EP1913860A2 - Dishwasher - Google Patents
Dishwasher Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1913860A2 EP1913860A2 EP07110352A EP07110352A EP1913860A2 EP 1913860 A2 EP1913860 A2 EP 1913860A2 EP 07110352 A EP07110352 A EP 07110352A EP 07110352 A EP07110352 A EP 07110352A EP 1913860 A2 EP1913860 A2 EP 1913860A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- condenser
- steam
- dishwasher
- tub
- door
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 238000005406 washing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 21
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 13
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 31
- 238000001035 drying Methods 0.000 description 15
- 239000007921 spray Substances 0.000 description 14
- 238000009833 condensation Methods 0.000 description 9
- 230000005494 condensation Effects 0.000 description 9
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000007599 discharging Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 206010053615 Thermal burn Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004851 dishwashing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000010794 food waste Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000005507 spraying Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
- A47L15/42—Details
- A47L15/48—Drying arrangements
- A47L15/486—Blower arrangements
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
- A47L15/42—Details
- A47L15/4251—Details of the casing
- A47L15/4257—Details of the loading door
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a dishwasher, and more particularly, to a dryer of a dishwasher, which can rapidly condense steam generated during a drying cycle.
- a dishwasher is a machine that sprays wash liquid through spray nozzles under high pressure to remove food or residue left on dishes, or any items in the dishwasher.
- the dishwasher includes a tub defining a washing chamber and a sump mounted on a bottom of the tub to contain the wash liquid.
- a washing pump is installed inside the sump to pump the wash liquid to the spray nozzles.
- the wash liquid is sprayed under high pressure through spray holes formed at the ends of the spray nozzles.
- the wash liquid, sprayed under high pressure collides against the surfaces of the dishes, so that food residue and impurities on the dishes fall down to the bottom of the tub.
- High-temperature steam can be applied in a dishwasher using a ventilation-type drying method or a circulation-type drying method.
- a drying fan discharges moist air out of the tub.
- a dishwasher using the ventilation-type drying method has a drawback in that high-temperature, high-humidity air is directly discharged out of the tub causing discomfort to a user near the dishwasher. Also, due to the direct discharge of the high-temperature, high-humidity air, the user or child may get scalded by the discharge.
- steam is condensed by a condenser provided inside the tub and is again introduced into the tub.
- a dishwasher using the circulation-type drying method has a drawback in that steam is not condensed sufficiently or efficiently because the condenser is small in size. Due to the small-sized condenser, it takes a long time to dry the dishes and an additional condenser may be required.
- An object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher having an improved condenser that rapidly condenses steam.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher that shortens a drying time by rapidly condensing steam discharged during a dry cycle.
- a further object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher that rapidly condenses steam, so that a user does not feel uncomfortable or get scalded by the discharge of the dishwasher.
- a still further object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher that has an improved condenser, so that additional condensers are not required.
- a dishwasher comprising a tub defining a washing chamber and a door for opening/closing the tub, characterized in that the dishwasher further comprises a condenser provided within the door to condense steam discharged from the tub; a fan assembly connected to the condenser, the fan assembly including a steam outlet through which steam inside the tub is discharged into the condenser; and an air guide for supplying air external to the tub to the fan assembly.
- the steam discharged during the dry cycle can be rapidly condensed.
- drying time can be shortened because the steam discharged during the drying cycle is rapidly cooled.
- the user does not feel uncomfortable because the steam discharged during the drying cycle is rapidly cooled.
- an additional condenser is not required because a portion of the door may perform a function of the condenser.
- condensation may not occur near the steam outlet and thus condensed water is not discharged into an area surrounding the dishwasher, such as the floor. Therefore, it is possible to prevent condensed water from forming on floor space adjacent to the dishwasher, and consequently, prevent resulting accidents.
- Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention
- Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion A of Fig. 1;
- Fig. 3 is a front view of a door liner of a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- Fig. 4 is a front view illustrating an exemplary condensation process of the dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- Fig. 5 is a graph of the condensation process of Fig. 4.
- Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention
- Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion A of Fig. 1.
- the dishwasher 100 includes a cabinet 101 defining an outer frame 102, a tub 110 protected by the cabinet and forming a washing chamber, a door 270 rotatably mounted at a front side of the tub 110 to open/close the washing chamber, and a sump 170 disposed at a bottom center portion of the tub 110 to contain wash liquid.
- the dishwasher 100 includes a washing pump 180 installed inside the sump 170 to pump wash liquid under high pressure, and a motor 190 connected to a shaft of the washing pump 180 to drive the washing pump 180.
- the door 270 includes a door cover 272 and a door liner 271.
- the door cover 272 defines a front appearance or exterior portion of the dishwasher.
- the door liner 271 is connected to a rear side of the door cover 272.
- a condenser is interposed between the door cover 272 and the door liner 271, which will be described later.
- the washing pump 180 may be controlled to stop its operation when an opening of the door 270 is detected during a high-temperature wash cycle. Also, the washing pump 180 may be controlled to restart its operation after a predetermined time elapses when a closing of the door 270 is detected.
- the dishwasher 100 includes a water guide 140, a bottom nozzle 160, a middle nozzle 150, and a top nozzle 155.
- the water guide 140 provides a path through which wash liquid pumped by the washing pump 180 flows.
- the bottom nozzle 160 is disposed on the bottom of the tub 110 above the sump 170.
- the bottom nozzle 160 is configured to spray wash liquid upwards.
- the middle nozzle 150 is branched from a predetermined portion 151 of the water guide 140 and is disposed near a center portion of the tub 110.
- the top nozzle 155 is disposed near a ceiling of the tub 110 to spray wash liquid vertically downwards. Each of the nozzles are configured to spray washing liquid toward items in racks.
- the condenser 200 is disposed between the door cover 272 and the door liner 271.
- a fan assembly is connected to an upper portion of the condenser 200 to suck or draw out steam from within the tub 110.
- the fan assembly includes a fan 260 for drawing out or sucking out steam from within the tub 110 and discharging steam to the condenser 200.
- the fan assembly further includes a fan housing 250 for receiving and housing the fan 260.
- a discharge duct 290 is connected to another side of the fan housing 250 so as to discharge steam.
- the condenser 200 is tightly attached to a rear side or interior side of the door cover 272, so that outside air and steam inside the condenser 200 are heat-exchanged with each other through the door cover 272. That is, air outside the door 270 and steam inside the condenser 200 are heat-exchanged with each other by heat conduction through walls of the door cover 272 and the condenser 200.
- a front side of the condenser 200 may be opened.
- the opened front side of the condenser 200 may be covered and tightly sealed by the door cover 272, such that heat is achieved rapidly. That is, the door cover 272 may form a portion of the condenser 200.
- the front side of the door cover 272 forms an exterior portion of the dishwasher.
- the front side of the door cover 272 is exposed to the outside.
- the rear surface of the door cover 272 is tightly contacted with the front surface of the condenser 200.
- the rear surface of the door cover 272 may be exposed to high-temperature steam flowing through the condenser 200. Therefore, high-temperature steam inside the condenser 200 is condensed through heat exchange through the door cover 272 with external air, which may be air of room-temperature.
- the condenser 200 is provided inside the door as illustrated in this embodiment, this configuration is only for exemplary purposes.
- the condenser 200 may be attached to a side of the cabinet 101 or may be formed as one component of the condenser 200. In this case, the condenser 200 is installed between the cabinet 101 and the tub 110.
- the user opens the door 270 of the dishwasher 100 and pulls an upper rack 120 and/or a lower rack 130 out of the washing chamber.
- the user places items, such as dishes, on the upper and/or lower racks 120 and 130. Then, the user closes the door 270 and operates the dishwasher 100 by switching it on.
- wash liquid is supplied to the sump 170.
- the motor 190 begins to operate.
- the wash liquid is alternately pumped to the bottom nozzle 160 or the water guide 140.
- the bottom nozzle 160 is configured to spray washing liquid when it is pumped to the bottom nozzle 160 and ready to be released.
- the impeller of the motor 190 is provided inside the washing pump 180 connected to the shaft of the motor 190.
- the wash liquid pumped to the water guide 140 flows to the top nozzle 155 and the middle nozzle 150 and is sprayed into the washing chamber. Any items in the upper and/or lower racks 120 and 130 are washed by the sprayed wash liquid.
- the washing pump 180 restarts its operation after a predetermined time elapses so as to prevent the wash liquid contained in the sump 170 from overflowing due to the expansion of cold air introduced into the tub 110.
- the washing pump 180 is configured to stop its operation upon detecting an opening/closing of the door 270 or any such motion during the high-temperature wash cycle. Then, the washing pump 180 restarts its operation after a predetermined time elapses.
- the top nozzle 155 is configured to spray the wash liquid vertically downwards and the middle nozzle 150 sprays the wash liquid vertically upwards, so that the dishes received in the upper rack 120 are washed by the wash liquid from the top and middle nozzles.
- the bottom nozzle 160 is configured to spray the wash liquid vertically upwards, so that the dishes received in the lower rack 130 are washed.
- Spray holes can also be formed at the bottom of the middle nozzle 150. In this case, because the middle nozzle 150 sprays the wash liquid upwards and downwards, the upper surfaces of the dishes received in the lower rack 130 can also be washed, while the lower surfaces of the dishes received in the upper rack 120 are washed.
- the dirty wash liquid collected in the sump 170 during the wash cycle is filtered by a filter (not shown).
- a discharge pump (not shown) pumps the filtered wash liquid out of the dishwasher 100.
- the dishwasher 100 is configured to perform a rinse cycle. That is, clean wash liquid is supplied to the sump 170 through an inlet and is sprayed through the nozzles 150 and 160 similarly to the spraying of wash liquid provided in the wash cycle, so that the dishes are rinsed by the sprayed clean wash liquid.
- the dishwasher 100 After the rinse cycle, the dishwasher 100 performs a drying cycle to dry the dishes and then the aforementioned dishwashing operation is finished.
- Fig. 3 is a front view of a door liner of a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention
- Fig. 4 is a front view illustrating a condensation process of the dishwasher according to the embodiment of the present invention.
- a fan assembly, a condenser 200, and an outside air guide 280 are provided in the front of a door liner 271 forming a rear surface of the door.
- the fan assembly sucks or draws out steam from inside the tub 110.
- a condenser 200 is connected to one side of the fan assembly to condense the sucked or drawn steam.
- the external air guide 280 is connected to another side of the fan assembly such that air that is external to the tub is drawn in and provided to the fan assembly.
- the fan assembly includes a fan 260 for sucking or drawing out the steam and discharging the steam, and a fan housing 250 for receiving and housing the fan 260.
- a hole is formed in the rear surface of the fan housing 250, and a hole is formed in the door liner 271.
- the hole of the door liner 271 is substantially the same size as the hole of the fan housing 250.
- the position of the hole of the door liner 271 may correspond to the position of the hole of the fan housing 250.
- a blower cover which will be described later, may be installed in the holes.
- An actuator which will be described later, moves the blower cover forward and backward to selectively open/close the holes.
- a steam outlet 252 is formed in a portion of a front surface of the fan housing 250, and an outside air inlet 251 is formed in another portion of the fan housing 250.
- a mixed gas outlet 254 is formed in yet another portion of the fan housing 250. The condensed steam and the outside air sucked through the outside air guide 280 are discharged through the discharge duct into, for example, an indoor space.
- the condenser 200 includes an inlet through which the steam is introduced, and an outlet through which the condensed steam is discharged. At least one flow guide 201 is formed inside the condenser 200 to guide a downward flow of the steam. A discharge hole 203 is formed at the bottom or lowermost portion of the condenser 200. In addition, a discharge hole, corresponding to the discharge hole 203, is formed in the door liner 271.
- the steam outlet 252 is connected to the inlet of the condenser 200 and the mixed gas outlet 254 is connected to the outlet of the condenser 200.
- the discharge duct 290 extends down the door 270 and has a discharge opening 291 whose cross section is wider at the end of the discharge duct 290 than at an upper portion of the discharge duct 290.
- An outside air inlet 281 is formed at the end of the outside air guide 280 and is located under the door, such that the indoor air is introduced through the outside air inlet 281.
- the fan 260 received in the fan housing 250 rotates and the blower cover is withdrawn, so that the holes of the door liner 271 and the fan housing 250 are opened. Therefore, high-temperature, high-humidity steam existing inside the tub 110 is introduced through the holes into the fan housing 250. The introduced steam is discharged from the steam outlet 252 into the condenser 200.
- the steam introduced through the inlet of the condenser 200 descends along the flow guide 201.
- the descending steam in the condenser 200 is cooled by the heat conduction with external air. External air may refer to air outside the tub or air outside the dishwasher.
- Condensed water in the steam descending along the flow guide 201 is concentrated in the discharge hole 203 and is again introduced into the tub 110.
- steam that becomes gaseous after the condensation is configured to ascend along flow guide 202 and is introduced through a mixed gas inlet 253 into the fan housing 250.
- indoor air is sucked or drawn in via an external air inlet 281 and passes through the outside air guide 280 to the outside air inlet 251 of the fan assembly.
- External air may refer to air outside the dishwasher.
- Air drawn from outside the dishwasher may be air drawn from an indoor environment, such as air in a home or building.
- the external air discharged to the outside air inlet 251 is introduced into the fan housing 250 and is mixed with the steam discharged from the mixed gas inlet 253.
- the mixture of the steam and the indoor air is again condensed while descending along the discharge duct 290. That is, the mixed gas is condensed primarily in the condenser 200 and secondarily in the discharge duct 290.
- the pressure of the mixed gas descending along the discharge duct 290 is decreased while the mixed gas passes through the discharge opening 291.
- the pressure of the gas decreases as the cross sectional area of the discharge opening 291 increases into an expanding shape.
- the mixture or gas discharged through the discharge opening 291 maintains a gaseous state throughout the discharge duct 290.
- the condensation phenomenon does not occur around the discharge opening 291.
- the fan assembly includes a double-suction centrifugal fan because the fan 260 must suck or draw out steam from within the tub 110 and external air through the outside air guide 280.
- the air introduced through the flow guide 201 into the condenser 200 is sufficiently condensed. Therefore, it is preferable that the flow formed by the flow guide 201 is formed in a curved shape.
- the flow guide 201 may include a substantially S-shape or form.
- the steam inside the tub and the indoor air are mixed in the inside of the fan housing 250, they can also be mixed in an area outside of the fan housing 250.
- Fig. 5 is a graph of an exemplary condensation process in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- reference numeral 300 represents a state in which the steam inside the tub is introduced into the condenser 200 via the steam outlet 252. (See Fig. 4)
- the steam introduced into the condenser 200 reaches a dew point and is condensed into condensed water, while flowing through a flow path formed inside the condenser 200, as indicated by a reference numeral 301.
- a reference numeral 302 represents a state in which uncondensed steam arrives near the mixed gas inlet 253. As illustrated in Fig. 5, although a large amount of the high-temperature steam has been condensed in the condenser 200, some steam still remains in a state substantially near the dew point.
- the remaining steam is mixed with the external air, which may be indoor air at room temperature.
- external air existing in the state indicated by a reference numeral 303 is sucked in through the outside air guide 280 and discharged to the condenser 200.
- the outside air is mixed with the steam 302 and introduced into the fan housing 250.
- the mixed gas reaches a state indicated by reference number 304. That is, the mixed gas reaches a state substantially below the dew point. Therefore, although the mixed gas is discharged from the discharge opening 291, dew condensation around the discharge opening 291 can be minimized.
- the mixture or gas discharged from the discharge opening 291 is able to maintain its gaseous state via the expanding shape of the discharge opening 291.
Landscapes
- Washing And Drying Of Tableware (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- This application claim the benefit of
Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0100609, filed on October 17, 2006 - The present invention relates to a dishwasher, and more particularly, to a dryer of a dishwasher, which can rapidly condense steam generated during a drying cycle.
- A dishwasher is a machine that sprays wash liquid through spray nozzles under high pressure to remove food or residue left on dishes, or any items in the dishwasher.
- The dishwasher includes a tub defining a washing chamber and a sump mounted on a bottom of the tub to contain the wash liquid. A washing pump is installed inside the sump to pump the wash liquid to the spray nozzles. The wash liquid is sprayed under high pressure through spray holes formed at the ends of the spray nozzles. The wash liquid, sprayed under high pressure, collides against the surfaces of the dishes, so that food residue and impurities on the dishes fall down to the bottom of the tub.
- High-temperature steam can be applied in a dishwasher using a ventilation-type drying method or a circulation-type drying method.
- According to the ventilation-type drying method, a drying fan discharges moist air out of the tub. However, a dishwasher using the ventilation-type drying method has a drawback in that high-temperature, high-humidity air is directly discharged out of the tub causing discomfort to a user near the dishwasher. Also, due to the direct discharge of the high-temperature, high-humidity air, the user or child may get scalded by the discharge.
- During the discharge of the high-temperature, high-humidity air, steam may be condensed around a steam outlet and flow to the floor causing the floor to become wet. Further, there is a danger that a user may slide or fall down onto the floor due to the condensed water collecting on the floor. Moreover, mildew may form from the condensed water collected on the floor.
- According to the circulation-type drying method, steam is condensed by a condenser provided inside the tub and is again introduced into the tub. A dishwasher using the circulation-type drying method has a drawback in that steam is not condensed sufficiently or efficiently because the condenser is small in size. Due to the small-sized condenser, it takes a long time to dry the dishes and an additional condenser may be required.
- Accordingly, a dishwasher that substantially obviates one or more of the aforementioned problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art is highly desirable.
- An object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher having an improved condenser that rapidly condenses steam.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher that shortens a drying time by rapidly condensing steam discharged during a dry cycle.
- A further object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher that rapidly condenses steam, so that a user does not feel uncomfortable or get scalded by the discharge of the dishwasher.
- A still further object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher that has an improved condenser, so that additional condensers are not required.
- Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and the claims, as well as the appended drawings.
- To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a dishwasher, the dishwasher comprising a tub defining a washing chamber and a door for opening/closing the tub, characterized in that the dishwasher further comprises a condenser provided within the door to condense steam discharged from the tub; a fan assembly connected to the condenser, the fan assembly including a steam outlet through which steam inside the tub is discharged into the condenser; and an air guide for supplying air external to the tub to the fan assembly.
- According to embodiments of the present invention, the steam discharged during the dry cycle can be rapidly condensed.
- Also, the drying time can be shortened because the steam discharged during the drying cycle is rapidly cooled.
- The user does not feel uncomfortable because the steam discharged during the drying cycle is rapidly cooled.
- In addition, scalds associated with steam discharge can be eliminated because the steam discharged during the drying cycle is rapidly cooled.
- Further, an additional condenser is not required because a portion of the door may perform a function of the condenser.
- Furthermore, condensation may not occur near the steam outlet and thus condensed water is not discharged into an area surrounding the dishwasher, such as the floor. Therefore, it is possible to prevent condensed water from forming on floor space adjacent to the dishwasher, and consequently, prevent resulting accidents.
- Moreover, it is possible to prevent mildew from forming at a corner due to the condensed water falling down to the floor.
- It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.
- The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application. The drawings illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain principles of the invention. In the drawings:
- Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention;
- Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion A of Fig. 1;
- Fig. 3 is a front view of a door liner of a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention;
- Fig. 4 is a front view illustrating an exemplary condensation process of the dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
- Fig. 5 is a graph of the condensation process of Fig. 4.
- Reference will now be made in detail to the various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
- Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion A of Fig. 1.
- Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the
dishwasher 100 includes acabinet 101 defining anouter frame 102, atub 110 protected by the cabinet and forming a washing chamber, adoor 270 rotatably mounted at a front side of thetub 110 to open/close the washing chamber, and asump 170 disposed at a bottom center portion of thetub 110 to contain wash liquid. - The
dishwasher 100 includes awashing pump 180 installed inside thesump 170 to pump wash liquid under high pressure, and amotor 190 connected to a shaft of thewashing pump 180 to drive thewashing pump 180. - The
door 270 includes adoor cover 272 and adoor liner 271. Thedoor cover 272 defines a front appearance or exterior portion of the dishwasher. Thedoor liner 271 is connected to a rear side of thedoor cover 272. A condenser is interposed between thedoor cover 272 and thedoor liner 271, which will be described later. - The
washing pump 180 may be controlled to stop its operation when an opening of thedoor 270 is detected during a high-temperature wash cycle. Also, thewashing pump 180 may be controlled to restart its operation after a predetermined time elapses when a closing of thedoor 270 is detected. - The
dishwasher 100 includes awater guide 140, abottom nozzle 160, amiddle nozzle 150, and atop nozzle 155. Thewater guide 140 provides a path through which wash liquid pumped by thewashing pump 180 flows. Thebottom nozzle 160 is disposed on the bottom of thetub 110 above thesump 170. Thebottom nozzle 160 is configured to spray wash liquid upwards. Themiddle nozzle 150 is branched from a predeterminedportion 151 of thewater guide 140 and is disposed near a center portion of thetub 110. Thetop nozzle 155 is disposed near a ceiling of thetub 110 to spray wash liquid vertically downwards. Each of the nozzles are configured to spray washing liquid toward items in racks. - The
condenser 200 is disposed between thedoor cover 272 and thedoor liner 271. A fan assembly is connected to an upper portion of thecondenser 200 to suck or draw out steam from within thetub 110. Specifically, the fan assembly includes afan 260 for drawing out or sucking out steam from within thetub 110 and discharging steam to thecondenser 200. The fan assembly further includes afan housing 250 for receiving and housing thefan 260. Adischarge duct 290 is connected to another side of thefan housing 250 so as to discharge steam. - The
condenser 200 is tightly attached to a rear side or interior side of thedoor cover 272, so that outside air and steam inside thecondenser 200 are heat-exchanged with each other through thedoor cover 272. That is, air outside thedoor 270 and steam inside thecondenser 200 are heat-exchanged with each other by heat conduction through walls of thedoor cover 272 and thecondenser 200. A front side of thecondenser 200 may be opened. The opened front side of thecondenser 200 may be covered and tightly sealed by thedoor cover 272, such that heat is achieved rapidly. That is, thedoor cover 272 may form a portion of thecondenser 200. - Specifically, the front side of the
door cover 272 forms an exterior portion of the dishwasher. The front side of thedoor cover 272 is exposed to the outside. The rear surface of thedoor cover 272 is tightly contacted with the front surface of thecondenser 200. The rear surface of thedoor cover 272 may be exposed to high-temperature steam flowing through thecondenser 200. Therefore, high-temperature steam inside thecondenser 200 is condensed through heat exchange through thedoor cover 272 with external air, which may be air of room-temperature. - Since the
door cover 272 of thedoor 270 is tightly contacted with one side of thecondenser 200 or forms a portion of thecondenser 200, additional condensation components are not required, and thus the condenser structure can be simplified. - Although the
condenser 200 is provided inside the door as illustrated in this embodiment, this configuration is only for exemplary purposes. As another option, thecondenser 200 may be attached to a side of thecabinet 101 or may be formed as one component of thecondenser 200. In this case, thecondenser 200 is installed between thecabinet 101 and thetub 110. - An operation of the
dishwasher 100 illustrated in Fig. 1 will be described below. - The user opens the
door 270 of thedishwasher 100 and pulls anupper rack 120 and/or alower rack 130 out of the washing chamber. The user places items, such as dishes, on the upper and/orlower racks door 270 and operates thedishwasher 100 by switching it on. - When the
dishwasher 100 performs a wash cycle, wash liquid is supplied to thesump 170. After the supply of the wash liquid is completed, themotor 190 begins to operate. As an impeller of themotor 190 is rotating, the wash liquid is alternately pumped to thebottom nozzle 160 or thewater guide 140. Thebottom nozzle 160 is configured to spray washing liquid when it is pumped to thebottom nozzle 160 and ready to be released. The impeller of themotor 190 is provided inside thewashing pump 180 connected to the shaft of themotor 190. - The wash liquid pumped to the
water guide 140 flows to thetop nozzle 155 and themiddle nozzle 150 and is sprayed into the washing chamber. Any items in the upper and/orlower racks - However, when the
door 270 is opened during a high-temperature wash cycle, thewashing pump 180 restarts its operation after a predetermined time elapses so as to prevent the wash liquid contained in thesump 170 from overflowing due to the expansion of cold air introduced into thetub 110. - In other words, when the sprayed high-temperature wash liquid comes in contact with low-temperature air, the wash liquid contained in the
sump 170 overflows due to air expansion. In order to prevent this phenomenon, thewashing pump 180 is configured to stop its operation upon detecting an opening/closing of thedoor 270 or any such motion during the high-temperature wash cycle. Then, thewashing pump 180 restarts its operation after a predetermined time elapses. - The
top nozzle 155 is configured to spray the wash liquid vertically downwards and themiddle nozzle 150 sprays the wash liquid vertically upwards, so that the dishes received in theupper rack 120 are washed by the wash liquid from the top and middle nozzles. - In addition, the
bottom nozzle 160 is configured to spray the wash liquid vertically upwards, so that the dishes received in thelower rack 130 are washed. Spray holes can also be formed at the bottom of themiddle nozzle 150. In this case, because themiddle nozzle 150 sprays the wash liquid upwards and downwards, the upper surfaces of the dishes received in thelower rack 130 can also be washed, while the lower surfaces of the dishes received in theupper rack 120 are washed. - The dirty wash liquid collected in the
sump 170 during the wash cycle is filtered by a filter (not shown). When thedishwasher 100 finishes the wash cycle and begins a discharge cycle, a discharge pump (not shown) pumps the filtered wash liquid out of thedishwasher 100. - After the wash liquid is discharged, the
dishwasher 100 is configured to perform a rinse cycle. That is, clean wash liquid is supplied to thesump 170 through an inlet and is sprayed through thenozzles - After the rinse cycle, the
dishwasher 100 performs a drying cycle to dry the dishes and then the aforementioned dishwashing operation is finished. - Fig. 3 is a front view of a door liner of a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is a front view illustrating a condensation process of the dishwasher according to the embodiment of the present invention.
- Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, a fan assembly, a
condenser 200, and anoutside air guide 280 are provided in the front of adoor liner 271 forming a rear surface of the door. The fan assembly sucks or draws out steam from inside thetub 110. Acondenser 200 is connected to one side of the fan assembly to condense the sucked or drawn steam. Theexternal air guide 280 is connected to another side of the fan assembly such that air that is external to the tub is drawn in and provided to the fan assembly. - The fan assembly includes a
fan 260 for sucking or drawing out the steam and discharging the steam, and afan housing 250 for receiving and housing thefan 260. - A hole is formed in the rear surface of the
fan housing 250, and a hole is formed in thedoor liner 271. The hole of thedoor liner 271 is substantially the same size as the hole of thefan housing 250. The position of the hole of thedoor liner 271 may correspond to the position of the hole of thefan housing 250. A blower cover, which will be described later, may be installed in the holes. An actuator, which will be described later, moves the blower cover forward and backward to selectively open/close the holes. - A
steam outlet 252 is formed in a portion of a front surface of thefan housing 250, and anoutside air inlet 251 is formed in another portion of thefan housing 250. In addition, amixed gas outlet 254 is formed in yet another portion of thefan housing 250. The condensed steam and the outside air sucked through theoutside air guide 280 are discharged through the discharge duct into, for example, an indoor space. - Specifically, the
condenser 200 includes an inlet through which the steam is introduced, and an outlet through which the condensed steam is discharged. At least oneflow guide 201 is formed inside thecondenser 200 to guide a downward flow of the steam. Adischarge hole 203 is formed at the bottom or lowermost portion of thecondenser 200. In addition, a discharge hole, corresponding to thedischarge hole 203, is formed in thedoor liner 271. - The
steam outlet 252 is connected to the inlet of thecondenser 200 and themixed gas outlet 254 is connected to the outlet of thecondenser 200. Thedischarge duct 290 extends down thedoor 270 and has adischarge opening 291 whose cross section is wider at the end of thedischarge duct 290 than at an upper portion of thedischarge duct 290. Anoutside air inlet 281 is formed at the end of theoutside air guide 280 and is located under the door, such that the indoor air is introduced through theoutside air inlet 281. - During a drying cycle, the
fan 260 received in thefan housing 250 rotates and the blower cover is withdrawn, so that the holes of thedoor liner 271 and thefan housing 250 are opened. Therefore, high-temperature, high-humidity steam existing inside thetub 110 is introduced through the holes into thefan housing 250. The introduced steam is discharged from thesteam outlet 252 into thecondenser 200. - In addition, the steam introduced through the inlet of the
condenser 200 descends along theflow guide 201. The descending steam in thecondenser 200 is cooled by the heat conduction with external air. External air may refer to air outside the tub or air outside the dishwasher. Condensed water in the steam descending along theflow guide 201 is concentrated in thedischarge hole 203 and is again introduced into thetub 110. On the other hand, steam that becomes gaseous after the condensation is configured to ascend alongflow guide 202 and is introduced through amixed gas inlet 253 into thefan housing 250. - Simultaneously, indoor air is sucked or drawn in via an
external air inlet 281 and passes through theoutside air guide 280 to theoutside air inlet 251 of the fan assembly. External air may refer to air outside the dishwasher. Air drawn from outside the dishwasher may be air drawn from an indoor environment, such as air in a home or building. The external air discharged to theoutside air inlet 251 is introduced into thefan housing 250 and is mixed with the steam discharged from themixed gas inlet 253. The mixture of the steam and the indoor air is again condensed while descending along thedischarge duct 290. That is, the mixed gas is condensed primarily in thecondenser 200 and secondarily in thedischarge duct 290. - Meanwhile, the pressure of the mixed gas descending along the
discharge duct 290 is decreased while the mixed gas passes through thedischarge opening 291. In other words, the pressure of the gas decreases as the cross sectional area of thedischarge opening 291 increases into an expanding shape. As a result, the mixture or gas discharged through thedischarge opening 291 maintains a gaseous state throughout thedischarge duct 290. Thus, the condensation phenomenon does not occur around thedischarge opening 291. - It is preferable that the fan assembly includes a double-suction centrifugal fan because the
fan 260 must suck or draw out steam from within thetub 110 and external air through theoutside air guide 280. - In addition, it is preferable that the air introduced through the
flow guide 201 into thecondenser 200 is sufficiently condensed. Therefore, it is preferable that the flow formed by theflow guide 201 is formed in a curved shape. For example, theflow guide 201 may include a substantially S-shape or form. - Although the steam inside the tub and the indoor air are mixed in the inside of the
fan housing 250, they can also be mixed in an area outside of thefan housing 250. - Fig. 5 is a graph of an exemplary condensation process in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- Referring to Fig. 5,
reference numeral 300 represents a state in which the steam inside the tub is introduced into thecondenser 200 via thesteam outlet 252. (See Fig. 4) - Specifically, the steam introduced into the
condenser 200 reaches a dew point and is condensed into condensed water, while flowing through a flow path formed inside thecondenser 200, as indicated by areference numeral 301. Areference numeral 302 represents a state in which uncondensed steam arrives near themixed gas inlet 253. As illustrated in Fig. 5, although a large amount of the high-temperature steam has been condensed in thecondenser 200, some steam still remains in a state substantially near the dew point. - Therefore, the remaining steam is mixed with the external air, which may be indoor air at room temperature. In other words, external air existing in the state indicated by a
reference numeral 303 is sucked in through theoutside air guide 280 and discharged to thecondenser 200. Then, the outside air is mixed with thesteam 302 and introduced into thefan housing 250. The mixed gas reaches a state indicated byreference number 304. That is, the mixed gas reaches a state substantially below the dew point. Therefore, although the mixed gas is discharged from thedischarge opening 291, dew condensation around thedischarge opening 291 can be minimized. In addition, the mixture or gas discharged from thedischarge opening 291 is able to maintain its gaseous state via the expanding shape of thedischarge opening 291. - It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the claims cover the modifications and variations provided they come within the scope of the claims and their equivalents.
Claims (15)
- A dishwasher, the dishwasher comprising a tub defining a washing chamber and a door for opening/closing the tub, characterized in that the dishwasher further comprises a condenser provided within the door to condense steam discharged from the tub;
a fan assembly connected to the condenser, the fan assembly including a steam outlet through which steam inside the tub is discharged into the condenser; and an air guide for supplying air external to the tub to the fan assembly. - The dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein the door comprises
a door liner exposed to an interior of the tub, and
a door cover, provided at a front side of the door liner, to form an exterior portion of the dishwasher,
wherein the condenser is disposed between the door liner and the door cover. - The dishwasher according to claim 2, further comprising at least one hole formed in a lower portion of the condenser and the door liner such that water formed from the condensed steam is introduced into the tub.
- The dishwasher according to claim 3, wherein the lower portion of the condenser slopes downward.
- The dishwasher according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the condenser is sealed to a surface of the door cover.
- The dishwasher according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein a front side of the condenser is opened, the opened front side being closed by the door cover and being sealed to the door cover.
- The dishwasher according to any of claims 2 to 6, wherein steam introduced into the condenser is heat-exchanged with the external air by heat conduction through the door cover.
- The dishwasher according to any of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a discharge duct provided at another side of the fan assembly to discharge a mixture of the external air and the steam.
- The dishwasher according to claim 8, wherein the steam discharged through the discharge outlet is configured to be condensed primarily in the condenser and configured to be condensed secondarily while passing through the discharge duct.
- The dishwasher according to claim 8, wherein the discharge duct has an outlet having an expanding shape.
- The dishwasher according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the fan assembly comprises:a fan housing;a fan housed in the fan housing; anda blower cover provided at a side of the fan housing to provide selective communication between the tub and the fan housing.
- The dishwasher according to claim 11, wherein the condenser comprises an outlet through which condensed steam is discharged, the outlet being connected to the fan housing.
- The dishwasher according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the fan comprises a double-suction centrifugal fan.
- The dishwasher according to any of claims 1 to 13, further comprising at least one flow guide provided inside the condenser to guide a flow of the steam.
- The dishwasher according to any of claims 8 to 14, wherein the outside air guide comprises an opening exposed to external air.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
KR20060100609 | 2006-10-17 |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1913860A2 true EP1913860A2 (en) | 2008-04-23 |
EP1913860A3 EP1913860A3 (en) | 2009-07-01 |
EP1913860B1 EP1913860B1 (en) | 2010-09-08 |
Family
ID=38826568
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP07110352A Expired - Fee Related EP1913860B1 (en) | 2006-10-17 | 2007-06-15 | Dishwasher with condenser in the door |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20080087307A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1913860B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN101164491B (en) |
DE (1) | DE602007009009D1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2017052796A1 (en) * | 2015-09-22 | 2017-03-30 | Illinois Tool Works Inc. | In-door dishwasher condenser system |
WO2019037981A1 (en) | 2017-08-23 | 2019-02-28 | Arcelik Anonim Sirketi | A dishwasher with improved drying performance |
Families Citing this family (16)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US8696824B2 (en) * | 2009-02-04 | 2014-04-15 | Electrolux Home Products, Inc. | Dishwasher, a door assembly for the dishwasher, and an associated method for drying dishware |
US10295256B2 (en) | 2009-02-04 | 2019-05-21 | Electrolux Home Products, Inc. | Dishwasher, a door assembly for the dishwasher, and an associated method for drying dishware |
KR101704612B1 (en) * | 2009-11-30 | 2017-02-08 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Dish washer and method for controlling the same |
EP2371258A3 (en) * | 2011-06-06 | 2012-03-07 | V-Zug AG | Dishwasher with door gap ventilation |
CN104739352B (en) * | 2015-02-12 | 2018-11-27 | 佛山市顺德区美的洗涤电器制造有限公司 | Dish-washing machine |
US10178937B2 (en) | 2015-07-31 | 2019-01-15 | Illinois Tool Works Inc. | Warewasher with heat recovery system |
CN106693001A (en) * | 2016-12-24 | 2017-05-24 | 佛山市顺德区森太电器有限公司 | Intelligent mold-proof disinfection cupboard |
CN107212837B (en) * | 2017-07-13 | 2020-12-04 | 佛山市顺德区美的洗涤电器制造有限公司 | Heating control method and device of dish washing machine |
KR102527575B1 (en) * | 2018-02-08 | 2023-04-28 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Dish Washer |
KR102493164B1 (en) * | 2018-02-09 | 2023-01-27 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Dish Washer |
CN112272532A (en) * | 2018-03-29 | 2021-01-26 | 伊利诺斯工具制品有限公司 | Dishwasher and associated spray arm assembly |
CN108634903B (en) * | 2018-07-17 | 2023-10-31 | 佛山市顺德区美的洗涤电器制造有限公司 | Skirting board assembly and dish washing machine |
CN109846439A (en) * | 2019-01-02 | 2019-06-07 | 佛山市顺德区美的洗涤电器制造有限公司 | The dehumanization method of drying device, dish-washing machine and dish-washing machine |
US11697901B2 (en) | 2020-01-09 | 2023-07-11 | Whirlpool Corporation | Door assembly for a laundry treating appliance |
CN112586974B (en) * | 2020-10-30 | 2022-02-08 | 宁波方太厨具有限公司 | Electric steam box |
KR20220083342A (en) * | 2020-12-11 | 2022-06-20 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Dish Washer |
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CH683819A5 (en) * | 1991-02-25 | 1994-05-31 | Electrolux Ag | Dishwasher with fan mixing damp drying air and fresh air - has flap, which can be operated externally, to choke drying and/or fresh air |
WO2001010284A1 (en) * | 1999-08-05 | 2001-02-15 | Electrolux Zanussi S.P.A. | Dishwashing machine, in particular for home use, having a functional loading door |
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US4188732A (en) * | 1978-09-06 | 1980-02-19 | The Maytag Company | Dishwasher airflow drying system |
US20060236556A1 (en) * | 2005-04-25 | 2006-10-26 | Viking Range Corporation | Dishwasher drying system |
-
2007
- 2007-05-17 US US11/798,913 patent/US20080087307A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2007-06-15 DE DE602007009009T patent/DE602007009009D1/en active Active
- 2007-06-15 EP EP07110352A patent/EP1913860B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2007-07-16 CN CN2007101288001A patent/CN101164491B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US3068877A (en) * | 1958-09-12 | 1962-12-18 | Gen Motors Corp | Dishwasher |
CH683819A5 (en) * | 1991-02-25 | 1994-05-31 | Electrolux Ag | Dishwasher with fan mixing damp drying air and fresh air - has flap, which can be operated externally, to choke drying and/or fresh air |
WO2001010284A1 (en) * | 1999-08-05 | 2001-02-15 | Electrolux Zanussi S.P.A. | Dishwashing machine, in particular for home use, having a functional loading door |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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WO2017052796A1 (en) * | 2015-09-22 | 2017-03-30 | Illinois Tool Works Inc. | In-door dishwasher condenser system |
WO2019037981A1 (en) | 2017-08-23 | 2019-02-28 | Arcelik Anonim Sirketi | A dishwasher with improved drying performance |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE602007009009D1 (en) | 2010-10-21 |
CN101164491B (en) | 2011-09-28 |
US20080087307A1 (en) | 2008-04-17 |
EP1913860A3 (en) | 2009-07-01 |
CN101164491A (en) | 2008-04-23 |
EP1913860B1 (en) | 2010-09-08 |
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