Abstract:
The present invention is to provide a sump assembly which enables leaked washing water therein to be circulated smoothly without remaining therein, and a dishwasher using the same cleanly and sanitarily. For this, the present invention includes a sump housing for holding washing water; an impeller housing secured to the sump housing for placing an impeller pumping the washing water therein; a filter housing provided on an upper portion of the impeller housing for placing a filter filtering the washing water therein; and a connection device for making a lower portion of the filter housing in communication with the sump housing. Owing to the above configuration, the dishwasher may be used cleanly and sanitarily, resulting in enhancing washing efficiency and endurance of a product.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of the Patent Korean Application No. P2005-0037916, filed on May 6, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a dishwasher, and more particularly, to a sump assembly which holds washing water in the dishwasher and supplies the washing water to spray nozzles, and a dishwasher using the same. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     Generally, a dishwasher is an electric home appliance which washes dishes by spraying high pressure washing water to the dishes through spray nozzles. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a related art dishwasher will be described. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a conventional dishwasher comprises a tub  1  having space for washing therein, a plurality of dish racks  6 ,  7  provided in the tub  1 , spray nozzles  4 ,  5  for spraying the washing water to the dish racks, and a sump assembly  10  for holding the washing water and supplying it to the spray nozzles  4 ,  5 . 
     When operating the dishwasher, clean washing water supplied from an outside of the dishwasher is stored in the sump assembly  10 . The sump assembly  10  supplies the washing water stored therein to the spray nozzles  4 ,  5  through connection pipes  2 ,  3 . Then, the spray nozzles  4 ,  5  spray the washing water to the dishes on the dish racks  6 ,  7  and washes the dishes. After that, contaminated washing water which has washed the dishes is dropped down to a lower side of the tub  1 , and re-stored in the sump assembly  10 . 
     As washing time passes, the washing water is getting more contaminated. Thus, when the washing water is severely contaminated, the sump assembly  10  drains the contaminated washing water through a drain hose  9  and receives fresh washing water. On the other hand, when the washing water is not contaminated severely, the sump assembly  10  re-supplies the washing water dropped from the tub  1  to the spray nozzles  4 ,  5 . 
     However, the conventional sump assembly  10  according to the related art has a problem that the washing water supplied to the spray nozzles  4 ,  5  may be leaked inside of the sump assembly  10 . 
     That is, in the process of supplying the washing water pumped in the sump assembly  10  to a lower spray nozzle  5 , the rotation of the lower spray nozzle  5  and so on may generate a vibration in a connection portion of the components including the sump assembly  10 , thereby causing a leakage of the washing water inside of the sump assembly  10 . 
     Accordingly, foreign substances remaining and containing in the leaked washing water may be left and accumulated, thereby causing unsanitary conditions such as ill-smell and increasing bacteria. 
     Also, due to the water leakage in the portion where a heater is installed, there are problems of deteriorating washing efficiency as well as having a bad influence on endurance of the components around the heater. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a sump assembly and a dishwasher using the same that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a sump assembly which enables leaked washing water therein to be circulated smoothly without remaining therein, and a dishwasher using the same cleanly and sanitarily. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a sump assembly which prevents the washing water from being leaked inside thereof, resulting in enhancing washing efficiency and endurance of a product, and a dishwasher using the same. 
     Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
     To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a sump assembly comprises a sump housing for holding washing water; an impeller housing secured to the sump housing for placing an impeller pumping the washing water therein; a filter housing provided in an upper portion of the impeller housing for placing a filter filtering the washing water therein; and a connection device for making a lower portion of the filter housing in communication with the sump housing. 
     A soil chamber housing provided inside of the sump housing is further comprised, having a flow passage for guiding the pumped washing water into the spray nozzles. 
     The connection device may comprise an inlet hole formed in the filter housing; an outlet hole formed in the soil chamber housing; and a guide pipe for connecting the inlet hole and the outlet hole. Also, the guide pipe may be formed avoided toward an outside of the impeller housing. 
     The guide pipe comprises a first guide pipe extending downwardly from the inlet hole of the filter housing; and a second guide pipe extending upwardly from the outlet of the flow passage housing for forming a flow passage together with the first guide pipe. 
     The guide pipe may be formed extending downwardly from the inlet hole of the filtering housing for passing through the outlet hole. 
     A bottom around the inlet hole of the filter housing may slope downward to the inlet hole. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a dishwasher comprises a body having a predetermined space for washing therein; a spray unit provided inside of the body for spraying the washing water to dishes; and a sump assembly for holding the washing water as well as pumping the washing water to the spray unit. The sump assembly comprises a sump housing for holding the washing water; an impeller housing secured to the sump housing for placing an impeller pumping the washing water therein; a filter housing provided in an upper portion of the impeller housing for placing a filter filtering the washing water therein; and a connection device for making a lower portion of the filter housing in communication with the sump housing. 
     The sump assembly may further comprise a soil chamber housing provided inside of the sump housing, having a flow passage for guiding pumped washing water into spray nozzles. 
     The connection device may comprise an inlet hole formed in the filer housing; an outlet hole formed in the soil chamber housing; and a guide pipe for connecting the inlet hole and the outlet hole. Also, the guide pipe may be formed avoided toward an outside of the impeller housing. 
     The guide pipe may comprise a first guide pipe extending downwardly from the inlet hole of the filter housing; and a second guide pipe extending upwardly from the outlet hole of the flow passage housing for forming a flow passage together with the first guide pipe. 
     The guide pipe may be formed extending downwardly from the inlet hole of the filtering housing for passing through the outlet hole. 
     A bottom around the inlet hole of the filter housing may slope downward to the inlet. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a related art dishwasher schematically; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded perspective view of a sump assembly according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a cut-away perspective view of a sump assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a cut-away perspective view of a sump assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in a sump assembly  10  according to the present invention a sump housing  100  is provided for holding washing water after receiving the washing water from an outside drain pipe. The sump housing  100  has a recess  150  at a center of a bottom for holding the washing water, and a water supply hole  151  in one side of the recess  150  for connecting a water supply pipe thereto. There is a heater (not shown) in the recess  150  for heating the washing water in the recess  150 . 
     The sump housing  100  has a coupling portion  152  at one side for coupling a drain pump (not shown) thereto. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the coupling portion  152  is projected toward the recess  150 , and the drain pump is mounted on an outside surface of the sump housing  100  so that an impeller  120  may be placed in the coupling portion  152 . Therefore, upon putting the drain pump into operation, the washing water is discharged from the sump housing  100  and a soil chamber  221  to an outside through the drain hose. 
     A pump for pumping water stored in the sump housing  100  includes a motor  160 , an impeller housing  210 , and an impeller  120 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the motor  160  is mounted on the bottom of the sump housing  100 , with a shaft  161  of the motor  160  passing through the hole  154  in the bottom of the recess  150 . 
     The impeller  120  is coupled to the shaft  161 . The impeller  120  draws washing water in an axial direction, and discharges the washing water in a radial direction. For this, the impeller  120  has an upper plate and a lower plate spaced apart as well as a plurality of blades between the upper plated and the lower plate. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the impeller housing  210  is secured to an under side of the soil chamber housing  220  mounted on the sump housing  100 , and surrounds the impeller  120 . The impeller housing  210  has a recessed portion  213  at a center of bottom for placing the impeller  120  therein, and the recessed portion  213  has an inlet  214  for drawing the washing water in the sump housing  100 . Therefore, once putting the pump into operation, the washing water in the sump housing  100  is introduced into the impeller  120  through the inlet  214 . 
     A pumping flow passage  211  is formed along a circumference of the recessed portion  213  in the impeller housing  210 , and an outlet  215  is formed in a circumferential surface of the impeller housing  210  for making the pumping flow passage  211  in communication with an outside of the impeller housing  210 . 
     The outlet  215  at the end of the pumping flow passage  211  is tangential to an outside circumferential surface of the impeller housing  210 . Also. The outlet  215  has a sloped surface to smoothly guide the washing water having passed through the pumping flow passage  211 . 
     In the meantime, the sump housing  100  has the soil chamber housing  220  mounted thereon. The soil chamber housing  220  receives the washing water pumped by the pump and discharged through the outlet  215 . The soil chamber housing  220  guides some of the washing water received therein to the spray nozzles of the dishwasher. The soil chamber housing  220  will be described in more detail. 
     The soil chamber housing  220  includes a valve receiving portion  226  in communication with the outlet  215 . 
     The valve receiving portion  226  has a first guide flow passage  222  for supplying the washing water to a lower nozzle of the dishwasher, and a second guide flow passage  223  for supplying the washing water to an upper nozzle. The first guide flow passage  222  is formed over the soil chamber housing  220 , extending from the valve receiving portion  226  to a center of the soil chamber housing  220 . The second guide flow passage  223  is formed over the soil chamber housing  220 , extending from the valve receiving portion  226  to an edge of the soil chamber housing  220 . The first guide flow passage  222  and the second guide flow passage  223  are respectively connected to pipes connected to the lower nozzle and the upper nozzle. 
     A diverting valve  130  is provided in the valve receiving portion  226  for selectively guiding some of the washing water from the outlet  215  either to the first guide flow passage  222  or to the second guide flow passage  223 . The diverting valve  130  is rotated by a motor (not shown) provided under the sump housing  100  separately. Therefore, a hole is formed in the sump housing  100  for having the shaft of the motor coupled to the diverting valve  130  pass it through. A recessed portion  171  is provided around the hole for receiving a lower end of the diverting valve  130 . 
     A bypass  224  is provided over the soil chamber housing  220  connected thereto. The soil chamber  221  extends along a circumference of the soil chamber housing  220 . A drain  225  is formed at the end of the soil chamber  221 , connected to the second drain hole  153  in the sump housing  100 . 
     Accordingly, some of the washing water pumped by the pump is introduced into the valve receiving portion  226  through the outlet  215 , and supplied to the upper nozzle or the lower nozzle by the diverting valve  130 . The rest of the washing water is introduced into the soil chamber  221  through the bypass  224 . That is, as long as the pump is operated and the washing water in the sump housing  100  is at a regular level, a fixed rate of the washing water always flows to the soil chamber  221  through the bypass  224 . 
     On the other hand, a filter housing  230  is mounted over the sump housing  100  having the soil chamber housing  220  connected thereto for covering an opened top of the sump housing  100 . 
     The filter housing  230  is disposed on an upper surface of the soil chamber housing  220  with being stepped from a bottom of the fist soil chamber  221  in a predetermined height. Also, the filter housing  230  has a second soil chamber  231  in communication with the first soil chamber  221 . 
     Meanwhile, there is a plurality of apertures  233  at a periphery of the filter housing  230 . The apertures  233  guide the washing water fallen down after washing the dishes in the tub of the dishwasher to the sump housing  100 . 
     There is a groove (not shown) on a lower side of the filter housing  230  for supporting an upper end of the diverting valve  130 . At a center of the filter housing  230 , there is a first communication hole  235  for making the lower nozzle and the first guide flow passage  222  in communication, and at a fist side edge of the filter housing  230  there is a second communication hole  237  for making the upper nozzle and the second guide flow passage  223  in communication. 
     In the mean time, the sump housing  100 , the soil chamber housing  220  and the filter housing  230  are fastened securely with fastening members such as bolts. 
     On an upper surface of the filter housing  230 , there is an arm holder  240  having a filter part  241  for covering each upper side of the first and the second soil chamber  221 ,  231 . 
     The operation of the sump assembly according to the present invention will be described. When the dishwasher starts washing or rinsing, fresh water is introduced into the recess  150  in the sump housing  100  through the water supply hole  151 . The washing water introduced into the recess  150  is heated by the heater (not shown). Once finishing the water supply, the motor  160  of the pump starts to pump up the washing water stored in the recess. 
     Hence, some of the pumped washing water is introduced into the valve receiving portion  226  through the outlet  215 , and then guided either to the first guide flow passage  222  or to the second guide flow passage  223  by the diverting valve  130 . The washing water guided to the first guide flow passage  222  is supplied to the lower nozzle through a connector  210 , and the washing water guided to the second guide flow passage  223  is supplied to the upper nozzle through the second communication hole  237 . The washing water supplied to the lower nozzle washes the dishes on the lower rack in the tub of the dishwasher, and the washing water supplied to the upper nozzle washes the dishes on the upper rack in the tub of the dishwasher. 
     The washing water and contaminants falls down after it washes the dishes and they are separated from the dishes. The contaminants and the washing water are re-introduced into the sump housing  100  through the apertures  233  along the circumferential surface of the filter housing  230 , and then re-held in the recess  150 . As described before, the washing water returned to the recess  150  contains much contaminant. Thus, the contaminant is pumped up by the pump together with the washing water. 
     In the mean time, the rest of the washing water pumped up by the impeller  120  is introduced into the bypass  224  through the hole  234 . After that, the washing water is introduced from the bypass  224  into the soil chamber  221 . 
     As time passes by, a water level of the soil chamber  221  becomes high and the washing water introduced into the soil chamber  221  overflows from the soil chamber  221 . The overflowing washing water passes through the filter  241  and in succession the apertures  233  in the sump housing  100 , and then introduced into the sump housing  100  again. However, of the contaminants introduced into the soil chamber  221 , large ones are filtered at the filter  241 , thereby accumulated in the soil chamber  221 . 
     As described before, the washing water introduced into the soil chamber  221  via the bypass  224  is filtered by the filter  241 , and supplied to the sump housing  100 . The filtered washing water supplied to the sump housing  100  passes through the above steps again, and supplied to the spray nozzles again. Thus, the sump assembly  10  of the present invention supplies the washing water to the nozzles while filtering the washing water during washing or rinsing. 
     In case that the washing or rinsing time is finished, or the washing water is contaminated heavily, the drain pump (not shown) is put into operation. Hence, the washing water and contaminations in the soil chamber  221  and the recess  150  of the sump housing  100  are discharged to an outside of the dishwasher via the drain hose by the drain pump. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a sump assembly  10  according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
     As shown in the first embodiment of the present invention, a connection device is provided for making a lower portion of the filter housing  230  and the sump housing  100  in communication. The connection device discharges washing water, leaked out of the washing water guided to a lower spray arm  5  through a flow passage of the soil chamber housing  220 , to the sump housing  100 . 
     The connection device includes an inlet hole  236   a  in the filter housing  230 , an outlet hole  226   a  in the soil chamber housing  220 , and a guide pipe  236   b ,  226   b  for connecting the inlet hole  236   a  with the outlet hole  236   b.    
     The guide pipe  236   b ,  226   b  includes a first guide pipe  236   b  extending downwardly from the inlet hole  236   a  of the filter housing  230 , and a second guide pipe  226   b  extending upwardly from the outlet hole  226   a  of the soil chamber housing  220 , for forming a flow passage together with the first guide pipe  236   b . At this time, the first guide pipe  236   b  and the second guide pipe  226   b  may be securely fastened so as to prevent the washing water from being leaked outside the guide pipe  236   b ,  226   b.    
     On the other hand, a bottom around the inlet hole  236   b  of the filter housing  230  slopes downward to the inlet hole  236   a  for helping the leaked washing water introduced into the inlet hole  236   a  smoothly. 
     Also, the guide pipe  236   b ,  226   b  is avoided toward an outside of the impeller housing  210  for having the washing water into the filter housing  230  discharged to the sump housing  100  smoothly. 
     Therefore, through the connection device, the sump assembly  10  of the present invention may smoothly discharge the washing water leaked into an empty space  239  in the filter housing  230  through a fastening portion A between the arm holder  240  and the filter housing  230  according as the lower spray arm  5  is rotated. 
     That is, the washing water leaked into the empty space  239  of the filter housing  230  is introduced into the inlet hole  236   a  of the filter housing  230 . Hence, after running in the first and the second connection pipe  236   a ,  226   a , the washing water is discharged to an inside space of the sump housing  100  through the outlet hole  226   a  of the flow passage housing  220 . 
     Therefore, according to the present invention, a more clean and hygienic sump assembly  10  may be provided, because the washing water leaked into the filter housing  230  is not accumulated but circulated smoothly. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a sump assembly  10  according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
     In this embodiment, there is a guide pipe  336   b  extending downwardly from an inlet hole  336   a  of the filter housing  230  so as to pass through an outlet hole  326   a . That is, the connection device includes the inlet hole  336   b  in the filter housing  230 , the outlet hole  326   b  in the flow passage housing  220 , and a guide pipe  336   b  extending downwardly from the inlet hole  336   b  for passing through the outlet hole  326  in communication with the sump assembly  100 . 
     Accordingly, unlike the first embodiment described before, the guide pipe  336   b  guiding leaked washing water is directly passing through the outlet hole  326   a . The assembly efficiency of the filter housing  230  and the flow passage housing  220  can be enhanced, because the washing water leaked into the filter housing  230  is discharged to the sump  100  smoothly. 
     At this time, it is preferred but not necessary that a bottom of a space in an upper surface of the filter housing  230 , where the washing water is leaked, may slope downward gradually from the washing water leaked portion to the inlet hole  336   a  for the leaked washing water&#39;s being introduced into the inlet hole  336   a  smoothly. 
     Also, there formed the outlet hole  326   a  of the flow passage housing  220  avoided toward an outside of the pump housing  210 , so that the washing water leaked into the filter housing  230  may be discharged to the sump housing  100  smoothly. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.