Dishwasher comprising a sorption drying system

• US 9,661,981 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2009
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Classen, Egbert, Jerg, Helmut, Paintner, Kai
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): OSTERHOUT, BENJAMIN LEE
• Application Number:
  US13/055,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20110114141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,864 Days
• Field of Search: 134 56 D, 134 57 D, 134 58 D, 134 952, 1341023, 134105
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0026 Rinsing phases
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0034 Drying phases, including dripping-off phases
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/481 by using water absorbent materials, e.g. Zeolith
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2301/00 Manual input in controlling methods of washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware, i.e. information entered by a user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/04 Water pressure or flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/06 Water heaters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/07 Consumable products, e.g. detergent, rinse aids or salt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/30 Regulation of machine operational steps within the washing process, e.g. performing an additional rinsing phase, shortening or stopping of the drying phase, washing at decreased noise operation conditions

Abstract

A dishwasher having a washing container; a controller to control the operation of the dishwasher by means of a wash program; a desorption drying system to dry items to be washed that are arranged inside the washing container; and input means that are connected to the controller and that modify the wash program.

Claims

1. A dishwasher, comprising:

a washing container;

a controller configured to control an operation of the dishwasher by means of a wash program;

a sorption drying system to dry items to be washed that are arranged inside the washing container;

input means connected to the controller, the input means to modify the wash program; and

an air-guiding channel;

wherein the sorption drying system has a sorption container with a heater and reversibly dehydratable sorption material, the sorption container being connected to the washing container by the air-guiding channel to generate an air flow, and wherein the air-guiding channel includes an inlet-side tube portion which opens into the sorption container such that an inflow direction of the air flow is steered into the sorption container in such a way that the air flow is diverted approximately 90 degrees from the inflow direction as the air flow enters the sorption container and prior to reaching the heater and the reversibly dehydratable sorption material, such that a direction of the air flow through the reversibly dehydratable sorption material is substantially against the direction of gravity.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the dishwasher is a household dishwasher.

3. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the wash program has a plurality of individual program steps with at least one pre-wash step, at least one cleaning step, at least one intermediate wash step, at least one final rinse step, and at least one drying step;

and wherein the individual program steps are executed consecutively one after the other.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein, as a result of actuating the input means, the controller executes the final rinse step entirely without heating up a rinsing agent that is used for the final rinse step.

5. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein, as a result of actuating the input means, the controller executes the drying step exclusively by means of the sorption drying system.

6. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein, as a result of actuating the input means, the controller increases the duration of the drying step.

7. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sorption drying system has a fan, and wherein the controller increases the duration of the drying step by switching on the fan of the sorption drying system for an increased period of time.

8. The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein, as a result of actuating the input means, the controller controls the dishwasher such that the rinsing agent is heated up for the final rinse step.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8, further comprising a continuous-flow heater that is connected to the controller, wherein the controller controls the continuous-flow heater to heat up the rinsing agent.

10. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein, as a result of actuating the input means, the controller controls the dishwasher such that at least one of a washing liquid used for the cleaning step is heated and a liquid used for the prewash step is heated.

11. The dishwasher of claim 10, further comprising a continuous-flow heater, which is connected to the controller and configured to heat up at least one of the washing liquid during the cleaning step and the liquid during the prewash step, and wherein the controller is configured to at least partly switch on the continuous-flow heater during at least one of the cleaning step and the prewash step.

12. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein, as a result of actuating the input means, the controller controls the dishwasher such that during at least one of the cleaning step and the prewash step, a spray pressure, with which one of the cleaning liquid and the liquid is applied for the prewash step, is increased.

13. The dishwasher of claim 12, further comprising a circulation pump that is connected to the controller and a motor driving the circulating pump, wherein the controller operates the motor at a higher speed for the increased spray pressure.

14. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein, as a result of actuating the input means, the controller simultaneously starts a desorption process of the sorption drying system during at least one of the prewash step and the cleaning step.