DOMESTIC DISHWASHER

Abstract

A household dishwasher includes a washing container holding a dishwasher load, and a spray arm for applying washing liquor and/or fresh water to the dishwasher load. The spray arm is mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation and is actively driven by a drive entity. The drive entity includes a drive shaft mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation which extends in parallel relation to and at a distance from the axis of rotation of the spray arm.

Claims

1-15 (canceled)

16. A household dishwasher, comprising: a washing container for holding a dishwasher load; a spray arm for applying washing liquor and/or fresh water to the dishwasher load, said spray arm being mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation; and a drive entity for actively driving the spray arm, said drive entity including a drive shaft mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation which extends in parallel relation to and at a distance from the axis of rotation of the spray arm.

17. The household dishwasher of claim 16, wherein the spray arm comprises an extension piece which is actively driven by the drive entity, and a spray arm satellite which is rotatably mounted on the extension piece and is reactively driven by the washing liquor and/or of the fresh water.

18. The household dishwasher of claim 16, wherein the drive entity comprises a gearbox for transferring a rotational moment from the drive shaft to the spray arm.

19. The household dishwasher of claim 18, wherein the gearbox comprises straight-cut or helical cog-wheels, a bevel gear, a belt drive or a chain drive.

20. The household dishwasher of claim 18, wherein the gearbox comprises a plurality of cog-wheels, which bridge a distance between the drive shaft and the spray arm.

21. The household dishwasher of claim 18, wherein the gearbox comprises a transmission housing and a plurality of cog-wheels which are held in the transmission housing.

22. The household dishwasher of claim 21, wherein the cog-wheels are rotatably mounted in the transmission housing.

23. The household dishwasher of claim 21, wherein the transmission housing comprises an upper housing part and a lower housing part, said upper housing part being positively connected to the lower housing part.

24. The household dishwasher of claim 21, wherein the transmission housing is configured to be fluid-permeable.

25. The household dishwasher of claim 18, further comprising a filter system, said gearbox being arranged below the filter system.

26. The household dishwasher of claim 16, further comprising a sump on which the spray arm is mounted and to which the drive entity is fastened.

27. The household dishwasher of claim 18, wherein the spray arm comprises a spray arm toothed gear into which the drive entity positively engages for transferring the rotational moment.

28. The household dishwasher of claim 27, further comprising a sump which includes a tubular sump dome, in or on which the spray arm is rotatably mounted, said sump dome having a radial aperture via which the drive entity positively engages into the spray arm toothed gear for transferring the rotational moment.

29. The household dishwasher of claim 27, wherein the spray arm comprises a cleaning nozzle for cleaning the drive entity, said cleaning nozzle configured for passage through the spray arm toothed gear.

30. The household dishwasher of claim 29, wherein the cleaning nozzle is arranged perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the spray arm.

31. A controlled spray arm for a household dishwasher having a wash container, comprising: a spray arm for applying washing liquor and/or fresh water to a dishwasher load, said spray arm being mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation; and a drive entity for actively driving the spray arm, said drive entity including a drive shaft mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation which extends in parallel relation to and at a distance from the axis of rotation of the spray arm.

32. The controlled spray arm of claim 31, wherein the spray arm comprises an extension piece which is actively driven by the drive entity, and a spray arm satellite which is rotatably mounted on the extension piece and is reactively driven by the washing liquor and/or of the fresh water.

33. The controlled spray arm of claim 31, wherein the drive entity comprises a gearbox for transferring a rotational moment from the drive shaft to the spray arm.

34. The controlled spray arm of claim 33, wherein the gearbox comprises straight-cut or helical cog-wheels, a bevel gear, a belt drive or a chain drive.

35. The controlled spray arm of claim 33, wherein the gearbox comprises a plurality of cog-wheels, which bridge a distance between the drive shaft and the spray arm.

36. The controlled spray arm of claim 33, wherein the gearbox comprises a transmission housing and a plurality of cog-wheels which are held in the transmission housing.

37. The controlled spray arm of claim 36, wherein the cog-wheels are rotatably mounted in the transmission housing.

38. The controlled spray arm of claim 36, wherein the transmission housing comprises an upper housing part and a lower housing part, said upper housing part being positively connected to the lower housing part.

39. The controlled spray arm of claim 36, wherein the transmission housing is configured to be fluid-permeable.

40. The controlled spray arm of claim 33, further comprising a filter system, said gearbox being arranged below the filter system.

41. The controlled spray arm of claim 31, further comprising a sump on which the spray arm is mounted and to which the drive entity is fastened.

42. The controlled spray arm of claim 33, wherein the spray arm comprises a spray arm toothed gear into which the drive entity positively engages for transferring the rotational moment.

43. The controlled spray arm of claim 42, further comprising a sump which includes a tubular sump dome, in or on which the spray arm is rotatably mounted, said sump dome having a radial aperture via which the drive entity positively engages into the spray arm toothed gear for transferring the rotational moment.

44. The controlled spray arm of claim 42, wherein the spray arm comprises a cleaning nozzle for cleaning the drive entity, said cleaning nozzle configured for passage through the spray arm toothed gear.

45. The controlled spray arm of claim 44, wherein the cleaning nozzle is arranged perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the spray arm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Further advantageous developments and aspects of the household dishwasher are the subject matter of the subclaims and of the exemplary embodiments described below in respect of the household dishwasher. The household dishwasher is explained in greater detail below with reference to preferred embodiment variants and to the appended figures, in which:

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment variant of a household dishwasher;

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment variant of a controlled spray arm or spray device for the household dishwasher according to FIG. 1;

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment variant of a gearbox for the spray device according to FIG. 2; and

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view of the gearbox according to FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0043] Identical or functionally identical elements are denoted by the same reference signs in the figures unless otherwise specified.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment variant 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. A sealing entity can be provided between the door 3 and the washing container 2 for this purpose. The washing container 2 is preferably cuboid. 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 dishwasher interior 4 for washing a dishwasher load.

[0045] The door 3 is illustrated in its open position in FIG. 1. Closing or opening the door 3 can be achieved by swinging about a hinge axis 5 at a lower end of the door 3. A loading access 6 of the washing container 2 can be closed or opened by means of the door 3. The washing container 2 has a bottom 7, a top 8 which is arranged opposite the bottom 7, a back panel 9 which is arranged opposite the closed door 3, and two side panels 10, 11 arranged opposite each other. The bottom 7, the top 8, the back panel 9 and the side panels 10, 11 can be manufactured from a stainless steel sheet, for example. Alternatively, the bottom 7 can be manufactured from a plastic material, for example.

[0046] The household dishwasher 1 further comprises at least one dishwasher loading rack 12 to 14. A plurality of dishwasher loading racks 12 to 14 can preferably be provided, e.g. three, wherein the dishwasher loading rack 12 can be a lower dishwasher loading rack or lower basket, the dishwasher loading rack 13 can be an upper dishwasher loading rack or upper basket, and the dishwasher loading rack 14 can be a cutlery drawer. It is also evident in FIG. 1 that the dishwasher loading racks 12 to 14 are arranged one above the other in the washing container 2. Each dishwasher loading rack 12 to 14 can optionally be moved into or out from the washing container 2. In particular, each dishwasher loading rack 12 to 14 can be pushed into or slid into the washing container 2 in a push-in direction E and pulled out or slid out from the washing container 2 in a pull-out direction A which is opposite to the push-in direction E.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment variant of a controlled spray arm or spray device 15 for the household dishwasher 1. The controlled spray arm 15 is arranged within the washing container 2. In particular, the controlled spray arm 15 is positioned below the dishwasher loading rack 12. The controlled spray arm 15 can be positioned at the bottom 7. The controlled spray arm 15 comprises a spray arm 16 for applying washing liquor and/or fresh water F to a dishwasher load (not shown) that is held in the washing container 2. The spray arm 16 comprises an extension piece 17 which is actively driven, and a spray arm satellite 18 which is rotatably mounted on the extension piece 17. The spray arm satellite 18 can have a plurality of arms. For example, the spray arm satellite 18 can have three arms, which are offset by an angle of 120° relative to each other. The extension piece 17 can have spray nozzles (not shown).

[0048] The spray arm satellite 18 is not actively driven. This means that the spray arm satellite 18 does not have its own drive entity. In particular, the spray arm satellite 18 is reactively driven by the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F. “Reactively driven” in this context is 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 exit from the spray arm satellite 18 and cause this to rotate.

[0049] The extension piece 17 however, unlike the spray arm satellite 18, is actively driven. The extension piece 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). Provision is preferably made for two such arms 19, 20. The number of arms 19, 20 is unlimited. Provision can also be made for precisely one arm 19, 20 or for more than two arms 19, 20.

[0050] Both the spray arm satellite 18 and the extension piece 17 are designed to be hollow, so that the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F can flow through the extension piece 17 and the spray arm satellite 18. The arms 19, 20 of the extension piece 17 are connected to a venturi tube or supporting tube 21. The supporting tube 21 is a venturi tube or can be referred to as a venturi tube. The supporting tube 21 can also be referred to as a supporting part. The supporting tube 21 is suitable for supplying the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F to the arms 19, 20. The supporting tube 21 can be designed to be conical. A spray arm toothed gear 22 with a multiplicity of teeth is provided on the supporting tube 21. The arms 19, 20 are manufactured from e.g. polypropylene (PP), in particular glass-fiber reinforced. By contrast, the supporting tube 21 can be manufactured from polyoxymethylene (POM). Therefore the supporting tube 21 can also be referred to as a POM supporting tube or POM supporting part. This means that the supporting tube 21 and the arms 19, 20 can be manufactured from different plastic materials. For example, the arms 19, 20 and the supporting tube 21 can be permanently connected together in a plastic injection molding process with encapsulation of the various plastic materials.

[0051] The arms 19, 20 can be designed as a single piece, this being materially integral in particular. “Single piece” in this context means that the arms 19, 20 form a common component and are not composed of different components. “Materially integral” in this context means that the arms 19, 20 are manufactured entirely from the same material. Accordingly, the supporting tube 21 and the spray arm toothed gear 22 can also be designed as a single piece, this being materially integral in particular.

[0052] The supporting tube 21 internally comprises a conical or frustum-shaped hollow space 23, through which the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F can flow into hollow spaces 24, 25 of the arms 19, 20. The spray arm 16, in particular the extension piece 17, is assigned an axis of rotation 26 about which the spray arm 16, in particular the extension piece 17, can rotate.

[0053] The spray arm toothed gear 22 can have an optional cleaning nozzle 27. The cleaning nozzle 27 can be designed as a hole which passes through a tooth of the spray arm toothed gear 22. However, the cleaning nozzle 27 can also be placed between two teeth of the spray arm toothed gear 22. In particular, the cleaning nozzle 27 is oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation 26. Each tooth of the spray arm toothed gear 22 can have such a cleaning nozzle 27. Alternatively, such cleaning nozzles 27 can be assigned to only selected teeth of the spray arm toothed gear 22. The cleaning nozzle 27 does not necessarily have to pass through the spray arm toothed gear 22. The cleaning nozzle 27 can be positioned in the region of the spray arm toothed gear 22. For example, the cleaning nozzle 27 can also be placed above or below the spray arm toothed gear 22 in the orientation according to FIG. 2.

[0054] The controlled spray arm 15 further comprises a sump 28. The sump 28 is preferably a plastic injection-molded component. The sump 28 has a sump dome 29 which is tubular. The sump dome 29 extends towards the top 8. The supporting tube 21 is held in the sump dome 29 and is rotatably mounted. The manner in which the supporting tube 21 is mounted in the sump dome 29 is not shown in FIG. 2, however.

[0055] The sump dome 29 comprises a radial aperture 30. “Radial” here is understood to refer to a radial direction R of the sump dome 29. The radial direction R is oriented away from and perpendicular to the axis of rotation 26. The aperture 30 therefore penetrates the sump dome 29 in the radial direction R. Positive engagement into the spray arm toothed gear 22 is possible through the aperture 30, as explained below. The aperture 30 can be rectangular.

[0056] The controlled spray arm 15 further comprises a drive entity 31 for actively driving the spray arm 16. The drive entity 31 comprises a drive element 32, in particular an electric motor, with a drive shaft 33 which rotates about an axis of rotation 34 during operation of the drive entity 31. “Actively driven” in this context therefore means that the spray arm 16 is caused to rotate by means of the drive element 32 and not e.g. by means of spray nozzles. The axis of rotation 34 of the drive shaft 33 and the axis of rotation 26 of the spray arm 16 are arranged parallel to each other and separated from each other by a distance a.

[0057] The drive shaft 33 is fed through a hole 36 provided in a plate-shaped base section 35 of the sump 28. The sump dome 29 also projects from said base section 35. The drive shaft 33 is sealed in a fluid-impermeable manner relative to a cylindrical locating section 38 of the sump 28 by means of a sealing element 37, in particular by means of a shaft sealing ring.

[0058] The drive entity 31 further comprises a gearbox 39 for transferring rotational moment from the drive shaft 33 to the spray arm 16, in particular to the spray arm toothed gear 22 of the extension piece 17. The gearbox 39 can also be referred to as a transmission module or transmission unit. The gearbox 39 can comprise straight-cut or helical cog-wheels 40 to 42, a bevel gear, a belt drive or a chain drive. The cog-wheels 40 to 42 bridge the distance a between the drive shaft 33, in particular the axis of rotation 34, and the spray arm 16, in particular the axis of rotation 26. The number of cog-wheels 40 to 42 is unlimited in principle.

[0059] A first cog-wheel 40 is coupled to the drive shaft 33 in a rotationally conjoint manner, for example. The drive shaft 33 can be laterally flattened or milled off for this purpose. The first cog-wheel 40 can have a corresponding hole with a corresponding geometry, so that the first cog-wheel 40 and the drive shaft 33 engage positively with each other. A positive connection is produced by the interlocking or catching of at least two connection partners. A second cog-wheel 41 is preferably rotatably mounted in the gearbox 39 and rotates about an axis of rotation 43. A third cog-wheel 42 is preferably likewise rotatably mounted in the gearbox 39 and rotates about an axis of rotation 44. The third cog-wheel 42 engages with the spray arm toothed gear 22, the second cog-wheel 41 being disposed between the cog-wheels 40, 42. The axes of rotation 26, 34, 43, 44 are arranged parallel to each other and at a distance from each other.

[0060] FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment variant of the gearbox 39. FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view of the gearbox 39. Reference is made concurrently to both FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 in the following.

[0061] The gearbox 39 comprises a transmission housing 45 in which the cog-wheels 40 to 42 are held. In particular, the transmission housing 45 has an upper housing part 46 and a lower housing part 47. In this case, the upper housing part 46 is positively connected to the lower housing part 47. For example, on the lower housing part 47, provision can be made in this context for snap-in hooks 48 which can engage into corresponding seats 49 that are provided on the upper housing part 46. The seats 49 can be provided as apertures, for example.

[0062] The lower housing part 47 can also have mounting eyelets 50, 51 by means of which the gearbox 39 can be screwed to the sump 28. The transmission housing 45 is fluid-permeable. This means that washing liquor and/or fresh water F can flow through the transmission housing 45. By means of the cleaning nozzle 27, it is possible in particular to produce a spray jet away from the axis of rotation 26 and into the transmission housing 45. The gearbox 39 can be cleaned of soiling and flushed thereby. To this end, the transmission housing 45 has corresponding outlet openings for the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F.

[0063] As cited above, the cog-wheels 40 to 42 are rotatably mounted in the gearbox 39, in particular in the transmission housing 45. To this end, axles 52, 53 which are mounted in the transmission housing 45, in particular in the upper housing part 46 and in the lower housing part 47, can be provided for the cog-wheels 41, 42. The first cog-wheel 40 is fastened to the drive shaft 33. The first cog-wheel 40 is mounted in the upper housing part 46 and in the lower housing part 47. The axles 52, 53 can be cylindrical bolts or pins, for example.

[0064] Returning to FIG. 2, the sump 28 is assigned a filter system 54 below which the gearbox 39 is arranged. This means that the gearbox 39 is positioned between the base section 35 of the sump 28 and the filter system 54. Soiling of the gearbox 39 can be prevented thereby. The filter system 54 can be a multipart system and can comprise a fine filter and a coarse filter.

[0065] The functionality of the controlled spray arm 15 is explained in the following. During operation of the household dishwasher 1, the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F is transported by means of a circulating pump (not shown) and supplied to the spray arm 16. The washing liquor and/or the fresh water F is supplied via the extension piece 17 to the spray arm satellite 18. This is caused to rotate about an axis of rotation 55 as a result of the washing liquor and/or the fresh water F emerging from the spray nozzles (not shown). The axis of rotation 55 is arranged at a distance b from the axis of rotation 26 and is parallel thereto. The spray arm 16 itself is caused to rotate about the axis of rotation 26 by means of the drive entity 31. The rotational speed of the extension piece 17 can be determined as desired in this case. The rotational speed of the extension piece 17 can also vary during a wash program. The extension piece 17 can also pause in a preselected position, in order to realize an intensive washing zone to which washing liquor and/or fresh water F is applied by the spray arm satellite 18 without the extension piece 17 rotating.

[0066] It is thus possible to achieve a compact, dirt-resistant and robust design of the gearbox 39 as a preassembly. In contrast with a direct drive of the spray arm 16, the washing liquor and/or fresh water F flowing from the circulating pump to the spray arm 16 is does not experience any deflection and, in contrast with a direct drive, the supporting tube 21 can be kept free of elements that are required for the drive. This offers hydraulic advantages over a direct drive. A “direct drive” in this context is understood to mean a system in which a drive element, e.g. an electric motor, drives a spray arm directly and in particular without intermediate cog-wheels or a gear set. Due to the location of the gearbox 39 below the filter system 54, the gearbox 39 is protected against at least coarse particles of dirt. With the aid of the cleaning nozzle 27, the gearbox 39 can be flushed and cleaned by an appropriate leakage amount of washing liquor and/or fresh water F. Any blockage of the cog-wheels 40 to 42 can be reliably prevented thereby. Furthermore, the washing liquor and/or fresh water F can also serve to lubricate and maintain the temperature of the cog-wheels 40 to 42.

[0067] Although the present invention is described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it can be modified in many different ways.