GB2148702A - Dishwasher - Google Patents

Abstract

A dishwasher comprises a wash chamber having dish holders 31, spray pipes 5 with orifices 51 and a carriage movable across the wash chamber and carrying shower heads 13' and rotary brushes for washing and cleaning dishes 35 in the dishholders. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dishwasher As a result ofthe progress of human being's civilization, almost all the average families have been provided with electric appliances; however, a timesaving and convenient dishwasher is still in short supply. After each rich meal, the greasy dishes which are difficulttowash become a rather headache problem. Further, the greasy dishes not only wast more time and man powerto wash, but also easily cause broken dishes because of too slippery to hold with the hand; in addition, to wash dishes is liable to cause one's hand skin becoming coarse. Todate, all families and restaurants are still unable to get rid of that annoying problem. In view ofthe aforesaid situation, the inventors from many countries have made efforts in research and development on dishwashers.So far, the various dishwashers may be classified into four kinds., i.e., (a) The upper and lower rotation-and-spray nozzle type; (b) The lower spraynozzle type; (c) Theturrentspray-noale type; and (d) The rotary cylinder type. The basic principles used in the aforesaid dishwashers are either a high pressure and high temperature spraying type or an oscillating type of washing method, which can not completely wash away the grease on the dishes, but may cause some dishesthat are made of plastics or dishes coated with paintto deform.

In view ofthe aforesaid facts, the inventor has, through careful and repeated studies, developed the present invention, an automatic dishwasher.

The main feature of the present invention is that upon a dish being placed on the dish rack, a push-button switch will be turned on as a result of the weight of the dish; that switch will energize a relay to generate a magneticforceto haveastop plate projected out of the dish-rack rod. Upon a saddle means moving to a dish rack position, a control switch and a time switch mounted on the protection plate will be touched byte stop plate to generate a series of operations.

Afurtherfeature ofthe present invention is that upon the control switch on the protection plate touching the stop plate, a relay will be energized to start a series of operations as follows: (1). The main motor stops to run and the saddle means stops at a position opposite a dish rack. (2). The motor inside the saddle means starts to run for driving the dish brush to rotate via a belt pulley. (3). Two dish brushes move closely to the position of dish racks simultaneously.

(4). The detergent inside the saddle means will be sprayed outvia the shower head (onetime).

A still furtherfeature of the present invention is that the saddle means is mounted with foursets of washing means to wash four dishes simultaneously, and each of the four sets is designed to wash the dishes in one row of dish racks. In case of one dish rack not being placed with dish, the washing means designed to wash that dish rack will not operate until all the rest washing means completing the washing operation and moving towardsthe next dish rack.

A still anotherfeature of the present invention is that upon operating the dishwasher and pushing down the start-up switch,thewater pipes on the innerwall and in the middle of the machine will startto spray water (cold or hot water) to wash the food particules or grease on the dish. After the washing means being cleaned all the dishes, the protection plate will touch a push button switch to make the main motor stop; then,the water pipe insidethe machine bodywill again spray water to clean the dishes.

Afurtheranotherfeatureofthepresentinvention is thatthe flat top of the dishwasher is furnished with a washing tank and a movable lid, which may serve the purpose of a kitchen table.

Fig. is a perspective view of the dish rack of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is the structure view ofthe driving means of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the saddle means of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is the structure view of the washing means of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view ofthe machine body ofthe present invention.

Fig. 6 is a structure view ofthe machine body ofthe present invention.

The other objects and features ofthe present invention are described in details, by referring to the drawings attached, as follows: Referring to Fig. there is shown a perspective view ofthe dish rack in this dish-washing machine, in which a numberof dish racks 31 are mounted on the dish-rack rod 3, of which the cross-sectional view is in "C" shape. Inside the "C" shaped rod and under the dish rack3l,there are mounted a small supporting rod 36 and a spring 37to support a stop plate 33. In the middle of the stop plate 33, there is mounted a soft iron core 38.Upon the dish being mounted in the dish rack 31, the dish will touch a push-button switch 32 mounted on the upper part of the rack 31; that switch 32 will energize a relay 34to generate a magneticforce to attract the soft iron core 38, which will cause the front end of the stop plate 33 to move forwards and to extend out of the dish rack rod 3 to such an extent that the control switch 12 and the time switch 13 mounted on the surface of the protection plate 14 will be touched.

Referring to Fig. 2, there is shown a driving means of the present invention, which includes four bearings 43 on the machine body 6; everytwo bearings 43 are used for positioning two guide screw rods 44 abreast, and thattwo rods 44 all penetrate through a saddle means 2 with an innerthread bush 27 respectively (as shown in Fig. 3). At the same end of each of said two guide screw rods 44, a gear41 is mounted respectively and between the two gears 41, a pinion 42 mounted on the shaft of a motor4 engages with the two gears 41.

Upon the motor4 rotating, the two guide screw rods 44will be driven to rotate; simultaneously, the saddle means 2will also be driven by the guide screw rods 44 to moveforwards.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown a sectional view of the saddle means 2, in which two shafts 25 arranged one above the other are penetrating through the saddle means 2, and are at a right angle position with respect to the two guide screw rods 44. Each of the two shafts 25 is mounted with two sleeves 26, extending out ofthe saddle means 2 and to the washing means (as shown in Fig. 4). Between the sleeve 26 and the shaft 25, bearings 73 and 72 are mounted so asto have the sleeve 26 rotate around the shaft 25. Insidethe saddle means 2, the end of each sleeve 26 is mounted with a pinion 23, which is engaged with the gear 24 mounted on the shaft of motor 21.A box 29 mounted inside the saddle means 2 in loaded with detergent, which will, through a pipe 28, be conveyed to the shower head 13' to spray out (as shown in Fig. 4).

Further, there are four relays 22 installed inside the saddle means 2for controlling the washing operation and time.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is shown the structure of the washing means, which includes two belt pulleys 71 and 18 mounted inside the protection plate 14; the belt pulley 71 is fixedly attached at one end ofthe sleeve 26, and is rotating togetherwith the sleeve 26 around the shaft 25. The driving force may, through belt 19, be transmitted to belt pulley 18. In the shaft hole of the belt pulley 18, a bearing 17 is furnished and mounted on the hollow rod 15. Between the belt pulley 18 and the disk brush 1, a spring 11 fixedly attached. At the front end of the hollow rod 15, a coil 16 is mounted; upon the coil 16 being energized, a magnetic force will be generated to attract a soft iron core 12' atthe center of the disk brush 1 so asto reduce the distance between the disk brush 1 and the belt pulley 18.On the protection plate 14, there is mounted a pipe 28. which is connected between the box 29 (shown in Fig. 3) in the saddle means 2 and the shower head 13'.

Referring to Fig. and 6, there are shown the sectional views of the machine structu re. In the machine body 6, two guide screw rods 44 are mounted for driving the saddle means 2 to move forwards, and on the saddle means 2, there are mounted four sets of washing means; each set of the washing means is designed to wash one row of dishes 35. The left and the right side sets of washing means are fixedly attached to the two protection plates 14 by means of supporting rods 52, which are connected, in the middle, with an iron 53 to sleeve over the water pipe 5.

The water pipe 58 of the water-spraying means (shown in Fig. 6) in the machine body 6 may directly by connected with the water tap so asto have the water stored in the water tank 54 through that water pipe 58.

In the watertank 54, there is furnished a floating-ball control means 57, which will have the water supply cut off automatically upon the water in the tank 54 reaching a saturation level. The motor pump 55 is mounted on the upper portion of the water tank 54.

The water in watertank 54 may, through the water pipe 5, be pumped outfor increasing its pressure before spraying out, via the spraying holes 51 ofthe water pipes 5 along the innerwall and in the middle of the machine body 6, forwashing the dishes 35.

Before operating the dishwasher ofthe present invention, place the dishes to be washed on the dish rack 31 firstso asto have the relay 34 energized by means oftheweight ofthe dish 35 itself and to make the stop plate 33 inside the dish-rack rod 3 move forwards (as shown in Fig. 1); then,turn on the start-up switch 66 on the top ofthe machine body 6 (at that time, the switch 63 is set at forward rotation position) so asto turn on the relay 56to startthe motor pump 55 for pumping the water out of the watertank 54; then, apply a pressure to the water before spraying towards the dishes 35 via the spraying holes 51 so as to remove all food particles from the dishes 35.After a pre-determined period oftime set with the relay 56 being over, the motor pump 55 stops; simultaneously, the main motor4 is started to run for driving the guide screw rod 44to drive the saddle means 2 to move forwards. Upon the saddle means2 moving to a position opposite to the dish racks 31, the control switch 12 and the time switch 13 on the protection plate 14 of each washing means will simultaneously touch the stop plate 33 projected out of the dish-rack red 3; in that moment, the control switch 12 will energize a relay 22, which will control the washing means to operate as follows: (1).The motor21 inside the saddle means 2 starts to run, and through a belt pulley assemblyto drive the dish brush 7 to rotate (The belt 19 in each ofthe belt pulley assemblies may be a cross type or a parallel type so as to have the disk brush 1 rotate in different brushing direction).

(2).The main motor4 is stopped, and the saddle means 2 is stopped atthedish 35 position.

(3). The box 29 inside the saddle means 2 will through pipe 28, provide detergentto the shower head 13' (a spring 11 is used for pushing the disk brush 1 to the washing position).

Upon the stop plate 33 touching the time switch 13, the switch 13 will startto counttime, and upon the time set being up, the power supply of relay 22 will be cut off to cause all the operations controlled through the relay 22 to be restored to their normal condition.

The guide screw rod 44 continuously drives the saddle means 2 towards the nextwashing position; then, the stop plate 33 inside the dish-rack rod 3 will again touch the control switch 12 and the time switch 13 on the protection plate 14to repeatthe same washing operation until all the dishes being cleaned. By means of the moving protection plate 14 to touch the push-button switch 59 on the dish-rack rod 3 once again,themain motor4discontinuetorotate,butthe motor pump 55 starts to run; the water is again sprayed out ofthe spraying holes 51 of the machine body 6to completely clean the dishes 35, and then the start-up switch 66 is automatically turned off, i.e. the washing operation is completed.In case of having more dishes to be washed, take outthewashed dishes first before loading the dirty dishes 35 on the dish rack 31; then, set switch 63to reverse position and turn on the start-up switch 66 to have the saddle means2 moved to reverse direction for starting the washing operation.

Fig. 6 shows the machine body structure; on the flat top of the machine body 6, there are a movable lid 62 and a washing tank 61. Normally, they are used as a kitchen table. In the inner and lower portion of the machine body 6, there is furnished a sloping board 64 and a detachable net 65, which are usedforfiltering the food particles to avoid of blocking up the water outlet. The food particles deposited on the detachable net 65 may easily be removed later.

Claims (6)

1. A dishwasher, comprising: saddle means, which is mounted in the machine body and may be driven with a driving means to move; washing means being mounted on the both sides of said saddle means and being moved together with said saddle means; water spraying means being mounted inside the machine bodyto provide a high pressure water; and dish rack being used for placing the dishes to be washed.

2. A saddle means as claimed in claim 1, wherein four relays are installed for controlling separately four motors, and by means ofgeartransmission means to have for sleeves rotate around four shafts respectively, and the said relay can simultaneously control the supply of the detergent from a box through a pipe.

3. Awashing means as claimed in 1, which mainly comprises a belt pulley transmission means inside a protection plate, and a spring is fixedly attached between said belt pulley and a disk brush, and said belt pulley is rotatively mounted around a hollow rod with a coil on its front end, and upon the relay inside the saddle means being energized, the sleeve will drivethe belt pulley to have the disk brush rotate, and simultaneoulsythe magnetic force at the front end of said hollow rod is de-magnetized, and therefore the soft iron core in the center of said disk bursh will be released so as to have said disk brush entered into the washing position and to have the detergent in the saddle means sprayed outthrough a pipe and a shower head.

4. Awater spraying means as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water pipe may directly be connected together with thewatertap so as to have the water stored inside the water tank, in which a floating ball control means is installed; and over said watertank, a motor pump is installed; and upon the start-up switch being pushed down, a relay that controls a motor pump is energized to have the water pumped out; and then the water is imposed with a pressure before being sprayed outthrough the spraying holes of the water pipes on the innerwall and the inside ofthe machine body; and said motor pump will automatically stop after a pre-set period oftime, and during said saddle means moving, it will touch a push-button switch, which will cause the water spraying means to spray water once again.

5. Adish rack means as claimed in claim 1, wherein a dish rack is mounted on a dish-rack rod, of which the cross-sectional view is in a "C" shape; and inside said dish-rack rod and in the position nearing each said dish rack, there are provided with a small supporting rod, a spring to supporting a stop plate, and in the middle of said stop plate, a soft iron core is mounted; and upon a dish being placed on said dish rack, the dish will touch a push-button switch on the top of said dish rack to energize a relay to generate a magnetic force for attracting a soft iron core so asto have the point of said stop plate extended out of said dish-rack rod.

6. A protection plate as claimed in claim 3, wherein a control switch and atime-switch are mounted on the surface of said plate; and upon said protection plate moving to the dish rack position, said plate will touch the stop plate to energize the relay inside the saddle means.