Dishwasher

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023210340-A1
Application number	US-202218080285-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 13, 2022
Priority date	Dec 31, 2021
Publication date	Jul 6, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a dishwasher in which a single heater bracket is used to support and fix a heater in a heater housing, thereby reducing flow resistance against dry airflow flowing in the heater housing and minimizing the generation of noise, and in which the heater bracket, and a supporting leg supporting the heater housing with respect to a base are fastened to the heater housing at the same time by a single fastener, thereby simplifying the inner structure of the heater housing and minimizing costs incurred for assembling and manufacturing a dry air supply part.

First claim

1 . A dishwasher comprising:
a tub defining a wash space configured to accommodate a wash object, the wash space including a front surface that is open; a dry air supply part configured to generate dry airflow for drying the wash object and supply the dry airflow into the tub, the dry air supply part including:
a heater housing having an air passage configured to pass the dry airflow,
a heater disposed at the air passage, and configured to heat the dry airflow, and
a support leg coupled to the heater housing,
wherein a first penetration hole is defined at a bottom surface of the heater housing and configured to perform a drain function, and wherein the support leg is coupled to the heater housing through the first penetration hole.

2 . The dishwasher of claim 1 , wherein the dry air supply part further comprises:
a heater bracket disposed at the air passage and configured to support the heater and separate the heater from the bottom surface of the heater housing; wherein the heater bracket and the support leg are coupled to the heater housing through a fastener; and wherein the heater housing defines a fixation hole penetrated by the fastener.

3 . The dishwasher of claim 2 , wherein the support leg comprises:
a leg body coupled to the heater housing, and including a lower portion supported by a base and defining a through hole penetrated by the fastener; and a coupling projection disposed adjacent to the through hole, and protruding from the leg body towards a surface of the heater housing.

4 . The dishwasher of claim 3 , wherein the coupling projection comprises:
a pair of first coupling projections disposed apart from each other with the through hole therebetween, and protruding from an upper side surface of the leg body toward the bottom surface of the heater housing; and a second coupling projection disposed between the pair of first coupling projections and an outer side edge of the upper side surface of the leg body, and protruding from the upper side surface of the leg body toward the bottom surface of the heater housing, wherein the heater housing defines a pair of first coupling holes accommodating each of the pair of first coupling projections inserted thereinto, and wherein the first penetration hole defines a second coupling hole into which the second coupling projection is inserted.

5 . The dishwasher of claim 4 , wherein the first penetration hole further comprises a drain part disposed at the second coupling hole and configured to discharge wash water from the tub toward an outside of the dry air supply part.

6 . The dishwasher of claim 5 , wherein a cross section of the drain part is greater than a cross section of the second coupling hole.

7 . The dishwasher of claim 5 , wherein a lower portion of the drain part is at least partially blocked by the upper side surface of the leg body.

8 . The dishwasher of claim 5 , wherein the drain part is disposed at a position lower than a position of the heater with respect to an up-down direction.

9 . The dishwasher of claim 1 , wherein the dry air supply part further comprises:
a fan assembly disposed at an upstream side of the heater housing with respect to a flow direction of the dry airflow; and a housing connector having one side detachably coupled to the fan assembly and the other side coupled to the heater housing, wherein the housing connector includes,
a holding projection that protrudes toward the heater housing, and
a second penetration hole defined at the bottom surface of the heater housing and coupled to the holding projection, the second penetration hole configured to perform a drain function.

10 . The dishwasher of claim 9 , wherein the second penetration hole is configured, based on being coupled with the holding projection, to be at least partially open.

11 . The dishwasher of claim 9 , wherein the housing connector comprises;
a connector main body including an inlet configured to receive dry airflow discharged from the fan assembly, the inlet disposed at a front end portion thereof; and a connection tab protruding toward the fan assembly from the front end portion, and being coupled with the fan assembly, wherein a front end of the heater housing is coupled to a rear end portion of the connector main body, the rear end portion of the connector main body disposed at a downstream side of the front end portion and at least partially open, and wherein the holding projection protrudes from the rear end portion of the connector main body toward the second penetration hole.

12 . The dishwasher of claim 11 , wherein the second penetration hole is defined at a position lower than a position of an inner lower surface of the connector main body with respect to an up-down direction.

13 . The dishwasher of claim 11 , wherein the bottom surface of the heater housing comprises an inclined surface having an upward inclination angle at which an up-down height increases along the flow direction from the open front end of the heater housing, and the second penetration hole is defined at the inclined surface.

14 . The dishwasher of claim 1 , wherein the dry air supply part further comprises:
a connection duct part configured to guide the dry airflow from the heater housing to the tub, wherein the heater housing includes an outlet configured to discharge the dry airflow, and an expansion surface extending around the outlet along a horizontal direction, and wherien a lower end of the connection duct part is configured to be in fluid communication with the outlet, based on being in contact with the expansion surface.

15 . The dishwasher of claim 14 , wherein a flange surface is disposed at the lower end of the connection duct part and expands in the horizontal direction, in parallel with the expansion surface while being in contact with the expansion surface.

16 . The dishwasher of claim 15 , wherein the expansion surface is configured, based on the connection duct part or the heater housing moving toward each other in the horizontal direction, to be coupled to the flange surface.

17 . The dishwasher of claim 16 , wherein the flange surface comprises:
a guide wall extending along an outer end portion thereof; and at least one guide projection protruding from the guide wall toward a lower portion of the expansion surface and disposed at the outer end portion of the flange surface.

18 . The dishwasher of claim 1 , wherein the dry air supply part further comprises:
a fan assembly disposed at an upstream side of the heater housing with respect to a flow direction of the dry airflow, and accommodating an air blowing fan configured to generate the dry airflow; and a housing connector having one side coupled to the fan assembly, and the other side coupled to the heater housing, wherein the housing connector comprises:
a fastening boss protruding and coupled to the fan assembly, and
a main body holding rib protruding and extending in a direction across a flow direction of the dry airflow, and
wherein an upper end of the fastening boss and an upper end of the main body holding rib are disposed at a same surface.

19 . The dishwasher of claim 18 , wherein the housing connector comprises:
a connector main body including an inlet configured to receive dry airflow discharged from the fan assembly, the inlet disposed at a front end portion thereof and having a box shape; and a connection tab protruding from the front end portion toward the fan assembly covering an upper surface of the fan assembly and having a plate shap

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Jongyoung
• Lee Dongho

Classifications

• A47L15/4223

  Devices for water discharge, e.g. devices to prevent siphoning, non-return valves · CPC title

• F24H3/022

  using electric energy supply · CPC title

• A47L15/486 Primary

  Blower arrangements · CPC title

• A47L15/4287

  Temperature measuring or regulating arrangements · CPC title

• A47L15/48

  Drying arrangements · CPC title