Dish Washer

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0081831, filed on Jun. 24, 2024, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0046751, filed on Apr. 10, 2025. The disclosures of the prior applications are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The present disclosure relates to a dish washer, and more particularly, to a dish washer including a nozzle that sprays water into a washing space.

A dish washer is an apparatus that removes dirt from dishes placed in a washing space by spraying water onto the dishes.

The dish washer may have a plurality of sprayers disposed in the washing space. The dish washer may include a spray arm which rotates within the washing space and sprays water upward. Also, the dish washer may include a sprayer positioned in an upper part of the inside of the washing space to direct water downwardly.

The sprayer positioned in an upper part of the inside of the washing space to direct water downward includes a rotating component called a spinner which may distribute the downwardly-directed water radially outward. Thus, the downwardly-directed water may be dispersed over a wide area in the washing space.

Korean Patent Registration No. KR 10-1964646 B1 discloses a dish washer including a sprayer (or top nozzle). The disclosed sprayer is a structure in which water is dispersed over a lower part of a tub through a rotating spinner (or impeller).

Incidentally, vibration can occur at a nozzle body when the spinner rotates, since the spinner is directly connected to the sprayer.

Moreover, water released via a discharge hole may continue to move predominantly forward due to an inertial force acting in the direction in which the water is flowing. Another problem is that a retainer that supports the rotation of the spinner may have trouble being held securely in place.

An aspect of the present disclosure is to solve the aforementioned problems and other problems.

Another aspect is to provide a dish washer that allows a spinner to be securely mounted to a water guide while still rotating.

Yet another aspect is to provide a dish washer having a structure in which a spinner that rotates stably under the water guide can be attached in various ways.

A further aspect is to provide a dish washer that prevents a retainer from obstructing the flow of water dispersed by the spinner while still keeping the spinner securely in place.

A further aspect is to provide a dish washer that, when water is released via a discharge hole while moving along a flow path in the water guide, prevents the water from continuing to move predominantly forward due an inertial force acting in the direction in which the water is flowing.

In order to accomplish the above-mentioned aspects, one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a dish washer including: a tub having a washing space therein; and a sprayer disposed in the tub and configured to spray water to the washing space.

The sprayer includes: a water guide having a discharge hole formed in an lower surface through which water is discharged. The sprayer includes a spinner rotatably disposed below the discharge hole. The sprayer includes a retainer supporting rotation of the spinner.

The retainer includes a rotation shaft that passes through the spinner and contacts the water guide.

An upper groove is formed on the water guide, which is recessed upwardly to accommodate an end portion of the rotation shaft.

The rotation shaft includes: a first rotation shaft disposed to pass through the spinner; and a second rotation shaft disposed to pass through the discharge hole and to contact the water guide.

The diameter of the first rotation shaft is greater than the diameter of the second rotation shaft.

A sloping surface is formed between the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft. The sloping surface becomes thicker from top to bottom.

The sprayer further includes a bracket connected to the water guide. The retainer is connected to the bracket.

The bracket is disposed to be fixed to the water guide, and the retainer is hooked to the bracket.

The bracket includes a front hook protruding forward so as to be attached to the retainer and a pair of side hooks protruding laterally so as to be attached to the retainer.

The bracket includes a first side projection and a second side projection which make contact with the retainer so as to restrict upward movement of the retainer. The first side projection and the second side projection are longitudinally spaced apart from each other.

The retainer includes: a first peripheral rib positioned outward of the spinner; and a second peripheral rib positioned above the first peripheral rib. The second peripheral rib is disposed outward of the first peripheral rib.

The second peripheral rib is positioned at the same height as or higher than the lower surface of the water guide.

The sprayer further includes a bracket connected to the water guide, to which the retainer is connected.

The second peripheral rib is positioned at the same height as or higher than a lower surface of the bracket.

The retainer further includes a rear rib that connects rear ends of the second peripheral rib. The rear rib is positioned in such a way as to make contact with a lower surface of the water guide.

An inner column is positioned inside the water guide so as to block part of a flow path formed inside the water guide. The inner column is disposed behind the discharge hole.

The discharge hole is disposed between a front end portion inside the water guide and the inner column. The front end portion is disposed forwardly spaced apart from the discharge hole.

Both left and right edges of the front end portion are curved.

The distance between the inner column and the discharge hole is shorter than the distance between the discharge hole and the front end portion.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the sprayer includes: a water guide having a discharge hole formed in an lower surface through which water is discharged; a spinner rotatably disposed below the discharge; and a retainer forming a space in which the spinner rotates.

The water guide includes a rotation shaft that passes through the spinner and contacts the retainer.

The retainer includes: a first peripheral rib disposed outward of the spinner; a second peripheral rib disposed above the first peripheral rib; and a central plate positioned at the center of the first peripheral rib, that contacts the rotation shaft. A groove is formed on the central plate, recessed downwardly to accommodate the bottom of the rotation shaft.

According to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the sprayer includes: a water guide having a discharge hole formed in an lower surface through which water is discharged; a spinner rotatably disposed below the discharge; and a retainer forming a space in which the spinner rotates.

The retainer includes a first rotation shaft which passes through the spinner, and the water guide includes a second rotation shaft which extends down the discharge hole and is connected to the first rotation shaft.

The first rotation shaft includes a coupling projection protruding upward from an upper end. The second rotation shaft has a coupling portion groove which is recessed upwardly to accommodate the coupling projection.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

According to a dish washer according to the present disclosure, there are one or more of the following effects.

First, a spinner positioned between a retainer and a water guide may rotate with respect to a rotation shaft. The rotation shaft extends from the retainer and is positioned in such a way as to make contact with the water guide. That is, the rotation shaft may be securely held in place. Accordingly, the spinner may keep rotating stably.

Moreover, the rotation shaft may extend from the water guide and be positioned in such a way as to make contact with the retainer. Also, the rotation shaft may be formed by joining together a portion extending from the retainer and a portion extending from the water guide.

Second, the retainer may be attached to the water guide via a bracket. Also, the retainer may be directly connected to the water guide. With this connecting structure, the retainer may be secured directly or indirectly to the water guide. Moreover, the spinner may rotate stably.

Third, a second peripheral rib of the retainer is positioned at the same height as or higher than a lower surface of the water guide or bracket. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize obstructions the retainer may cause on the water being dispersed by the rotation of the spinner.

Fourth, when water is falling down through the discharge hole, an inner column inside the water guide and a curved structure formed on both left and right edges of a front end portion may help minimize the tendency of water continuing to move in the same direction. This offers the advantage of allowing water released and dispersed by the water guide and the spinner to be sprayed evenly across the entire area of the washing space.

The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects that are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

Advantages and features of the present disclosure, and a method of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below but may be implemented in a variety of different forms. The present embodiments are provided to disclose completely the present disclosure and to fully inform the scope of the present disclosure to those who skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. The disclosure is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.

Hereinafter, a dish washer according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

is a perspective view of a sprayer according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to, a sprayer including a water guide will be described.