A steam generator and a control method thereof are disclosed. The control method includes supplying water to a first chamber (C1), turning a heater (83) on, wherein power is supplied to the heater (83) to heat the heater (83) at a third temperature so as to generate steam, preventing overheating, wherein power supplied to the heater is cut at a first temperature so as to prevent overheating of the heater, and determining scale, wherein power supplied to the heater (83) is cut at a second temperature lower than the first temperature and then is resupplied after a predetermined time so as to prevent malfunction of the overheating prevention, wherein, when a time interval for the temperature of the heater to rise from the third temperature to the first temperature is within a predetermined time, determining scale is not performed.

A pump (8) is disclosed. The pump (8) includes a partition wall (84) configured to divide the interior of a body into two spaces, a first chamber (C1) located under the partition wall (84), the first chamber (C1) having an introduction portion (841), through which water is introduced, a second chamber (C2) located above the partition wall (84), the second chamber (C2) having a discharge portion (849), through which water is discharged, a communication hole (86) formed through the partition wall (84) to allow the first chamber (C1) and the second chamber (C2) to communicate with each other therethrough, an impeller (85) provided in the second chamber (C2) to move water to the discharge portion (849), a housing configured to define the bottom surface of the first chamber (C1), the housing being made of a conductor, a heater (H) configured to heat the housing (81), and a steam discharge (843) port formed through the first chamber (C1) to allow steam to be discharged therethrough.

A pump sends washing water and generates steam in order to wash the dishes or the cooking utensils, and a dishwasher including the same. The pump includes a housing, an impeller disposed inside the housing and configured to flow washing water, and a heater coupled to a lower side of the housing and configured to generate steam by heating the washing water in the housing. The housing includes a pump lower portion configured to receive the washing water based on rotation of the impeller, and a pump upper portion configured to discharge the washing water based on rotation of the impeller and to discharge the steam generated by the heater.

A pump (8) is disclosed. The pump (8) includes a partition wall (84) configured to divide the interior of a body into two spaces, a first chamber (C1) located under the partition wall (84), the first chamber (C1) having an introduction portion (841), through which water is introduced, a second chamber (C2) located above the partition wall (84), the second chamber (C2) having a discharge portion (849), through which water is discharged, a communication hole (86) formed through the partition wall (84) to allow the first chamber (C1) and the second chamber (C2) to communicate with each other therethrough, an impeller (85) provided in the second chamber (C2) to move water to the discharge portion (849), a housing configured to define the bottom surface of the first chamber (C1), the housing being made of a conductor, a heater (H) configured to heat the housing (81), and a steam discharge (843) port formed through the first chamber (C1) to allow steam to be discharged therethrough.

The present disclosure relates to a pump for transmitting washing water and generating steam and a dishwasher including the pump. The pump includes a housing; a washing water inlet pipe coupled to the housing to receive washing water; a washing water outlet pipe coupled to the housing to discharge the washing water; an impeller disposed in the housing to discharge the washing water from the washing water inlet pipe to the washing water outlet pipe; a heater coupled to the housing to heat the washing water in the housing and generate steam; a steam discharge pipe to discharge the steam generated by the heater; and a selector valve coupled to the steam discharge pipe to block the discharge of the washing water and allow the steam to be discharged, thereby preventing the discharge of washing water through the steam discharge pipe.

A pump includes a housing, a water inlet pipe coupled to the housing and configured to receive washing water, a water outlet pipe coupled to the housing and configured to discharge washing water, an impeller located in the housing and configured to cause washing water to be transferred from the water inlet pipe to the water outlet pipe, a heater that is coupled to the housing, that is configured to heat washing water in the housing, and that is configured to generate steam based on heating washing water, and a steam discharge pipe coupled to the water outlet pipe and configured to discharge steam generated by the heater.

Disclosed is a control method of a dishwasher (100) including a tub (2) for receiving objects to be washed, a plurality of spray arms (711, 713, 715) for spraying wash water to the objects, and a steam nozzle (42) for spraying steam to the objects, the control method including a main washing cycle of washing the objects, a rinsing cycle of rinsing the washed objects using wash water, and a drying cycle of drying the objects after the rinsing is completed, wherein the drying cycle includes spraying steam, received from a steam source, to the objects to increase a temperature of the objects (a steam spraying step) and resupplying water to the steam source in order to prevent the steam source from being heated after the steam spraying step (a cooling step).

A dishwasher includes a tub, a spray arm, a sump, a pump body including a partition that partitions the pump body into a first chamber and a second chamber, a communication hole defined in the partition, a pump channel that connects the sump to the first chamber, an arm channel that connects the spray arm to an interior of the second chamber, an impeller located in the second chamber and configured to rotate to supply water to the arm channel, a heating unit configured to heat water stored in the first chamber, a steam channel that connects the first chamber to the tub, and a channel controller configured to, based on rotation of the impeller, supply water that passes through at least one of the sump, the pump channel, the second chamber, or the arm channel to the steam channel to close the steam channel.

A dishwasher includes a tub, a spray arm, a sump, a pump body, the pump body including a partition between first and second chambers, a communication hole in the partition that communicates with the first and second chambers, a pump flow path that connects the sump to the first chamber, an arm flow path that connects the spray arm to the second chamber, an impeller in the second chamber, a heating unit to heat water in the first chamber, a steam flow path that connects the first chamber to the tub, a connection flow path that connects the steam flow path to the arm flow path, and a flow path valve configured to close the steam flow path based on water being supplied to the connection flow path, and to open the steam flow path based on a lack of water being supplied to the connection flow path.

A dishwasher (100) is disclosed. The dishwasher (100) includes a cabinet (1) having an opening (11), a tub (2) provided in the cabinet (1) for receiving objects to be washed, a spray arm (711, 713) for spraying wash water to the objects, a sump (3) for storing wash water, a pump (8) for supplying the wash water stored in the sump (3) to the spray arm (711, 713), a door (13) for opening and closing the opening (11), a first steam nozzle (42) provided in the tub (2), a docking unit (62) provided at the door (13) and connected to the first steam nozzle (42) for supplying steam to the first steam nozzle (42), and a docking connector (64) provided at the tub (2) and is connected to a steam source for supplying steam to the docking unit (62), wherein, when the door (13) is opened, the docking unit (62) is disconnected from the docking connector (64), and, when the door (139 is closed, the docking unit (62) is connected to the docking connector (64) to define a closed path along which steam flows.