ES2251674T3 - LAVAPLATOS WITH MEANS TO REDUCE THE CONSUMPTION OF WATER AND ENERGY. - Google Patents

Abstract

A dishwasher includes an electrovalve (W) controlling the entrance of water from the network, a water softening unit, a washing tank, a drain duct (D), a detergent distributor, a heating resistor (HR) and a microprocessor, in the washing tank there being provided two racks (R, R') side by side and a removable central dividing baffle (S) which performs the division of the tank into two independent sectors (T, T') each of which is provided with a collecting sump (J, J') with relevant filter and pressure switch (P, P'), a drain pump (DP; DP') and at least one sprinkler (L, L'). The feeding of the water coming from the softening unit takes place through a first deviating valve (VD) which directs the water to the respective supply ducts of the sectors (T, T') and the draining takes place through a connector (Y) which converges the drain ducts of the two sectors (T, T') into the drain duct (D), there also being provided a three-way manifold which receives water from the collecting sumps (J, J') through respective ducts (E, E') and conveys it to a single washing pump (WP) which feeds it to the sprinklers (L, L') through a second deviating valve (V) and relevant delivery ducts (H, H'), said manifold being provided with shutter means suitable to close the inlets of the ducts (E, E') coming from the collecting sumps (J, J'). In this way, when using one sector only the machine can actually operate at half load with a power and water saving close to 50%, and also in the full load operation it is possible to achieve a high water saving by transferring the water from one sector to the other for an alternate washing. <IMAGE>

Description

Dishwasher with means to reduce the consumption of water and energy

The present invention refers to machines dishwasher, and in particular a dishwasher for domestic use provided with means to reduce water and energy consumption.

It is known that household dishwashers they have several provisions to adapt them to the number and type of dishes to be washed, such as the low cycle setting temperature, or energy recovery, or power supply only a sprinkler, etc. Regardless of the solution adopted, in known dishwashers washing affects all the deposit and therefore the whole machine structure is heated by contact with hot water, resulting in the current energy savings with respect to full load work does not exceed 20%.

In addition, since the machine size is for a certain maximum load, even when the half load cycle, the amount of water used remains substantially the same, and this also contributes to waste of energy and water.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is provide a dishwasher that avoids the aforementioned inconvenience

This object is achieved by a dishwasher provided with means to divide the wash tank in two sectors that can function independently of each other. By For example, such dishwashers are known through the patent DE-1.628.544-A. In the additional claims other advantageous are described features.

The main advantage of the dishwasher according with the present invention it is exactly that it can work currently at half load, heating only half of the machine and with energy and water savings close to 50%.

A second advantage of the present dishwasher is that you can use the same load of water to wash alternatively dishes in both sectors when the machine is at full load, so you also get savings in this case of water close to 50%.

Another advantage of this type of machine lies in the fact that when the deposit is not divided and the operation is conventional, larger plates can be loaded and it still achieves better wash results thanks to the series of sprinklers and filters.

These and other advantages and characteristics of dishwashers according to the present invention may be manifest for those understood in the matter from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the same, referring to the attached drawings, in the which:

Figure 1 is a schematic front view showing some essential elements of this dishwasher and their connections;

Figure 2 is a view similar to the preceding one showing in detail a first embodiment of the system to feed and transfer water between the two sectors of the dishwasher mentioned above;

Figure 3 is a view similar to the preceding one showing in detail a second embodiment of the system to feed and transfer water between the two sectors;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the collector of connection shown in figure 2; Y

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the collector of connection shown in figure 3.

Referring to figure 1, it can be seen that a dishwasher according to the invention includes, conventionally, a series of known elements: a solenoid valve W that controls the entry of water from the network, a F meter that measures the amount of water entering the machine, a unit to soften the water by means of resins water softeners placed in an R container, which includes a chamber A to collect the water destined for the regeneration of said resins by means of a sodium chloride solution formed in a salt container S connected to the container R through a VR solenoid valve, and a drain pipe D.

The novel aspect of this dishwasher It consists of a washing tank that extends horizontally with two racks R, R 'arranged side by side instead of one on the other, and a detachable central deflector S which carries out the division of the deposit into two independent sectors T, T '.

In fact, in each of the two sectors there is a collection drain J and J 'from which water is drawn through of a DP and DP 'drain pump, a lower sprinkler L and L' and possibly a top sprinkler U and U '. Water feed coming from the common softening unit takes place to through a bypass valve VD that directs water to the respective supply ducts, and similarly purging takes place through a Y connector that converges the conduits of drainage of the two ducts to the common drainage duct D.

It is obvious that there are also other elements not represented in the figures, such as temperature sensors, pressure switches, a microprocessor to control the machine operation, etc.

It should be noted that in the absence of the S deflector it would be possible to use a simple frame, which had a width equal to the width of the tank, which was able to receive dishes particularly large, that is, with a side longer than 60 cm, which currently cannot be washed in the dishwasher available in the market.

In addition, the fact of having two sinks of Smaller pickup J, J 'allows to provide maximum efficiency  of filtering and optimizing the amount of water used. In fact the two separate filters have a combined filter surface superior to that of a single filter of a conventional dishwasher, and the smaller area of each sink allows greater inclination of the bottom, which favors the flow of water to the filter and therefore it allows a greater useful height of the sump.

Preferably, there is a dishwasher door, but provided with two detergent distributors and help from rinsed, one for each sector, in order to introduce the products only at the distributor corresponding to the sector employee.

The partition deflector S is intended for ensure sufficient water tightness throughout four sides, but in order to facilitate its introduction and Extraction inside and outside the deposit is not planned forced coupling. In fact, even the possible leaks of a sector to the other, in case of separate operation, no they represent a problem, and after the final drainage of the cycle the pump is also started for a few seconds drainage of the non-operative sector to empty possible leaks.

In addition, a sector has also been provided for detect the presence of the baffle S that may be made of several different ways such as a microswitch in a vertical deflector seat, or a magnet mounted on the deflector, which activates a reading sensor mounted in the tank or in the door. In this way the microprocessor will not accept the setting of separate cycles when deflector S is missing and will provide a remarkable indication to the user, for example by lighting a symbol on the screen.

Referring now to figures 2 and 4, shows the first embodiment of the feeding system and water transfer, which should take into account the problems that they can arise when one of the two sinks J, J 'is empty.

In fact, for reasons of space and cost, it is it is preferable to have only one WP wash pump that feeds both sectors, however this also implies that the WP pump purge water from both sinks J, J '. If there is only water in one of the two sinks, there is the problem of purging air from the empty sump with negative consequences for both washing as in regards to noise.

It should be noted that this problem exists not only when working at half load, that is, when only uses a sector, but also in full load cycles with "alternative" washing, since during the transfer of water from one sector to another the system must be controlled to avoid at all times that air is purged from the empty sump.

In order to solve these problems, the WP pump does not is directly connected to vacuum the two sectors, while in delivery status it is directly connected to through a conduit G, a solenoid valve V that deflects the flow to one or the other sector and the corresponding supply ducts H, H ', which drink water for sprinklers L, L' and U, U ' (having omitted the upper portion of the hydraulic circuit in Figures 2 and 3).

On the contrary, the conduits E, E 'coming of the sinks J, J 'converge towards a three-way collector AC, from which a single conduit F comes out to admit the water from the pump WP passing through a heating resistor HR. Saying AC collector is the one that allows to control the operation to half load or alternatively at full load, avoiding air purge, as described below.

Inside the body of the AC collector are arranged two shutters O and O ', respectively at the inputs of the conduits E and E ', consisting of fins fixed to the body of the collector and provided with integrated hinges that, in practice, They are formed by flexor lines B, B '. Behind the shutters O, O 'N, N' nozzles are arranged to emit jets of water to the respective shutters and that are fed to through the respective branched K, K 'tubes of the above described supply lines H, H '.

The operation of the present dishwasher assuming we started with washing in the left sector, showing in figure 4 the collector exactly in this state.

After loading a sufficient amount of water in the sump J ', the wash pump WP passes the water to through the conduit E 'and the collector CA, the shutter O of which no resists flow by bending along flexor line B, and finally to conduit F. The supply of the WP pump reaches the bypass solenoid valve V, which is properly controlled for open the outlet to the conduit H ', which feeds the sprinkler L '(and U' if it exists) and, through the conduit K 'it reaches the nozzle N 'in the CA manifold.

Taking into account the size of the elements, the depression in the suction duct and the pressure in the conduit K 'it is possible to define the size of the nozzle N' of so that it emits a stream of water that, despite losing part of its energy in the collector chamber due to the water there, is able to resist depression by pushing the shutter O 'against the conduit inlet E, connected to the empty sump J, in order to Avoid the entry of air.

After a certain interval, the V valve for a partial opening in order for water to pass towards conduit H to drink water through sprinkler L to right sector, while at the same time reducing the flow to sprinkler L '. In this phase, the pressure of the shutters O, O ' generated by the nozzles N, N 'is not enough to overcome the suction depression, due to the increase in the outflow of the WP pump and the consequent reduction in the K and K 'ducts, whereby both shutters are partially open but without no consequence that water is present in both sinks

As soon as the microprocessor detects the switching of pressure switch P in sump J, set  at the level of "minimum amount of water" to feed the corresponding sprinkler, controls the progressive switching of the feeding and ends when the pressure of the switch P 'in the sump J 'confirms that sump J' 'is almost empty.

Even when closing the shutters O, O 'is well, to the point that even when the WP wash pump the static water pressure in the full sump is stopped is enough to ensure shutter closure in the duct without pressure, it is still possible to arrange in conduits E, E ' respective shut-off valves C, C 'actuated by the corresponding actuators. Obviously, this solution implies a higher cost but can be considered for greater reliability of the system, thus dispensing with the behavior of shutters after a certain number of cycles and so particularly if the medium load function is always used in the same side.

It should be noted that it is not possible to use the valves C, C 'also to carry out the phase control of the alternative wash since the drive speeds required and the lack of "coordination" between both valves they would certainly cause problems, just as they put I manifest the tests performed by the applicant.

Referring now to figures 3 and 5, in a second embodiment of the system is shown of feed and water transfer, which provides a simpler hydraulic circuit but requires at least one actuator

In fact, in this case the AC collector is replaced by a CM manifold that includes a rotating VS shutter  around an X axis under the action of an actuator M, so that the movement Z of said shutter VS is closing alternately the entrances of conduits E 'and E.

As a result there is no need for the conduits K, K 'which in the first embodiment they allowed an "automatic balance" of the flows in the AC collector, but nevertheless it is necessary to properly control the phase of the transfer from one sector to the other. In fact, this is the most critical phase of this solution in which control is required the opening of the conduit E by the shutter VS: an opening  too early would allow the sump air J to reach the WP pump, while the opening is too late would cause the total drain of the sump J 'with the same Outcome.

In this regard it is preferable to use P, P 'analog pressure switches suitable for continually detect the amount of water in the sumps as well As an appropriate control software. In addition, the actuator M of the CM collector should be able to move the VS shutter in a brief time depending on the orders of the microprocessor. Obviously, in this solution it is superfluous to place other valves interruption since the closure is secured by the collector motorized, in which at the end of the transfer, the shutter VS closes the conduit E '(position indicated with dashed lines).

It is obvious that the embodiment before described and depicted of the dishwasher according to the invention It is only a susceptible example of several modifications. In particular, the quantity, form and disposition of the elements of each sector can change something, for example by providing others heating resistors, other sprinklers, a tray of pots on the frame, etc. Also, the only door can be replaced by two individual doors, if possible can connect to each other, in order to make a sector completely independent of the other.

Claims (10)

1. Dishwasher including a solenoid valve (W) that controls the water in the network, a water softening unit, a washing tank, a drain line (D), a detergent dispenser, a heating resistor (HR) and a microprocessor, characterized by the fact that said washing tank is provided with two racks (R, R '), side by side, and a central deflector with removable partition (S) that performs the division of the tank into two independent sectors (T, T ') each of which is provided with a collection drain (J, J') with the corresponding filter and pressure switch (P, P '), a drain pump (DP; DP') and at least one sprinkler (L, L '), the water supply coming from said softening unit being made through a first bypass valve (VD) that directs the water to the respective supply conduits of said sectors (T, T '), and the purge being performed through a connector (Y) that the purge ducts of the two sectors (T, T ') converge within said purge duct (D), there is also a three-way manifold that receives water from said collection sinks (J, J') through the corresponding ducts (E, E ') and transports it to a simple wash pump (WP) that feeds the sprinklers (L, L') through a second bypass valve (V) and the corresponding supply ducts ( H, H '), said manifold being provided with sealing means capable of closing the inlets of said ducts (E, E') coming from the collection sinks (J, J '). 2. Dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that the washing tank is closed by a single door provided with two detergent dispensers and rinsing aid, one for each sector (T, T '). 3. Dishwasher according to claim 1, characterized in that each sector (T, T ') is closed by a respective door provided with a detergent dispenser and rinse aid. 4. Dishwasher according to claim 3, characterized in that the two doors can be connected to each other. 5. Dishwasher according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the partition deflector (S) is mounted in the tank through a coupling suitable to ensure adequate water tightness over four sides while allowing a smooth introduction and removal of it. 6. Dishwasher according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes a sensor to detect the presence of the partition deflector (S). 7. Dishwasher according to claim 6, characterized in that the sensor for detecting the presence of the deflector (S) consists of a magnet mounted on the deflector (S) in order to activate a reading sensor mounted in the tank or at the door 8. Dishwasher according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manifold (CA) includes shutters consisting of fins (O, O ') fixed to the manifold body (CA) and provided with integrated hinges formed by flexor lines (B, B '), with nozzles (N, N') arranged behind said fins (O, O ') oriented to emit water jets towards the respective shutters and which are fed through corresponding tubes (K , K ') from the supply ducts (H, H'). 9. Dishwasher according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the manifold (CM) includes a plug (VS) that rotates around an axis (X) under the action of an actuator (M ), making the movement (Z) of said shutter (VS) that alternately close the inlet ducts (E, E ') that come from the sinks (J, J'). 10. Dishwasher according to claim 9, characterized in that the pressure switches (P, P ') are of the analog type suitable for continuously detecting the amount of water in the sumps (J, J').