DISH WASHER

• US 20090133724A1
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Shin, Gap Su, Kwon, Soon Yong
• Granted Patent: US 8,622,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/104.400
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4204 Flat filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4206 Tubular filters
• 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

Abstract

A dish washer is disclosed. The dish washer has improved washing efficiency while being constructed in a compact structure. A general dish washer is an apparatus that injects wash water to dishes so as to wash the dishes, and dries and/or sterilizes the washed dishes. The washer according to the present invention includes a filter unit (170) filtering at least some of the wash water injected form a tub (1), fallen downward, and directed to a collection part of sump (20).

Claims

1. A dish washer comprising:

a tub for receiving dishes;

a sump having a collection part that provides a space for collecting and storing wash water;

an impeller disposed above the collection part for pumping the wash water;

a washing motor fitted through a bottom of the sump and axially coupled to the impeller in the vertical direction; and

a filter unit disposed at one side of the collection part for filtering at least some of wash water directed from the tub to the collection part of the sump.

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

a filth receiving chamber for receiving filth filtered out by the filter unit.

3. The dish washer according to claim 2, wherein the filth receiving chamber is disposed at the bottom of the sump, and the filter unit is opened at a lower end thereof such that the filtered-out filth is directed to the filth receiving chamber.

4. The dish washer according to claim 3, wherein the filth receiving chamber has a bottom lower than a bottom of the collecting part.

5. The dish washer according to claim 4, wherein the bottom of the filth receiving chamber is inclined downward toward the opposite side of the collecting part.

6. The dish washer according to claim 2, wherein the filth receiving chamber has a discharge flow channel.

7. The dish washer according to claim 6, wherein the bottom of the filth receiving chamber is inclined downward toward the discharge flow channel.

8. The dish washer according to claim 1, wherein the filter unit is easily attachable and detachable.

9. The dish washer according to claim 2, wherein the filter unit comprises:

a lower filter having an open lower end and located in the filth receiving chamber; and

an upper filter for filtering out large particles of filth from wash water before the wash water is filtered by the lower filter.

10. The dish washer according to claim 9, wherein the upper filter is located in the lower filter such that the upper filter can be attached to and detached from the lower filter.

11. The dish washer according to claim 10, wherein the upper filter can be attached to and detached from the lower filter through a cover that covers the sump.

12. The dish washer according to claim 11, wherein the lower filter is blocked by the cover so that the lower filter is prevented from being detached through the cover.

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

a cover covering the sump, the cover having a plurality of filter holes, through which some of the wash water from the tub is directed to the collection part without passing though the filter unit.

14. The dish washer according to claim 13, wherein the cover has a through-hole in flow communication with the filter unit.

15. The dish washer according to claim 14, wherein the cover is inclined downward toward the through-hole.

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

a housing assembly, the housing assembly having

a pump compartment communicating with the collection part, the impeller being located in the pump compartment, and

a flow channel control compartment in which a flow channel control valve for controlling flow channels of the washing water pumped by the impeller is located.

17. The dish washer according to claim 16, wherein the pump compartment and the flow channel control compartment are disposed on the same plane.

18. The dish washer according to claim 16, wherein the flow channel control valve comprises:

a rotary shaft coupled to a shaft of a motor; and

a flow channel opening and closing plate connected to an upper end of the rotary shaft, formed generally in the shape of a disc, and serving to selectively open and close flow channels when the flow channel opening and closing plate is rotated.

19. The dish washer according to claim 1, wherein the washing motor is an outer-rotor type brushless direct current (BLDC) motor.