Dishwasher comprising spraying arms and a circulating pump

• US 20040173249A1
• Filed: 01/06/2004
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miele & CIE KG
• Original Assignee: Miele & CIE KG
• Inventors: Assmann, Walter, Marks, Volker, Hettenhausen, Ulrich
• Granted Patent: US 7,100,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/94.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0049 Detection or prevention of malfunction, including accident prevention arrangements to prevent clogging of filters A47L15/4208; safety arrangements for preventing water damage A47L15/421
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4221 Arrangements for redirection of washing water, e.g. water diverters to selectively supply the spray arms A47L15/0078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4225 Arrangements or adaption of recirculation or discharge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4285 Water-heater arrangements steam generating arrangements A47L15/4234
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0016 mixing-reversing- or deviation valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0853 having all the connecting conduits situated in a single plane perpendicular to the axis of the plug
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/1848 Check valves combined with valves having a rotating tap or cock
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 415/911 Pump having reversible runner rotation and separate outlets for opposing directions of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86501 Sequential distributor or collector type

Abstract

The invention has the objective of achieving high degree of hydraulic efficiency of the flow system—consisting of a circulation pump (1) and a water diverter (15)—in a dishwasher (2) with spray arms and with a circulation pump (1), having an impeller, a suction port (3) and at least one discharge port on the pump housing, with a water diverter (15) provided on the delivery side of the pump in order to generate a flow leading from an inlet to one of several selectable outlets associated with the spray arms, whereby the water diverter (15) has a blocking element (19) with at least one diaphragm opening (21) that can be positioned by a drive (20) in at least one outlet position. For this purpose, the water diverter is integrated into the circulation pump in such a manner that the inlet of the water diverter is formed by the suction port of the circulation pump and the outlet of the water diverter is formed by several discharge ports of the circulation pump and that the geometry and the arrangement of the blocking element in the circulation pump are such that the desired outlet position is reached by rotating the blocking element in its circumferential direction. Through this measure, it is achieved that the degree of hydraulic efficiency of the water conduits, particularly that of the circulation pump, is kept constant and virtually the same design and dead volume is attained as in the case of a circulation pump without a water diverter. For this purpose, it is not necessary to provide additional construction space in the device, since the same piping system can be used as with a conventional pump.

Claims

1. A dishwasher (2) with spray arms and with a circulation pump (1), having an impeller, a suction port (3) and at least one discharge port on the pump housing, with a water diverter (15) provided on the delivery side of the pump in order to generate a flow leading from an inlet to one of several selectable outlets associated with the spray arms, whereby the water diverter (15) has a blocking element (19) with at least one diaphragm opening (21) that can be positioned by a drive (20) in at least one outlet position,

characterized in that

the water diverter (15) is integrated into the circulation pump (1) in such a manner that the inlet of the water diverter (15) is formed by the suction port (3) of the circulation pump (1) and the outlet of the water diverter (15) is formed by several discharge ports (4, 5, 6) of the circulation pump (1) and in that the geometry and the arrangement of the blocking element (19) in the circulation pump are such that the desired outlet position is reached by rotating the blocking element (19) in its circumferential direction.

2. The dishwasher (2) according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the blocking element (19) has at least two diaphragm openings (21) with which a flow can be adjusted from the suction port (3) of the circulation pump (1) to one or more discharge ports (4, 5, 6) associated with the spray arms (7, 8, 9).

3. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 2,

characterized in that

the diaphragm openings (21) of the blocking element (19) and the openings of the discharge ports are selected in such a way that the cross-sectional areas of all of the discharge ports (4, 5, 6) opened by the blocking element remain constant in total, even while the blocking element (19) is being turned to one of the outlet positions.

4. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 3,

characterized in that,

between the diaphragm openings (21) of the blocking element (19), there are movable closure elements (22, 22′

) that can be moved in the radial direction towards the pump housing by the pump pressure.

5. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 4,

characterized in that

the direction of rotation of the blocking element (19) can preferably be reversed.

6. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 5,

characterized in that

the water diverter (15) is integrated into a circulation pump (1) with a pump chamber (17) that encircles the impeller (24) in the form of a circular cylinder.

7. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 6,

characterized in that

the circular cylindrical pump chamber (17) encloses a chamber that is divided into a flow-intensive impeller chamber (25), into a vaneless ring diffuser chamber (26) located downstream from said chamber, as well as into a pressure chamber (18) that is located downstream from the diffuser and that is flow-steadied, from which the discharge ports (4, 5, 6) branch off, and in that, in addition to the blocking element (19) of the water diverter (15), there is optionally also a heater (16) arranged in the pressure chamber (18).

8. The dishwasher with spray arms and with a circulation pump (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 7,

characterized in that

the blocking element (19), matching the circular shape of the pump chamber (17), is configured with a wall-parallel encircling blocking element (19b) and said blocking element (19) plunges virtually form-fittingly into the pressure chamber (18), whereby between the wall of the pump chamber (17) and the parallel wall of the blocking element (19), there is a sealing gap (29) provided for the movable closure elements (22, 22′

).

9. The dishwasher (2) with spray arms and with a circulation pump (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 8,

characterized in that

the blocking element (19) is shaped like a pot with a bottom (19a) or is shaped like a ring without a bottom (19a) on the encircling blocking element wall (19b).

10. The dishwasher (2) with spray arms and with a circulation pump (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 9,

characterized in that

the discharge ports (4, 5, 6) as well as the diaphragm openings (21) and the closure elements (22, 22′

) are arranged radially or axially.

11. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 10,

characterized in that

the closure elements (22) are configured as loose parts that can be separately inserted form-fittingly into the appropriate openings (28) in the blocking element wall (19b).

12. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 11,

characterized in that

the closure elements (22) are configured with snap-on or locking connections for permanent attachment to the blocking element (19).

13. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 12,

characterized in that

the closure elements (22, 22′

) are made in one piece together with the blocking element (19).

14. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 13,

characterized in that

the closure elements (22′

) in the form of film hinges or the like are joined to the blocking element (19).

15. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 14,

characterized in that

the closure elements (22) made in one piece together with the blocking element (19) are springy valve elements (22′

) that have been cut out of the blocking element wall (19b).

16. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 15,

characterized in that

the drive (20) for the blocking element (19) is realized in the form of an electric motor (30) provided on the pump housing (23), optionally with gears (31) located downstream, which moves the blocking element (19).

17. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 16,

characterized in that

the blocking element (19) is provided with toothing (19c) which penetrates the pump chamber (17) and which meshes with a pinion (32) of the gears (31) outside of the pump chamber (17) in a gear chamber (34) of the drive (20) on the pump housing (23), said gear chamber (34) being sealed off towards the outside, whereby the drive axle (35) of the pinion (32) exits the pump housing (23) in a liquid-tight manner so that it can be coupled to the electric motor (30).

18. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 17,

characterized in that

the rotational movement of the blocking element (19) is effectuated by a crank gear (36) arranged between the gears (31) and the electric motor (30), whereby the crank gear (36) consists of a crank disk (37) that can be driven by the electric motor (30) and that is operationally coupled to a connecting rod (38) that is rotatably attached to the drive axle (35) of the pinion (32) of the toothed gears (31).

19. The dishwasher (2) according to at least one of claims 1 to 18,

characterized in that

the water diverter (15) is provided with a means to mechanically or electrically detect the position of and/or to switch off the blocking element (19) at its end positions.

20. The dishwasher (2) with spray arms and with a circulation pump (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 19,

characterized in that,

in order to detect the rotational position of the blocking element (19), one or more trip cams, magnets or similar elements are positioned on the circumference of the crank disk (37), on the pinion (32) or the like, and said elements act upon associated switches, either in a contact-less manner or else by means of contact, in order to control the rotational movement of the blocking element (19).