DISH WASHER WITH UV STERILIZATION DEVICE THEREIN

• US 20090110594A1
• Filed: 08/17/2006
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Shin, Dong Hoon, Kwon, Soon Yong
• Application Number:
  US11/997,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20090110594A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0015 other treatment phases, e.g. steam or sterilizing phase
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0036 Steam or sterilizing phases
• 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 15/4242 by using ultraviolet generators
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4276 Arrangements to detect or remove bad smells or odours
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2301/04 Operation mode, e.g. delicate washing, economy washing, reduced time, sterilizing, water softener regenerating, odor eliminating or service
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/20 Time, e.g. elapsed operating time
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/26 Loading door status, e.g. door latch opened or closed state
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/34 Other automatic detections
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/12 Air blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/16 Sterilisers Steam generators A47L2501/14
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2601/10 Ultraviolet radiation

Abstract

A dish washer and a control method thereof are disclosed. The dish washer includes a UV sterilization device (60) capable of sterilizing inside of the dish washer and a fan (11) capable of exhausting air in a tub (2) outside. A controller (80) controls the UV sterilization device (60) to sterilize the inside of the dish washer by using ultraviolet rays, and controls the fan (11) to exhaust harmful gas like ozone which may be generated during the sterilization.

Claims

1. A dish washer comprising:

a UV emitting device for emitting ultraviolet rays for sterilizing at least a portion of inside of the dish washer;

a fan for exhausting air in a tub outside; and

a controller for controlling operations of the UV emitting device and the fan so that the fan operates for at least a part of time while the UV emitting device operates.

2. The dish washer according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the operation of the fan so that the fan operates for predetermined time from when the operation of the UV emitting device is completed.

3. The dish washer according to claim 1, wherein the UV emitting device emits ultraviolet rays to inside of the tub in which dishes are received.

4. The dish washer according to claim 3, further comprising:

a detecting device for detecting opening and closing of a door of the dish washer,

wherein the controller controls the UV emitting device to operate for predetermined time, and

when the controller determines that the door is opened and closed before the predetermined time lapses, the controller controls the UV emitting device to stop and complete the operation.

5. The dish washer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a heater for heating water for sterilization; and

a spraying device for spraying the water heated by the heater.

6. The dish washer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a filtering device for filtering water,

wherein the UV emitting device emits the ultraviolet rays to the filtering device.

7. The dish washer according to claim 6, wherein the UV emitting device emits the ultraviolet rays also to inside of the tub.

8. The dish washer according to claim 6, wherein the UV emitting device is mounted under the filtering device.

9. The dish washer according to claim 8, wherein the UV emitting device is slantingly mounted.

10. The dish washer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a course selecting button for selecting a washing course; and

a sterilization selecting button for performing sterilization using the UV emitting device.

11. The dish washer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a course selecting button for selecting one of multiple washing courses,

wherein at least one of the multiple washing courses includes a sterilizing process using the UV emitting device.

12. A method of controlling a dish washer comprising the steps of:

washing dishes received in a tub by using water;

rinsing the washed dishes;

sterilizing the dishes by using heated water; and

sterilizing at least a portion of inside of the dish washer by using ultraviolet rays.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

drying the dishes; and

exhausting air in the tub outside for at least a part of time while the step of sterilizing by using ultraviolet rays is performed.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of exhausting air is further performed for predetermined time after the step of sterilizing by using ultraviolet rays is completed.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein after predetermined time lapses from when the step of exhausting air is completed, the step of sterilizing by using ultraviolet rays and the step of exhausting air are additionally performed.

16. A method of controlling a dish washer comprising the steps of:

washing dishes received in a tub by using water;

rinsing the dishes by using water which is heated for sterilization;

drying the dishes which are rinsed;

sterilizing the dishes by using ultraviolet rays; and

exhausting air in the tub outside while the step of sterilizing by using ultraviolet rays is performed and after the step of sterilizing by using ultraviolet rays is completed.