U.S. patent application number 14/022405 was filed with the patent office on 2014-03-13 for dishwasher.
The applicant listed for this patent is Yongjin CHOI, Daegyu KIM, Seonghwan KIM, Taehee LEE. Invention is credited to Yongjin CHOI, Daegyu KIM, Seonghwan KIM, Taehee LEE.
Application Number | 20140069469 14/022405 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50153559 |
Filed Date | 2014-03-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140069469 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHOI; Yongjin ; et
al. |
March 13, 2014 |
DISHWASHER
Abstract
The present invention relates to a dishwasher. The dishwasher of
the present invention may include a sump for holding cleaning
water, a cleaning pump for pumping the cleaning water from the
sump, a spray arm for spraying the cleaning water through two or
more nozzles, a supply flow passage for forming a flow passage to
supply the cleaning water pumped by the cleaning pump to the spray
arm, and an air mixing unit for drawing external air to spray the
cleaning water through the nozzles together with the air. The air
mixing unit may be mounted between the nozzle which sprays the
cleaning water and an inlet of the supply flow passage connected to
the spray arm, or the end of the supply flow passage connected to
the spray arm. Accordingly, the washability of the dishwasher can
be improved without increasing the amount of water used.
Inventors: |
CHOI; Yongjin; (Seoul,
KR) ; KIM; Daegyu; (Seoul, KR) ; LEE;
Taehee; (Seoul, KR) ; KIM; Seonghwan; (Seoul,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
CHOI; Yongjin
KIM; Daegyu
LEE; Taehee
KIM; Seonghwan |
Seoul
Seoul
Seoul
Seoul |
|
KR
KR
KR
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
50153559 |
Appl. No.: |
14/022405 |
Filed: |
September 10, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
134/102.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 15/4289 20130101;
A47L 15/10 20130101; A47L 15/23 20130101; A47L 15/4219
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
134/102.2 |
International
Class: |
A47L 15/10 20060101
A47L015/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 11, 2012 |
KR |
10-2012-0100401 |
Claims
1. A dishwasher comprising: a sump for holding cleaning water; a
cleaning pump for pumping the cleaning water from the sump; a spray
arm for spraying the cleaning water through two or more nozzles; a
supply flow passage for forming a flow passage to supply the
cleaning water pumped by the cleaning pump to the spray arm; and an
air mixing unit for drawing external air to spray the cleaning
water through the nozzles together with the air.
2. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air mixing
unit is mounted between the nozzle which sprays the cleaning water
and a connection portion which connects the spray arm to the supply
flow passage to introduce the cleaning water to the spray arm.
3. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 2, wherein the air mixing
unit is mounted between the nozzle closest to the connection
portion and the connection portion.
4. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 2, wherein the air mixing
unit includes an air introduction hole formed in a direction
different from a direction in which the nozzle sprays the cleaning
water.
5. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 4, wherein the air mixing
unit includes the air introduction hole formed toward a rotation
direction of the spray arm.
6. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 4, wherein the air mixing
unit includes the air introduction hole formed in an upper side or
an underside thereof perpendicular to the rotation direction of the
spray arm.
7. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 4, wherein a number and a
size of the air introduction hole are determined based on a cross
sectional area of the nozzles.
8. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air mixing
unit is mounted to an end of the supply flow passage connected to
the spray arm.
9. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 8, wherein the air mixing
unit is mounted to a portion closest to the connection portion of
the spray arm among portions of the supply flow passage through
which the cleaning water flows in a vertical direction.
10. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 8, wherein the air mixing
unit is mounted to a portion closest to the connection portion of
the spray arm among portions of the supply flow passage through
which the cleaning water flows in a horizontal direction.
11. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air mixing
unit includes; an air introduction hole for introduction of the air
from an outside of the tube, a compression tube having a cross
sectional area reduced in a flow direction of the cleaning water,
an air suction hole for serving as a suction passage of the air
introduced through the air introduction hole thus into an inside of
the tube, and a buffer portion for buffering a pressure difference
between the inside of the tube and the outside of the tube.
12. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 11, wherein the air mixing
unit includes two or more suction holes formed in symmetry.
13. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 11, wherein the air suction
hole is formed at an end portion of the compression tube with
reference to a direction the cleaning water flows.
14. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 11, wherein the buffering
portion has a donut shape surrounding the cross sectional area
reducing portion of the compression tube.
15. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 11, wherein the air
introduction hole and the air suction hole are not arranged on a
line in a radial direction with reference to an axis of the tube.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119
to Korean Application No. 10-2012-0100401 filed on Sep. 11, 2012,
whose entire disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] The present invention relates to a dishwasher. More
specifically, the present invention relates to a dishwasher which
increases a spray pressure of cleaning water without increasing an
amount of the water used.
[0004] 2. Related Art
[0005] The dishwasher is a machine for spraying cleaning water
including detergent at a high pressure to tableware (Including
dishes and cooking tools) for cleaning by washing dirt from the
tableware, rinsing the tableware, and removing moisture from a
surface of the tableware to dry the same.
[0006] A washability of the dishwasher which is a capability for
cleaning the dirt from the tableware may vary with a temperature of
the cleaning water, hitting power which is power the cleaning water
hits the tableware, an amount of the cleaning water used for
washing.
[0007] Since a method of increasing the temperature of the cleaning
water for increasing the washability is an action against a trend
of energy saving as the method require more heating energy, and a
method of increasing the amount of the water used is also opposite
to policies on environment and energy, it is not appropriate to
take such methods into account as methods for increasing the
washability.
[0008] The hitting power corresponds to the spray pressure that is
a water pressure from a nozzle that ejects the cleaning water,
wherein as a method for increasing the spray pressure, though
increasing a rotation speed of a motor for increasing the amount of
the cleaning water used or circulating the cleaning water may be
considered easily, those are also opposite to the policies on
energy and environment.
[0009] Consequently, as a method for enhancing the washability, a
method is required, in which the spray pressure is increased
without increasing the rotation speed of the motor for circulating
the cleaning water, or without increasing the amount of the
cleaning water used.
[0010] The above references are incorporated by reference herein
where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or
alternative details, features and/or technical background.
SUMMARY
[0011] Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an
effort to solve the aforementioned problems, and it is an object of
the present invention to provide a dishwasher of which washability
is enhanced.
[0012] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
dishwasher of which washability is enhanced without increasing an
amount of water used.
[0013] To achieve the objects of the present invention, the present
invention provides a dishwasher including a sump for holding
cleaning water, a cleaning pump for pumping the cleaning water from
the sump, a spray arm for spraying the cleaning water through two
or more nozzles, a supply flow passage for forming a flow passage
to supply the cleaning water pumped by the cleaning pump to the
spray arm, and an air mixing unit for drawing external air to spray
the cleaning water through the nozzles together with the air.
[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air mixing
unit may be mounted between the nozzle which sprays the cleaning
water and a connection portion which connects the spray arm to the
supply flow passage to introduce the cleaning water to the spray
arm.
[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air mixing
unit may be mounted between the nozzle closest to the connection
portion and the connection portion.
[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air mixing
unit may include an air introduction hole formed in a direction
different from a direction in which the nozzle sprays the cleaning
water. And, the air mixing unit may include the air introduction
hole formed toward a rotation direction of the spray arm. Or, the
air mixing unit may include the air introduction hole formed in an
upper side or an underside thereof perpendicular to the rotation
direction of the spray arm.
[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, a number and a
size of the air introduction hole may be determined based on a
cross sectional area of the nozzles.
[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air mixing
unit may be mounted to an end of the supply flow passage connected
to the spray arm.
[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air mixing
unit may be mounted to a portion closest to the connection portion
of the spray arm among portions of the supply flow passage through
which the cleaning water flows in a vertical direction, or the air
mixing unit may be mounted to a portion closest to the connection
portion of the spray arm among portions of the supply flow passage
through which the cleaning water flows in a horizontal
direction.
[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air mixing
unit may include an air introduction hole for introduction of the
air from an outside of the tube, a compression tube having a cross
sectional area reduced in a flow direction of the cleaning water,
an air suction hole for serving as a suction passage of the air
introduced through the air introduction hole thus into an inside of
the tube, and a buffer portion for buffering a pressure difference
between the inside of the tube and the outside of the tube.
[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air mixing
unit may include two or more suction holes formed in symmetry.
[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air suction
hole may be formed at an end portion of the compression tube with
reference to a direction the cleaning water flows.
[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, the buffering
portion has a donut shape surrounding the cross sectional area
reducing portion of the compression tube.
[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, the air
introduction hole and the air suction hole are not arranged on a
line in a radial direction with reference to an axis of the
tube.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] The embodiments will be described in detail with reference
to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to
like elements wherein:
[0026] FIG. 1 is a section illustrating a general dishwasher.
[0027] FIG. 2 is a section illustrating an air mixing unit applied
to the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 3 is schematic view illustrating an example of an air
mixing unit mounted to a spray arm in accordance with an embodiment
of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 4 is schematic view illustrating an example of an air
mixing unit mounted to an end of a supply flow passage in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030] In what follows, a dishwasher according to preferred
embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail
with reference to the appended drawings.
[0031] FIG. 1 is a section illustrating a general dishwasher,
referring to which a basic structure of the dishwasher will be
described, at first.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 1, the dishwasher 1 may include a cabinet
10 which forms an exterior appearance of the dishwasher 1, a tub
115 in the cabinet 10 to provide a cleaning space, a rack 20
arranged to move in/out of the tub 115 for placing tableware
therein, a spray arm 30 mounted in the tub 115 for spraying the
cleaning water toward the rack to clean the tableware, a cleaning
water supply unit 40 connected to the spray arm 30 for supplying
the cleaning water, a sump 50 for holding the cleaning water, and a
filter unit 60 for filtering the cleaning water.
[0033] The cabinet 10 may have a door 111 for a user to open/close
the cleaning space, and a control panel (not shown) for user's
selection of operation of the dishwasher.
[0034] The sump 50 under the tub 115 for holding the cleaning water
therein is connected to a water supply unit 151 and a water drain
unit 155, wherein the water supply unit 151 may include a water
supply hose connected between an external utility water supply
source (Not shown) and the sump 50 for supplying the cleaning water
to the sump 50. The sump 50 may have a heater (not shown) provided
thereto additionally, for heating the cleaning water.
[0035] The drain unit 155 may include a drain pump 156, a drain
hose 157, and a drain chamber 158 connected to the sump 50, for
draining the cleaning water from the sump 50 to an outside of the
dishwasher 1. The drain pump 156 in the drain chamber 158 has one
side connected to the sump 50 through the drain chamber 158, and
the other side connected to the drain hose 157 for draining the
cleaning water from the sump 50 to an outside of the dishwasher 1
through the drain hose 157.
[0036] The rack 20 includes two or more than two racks, such as an
upper rack and a lower rack, to provide spaces for placing the
tableware therein, wherein each of the racks may have a plurality
of wheels (not shown) for easy push in/pull out the rack to/from
the cleaning space in the tub 115 through the door 111 opened, and
the tub 115 may have rails (Not shown) for supporting the wheels,
additionally.
[0037] The spray arm 30 connected to the sump 50 through the
cleaning water supply unit 40 may include only one, or both of, an
upper arm 131 for spraying the cleaning water from above the rack
20 and a lower arm 132 for spraying the cleaning water from under
the rack 20. If the rack 20 is two or more than two, a top arm (not
shown) may be further included for spraying the cleaning water from
above the upper rack, and the upper arm 131 may be mounted between
the upper rack and the lower rack. The spray arm 30 has two or more
than two nozzles 135 arranged in symmetry for ejecting the cleaning
water, and the spray arms 30 can be rotated by the spray pressure
from the nozzles 135.
[0038] The cleaning water supply unit 40 may include a supply flow
passage (Or, a water guide) 141 and a pump 145 for supplying the
cleaning water from the sump 50 to the upper and lower arms 131 and
132. The upper arm 131 and the lower arm 132 are connected to the
pump 145 through the supply flow passage 141, and the pump 145
pressurizes the cleaning water in the sump 50 to supply the
cleaning water to the upper and lower arms 131 and 132.
[0039] Though the supply flow passage 141 may have two independent
flow passages connected to the upper arm 131 and the lower arm 132
respectively, or may have one flow passage as shown in FIG. 1
branched and connected to the upper arm 131 and the lower arm 132,
respectively. In a latter case, the supply flow passage 141 may
further include a change-over valve 146 at a branch point thereof
for supplying the cleaning water to the upper arm 131 and the lower
arm 132, selectively.
[0040] The cleaning water pressurized by the pump 145 thus may be
supplied either the upper arm 131 or the lower arm 132 through the
change-over valve 146 or both of the upper arm 131 and the lower
arm 132 at the same time.
[0041] A portion of the supply flow passage 141 for supplying the
cleaning water to the upper arm 131 may be extended upward from a
lower side of the tub 115 along an inside circumference of the tub
115 on a rear side of the cleaning space, bent toward a center of
the cleaning space, and connected to a middle portion of the upper
arm 131.
[0042] The filter unit 60 may include a chamber 161 for
introduction of the cleaning water thereto, a filter 162 on a top
side of the chamber 161 for filtering dirt, a dirt discharge
portion 163 connected between the chamber 161 and the drain unit
155, and a collection hole 164 for collecting the cleaning water
sprayed from the spray arm 30 and flowing on a bottom of the
cleaning space. In this case, the supply flow passage 141 may
further include a filtering flow passage 147 connected to the
chamber 161.
[0043] The cleaning water circulates as follows. The cleaning water
from the utility water supply source is introduced to the sump 50
through the water supply unit 151, and, if a certain amount of the
cleaning water is introduced to the sump 50, an impeller (not
shown) in the pump 145 rotates to draw in the cleaning water, and
supply the cleaning water to the upper arm 131 and the lower arm
132 through the supply flow passage 141 at the same time or
selectively.
[0044] The cleaning water being supplied to the spray arm 30 is
sprayed to insides of the cleaning spaces through the two or more
than two nozzles 135 to clean the tableware placed in the rack 20,
wherein the upper arm 131 having the nozzles 135 formed to face
downward sprays the cleaning water downward, and the lower arm 132
having the nozzles 135 formed to face upward sprays the cleaning
water upward. The cleaning water sprayed through the nozzles 135 is
collected at the sump 50 through the collection hole 164.
[0045] A portion of the cleaning water being supplied to the upper
arm 131 and the lower arm 132 through the supply flow passage 145
is supplied to the chamber 161 of the filter unit 60 through the
filtering flow passage 147. Though the cleaning water supplied to
the chamber 161 is collected to the sump 50 through the collection
hole 164 after escaping the filter 162 on the upper side of the
chamber 161, the dirt contained in the cleaning water can not pass
the filter 162, but is remained in the chamber 161, and may be
broken into small pieces by a disposer.
[0046] The dirt held in the chamber 161 may be discharged together
with the cleaning water when the cleaning water is drained from the
sump 60. The drain chamber 158 provided to the drain pump 156 is
connected, not only to the sump 50 through a check valve 159, but
also to the chamber 161 through the dirt discharge portion 163.
[0047] The check valve 159 allows the cleaning water to move from
the sump 50 to the drain chamber 158 only, but not to an opposite
direction. If the drain pump 156 is put into operation, the
cleaning water is drained to an outside of the dishwasher 1 from
the sump 50 through the check valve 159, the drain pump 156, and
the drain hose 157.
[0048] Moreover, a negative pressure occurred in the drain chamber
156 upon putting the drain pump 156 into operation discharges the
dirt from the chamber 161 of the filter unit 60 to the drain
chamber 157 through the dirt discharge portion 163, and, therefrom,
to an outside of the dishwasher 1, together with the cleaning
water.
[0049] As described in the background of the invention, in order to
increase the washability without increasing the temperature of the
cleaning water or increasing the amount of the water used, it is
required to increase the spray pressure of the cleaning water
ejected through the nozzle, and, moreover, a method is required for
increasing the spray pressure without increasing the rotation speed
of the motor of the pump 145 which pressurizes the cleaning water
in the sump 50 to supply the cleaning water to the upper and lower
arms 131 and 132.
[0050] The present invention provides a dishwasher which increases
the spray pressure of the cleaning water ejected from the nozzles
by mixing the cleaning water with air so that the washability can
be enhanced, not with increasing the amount of the water used, but
with a fixed amount of the water used.
[0051] Under an assumption that the washability will be the same if
the spray pressures of the cleaning water are the same and cleaning
time periods are the same, the present invention permits to obtain
the same or a higher washability while reducing the flow rate of
the water used as much as a flow rate of the air being drawn into
the cleaning water.
[0052] As a method for making the water to draw the air, the
Venturi effect may be used, which is an effect of a venturi tube
that is a short tube having a reduced cross sectional area on a
fluid flow. Since a flow speed of the fluid becomes faster (The
continuity equation) when the fluid flows through the venturi tub
having the reduced cross sectional area, and, if the flow speed
increases, since a water pressure drops (Bernoulli equation), the
air can be drawn through a hole made in a portion the water
pressure is dropped.
[0053] FIG. 2 is a section illustrating an air mixing unit applied
to the present invention.
[0054] The air mixing unit 70 may include a compression tube 171
having a partial reduction of a cross sectional area in a flow
direction of the cleaning water, an air suction hole 172 for
serving as a suction passage of the air into an inside of the tube
by a pressure dropped owing to the venturi effect, an air
introduction hole 173 opened to an outside of the tube for serving
as a passage of air introduction, and a buffer portion 174 for
buffering a pressure difference between the inside of the tube and
the outside of the tube.
[0055] The air suction hole 172 is formed in the compression tube
171 at an end portion of the portion the cross sectional area is
reduced with reference to the flow direction of the cleaning water.
In order to make the air drawn thus be mixed with the cleaning
water passing at a fast speed, two or more than two air suction
holes 172 may be formed, symmetrically (Point symmetry, or line
symmetry).
[0056] As shown in a right side drawing (A cross section
perpendicular to a direction the cleaning water flows) in FIG. 2,
the buffering portion 174 has a donut shape which surrounds the
portion of the reduced cross sectional area for preventing the
cleaning water being discharging through the air suction hole 172
from escaping to an outside of the compression tube 171 to hold
remaining water therein, and controlling a pressure of the air
being drawn through the air suction hole 172.
[0057] In order to prevent the cleaning water being discharging to
the buffering portion 174 through the air suction hole 172 from
escaping to an outside of the compression tube 171 through the air
introduction hole 173, positions of the air suction holes 172 and
the air introduction holes 173 may be formed not to be arranged on
a line with each other in a radial direction with reference to an
axis of the tube.
[0058] In the present invention, the air mixing unit 70 which
utilizes the venturi effect is mounted between the sump 50 which
supplies the cleaning water, and the nozzle 135 which sprays the
cleaning water for increasing the spray pressure of the cleaning
water sprayed through the nozzle 135 even if a small amount is
used, wherein it may be favorable to mount the air mixing unit 70
at a position close to the nozzle 135 through which the cleaning
water is ejected moved away from the tube through which the
cleaning water is passing.
[0059] A number of the air introduction holes 173 and/or a size (A
cross sectional area) thereof in the air mixing unit 70 may be
determined with reference to a cross sectional area of the nozzle
135 which ejects the water, and the reduced cross sectional area of
the compression tube 171 may also be a factor for determining the
number of the air introduction holes 173 and/or a size (A cross
sectional area) thereof.
[0060] FIG. 3 is schematic view illustrating an example of an air
mixing unit mounted to a spray arm in accordance with an embodiment
of the present invention.
[0061] The symmetric spray arm 30 is connected to an end of the
supply flow passage 141 with a connection portion 136 at a center
portion of the spray arm 30, and has a plurality of the nozzles 135
on both sides thereof for spraying the cleaning water to the
cleaning space uniformly while the spray arm 30 is rotating round
the connection portion 136 by the pressure generated when the
cleaning water is sprayed through the nozzles 135 supplied thereto
through the supply flow passage 141.
[0062] Though the air mixing unit 70 of the present invention may
be arranged between the connection portion 136 of the spray arm 30
and the nozzle 135, it is favorable to mount the air mixing unit 70
between the nozzle 135 which is the closet to the center of the
spray arm 30 and the connection portion 136. If the air mixing unit
is mounted close to an end of the spray arm away from the center of
the spray arm, mass of the spray arm to be rotated becomes large
due weight of the air mixing unit to require a spray pressure
higher than before for rotating the spray arm, resulting in a low
rotation speed of the spray arm even if the cleaning water is
ejected from the cleaning water at the same spray pressure, thereby
making the washability poor.
[0063] The nozzle 135 is formed in the spray arm 30 tilted to one
side for rotating the spray arm 30 and ejects the cleaning water,
wherein the spray arm 30 rotates in a direction opposite to a
horizontal component of a direction in which the nozzle 135 ejects
the cleaning water.
[0064] If the air mixing unit 70 is mounted between the connection
portion 136 of the spray arm 30 and the nozzle 135, the position of
the air introduction hole 173 which is a passage for introducing
the air from an outside to an inside of the tube may be determined
taking the direction (Or, the rotation direction of the spray arm)
in which the nozzle 135 ejects the cleaning water into account.
[0065] Since the air is introduced to an inside of the spray arm 30
from an inside of the tub 115 through the air introduction hole 173
of the air mixing unit 70, a pressure in the vicinity of the air
introduction hole 173 may be low, relatively. If the air
introduction hole 173 is formed in a direction in which the nozzle
135 ejects the cleaning water, or in a rear side of the direction
of rotation of the spray arm 30, to drop a pressure on the rear
side of the rotation of the spray arm 30, the direction of the air
introduction hole 173 is liable to interfere with the rotation of
the spray arm 30.
[0066] Therefore, it may be favorable to form the air introduction
hole 173 in a direction different from the direction of ejection of
the cleaning water from the nozzle 135, for an example, the
rotation direction of the spray arm 30, or in an upper side on or
in an underside of the spray arm 30 perpendicular to the rotation
direction of the spray arm 30.
[0067] Referring to FIG. 3, since a distance to an outer side of
the spray arm 30 from the tube of the spray arm 30 the cleaning
water passes therethrough is far in the rotation direction of the
spray arm 30, which makes it difficult to form the air introduction
hole 173 in the rotation direction of the spray arm 30, the air
introduction hole 173 is formed in the underside of the spray arm
30 perpendicular to the rotation direction of the spray arm 30.
[0068] FIG. 4 is schematic view illustrating an example of an air
mixing unit mounted to an end of a supply flow passage in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
[0069] Referring to FIG. 4, the air mixing unit 70 is mounted to an
end of the supply flow passage which is connected to the connection
portion 136 of the spray arm 30 so that the cleaning water mixed
with the air at the air mixing unit 70 passes through the
connection portion 136, is divided into two sides and ejected
through the nozzle 135. Different from the embodiment shown in FIG.
3, the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 suggests mounting the air mixing
unit 70, not to a movable member, but a stationary member, making
the position of the air introduction hole 173 not to influence to
the spray pressure of the cleaning water, significantly.
[0070] The supply flow passage 141 is formed extended from a lower
side to an upper side of the tub 115 along an inside circumference
of the tub 115 in a rear side of the washing space and, therefrom,
bent toward the center of the cleaning space, extended to the
middle of the upper arm 131, and bent at 90 degrees finally so as
to be coupled to the connection portion 136 of the upper arm 131
for supplying the cleaning water to upward from the sump 50 which
is placed on a lower side of the dishwasher for storing the
cleaning water.
[0071] If a distance between the upper arm 131 and the portion of
the supply flow passage 141 extended toward the center of the
cleaning space from the inside circumference of the tub 115 on the
rear side of the cleaning space is adequate, the air mixing unit 70
may be mounted to an end of the supply flow passage 141 just over
the connection portion 136 of the upper arm 131 (A portions closest
to the connection portion 136 of the upper arm 131 among portions
through which the cleaning water flows in a vertical direction of
the supply flow passage 141), otherwise, the air mixing unit 70 may
be mounted to an end of a portion of the supply flow passage 141
extended toward the center of the cleaning space from the inside
circumference of the tub 115 in the rear side of the cleaning
space, i.e., a position just before the supply flow passage is bent
at 90 degrees finally to couple to the connection portion 136 (A
position closest to the connection portion 136 of the upper arm 131
in a portion the cleaning water flows in a horizontal direction of
the supply flow passage 141).
[0072] As has been described, the dishwasher of the present
invention has the following advantages.
[0073] The washability of the dishwasher can be enhanced, not with
increasing the amount of water used, but with reducing the amount
of water used.
[0074] Moreover, the amount of water used can be reduced while
maintaining the spray pressure similar to the related art, and
heating energy and heating time period can be reduced for elevating
the temperature of the cleaning water.
[0075] Any reference in this specification to "one embodiment," "an
embodiment," "example embodiment," etc., means that a particular
feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with
the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the
invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the
specification are not necessarily all referring to the same
embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or
characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it
is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the
art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in
connection with other ones of the embodiments.
[0076] Although embodiments have been described with reference to a
number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood
that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by
those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope
of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various
variations and modifications are possible in the component parts
and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within
the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims.
In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts
and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to
those skilled in the art.
* * * * *