JP7536470B2 - Cleaning machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning machine.

A conventional washing machine is known, for example, from the one described in Patent Document 1. The washing machine described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with an inclined plate means formed at the top of the washing tank for receiving the falling washing liquid, rinsing liquid and food residue, a strainer means formed on the surface of the inclined plate means, and a filter means for receiving food residue formed in the washing tank at the lower end of the inclined plate means. In the washing machine described in Patent Document 1, the strainer means is formed from a mesh plate or a punch plate.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-10160

In a configuration in which the strainer means (separating section) is formed from a mesh plate or a punch plate, as in conventional washing machines, making the mesh size small to prevent food residue from flowing into the washing tank can easily cause clogging. When clogging occurs, water cannot pass through the strainer means, and there is a risk that the strainer means will no longer function. On the other hand, making the mesh size large in the strainer means makes it easier for food residue to flow into the washing tank, reducing the filtering capacity.

The present invention aims to provide a cleaning machine that can prevent clogging in the separation section while suppressing a decrease in filtering capacity.

The cleaning machine according to the present invention is a cleaning machine that cleans objects stored in a cleaning chamber, and includes a cleaning water tank that stores water supplied to the cleaning chamber, a separation section that passes water that has been sprayed from a nozzle toward the objects in the cleaning chamber and has cleaned the objects, and separates solid matter contained in the water, and a storage section that stores the solid matter separated by the separation section. The separation section has a plurality of wedge wires extending in one direction, and is a wedge wire screen that is configured by arranging the plurality of wedge wires in parallel at a predetermined interval from each other and has slits formed along the extension direction of the wedge wires, and is arranged at an angle downward toward the storage section.

In the cleaning machine, the separation section is a wedge wire screen. The wedge wires constituting the wedge wire screen are arranged at a predetermined interval from each other. As a result, the wedge wire screen has a plurality of slits formed along the extension direction of the wedge wires. In this way, in the wedge wire screen, each of the plurality of slits is provided along the extension direction of the wedge wires, so that even if the width of each slit is reduced, clogging can be suppressed and water can pass through. Therefore, in the cleaning machine, the deterioration of the filtering ability of the separation section can be suppressed. In addition, the separation section is arranged inclined downward toward the storage section. As a result, in the cleaning machine, the solid matter separated by the separation section can be discharged together with water to the storage section. Therefore, in the cleaning machine, the solid matter can be suppressed from remaining in the separation section. Therefore, in the cleaning machine, the defect that water does not pass through the separation section can be avoided. As a result, in the cleaning machine, the occurrence of clogging in the separation section can be suppressed while the deterioration of filtering ability can be suppressed.

In the washer according to the present invention, the separation section may be arranged so that the extension direction of the wedge wires intersects with the inclination direction of the separation section. In this configuration, the slit direction of the wedge wire screen intersects with the direction of water flow. As a result, when water or solid matter flows through the separation section in the washer, it does not flow along the slits, so that it is possible to prevent solid matter from getting caught in the slits. Therefore, it is possible to further prevent clogging in the separation section in the washer.

In the cleaning machine according to the present invention, the separation section may be arranged so that the extension direction of the wedge wire is aligned with the inclination direction of the separation section. In this configuration, the water and solids flow along the extension direction of the wedge wire, so that the water and solids can be discharged into the storage section.

In the cleaning machine according to the present invention, the predetermined interval may be 1.0 mm or less. With this configuration, it becomes difficult for solids to pass through the separation section, so that the flow of solids into the cleaning water tank can be suppressed.

In the cleaning machine according to the present invention, the predetermined interval may be 0.3 mm to 0.75 mm. In this configuration, the separation section can separate solid matter while allowing water to pass through.

In the cleaning machine according to the present invention, the wedge wire screen may be arranged at an angle of 10° to 30° with respect to the horizontal plane. In this configuration, the solid matter separated by the wedge wire screen can slide toward the storage section. Therefore, in the cleaning machine, the solid matter can be discharged into the storage section.

The present invention makes it possible to prevent clogging in the separation section while suppressing a decrease in filtering capacity.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dishwasher according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a dishwasher according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the separator and the wedge wire screen. FIG. 4 is a top view of the separator. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the separator and wedge wire screen. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a wedge wire screen. FIG. 7(a) is a side view of the wedge wire screen, and FIG. 7(b) is a front view of the wedge wire screen. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a separator and wedge wire screen of a dishwasher according to another embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the flow of wash water in a dishwasher according to a modified example and in the present washing machine.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated description will be omitted. The dimensional ratios of the drawings do not necessarily match those in the description. In the following description, the directions defined in Figure 1 (up-down direction, front-rear direction, left-right direction (width direction)) will be used for explanation.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the dishwasher 1 has a washing machine body 2 covered with a stainless steel panel. The washing machine body 2 is divided into an upper part 2A in which a washing chamber 3 is formed, and a lower part 2B in which a machine chamber 4 is formed. A support pillar 6 is arranged at the corner on the rear side of the washing machine body 2, extending vertically between the upper part 2A and the lower part 2B, and a rear panel 5 is arranged between the support pillars 6, 6.

The upper part 2A of the washer body 2 is provided with a box-shaped door 7 for opening and closing the cleaning chamber 3. This door 7 is guided by a pair of stainless steel supports 6, 6 so that it can move up and down, and is also moved up and down by a handle 8A that extends horizontally in front of it.

The tips of a pair of left and right rotating arms 8B, 8B are fixed to both ends of the handle 8A, and the rotating arms 8B, 8B are arranged diagonally along the side surface 7A of the door 7. One end of a link portion 8C arranged along the side surface 7A of the door 7 is rotatably connected to the rotating arms 8B, 8B, and the other end of the link portion 8C is connected to the door 7 via an axle pin 8D, allowing the door 7 to move up and down in response to the rotational movement of the handle 8A. Legs 9 are attached to the four corners of the bottom surface of the cleaning machine main body 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, a rack rail 11 is detachably arranged in the washing chamber 3, and a lattice-shaped dish rack on which tableware (items to be washed), such as plates and bowls after eating and drinking, is placed is placed on the rack rail 11. An upper washing nozzle 12A consisting of three radially extending arms and an upper rinsing nozzle 13A consisting of two arms are each rotatably arranged at the top of the washing chamber 3. Similarly, a lower washing nozzle 12B consisting of three radially extending arms and a lower rinsing nozzle 13B consisting of two arms are each rotatably arranged at the bottom of the washing chamber 3. Washing water is sprayed from above and below the dishes arranged on the dish rack by the upper washing nozzle 12A and the lower washing nozzle 12B, and rinsing water is sprayed from above and below by the rinsing nozzles 13A and 13B.

A cleaning pump 23 is connected to the front wall of the cleaning water tank 15 via a cleaning water suction port. A cleaning water discharge pipe 21 is connected to the discharge port of the cleaning pump 23. The cleaning water discharge pipe 21 branches into a first cleaning water discharge pipe 21A and a second cleaning water discharge pipe 21B, with the first cleaning water discharge pipe 21A connected to the upper cleaning nozzle 12A and the second cleaning water discharge pipe 21B connected to the lower cleaning nozzle 12B.

In the machine room 4, a rinse water tank 25 is arranged to which rinse water is supplied from the outside via a water supply pipe 25A. A rinse pump 27 is connected to the rinse water tank 25 via a rinse water suction pipe 29. A rinse water discharge pipe 31 is connected to the discharge port of the rinse pump 27. The rinse water discharge pipe 31 branches into a first rinse water discharge pipe 31A and a second rinse water discharge pipe 31B, with the first rinse water discharge pipe 31A connected to the upper rinse nozzle 13A and the second rinse water discharge pipe 31B connected to the lower rinse nozzle 13B. The first rinse water discharge pipe 31A is arranged inside the first cleaning water discharge pipe 21A. In other words, the first cleaning water discharge pipe 21A and the first rinse water discharge pipe 31A form a double pipe structure.

The machine chamber 4 contains an electrical box (not shown) that houses a controller 35 that controls the overall operation of the dishwasher 1.

Between the cleaning chamber 3 and the cleaning water tank 15, a separator 18 and a wedge wire screen (separation section) 40 are provided. Here, between the cleaning chamber 3 and the cleaning water tank 15 does not strictly mean the boundary between the cleaning chamber 3 and the cleaning water tank 15. The separator 18 and the wedge wire screen 40 may each be disposed in the cleaning chamber 3 or in the cleaning water tank 15.

The separator 18 divides the space between the cleaning chamber 3 and the cleaning water tank 15. The separator 18 is arranged to cover the area above the cleaning water tank 15. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the separator 18 is provided with an opening 18H. The opening 18H allows water on the separator 18 to flow out. As shown in Fig. 4, the opening 18H is arranged, for example, on the front and left side of the cleaning machine main body 2 in the separator 18. The opening 18H has, for example, a rectangular shape. The opening 18H includes a pair of sides 18Ha, 18Hb facing each other in the front-rear direction and a pair of sides 18Hc, 18Hd facing each other in the left-right direction. The separator 18 may be inclined toward the opening 18H so that the opening 18H is at its lowest position.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the separator 18 is provided with a wall portion 19. The wall portion 19 concentrates the inlet of water flowing into the opening 18H at side 18Ha. The wall portion 19 is disposed on the surface of the separator 18 facing the cleaning chamber 3. As shown in Figure 4, the wall portion 19 is disposed so as to surround the three sides 18Hb, 18Hc, and 18Hd of the opening 18H. The wall portion 19 is U-shaped when viewed from above.

The wall portion 19 is composed of a first wall member 19A, a second wall member 19B, and a third wall member 19C. The first wall member 19A, the second wall member 19B, and the third wall member 19C are erected on the separator 18. The first wall member 19A is arranged along the side 18Hb of the opening 18H. The second wall member 19B is connected to one end (right end) of the first wall member 19A in the longitudinal direction, and arranged along the side 18Hc of the opening 18H. The third wall member 19C is connected to the other end (left end) of the first wall member 19A in the longitudinal direction, and arranged along the side 18Hd of the opening 18H.

The wedge wire screen 40 separates water from solid matter (such as food scraps). The wedge wire screen 40 allows the water sprayed from the upper washing nozzle 12A and the lower washing nozzle 12B, and the upper rinsing nozzle 13A and the lower rinsing nozzle 13B toward the objects in the washing chamber 3 to pass through after washing the objects, and separates the solid matter contained in the water. The water after washing the objects may also include washing water and rinsing water that do not actually come into contact with the objects.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the wedge wire screen 40 has a plurality of wedge wires 41. The plurality of wedge wires 41 are fixed by a fixing member (not shown) or the like. As shown in Figure 7 (a), the wedge wire 41 has, for example, a triangular cross section. The wedge wire 41 has a first surface 41A, a second surface 41B, and a third surface 41C.

The wedge wires 41 are arranged parallel to each other in the X direction at a predetermined interval D. The interval D between the pair of wedge wires 41 is, for example, 1.0 mm or less, and preferably 0.3 mm to 0.75 mm. By arranging the pair of wedge wires 41 at the interval D, a slit 42 is formed in the wedge wire screen 40. The slit width corresponds to the interval D. As shown in FIG. 7(b), the wedge wires 41 extend along the Y direction (one direction). The wedge wires 41 are arranged parallel to each other. The slits 42 extend along the extension direction (Y direction) of the wedge wires 41.

As shown in FIG. 6, the wedge wire screen 40 has a first surface 40A and a second surface 40B. The first surface 40A is formed by the first surface 41A of the wedge wire 41. The first surface 40A is generally flat. The second surface 40B is formed by the second surface 41B and the third surface 41C of the wedge wire 41. The second surface 40B is generally uneven.

The wedge wire screen 40 is arranged so that the first surface 40A faces the cleaning chamber 3 (the second surface 40B faces the cleaning water tank 15). The wedge wire screen 40 is arranged in a position facing the opening 18H of the separator 18. That is, the wedge wire screen 40 is arranged in a position overlapping the opening 18H when viewed from above. One end (upper end) of the wedge wire screen 40 is located below the side 18Ha of the opening 18H, and the other end (lower end) of the wedge wire screen 40 is located near the storage section 50 (described later). The wedge wire screen 40 is arranged at an incline with respect to the horizontal direction. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the wedge wire screen 40 is arranged at an incline downward toward the storage section 50 (described later). That is, the height position of one end of the wedge wire screen 40 is higher than the height position of the other end of the wedge wire screen 40. The wedge wire screen 40 is arranged at an angle of 10° to 30° with respect to the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the inclination angle of the wedge wire screen 40 is, for example, 15°. The inclination angle of the wedge wire screen 40 may be set as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 5, the wedge wire screen 40 is arranged so that the extension direction of the wedge wire 41 intersects with the inclination direction. That is, the slit direction (mesh direction) of the wedge wire screen 40 is arranged so that it intersects with the inclination direction. The inclination direction is the direction in which the wedge wire screen 40 is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. That is, the inclination direction is the direction along the first surface 40A of the wedge wire screen 40 inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, the slit direction of the wedge wire screen 40 is approximately perpendicular to the inclination direction. The inclination direction of the wedge wire screen 40 is the direction in which water mainly flows. As a result, the water flows along a direction intersecting the slit direction of the wedge wire screen 40 (arrow in FIG. 5). The water that has passed through the wedge wire screen 40 flows into the cleaning water tank 15 through the water receiving portion 61. The water receiving portion 61 is arranged below the wedge wire screen 40. The water receiving portion 61 is arranged at an incline with respect to the horizontal direction. The water receiver 61 guides the water that has passed through the wedge wire screen 40 to the cleaning water tank 15.

The water and solids flowing out of the cleaning chamber 3 are received by the separator 18 and flow toward the opening 18H of the separator 18. The water and solids are concentrated on the side 18Ha of the opening 18H by the wall 19, and flow out from the side 18Ha. The water and solids flowing out from the opening 18H flow into the wedge wire screen 40. Most of the water that flows into the wedge wire screen 40 passes through the slits 42 and flows into the cleaning water tank 15. Some of the water that flows into the wedge wire screen 40 flows over the wedge wire screen 40 together with the solids, and flows into the storage section 50.

The washer body 2 is provided with a storage section 50. The storage section 50 is disposed in front of the lower section 2B of the washer body 2. The storage section 50 stores the solids and water separated by the wedge wire screen 40. The storage section 50 has a main body 51, a cover 52, a storage container 53, and a connecting pipe 54. The main body 51 is fixed to the washer body 2. The main body 51 is box-shaped and forms a space for storing the storage container 53. The cover 52 is provided in the washer body 2 so as to be swingable or detachable. The cover 52 opens and closes an opening at the top of the main body 51.

The storage container 53 stores solid matter such as leftover food. The storage container 53 is detachably attached to the main body 51. At least a portion of the storage container 53 is formed of a mesh member (a member having drainage properties). The connection pipe 54 connects the main body 51 to the cleaning water tank 15. The connection pipe 54 allows the water in the main body 51 to flow into the cleaning water tank 15. One end of the connection pipe 54 is connected to the bottom of the main body 51, and the other end of the connection pipe 54 is connected to the bottom of the cleaning water tank 15.

Next, the operation of the dishwasher 1 will be described. First, when the power switch of the dishwasher 1 is turned on, the rinse pump 27 sprays hot water in the rinse water tank 25 into the wash chamber 3, thereby supplying hot water into the rinse water tank 25. The temperature of the hot water in the wash water tank 15 is set to, for example, around 80°C. This allows initial hot water supply. Then, an amount of detergent that matches the amount of initial hot water supply is supplied into the wash water tank 15, and the detergent concentration of the wash water in the wash water tank 15 reaches a predetermined concentration.

After the initial supply of hot water, when the user racks the dishes and closes the door 7, a door switch (not shown) detects that the door has been closed and an operation start signal is input to the controller 35. When the operation start signal is input to the controller 35, washing of the dishes begins. The dishes are washed by spraying the washing water in the washing water tank 15 toward the dishes in the washing chamber 3. The temperature of the washing water in the washing water tank 15 is set to be, for example, 60°C to 70°C.

When the washing pump 23 starts, the washing water stored in the washing water tank 15 is pressure-fed to the upper washing nozzle 12A and the lower washing nozzle 12B via the washing water discharge pipe 21 etc., and is sprayed from the upper washing nozzle 12A and the lower washing nozzle 12B toward the dishes in the washing chamber 3. At this time, the upper washing nozzle 12A and the lower washing nozzle 12B continue to rotate due to the reaction force of the spraying force, so that the washing water is evenly applied to the dishes, and dirt on the dishes is washed off efficiently.

A part of the washing water sprayed into the washing chamber 3 falls on the wedge wire screen 40. Most of the washing water sprayed into the washing chamber 3 is received by the separator 18 and flows toward the opening 18H of the separator 18. The water and solids are concentrated on the side 18Ha of the opening 18H by the wall 19 and flow out from the side 18Ha. The water and solids flowing out from the side 18Ha side of the opening 18H flow into the upper end of the wedge wire screen 40. In this way, water flows in from the upper end of the wedge wire screen 40, so a flow along the inclination of the wedge wire screen 40 is formed. Most of the water that flows into the wedge wire screen 40 passes through the slits 42 and flows into the washing water tank 15, and is collected in the washing water tank 15. Solids that flow into the wedge wire screen 40 and are larger than the slit width remain on the wedge wire screen 40. This solid matter flows over the wedge wire screen 40 together with some of the water that has flowed into the wedge wire screen 40, and is discharged into the storage container 53 of the storage unit 50. The leftover food that has accumulated in the storage unit 50 can be disposed of by removing the storage container 53 from the main body 51. The water that has accumulated in the storage unit 50 flows into the cleaning water tank 15 via the connecting pipe 54.

The wash water collected in the wash water tank 15 is circulated and supplied again to the wash chamber 3 by the wash pump 23. After the dishes have been washed with the wash water for a predetermined time, the operation of the wash pump 23 is stopped. This temporarily halts the operation of the dishwasher 1.

Next, the rinse pump 27 is started, and the rinse water stored in the rinse water tank 25 is pressure-fed to the upper and lower rinse nozzles 13A, 13B via the rinse water discharge pipe 31 and the like, and sprayed from each rinse nozzle 13A, 13B toward the dishes. The temperature of the rinse water pressure-fed from the washing water tank 15 is set to, for example, around 80°C. At this time, each rinse nozzle 13A, 13B also continues to rotate due to the reaction force of the spray force, so that the rinse water is evenly applied to the dishes, and the dishes are rinsed efficiently.

The rinse water sprayed onto the dishes is collected in the wash water tank 15 via the wedge wire screen 40, mixed with the wash water, and used as the wash water in the next washing process. When the rinse water is sprayed into the washing chamber 3 and collected in the wash water tank 15, the excess wash water that exceeds a certain water level is discharged to the outside through an overflow pipe (not shown).

As described above, the dishwasher 1 according to this embodiment uses the wedge wire screen 40 as the separation section. The wedge wires 41 constituting the wedge wire screen 40 are arranged at a predetermined interval from each other. As a result, the wedge wire screen 40 has a plurality of slits 42 formed along the extension direction of the wedge wires 41. In this way, in the wedge wire screen 40, each of the plurality of slits 42 is provided along the extension direction of the wedge wires 41, so that even if the width of each slit 42 is reduced, clogging can be suppressed and water can pass through. Therefore, in the dishwasher 1, the deterioration of the filtering ability of the wedge wire screen 40 can be suppressed. In addition, the wedge wire screen 40 is arranged with an inclination downward toward the storage section 50. As a result, in the dishwasher 1, the solid matter separated by the wedge wire screen 40 can be discharged together with water into the storage section 50. Therefore, in the dishwasher 1, the solid matter can be suppressed from remaining on the wedge wire screen 40. Therefore, in the dishwasher 1, the problem that water does not pass through the wedge wire screen 40 can be avoided. As a result, the dishwasher 1 can prevent clogging of the wedge wire screen 40 while preventing a decrease in filtering capacity.

In addition, in the wedge wire screen 40, the slits 42 extend in one direction. In this configuration, compared to a mesh plate or a punch plate, fibrous solids (such as grated radish) or fence-shaped solids (such as shredded cabbage) are less likely to become clogged. Also, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the slit width on the second surface 40B side of the wedge wire screen 40 is wider than that on the first surface 40A. Therefore, it is possible to prevent solids that have entered the slits 42 from the first surface 40A side from becoming clogged on the second surface 40B side. Therefore, in the dishwasher 1, clogging in the wedge wire screen 40 can be suppressed.

In addition, because the wedge wire screen 40 is less likely to become clogged, it can function adequately as a filtering means even if its overall size is reduced. Therefore, in the dishwasher 1, the size of the wedge wire screen 40 can be reduced, making it easy to perform tasks such as cleaning and replacing the wedge wire screen 40.

In the dishwasher 1 according to this embodiment, the wedge wire screen 40 is arranged so that the extension direction of the wedge wires 41 intersects with the tilt direction of the wedge wire screen 40. In this configuration, the slit direction of the wedge wire screen 40 intersects with the direction of water flow. As a result, in the dishwasher 1, when water or solid matter flows through the wedge wire screen 40, it does not flow along the slits 42, so that it is possible to prevent solid matter from getting caught in the slits 42. Therefore, in the dishwasher 1, it is possible to further prevent clogging of the wedge wire screen 40.

In the dishwasher 1 according to this embodiment, the slit width of the wedge wire screen 40 is 1.0 mm or less. With this configuration, it is difficult for solids to pass through the wedge wire screen 40, and therefore it is possible to prevent solids from flowing into the wash water tank 15. In particular, it is preferable that the slit width of the wedge wire screen 40 is 0.3 mm to 0.75 mm. With this configuration, the wedge wire screen 40 can separate solids while allowing water to pass through it.

An experiment was conducted on the recovery rate of solid matter in the wedge wire screen 40 when the slit width of the wedge wire screen 40 was 0.3 mm, 0.5 mm, and 0.75 mm. Fibrous food materials were used as the solid matter. The inclination angle of the wedge wire screen 40 was set to 15°. The recovery rate was calculated from the amount of solid matter before passing through the wedge wire screen 40 and the amount of solid matter after passing through the wedge wire screen 40. Specifically, a predetermined amount (200 g) of solid matter was placed on the separator 18, and cleaning water was sprayed from the upper cleaning nozzle 12A, and the amount of solid matter discharged into the storage section 50 through the wedge wire screen 40 was measured. The experiment was conducted when the slit direction of the wedge wire screen 40 was horizontal (see FIG. 5) and vertical (see FIG. 8). Table 1 shows the experimental results.

As shown in Table 1, it was confirmed that wedge wire screens 40 with slit widths of 0.3 mm, 0.5 mm, and 0.75 mm were able to recover 80% or more of the solids. In particular, it was confirmed that the recovery rate of solids was high when the slit width was 0.5 mm and the slit direction was horizontal, and when the slit width was 0.75 mm and the slit direction was vertical. Therefore, by setting the slit width of the wedge wire screen 40 to 0.3 mm to 0.75 mm, it is possible to separate solids while allowing water to pass through the wedge wire screen 40.

In the dishwasher 1 according to this embodiment, the wedge wire screen 40 is inclined at an angle of 10° to 30° with respect to the horizontal plane. In this configuration, the solid matter separated by the wedge wire screen 40 can slide toward the storage section 50. Therefore, in the dishwasher 1, the solid matter can be discharged into the storage section 50.

If the inclination angle of the wedge wire screen 40 is smaller than 10°, solid objects may not slide easily on the wedge wire screen 40, and solid objects may remain on the wedge wire screen 40. On the other hand, if the inclination angle of the wedge wire screen 40 is larger than 30°, the proportion of water that passes through the wedge wire screen 40 and flows into the washing water tank 15 decreases, and the proportion of water discharged into the storage section 50 increases. This reduces the amount of water circulating between the washing water tank 15 and the upper washing nozzle 12A and the lower washing nozzle 12B, and the washing power may decrease. In addition, if the inclination angle of the wedge wire screen 40 is larger than 30°, the wedge wire screen 40 rises relative to the horizontal plane, so it is necessary to secure space in the vertical direction (height direction) to place the wedge wire screen 40. This leads to an increase in the size of the dishwasher 1. In the dishwasher 1, the inclination angle of the wedge wire screen 40 is set to 10° to 30°, which allows water to pass through while preventing solid matter from remaining on the wedge wire screen 40, and the vertical height of the wedge wire screen 40 can be reduced, preventing the dishwasher 1 from becoming larger.

In a conventional configuration in which the separation section is formed of a mesh plate or a punch plate, the hole diameter can be reduced to prevent small solids from flowing into the wash water tank 15. However, when the hole diameter is reduced, the resistance due to surface tension increases, reducing the water permeability in the separation section and making it difficult for water to return to the wash water tank 15. As a result, the water level in the wash water tank 15 drops, and air can get trapped in the wash pump 23. In contrast, in the dishwasher 1 according to this embodiment, even if the slit width of the slits 42 in the wedge wire screen 40 is narrowed, the water permeability is unlikely to decrease. Therefore, in the dishwasher 1, it is possible to prevent solids from flowing into the wash water tank 15 while preventing the water level in the wash water tank 15 from dropping.

In the dishwasher 1 according to this embodiment, the storage unit 50 is disposed in front of the lower part 2B of the washer main body 2. In other words, the storage unit 50 is disposed outside the washer main body 2. In this configuration, when leftover food and the like accumulates in the storage container 53 of the storage unit 50, the storage container 53 can be easily removed by opening the cover 52. Therefore, in the dishwasher 1, leftover food and the like can be easily disposed of, and the storage unit 50 can be easily cleaned.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, an example in which a separator 18 is provided has been described. However, the dishwasher 1 does not necessarily need to be provided with a separator 18. In this configuration, it is sufficient that a wedge wire screen 40 is disposed in the area above the wash water tank 15.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the opening 18H of the separator 18 has a rectangular shape. However, the shape of the opening 18H is not limited to this. In addition, the wall portion 19 may have any shape that corresponds to the shape of the opening 18H.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the separator 18 is provided with a wall portion 19. However, the wall portion 19 does not have to be provided. In other words, it is sufficient that the separator 18 is provided with only the opening 18H.

In the above embodiment, the cross section of the wedge wire 41 is described as being triangular. However, the cross section of the wedge wire 41 may be tapered. For example, the cross section of the wedge wire 41 may be trapezoidal.

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the wedge wire screen 40 is arranged so that the extension direction of the wedge wires 41 intersects with the inclination direction. That is, an example has been described in which the wedge wire screen 40 is arranged so that the slit direction of the wedge wire screen 40 intersects with the water flow direction. However, as shown in FIG. 8, the wedge wire screen 40 may be arranged so that the extension direction of the wedge wires 41 is along the inclination direction. In this configuration, water and solids flow along the extension direction of the wedge wires 41, and therefore the water and solids can be discharged into the storage section 50.

In the above embodiment, the storage unit 50 is disposed on the front surface of the lower portion 2B of the cleaner body 2. However, the storage unit 50 may be disposed on another surface of the lower portion 2B. In this case, the positions of the wedge wire screen 40 and the opening 18H can be changed as appropriate depending on the position of the storage unit 50.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the main body 51 of the storage unit 50 and the cleaning water tank 15 are connected by a connecting pipe 54. However, the storage unit 50 does not have to have a connecting pipe 54. In this case, the main body 51 only needs to have an outlet for discharging water.

In the above embodiment, the separator 18 is a plate member. However, the separator 18 may be made of a wedge wire screen. In this case, it is preferable that the separator has a shape that guides the cleaning water to the opening. For example, the separator is inclined toward the opening so that the opening is at the lowest position. In this configuration, the cleaning water can be filtered in the separator, and the area of the wedge wire screen provided in the dishwasher is increased. Therefore, since it is not necessary to discharge the solids as a lump at one point of the wedge wire screen 40 as in the above embodiment, the flow rate of water for sliding the solids on the wedge wire screen can be reduced. This allows the amount of circulating water to be reduced, and the capacity of the cleaning water tank 15 can be reduced. As a result, the dishwasher can be made smaller. In addition, since the area of the wedge wire screen is increased, clogging does not occur in the entire wedge wire screen even if the spacing between the wedge wires is reduced. Therefore, the spacing between the wedge wires of the wedge wire screen can be reduced. This makes it more difficult for solids to pass through the wedge wire screen, further preventing solids from entering the wash water tank 15.

In addition to the above embodiment, the wedge wire screen 40 may further be provided with a configuration for supplying water. For example, the wedge wire screen 40 may be provided with a configuration for supplying cleaning water to the first surface 40A of the wedge wire screen 40. In this configuration, a pump is provided for pumping up cleaning water from the cleaning water tank 15, and cleaning water is supplied from one end (upper end) of the wedge wire screen 40. The timing for supplying cleaning water to the wedge wire screen 40 may be during cleaning, during maintenance, or at regular intervals. This can prevent solid matter from remaining on the first surface 40A of the wedge wire screen 40.

For example, the wedge wire screen 40 may be configured to supply cleaning water to the second surface 40B. In this configuration, a pump is provided to pump up cleaning water from the cleaning water tank 15, and the cleaning water is sprayed toward the second surface 40B of the wedge wire screen 40. The timing for spraying the cleaning water onto the wedge wire screen 40 may be during cleaning, during maintenance, or at regular intervals. This can prevent solid matter from remaining on the first surface 40A of the wedge wire screen 40. In addition, by spraying cleaning water from the second surface 40B, solid matter adhering to (being caught in) the slits 42 of the wedge wire screen 40 can be effectively removed, thereby preventing clogging.

In addition, for example, the dishwasher 1 may be configured to be supplied with water from outside. For example, water may be supplied from another dishwasher. As shown in FIG. 9, water discharged from the dishwasher 101 may be supplied to the dishwasher 1. The dishwasher 101 is a main washing machine that washes dishes that have been pre-washed in the dishwasher 1. The dishwasher 1 and the dishwasher 101 are disposed adjacent to each other.

The dishwasher 101 has a washing water tank 115. A drain 115A is provided at the bottom of the washing water tank 115. An overflow pipe 120 is connected to the drain 115A. The end of the overflow pipe 120 is located at one end (upper end) of the wedge wire screen 40 of the dishwasher 1. In this configuration, when the water level rises in the washing water tank 115 of the dishwasher 101, washing water is supplied from the dishwasher 101 through the overflow pipe 120. This makes it possible to prevent solid matter from remaining on the first surface 40A of the wedge wire screen 40. In addition, a pump may be connected to the washing water tank 115 of the dishwasher 101, and the washing water from the washing water tank 115 may be supplied to the wedge wire screen 40 of the dishwasher 1 by the pump.

The present invention may be combined as appropriate with the above-described embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1...dishwasher, 3...washing chamber, 40...wedge wire screen (separation section), 41...wedge wire, 42...slit, 50...storage section.

Claims (6)

A cleaning machine for cleaning objects contained in a cleaning chamber, comprising:
a cleaning water tank for storing water supplied to the cleaning chamber;
a separator separating a space between the cleaning chamber and the cleaning water tank;
a separation section that passes water that has been sprayed from a nozzle toward the object in the cleaning chamber and has cleaned the object, and separates solid matter contained in the water;
a storage section that stores the solid matter separated by the separation section,
The separation unit is
A wedge wire screen has a plurality of wedge wires extending in one direction, the plurality of wedge wires being arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals from one another, and slits being formed along the extension direction of the wedge wires,
The storage section is disposed so as to be inclined downward toward the storage section,
the separator is provided with an opening through which the water and the solid matter after washing the object to be washed flows out to the separation section, and a member that concentrates the inlets of the water and the solid matter flowing into the opening on one side of the opening ,
The wedge wire screen is positioned below the opening . The cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the separation section is arranged so that the extension direction of the wedge wire intersects with the inclination direction of the separation section. The cleaning machine according to claim 1, wherein the separation section is arranged so that the extension direction of the wedge wire is aligned with the inclination direction of the separation section. The cleaning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined interval is 1.0 mm or less. The cleaning machine according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined interval is between 0.3 mm and 0.75 mm. The cleaning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the wedge wire screen is arranged at an angle of 10° to 30° with respect to the horizontal plane.

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