Patent Application
20100147337
This application claims the priority benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2008-126183, filed on Dec. 11, 2008 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to a dish washing machine including a sump unit to store wash water, and to supply the wash water to an injection nozzle via an inner channel by rotating an impeller.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a dish washing machine includes a body provided with a washing tub, a dish basket arranged in the washing tub, an injection nozzle to inject wash water onto the dish basket, and a sump unit connected to the injection nozzle, to pump the wash water to the injection nozzle.
The sump unit included in such a conventional dish washing machine includes a sump housing, an impeller arranged in the sump housing, an impeller housing, to which the impeller is mounted, and in which a garbage chamber to collect garbage contained in the wash water in a mixed state is defined, and an impeller housing cover to close the impeller housing. The impeller housing cover is formed with a channel to guide wash water to an injection nozzle. The sump unit also includes a sump cover to cover the sump housing, a filter cover mounted to the sump cover, and provided with a filter to filter the wash water introduced into the garbage chamber such that the garbage is separated from the wash water, and a drainage pump connected to the garbage chamber.
In such a conventional sump unit, the impeller housing, impeller housing cover, sump cover, filter cover, etc. are assembled in the sump housing in a stacked state. However, a complicated assembly process may be required because a large number of constituent elements are assembled. Also, an increase in manufacturing costs may occur due to an increased number of elements to be assembled and an increased number of assembly processes. Furthermore, the number of coupling portions of elements may be increased. For this reason, the possibility of leakage of wash water at the coupling portions may be increased.
Since a large number of constituent elements are coupled in a stacked state, the structure of inner channels defined in the sump unit is complicated. As a result, an increase in the flow resistance of wash water may occur.
The increased number of elements may cause an increase in the volume of the sump unit. As a result, the washing space defined in the washing tub may be relatively reduced in volume.
In such a conventional dish washing machine, the garbage chamber is provided in the impeller housing arranged at a relatively low position. For this reason, it may be necessary to disassemble the entire portion of the sump unit when garbage is excessively accumulated in or fixed to the garbage chamber.
It is an aspect of exemplary embodiments to provide a dish washing machine including a sump unit capable of reducing the number of elements thereof, and minimizing the number of coupling portions of the elements.
It is another aspect of exemplary embodiments to provide a dish washing machine including a sump unit having a simple inner channel structure.
It is another aspect of exemplary embodiments to provide a dish washing machine including a sump unit having a compact structure to increase a washing space of a washing tub.
It is a further aspect of exemplary embodiments is to provide a dish washing machine including a sump unit having a structure capable of easily removing garbage, etc. fixed to a garbage chamber.
In accordance with one aspect of exemplary embodiments, a dish washing machine includes a washing tub, a sump unit arranged in the washing tub, and at least one injection nozzle to inject wash water into the washing tub, wherein the sump unit includes a sump housing, an impeller to pump wash water from the sump housing, a guide member, to which the sump housing is mounted, the guide member guiding the wash water pumped by the impeller directly to the at least one injection nozzle, and a housing cover to cover the sump housing and the guide member, the housing cover being formed with a garbage chamber to collect garbage contained in the wash water.
The at least one injection nozzle may be rotatably coupled to a central portion of the housing cover. The impeller may be arranged at a position laterally spaced apart from the central portion of the housing cover.
The guide member may include a mounting portion, to which the impeller is mounted, and a channel extending spirally from a center of the mounting portion.
The at least one injection nozzle may include a plurality of injection nozzles. The plurality of injection nozzles may include a first injection nozzle directly connected to the sump unit, and a second injection nozzle connected to the sump unit via an extension channel.
The channel may be branched into a first channel to guide a flow of water to the first injection nozzle, and a second channel to guide a flow of water to the extension channel.
The sump unit may further include a valve arranged in the second channel, to open or close the second channel.
The housing cover may include a sampling hole to allow wash water to flow from the channel to the garbage chamber.
The housing cover may further include a guide member to guide, to the garbage chamber, wash water introduced into the top of the housing cover via the sampling hole.
The sump housing may include a plurality of coupling ribs. A part of the coupling ribs may be coupled with the guide member, and the remaining part of the coupling ribs may be coupled with the housing cover.
In accordance with another aspect of exemplary embodiments, a dish washing machine includes a washing tub, a sump unit arranged in the washing tub, and an injection nozzle rotatably coupled to the sump unit, wherein the sump unit includes a sump housing, an impeller to pump wash water from the sump housing, a guide member, to which the sump housing is mounted, a housing cover to cover the sump housing and the guide member, and a garbage chamber to collect garbage contained in the wash water introduced along the guide member, and the housing cover and the garbage chamber are integrally formed.
The sump housing may include a plurality of coupling ribs. A part of the coupling ribs may be coupled with the guide member, and the remaining part of the coupling ribs may be coupled with the housing cover.
The guide member may include a channel to directly guide the wash water to the injection nozzle.
The impeller may have a rotating axis arranged at a position spaced apart from a rotating center of the injection nozzle.
The housing cover may include a sampling hole to allow wash water to flow from the guide member to the garbage chamber.
The housing cover may further include a guide member to guide wash water introduced into a top of the housing cover via the sampling hole.
In accordance with another aspect of exemplary embodiments, a dish washing machine includes a washing tub, a sump housing arranged at a bottom of the washing tub, an impeller to pump wash water from the sump housing, a guide member including a mounting portion, to which the impeller is mounted, and a channel extending outwardly in a radial direction of the mounting portion, and a housing cover to cover the guide member and the sump housing, the housing cover being formed with a garbage chamber to collect garbage contained in the wash water.
The dish washing machine may further include an injection nozzle rotatably mounted to the housing cover, to supply wash water to the washing tub.
The channel may guide a flow of water discharged from the impeller directly to a rotating center of the injection nozzle.
The sump housing may include a plurality of coupling ribs. A part of the coupling ribs may be coupled with the guide member, and the remaining part of the coupling ribs may be coupled with the housing cover.
These and/or other aspects of exemplary embodiments will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
As shown in
Racks 4, in detail, racks 4a and 4b, are arranged in the washing tub 2 such that they may be loaded in and unloaded from the washing tub 2.
The racks 4 include an upper rack, namely, the rack 4a, arranged at an upper portion of the washing tub 2, and a lower rack, namely, the rack 4b, arranged at a lower portion of the washing tub 2. The racks 4a and 4b are slidably mounted to a side wall of the washing tub 2.
Dish baskets 5, in detail, dish baskets 5a and 5b, are coupled to the upper and lower racks 4a and 4b, respectively. Tableware such as dishes may be placed in the dish baskets 5.
A water supply port 6 is provided at one side wall of the washing tub 2, to enable wash water supplied from a water supply source to be introduced into the washing tub 2. The wash water supplied through the water supply port 6 falls to the bottom of the washing tub 2, and is then introduced into the sump unit 100 via an inlet 44 formed through a housing cover 40 of the sump unit 100. The housing cover 40 will be described later.
The injection nozzles 3 are arranged such that they are rotatable by an injection pressure of injected wash water. The injection nozzles 3 may include a first injection nozzle, namely, the injection nozzle 3a, arranged between the sump unit 100 and the lower rack 4b, a second injection nozzle, namely, the injection nozzle 3b, arranged between the upper and lower racks 4a and 4b, and a third injection nozzle, namely, the injection nozzle 3c, arranged over the upper rack 4a.
The first injection nozzle 3a is directly connected to a central portion of the top of the sump unit 100 while being rotatable, to inject a part of wash water pumped from the sump unit 100 toward the dish basket 5b arranged adjacent to the first injection nozzle 3a.
The second and third injection nozzles 3b and 3c inject the remaining part of the wash water pumped from the sump unit 100 toward the dish baskets 5a and 5b arranged adjacent to the second and third injection nozzles 3b and 3c, respectively.
An auxiliary injection nozzle 7 may also be arranged at a lower portion of the washing tub 2 adjacent to one side of the washing tub 2 in the illustrated embodiment. The auxiliary injection nozzle 7 injects wash water to a dead area where the wash water injected from the injection nozzles 3 may not reach, to achieve an enhancement in washing efficiency.
The injection directions of the injection nozzles 3 and auxiliary injection nozzle 7 are directed to the associated dish baskets 5. The wash water injected from the injection nozzles 3 and auxiliary injection nozzle 7 strikes dishes placed in the dish baskets 5, thereby generating high washing effects.
The second and third injection nozzles 3b and 3c, and the auxiliary injection nozzle 7 are connected to the sump unit 100 via extension channels 8, respectively. The extension channels 8 include a first extension channel 8a to connect the auxiliary injection nozzle 7 to the sump unit 100, and a second extension channel 8b extending along a rear wall of the washing tub 2, to connect the second and third injection nozzles 3b and 3c to the sump unit 100.
The extension channels 8 are connected to the sump unit 100, to guide wash water flowing in accordance with a high pumping pressure of the sump unit 100 such that the wash water is supplied to the auxiliary injection nozzle 7 and second and third injection nozzles 3b and 3c.
A bypass channel 9 is arranged at one side of the second extension channel 8b such that the bypass channel 9 and second extension channel 8b extend in parallel.
A bypass tube 9a is provided at one end, namely, a lower end, of the bypass channel 9, to receive wash water from a garbage chamber 45, which will be described later. At the other end, namely, an upper end, of the bypass channel 9, a hole 9b is formed to allow the wash water rising along the bypass channel 9 to overflow toward the washing tub 2.
The bypass tube 9a is provided to bypass a part of wash water when the pressure of the wash water is abnormally increased due to accumulation of contaminants such as garbage in the garbage chamber 45.
A check valve may be arranged in the bypass tube 9a, to allow wash water introduced into the bypass tube 9a to flow upwardly through the bypass tube 9a when the pressure of the wash water is equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure. In the illustrated embodiment, however, the bypass of the wash water is achieved based on a height of the wash water in the bypass channel 9 varying in accordance with the pressure of the wash water, without using a check valve.
In the illustrated embodiment, the wash water introduced into the bypass tube 9a is maintained at a certain height in the bypass channel 9 when the water pressure in the sump unit 100 is lower than a predetermined pressure. However, when the water pressure in the sump unit 100 is equal to or higher than the predetermined pressure, the wash water in the bypass channel 9 rises along the bypass channel 9, so that it is discharged into the washing tub 2 through the hole 9b formed at the upper end of the bypass channel 9, thereby maintaining the garbage chamber 45 at a desired pressure.
The sump unit 100 is mounted on the bottom of the washing tub 2. As described above, the sump unit 100 contains wash water, and pumps the wash water, to supply the wash water to the injection nozzles 3 and auxiliary injection nozzle 7.
As shown in
The sump housing 10 has a substantially circular structure, and is downwardly recessed to accommodate various constituent elements.
A plurality of first coupling ribs 12 are protruded from a peripheral edge of the sump housing 10, in order to couple the guide member 30 and housing cover 40 to the sump housing 10. A part of the first coupling ribs 12 are coupled with the guide member 30, and the remaining part of the first coupling ribs 12 are coupled to second coupling ribs 40b formed at a lower surface of the housing cover 40 (
The washing pump 20 is mounted at a position spaced apart from a central portion A of the sump housing 10 in one radial direction. A heater 60 to heat wash water is mounted at a position spaced apart from the central portion A of the sump housing 10 in opposite to the washing pump 20.
The washing pump 20 includes a pump motor 21 fixedly mounted to the sump housing 10 beneath the sump housing 10, and an impeller 22 fixedly mounted to a rotating shaft of the pump motor 21. A cutting unit 24 to cut garbage may be arranged between the pump motor 21 and the impeller 22.
The pump motor 21 is mounted to the bottom of the sump housing 10 at the outside of the sump housing 10. The rotating shaft of the pump motor 21 is upwardly protruded through the bottom of the sump housing 10.
A sealing member 23 is arranged on the bottom of the sump housing 10 such that it surrounds the rotating shaft of the pump motor 21, to prevent wash water from being leaked toward the pump motor 21.
The impeller 22 is arranged on an upper surface of the guide member 30 while having a structure capable of axially receiving wash water, and then radially discharging the wash water.
The cutting unit 24 functions to cut contaminants such as garbage introduced into the sump unit 100 into fragments. The cutting unit 24 includes a cutter 25 coupled to the rotating shaft of the pump motor 21 such that it is rotated in accordance with rotation of the rotating shaft, and a garbage filter 26 arranged over the cutter 25, to prevent relatively-large lumps of garbage from being introduced into the impeller 22.
The heater 60 is mounted to the sump housing 10, in order to enhance a cleaning performance of wash water. The sump housing 10 is formed with a heater installation recess 11 downwardly concaved while having a size corresponding to the heater 60. The heater 60 is accommodated in the heater installation recess 11.
Since the washing pump 20 is arranged at a position spaced apart from the central portion A of the sump housing 10 by a certain distance, it is possible to secure a space capable of providing the heater installation recess 11 at the bottom of the sump housing 10.
The heater 60 is received in the heater installation recess 11 formed at a lowest position of the space of the sump housing 10. Accordingly, even when the amount of wash water introduced into the sump housing 10 is relatively small, the level of the wash water may be higher than the installation level of the heater 60, so that the heater 60 may not be exposed from the surface of the wash water. Thus, it may be possible to prevent the heater 60 from overheating.
A drainage pump 50 and a drainage tube 51 are arranged beneath the sump housing 10 at one side of the sump housing 10, to discharge wash water and garbage from the sump unit 100 to the outside of the dish washing machine (
The impeller 22 is mounted to the sump housing 10. The guide member 30 is also mounted to the sump housing 10, to guide a flow of the wash water discharged by the impeller 22.
As shown in
The garbage filter 26 is arranged beneath the through hole 31, to prevent relatively-large lumps of garbage from being introduced into the impeller 22.
The impeller 22 functions to pump wash water from the sump housing 10 to the guide member 30 by upwardly sucking wash water introduced into the sump housing 10 and fine garbage contained in the wash water, and then radially discharging the wash water and garbage while rotating together with the rotating shaft of the pump motor 21.
The channels 33 and 34 may include a first channel, namely, the channel 33, branched from the mounting portion 32, to guide wash water to the first injection nozzle 3a, and a second channel, namely, the channel 34, branched from the mounting portion 32, to guide wash water to the extension channel 9.
The first and second channels 33 and 34 extend spirally around the mounting portion 32. The first channel 33 extends toward the central portion of the sump unit 100, whereas the second channel 34 extends toward a peripheral edge of the sump unit 100.
The first channel 33 is formed to directly supply a flow of water discharged from the impeller 22 to the first injection nozzle 3a, without using a separate channel member.
The second channel 34 is divided into a first branched channel 35 communicating with the first extension channel 8a, and a second branched channel 36 communicating the second extension channel 8b.
A valve 37 is pivotally installed in the second channel 34. The valve 37 functions to selectively open and close the first and second branched channels 35 and 36.
When the amount of dishes to be washed is large, the valve 37 opens the second branched channel 36 while closing the first branched channel 35. In this case, wash water flows only through the second branched channel 36, to supply the wash water to the second extension channel 8b. The wash water supplied to the second extension channel 8b is injected through the auxiliary injection nozzle 7, to wash the dishes.
On the other hand, when the amount of dishes to be washed is small, the valve 37 opens the first branched channel 35 while closing the second branched channel 36. In this case, wash water flows only through the first branched channel 35, to supply the wash water to the first extension channel 8a. The wash water supplied to the first extension channel 8a is injected through the second and third injection nozzles 3b and 3c, to wash the dishes.
The housing cover 40 is arranged over the guide member 30. As described above, the housing cover 40 covers the top of the sump housing 10, in which the guide member 30 is placed.
As shown in
The central portion A of the sump housing 10 in the sump housing 100 is axially aligned with one side of the first channel 33 in the guide member 30 and the through hole 41 of the housing cover 40 communicating directly with the one side of the first channel 33.
The housing cover 40 also includes a first coupling portion 42 to be coupled with the first extension channel 8a for the supply of wash water to the auxiliary injection nozzle 7, a second coupling portion 43 to be coupled with the second extension channel 8b for the supply of wash water to the second and third injection nozzles 3b and 3c, and a third coupling portion 47 to be coupled with the bypass channel 9.
The garbage chamber 45 is formed at an upper surface of the housing cover 40 such that it is integrated with the housing cover 40.
A sampling hole 46 is provided at the housing cover 40, to introduce wash water from the channels 33 and 34 of the guide member 30 to the upper surface of the housing cover 40. A guide member 49 is arranged around the sampling hole 46, to guide the wash water emerging from the sampling hole 46 to smoothly flow toward the garbage chamber 45.
Fine garbage introduced into the guide member 30 via the garbage filter 26 by the impeller 22 after being cut by the cutter 25 is subsequently introduced into the garbage chamber 45 in the housing cover 40 through the opening 46, together with the wash water. The garbage chamber 45 collects the fine garbage introduced into the above-described manner, together with the wash water.
An outlet 48 is formed at the garbage chamber 45. The outlet 48 is connected to the drainage pump 50. When the drainage pump 50 operates, garbage collected in the garbage chamber 45 is discharged into the drainage tube 51, so that it is automatically drained to the outside of the dish washing machine. The top of the garbage chamber 45 is connected to the bypass channel 9, so that the wash water in the bypass channel 9 rises or falls in accordance with an inner water pressure of the garbage chamber 45.
As shown in
The sump unit 100 further includes a mesh-shaped filter cover 70 provided at the top of the housing cover 40, to prevent the garbage collected in the garbage chamber 45 from overflowing the garbage chamber 45 while allowing only the wash water in the garbage chamber 45 to flow outwardly from the garbage chamber 45.
The filter cover 70 includes a mesh filter 71. As the filter cover 70 is mounted on the top of the housing cover 40, it prevents garbage contained in the garbage chamber 45 of the housing cover 40 from being upwardly discharged from the garbage chamber 45, together with the wash water discharged from the garbage chamber 45.
A fitting hole 72 is formed at a central portion of the filter cover 70. The first injection nozzle 3a is fitted in the fitting hole 72. The first injection nozzle 3a is also rotatably coupled to the through hole 41. The wash water in the first channel 33 rises upward due to a water pressure generated in accordance with the operation of the impeller 22, so that it is supplied to the first injection nozzle 3a through the through hole 41 of the housing cover 40.
Similarly, the wash water in the second channel 34 rises upward due to the water pressure, so that it may be selectively introduced into the first extension channel 8a or second extension channel 8b through the first coupling portion 42 or second coupling portion 43. In this case, accordingly, the wash water is supplied to the auxiliary injection nozzle 7 or the second and third injection nozzles 3b and 3c.
Thus, in the dish washing machine according to an exemplary embodiment, the first channel 33 to guide a flow of water discharged from the impeller 22 to the through hole 41 of the housing cover 40, to which a rotating shaft of the first injection nozzle 3a is mounted, may be formed at the guide member 30, to which the impeller 22 is mounted, because the impeller 22 is arranged at a position eccentric from the central portion of the sump unit 100. It may also be possible to form the garbage chamber 45 in the housing cover 40.
In an exemplary embodiment, accordingly, the garbage chamber 45 may be formed in the housing cover 40 to cover the guide member 30 and sump housing 10, without any separate configuration. Thus, the sump unit uses a reduced number of constituent elements, as compared to conventional sump units.
Since the number of constituent elements may be reduced, the number of coupling portions of the constituent elements may also be reduced. As result, the possibility of leakage of wash water at the coupling portions may be reduced.
As the constituent elements, the number of which may be reduced, are coupled in a stacked state, the structure of inner channels may be relatively simplified. As a result, a reduction in the flow resistance of wash water may be achieved.
Also, since the sump unit may be compact, the volume thereof may be reduced. Accordingly, it may be possible to increase the washing space of the washing tub.
In addition, when the garbage chamber is to be cleaned, in order to remove garbage fixed thereto, the cleaning operation for the garbage chamber may be implemented by separating only the filter cover, because the garbage chamber is formed in the housing cover.
Hereinafter, operation of an exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Wash water supplied to the washing tub 2 via the injection nozzles 5 or water supply port 6 is introduced into the sump unit 100 through the inlet 44 of the housing cover 40. The introduced water is then heated by the heater 60.
When the pump motor 21 operates, relatively-large lumps of garbage contained in the wash water are cut into smaller lumps by the cutter 25 coupled to the rotating shaft of the pump motor 21. Fine garbage having a size capable of passing through the garbage filter 26 is fed to the guide member 30, together with the wash water, in accordance with the operation of the impeller 22, as shown in
The wash water pumped in the above-described manner flows radially after being discharged from the mounting portion 32 by the rotating force of the impeller 22, so that it is introduced into the first and second channels 33 and 34.
The wash water introduced into the first channel 33 flows in a direction indicated by an arrow A in
On the other hand, the wash water introduced into the second channel 34 flows in a direction indicated by an arrow B in
Wash water and a part of garbage in the channels 33 and 34 flow in a direction indicated by an arrow C in
The wash water and garbage introduced into the garbage chamber 45 are fed to the mesh filter 71 by virtue of a pressure of following wash water. The wash water is again introduced into the sump housing 10 via the inlet 44 after passing through the mesh filter 71, as shown in
When a certain amount of garbage is accumulated in the garbage chamber 45, the drainage pump 50 operates to outwardly discharge the garbage from the garbage chamber 45.
In the dish washing machine according to an exemplary embodiment, the garbage chamber may be formed in the housing cover to cover the sump housing and guide member. Accordingly, the number of constituent elements of the sump unit may be reduced. As a result, the number of coupling portions of the constituent elements may also be reduced, thereby reducing the possibility of leakage of wash water at the coupling portions.
As the constituent elements, the number of which may be reduced, are coupled in a stacked state, the structure of inner channels may be relatively simplified. As a result, a reduction in the flow resistance of wash water may be achieved.
Also, since the sump unit may be compact, the volume thereof may be reduced. Accordingly, it may be possible to increase the washing space of the washing tub.
In addition, when the garbage chamber is to be cleaned, in order to remove garbage fixed thereto, the cleaning operation for the garbage chamber may be implemented by separating only the filter cover, because the garbage chamber is formed in the housing cover.
Although a few exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2008-126183 | Dec 2008 | KR | national |
