DRAIN DEVICE FOR A DISH-WASHER

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for a dish-washer which comprises a tub (10) in which liquid is circulated for cleaning the dish. The dish-water has a drain pump (14) with an inlet which is placed adjacent the bottom of the tub and a conduit (16) which is connected to the outlet (15) of the pump through which the liquid is emptied from the machine. The conduit comprises an ejec­ tor (17) through which the liquid flows during emptying the suction side of the ejector being connected to the tub.

Description: This invention relates to a device for a dish-washer comprising a tub in which liquid is circulated for cleaning the dish, a drain pump having an inlet which is placed adjacent the bottom of the tub and a conduit connected to the outlet of the pump. See for example US-A-3 346.000. Dish-washers of the type mentioned above are previously known and are used for household purposes. Such machines usually work with several successive dish-cycles. During a dish-cycle water is taken into the tub and is circulated through nozzles on the dish by means of a circulation pump. The water is then recollected in a sump at the bottom of the tub and is pumped to the sewage by means of a drain pump. In order to achieve a good dish result it is necessary that almost all dish-water with its contaminating particles is emptied from the machine after each dish-cycle so that the dish-water does not contaminate the fresh water which is taken in from the water main to the following dish-cycle. The emptying system of the dish-washers described above, with the exception of the drain pump, usually comprises a hose conducting the water from the pump directly to the sewage. For dish-washers which are placed on a work top this hose is shaped as a U which is placed upside-down and the highest point of which is situated above the highest water level in the machine which means that the emptying system is very simple. This arrangement means a control-function without valves or other control means by which the water is maintained in the tub during the dish procedure and leaves by activating the drain pump. However, this arrangement has a few drawbacks. One drawback is that self-emptying can occur during the dish procedure by means of the sifon effect since a water column might be hanging in the hose after an emptying procedure. Such a hanging water column also can cause that it becomes difficult to transport the water from the tub to the sewage if an air pocket is created in the pump or in the hose. A further drawback is that at the end of the emptying phase a backflow of dish-water might occur which means that the complete liquid column which is present in the hose flows back into the tub and causes a comparatively large remaining quantity of water which according to what has been said in the introduction is not desirable. In case the dish-washer is provided with a drain pump which is placed completely or partly above the bottom of the tub which means that the pump is not capable of succing up the complete water quantity from the bottom the problem is stressed since the remaining quantity of water thereby increases to unacceptable levels. The purpose of this invention is to create a dish-washer where the remaining quantity of water in the tub is limited, where the sifon effect is prevented and where the air supply to the drain pump is safeguarded. This is achieved by an invention having the characteristics mentioned in the main claim. An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawing which diagrammaticly shows a vertical section through a dish-washer according to invention. In the Figure there is shown a dish-washer of the work top type having a tub 10 in which the dish is placed the dish being accessible via a lid not shown. The tub is in the usual way surrounded by a shell not shown which encloses the other details which are necessary for the function of the dish-washer. The bottom of the dish-washer has a sump 11 in which the dish-water is collected and from which it by means of a circulation pump not shown is distributed to nozzles not shown in the tub. From the sump 11 a tube 12 extends up to inlet 13 of a drain pump 14 situated beside the tub. The outlet 15 of the pump is connected to a drain hose 16 which is shaped as a U which is placed upside down and which at the highest point has an ejector 17. The drain hose 16 is, although it is in the drawing shown perpendicular to the rear wall of the tub, placed parallel to said wall and preferably inside the shell. The suction side of the ejector is via a hose 18 connected to an opening 19 in the upper part of the tub. The drain hose 16 continuous into an extention 20 which has an outlet 21 which is connected to a sewage system 22. The device operates in the following way. When filling water into the dish-washer the water level will rise simultaneously in the pump, the drain hose and in the tub since the pump is vented through the drain hose 16. The level in the pump and in the drain hose will then follow the level variations which are created in the tub during the dish-cycle. When emptying the drain pump 14 is activated which means that the water which is present in the sump and in the pump flows towards the outlet 21 of the drain hose. Because of the waterflow through the ejector 17 a negative pressure is created which draws air from the tub through the opening 19 and the hose 18. When the water in the dish-washer has reached a level where air is drawn through the tube 12 the pumping effect will cease. This however means that the water column which is present in the hose 16 because of its kintetic energy will be forced a bit further forwards in the conduit. When then the velocity has ceased the ejector will loose its succing capability and instead air will leak into the ejectors through the hose 18 from the tub 10 which means that the water column which is present in the hose 16 is divided into two smaller columns. A first water column situated to the left of the ejector in the Figure is returned as a minor remaining water quantity into the tub whereas a second column situated to the right of the ejector is tapped off into the sewage. Thus the pump is vented and a sifon effect can not longer be created.

Claims: Device for a dish-washer which comprises a tub (10) in which liquid is circulated for cleaning dish, a drain pump (14) having an inlet which is placed near the bottom of the tub and a conduit (16) through which the liquid is emptied from the machine the conduit having a highest point which is situated at the upper part of the machine, characterized in that the conduit has at the highest point a constriction itself connected to the tub such that by emptying the tub a negative pressure is created in the connection which draws air from the tub. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conduit (16) at least partly is shaped as a U which is placed upside down. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connection is connected to the tub via a hose (18) the inlet (19) of which is placed above the highest liquid level in the tub.

Inventors: TOLF, ANDERS KARL HENRIK
Applicants: AKTIEBOLAGET ELECTROLUX
Application year: 1990
Main classification: A47L15
IPC codes: A47L15