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US 12,408,811 B2Granted
Pump and dishwasher comprising the same
AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.
InventorsYoungsoo Kim, Jinhyouk Shin, Minseong Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pump includes a housing, a water inlet pipe coupled to the housing and configured to receive washing water, a water outlet pipe coupled to the housing and configured to discharge washing water, an impeller located in the housing and configured to cause washing water to be transferred from the water inlet pipe to the water outlet pipe, a heater that is coupled to the housing, that is configured to heat washing water in the housing, and that is configured to generate steam based on heating washing water, and a steam discharge pipe coupled to the water outlet pipe and configured to discharge steam generated by the heater.
Claims18
A dishwasher comprising:
- a tub;
- a spray arm configured to spray washing water into the tub;
- a steam supplier configured to discharge steam into the tub;
- a sump configured to store washing water;
- and
- a pump that is configured to supply washing water stored in the sump to the spray arm, that is configured to generate steam, and that is configured to supply steam to the steam supplier, the pump comprising:
- a housing configured to receive washing water from the sump,
- a heater disposed below the housing and configured to heat washing water in the housing, the heater being configured to generate steam based on heating washing water in the housing,
- a partition wall that divides an inside space of the housing into an upper portion and a lower portion, the partition wall defining a communication hole that enables fluid communication between the upper portion and the lower portion of the housing,
- an impeller disposed in the upper portion of the housing, and
- a water outlet pipe that protrudes from the upper portion of the housing, that communicates with the housing, and that is configured to discharge washing water from the housing,
- wherein the water outlet pipe defines a steam discharge hole at a position above a horizontal axis passing through a circumferential surface of the water outlet pipe, and
- wherein a center axis of the steam discharge hole defines an acute angle with respect to the horizontal axis.
10 more elements
A dishwasher comprising:
- a tub;
- a spray arm configured to spray washing water into the tub;
- a steam supplier configured to discharge steam into the tub;
- a sump configured to store washing water;
- and
- a pump that is configured to supply washing water stored in the sump to the spray arm, that is configured to generate steam, and that is configured to supply steam to the steam supplier, the pump comprising:
- a housing configured to receive washing water from the sump,
- a heater configured to heat washing water in the housing and to generate steam based on heating washing water in the housing,
- an impeller disposed in the housing, and
- a water outlet pipe that protrudes from the housing, that communicates with the housing, and that is configured to discharge washing water from the housing,
- wherein the water outlet pipe defines a steam discharge hole at an upward facing circumferential surface of the water outlet pipe, the steam discharge hole being configured to transmit steam generated by the pump to the steam supplier,
- wherein the water outlet pipe comprises:
- a coupling region that defines the steam discharge hole,
- a first portion that extends from the coupling region toward the housing, and
- a second portion that extends from the coupling region in a direction away from the housing, and
- wherein a cross-sectional area of the first portion is less than a cross-sectional area of the second portion.
13 more elements
A dishwasher comprising:
- a tub;
- a spray arm configured to spray washing water into the tub;
- a steam supplier configured to discharge steam into the tub;
- a sump configured to store washing water;
- and
- a pump that is configured to supply washing water stored in the sump to the spray arm, that is configured to generate steam, and that is configured to supply steam to the steam supplier, the pump comprising:
- a housing configured to receive washing water from the sump,
- a heater configured to heat washing water in the housing and to generate steam based on heating washing water in the housing,
- an impeller disposed in the housing, and
- a water outlet pipe that protrudes from the housing, that communicates with the housing, and that is configured to discharge washing water from the housing,
- wherein the water outlet pipe defines a steam discharge hole at an upward facing circumferential surface of the water outlet pipe, the steam discharge hole being configured to transmit steam generated by the pump to the steam supplier,
- wherein the steam discharge hole is defined at a position above a horizontal axis passing through the circumferential surface of the water outlet pipe, and
- wherein a center axis of the steam discharge hole defines an acute angle with respect to the horizontal axis.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.