Dishwasher

• US 20060054196A1
• Filed: 02/14/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Cho, Hung Myong, Han, Dae Yeong, Yoon, Sang Heon, Park, Nung Seo
• Granted Patent: US 7,540,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/56.D
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4297 Arrangements for detecting or measuring the condition of the washing water, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/20 for flowing or falling materials G01N1/2035 G01N1/12, G01N1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/40 Concentrating samples

Abstract

A dishwasher is disclosed, including a sump for receiving wash water for washing contaminated dishes; a main motor for circulating wash water in the sump; a washing pump connected with the main motor and pumping the wash water; a main channel and a sampling channel formed in a drain direction of the washing pump; and a contamination sensor mounted at a channel extension part located at the sampling channel and measuring contamination of the wash water. The dishwasher of the present invention is able to measure contamination of wash water for washing dishes and to mount the contamination sensor for measuring the contamination of the wash water with ease.

Claims

1. A dishwasher comprising:

a sump for receiving wash water for washing contaminated dishes;

a main motor for circulating wash water in the sump;

a washing pump connected with the main motor and pumping the wash water;

a main channel and a sampling channel formed in a drain direction of the washing pump; and

a contamination sensor mounted at a channel extension part located at the sampling channel and measuring contamination level of the wash water.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the sampling channel is formed at an upper housing mounted at an upper part of the sump and has a width smaller than that of the main channel.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2, wherein the sampling channel comprises:

a first side connected with an inflow channel; and

a second side connected with a drain pump for discharging the wash water.

4. The dishwasher of claim 2, wherein the contamination sensor comprises:

a measuring element for measuring contamination of the wash water;

a measuring element housing surrounding the measuring element; and

a housing coupling part formed at a side of the measuring element housing.

5. The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein the measuring element housing comprises a measuring channel through which the wash water is flown.

6. The dishwasher of claim 5, wherein the measuring channel is at a predetermined angle to the sampling channel.

7. The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein an upper end surface of the contamination sensor is lower that the height of the sampling channel when the contamination sensor is mounted at the channel extension part.

8. The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein a sensor mounting part is protruded from a floor surface of the outside of the sump and comprises an insertion hole having the contamination sensor passing therethrough.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8, wherein a length of the protruded sensor mounting part is shorter that a total length of the contamination sensor.

10. The dishwasher of claim 8, wherein a coupling projection is formed at a predetermined location of the sensor mounting part, and the coupling projection corresponds to a coupling hole formed at the housing coupling part.

11. The dishwasher of claim 10, wherein the housing coupling part is made of an elastic member.

12. The dishwasher of claim 8, wherein the sensor mounting part and the housing coupling member are screw-coupled to each other.