JPH06277170A - Dishwasher - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a pump from useless running by running a drainage pump and draining water when remaining water in a washing chamber is reduced lower than a predetermined water level and running additionally the pump when the water level exceeds a predetermined value after the pump running is delayed by a set time since a predetermined water level detecting time. CONSTITUTION:After the completion of washing, water in a water storage section 10 of a washing chamber 3 is discharged from a drain hose 15 to the outside by driving a drainage pump 13 according to the command of a microcomputer. Then, whether or not the water level reaches S3 after a predetermined delay time is detected by a water level detector 14. When the water level is not lowered to S3, the running is continued for one minute. When the water level is not lowered to S3 even then, the failure is judged to be present and the running is stopped to give an alarm. When the water level is lowered to S3 within one minute, the running is further continued for 5 minutes to stop drainage. Thus, the remaining water is discharged in a short time, the drainage pump 13 is prevented from useless running and electric power is saved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dishwasher provided with a drainage pump for draining water stored at the bottom of a washing chamber to the outside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In this type of dishwasher, when the water in the washing chamber is drained to the outside, the drainage pump is operated for a predetermined time and drained. Even if the drainage conditions are bad, for example, when the tip of the drainage hose led out from the outer case of the dishwasher is high (so-called drainage height is high), the drainage is sufficient for this fixed time. It was set to be quite long, as is done in.

[0003]

However, in the above conventional configuration, since the drainage pump is operated for a long time set for a certain period of time, when drainage conditions are good (for example, when the drainage height is low). Would cause the drainage pump to operate unnecessarily even though the drainage has been sufficiently performed. For this reason, there is a problem that the time required for the drainage operation becomes long, and the operation time for the entire dishwashing operation also becomes long. In addition, when the drainage height is high, stopping the drainage pump will cause the water remaining in the drainage hose (pipe part) to flow back to the washing room side, so it will remain in the washing room at the end of drainage operation. There was a drawback that the amount of residual water that would be consumed would increase.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher capable of shortening the time required for the drainage operation and minimizing the amount of residual water remaining in the washing chamber at the end of the drainage operation.

[0005]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The dishwasher of the present invention comprises:
In a dishwasher comprising a drainage pump that drains the water stored in the bottom of the washing chamber to the outside, a water level detecting means for detecting a drainage water level in which the amount of residual water in the washing chamber is a predetermined amount or less, Then, after starting the drainage pump to start drainage, the drainage pump is delayed for a set time from the time when the drainage water level is detected by the water level detecting means, and after this delaying operation, the drainage pump is stopped. It is characterized in that it is provided with a drainage control means for additionally operating the drainage pump when the drainage water level is detected again by the water level detection means in this state.

In this case, the water level detecting means is connected to the bottom of the cleaning chamber, a float provided in the float chamber, which moves up and down in response to the fluctuation of the water level in the cleaning chamber, and the inside of the cleaning chamber. It is also preferable that the three position detecting elements for detecting the three positions of the float respectively corresponding to the drainage water level, the normal water level and the abnormal water level are unitized and configured.

[0007]

According to the above means, after the drainage pump is started to start the drainage operation, the water level detecting means detects the drainage water level at which the amount of residual water in the cleaning chamber becomes the predetermined amount or less, and the drainage water is discharged. Since the drain pump is configured to delay operation for a set time from the time when the water level is detected, when the set time (relatively short time) elapses after draining to the drain water level,
That is, the drainage operation ends when the drainage is sufficiently performed. Therefore, when the drainage conditions are good (for example, when the drainage height is low), the drainage operation will be ended immediately when the drainage is sufficiently performed, and the drainage pump will not be wastefully operated. The time required for drainage operation is shortened.

Further, when the height of the drainage is high, when the operation of the drainage pump is stopped, the water stored in the drainage hose flows back to the washing room side, and therefore remains in the washing room at the end of the drainage operation. The amount of residual water that will be consumed will increase, but in such a case, after the above delay operation, the drainage water level is detected again by the water level detection means while the drainage pump is stopped. To be done.
By this additional operation, the residual water that flows back and remains in the cleaning chamber is vigorously discharged again, so that the amount of residual water can be minimized even if the drainage height is high.

In this case, the water level detecting means is connected to the bottom of the cleaning chamber, a float provided in the float chamber, which moves up and down in response to fluctuations in the water level in the cleaning chamber, and drainage in the cleaning chamber. Since the three position detecting elements for detecting the three positions of the float respectively corresponding to the water level, the normal water level and the abnormal water level are unitized and configured, the configuration for detecting the three water levels is significantly increased. It can be made compact.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, in FIG. 2 showing the overall configuration of the dishwasher, an inner box 2 is arranged inside the outer box 1, and the inside of the inner box 2 is a washing chamber 3. At the front part of the outer box 1, a tableware entrance / exit 4 communicating with the inside of the washing chamber 3 is formed, and a door 5 for opening / closing the tableware entrance / exit 4 is rotatably provided.

In the cleaning chamber 3, tableware baskets 6 and 7 for storing tableware (not shown) are arranged so as to be able to move in and out in two stages, and the tableware in the tableware basket 6 in the upper stage is supplied with cleaning water. A fountain nozzle 8 for jetting water is arranged, and a fountain arm 9 for jetting washing water to the tableware in the tableware basket 7 in the lower stage is arranged. A water storage unit 10 for storing cleaning water is formed at the bottom of the cleaning chamber 3, and a heater 11 is arranged in the water storage unit 10. Further, outside the bottom of the cleaning chamber 3, a cleaning pump 12, a drainage pump 13, and a water level detecting device 14 which is a water level detecting means are arranged.
The cleaning pump 12 sucks the cleaning water from the water reservoir 10 and sends it to the fountain nozzle 8 and the fountain arm 9. Further, the drainage pump 13 sucks the wash water from the water storage unit 10 and discharges it to the outside (outside the machine) through the drainage hose 15.

Here, the water level detecting device 14 is shown in FIG.
See also for details. Float chamber 1 of water level detector 14
The bottom of the water tank 6 communicates with the bottom of the water reservoir 10 of the washing chamber 3, and the water level inside the water tank 6 fluctuates in the same manner as the water level inside the water reservoir 10. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, a float 17 is provided in the float chamber 16 so as to float in the water and move up and down. In this case, the float 17 can be moved up and down by guiding and supporting a slender rod-shaped support member 18 provided on the upper surface of the float 17 by a guide portion 19 provided in the float chamber 16. Thereby, the float 17 is configured to move up and down in conjunction with the fluctuation of the water level in the cleaning chamber 3. A magnet 20 is attached to the upper end of the support member 18 of the float 17, and the magnet 20
Moves up and down together with the float 17.

The right side wall portion 2 of the float chamber 16 in FIG.
On the right side surface of 1, there are three position detecting elements, for example, 3
Reed switches 22, 23, 24 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction. These three reed switches 22,
The positions of 23 and 24 correspond to the abnormal water level S1, the normal water level S2, and the drainage water level S3 in the water storage unit 10 of the cleaning chamber 3, respectively. Specifically, the wash water is stored in the water storage unit 10.
If the abnormal water level S1 is stored inside, float 17
Is moved up to the position shown in FIG. 3, the magnet 20 comes close to the reed switch 22, and the reed switch 22 is turned on. Similarly, the wash water is stored in the water storage unit 1.
When the normal water level S2 is stored in 0, the magnet 20 approaches the reed switch 23 and the reed switch 23 is turned on, and when the cleaning water is stored in the water storage unit 10 up to the drainage water level S3, the magnet 20 becomes close to the reed switch 24, and the reed switch 24 is turned on.

Therefore, the three reed switches 22, 2
The positions of the drainage water level S3, the normal water level S2, and the abnormal water level S1 in the cleaning chamber 3 can be detected based on the on / off states of Nos. 3 and 24. That is, the three reed switches 22, 23, 24 are configured to output an abnormal water level detection signal, a normal water level detection signal, and a drain water level detection signal. Then, in this case, the water level detection device 14 includes the float chamber 16, the float 17, the reed switches 22, 23, and 2.
4 is unitized. The drainage water level S3 is a water level at which the amount of residual water remaining in the storage section 10 of the cleaning chamber 3 becomes a predetermined amount or less, that is, the water level in which the drainage is substantially completed. Further, the normal water level S2 is a water level at the time of executing the cleaning process and the rinsing process, and is set so that about 5 liters of water is stored in the storage unit 10. Further, the abnormal water level S1 is a water level that indicates the limit of water that can be stored in the storage unit 10, and indicates that no more water can be stored.

An exhaust duct 25 for guiding the air in the cleaning chamber 3 to the outside and an intake duct 26 for introducing the outside air are provided above the cleaning chamber 3, and the cleaning chamber 3 is further provided.
A fan device 27 for blowing the introduced outside air into the cleaning chamber 3 and a water supply valve 28 for supplying water into the cleaning chamber 3 on the back of the
Is provided. Further, an operation panel 29 is provided on the upper front surface of the door 5, and various operation switches (not shown) are provided on the operation panel 29.

Further, in FIG. 4 showing the electrical configuration of the above-mentioned dishwasher, a microcomputer 30, which is a control circuit for controlling the overall operation of the dishwasher (each step shown in FIG. 5), has an internal memory. The control program for that purpose is stored, and in this case, it has a function as drainage control means. The microcomputer 30 is
Various switch signals from the switch input section 31 including various operation switches of the operation panel 29, abnormal water level detection signals from the reed switches 22, 23 and 24 of the water level detection device 14, normal water level detection signals, drainage It is configured to receive a water level detection signal. The microcomputer 30 has a display unit 32 having various indicators arranged on the operation panel 29, a water supply valve 28, a cleaning pump 12, a drainage pump 13, a heater 11, and a fan unit 2.
7 is configured to be drive-controlled via drive circuits 33 to 38, respectively.

Next, the operation of the above structure will be described with reference to FIG. Now, when the start switch of the operation panel 29 is operated, the microcomputer 30 causes the respective steps shown in FIG. 5, specifically, the pre-wash step, the main wash step, the rinse step, the hot water rinse step, and the dry step in order. Ready to run. Here, in the pre-washing process, the water supply operation, the washing operation, the drainage operation, the water supply / drainage operation, and the drainage operation are sequentially executed. In the main wash process, a water supply operation, a main wash operation, and a drain operation are sequentially executed. In the rinsing process, the water supply operation, the rinsing operation, and the draining operation are repeated three times. In the hot water rinsing process, with the heater 11 energized, the water supply operation,
Rinse operation and drainage operation are executed. In the drying process, the heater 11 is energized and the fan device 27 is energized to dry the dishes.

Now, the drainage operation executed in each of the above steps will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The flowchart of FIG. 1 shows the contents of the drainage control part of the control program stored in the microcomputer 30. In FIG. 1, when a drain operation start command is issued,
First, the microcomputer 30 energizes the drainage pump 13 (step S1). Due to the pumping action of the drainage pump 13, the wash water in the water storage portion 10 of the wash chamber 3 is sucked and begins to be discharged to the outside through the drain hose 15. Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the water level of the water storage unit 10 has reached the drainage water level S3 (step S2).

Here, the water level of the water storage section 10 is the drainage water level S3.
If not, the process proceeds to “NO” in step S2, and it is determined whether or not the duration of drainage operation (elapsed time from the start of drainage operation) has reached 1 minute (step S2).
3). In this case, if the water level in the water storage unit 10 does not drop to the drainage water level S3 even if the duration of the drainage operation is one minute, some drainage abnormality (for example, clogging of the drainage hose 15) has occurred. Therefore, the process proceeds to “YES” in step S3 to notify the drainage abnormality (step S
At the same time, the dishwashing operation is stopped (step S).
5). As a method of notifying the drainage abnormality, for example, a method of sounding a buzzer or displaying on a display of the operation panel 29 is preferable.

If the water level in the water storage section 10 drops to the drainage water level S3 before the duration of the drainage operation reaches one minute, the reed switch 24 of the water level detection device 14 outputs a drainage water level detection signal to the microcomputer 30. Therefore, the microcomputer 30 proceeds to “YES” in step S2, and the microcomputer 30 delays the drainage pump 13 for a set time, for example, 5 seconds from the time when the drainage water level S3 is detected (step S6), The drainage pump 13 is turned off and stopped (step S7).

Thereafter, it is judged whether or not the water level of the water storage section 10 has reached the drainage water level S3 again with the drainage pump 13 stopped (step S8). This is because, when the drainage height is high, when the operation of the drainage pump 13 is stopped, the water remaining in the drainage hose 15 (pipe portion) flows back to the cleaning chamber 3 side. This is to detect that the water level in the water storage unit 10 rises and exceeds the drainage water level S3.

Specifically, if the height of drainage is now high, the drainage pump 13 is stopped and the drainage hose 15 is stopped.
The water remaining inside flows back to the cleaning chamber 3 side, and the water level in the cleaning chamber 3 rises to exceed the drainage water level S3 and reach the residual water level S4 shown in FIG. At this time, when the water level in the cleaning chamber 3 exceeds the drain water level S3, a drain water level detection signal is sent from the reed switch 24 of the water level detection device 14 to the microcomputer 30.
Therefore, the microcomputer 30 proceeds to “YES” in step S8, and the microcomputer 30 determines that the drainage water level S3.
The drainage pump 13 is additionally operated for, for example, 5 seconds from the time when the "drainage" is detected, and then the drainage operation is terminated (step S
9). By this additional operation, the residual water that flows back and remains in the cleaning chamber 3 is drained, so that the amount of residual water is reduced as much as possible even if the drainage height is high.

On the other hand, when the height of the drainage is low, when the operation of the drainage pump 13 is stopped, the water remaining in the drainage hose 15 is promptly drained by the siphon action. Is the residual water level S5 (drainage water level S
The water level will be lower than 3). In this case, since the drain water level detection signal is not output from the reed switch 24 of the water level detection device 14, "N" is determined in step S8.
Go to "O" and finish draining operation without additional operation.

According to this embodiment having such a structure, when the drainage operation is performed, after the drainage pump 13 is started,
The water level detecting device 14 detects a drainage water level S3 at which the amount of residual water in the cleaning chamber 3 becomes a predetermined amount or less, and the drainage water level S3 is detected.
Since the configuration is such that the drainage pump 13 is delayed for a set time (5 seconds) from the time when is detected, the drainage operation ends when a relatively short set time has elapsed after the drainage water level S3 was drained. Therefore, when the drainage conditions are good (for example, when the drainage height is low), the drainage operation will be terminated immediately when the drainage is sufficiently performed, so that the drainage pump 13 is wasted unlike the conventional configuration. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the time required for the drainage operation and thus the overall dishwashing operation time.

Further, when the drainage height is high and the operation of the drainage pump 13 is stopped, the water stored in the drainage hose 15 flows back to the washing chamber 3 side. In such a case, After the delay operation, the drainage water level S3 is detected again by the water level detector 14 while the drainage pump 13 is stopped. Therefore, the drainage pump 13 is additionally operated for 5 seconds, for example. By this additional operation, the residual water that has flowed back into the cleaning chamber 3 is forcedly discharged, so that most of the residual water can be drained, and even if the height of the drainage is high, the residual water can be drained. The amount of can be minimized.

Further, in the above embodiment, the water level detecting device 14
Is configured by uniting the three reed switches 22, 23, 24 for detecting the float chamber 16, the float 17, the drainage water level S3, the normal water level S2 and the abnormal water level S1, so three water levels are provided at three locations. The configuration for detecting the three water levels can be made much more compact than the configuration for separately detecting the above (conventional configuration).

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the additional operation of the drainage pump 13 is performed once, but it is not limited to this, and it may be performed twice or more. Further, in the above embodiment, the set time for drainage operation is set to 5 seconds and the additional operation time for the drainage pump is set to 5 seconds. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the length of each time may be appropriately determined. Further, in the above embodiment, the water level detection device 14 is
The float 17 and the reed switches 22 to 24 and the like are used for the device, but instead of this, a device using a transmissive optical sensor for detecting the water permeability to determine whether or not the set water level has been reached. Alternatively, a device using a conductive sensor that detects the conductivity of water and determines whether or not the set water level has been reached may be used.

[0028]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention delays the drainage pump for a set time from the time when the drainage level is detected by the water level detecting means after the drainage pump is started to start draining. After the delay operation, the drain pump is additionally operated when the drain water level is detected again by the water level detection means when the drain pump is stopped after the delay operation, so that the time required for drain operation can be shortened and the drainage operation can be shortened. It has an excellent effect that the amount of residual water remaining in the cleaning chamber at the end of the operation can be minimized. In this case, since the water level detection means is configured by unitizing three float switches, the float, and three reed switches that detect three positions (three water levels) of the float, a configuration for detecting three water levels. Can be significantly compacted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2] Vertical side view of the dishwasher

FIG. 3 is a vertical side view of the water level detection device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a dishwashing process.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is an outer box, 3 is a washing chamber, 10 is a water storage unit, 12 is a washing pump, 13 is a drainage pump, 14 is a water level detecting device (water level detecting means), 16 is a float chamber, 17 is a float, 20 is a magnet, 22 , 23 and 24 are reed switches (position detection elements), and 30 is a microcomputer (drainage control means).

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A dishwasher comprising a drainage pump for draining water stored at the bottom of a cleaning chamber to the outside, wherein a water level for detecting a drainage level at which the amount of residual water in the cleaning chamber is below a predetermined amount. After starting the drainage by starting the operation of the detecting means and the drainage pump, the drainage pump is delayed for a set time from the time when the drainage water level is detected by the water level detecting means, and after this delaying operation, the drainage pump And a drainage control means for additionally operating the drainage pump when the drainage water level is again detected by the water level detection means in the stopped state. 2. The water level detecting means includes a float chamber communicating with a bottom portion of the cleaning chamber, a float provided in the float chamber, which moves up and down in response to a change in water level in the cleaning chamber, and drainage in the cleaning chamber. The dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein the dishwasher comprises three position detecting elements for detecting three positions of the float corresponding to a water level, a normal water level, and an abnormal water level, respectively.