Dishwasher, method for controlling a dishwasher, computer program and data carrier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12178377-B2
Application number	US-202217812229-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2022
Priority date	Jul 15, 2021
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

A dishwasher has a tub with tub walls and with an outlet, water pipes, valves, a pump, a water inlet into the tub, a dosing module in the tub that has supply compartments for additives and cleaning agents for a cleaning process, wherein the dosing module is designed as a self-contained structural unit independent of the dishwasher and removable therefrom. A control unit is provided for the dishwasher, for the dosing module, for the pump and for the valves. The dosing module has a communication module for communication with the control unit, wherein a planar transmission device having a plurality of L-C-resonant circuits inductively coupled to one another and each with a transmitting coil and a transmitting capacitor is arranged along a tub wall of the tub for transmitting signals and power. The transmission device connects the control unit and the dosing module to one another to permit signal transmission.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Dishwasher having:
a tub with tub walls and with an outlet,
water pipes, valves and a pump,
at least one water inlet into said tub connected to said pump by means of said water pipes,
a dosing module in said tub containing additives and/or cleaning agents for adding to a cleaning process, wherein said dosing module has at least one supply compartment for an additive and/or a cleaning agent and has a dosing valve for release into said tub, wherein said dosing module is designed as a self-contained structural unit being independent of said dishwasher and is removable from said dishwasher,
a control unit for said dishwasher, for said dosing module, for said pump and for said valves,
wherein:
said dosing module has a communication module for communicating with said control unit,
a planar transmission device is arranged in a surface of said transmission device along a wall of said tub for transmission of signals and/or power,
said transmission device has a plurality of resonant circuits inductively coupled to one another and each said resonant circuit having a transmitting coil and a transmitting capacitor as an L-C resonant circuit, wherein said transmitting coils extend substantially within said surface of said transmission device,
said transmission device is arranged up to said communication module or up to a distance of less than 5 cm from said communication module and is connected to said communication module to permit signal transmission,
said transmission device is connected to said control unit to permit said signal transmission.

2. Dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein a signal-transmitting connection between said communication module of said dosing module and said transmission device is designed wireless, namely inductively, wherein said communication module has for said purpose a coil being inductively couplable to said transmission device.

3. Dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein said dosing module has its own power source, said power source being a primary or secondary battery.

4. Dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein a wireless power supply of said dosing module is provided by means of said transmission device.

5. Dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit is connected directly or galvanically to said transmission device to permit said signal transmission.

6. Dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit is connected wirelessly and inductively to said transmission device to permit said signal transmission via a control coil, said control coil being inductively coupled to said transmission device.

7. Dishwasher according to claim 6 , wherein said control unit is connected to an inverter, said converter being connected to said control coil, wherein said control unit controls said control coil via said inverter in a control mode for said signal transmission by means of said transmission device at said communication module of said dosing module.

8. Dishwasher according to claim 7 , wherein said inverter is designed to operate said pump in a pump mode based on control signals of said control unit and to supply said pump with power.

9. Dishwasher according to claim 7 , wherein said inverter, via said control coil and said transmission device, supplies said dosing module with power and controls said dosing module with control signals via its communication module.

10. Dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit is designed to control said valves in said dishwasher.

11. Dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit is the only control unit in said entire dishwasher.

12. Dishwasher according to claim 11 , wherein said control unit has a microcontroller which is the only microcontroller in said entire dishwasher.

13. Dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein a signal-transmitting connection to said control unit from outside said dishwasher is provided by means of a mobile terminal such as a tablet computer or a smartphone.

14. Dishwasher according to claim 13 , wherein said transmission device is also provided on said inner face of an outside of said dishwasher in order to provide an inductive coupling to said mobile terminal there for signal transmission to said control unit or to said dosing module.

15. Dishwasher according to claim 14 , wherein said transmission device is also provided on a door of said dishwasher.

16. Dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein said transmission device takes up at least one third of a floor surface of said tub as a tub wall.

17. Dishwasher according to claim 16 , wherein said transmission device takes up at least two thirds of said floor surface.

18. Dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein said transmission device and said control unit are designed to detect a location at which said dosing module is arranged in said tub.

19. Dishwasher according to claim 18 , wherein said at least one water outlet is controllable by said control unit such that water is conveyed substantially or exclusively to a location at which said dosing module is arranged.

20. Dishwasher according to claim 19 , wherein said at least one water outlet is a nozzle adjustable in its direction or has a nozzle adjustable in its direction.

21. Method for controlling a dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein said control unit controls said dosing module by means of its communication module via said transmission device in order to release a certain additive and/or cleaning agent.

22. Computer program designed to perform the method according to claim 21 at said control unit of said dishwasher having:
a tub with tub walls and with an outlet,
water pipes, valves and a pump,
at least one water inlet into said tub connected to said pump by means of said water pipes,
a dosing module in said tub containing additives and/or cleaning agents for adding to a cleaning process, wherein said dosing module has at least one supply compartment for an additive and/or a cleaning agent and has a dosing valve for release into said tub, wherein said dosing module is designed as a self-contained structural unit being independent of said dishwasher and is removable from said dishwasher,
a control unit for said dishwasher, for said dosing module, for said pump and for said valves,
wherein:
said dosing module has a communication module for communicating with said control unit,
a planar transmission device is arranged in a surface of said transmission device along a wall of said tub for transmission of signals and/or power,
said transmission device has a plurality of resonant circuits inductively coupled to one another and each said resonant circuit having a transmitting coil and a transmitting capacitor as an L-C resonant circuit, wherein said transmitting coils extend substantially within said surface of said transmission device,
said transmission device is arranged up to said communication module or up to a distance of less than 5 cm from said communication module and is connected to said communication module to permit signal transmission,
said transmission device is connected to said control unit to permit said signal transmission.

23. Data carrier, on which a computer program according to claim 22 is stored.

Assignees

• Ego Elektro Geraetebau Gmbh

Inventors

• Schaumann Uwe
• Thimm Wolfgang

Classifications

• H02J13/12

  Monitoring network conditions, e.g. electrical magnitudes or operational status · CPC title

• H02J13/1335

  involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi®, ZigBee® or Bluetooth® · CPC title

• A47L15/4274

  Arrangement of electrical components, e.g. control units or cables (A47L15/4293 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47L15/0063

  using remote monitoring or controlling of the dishwasher operation, e.g. networking systems · CPC title

• A47L15/449

  Metering controlling devices (A47L15/4229 takes precedence) · CPC title