Domestic Dishwasher

A dishwasher comprises a dishwasher cavity in which it is possible to receive items to be washed which are to be cleaned. Such a dishwasher also has at least one receptacle for items to be washed which can be moved out of the dishwasher cavity and back into said dishwasher cavity. The receptacle for items to be washed is suitable for receiving items to be washed which are suppled with washing liquor and/or fresh water by means of a rotatably mounted spray arm, in order to clean the items to be washed. If the receptacle for items to be washed is loaded by a user without taking care, this can result in the items to be washed blocking the spray arm. In order to identify such a blockage, it is possible for the user to rotate the spray arm manually, for example. However, this is time-consuming. Moreover, there is also the risk that the user contaminates items of clothing or their hands. Thus it is desirable to be able to identify in a simple manner such a possible blockage in order to be able to take appropriate countermeasures.

WO 2013/064394 A1 describes a dishwasher having a dishwasher cavity and a receptacle for items to be washed which is received in the dishwasher cavity. A rotatable spray arm is provided below the receptacle for items to be washed. The receptacle for items to be washed is grid-shaped and constructed from a plurality of wires which are connected together. The receptacle for items to be washed has at least one wire which is oriented perpendicularly out of a bottom of the receptacle for items to be washed in the direction of the spray arm. When the receptacle for items to be washed is moved into the dishwasher cavity, this wire comes into contact with the spray arm, whereby the spray arm is set in rotation. Thus the user is able to identify in a simple manner whether the spray arm which is set in rotation collides or does not collide with the items to be washed which are received in the receptacle for items to be washed. In the event that a collision is present or is to be anticipated, the items to be washed can then be correspondingly rearranged so that a collision of the items to be washed with the spray arm is avoided.

WO 2021/078718 A1 discloses a dishwasher having a housing, a washing chamber which is provided in the housing and in which a washing process is carried out, at least one washing basket which is arranged in the washing chamber for loading with dishes to be washed, and at least one spray arm which rotates about itself and introduces water into the washing chamber for washing the dishes. The dishwasher further comprises a control mechanism which is designed such that it converts a sliding movement of the at least one washing basket into a rotation of the at least one spray arm.

Against this background, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved household dishwasher.

Accordingly, the invention proposes a household dishwasher that has a dishwasher cavity and a receptacle for items to be washed for receiving items to be washed, wherein the receptacle for items to be washed can be moved out of the dishwasher cavity in a pull-out direction and can be moved into the dishwasher cavity in an insertion direction oriented counter to the pull-out direction, a spray arm which is rotatably mounted on the receptacle for items to be washed for supplying the items to be washed with washing liquor and/or fresh water and a spray arm rotating device which is attached to the receptacle for items to be washed, wherein the spray arm rotating device has a movement element which is movably mounted on the receptacle for items to be washed, which movement element, when the receptacle for items to be washed is moved into the dishwasher cavity in the insertion direction, is supported in or on the dishwasher cavity in order to set the spray arm to rotate.

As the spray arm rotating device is provided and sets the spray arm to rotate when the receptacle for items to be washed is moved into the dishwasher cavity, it is possible to identify in a simple manner whether there is a risk or not of a blockage of the spray arm by the items to be washed. It is unnecessary for a user to reach directly into the dishwasher cavity in order to move the dishwasher cavity manually. This simplifies the handling and increases the ease of use of the household dishwasher.

The dishwasher cavity is preferably cuboidal or box-shaped. Preferably, a door is pivotably attached to the dishwasher cavity. The dishwasher cavity and the door together enclose a dishwasher interior of the household dishwasher. This dishwasher interior is defined or enclosed by the dishwasher cavity and the door attached to the dishwasher cavity. The dishwasher cavity and the door thus determine the boundaries or the spatial extent of the dishwasher interior. The dishwasher cavity preferably comprises a bottom, a ceiling arranged opposite the bottom, a rear wall arranged opposite the closed door and two side walls placed opposite one another. The pull-out direction is oriented, in particular, from the rear wall in the direction of the door which is, in particular, closed. Accordingly, the insertion direction is oriented from the, in particular closed, door in the direction of the rear wall.

The spray arm is preferably movable relative to the dishwasher cavity. The spray arm is fastened to or mounted on the receptacle for items to be washed. The spray arm preferably comprises a plurality of nozzles or spray nozzles, wherein the items to be washed which are received in the receptacle for items to be washed are wetted thereby with washing liquor and/or fresh water in order to clean them. The spray arm can also have drive nozzles from which washing liquor and/or fresh water exits at the side in order to set the spray arm in rotation. In the case where the spray arm is driven by means of the exiting washing liquor and/or fresh water, the spray arm is passively driven. The spray arm can thus be denoted as a passive spray arm. Alternatively, however, the spray arm can also be actively driven. “Actively” means in the present case that the spray arm has a dedicated drive element, for example in the form of an electric motor and/or a gear unit. A plurality of spray arms can be provided.

The household dishwasher can have a plurality of receptacles for items to be washed. In particular, the household dishwasher has a lower receptacle for items to be washed or a lower basket, an upper receptacle for items to be washed or an upper basket and a cutlery drawer. Preferably, the spray arm and the spray arm rotating device are attached to the upper receptacle for items to be washed or the upper basket. The spray arm and the spray arm rotating device, however, can also be attached to any other receptacle for items to be washed. It is assumed hereinafter that the receptacle for items to be washed on which the spray arm and the spray arm rotating device are attached, however, is an upper receptacle for items to be washed or an upper basket. Thus the term “receptacle for items to be washed” can also be replaced hereinafter by the term “upper basket”.

The movement element is, in particular, rod-shaped. The movement element can be a push element or denoted as such. In this case, the movement element is preferably suitable for carrying out a pushing movement. The movement element can also be a pull element or denoted as such. In this case, the movement element is preferably suitable for carrying out a pulling movement. The movement element can also be a combined push and pull element or denoted as such. In this case, the movement element is preferably suitable for carrying out both a pulling movement and a pushing movement.

The movement element is mounted on the receptacle for items to be washed so as to be movable in a linear manner, such that the movement element can move in the pull-out direction and in the insertion direction. The movement element being “supported” in or on the dishwasher cavity means in the present case that the movement element comes into contact with the dishwasher cavity, in particular the rear wall thereof, when the receptacle for items to be washed is moved into the dishwasher cavity, whereby the movement element is moved in a linear manner relative to the receptacle for items to be washed in order to interact with the spray arm, so that this spray arm is set to rotate. The movement element moves in the pull-out direction as soon as the movement element comes into contact with the rear wall.

“In or on” the dishwasher cavity means in the present case, in particular, firstly that the movement element can be supported on any component which is received inside the dishwasher cavity, and secondly that the movement element can also be supported directly or immediately on the dishwasher cavity, for example on the rear wall. Particularly preferably, when the receptacle for items to be washed is moved into the dishwasher cavity in the insertion direction, the movement element is supported on the rear wall of the dishwasher cavity in order to set the spray arm to rotate.

The movement element and the spray arm form a retrofitted component or a retrofitted part. The household dishwasher can thus be retrofitted with the movement element and the spray arm. The movement element and the spray arm can be part of a spray arm arrangement of the household dishwasher. This spray arm arrangement can be retrofitted.

The spray arm being “rotatably mounted” on the receptacle for items to be washed means in the present case that the spray arm is operatively connected or coupled to the receptacle for items to be washed, such that the spray arm can rotate relative to the receptacle for items to be washed. To this end, the spray arm can be directly mounted, for example, in a rotational manner on the receptacle for items to be washed. Alternatively, a supply pipe for supplying washing liquor and/or fresh water to the spray arm can be mounted on the receptacle for items to be washed. In this case, the spray arm is rotatably mounted on the supply pipe. The spray arm is thus indirectly coupled or operatively connected to the receptacle for items to be washed via the supply pipe.

According to one embodiment, the spray arm rotating device has an engagement element which is attached to the spray arm and which extends on the upper face out of the spray arm in the direction of the receptacle for items to be washed, and a counter-engagement element which is attached to the movement element and which extends on the lower face out of the receptacle for items to be washed in the direction of the spray arm, wherein the counter-engagement element positively engages in the engagement element when the receptacle for items to be washed is moved into the dishwasher cavity in the insertion direction, in order to set the spray arm to rotate.

A positive connection or a positive engagement is produced by the engagement of two connecting partners in one another or behind one another, in the present case the counter-engagement element and the engagement element. Preferably, the counter-engagement element is attached to an end of the movement element facing away from the rear wall. The counter-engagement element is preferably positioned obliquely relative to the movement element.

According to a further embodiment, the counter-engagement element is an elastically deformable component, in particular a leaf spring, a plastic component or the like.

The elastically deformable component can be any kind of spring. Preferably, the component is deformable in a spring-elastic manner. The counter-engagement element can be produced, for example, from a spring steel. Alternatively, the counter-engagement element can also be produced from a plastic material.

According to a further embodiment, the counter-engagement element slides over the engagement element when the receptacle for items to be washed is moved out of the dishwasher cavity in the pull-out direction, wherein it deforms the counter-engagement element in a spring-elastic manner.

As a result, the spray arm is prevented from being set in rotation even when the receptacle for items to be washed is moved out of the dishwasher cavity.

According to a further embodiment, the engagement element has a plurality of plate-shaped engagement wings, the counter-engagement element positively engaging therebetween in order to set the spray arm to rotate when the receptacle for items to be washed is moved into the dishwasher cavity in the insertion direction.

The number of engagement wings is arbitrary. For example, twelve such engagement wings are provided. However, it is also possible to provide fewer or more than twelve engagement wings. “Plate-shaped” can mean in this context that the engagement wings have a constant or uniform thickness or wall thickness.

According to a further embodiment, the engagement wings are arranged so as to be equally distributed about an axis of rotation of the spray arm.

The spray arm is mounted on the receptacle for items to be washed, in particular rotatably about the axis of rotation. Preferably, the supply pipe is attached to the receptacle for items to be washed, washing liquor and/or fresh water being supplied thereby to the spray arm. The spray arm is mounted on this supply pipe so as to be rotatable about its axis of rotation.

According to a further embodiment, the engagement wings extend radially outwardly starting from the axis of rotation.

“Radially outwardly” means in the present case, in particular, in a radial direction which is oriented perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the spray arm and away from said axis of rotation.

According to a further embodiment, the spray arm has a wing plate to which the engagement wings are attached, wherein the engagement wings extend radially beyond the wing plate and wherein the engagement wings are connected to one another only by means of the wing plate.

The wing plate and the engagement wings together form the engagement element. The wing plate is configured in one piece, in particular in the same material, with the spray arm.

“In one piece” or “integrally” means in the present case that the spray arm and the wing plate are not composed of different sub-components but form a common component. “In the same material” means in the present case that the wing plate and the spray arm are produced entirely from the same material. For example, the engagement element and the spray arm can be configured as plastic injection-molded components. The spray arm preferably has two half-shells which are welded to one another. The wing plate and the engagement wings are connected together in one piece, in particular in the same material. The wing plate is constructed, in particular, to be disk-shaped and rotationally symmetrical to the central axis of rotation. The engagement wings extend out of the wing plate on the upper face in the direction of the receptacle for items to be washed. The engagement wings are portions of the engagement element which are separate from one another. The engagement wings are preferably not in contact with one another and are also not directly connected together. In particular, the engagement wings are exclusively connected together indirectly by means of the wing plate.

According to a further embodiment, the spray arm rotating device has a carrier element which is positively connected to the receptacle for items to be washed and on which the movement element is movably mounted.

For example, the carrier element is latched, snapped or clipped to the receptacle for items to be washed. A plurality of carrier element can be provided. For example, three such carrier elements are provided. In particular, a first carrier element, a second carrier element and a third carrier element are provided. The movement element is movably mounted on each of these carrier elements.

According to a further embodiment, the spray arm rotating device has a spring element which pretensions the movement element in the direction of the dishwasher cavity.

In particular, the spring element pretensions the push element in the direction of the rear wall. The spring element, in particular, is cylinder spring. The spring element can be a compression spring. The spring element “pretensioning” the movement element in the direction of the rear wall means in the present case that as soon as there is no longer any contact of the movement element with the dishwasher cavity, in particular with the rear wall, the spring element moves the movement element in the direction of the rear wall.

According to a further embodiment, the spring element is pretensioned when the movement element is supported in or on the dishwasher cavity.

In particular, the spring element is pretensioned when the push element is supported on the rear wall. In particular, the spring element is compressed when the movement element is supported on the dishwasher cavity, in particular on the rear wall. As soon as the movement element is no longer in contact with the dishwasher cavity, in particular with the rear wall, the spring element moves the movement element back in the direction of the rear wall and thus in the insertion direction.

According to a further embodiment, the spray arm rotating device has a transmission element which is attached to the movement element, wherein the spring element is arranged between the carrier element and the transmission element.

In particular, the spring element is arranged between the first carrier element and the transmission element. The transmission element is fixedly connected to the movement element. For example, the transmission element is screwed to the movement element. The transmission element is preferably annular. The spring element is placed between the transmission element, which is mounted fixedly on the movement element, and one of the carrier elements, in particular the first carrier element. The movement element can be moved in a linear manner relative to the carrier element, in particular the second carrier element, or the carrier elements.

According to a further embodiment, the transmission element is movably mounted on the carrier element.

Preferably, the transmission element functions as an anti-rotation device for the movement element. Accordingly, the transmission element is movably arranged on the carrier element, such that the transmission element cannot rotate relative to the carrier element.

According to a further embodiment, the movement element is guided through the spring element.

In other words, in particular, the movement element is arranged inside the spring element. The spring element thus encloses the movement element circumferentially.

According to a further embodiment, the spray arm rotating device has a buffer element which is attached to the movement element, wherein the buffer element is arranged between the movement element and the dishwasher cavity.

In particular, the buffer element is arranged between the movement element and the rear wall. Preferably, the movement element is attached to an end of the movement element facing away from the counter-engagement element. The buffer element can be, for example, a cap or the like which is positioned on the movement element. For example, the buffer element is produced from rubber or from an elastomer, for example a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

Further possible implementations of the household dishwasher also comprise not explicitly mentioned combinations of features or embodiments described above or below relative to the exemplary embodiments. The person skilled in the art will also add individual aspects as improvements or additions to the respective basic form of the household dishwasher.

Elements which are the same or functionally the same have been provided with the same reference signs in the figures, unless specified otherwise.

shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a household dishwasher. The household dishwashercomprises a dishwasher cavitywhich is able to be closed by a door, in particular in a water-tight manner. To this end, a sealing device can be provided between the doorand the dishwasher cavity. The dishwasher cavityis preferably cuboidal. The dishwasher cavitycan be arranged in a housing of the household dishwasher. The dishwasher cavityand the doorcan form a dishwasher interiorfor washing items to be washed.

The dooris shown inin its open position. The doorcan be closed or opened by pivoting about a pivot axisprovided at a lower end of the door. A loading openingof the dishwasher cavitycan be closed or opened by means of the door. The dishwasher cavityhas a bottom, a ceilingarranged opposite the bottom, a rear wallarranged opposite the closed doorand two side walls,arranged opposite one another. The bottom, the ceiling, the rear walland the side walls,can be produced, for example, from a stainless steel sheet. Alternatively, for example, the bottomcan be produced from a plastic material.

The household dishwasheralso has at least one receptacle for items to be washedto. Preferably, a plurality, for example three, receptacles for items to be washedtocan be provided, wherein the receptacle for items to be washedcan be a lower receptacle for items to be washed or a lower basket, the receptacle for items to be washedcan be an upper receptacle for items to be washed or an upper basket and the receptacle for items to be washedcan be a cutlery drawer.

Asalso shows, the receptacles for items to be washedtoare arranged one above the other in the dishwasher cavity. Each receptacle for items to be washedtois selectively movable into or out of the dishwasher cavity. In particular, each receptacle for items to be washedtocan be inserted or moved into the dishwasher cavityin an insertion direction E and pulled or moved out of the dishwasher cavitycounter to the insertion direction E in a pull-out direction A.

shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a spray arm arrangementfor the household dishwasher.shows a schematic side view of the spray arm arrangement.shows a plan view of the spray arm arrangement. Reference is made hereinafter toat the same time.