EP1836944B1

EP1836944B1 - Dishwasher base

Info

Publication number: EP1836944B1
Application number: EP20070103828
Authority: EP
Inventors: Enzo Brignone
Original assignee: Bitron SpA
Current assignee: Bitron SpA
Priority date: 2006-03-21
Filing date: 2007-03-09
Publication date: 2012-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-09
Also published as: EP1836944A3; ITTO20060211A1; EP1836944A2

Description

The present invention relates to a dishwasher base and to a dishwasher comprising the said base.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a dishwasher base having the features disclosed in the preamble of claim 1 which follows. A known dishwasher base of this kind is disclosed in the prior art document EP-A-0 452 287 .
It is an object of the present invention to provide a dishwasher base which is able to perform additional functions other than that of supporting the washing tank, so as to reduce the number of components of the dishwasher, thereby simplifying assembly procedures and reducing the associated manufacturing costs.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by a dishwasher base having the features disclosed in claim 1 which follows.
It is not necessary that the steam vent passage created in the base of the present invention is equipped of any additional accessories. This obviates the need to fit a ring nut to the steam vent hole that is traditionally created in the lateral wall of the washing tank of the dishwasher.
Preferably, the said upper face of the hollow body has a hole for introducing water into the washing tank.
The neck of the salt container of a water supply and softening device may, for example, be introduced through this hole around which neck, an annular gap is formed for the inflow of water.
A further object of the present invention is a dishwasher comprising a base of the type described above.
Further advantages and features of the present invention will become clear in the course of the following detailed description, provided by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective illustration of a base of the invention,
Figure 2 is a perspective illustration on cross section II-II as marked in Figure 1, and
Figure 3 is a perspective illustration on an enlarged scale of a detail of the device shown in the previous figures.

A dishwasher base comprises a hollow plastic body 10 having a substantially parallelepiped shape. The upper face 12 of the body 10 is in the shape of a basin and forms the bottom of the washing tank of the dishwasher. In the bottommost region of the face 12, i.e. the bottom of the basin, a hole 14 is created for introducing water into the washing tank and for attaching a well (not shown in the figures).
The upper face 12 is enclosed by an outer projection 16 made up of a front side 18, a rear side 20, a right-hand side 22 and a left-hand side 24. A groove 26 is created on the upper edge of the right-hand 22, left-hand 24 and rear 20 sides for inserting the lower portions of the lateral walls of the washing tank. A passage 28 is created in the left-hand side 24 of the projection 16 for steam to escape from the tank.
The passage 28 is L-shaped with a substantially horizontal first part 30, forming the extension of an inlet opening 32 created in the inner face of the projection 16, and a substantially vertical second part 34 ending in an outlet opening 36 which is out of alignment with the inlet opening 32 and is created in a stub 38 protruding from the upper edge of the projection 16.
The non-linear shape of the passage 28, made possible by the fact that it has been created in a piece of plastic, makes it unnecessary to provide it with a ring nut such as is required in the prior art. As a consequence, the dishwasher is easier to assemble and the associated costs are lower.
The passage 28 may also be used for loading water into the washing tank. In this case, the hole 14 created in the bottom of the basin of the upper face 12 of the body 10 serves purely as an area for connecting the well.
Obviously, without departing from the principle of the invention, the constructional details and embodiments may vary considerably from those described purely by way of example, without thereby departing from the scope claimed. In particular, the base may be manufactured either as a single-piece item or in two or more parts joined together.

Claims

Dishwasher base comprising a hollow plastic body (10) having a substantially parallelepiped shape, whose upper face (12) forms the bottom of the washing tank of the dishwasher, the said upper face (12) being enclosed by an outer projection (16), said dishwasher being characterised in that a passage (28) is created in said projection (16) in order for steam to escape from the said tank, the passage (28) having an inlet opening (32) created in the inner face of the projection (16) and an outlet opening (36) which is out of alignment with the inlet opening (32).
Base according to Claim 1, in which the said upper face (12) has a hole (14) for introducing water into the washing tank.
Base according to Claim 2, in which the said upper face (12) is in the shape of a basin and the said hole (14) is created in the bottommost region of the said basin.
Base according to any of the preceding claims, in which the said passage (28) is L-shaped with a substantially horizontal first part (30), forming the extension of the said inlet opening (32), and a substantially vertical second part (34).
Base according to any of the preceding claims, in which the said projection (16) is made up of a front side (18), a rear side (20), a right-hand side (22) and a left-hand side (24), a groove (26) being created on the upper edge of the right-hand (22), left-hand (24) and rear sides (20) for inserting the lower portions of the lateral walls of the washing tank.
Base according to Claim 5, in which the said outlet opening (36) of the passage (28) is arranged externally in relation to the said groove (26).
Base according to any of the preceding claims, in which the said passage (28) is also used for loading water into the washing tank.
Dishwasher comprising a base according to any of the preceding claims.