U.S. patent application number 15/575174 was filed with the patent office on 2018-05-24 for pull-out guide for a washing appliance, and washing appliance.
The applicant listed for this patent is PAUL HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG. Invention is credited to Michael LEHMKUHL, Eckhard MEIER, Daniel REHAGE, Matthias TOCKE.
Application Number | 20180140166 15/575174 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56131519 |
Filed Date | 2018-05-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180140166 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MEIER; Eckhard ; et
al. |
May 24, 2018 |
PULL-OUT GUIDE FOR A WASHING APPLIANCE, AND WASHING APPLIANCE
Abstract
A pull-out guide has a first inner rail, a first outer rail
mounted on the first inner rail a second inner rail secured on the
first outer rail, and a second outer rail mounted on the second
inner rail and on which a rack can be fastened. The first inner
rail, the first outer rail, the second inner rail and the second
outer rail are arranged vertically one above the other. The outer
rails are designed in the form of hollow profiles with an
accommodating region, which is partially open in the direction of
the side wall and of the respective inner rail and is intended for
accommodating the respective inner rail. The outer surfaces of the
inner rails and the inner surfaces of the outer rails are in the
form of run-off surfaces for preventing washing fluid which is used
during operation of the washing appliance from being deposited.
Inventors: |
MEIER; Eckhard; (Bunde,
DE) ; REHAGE; Daniel; (Chemnitz, DE) ; TOCKE;
Matthias; (Osnabruck, DE) ; LEHMKUHL; Michael;
(Georgsmarienhutte, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
PAUL HETTICH GMBH & CO. KG |
Kirchlengern |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
56131519 |
Appl. No.: |
15/575174 |
Filed: |
June 9, 2016 |
PCT Filed: |
June 9, 2016 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2016/063152 |
371 Date: |
November 17, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 2210/17 20130101;
F24C 15/168 20130101; A47L 15/507 20130101; A47B 88/493
20170101 |
International
Class: |
A47L 15/50 20060101
A47L015/50; A47B 88/493 20060101 A47B088/493 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 10, 2015 |
DE |
10 2015 109 220.4 |
Claims
1. A pull-out guide for a washing appliance, in particular a
dishwasher, for pulling a rack out of a washing chamber of the
washing appliance, comprising a first inner rail which can be
mounted on a side wall of the washing chamber, a first outer rail
which is mounted on the first inner rail such that it can be
displaced in a displacement direction, a second inner rail which is
secured on the first outer rail, a second outer rail which is
displaceably mounted on the second inner rail and on which the rack
can be fastened, wherein the first inner rail, the first outer
rail, the second inner rail and the second outer rail are arranged
vertically one above the other, wherein the outer rails are
designed in the form of hollow profiles with an accommodating
region, which is partially open in the direction of the side wall
and the respective inner rail and is provided for accommodating the
respective inner rail wherein the outer surfaces of the inner rails
and the inner surfaces of the outer rails, said inner surfaces
being directed towards the inner rails, are in the form of run-off
surfaces, for preventing washing fluid which is used during
operation of the washing appliance from being deposited.
2. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein at least one
rolling element cage with rolling elements mounted therein is
arranged between one of the respective inner rails and one of the
respective outer rails.
3. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein the inner rails
have a raceway section and a fastening and shielding section.
4. A pull-out guide according to claim 3, wherein a shielding
section of the fastening and shielding section of at least one of
the inner rails is formed at least partly as an inclined surface
which is inclined towards the side wall of the washing chamber.
5. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein the outer rails
are designed to shield the respective inner rail from entry of
fluid on a side facing the washing chamber in the mounted
state.
6. A pull-out guide according to claim 5, wherein a lower free end
of a wall of the outer rails facing the washing chamber is formed
to be bent from a vertical by a maximum of 90.degree. in the
direction of the fastening and shielding section of the respective
inner rail.
7. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein the fastening and
shielding section of the first inner rail is designed as an
orifice-free piece of sheet metal for shielding the raceway section
of the first inner rail arranged vertically above.
8. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein the second inner
rail is fixed, in particular welded, glued or screwed, to the first
outer rail.
9. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein the length of the
inner rails is between 50% and 75% of the length of the outer
rails.
10. A pull-out guide according to claim 1, wherein three rolling
elements are arranged in the rolling element cage in a plane
orthogonally to the displacement direction between one of the
respective inner rails and one of the respective outer rails.
11. A pull-out guide according to claim 10, wherein the raceway
section of the inner rails comprises at least three raceways, in
each of which one of the rolling elements is guided, wherein, as
seen in the plane perpendicular to the displacement direction, the
rolling elements are arranged in respective quadrants of the cavity
formed by the inner rail and outer rail, wherein no rolling element
is used in a lower quadrant close to the side wall of the washing
chamber.
12. A washing appliance, having at least one rack which is fixed to
side walls of a washing chamber with a pull-out guide and with
which the rack can be pulled out of the washing chamber and be
inserted into said chamber, wherein the pull-out guide is formed
according to claim 1.
13. A washing appliance according to claim 12, wherein at least two
spacers or spacings, on which the first inner rail is fixed, are
arranged on respective side walls of the washing chamber.
14. A washing appliance according to claim 13, wherein a passage
for the discharge of washing fluid into a lower region of the
washing chamber is provided between the spacers or spacings, the
side wall and the first inner rail.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a U.S. nationalization under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn. 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2016/063152,
filed Jun. 9, 2016, which claims priority to German Application No.
102015109220.4 filed Jun. 10, 2015.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a pull-out guide for a
washing appliance, for example, a dishwasher, as well as a washing
appliance.
[0003] A generic pull-out guide for a washing appliance of this
kind, for example, a dishwasher, is known, for example, from EP 1
552 781 B1. Such a pull-out guide consists essentially of a first
rail which can be fastened to a side wall of a washing chamber, a
second rail which can be fastened to the rack and an intermediate
rail connecting the two rails to enable a full extension.
[0004] In order to avoid the sluggishness of such a pull-out guide
due to soiling, in particular in the region of the sliding guide
surfaces of the rails which can be moved relative to each other,
which can necessarily occur in the washing chamber of such a
washing appliance, the rails of the pull-out guide of EP 1 552 781
B1 are provided with passage openings in order to enable rinsing of
the pull-out guide with rinsing fluid and to thus flush out again
the rinsing fluid and/or dirt particles such as food residues or
the like from the pull-out guide during the operation of the
washing appliance. Provided that not all areas of the pull-out
guide are reached during the rinsing, soiling can still occur which
can impair the functionality of the pull-out guide.
[0005] A pull-out guide according to the present disclosure for a
washing appliance for pulling out a rack from a washing chamber of
the washing appliance has a first inner rail which can be mounted
on a side wall of the washing chamber, a first outer rail which is
mounted on the first inner rail such that it can be displaced in a
displacement direction, a second inner rail which is secured on the
first outer rail, and a second outer rail which is mounted in a
displaceable manner on the second inner rail and on which the rack
can be fastened. The first inner rail, the first outer rail, the
second inner rail and the second outer rail are arranged vertically
one above the other. The outer rails are designed in the form of
hollow profiles with an accommodating region, which is partially
open in the direction of the side wall and the respective inner
rail, and is intended for accommodating the respective inner rail.
The outer surfaces of the inner rails and the inner surfaces of the
outer rails, the inner surfaces being directed towards the inner
rails, are in the form of run-off surfaces, for preventing washing
fluid which is used during operation of the washing appliance from
being deposited.
[0006] In contrast to the aforementioned EP 1 552 781 B1,
penetration of washing fluid into the interior of the pull-out
guide is largely prevented by means of a pull-out guide designed in
this way.
[0007] The shaping according to the disclosure of the outer
surfaces of the inner rails and of the inner surfaces of the outer
rails facing the inner rails as run-off surfaces also ensures that
any washing fluid penetrating into the pull-out guide cannot
accumulate in the interior of the pull-out guide since no grooves
or the like are formed in the interior of the pull-out guide.
[0008] The aforementioned outer surfaces of the inner rails as well
as the inner surfaces of the outer rails facing the inner rails are
all oriented in such a way that washing fluid impinging thereon can
run off from them due to gravity.
[0009] According to one embodiment, at least one rolling element
cage with rolling elements mounted therein is arranged between one
of the respective inner rails and one of the respective outer
rails, which promotes reliable and easy movement of the inner rails
and outer rails relative to each other.
[0010] According to a further embodiment, the inner rails have a
raceway section and a fastening and shielding section. The
shielding section of the fastening and shielding section of at
least one of the inner rails is at least partially formed as an
inclined surface which is inclined towards the side wall of the
washing chamber, as a result of which additional shielding of the
running surfaces of the raceway section is ensured.
[0011] According to a further embodiment, the outer rails are
designed, on a side facing the washing chamber in the assembled
state, to shield the respective inner rails from fluid entry.
[0012] In particular, a lower free end of a wall of the outer rail
facing the washing chamber is formed in this case to be bent from a
vertical by a maximum of 90.degree. in the direction of the
fastening and shielding section of the respective inner rail.
[0013] In an embodiment, the foregoing angle is less than
90.degree.. By bending no more than 90.degree., it is possible that
no channel is formed in the interior of the hollow profile of the
outer rail in which washing fluid and/or other dirt can
accumulate.
[0014] According to a further embodiment, the fastening and
shielding section of the first inner rail is designed as an
orifice-free piece of sheet metal for shielding the running rail
section of the first inner rail arranged vertically above.
[0015] In this way, injection of washing fluid by spray nozzles
directed upwards below the pull-out guide may be prevented.
[0016] According to a further embodiment, the second inner rail is
fixed to the first outer rail, in particular welded, glued or
screwed thereon, which makes possible simple assembly of the
pull-out guide and a stable construction of the pull-out guide.
[0017] The length of the inner rails, according to a further
embodiment, is between 50% and 75% of the length of the outer
rails. Such a ratio of the lengths of the inner rails to those of
the outer rails is sufficient to ensure a full extension, while at
the same time saving material on rail material.
[0018] According to a further preferred embodiment, three rolling
elements are arranged in the rolling element cage in a plane
orthogonally to the displacement direction.
[0019] In particular, the raceway section of the inner rails has at
least three raceways, in each of which one of the rolling elements
is guided, wherein the rolling elements are arranged in the plane
orthogonally to the displacement direction in respective quadrants
of the hollow space formed from inner rails and outer rails,
wherein no rolling element is used in a bottom quadrant which is
close to the side wall of the washing chamber.
[0020] A pull-out guide designed in this manner has the advantage
that fewer rolling elements may be used, which is accompanied by
savings in material and costs.
[0021] A washing appliance according to the disclosure, in
particular a dishwasher with at least one rack which is fixed to
side walls of a washing chamber with a pull-out guide and with
which the rack can be extended from and retracted into the washing
chamber, is characterized by a pull-out guide as described
above.
[0022] In an advantageous embodiment, at least two spacers or
spacings are arranged on the respective side walls of the washing
chamber of the washing appliance, on which the first inner rail is
fixed.
[0023] In an embodiment, a passage for the outflow of washing fluid
into a lower region of the washing chamber is provided between the
spacers or the spacings, the side wall and the first inner rail,
which enables the discharge of a washing fluid sprayed above the
pull-out guide in the direction of the side walls of the washing
chamber behind the pull-out guides, as seen from the washing
chamber centre.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view through an embodiment variant
of a pull-out guide according to the invention,
[0025] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment variant of
a pull-out guide according to the invention in the inserted
state,
[0026] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the pull-out guide shown
in FIG. 2 in the extended state,
[0027] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a pull-out guide fastened
to a side wall of a washing chamber of a washing appliance,
[0028] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the pull-out guide shown
in FIG. 4, which is fixed in the washing appliance,
[0029] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 4 of
the pull-out guide fastened in the washing appliance in the
extended state,
[0030] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 5 of
the pull-out guide fastened in the washing appliance with the rack
pulled out of the washing chamber,
[0031] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of an embodiment variant of
the pull-out guide with the rack fixed thereto in the retracted
state, and
[0032] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 8 of
the pull-out guide with the rack attached thereto in the extended
state of the pull-out guide.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] In the following description of the drawings, terms such as
up, down, left, right, front, back, etc. relate to the exemplary
representation shown in the respective drawings and the position of
the pull-out guide, the inner rail, the outer rail, the rack, the
washing chamber and the like. These terms are not to be understood
as limiting, i.e. by means of different working positions or the
mirror-symmetrical design or the like, these relationships can
change.
[0034] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 5 designates in its entirety an
embodiment of a pull-out guide according to the present disclosure
for a washing appliance 1, preferably a dishwasher. A pull-out
guide 5 of this kind is used for pulling out a rack 4 from a
washing chamber 2 of the washing appliance 1, as is shown by way of
example in FIG. 5.
[0035] The pull-out guide 5 has a first inner rail 6 which can be
mounted on a side wall 3 of the washing chamber 2. On this first
inner rail 6, a first outer rail 7, which is displaceable in a
displacement direction X, is mounted by means of rolling elements
11.
[0036] To enable the rack 4 to be fully extended, the pull-out
guide 5 furthermore has a second inner rail 8 fixed to the first
outer rail 7. This inner rail 8 is fixed in this case on an outer
side 73 of the first outer rail 7, for example welded, glued or
screwed.
[0037] A second outer rail 9 is displaceably mounted on this second
inner rail 8 by means of rolling elements 11. The rack 4 can be
attached directly or indirectly to this second outer rail 9, as is
shown, for example, in FIG. 5, 8 or 9.
[0038] The first inner rail 6, the first outer rail 7, the second
inner rail 8 and the second outer rail 9 are arranged in this case
vertically one above the other, as can be clearly seen in FIG.
1.
[0039] The outer rails 7, 9 are designed as hollow profiles with an
accommodating region 72, 92 which is partially open to the side
wall 3 and to the respective inner rail 6, 8 for accommodating a
respective inner rail 6, 8. The positioning of this accommodating
region 72, 92 of the outer rails 7, 9 mitigates injection of
washing fluid into the interior region of the hollow profiles of
the outer rails 7, 9, since the accommodating region 72, 92 is
protected by respective fastening and shielding sections 61, 81 of
the inner rails 6, 8.
[0040] In this case, the inner rails 6, 8 consist of a raceway
section 62, 82 which is accommodated in the outer rails 7, 9, as
well as the above-mentioned fastening and shielding section 61, 81,
which on the one hand is used for fastening the first inner rail 6
to the side wall 3 of the washing chamber 2 or for fastening the
second inner rail 8 to the first outer rail 7, and on the other
hand for shielding against the injection of washing fluid into the
interior of the hollow profiles of the outer rails 7, 9.
[0041] The washing fluid may consist of water mixed with a cleaning
agent.
[0042] As is further shown in FIG. 1 in closer detail, the outer
surfaces 63, 83 of the inner rails 6, 8 and the inner surfaces of
the outer rails 7, 9 facing the inner rails 6, 8 are designed as
run-off surfaces in order to mitigate the accumulation of washing
fluid used during operation of the washing appliance 1.
[0043] For smooth guidance, at least one rolling element cage 10
with rolling elements mounted therein is arranged between the first
inner rail 6 and the first outer rail 7 as well as between the
second inner rail 8 and the second outer rail 9.
[0044] In the embodiment shown here, three respective rolling
elements 11 are arranged in the rolling element cage 10 in a plane
orthogonally to the displacement direction X.
[0045] Correspondingly, the raceway section 62, 82 of the inner
rails 6, 8 has at least three raceways, in each of which one of the
rolling elements 11 is guided, wherein, in the plane orthogonally
to the displacement direction X, the rolling elements 11 are
arranged in the respective quadrant of the hollow space formed from
the inner rails 6, 8 and the outer rails 7, 9. In this case, no
rolling element 11 is used in a lower quadrant close to the side
wall 3 of the washing chamber 2.
[0046] However, the use of rolling element cages with four rolling
elements in a plane orthogonally to the displacement direction X of
the outer rails 7, 9 is also conceivable.
[0047] As is shown in FIG. 2, the pull-out guide 5 is completely
closed except for a narrow slot between the two outer rails 7 and 9
towards the centre of the washing chamber 2, so that penetration of
washing fluid into the regions of the raceway sections 62, 82
within the hollow profiles of the outer rails 7, 9, which regions
are necessary for the smooth guidance of the outer rails 7, 9 and
inner rails 6, 8 with respect to each other, is substantially
prevented.
[0048] A part of the raceway sections 62, 82 of the inner rails 6,
8 is not exposed until the pull-out guide has been pulled out, as
shown in FIG. 3.
[0049] Towards the front of the washing appliance 1, the pull-out
guide 5 is closed with a stopper 13 in order to prevent the washing
fluid from penetrating from the front end of the pull-out guide
5.
[0050] The retracted position of the pull-out guide 5, in the
condition mounted on the side wall 3 in the washing chamber 2 of
the washing device 1, is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In the washing
chamber 2 of the washing appliance 1, a plurality of spraying arms
14 with hoses extending in the cavity of these spraying arms 14 are
usually arranged for transporting the washing fluid. In the
operation of the washing appliance 1, the washing fluid exits into
the washing chamber 2 through nozzles 15 connected to the hoses in
order to clean the items to be washed in the rack 4, which are
held, for example, in a wire basket.
[0051] FIGS. 6 and 7 respectively show the pull-out guide 5 in an
extended position.
[0052] FIGS. 8 and 9 show, once again, in a perspective
illustration, a rack 4 designed as a wire mesh/basket with pull-out
guide 5 fastened thereto, once in the retracted position (FIG. 8),
in which the rack 4 is located in the washing chamber 2 of the
washing appliance 1, and once in the extended position of the
pull-out guide (FIG. 9), in which the rack 4 has been completely
extended from the washing chamber 2.
[0053] As can be seen clearly in FIGS. 8 and 9, the rack 4 is
connected to the pull-out guide 5 via an adapter piece 16 fixed to
the second outer rail 9.
[0054] For this purpose, a fixing element 94, for example in the
form of a clamping web, is arranged on the outer side surface of
the second outer rail 9 facing the centre of the washing chamber 2,
especially projecting from a side surface of the second outer rail
9. For attaching the pull-out guide 5 to the side wall 3 of the
washing chamber 2 of the washing appliance 1, at least two spacers
12 or spacings, on which the first inner rail 6 is fixed, are
arranged on respective side walls 3 of the flushing chamber 2.
[0055] As can be seen, for example, in FIG. 4, a passage for the
discharge of washing fluid into a lower region of the washing
chamber 2 is provided between the spacers 12 or the spacings of the
side wall 3 and the first inner rail 6. In this case, the spacings
can be designed as bulges of the side wall 3 protruding into the
washing chamber 2.
[0056] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the spacers 12 have
receptacles 16, in which the fastening and shielding section 61 of
the first inner rail 6 can be inserted or clamped.
[0057] The fastening and shielding section 61 of the first inner
rail 6 may be designed as an orifice-free piece of sheet metal, for
shielding the upper raceway section 62 of the first inner rail 6
which is arranged vertically at the top.
[0058] The length of the inner rails 6, 8 is only between 50 and
75% of the length of the outer rails 7, 9 in order to ensure a full
extension with the smallest possible use of the material.
[0059] As shown especially well in FIG. 1, the region of the
fastening and shielding section 61, 81 of the second inner rail 8
of at least one of the inner rails 6, 8 is formed at least partly
as an inclined surface 84 which is inclined towards the side wall
3, which in FIG. 1 is the region of the fastening and shielding
section 81 of the second inner rail 8. It is also conceivable to
form the fastening and shielding section 61 of the first inner rail
6, which is bent twice at right angles in the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1, with an inclined surface inclined to the side wall 3 of the
washing chamber 2.
[0060] As is shown especially clearly in FIGS. 1 and 4, the outer
rails 7, 9 are also designed to shield the respective inner rail 6,
8 from the entry of fluid, on a side facing the washing chamber 2
in the assembled state. In this case, a lower free end of a wall of
the outer rail 7, 9 facing the washing chamber 2 is formed as a
curved section bent out from a vertical and by a maximum of
90.degree. in the direction of the fastening and shielding section
61, 81 of the respective inner rail 6, 8.
[0061] Such a curved section is sufficiently long to guide the
rolling body 11 arranged in this region. At the same time, this
curved section is not bent so far that washing fluid could
accumulate in this curve which serves as a raceway for the rolling
element 11, which would degrade the running property of the rolling
element 11 running along this raceway.
* * * * *