Dishwasher comprising a heat tube

• US 8,603,260 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Classen, Egbert, Jerg, Helmut, Paintner, Kai
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bucci, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US13/452,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20120204911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 68/3.R, 68/20, 134/94.1, 134/102.3, 134/105, 134/115.R, 134/18, 134/56.D, 134/107, 134/95.2, 165/10, 165/104.21, 165/157
• US Class Current: 134/56.D
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/481 by using water absorbent materials, e.g. Zeolith
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/483 by using condensers

Abstract

A dishwasher is provided that allows the dishes that are to be cleaned that have been placed in a cleaning container to be washed and dried efficiently from an economic perspective while keeping the energy consumption associated therewith as low as possible. The dishwasher includes a washing container and a conduit system that is connected in an air-conveying manner to the washing container. A heat tube of the conduit system is used for both cooling, and thus drying, and heating air penetrating the washing container and both ends of the heat tube protrude into the washing container.

Claims

1. A dishwasher comprising:

a washing basket; and

a conduit system connected to the washing basket in an air-guiding manner such that air is guided from the washing basket to the conduit system and air is guided from the conduit system to the washing basket and the conduit system including a cold side portion and a hot side portion and including at least one horizontally arranged heat tube having a pair of ends, one of the ends of the heat tube extending into the cold side portion of the conduit system and the other end of the heat tube extending into the hot side portion of the conduit system and the conduit system being operable to guide air in a spiral pattern through the conduit system in cooperation with the horizontally arranged heat tube from the washing basket through the cold side portion, wherein the spiral pattern of the conduit system is configured to guide the air perpendicularly across the heat tube at least twice between the cold side portion and the hot side portion, whereupon the one end of the heat tube promotes a cooling of air in the cold side portion of the conduit system with a resultant condensing of moisture out of the cooled air, to thereafter guide cooled air from the cold side portion to the hot side portion, whereupon the other end of the heat tube promotes heating of the air in the hot side portion of the conduit system, and to thereafter guide such heated air from the hot side portion to the washing basket and the heat tube operating to conduct heat from its one end extending into the cold portion of the conduit system to its other end extending into the hot portion of the conduit system with the one end of the heat tube receiving heat from air guided therepast at the cold side portion of the conduit system and conducting such received heat to its other end.

2. The dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein the conduit system is operable during at least one drying partial programme section of a washing program that is performed by the dishwasher to guide air from the washing basket into the conduit system and back into the washing basket.

3. The dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein the washing basket includes an outlet with a pipe communicated with the at least one heat tube, the at least one heat tube includes a pipe communicating one end thereof with the other end thereof, and the washing basket includes an inlet with a pipe communicated with the at least one heat tube and further comprising a fan arranged in the outlet with the pipe communicating the washing basket with the at least one heat tube, the fan being operable to supply at least some of the air in the washing basket to the conduit system at least temporarily.

4. The dishwasher according to claim 3 and further comprising a heater arranged in the pipe of the inlet of the washing basket communicated with the other end of the at least one heat tube.

5. The dishwasher according to claim 3 and further comprising a condenser arranged in the pipe of the outlet of the washing basket and the one end of the at least one heat tube.

6. The dishwasher according to claim 3 and further comprising a condenser arranged in the pipe between the one end of the at least one heat tube and the other end of the at least one heat tube.

7. The dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein air from the washing basket is cooled by the at least one heat tube.

8. The dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein air guided by the conduit system from the washing basket into the conduit system is heated by the at least one heat tube.

9. The dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein the heating and cooling of the air which is passed through the conduit system takes place at the same time.

10. The dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein the conduit system is configured such that air is guided from top to bottom in the dishwasher.

11. The dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein the conduit system is configured such that air is guided from bottom to top in the dishwasher.

12. A dishwasher comprising:

a washing basket; and

a conduit system connected to the washing basket in a closed air system such that air is guided from the washing basket to the conduit system and air is guided from the conduit system to the washing basket without outside air input,

the conduit system including a cold side portion and a hot side portion and including at least one horizontally arranged heat tube having a pair of ends, one of the ends of the heat tube extending into the cold side portion of the conduit system, and the other of the ends of the heat tube extending into the hot side portion of the conduit system,

the conduit system being operable to guide air in a closed loop spiral pattern through the conduit system in cooperation with the horizontally arranged heat tube from the washing basket through the cold side portion, wherein the spiral pattern of the conduit system is configured to guide the air perpendicularly across the heat tube at least twice between the cold side portion and the hot side portion, whereupon the one end of the heat tube promotes a cooling of air in the cold side portion of the conduit system with a resultant condensing of moisture out of the cooled air, to thereafter guide cooled air from the cold side portion to the hot side portion, whereupon the other end of the heat tube promotes heating of the air in the hot side portion of the conduit system, and to thereafter guide such heated air from the hot side portion to the washing basket,

the heat tube operating to conduct heat from its one end extending into the cold portion of the conduit system to its other end extending into the hot portion of the conduit system with the one end of the heat tube receiving heat from air guided therepast at the cold side portion of the conduit system and conducting such received heat to its other end.

13. The dishwasher according to claim 12, further comprising a heater arranged in the hot side portion of the conduit system.

14. The dishwasher according to claim 12 and further comprising a condenser arranged in the conduit system between the cold side portion and the hot side portion.

15. The dishwasher according to claim 12 and further comprising a condenser arranged between the one end of the at least one heat tube and the other end of the at least one heat tube.

16. The dishwasher according to claim 12, wherein the heating and cooling of the air which is passed through the conduit system takes place at the same time.

17. The dishwasher according to claim 12, wherein the conduit system is configured such that air is guided from top to bottom in the dishwasher.

18. The dishwasher according to claim 12, wherein the conduit system is configured such that air is guided from bottom to top in the dishwasher.