be operated based on a sensing value of the seating portion sensor 1440, which will be described in detail later.
The control device 1900 may control the first ejector 1300 to rotate the first cam member 1310 clockwise by driving the first driving motor 1320.
The control device 1900 may control the second ejector 1300′ to rotate the second cam member 1310′ clockwise by driving the second driving motor 1320′.
The control device 1900 may control the position of the first cam member 1310 such that the first cam section 1310A1 of the first cam member 1310 is positioned on the top in the third direction Z before the first cam member 1310 is rotated and the first pressurizer 1312a is moved into the storage chamber 1200.
When the first cam section 1310A1 of the first cam member 1310 is positioned on the top of the first cam member 1310 in the third direction Z, the first cam section 1310A may be located to be lower than the first supporting surface 1222 of the first storage chamber 1200 in the third direction Z, as described above. This may enable a solid detergent located in the lowermost position in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents loaded in the first storage chamber 1200 to be stably seated on the first supporting surface 1222, so that the first pressurizer 1312a may stably move the solid detergent in the second direction Y by the rotation of the first cam member 1310.
For example, when a portion of the first cam member 1310 protrudes to be higher than the first supporting surface 1222 in the third direction Z through the first through portion 1221, a solid detergent located in the lowermost position in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents loaded in the first storage chamber 1200 may not be horizontally placed in the third direction Z, so that the solid detergent moving in the second direction Y may be turned to a different direction due to the center of gravity and prevented from moving in the second direction Y, and may thus fail to move to the first storage chamber outlet 1210 and fail to be discharged out of the first storage chamber 1200.
Hence, the control device 1900 may control the position of the first cam member 1310 such that the first cam section 1310A1 of the first cam member 1310 is positioned on the top in the third direction Z when the dish washer 1 is not operated in a washing process. Afterwards, when the dish washer 1 is operated in a washing process, the control device 1900 may communicate with the main control device, and based on a value of the communicating, control the first ejector 1300 to rotate the first cap 1310 clockwise.
The first pressurizer 1312a engaged with the rotation of the first cam member 1310 may be moved into the first storage chamber 1200, and accordingly, the solid detergent located in the lowermost position in the third direction Z may be moved by the first pressurizer 1312a to the right in the second direction Y.
The solid detergent is pressed by the first pressurizer 1312a to be moved to the first storage chamber outlet 1210, opening the first middle door 1250 that closes the first storage chamber outlet 1210, and may be discharged out of the first storage chamber 1200 through the first storage chamber outlet 1210.
As shown in
The seating portion sensor 1440 may detect the position of the solid detergent, i.e., whether the solid detergent is located in the seating portion inner space 1401. Specifically, the seating portion sensor 1440 may be located on the seating portion door 1410 in the third direction Z and may detect whether the solid detergent is located on the seating unit door 1410.
The control device 1900 may receive information indicating that the solid detergent is located on the seating portion door 1410 from the seating portion sensor 1440 and communicate with the main control device, and the controller may control the dish washer 1 to perform a washing process based on the communicated value.
For example, the washing process of the dish washer 1 may be divided into a preliminary washing stage, a main washing stage, a rinsing stage and a drying stage, and the controller may control the dish washer 1 to perform the preliminary washing stage based on the communicated value.
For example, the control device 1900 may operate the first ejector 1300 one round, and when the seating portion sensor 1440 does not detect any solid detergent, may transmit information indicating that the solid detergent is not detected to the main control device, and the controller may control the dish washer 1 not to perform the preliminary washing stage of the washing process based on the communicated value. This is because the user may possibly open the door 20 to load the solid detergent into the automatic detergent injection device 1000. The controller may then control the dish washer 1 not to start the washing process when there is no solid detergent placed in the seating portion 1400.
For example, unlike in
The is to operate the first ejector 1300 again for the first pressurizer 1312a to move the solid detergent in the second direction Y to be discharged out of the first storage chamber 1200 when the solid detergent located in the lowermost position in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents loaded in the first storage chamber 1200 is not stably seated on the first supporting surface 1222 and is not moved by the first pressurizer 1312a in the second direction Y but in a different direction, failing to be moved to the first storage chamber outlet 1210.
The control device 1900 may then receive information indicating that the solid detergent is located on the seating portion door 1410 from the seating portion sensor 1440 and communicate with the main control device, and the controller may control the dish washer 1 to perform a washing process based on the communicated value.
As shown in
The seating portion door 1410 may open the setting portion opening 1420, and the solid detergent may be moved to the discharge guide 1430 through the seating portion opening 1420 and discharged from the automatic detergent injection device 1000 through the inlet 1122 along the discharge guide 1430.
For example, the seating portion door 1410 may open the seating portion opening 1420 by rotating downward, and the solid detergent placed on the seating portion door 1410 may be moved down along with the rotation of the seating portion door 1410, passing through the seating portion opening 1420, and moved to the discharge guide 1430.
The control device 1900 may rotate the seating portion door 1410 to open the seating portion opening 1420, and after a lapse of certain period of time, rotate the settling door 1410 in the opposite direction to close the seating portion opening 1420 again.
This is because when the seating portion opening 1420 is opened for a certain period of time, water may possibly flow from the tub 12 into the storage chamber 1200 through the seating portion 1400. To prevent this, the control device 1900 may control opening or closing of the seating portion door 1410.
The control device 1900 may control the seating portion door driver 1470 to open or close the seating portion door 1410. The seating portion door driver 1470 may operate the seating portion door 1410 to open or close the seating portion opening 1420 by delivering the rotational force of one direction or the other direction to the seating portion door 1410 under the control of the control device 1900.
The control device 1900 may communicate with the main control device on receiving the information indicating that there is no solid detergent located in the seating portion 1400 from the seating portion sensor 1440 after controlling the seating portion door 1410 to open or close the seating portion door 1410, and the controller may control the dishwasher 1 to perform the main washing stage of the washing process based on the communicated value.
This is to prevent the dishwasher 1 from performing the main washing stage while the solid detergent does not fall out of the seating portion inner space 1401 for such a reason that the solid detergent adheres to the seating portion door 1410 even when the seating portion door 1410 opens or closes the seating portion opening 1420.
The control device 1900 may control the position of the first cam member 1310 such that the first cam section 1310A1 of the first cam member 1310 is positioned on the top in the third direction Z, upon receiving the information indicating that no solid detergent is located in the seating portion 1400 from the seating portion sensor 1440 after controlling the seating portion door 1410 to be opened or closed.
Accordingly, the solid detergent located in the lowermost portion in the third direction Z among the plurality of solid detergents is discharged out of the first storage chamber 1200, the plurality of solid detergents loaded in the first storage chamber 1200 are moved down, and a solid detergent right above the discharged solid detergent may be stably placed on the supporting surface 1222.
The control device 1900 may control the automatic detergent injection device 1000 to automatically throw the solid detergent into the tub 12 when the dish washer 1 is operated in the washing process by repeating the aforementioned procedure.
When receiving information indicating that no solid detergent is detected from the seating portion sensor 1440 after driving the first ejector 1300, the control device 1900 may drive the first ejector 1300 one more round and receive information about whether any solid detergent is detected from the seating portion sensor 1440 as described above.
In this case, when the control device 1900 receives information indicating that no solid detergent is detected from the seating portion sensor 1440 even after driving the first ejector 1300 one more round, the control device 1900 may be configured to drive the second ejector 1300′ based on the information.
If the seating portion sensor 1440 does not detect any solid detergent even after the control device 1900 controls the first ejector 1300 to be operated two rounds, it is because all the plurality of solid detergents loaded in the first storage chamber 1200 might have been discharged out of the first storage chamber 1200.
The control device 1900 may then control the second ejector 1300′ to be operated. How the control device 1900 operates the second ejector 1300′ is equal to how the control device 1900 operates the first ejector 1300, so the overlapping description will not be repeated.
Furthermore, as shown in
The cam member 1310 may be arranged to guide the plurality of solid detergents stacked and loaded in the storage chamber 1200 to be moved in parallel with the third direction Z. Specifically, the cam member 1310 may be rotated to guide the plurality of solid detergents seated on the edges of the cam member 1310 to be gradually moved down with the rotation of the cam member 1310 in the storage chamber.
A configuration and operation of the automatic detergent injection device 1000 of the dish washer 1 according to an embodiment of the disclosure was described above in connection with
For example, when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is in the first position 1000A, the plurality of solid detergents in the storage chamber 1200 may be stacked and loaded in a direction different from the third direction Z, i.e., different from the vertical direction.
For example, when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is in the first position 1000A, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may include a storage chamber having long sides extending in the second direction Y, which is the left-right direction of the dish washer 1, and the plurality of solid detergents may be stacked and loaded in the second direction Y in the storage chamber. The automatic detergent injection device 1000 may include a holder for moving, in the second direction Y, the plurality of solid detergents stacked in the second direction Y in the storage chamber, and the holder may include e.g., an elastic member to move the plurality of solid detergents toward the cam member of the ejector in the second direction Y. The cam member may press and move one of the plurality of solid detergents out of the storage chamber, e.g., in a direction perpendicular to the second direction Y, to be moved down from the storage chamber. The one solid detergent discharged out of the storage chamber may be thrown into the tub 12 through e.g., the seating portion.
In another example, when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is in the first position 1000A, the automatic detergent injection device 1000 may include the storage chamber 1200 or 1200′ arranged for the plurality of solid detergents to be stacked and loaded in the third direction Z as shown in
In the meantime, the term ‘third direction’ in the expression that the plurality of solid detergents are stacked and loaded in the third direction Z, which is the vertical direction, in the storage chamber 1200 or 1200′ when the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is in the first position 1000A is merely a term for defining a stacked direction of the plurality of solid detergents, but the stacked direction of the plurality of solid detergents is not limited by such a modifier as ‘third’. For example, the stacked direction of the plurality of solid detergents may also be referred to as the first direction as needed, and in even in this case, the term ‘first direction’ may refer to the direction Z (assuming that the automatic detergent injection device 1000 is in the first location 1000A) as shown in the drawings according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
An automatic detergent injection control procedure of the dish washer will now be described in detail.
As described above, the dish washer 1 may include the main body 10, the tub 12 arranged in the main body 10, the door 20 for opening or closing the tub 12, and the automatic detergent injection device 1000 arranged to put a solid detergent into the tub 12.
Furthermore, the dish washer 1 may include an input device 80 arranged on the outside of the main body 10 for receiving an input from the user and a controller 1600 for controlling the dish washer 1 according to an input received by the input device 80.
The input device 80 may be integrally formed with a display 81, which will be described later, and thus implemented as a touch screen, or may be provided in the form of buttons, a touch pad or a jog shuttle. The input device 80 may receive inputs for various operations related to dish washing from the user.
The controller 1600 may include at least one memory 1602 for storing a program for carrying out the following operations, and at least one processor 1601 for executing the stored program.
The dish washer 1 may further include the storage chamber sensor 1270 arranged in the storage chamber 1200 for detecting a solid detergent in the storage chamber 1200.
The storage chamber sensor 1270 is a sensor capable of recognizing whether there is an object in the storage chamber 1200, and may employ at least one of various sensors such as a light sensor, an ultrasound sensor, an infrared ray sensor or an image sensor.
The dish washer 1 may further include the seating portion 1400 in which the single solid detergent discharged from the storage chamber is to be seated, and the seating portion sensor 1440 for detecting the solid sensor seated in the seating portion 1400.
The memory 1602 may store a program for controlling the various components of the dish washer 1 including the ejector 1300.
The memory 1602 may include a volatile memory for temporarily storing data, such as a static random access memory (SRAM), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or the like. The memory 1602 may also include a non-volatile memory for storing data for a long time, such as a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), etc.
The processor 1601 may include many different logic circuits and operation circuits, process data according to the program provided in the memory 1602, and generate control signals according to the processing results.
The at least one processor 1601 may control the ejector 1300 to discharge a single solid detergent out of the storage chamber 1200 in response to a selection of a washing course being input through the input device 80.
Specifically, when the user puts dishes into the dish washer 1 to wash the dishes, closes the door 20 and selects a washing course, the processor 1601 may control the ejector 1300 to discharge a solid detergent out of the storage chamber 1200 for washing.
As described above, the ejector 1300 may include the cam member 1310 to move the single solid detergent out of the storage chamber 1200 by rotation, and the at least one processor 1601 may rotate the cam member 1310 in the forward direction in controlling the ejector 1300 to discharge the solid detergent out of the storage chamber 1200.
In this case, the forward direction may refer to a direction in which the solid detergent is discharged from the storage chamber 1200. The backward direction, which will be described later, may refer to a direction opposite to the direction in which the solid detergent is discharged from the storage chamber 1200.
A solid detergent may be moved out of the storage chamber 1200 with rotation of the cam member 1310 in the forward direction as shown in
The seating portion 1400 is where the single solid detergent discharged from the storage chamber 1200 is to be seated, and the solid detergent moved from the storage chamber 1200 may be seated in the seating portion 1400 along with the rotation of the cam member 1310.
The seating portion sensor 1440 may detect an object in the seating portion 1400. That is, it may detect a solid detergent seated in the seating portion 1400. The at least one processor 1601 may then determine whether a solid detergent is seated in the seating portion 1400 as shown in
Based on determining that no solid detergent is seated in the seating portion 1400 after rotation of the cam member 1310, the at least one processor 1601 may rotate the cam member 1310 one more round in the forward direction.
Even with the rotation of the cam member 1310, an error may occur in a procedure for discharging the solid detergent from the storage chamber 1200, causing the solid detergent to fail to be seated in the seating portion 1400. Hence, whether a solid detergent is seated based on an output of the seating portion sensor 1440 may be determined again after the cam member 1310 is rotated one round in the forward direction, and when it is determined that no solid detergent is seated in the seating portion 1400, the cam member 1310 may be rotated one more round in the forward direction to discharge the solid detergent from the storage chamber 1200.
In the procedure for discharging the solid detergent from the storage chamber 1200 by rotating the cam member 1310, an error may occur in discharging the solid detergent such as being stuck in the middle door 1250 due to non-uniform sizes of the solid detergents.
The at least one processor 1602 may determine whether an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent based on sensing results of a storage chamber sensor and the seating portion sensor.
In the procedure for discharging the solid detergent from the storage chamber 1200 by rotating the cam member 1310, an error may occur in discharging the solid detergent such as being stuck in the middle door 1250.
In this case, the at least one processor 1601 may determine the error in discharging the solid detergent based on outputs of the seating portion sensor 1440 and the storage chamber sensor 1270.
Specifically, the at least one processor 1601 may determine that the solid detergent is not seated in the seating portion 1400 based on a detection result of the seating portion sensor 1440 after the cam member 1310 is rotated, and determine that an error may occur in discharging the solid detergent in response to determining that there is a solid detergent in the storage chamber 1200 based on an output of the storage chamber sensor 1270.
A solid detergent is to be discharged from the storage chamber 1200 and detected in the seating portion 1400 when the cam member 1310 is rotated one round in a normal operation, but there is a chance that the solid detergent is not be detected in the seating portion 1400 due to being stuck.
As the solid detergent is not detected in the seating portion 1400 even when there is no solid detergent in the storage chamber 1200, it may be determined that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent when it is determined that there is the solid detergent in the storage chamber 1200.
When the solid detergent is not seated in the seating portion 1400 despite the fact that the cam is rotated one round and there is the solid detergent in the storage chamber 1200, it may be determined that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent such as the solid detergent being stuck.
In this case, the at least one processor 1601 may control the cam member 1310 to be rotated in the backward direction.
The cam member 1310 may include a sensor on cam member 1310 for detecting an initial position and rotation angle of the cam member 1310.
The at least one processor 1601 may rotate the cam member 1310 in the backward direction to locate the cam member 1310 at the initial position based on the sensor on the cam member 1310 when an error occurs in discharging the detergent.
Accordingly, a solid detergent subject to being stuck may be adjusted to be located in a normal position.
Furthermore, when the solid detergent is stuck in the middle door 1250, power consumption or the number of revolutions of the motor that drives the ejector 1300 may be different from that of a normal operation. Accordingly, the at least one processor 1601 may determine whether an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent such as the solid detergent being stuck, based on the power consumption or the number of revolutions of the motor in the ejector 1300.
The at least one processor 1601 may rotate the cam member 1310 in the backward direction to locate the cam member 1310 at the initial position based on the sensor on the cam member 1310 when an error occurs in discharging the detergent.
Accordingly, a solid detergent subject to being stuck may be adjusted to be located in a normal position.
The at least one processor 1601 may generate a control signal for providing a notification based on determining that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent.
The dish washer 1 may further include the display 81 and a speaker 82, and provide a visual notification through the display 81 or an auditory notification through the speaker 82.
As described above, the dish washer may include the first storage chamber 1200 and the second storage chamber 1200′.
When an error occurs in a procedure for discharging the solid detergent stored in the first storage chamber 1200, the at least one processor may control the second cam member 1310′ to discharge the solid detergent stored in the second storage chamber 1200′.
Afterward, to perform a washing course of the dish washer, the at least one processor 1601 may rotate the first cam member 1310 in the forward direction to discharge the solid detergent stored in the first storage chamber 1200 at which there is a previous discharging error.
In this case, when an error occurs again in the procedure for discharging the solid detergent stored in the first storage chamber 1200, a notification may be provided for the user, and the second cam member 1310′ may be rotated in the forward direction to discharge the solid detergent stored in the second storage chamber 1200′.
Furthermore, when there is no error in discharging the solid detergent stored in the first storage chamber, a notification indicating that the discharging error was resolved may be provided for the user.
When a selection of a washing course is input through the input device 80 in 1501, the ejector 1300 may be controlled to discharge a solid detergent from the storage chamber 1200 in 1503.
When it is determined that the solid detergent is not seated in the seating portion 1400 in 1509 based on an output 1505 of the seating portion sensor 1440 after the cam member 1310 is rotated, and it is determined that there is a solid detergent in the storage chamber 1200 in 1511 based on an output of the storage chamber sensor 1270, it may be determined that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent in 1513.
A solid detergent is to be discharged from the storage chamber 1200 and seated in the seating portion 1400 when the cam member 1310 is rotated one round in a normal operation, but there may be a change that the solid detergent is not detected in the seating portion 1400 due to being stuck.
As the solid detergent may not be seated in the seating portion 1400 because there is no solid detergent in the storage chamber 1200, it may be determined that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent when it is determined that there is the solid detergent in the storage chamber 1200.
When the solid detergent is not seated in the seating portion 1400 despite the fact that the cam is rotated one round and there is the solid detergent in the storage chamber 1200, it may be determined that an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent such as the solid detergent being stuck.
In this case, the at least one processor 1601 may control the cam member 1310 to be rotated in the backward direction.
Furthermore, when the solid detergent is stuck in the middle door 1250, power consumption or the number of revolutions of the motor that drives the ejector 1300 may be different from that of a normal operation. Accordingly, the at least one processor 1601 may determine whether an error occurs in discharging the solid detergent such as the solid detergent being stuck, in 1605, based on the power consumption or the number of revolutions of the motor in the ejector 1300.
According to the disclosure, many solid detergents are stored and automatically thrown in at a required moment during washing, thereby increasing convenience of use.
Furthermore, convenience of use may also increase by automatically detecting whether there is a stored solid detergent and the detergent is stuck and feeding this back.
Meanwhile, the embodiments of the disclosure may be implemented in the form of a recording medium for storing instructions to be carried out by a computer. The instructions may be stored in the form of program codes, and when executed by a processor, may generate program modules to perform operations in the embodiments of the disclosure. The recording media may correspond to computer-readable recording media.
The computer-readable recording medium includes any type of recording medium having data stored thereon that may be thereafter read by a computer. For example, it may be a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic tape, a magnetic disk, a flash memory, an optical data storage device, etc.
The embodiments of the disclosure have thus far been described with reference to accompanying drawings. It will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art that the disclosure may be practiced in other forms than the embodiments of the disclosure as described above without changing the technical idea or essential features of the disclosure. The above embodiments of the disclosure are only by way of example, and should not be construed in a limited sense.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2022-0146531 | Nov 2022 | KR | national |
This application is a continuation application, filed under 35 U.S.C. § 111(a), of International Application PCT/KR2023/016373 filed Oct. 20, 2023, and is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Applications No. 10-2022-0146531, filed on Nov. 4, 2022, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/KR2023/016373 | Oct 2023 | WO |
| Child | 19170461 | US |
