DISHWASHER COMPRISING A SUCTION UNIT

Abstract

A domestic dishwasher includes a wash container which has a loading opening. The loading opening of the wash container can be closed by a door. A suction apparatus is provided to suction steam and/or air, in particular moisture-laden air, escaping from the loading opening. The suction apparatus has at least one inlet window located outside a wet chamber of the wash container.

Claims

1.-27. (canceled)

28. A domestic dishwasher, comprising: a wash container having a loading opening, a door configured to close the wash container; and a suction apparatus configured to suction steam and/or air escaping from the loading opening.

29. The domestic dishwasher of claim 28, wherein the air is laden with moisture.

30. The domestic dishwasher of claim 28, wherein the suction apparatus has at least one inlet window located outside a wet chamber of the wash container.

31. The domestic dishwasher of claim 30, wherein the at least one inlet window is located in a front edge zone of the wash container, said front edge zone remaining dry during a wash process and positioned in front of the loading opening.

32. The domestic dishwasher of claim 30, wherein the at least one inlet window is located in front of a door seal of the wash container, said door seal delimiting the loading opening.

33. The domestic dishwasher of claim 30, wherein the suction apparatus has at least one inlet window located in an upper region of the wash container.

34. The domestic dishwasher of claim 33, wherein the at least one inlet window is located in a top wall, in a left side wall and/or in a right side wall of the wash container, said at least one inlet window being accessible only from an inside of the wash container when the door is opened for steam and/or air to escape from the wet chamber of the wash container.

35. The domestic dishwasher of claim 28, wherein the suction apparatus is switched on as the door opens or shortly before the door opens.

36. The domestic dishwasher of claim 28, wherein the suction apparatus is switched on at the latest as soon as the door is opened and moved from a closed position to an open position in which an opening gap opens up between the door and the wash container.

37. The domestic dishwasher of claim 36, further comprising an automatic door opening mechanism to move the door from the closed position to the open position.

38. The domestic dishwasher of claim 36, wherein the opening gap has a depthwise extension of between 2 cm and 20 cm when viewed in a depthwise direction of the wash container.

39. The domestic dishwasher of claim 30, further comprising a monitoring facility configured to switch on the suction apparatus when a temperature in the wet chamber of the wash container exceeds a predefined threshold temperature beyond which steam is generated in the wet chamber of the wash container and a presence of or start of an opening of the door is detected.

40. The domestic dishwasher of claim 39, wherein the predefined threshold temperature is around 40° C.

41. A domestic dishwasher, comprising: a wash container configured for cleaning dishes, glasses, flatware or similar items, said wash container having an intake opening for intake of air present in the wash container, said intake opening transitioning into a chamber of the dishwasher for condensing moisture in air taken in, a suction unit downstream of the intake opening, and a door configured to close the wash container and displaceable to open the wash container.

42. The domestic dishwasher of claim 41, wherein the wash container has a wet chamber, said intake opening being only accessible for air and/or steam exiting from the wet chamber of the wash container when the door is open.

43. The domestic dishwasher of claim 41, wherein the suction unit is configured to be switched on by a preset automated step in a program sequence or by opening the door.

44. The domestic dishwasher of claim 41, wherein the chamber is configured in the form of a duct.

45. The domestic dishwasher of claim 41, wherein the chamber is located outside the wash container in the dishwasher.

46. The domestic dishwasher of claim 41, wherein the chamber is located in the door.

47. The domestic dishwasher of claim 46, wherein the intake opening extends into the chamber over a large part of a width of the door in an upper region of the door.

48. The domestic dishwasher of claim 41, wherein the chamber substantially runs downward from the intake opening to an outlet opening.

49. The domestic dishwasher of claim 41, wherein the chamber has a lower end provided with a collection region or a return for a liquid.

50. The domestic dishwasher of claim 41, wherein the chamber has an outlet opening in a direction of the wash container.

51. The domestic dishwasher of claim 41, wherein the chamber has an outlet opening in a direction outside the domestic dishwasher.

52. The domestic dishwasher of claim 41, wherein the intake opening has a pattern of inlet windows.

53. The domestic dishwasher claim 52, wherein the pattern of inlet windows has an overall width of at least 40 centimeters, when the dishwasher has a total width of 45 centimeters.

54. The domestic dishwasher claim 52, wherein the pattern of inlet windows has an overall width of at least 55 centimeters, when the dishwasher has a total width of 60 centimeters.

55. The domestic dishwasher of claim 41, wherein the chamber has outer walls configured to be cooled for condensing.

56. A method for operating a domestic dishwasher, comprising suctioning steam and/or air escaping from a loading opening of a wash container of the dishwasher by a suction apparatus.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising switching on the at least one suction apparatus as the door opens or shortly before the door opens for a predetermined time period.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the predetermined time period is between 1 minute and 20 minutes.

59. A method for operating a domestic dishwasher, comprising: operating the dishwasher in a sub-program step for drying an item being washed in a wash container closed by a door, slightly opening the door for drying the item to enable steam and/or air that has been taken in via an intake opening to exit from a loading opening of the wash container via an air gap formed as the door is opened, and suctioning the steam and/or air by a suction unit downstream of the intake opening.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the door is opened at the end of the sub-program.

61. The method of claim 59, further comprising diverting or deflecting the steam and/or air exiting from the loading opening by the suction unit in a direction away from an outflow path steeply leading upward through the air gap, and guiding the exiting steam and/or air to the intake opening.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the steam and/or the air exiting from the loading opening is moved horizontally away from the air gap by the suction unit.

63. The method of claim 59, further comprising placing the intake opening in opposition to the door, wherein the air gap via which steam and/or air exits from the loading opening is up to 20 centimeters between the wash container and the intake opening.

64. The method of claim 59, further comprising automatically opening the door at the end of the drying step, and switching on the suction unit at a same time or shortly before.

65. The method of claim 59, further comprising automatically opening the door after the drying step has been completed, and switching on the suction unit at a same time or shortly before.

Description

[0033] The invention and its advantageous configurations and developments along with their advantages are described in more detail in the following with reference to schematic outlines in drawings illustrating exemplary embodiments, in which:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows an oblique perspective view from the front of a schematically illustrated dishwasher with the door partially open,

[0035] FIG. 2 shows an oblique view from the rear of the upper region of the appliance carcass and the door with the door slightly open and the intake unit switched on,

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a condensation chamber and an intake opening with intake unit in the door, viewed from the front, the front surfaces of the door being omitted,

[0037] FIG. 4 shows a similar view to the one in FIG. 3 but with an operating panel shown in the upper region of the door,

[0038] FIG. 5 shows an alternative configuration of a condensation chamber at the side of the wash container with inlet windows to the sides of and above the front edge of the wash container.

[0039] Elements of identical function and mode of operation are shown with the same reference characters in the figures.

[0040] The dishwasher 1 illustrated schematically in FIG. 1 is a domestic dishwasher and it is shown as a freestanding appliance only by way of example here. The invention is also of major significance in particular for appliances built into kitchen furniture.

[0041] The dishwasher illustrated here therefore has a carcass 5 which is closed on the outside but this is not mandatory. Provided in the carcass 5 is a wash container 2 for holding items to be processed by washing, such as dishes, pots, flatware, glasses, cooking utensils, etc. The items to be washed can be held for example in racks 11 and/or a flatware drawer 10, where they can be subjected to the action of wash liquor, in other words wash liquid such as fresh water or fresh water containing detergent or rinse aid. The wash container 2 can have an at least substantially rectangular footprint with a front face V, which faces a user in the operating position. The front face V here can form part of a kitchen front made up of adjacent kitchen furniture units or may not relate to other furniture in the case of a freestanding appliance.

[0042] The wash container 2 can be closed by a door 3 in particular at this front face V. Said door 3 is shown partially open and then at an angle to the vertical position in FIG. 1. It is upright in its closed position however and according to the drawing it can be pivoted forward and down in the direction of the arrow 4 about a lower horizontal axis to open it, so that it is almost horizontal in the fully opened position. An automatic intermediate position of the door 3 with just a small opening, for example during or at the end of a drying program step, is also possible.

[0043] The door 3 can be provided with a decorative panel 6 on its outer and front face V, which is roughly vertical and faces the user in its closed position, to improve visual and/or haptic properties and/or to match surrounding kitchen furniture.

[0044] The dishwasher 1 is configured as a freestanding or so-called semi-integrated or fully integrated appliance. In the last instances parts of the outer carcass 5 may not be required.

[0045] In the exemplary embodiment according to the drawing here the movable door 3 is assigned an operating panel 8, which extends in the transverse direction Q in its upper region, it being possible for said operating panel 8 preferably to comprise a grip opening 7 which is accessible from the front for opening and/or closing the door 3 manually.

[0046] The wash container 2 is also assigned at least one intake opening 12 (see FIG. 2-4) or 13 (see FIG. 5) of a suction apparatus 28 for air and/or steam present therein. In the diagram of the suction apparatus 28 according to FIG. 2 the intake opening 12 is located in the door 3 on its inner face facing the wash container in the closed position. The additional or alternative intake opening 13 of the suction apparatus 28, as illustrated in FIG. 5, comprises a plurality of individual inlet windows 14 and extends in the carcass 5 on lateral edges 15 assigned to the front face V and on an upper edge 16 of the wash container 2. Other arrangements are also possible. The respective intake opening can be continuous or broken. Several intake openings can also be provided at a distance from one another. To suction steam and/or hot, moist air, which rises upward through the door opening gap formed when the door is opened, it may be sufficient in particular for several inlet windows 14 to be provided only in the front edge of the top wall 33 of the wash container 2 and in some instances in the upper region of the front edge of the two side walls 34, 35 of the wash container 2.

[0047] At least one suction unit 17, 18, for example a fanwheel or blower, is also positioned downstream of the intake opening(s), as in the exemplary embodiments shown here. The suction unit 17 (FIG. 3) is located in the door 3 and can rotate about a horizontal axis. The suction unit 18 is preferably located on the carcass 5 above the wash container 2, in other words on its top wall 33, and can rotate for example about a vertical axis. Alternatively it can be positioned outside on one of the side walls 34, 35 of the wash container 2.

[0048] In any case the at least one intake opening 12, 13 transitions into a chamber 20, 21 for condensing moisture from the air and/or steam 22 taken in from the wash container 2.

[0049] In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 2 to 4 the chamber 20 of the suction apparatus 28 is configured in the manner of a duct and is located outside the wash container 2, specifically in the door 3, in a hollow space that is present anyway between what is referred to as the inner door and the outer door. The duct-like chamber 20 here only has an extension of several centimeters in the depthwise and widthwise directions (when viewed with the door in the vertical closed position) but several tens of centimeters, for example around 30 to 50 centimeters, in the heightwise direction, so that the drying air or steam 23 moving through the duct 20 covers a significant distance in which it can output water to the duct walls.

[0050] The intake opening 12 of the suction apparatus 28 in the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 2-4, which supplies the chamber 20 with air, is located, as described above, on the inner face of the door 3 and extends in the manner of a slot-type opening running in the transverse direction Q over a large part of the door width in its upper region. In the diagram in FIG. 2 the intake opening 12 preferably extends over the full door width.

[0051] Behind the intake opening 12 in the door 3 is an air duct 19, which extends transversely and forms a component of the suction apparatus 28, in which air is moved to the intake unit 17 during the intake or suctioning operation. The air conveyed by the intake unit is then conveyed forward into the chamber 20, where it can largely condense. The duct-like chamber 20 runs down to at least one outlet opening 25. This can be aligned in the direction of the wash container 2, in this instance therefore toward the inner face of the door 3.

[0052] Also located in the lower region of the duct-like chamber 20 is a collection region for liquid, so that water that collects there runs back into the wash container 2 when the door 3 is closed.

[0053] The intake unit 17 is operated in such a manner that it is still switched on during the drying phase or for example at the end of a sub-program step for drying the items being washed to assist drying, when the door 3 is opened a little way, in particular automatically, and steam exiting from the wash container 2 in the process and/or moisture-laden air is suctioned by the suction unit 17 by way of an air gap formed by the door opening. Exiting steam and/or moisture-laden air is thereby preferably given a horizontal movement component and thus guided to the door-side intake opening 12. This is in particular very wide, for example around 40 centimeters in the case of a 45-centimeter wide machine 1 or around 55 centimeters in the case of a 60-centimeter wide machine 1. The steam is thus suctioned into the intake opening 12 by the intake unit 17 over its entire outlet width. The steam and/or moisture-laden air can therefore no longer escape unimpeded in the air gap, thereby dampening surrounding furniture, in particular a countertop above, and condensing there. The intake opening 12 can have a height of several centimeters, up to around 5 centimeters, for this purpose.

[0054] The exiting steam and/or the moisture-laden air can be conducted by way of an air gap of several centimeters (up to around 12 centimeters) when viewed in the depthwise direction of the dishwasher between the wash container and an intake opening 12 located opposite, in the door 3, mixing effectively with the drier outside air in the process.

[0055] In particular the intake unit 17, in particular an intake blower, is already switched on shortly before the door is opened. As soon as the door 3 opens in particular automatically, at which point or shortly before which the intake unit is switched on, it is ensured that a lot of steam and/or moisture-laden air can escape and the intake or suction unit 17 can still operate immediately at its full power when the door 3 is open, so that steam and/or air is deflected from the rising direction to a substantially horizontal direction from the start.

[0056] In addition to or independently of automatic door opening brought about by a door opening mechanism, the intake unit 17 can be activated in particular as soon as it is detected that door opening is present or has started. This is also the case for example when the user opens the door during a wash sub-cycle with heated wash liquid, e.g. the cleaning cycle or rinsing cycle. The intake unit, e.g. 17 or 18, is preferably connected to a monitoring facility 32 of the dishwasher, which activates the intake unit by means of a control signal by way of a control line or signal line (not shown) on receipt of a signal representing door opening. The monitoring facility 32 is additionally shown with a dot-dash line in FIGS. 1 and 5. In FIG. 5 the monitoring, in particular the switching on and off, of the intake unit 18 by the monitoring facility 32 is shown schematically by an arrow WP.

[0057] In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5 the chamber 21, which belongs to the suction apparatus 28, is also configured generally in the manner of a duct and is located outside the wash container 2, specifically with a first, horizontal segment above the wash container 2 outside on its top wall 33 and with a continuing, vertical segment to the side of a vertical wall, in particular in this instance the side wall 35 of the wash container 2. Here too the vertical segment of the duct-like chamber 21 only has an extension of several centimeters in the depthwise and widthwise directions but several tens of centimeters, for example 30 to 50 centimeters, in the heightwise direction, so that here too the drying air or steam 23 moving through the duct 21 covers a significant distance in which it can output water to the duct walls. The chamber 21 is preferably formed by a flat duct. The duct 21 is further extended by the additional horizontal segment on the top wall 33 of the wash container 2, thereby providing more space for water to be able to condense. At least one wall of the duct 21 can optionally be formed by walls of the wash container 2. The further walls can be made of plastic or metal.

[0058] The intake opening (shown generally as 13) of the suction apparatus 28, which provides the chamber 21 with steam and/or air that has been taken in, is located, as described above, at the end of the wash container 2 facing the front face V and comprises a plurality of small, individual inlet windows 14 at a distance from one another in upright edge regions 15 and in an upper edge region 16 running in the transverse direction Q. In the diagram in FIG. 5 the intake opening 15 therefore generally extends in a U shape over two front lateral edges 15 of the wash container and the upper edge or transverse connection 16 of the wash container.

[0059] According to one advantageous variant of the invention however it may be sufficient in particular simply to provide several inlet windows distributed over the width of the wash container on the front upper top edge or a single inlet opening running over the width of the wash container. In any case one or several inlet windows can expediently also be provided in the upper region of the respective side wall.

[0060] This/these one or several inlet windows preferably penetrate(s) the top wall and/or the respective side wall of the wash container from its inside, in other words in the vertical direction. This is only shown schematically in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 5. Other arrangements of the one or several inlet windows are of course also possible.

[0061] The inlet windows, e.g. 14 in FIG. 5, are advantageously preferably provided outside the wet chamber, e.g. 26, of the wash container, e.g. 2, in particular in a front edge zone, e.g. 15, 16, of the wash container that remains dry during the respective wash process in front of its loading opening, e.g. 27, which is delimited by a door seal, e.g. 30, of the wash container positioned there. This means that said inlet windows are only accessible for steam and/or air escaping from the wet chamber, e.g. 26, of the wash container, e.g. 2, when the door is open. This largely prevents liquid passing through the several inlet windows of the suction apparatus, e.g. 28, into its downstream components, e.g. its fan or suction blower, e.g. 18, during the wash operation of the dishwasher and causing damage there. Particular sealing measures or complex sprayed water protection measures are not required with this advantageous variant of the suction apparatus. The one or several inlet windows 14 are preferably configured as simple through openings, e.g. in the form of holes stamped in the edge region of the wash container projecting forward in relation to the door seal 30 in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 5. This largely avoids complex reconstruction of the wash container. Also steam and/or air can be suctioned through the one or several inlet windows directly in the local region where said steam and/or air leave(s) the loading opening, before the steam and/or air can stream too far away from the loading opening of the wash container and reach the adjacent furniture or a user standing in front of the dishwasher in an impermissible manner.

[0062] In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 5 the inlet windows 14 open outside the wash container 2 into an air intake duct, which preferably also has the shape of a U open at the bottom here and in which air moves to the intake unit, in particular to the intake blower 18, during the intake. Said intake blower 18 is located at the top on the top wall 33 of the wash container 2 and bundles the air moved in the air intake duct into the horizontal component of the duct-like chamber 21 described above. The air entering there is then conveyed into the vertical component of the chamber 21 and downward therein and can largely condense there. The duct-like chamber 21 runs down to at least one outlet opening 25. This can be aligned in the direction of the wash container 2. Alternatively or additionally it would also be possible to blow the largely dried air 23 to the outside. The air intake duct 21 is only shown schematically in three dimensions above the top wall 33 for the sake of simplicity in FIG. 5 and is omitted in the outer region of the side walls 34, 35, only the inlet windows 14 being shown there.

[0063] A collection region for liquid can be present in the lower region of the duct-like chamber 21, so that liquid can run back into the wash container 2, even if the air 23 is blown to the outside.

[0064] In this variant, in a critical time period of the respective wash program, when steam and/or moist air can exit through the door 3, the suction unit 18 can also be activated to suction said exiting steam and/or moist air.

[0065] Suctioning can only take place partially in critical regions. For the most efficient suctioning possible fresh air 24 can also be supplied specifically for example in the lower corner region. This can be taken in from the surroundings or a region in which the temperature has previously been set below the base. An additional blower may be possible for this purpose.

[0066] It is of course also possible to provide several ducts 20, 21 on a dishwasher 1. Their outer walls are able to be at least partially cooled for particularly efficient condensation.

[0067] The intake openings 12, 13 shown in the exemplary embodiments are not accessible for steam and/or moist air from the wet chamber or treatment chamber 26 of the wash container when the dishwasher 1 is operated with the door 3 closed so heating and soiling of the ducts 20, 21 is largely avoided. Wash liquor from the wash container 2 cannot enter there. There is only a direct connection to the wash container 2 when the door 3 is opened (slightly). Such door opening can take place automatically without user intervention during or in particular at the end of a drying program step.

[0068] The suction unit 17, 18 can be switched on here by opening the door 3 so that energy is only required when actual use is involved.

[0069] Suctioning the steam means that it can no longer condense on the furniture or small quantities of condensate dry up very quickly. The furniture is therefore protected from the condensate without additional protection such as films or sheets.

[0070] Generally speaking at least one suction apparatus is provided to suction or suck away steam and/or moisture-laden air, which would otherwise stream upward and/or forward out of the wash container from the region of the resulting opening gap between the front door and the wash container, in particular between the upper edge of the front door and the top element of the wash container, when the door is opened. The steam and/or moisture-laden air is/are sucked away from the door opening gap by means of the suction apparatus, in other words prevented from getting through it and escaping up and/or forward into the surroundings. The suction means allow the steam and/or moisture-laden air to be largely held back before exiting upward and/or forward from the wash container through the opening gap between the wash container and the door, when the door is opened to form a preferably narrow gap in relation to the wash container. The suction apparatus or suction means expediently comprise(s) one or several inlet windows for taking in steam and/or air, an air duct or air chamber connecting thereto and at least one intake blower or other intake means preferably housed in the air duct or air chamber.

[0071] In particular the respective suction apparatus can comprise one or several inlet openings, which are provided on the front opening edge of the wash container, in particular on the upper opening edge and/or at least in the upper segment of the two lateral opening edges of the wash container. They are preferably located outside the wet region of the wash container, in other words outside the inner chamber of the wash container, which is supplied with wash liquid when the door of the wash container is closed during the wash operation. The opening edge of the top wall and the two side walls of the wash container can preferably be reinforced on the outside by a reinforcing frame positioned on the front of the wash container. A door seal delimiting the loading opening of the wash container is preferably provided where the inside of the door comes into contact with the wash container walls in its closed position. The one or several suction openings is/are expediently provided in front of the door seal in the front edge region of the wash container. Before steam and/or moist, hot air can exit precipitously in an upward direction from the inner chamber of the wash container through the door gap, when the door is moved from its closed position to an open position to form an opening gap, it is sucked away or deflected away by means of suction means. This largely prevents steam and/or moist, hot air passing along kitchen furniture that is colder than the wash container inner chamber and condensing there.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference characters  1 Dishwasher  2 Processing container  3 Door  4 Pivot direction  5 Carcass  6 Decorative panel  7 Grip opening  8 Operating panel  9 Rack 10 Flatware drawer 11 Rack 12 Intake opening 13 Intake opening 14 Inlet window 15 Lateral edge of wash container 16 Upper edge of wash container 17 Intake unit 18 Intake unit 19 Transversely extending air duct 20 Condensation chamber 21 Condensation chamber 22 Air and/or steam 23 Drying air or steam 24 Fresh air 25 Outlet opening 26 Treatment chamber or wet chamber 27 Loading opening 28 Suction apparatus, suction unit 29 Front wash container edge zone 30 Door seal 31 Door gap 32 Monitoring facility 33 Top wall 34, 35 Side wall V Front face Q Transverse direction