Water-powered Dishwasher

Abstract

A relatively inexpensive dishwashing machine utilizes the force of incoming water from the household water supply to rotatably drive a liquid distribution device which distributes a spray pattern of washing liquid over soiled dishes stored within the machine's chamber. Provision is made for continuously recirculating the distributed washing liquid over the soiled dishes by combining the washing liquid with the incoming flow of fresh water to thereby increase the flow rate to the distribution device and obtain optimum use of detergent in the washing liquid.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years homeowners and apartment dwellers have become increasingly dependent upon major household appliances for reducing the drudgery of such tasks as cooking, clothes washing, and dishwashing. To satisfy the needs of newly married couples and small families, emphasis in the major appliance industry has recently been placed on the provision of small compact appliances for accomplishing these tasks. One approach in the dishwasher industry has been the introduction of relatively small countertop portable dishwashers suitable for use in small kitchens and trailers, etc.

Relatively inexpensive countertop dishwashers having few electrical components or none at all have been introduced. In the type of countertop dishwasher having no electrical components, the force of incoming water from the household water supply is utilized to drive a liquid distribution device within the machine's washing chamber in order to obtain thorough distribution of washing liquid on the dishes in the chamber. The machine is placed on the countertop near the sink so that a water inlet hose can be connected to the water faucet. A drain hose is extended from the bottom of the machine into the sink whereby washing liquid accumulated in the bottom of the washing chamber will drain outwardly therefrom to the sink as a gravity flow. Provision is generally made in such a machine for the addition of a treating agent such as a detergent powder whereby the incoming water mixes with the treating agent and a washing liquid or solution is sprayed over the dishes within the machine's washing chamber. In this type of water-powered dishwasher, the washing liquid may be distributed once over the soiled dishes and then drained outwardly from the wash chamber to the sink, thereby obtaining limited use of the detergent. Further, an undesirably high volume of hot water is required to complete the washing operation.

The present invention comprehends the re-utilization of washing liquid or water having detergent in solution therein whereby a more efficient cleaning operation is performed through the use of a comparatively small volume of water during the washing operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention may be broadly summarized as relating to a dishwashing machine having a washing chamber containing a liquid distribution means that is movably responsive to the force of water received from a pressurized external source, and having flow control means adapted to re-use distributed liquid (water having detergent added thereto) by combining it with fresh incoming water for re-distribution over items stored for washing within the chamber. The dishwashing machine is thereby provided with a means for recirculation of washing liquid similar to the recirculation that occurs in a more conventional full-size dishwashing machine. The intermixing of previously distributed washing liquid with fresh incoming water is preferably accomplished by jet pump structure disposed within the sump area of the machine's washing chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view in vertical section of the major portion of a dishwashing machine in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1 there is shown a dishwasher 10 having a housing 11 defining a washing chamber 12. Contained within the washing chamber 12 is a removable open framework rack 14 for supporting items such as dishes 16 and glassware 18 to be washed within the machine 10. The dishwashing machine 10 has a water inlet means which may comprise an inlet hose 20 in liquid flow communication with a tube 22 extending inwardly into a sump area 24 of the wash chamber 12. The outer end of the hose 20 (not shown) would normally be provided with a quick-release coupling for connecting the hose to the end of the kitchen water faucet. Along the length of the hose 20 (or as part of the tube 22 within the housing 11 of the machine 10), a one-way valve 26 is preferably provided. The valve 26 is of a known type permitting a flow in one direction and closing to seal in the event that a counter current flow occurs. Valve 26 thus serves to prevent any outward flow from the chamber 12 in the event that a negative pressure or vacuum condition is established in the household water system during the time the machine is coupled to the faucet and the faucet valve is opened to permit water flow.

The tube 22 is a constricted or inwardly converging inlet tube in liquid flow communication with a tube 30 leading to a hollow liquid distribution device 32. The tube 30 is maintained stationary within the chamber 12 and has an upwardly turned centrally disposed end portion 34 on which the device 32 is rotatably supported by means of a sealed bearing support means 36. Although incoming liquid is water, the addition of a treating agent such as detergent to the chamber converts the water to a solution for contacting soiled items placed in the chamber. Therefore, reference hereafter to "washing liquid" may be taken to mean water only, as used for rinsing, or a detergent-water combination as used for washing.

The liquid distribution means within the wash chamber 12 preferably includes the distribution device 32 having an upstanding tower portion 38 and a horizontally disposed spray arm portion 40. The tower portion 38 has an upper end 41 provided with a liquid discharge opening 42. The opening 42 is disposed to provide a discharge stream oriented such that it will exert a reactive force against the distribution device 32 whereby the device 32 will be caused to slowly rotate on the bearing support means 36 when liquid is being conducted through device 32 and outwardly through the opening 42. The spray arm 40 is preferably provided with a repositionable auxiliary distributor 44 mounted thereon in accordance with the disclosure of Jenkins et al, in a copending application No. 252,824, filed the 12th day of May, 1972. Briefly described, the repositionable distributor 44 is substantially freely rotatable on the spray arm so that it may be relatively easily advanced from one position to a next position and thence preferably through a total of six different positions to provide six upward spray patterns of respectively different stream orientation whereby cleaning of soiled items contained in the rack 14 thereabove is significantly improved. The repositionable distributor 44 is held at a predetermined position during a full sweep of the spray arm and then contact of the distributor 44 is made with a strike 46 mounted to the housing side wall causing the distributor to rotatably move and advance 60.degree. relative to the spray arm 40. The distributor body is provided with six points 48 spaced apart by respective edge portions 50 whereby the desired repositioning of the distributor 44 is achieved during each full 360.degree. rotation of the spray arm 40.

With reference having now been made to most of the component parts of the dishwashing machine 10 shown in FIG. 1, the operation of the machine may now be explained with reference to these parts and to several other illustrated elements involved in the machine's operation. The dishwashing machine 10 shown in FIG. 1 is placed into operation by locating the machine on the kitchen countertop adjacent the kitchen sink whereby a drain hose 52 will extend into the sink such that drainage therefrom will run into the sink drain. The dishwasher 10 would normally be provided with supportive cabinet structure (not shown) which would provide an attractive appearance to the machine and maintain the wash chamber 12 firmly in an orientation such that the bottom of rack 14 would be in a generally horizontal disposition.

Items to be washed, such as silverware, dishes and glassware are placed into the rack 14 by removal of a lid 54 of the housing 11. Thereafter, the lid 54 is repositioned on the housing 11 and the outer end of the inlet hose 20 is coupled to the faucet. Turning the faucet valve to the "ON" position places the machine in operation. A measured amount of detergent is manually deposited in the chamber. Alternatively, automatic dispensing means, such as a slow disolving pellet (not shown) inserted in the hose through an opening (not shown) provided therefor, may be used. Liquid from the household water supply then enters through hose 20 and thence through valve 26 and tube 22. Tube 22 is disposed relative to tube 30 such that the liquid flow moves through tube 30 and thence upwardly through the distribution device 32. Liquid is discharged from the opening 42 at the upper end of the tower portion 38 whereby it sprays over the dishes stored in the rack 14. The reactive force of the stream emitted from the opening 42, due to the orientation of the stream path, provides a reactive force against the distribution device 32 whereby the device 32 is caused to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed downwardly from above.

The pressurized flow of liquid moving through the hollow body of the distribution device 32 diverges at an intermediate point 56 whereby part of the flow moves outwardly through the spray arm 40 and thence through the auxiliary distributor 44. The water flow moving through the arm 40 is thus emitted from a plurality of ports 58 of the distributor 44 as upwardly directed streams that follow a concentric pathway as the spray arm 40 swings in a horizontal plane about the vertical axis of the tower portion 38 of the distribution device 32. Each time the distributor 44 is carried 360.degree. about the tower axis, the point 48 on the distributor disposed radially outwardly in closest adjacency to the housing 10 side wall contacts the strike 46. The near edge portion 50 of the distributor body, between adjacent points 48, acts as a camming surface that rides against the strike 46 and causes the distributor to rotate on the spray arm 60.degree. counterclockwise as viewed from above, whereby the distributor is again disposed to repeat the aforedescribed operation the next time a point 48 contacts the strike 46.

The incoming water that is conducted through the spray device 32 and distributed over the dishes, as heretofore described, thereafter gravitates down along the inner surface of the housing 11, and from the dishes and rack, and accumulates in the lower portion of the washing chamber 12. It will be noted that the drain hose 52 extends in sealed relationship through an opening in the housing side wall to a conduit portion 60 extending downwardly into the sump area 24. This structure serves as a means for controlling the level of accumulated liquid in the lower portion of the housing of the wash chamber 12.

As the water level rises above the tube 30 in the sump area 24, the accumulated liquid is caused to move inwardly through a funnel-like end 62 of the tube 30 and mix with the incoming water flow whereby it is recirculated upwardly through the distribution device 32. This intermixing of accumulated liquid with the incoming water occurs because the converging tube 22 constricts the water flow generally at the point where it is emitted to the tube 30 which results in an increase in velocity of the flow whereby a resultant pressure differential is created in the area of the funnel-like end 62 of the tube 30. A drop in flow pressure between the end of the tube 22 and the venturi-shaped tube 30 causes the accumulated liquid adjacent the funnel-like end of the tube 30 to be pushed inwardly therethrough as an annular flow that mixes with the fresh liquid being emitted from the tube 22 and conducted through the tube 30. This mixing action of accumulated liquid with the incoming water continues until the flow of incoming water is curtailed.

When the dishwasher 10 is operating, the liquid level in the lower end of the wash chamber 12 is maintained at a predetermined level due to the arrangement of the drainage means. The liquid level rises during the initial period of operation until it has reached a level similar to that shown in FIG. 1 and then begins to drain outwardly through the drain hose 52 so that the level does not move any higher. An outlet pipe or conduit 60 is disposed in the sump area 24 with an open end disposed slightly above the housing wall defining the lowermost portion of the sump area 24. The upper end of the outlet pipe is in drain flow communication with the drain hose 52. As the liquid level begins to move upwardly in the sump area 24 immediately upon placing the dishwasher 10 in operation, the liquid within the pipe 60 correspondingly moves upwardly until it overflows at the upper end of the pipe 60 into the drain hose 52. Then the predetermined level of the liquid is held by the continuing overflow through the pipe 60 and outwardly through the drain hose 52. At the end of the operation of the machine 10, when the incoming water supply to the machine is curtailed, the drainage will continue due to the siphon principle until the level of liquid in the lower portion of the wash chamber 12 has dropped until it is coincidental with the lower edge of the pipe 60.

From the foregoing description it should now be apparent that the present invention has flow control means including mixing means within the housing of a dishwashing machine for combining accumulated liquid with incoming water whereby a recirculation of washing liquid is established without the need for a relatively expensive motor and pump arrangement utilized for this purpose in the comparatively larger conventional dishwashing machine. Recirculation of washing liquid may be utilized in the machine in combination wit a rotatable liquid distribution means in the form of a device that is driven by the force of a pressurized water supply provided to the machine from an external source. Further, provision is preferably made for a "water-powered" distribution device utilizing a repositionable auxiliary distributor adapted to achieve a series of intense and relatively different patterns of discharge streams to thereby greatly improve the efficiency of the cleaning action during the operation of the machine. A jet pump arrangement provided to attain the mixing of the accumulated liquid with incoming water serves to not only attain recirculation of washing liquid to maximize the effectiveness of detergent in the liquid, but also serves to significantly increase the flow rate of liquid through the distribution means as compared to that which is attainable in a water-powered machine having no means to enable recirculation of washing liquid.

Claims

1. A water-powered dishwashing machine comprising:

a. a housing defining a washing chamber, said washing chamber including a lower sump;

b. means for introducing a fluid from external said housing into said lower sump; and

c. distribution means in said chamber for distributing a mixture of said fluid from external said housing and part of the contents of said sump in said washing chamber;

d. a jet pump disposed in said lower sump and having an inlet and an outlet, and means for communicating with the contents of said sump, the inlet of said jet pump being connected to said means for introducing a fluid from external said housing into said sump and said outlet means being connected to said distribution means;

e. and siphon drain means, having an inlet within said sump and an outlet exterior said washing chamber, for draining said fluid from said washing chamber.

2. A water-powered dishwashing machine as defined in claim 1 and wherein said siphon drain means includes a dependent hose interior said housing and terminating proximate the bottom of said sump.

3. A water-powered dishwashing machine comprising:

a. a housing defining a washing chamber, said housing including a lower sump;

b. means for introducing a fluid external said housing into said lower sump and said chamber, said means including a first tube inwardly converging respective said sump, and a second tube having an inlet in line with and proximate but spaced apart from said first tube, and having an outlet communicating with a distribution means within said washing chamber;

c. and siphon drain means having an input within said sump and an output exterior said washing chamber for draining said fluid from within said washing chamber.

4. A water-powered dishwashing machine as defined in claim 3 and wherein said inlet of said second tube is funnel like toward said first tube.

5. A water-powered dishwashing machine as defined in claim 3 and wherein said siphon drain means includes a dependent hose interior said housing and terminating proximate the bottom of said sump.