Dishwasher

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9795273-B2
Application number	US-201414149933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2014
Priority date	Feb 4, 2013
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A dishwasher is provided that may include a tub; first and second racks disposed in the tub to accommodate objects to be washed; a lower arm having a lower arm chamber that allows wash water to flow thereinto, an arm channel that communicates with the lower arm chamber through an arm channel communication hole to spray the wash water onto the second rack, a detachable chamber separated from the lower arm chamber by a chamber partition wall, and a chamber communication hole provided in the chamber partition wall to allow the lower arm chamber to communicate with the detachable part chamber; a tower nozzle provided to the second rack to spray the wash water onto the first rack; and a tower connection part withdrawable from the detachable chamber according to water pressure in the detachable chamber and adapted to supply the wash water to the tower nozzle when withdrawn from the detachable chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dishwasher, comprising:
a tub that provides a washing space;
a first rack positioned in the tub and a second rack positioned under the first rack, the first and second racks being configured to accommodate therein objects to be washed;
a lower arm provided with a lower arm chamber that allows wash water to flow thereinto, an arm channel that communicates with the lower arm chamber through an arm channel communication hole and sprays the wash water onto the second rack, a detachable pipe chamber separated from the lower arm chamber by a chamber partition wall, and a chamber communication hole provided in the chamber partition wall to allow the lower arm chamber to communicate with the detachable pipe chamber;
a tower nozzle provided to or on the second rack to spray the wash water onto the first rack; and
a tower detachable pipe provided with a detachable pipe body having an open upper surface and an open lower surface and withdrawable from the detachable pipe chamber according to a water pressure in the detachable pipe chamber a detachable pipe flange that protrudes from an outer surface of the open lower surface, and a guider support fixed to an interior of the detachable pipe body;
a channel switching part provided with a switching part body that reciprocates in the lower arm chamber according to the water pressure in the lower arm chamber to alternately open the chamber communication hole and the arm channel communication hole; and
a detachable pipe guider provided to or on the switching part body to move the tower detachable pipe toward the tower nozzle by passing through the chamber partition wall,
wherein the detachable pipe guider contacts the guider support to allow the detachable pipe body to connect to or detach from the tower nozzle according to the water pressure.

2. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a switching part guider that extends from a lower portion of the switching part body to allow the switching part body to remain balanced in the lower arm chamber, wherein the channel switching part comprises:
at least one gear provided to or on the switching part body to rotate the switching part body according to the water pressure in the lower arm chamber;
at least one arm channel opening hole provided in the switching part body, the at least one arm channel opening hole being opened or closed according to a rotational angle of the switching part body; and
at least one chamber opening hole provided in the switching part body, the at least one chamber opening hole being opened or closed according to the rotational angle of the switching part body.

3. The dishwasher according to claim 2 , wherein the lower arm chamber comprises:
an inflow hole that allows the wash water to flow thereinto;
a lower gear engagement part arranged to surround the inflow hole and to be coupled to a lower gear of the at least one gear; and
an upper gear engagement part positioned over the lower gear engagement part and arranged to be coupled to an upper gear of the at least one gear.

4. The dishwasher according to claim 3 , wherein the lower gear rotates the switching part body by being coupled to the lower gear engagement part such that one of the at least one chamber opening hole or the at least one arm channel opening hole is opened thereby opening one of the chamber communication hole or the arm channel communication hole, and the upper gear rotates the switching part body by being coupled to the upper gear engagement part such that the other one of the at least one chamber opening hole or the at least one arm channel opening hole is opened thereby opening the other one of the chamber communication hole or the arm channel communication hole.

5. The dishwasher according to claim 4 , wherein the switching part guider extends from a lower portion of the switching part body toward the inflow hole.

6. The dishwasher according to claim 5 , wherein the switching part guider has a length sufficient to allow the switching part guider to remain inserted into the inflow hole even when the upper gear is coupled to the upper gear engagement part.

7. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rack fixing body provided to or on the second rack to fix the tower nozzle;
a fixing body through hole that penetrates the rack fixing body;
a detachable pipe coupling part disposed in the fixing body through hole and coupled to the tower detachable pipe when the tower detachable pipe is withdrawn from the lower arm; and
an elastic support that connects the tower nozzle to the detachable pipe coupling part and supports the detachable pipe coupling part such that the detachable pipe coupling part is movable in the fixing body through hole.

8. The dishwasher according to claim 7 , wherein the rack fixing body comprises a flange seating groove concavely curved toward the fixing body through hole, and wherein the detachable pipe coupling part comprises:
a coupling part body fixed to the elastic support and inserted into the fixing body through hole, the coupling part body having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the fixing body through hole;
a detachable pipe accommodation hole that penetrates the coupling part body and adapted to accommodate an outer circumferential surface of the tower detachable pipe; and
a coupling part flange formed along an outer circumferential surface of the coupling part body and supported by the flange seating groove.

9. The dishwasher according to claim 8 , wherein the detachable pipe coupling part comprises an inclined surface provided on the coupling part body to guide the outer circumferential surface of the tower detachable pipe into the detachable pipe accommodation hole.

10. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein the tower nozzle comprises:
a spray nozzle; and
a tower channel that guides wash water to the spray nozzle.

11. The dishwasher according to claim 10 , wherein the tower channel is in the form of a cylinder having upper and lower ends open.

12. The dishwasher according to claim 11 , wherein a diameter of the tower channel decreases as it extends in an upward direction.

13. The dishwasher according to claim 10 , wherein the spray nozzle is rotatable and comprises a plurality of spray holes arranged on an upper surface of the spray nozzle, such that the spray nozzle rotates due to a repulsive force of wash water discharged through the plurality of spray holes.

14. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein the lower arm comprises an upper frame and a lower frame that form the arm channel.

15. The dishwasher according to claim 14 , wherein the lower arm further comprises at least one spray hole disposed in a surface of the upper frame.

16. The dishwasher according to claim 15 , wherein the lower arm further comprises at least one spray hole disposed in a surface of the lower frame.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Pyo Joonho

Classifications

• A47L15/23

  moved by means of the sprays · CPC title

• A47L15/428 Primary

  Rotary nozzles · CPC title

• A47L15/4223

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

• A47L15/14 Primary

  with stationary crockery baskets and spraying devices within the cleaning chamber {(for drinking glasses A47L15/0065)} · CPC title

• A47L15/46

  Devices for the automatic control of the different phases of cleaning {; Controlling devices (A47L15/449 takes precedence)} · CPC title