Domestic dishwasher

Abstract

A household dishwasher includes a washing container receiving a dishwasher load, a pump pot, and a spray arm for applying washing liquor and/or fresh water to the dishwasher load in the washing container. The spray arm is actively driven by a drive system and mounted on the pump pot for rotation about an axis of rotation. The spray arm has a rib geometry that revolves around the axis of rotation and includes an encoding groove running along the axis of rotation. The pump pot includes an encoding rib running along the axis of rotation and corresponding to the encoding groove. The encoding rib is configured for passage through the encoding groove along the axis of rotation during assembly and disassembly of the spray arm so as to enable the spray arm to be assembled on and disassembled from the pump pot in precisely one angular position.

Claims

1. A household dishwasher, comprising: a washing container for receiving a dishwasher load; a pump pot; a spray arm for applying washing liquor and/or fresh water to the dishwasher load in the washing container, said spray arm being mounted on the pump pot for rotation about an axis of rotation, said spray arm comprising a rib geometry around the axis of rotation and having an encoding groove running along the axis of rotation; and a drive system for actively driving the spray arm, wherein the pump pot comprises an encoding rib running along the axis of rotation and corresponding to the encoding groove, said encoding rib configured for passage through the encoding groove along the axis of rotation during assembly and disassembly of the spray arm so as to enable the spray arm to be assembled on and disassembled from the pump pot in precisely one angular position.

2. The household dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the pump pot comprises a tubular pump pot dome on which the spray arm is mounted for rotation about the axis of rotation, said encoding rib being provided on an inner side of the pump pot dome.

3. The household dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the drive system comprises a drive element having a drive shaft mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation.

4. The household dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the drive element comprises a sensor system for detecting an angular position of the drive shaft.

5. The household dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the spray arm comprises a cross-arm which is rotatably mounted on the pump pot and is actively driven by the drive system, and a spray arm satellite which is rotatably mounted on the cross-arm.

6. The household dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the axis of rotation of the spray arm and the axis of rotation of the drive shaft are arranged parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another.

7. The household dishwasher of claim 6, further comprising a gear bridging a distance between the axis of rotation of the spray arm and the axis of rotation of the drive shaft.

8. The household dishwasher of claim 7, wherein the drive shaft comprises an engagement section configured to engage in a corresponding counter-engagement section of a gear wheel of the gear in a form-fitting manner so as to enable assembly of the gear wheel on the drive shaft in precisely one angular position.

9. The household dishwasher of claim 7, wherein the gear comprises a plurality of gear wheels, one of the plurality of gear wheels being assembled on the drive shaft and another one of the plurality of gear wheels engaging in a spray-arm toothing of the spray arm in a form-fitting manner.

10. The household dishwasher of claim 9, wherein, viewed along the axis of rotation of the spray arm, the rib geometry is arranged spaced apart from the spray-arm toothing.

11. A controlled spray arm for a household dishwasher having a washing container and a pump pot, comprising: a spray arm for applying washing liquor and/or fresh water to a dishwasher load in the washing container, said spray arm being mounted on the pump pot for rotation about an axis of rotation, said spray arm comprising a rib geometry around the axis of rotation and having an encoding groove running along the axis of rotation; and a drive system for actively driving the spray arm, wherein the pump pot comprises an encoding rib running along the axis of rotation and corresponding to the encoding groove, said encoding rib configured for passage through the encoding groove along the axis of rotation during assembly and disassembly of the spray arm so as to enable the spray arm to be assembled on and disassembled from the pump pot in precisely one angular position.

12. The controlled spray arm of claim 11, wherein the pump pot comprises a tubular pump pot dome on which the spray arm is mounted for rotation about the axis of rotation, said encoding rib being provided on an inner side of the pump pot dome.

13. The controlled spray arm of claim 11, wherein the drive system comprises a drive element having a drive shaft mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation.

14. The controlled spray arm of claim 13, wherein the drive element comprises a sensor system for detecting an angular position of the drive shaft.

15. The controlled spray arm of claim 13, wherein the spray arm comprises a cross-arm which is rotatably mounted on the pump pot and is actively driven by the drive system, and a spray arm satellite which is rotatably mounted on the cross-arm.

16. The controlled spray arm of claim 13, wherein the axis of rotation of the spray arm and the axis of rotation of the drive shaft are arranged parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another.

17. The controlled spray arm of claim 16, further comprising a gear bridging a distance between the axis of rotation of the spray arm and the axis of rotation of the drive shaft.

18. The controlled spray arm of claim 17, wherein the drive shaft comprises an engagement section configured to engage in a corresponding counter-engagement section of a gear wheel of the gear in a form-fitting manner so as to enable assembly of the gear wheel on the drive shaft in precisely one angular position.

19. The controlled spray arm of claim 17, wherein the gear comprises a plurality of gear wheels, one of the plurality of gear wheels being assembled on the drive shaft and another one of the plurality of gear wheels engaging in a spray-arm toothing of the spray arm in a form-fitting manner.

20. The controlled spray arm of claim 19, wherein, viewed along the axis of rotation of the spray arm, the rib geometry is arranged spaced apart from the spray-arm toothing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantageous embodiments and aspects of the household dishwasher are the subject matter of the subclaims and the exemplary embodiments of the household dishwasher described below. In addition, the household dishwasher is described in more detail with reference to preferred embodiments and with reference to the attached figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a household dishwasher;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a controlled spray arm or spray system or apparatus for the household dishwasher according to FIG. 1; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a further schematic sectional view of the spray apparatus according to the line of intersection III-III in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

(5) Unless specified otherwise, in the figures, the same elements or elements having similar functions are given the same reference characters.

(6) FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a household dishwasher 1. The household dishwasher 1 comprises a washing container 2, which can be closed by a door 3, in particular in a watertight manner. For this purpose, a sealing system can be provided between the door 3 and the washing container 2. The washing container 2 is preferably cuboidal. The washing container 2 can be arranged in a housing of the household dishwasher 1. The washing container 2 and the door 3 can form a washing chamber 4 for washing dishwasher loads.

(7) In FIG. 1, the door 3 is depicted in its open position. The door 3 can be closed or opened by pivoting about a pivot axis 5 provided at a lower end of the door 3. The door 3 can be used to close or open a loading opening 6 of the washing container 2. The washing container 2 has a floor 7, a top 8 arranged opposite the floor 7, a rear wall 8 arranged opposite the closed door 3 and two side walls 10, 11 arranged opposite one another. The floor 7, the top 8, the rear wall 9 and the side walls 10, 11 can, for example, be made of a stainless steel sheet. Alternatively, the floor 7 can, for example, be made of a plastic material.

(8) The household dishwasher 1 furthermore has at least one dishwasher load receptacle 12 to 14. Preferably, a plurality of, for example three, dishwasher load receptacles 12 to 14 can be provided, wherein the dishwasher load receptacle 12 can be a lower dishwasher load receptacle or a lower basket, the dishwasher load receptacle 13 can be an upper dishwasher load receptacle or an upper basket and the dishwasher load receptacle 14 can be a cutlery drawer. As FIG. 1 furthermore shows, the dishwasher load receptacles 12 to 14 are arranged one above the other in the washing container 2. Each dishwasher load receptacle 12 to 14 can be optionally moved into or out of the washing container 2. In particular each dishwasher load receptacle 12 to 14 can be pushed or moved into the washing container 2 in an insertion direction E and can be pulled out or moved out of the washing container against the insertion direction E in a pull-out direction.

(9) FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a controlled spray arm or spray system or apparatus 15 for the household dishwasher 1. FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the controlled spray arm 15 according to the line of intersection III-III in FIG. 2. The following refers to FIGS. 2 and 3 simultaneously.

(10) The controlled spray arm 15 is arranged within the washing container 2. In particular, the controlled spray arm 15 is positioned beneath the dishwasher load receptacle 12. The controlled spray arm 15 can be positioned on the floor 7. The controlled spray arm 15 comprises a spray arm 16 for applying washing liquor and/or fresh water F to the dishwasher load (not shown) received in the washing container. The spray arm 16 comprises a cross-arm 17, which is actively driven, and a spray arm satellite 18 rotatably mounted on the cross-arm 17. The spray arm satellite 18 can have a plurality of arms. For example, the spray arm satellite 18 can have three arms arranged offset to one another by an angle of 120°. The cross-arm 17 can have spray nozzles (not shown).

(11) The spray arm satellite 18 is not actively driven. This means that the spray arm satellite 18 does not have its own drive system. In particular, the spray arm satellite 18 is reactively driven with the aid of the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F. In the present case, “reactively driven” should be understood to mean that the spray arm satellite 18 has a plurality of spray nozzles (not shown) through which the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F can emerge from the spray arm satellite 18 and sets this into rotation.

(12) On the other hand, in contrast to the spray arm satellite 18, the cross arm 17 is actively driven. However, alternatively, the cross-arm 17 can also be reactively driven. The cross-arm 17 comprises a first arm 19 on which the spray arm satellite 18 is rotatably mounted and a second arm 20. The arms 19, 20 can have spray nozzles (not shown). Preferably, two such arms 19, 20 are provided. The number of arms 19, 20 is arbitrary. It is also possible for precisely one arm 19, 20 or more than two arms 19, 20 to be provided.

(13) Both the spray arm satellite 18 and the cross-arm 17 are embodied as hollow so that the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F can flow through the cross-arm 17 and the spray arm satellite 18. The arms 19, 20 of the cross-arm 17 are connected to a venturi tube or bearing tube 21. The bearing tube 21 is a venturi tube or can be referred to as a venturi tube. The bearing tube 21 can also be referred to as a bearing part. The bearing tube 21 is suitable for supplying the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F to the arms 19, 20. The bearing tube 21 can be embodied as conical. Spray-arm toothing 22 with a multiplicity of teeth is provided on the outer side of the bearing tube 21. The arms 19, 20 are, for example, made of polypropylene (PP), in particular glass-fiber reinforced polypropylene. On the other hand, the bearing tube 21 can be made of polyoxymethylene (POM). Accordingly, the bearing tube 21 can also be referred to as a POM bearing tube or POM bearing part. This means that the bearing tube 21 and the arms 19, 20 can be made of different plastic materials. For example, the arms 19, 20 and the bearing tube 21 can be firmly connected to one another in a plastic injection molding process with the aid of the encapsulation of the different plastic materials.

(14) The arms 19, 20 can be embodied in one piece, in particular in one piece of material. Herein, in the present case, “in one piece” means that the arms 19, 20 form a common component and are not composed of different components. In the present case, “in one piece of material” means that the arms 19, 20 are made of the same material throughout. Accordingly, the bearing tube 21 and the spray-arm toothing 22 can also be embodied in one piece, in particular in one piece of material.

(15) The bearing tube 21 comprises on the inner side a cone-shaped or tapered cavity 23, through which the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F can flow into cavities 24, 25 of the arms 19, 20. An axis of rotation 26 is assigned to the spray arm 16, in particular the cross-arm 17, about which axis the spray arm 16, in particular the cross-arm 17, can be rotated. A rib geometry 27 that revolves around the axis of rotation 26 is provided on the spray arm 16, in particular on the cross-arm 17. The rib geometry 27 is in particular provided on the bearing tube 21. The rib geometry 27 is embodied in one piece, in particular in one piece of material, with the bearing tube 21. Herein, the rib geometry 27 revolves around the axis of rotation 26 in the shape of a disk. Herein, the rib geometry 27 is arranged between the spray-arm toothing 22 and the arms 19, 20.

(16) As FIG. 2 shows, viewed along the axis of rotation 26, the rib geometry 27 is positioned spaced apart from the spray-arm toothing 22. The rib geometry 27 comprises an encoding groove 28 running along the axis of rotation 26, the function of which will be explained below. The encoding groove 28 constitutes an interruption of the rib geometry 27 running along the axis of rotation 26. This means that the rib geometry 27 runs completely around the bearing tube 21 as far as the encoding groove 28.

(17) The controlled spray arm 15 furthermore comprises a pump pot 29. The pump pot 29 is preferably a plastic injection-molded component. The pump pot 29 has a disk-shaped base section 30. In the orientation at the top of FIG. 2, a tube-shaped pump pot dome 31 extends out of the base section 30. The pump pot dome 31 extends in the direction of the top 8. The bearing tube 21 is received and rotatably mounted in the pump pot dome 31. However, the way in which the bearing tube 21 is mounted in the pump pot dome 31 is not depicted in FIG. 2.

(18) The pump pot dome 31 comprises a radial aperture 32. Herein, “radial” should be understood to mean with reference to a radial direction R of the pump pot dome 31. The radial direction R is oriented away from and perpendicular to the axis of rotation 26. Hence, the aperture 32 passes through the pump pot dome 31 in the radial direction R. Through the aperture 32, it is possible to engage in the spray-arm toothing 22 in a form-fitting manner, as will be explained below. The aperture 32 can be rectangular.

(19) The pump pot dome 31 furthermore comprises an encoding rib 33 corresponding to the encoding groove 28. The encoding rib 33 extends on the inner side out of the tubular pump pot dome 31 in the direction of the bearing tube 21 without making contact therewith. The encoding rib 33 runs along the axis of rotation 26. Herein, the encoding rib 33 can be guided through the encoding groove 28 along the axis of rotation 26 during the assembly and disassembly of the spray arm 16, in particular the cross-arm 17, so that the spray arm 16, in particular the cross-arm 17, can only be assembled and disassembled again from the pump pot 29 in precisely one angular position. The encoding rib 33 can have a rectangular or triangular geometry. However, the geometry of the encoding rib 33 can also be based on or be very similar to the involute shape of the spray-arm toothing 22. The encoding groove 28 is then embodied in a corresponding manner.

(20) The controlled spray arm 15 furthermore comprises a drive system 34 for actively driving the spray arm 16. The drive system 34 comprises a drive element 35, in particular an electric motor, with a drive shaft 36, which rotates about an axis of rotation 37 when the drive system 34 is in operation. Hence, in the present case, “actively driven” means that the spray arm 16 is set into rotation with the aid of the drive element 35 and not, for example, with the aid of spray nozzles. The axis of rotation 37 of the drive shaft 36 and the axis of rotation 26 of the spray arm 16 are arranged parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another by a distance a.

(21) The drive element 35 comprises a sensor system 38 with the aid of which an angular position of the drive shaft 36 can be detected. The sensor system 38 can, for example, comprise a fork light barrier and a perforated disk or a cam disk and a switching contact or a Hall sensor. However, the type of embodiment of the sensor system 38 is arbitrary. Any type of sensor with the aid of which the angular position of the drive shaft 36 can be detected is suitable for the sensor system 38.

(22) The drive shaft 36 is guided through a drill hole 39 in the base section 30 of the pump pot 29. The drive shaft 36 is sealed in a fluid-tight manner from a cylindrical receiving section 41 of the pump pot 29 with the aid of a sealing element 40, in particular with the aid of a shaft sealing ring.

(23) The drive system 34 furthermore comprises a gear 42 for transmitting torque from the drive shaft 36 to the spray arm 16, in particular to the spray-arm toothing 22 of the cross-arm 17. The gear 42 can also be referred to as a gear box, gear module or gear unit. The gear 42 can comprise straight-toothed or helical-toothed gear wheels 43 to 45, a bevel gear, a belt drive or a chain drive. The gear wheels 43 to 45 bridge the distance a between the drive shaft 36, in particular the axis of rotation 37, and the spray arm 16, in particular the axis of rotation 26. The number of gear wheels 43 to 45 is basically arbitrary.

(24) The gear 42 comprises a gear housing 46 in which the gear wheels 43 to 45 are rotatably mounted. For example, a first gear wheel 43 is rotatably mounted about the axis of rotation 37 in the gear housing 46, a second gear wheel 44 is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation 47 in the gear housing 46 and a third gear wheel 45 is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation 48 in the gear housing 46.

(25) The first gear wheel 43 is coupled to the drive shaft 36 in a rotationally fixed manner. For this purpose, the drive shaft 36 has an engagement section 49 in the form of a lateral flattened or milled area. The first gear wheel 43 has a counter-engagement section 50 corresponding to the engagement section 49. The engagement section 49 and the counter-engagement section 50 engage in one another in a form-fitting manner. A form-fitting connection is created by at least two connection partners engaging in or behind one another, in the present case the engagement section 49 and the counter-engagement section 50. However, the engagement section 49 and the counter-engagement section 50 can also be a splined shaft contour with a corresponding encoding tooth. The third gear wheel 45 is engaged with the spray-arm toothing 22, wherein the second gear wheel 44 is arranged between the gear wheels 43, 45. The axes of rotation 26, 37, 47, 48 are arranged parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another.

(26) When the controlled spray arm 15 is in operation, the spray arm satellite 18 rotates about an axis of rotation 51 on the cross-arm 17. The axes of rotation 26, 51 are arranged spaced apart from one another by a distance b. The axes of rotation 26, 51 are positioned parallel to one another. Furthermore, a filter system 52 under which the gear 42 is arranged is assigned to the pump pot 29. This means that the gear 42 is positioned between the base section 30 of the pump pot 29 and the filter system 52. This can prevent soiling of the gear 42. The filter system 52 can be in several parts and comprise a fine filter and a coarse filter.

(27) The functionality of the controlled spray arm 15 is explained below. When the household dishwasher 1 is in operation, the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F is conveyed with the aid of a circulating pump (not shown) and supplied to the spray arm 16. The washing liquor and/or the fresh water F is supplied to the spray arm satellite 18 via the cross-arm 17. The spray arm satellite is set into rotation around the axis of rotation 51 by the washing liquor and/or fresh water F emerging from spray nozzles (not shown). The spray arm 16 itself is set into rotation around the axis of rotation 26 with the aid of the drive system 34. Herein, the rotational speed of the cross-arm 17 can be set as desired. The rotational speed of the cross-arm 17 can also vary during a washing program. The cross-arm 17 can also remain in a preselected position so that the spray arm satellite 18 can realize an intensive washing zone which is exposed to the action of washing liquor and/or fresh water F without the cross-arm 17 rotating.

(28) If the spray arm 16 is now to be disassembled, for example for cleaning purposes, it can only be pulled out of the pump pot dome 31 in a withdrawal direction AR along the axis of rotation 26, if, as shown in FIG. 3, viewed along the axis of rotation 26, the encoding rib 33 is positioned precisely above the encoding groove 28. Herein, the angular position of the drive shaft 36 of the drive element 35 can be detected with the aid of the sensor system 38. This means that the position of the interlocking gear wheels 43 to 45 is likewise known.

(29) Conversely, the spray arm 16 can only be reassembled when the encoding groove 28 is located precisely above the encoding rib 33. Only then can the spray arm 16 be pushed in or inserted into the pump pot dome 31 in an insertion direction ER such that the spray-arm toothing 22 engages in the third gear wheel 45 in a form-fitting manner. For example, for assembly and disassembly purposes, the spray arm 16 can always be positioned at 6 o'clock. It is hence possible to determine the angle and control the position of the spray arm 16 via the sensor system 38 of the drive element 35.

(30) There is no need for additional sensors to detect the angular position of the spray arm 16, in particular the cross-arm 17. This eliminates the need for sensors in the wet region of the household dishwasher 1. For the user and assembler, clear assembly and disassembly is possible in only one position in each case. Hence, a poka-yoke solution can be achieved. Multistage toothing including transmission in the gear wheels 43 to 45 is also possible. The positioning is also possible via other types of torque transmission, for example with the aid of a V-belt or a toothed belt.

(31) Although, the present invention was described with reference to exemplary embodiments it may be modified in many ways.