Abstract
The present invention relates to a dishwasher, especially a domestic dishwasher, comprising a body, a washing chamber provided in the body wherein the washing is realized, at least one rack which is located in the washing chamber for loading dishes to be washed and at least one spray arm which rotates around itself and provides water into the washing chamber for washing the dishes. The dishwasher, especially the domestic dishwasher, comprises furthermore a checking mechanism which is configured to translate the sliding movement of the at least one rack into rotation of the at least one spray arm.
Claims
1.-15. (canceled)
16. A dishwasher, comprising: a body; a washing chamber provided in the body; a rack located in the washing chamber for loading dishes to be washed in the washing chamber; a spray arm which rotates around itself and provides water into the washing chamber for washing the dishes; and a checking mechanism configured to translate a sliding movement of the rack into rotation of the spray arm.
17. The dishwasher of claim 16, constructed in the form of a domestic dishwasher.
18. The dishwasher of claim 16, wherein the checking mechanism comprises a gear and a gear rack or linear gear for engagement with the gear.
19. The dishwasher of claim 18, wherein the rack is a lower rack, said gear rack being located on the lower rack.
20. The dishwasher of claim 18, wherein the spray arm is a lower spray arm, said gear being located on the lower spray arm and/or wherein the gear and the lower spray arm are manufactured in one piece.
21. The dishwasher of claim 18, wherein the gear and the gear rack are positioned in such a way as to be detached during a washing process.
22. The dishwasher of claim 18, wherein the rack is an upper rack, said gear rack being located on the upper rack.
23. The dishwasher of claim 22, wherein the spray arm is an upper spray arm directly mounted to the upper rack.
24. The dishwasher of claim 23, wherein the upper spray arm is clipped to the upper rack.
25. The dishwasher of claim 23, wherein the upper spray arm comprises a gear positioned in substantial center of the upper spray arm.
26. The dishwasher of claim 23, wherein the upper spray arm and the gear rack are manufactured in one piece.
27. The dishwasher of claim 16, wherein the rack is an upper rack, said checking mechanism comprising a holder which is attached to the upper rack by a support element.
28. The dishwasher of claim 27, wherein the holder comprises a first rod and a second rod, with the first rod being moved by a movement of the second rod.
29. The dishwasher of claim 28, wherein the first rod comprises a linear gear on an end thereof and/or wherein the holder comprises a spring configured to move the first rod.
30. The dishwasher of claim 28, wherein the second rod connects to the first rod by a joint.
31. The dishwasher of claim 27, wherein the holder is clipped to the upper rack.
32. The dishwasher of claim 16, further comprising an indicating element provided on one end of the spray arm.
33. The dishwasher of claim 32, wherein the indicating element is snap-fitted to the one end of the spray arm.
34. The dishwasher of claim 32, wherein the indicating element and the spray arm are manufactured in one piece.
35. The dishwasher of claim 32, wherein the indicating element is adhered to the one end of the spray arm.
Description
[0042] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a dishwasher nearly in its washing position;
[0043] FIG. 2 shows a front view of a dishwasher in an exemplary loading position;
[0044] FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the lower rack including the checking mechanism, according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0045] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the checking mechanism shown in the FIG. 3, according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0046] FIG. 5 shows a spray arm and a gear, according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0047] FIG. 6 shows a gear rack and connection means of the gear rack, according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0048] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of the lower rack and the checking mechanism, according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0049] FIG. 8 shows an overview of the loading position of the upper rack according to present invention;
[0050] FIG. 9 shows an overview of pushed in position of the upper rack according to present invention;
[0051] FIG. 10 shows a side view of the checking mechanism in a neutral position according to the present invention;
[0052] FIG. 11 shows a side view of the checking mechanism in an engaged position according to the present invention; and
[0053] FIG. 12 shows a view of the upper spray arm and the gear according to the present invention.
[0054] In this detailed description, the claimed dishwasher 1, especially the claimed domestic dishwasher, is explained with references to examples without forming any restrictive effect only in order to make the subject more understandable.
[0055] FIG. 1 shows the dishwasher 1, especially the domestic dishwasher, nearly in its washing position. The dishwasher comprises a body 2, a washing chamber 3 provided in the body 2 wherein the washing is realized, at least one rack, presently two racks, a lower rack 4.1 and an upper rack 4.2, which are located in the washing chamber 3 for loading dishes to be washed and at least one spray arm, presently two spray arms, a lower spray arm 5.1 and an upper spray arm 5.2, which rotates around itself and provides water into the washing chamber 3 for washing the dishes, The washing chamber has at its frontside a door 6 which is shown in an position. The user pulls the racks 4.1, 4.2 to load dirty dishes and dirty cutlery to be washed. The lower rack 4.1 is extracted a short distance for loading the dirty dishes.
[0056] FIG. 2 shows the dishwasher 1, especially the domestic dishwasher, in an exemplary loading position. The lower rack 4.1 is pulled out of the washing chamber 3 and rests on the door 6 of the dishwasher 1, whereas the upper rack 4.2 is slid into the washing chamber 3.
[0057] FIG. 2 also shows that one end 29 of the lower spray arm 5.1 has an indicating element 7. Such indicating element 7 informs the user about the rotation of the lower spray arm 5.1. If the indicating element 7 changes position after the user has moved the lower rack 4.1 into the washing chamber 3 into its washing position, then the user can tell that the lower spray arm 4.1 is free to turn without any blockages and that proper movement of the lower spray arm 4.1 will be provided during the washing process of the dishes and the cutlery.
[0058] FIG. 3 shows that the lower rack 4.1, and also the upper rack 4.2 (not shown; see FIGS. 1 and 2), is constituted by multiple wires 8 crossing each other. The lower rack 4.1 has a checking mechanism 9. The checking mechanism 9 comprises a gear 10 and a gear rack 11. The gear rack 11 is hung on the wires 8 of the lower rack 4.1, preferably by means of clipping or snap fitting. The gear 10 is manufactured preferably in one piece (arrow) with the lower spray arm 4.1.
[0059] As shown in the FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, the gear 10 has gear teeth 12 and the gear rack 11 has gear teeth 13 which engage by the sliding movement of the lower rack 4.1 into the washing chamber 3. By the engagement of the gear teeth 12 of the gear 10 and the gear rack teeth 13 of the gear rack 11, the lower spray arm 5.1 starts to turn. After the lower rack 4.1 has completed the sliding movement into the washing chamber 3 to the washing position, the engagement between the gear 10 and the gear rack 11 is finalized. During the washing process, the gear 10 and the gear rack 11 do not touch each other or engage to one another.
[0060] FIG. 6 shows that the gear rack 11 is linear. The gear rack 11 has gear rack teeth 13 and is hung to the wires 8 of the lower rack (not shown; see FIG. 3), preferably by means of clipping 14.
[0061] FIG. 7 shows the gear 10 and the gear rack 11 in an engaged position. The gear teeth 12 of the gear 10 and the gear track teeth 13 of the gear rack 11 engage to each other during the sliding movement of the lower rack 4.1. This move turns the gear 10 and therefore the lower spray arm 5.1. After the lower rack 4.1 is fully slid into its place, the gear 10 and the gear rack 11 do not have any contact.
[0062] During the washing process, the gear 10 and the gear rack 11 do no longer engage. The lower spray arm 5.1 moves freely during the washing process.
[0063] FIG. 8 shows the dishwasher 1 in its loading position. The upper rack 4.2 which is constituted by multiple wires 15 crossing each other, is pushed out of the dishwasher 1. The upper rack 4.2 has a checking mechanism 9. A holder 16 (see also FIG. 9) is hung on the wire 15 of the upper rack 4.2, preferably by means of clipping 14 by at least one support element 17 (see also FIG. 9). The holder 16 can easily be removed by the user if wanted. The holder 16 comprises a first rod 18 and a second rod 19. The rods 18, 19 are connected to each other by a joint 20 (see also FIG. 9). One end of the first rod 18 comprises a linear gear 22 which engages to a gear 21 on the upper spray arm 5.2. The linear gear 22 comprises linear gear teeth 24 which engage to the gear teeth 23 of the gear 21. During loading position of the upper rack 4.2, the end 30 of the second rod 19 does not touch to the back wall 25 of the dishwasher 1.
[0064] FIG. 9 shows the upper rack 4.2 sliding into the dishwasher 1. With the sliding movement, the second rod 19 touches to the back wall 25 of the dishwasher 1 (see FIG. 8). As the user further slides the upper rack 4.2 into the dishwasher 1, the second rod 19 pushes the first rod 18 further into the direction towards the upper spray arm 5.2. By this pushing motion, the linear gear 22 and the gear 21 on the upper spray arm 5.2 are engaged. The force of this engagement turns the gear 21 and therefore the gear 21 turns the upper spray arm 5.2. The user checks if the free movement of the upper spray arm 5.2 is provided by checking the change of color on the either end 29 of the upper spray arm 5.2 (see FIG. 8).
[0065] FIG. 10 shows the neural positon of the checking mechanism 9 as the spring 26 is not compressed when there is no sliding movement of the upper rack 4.2 into the dishwasher 1. In this position, the upper rack 4.2 is out of the dishwasher 1. The linear gear teeth 24 of the linear gear 22 and the gear teeth 23 of the gear 21 do not engage, as there is no force received from the first rod 18. The first rod 18 stays still inside the holder 16. A touching part 27 stabilizes the first rod 18. A touching part 27 also prevents the first rod 18 to move forward towards the opposite direction of the back wall 25 (see FIG. 8) so much so that the first rod 18 does not dislocate. On one end, which is in the opposite direction from the upper spray arm 5.2, the holder 16 comprises a protrusion 28 which engage to the touching part 27 to provide stabilization and balance for the first rod 18.
[0066] FIG. 11 shows the engaged position of the checking mechanism 9. As the user starts to push the upper rack 4.2 into the dishwasher 1, the second rod 19 touches the back wall 25 of the dishwasher 1. The second rod 19 which is connected to the first rod 18 by a joint 20 pushes the first rod 18 towards the opposite direction of the back wall 25. The spring 26 inside the holder 16 is compressed by the pushing force. The linear gear 22 on one end 30 of the first rod 18 is also moves to be in contact with the gear 21 which is located on the upper spray arm 5.2. The linear gear teeth 24 and the gear teeth 23 engage. By this engagement and the force on the gear 21, the upper spray arm 5.2 starts to turn. The upper spray arm 5.2 turns around itself. After the upper rack 4.2 is completely slid into its place in the dishwasher 1, the gear 21 and the linear gear 22 do not have any contact. The washing process runs without any blockages and interruptions.
[0067] FIG. 12 shows the spray arm 5.2 and the gear 21. The upper spray arm 5.2 and the gear 21 are preferably manufactured in one piece (arrow). The upper spray arm 5.2 is mounted to the upper rack 4.2. The gear 21 is attached to the substantial center of the upper spray arm 5.2. The gear 21 comprises gear teeth 23 which engage to the linear gear teeth 24 during the pushing movement of the upper rack 4.2 into the dishwasher 1 (see FIGS. 10 and 11). The gear 21 receives force to turn the upper spray arm 5.2. By this movement, the ends 29 of the upper spray arm 5.2 also turn and change position. The position change of the indicating element 7 or the color on either end 29 of the upper spray arm 5.2 informs the user of that there are no blockages for the upper spray arm 5.2 to turn freely. If there are blockages, the user can simply rearrange the dishes and/or cutlery.
REFERENCE LIST
[0068] 1 dishwasher; domestic dishwasher [0069] 2 body [0070] 3 washing chamber [0071] 4.1 lower rack [0072] 4.2 upper rack [0073] 5.1 lower spray arm [0074] 5.2 upper spray arm [0075] 6 door [0076] 7 indicating element [0077] 8 wire [0078] 9 checking mechanism [0079] 10 gear [0080] 11 gear rack [0081] 12 gear tooth [0082] 13 gear rack tooth [0083] 14 means of clipping [0084] 15 wire [0085] 16 holder [0086] 17 support element [0087] 18 first rod [0088] 19 second rod [0089] 20 joint [0090] 21 gear [0091] 22 linear gear [0092] 23 gear tooth [0093] 24 linear gear tooth [0094] 25 back wall [0095] 26 spring [0096] 27 touching part [0097] 28 protrusion [0098] 29 end of spray arm [0099] 30 end of spray arm
