US 12,690,746 B2Granted

Dishwasher including heat pump apparatus

AssigneeLG Electronics Inc.

InventorsSeungyoun Kim, Hoo Sun Lee, Kwangsoo Jung, Byung-Soon Kim, Doo Hyun Kim

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Abstract

A dishwasher includes a tub defining a washing space and accommodating dishes and a heat pump apparatus configured to heat wash water introduced into the tub. The heat pump apparatus includes a compressor configured to compress refrigerant, a first heat exchanger configured to heat water introduced into the tub, a first expansion valve configured to expand refrigerant, a second heat exchanger to which refrigerant is introduced from the first expansion valve, a second expansion valve disposed in parallel with the first expansion valve, a third heat exchanger disposed in parallel with the second heat exchanger, and a four way valve connected with the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, and the third heat exchanger and configured to change a flow path of the refrigerant.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A dishwasher comprising:

a tub defining a washing space;
and
a heat pump configured to heat water introduced into the tub,
wherein the heat pump comprises:
a compressor configured to compress refrigerant,
a first heat exchanger configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor and configured to heat water introduced into the tub,
a first expansion valve configured to receive the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger and configured to expand the refrigerant,
a second heat exchanger configured to receive the refrigerant from the first expansion valve,
a second expansion valve disposed in parallel with the first expansion valve and configured to receive the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger,
a third heat exchanger disposed in parallel with the second heat exchanger and configured to receive the refrigerant from the second expansion valve, and
a four way valve connected with the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger and configured to change a flow path of the refrigerant.

8 more elements

A heat pump for a dishwasher, the heat pump comprising:

a compressor configured to compress refrigerant;
a first heat exchanger configured to receive the refrigerant from the compressor and configured to heat water introduced into a tub of the dishwasher;
a first expansion valve configured to receive the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger and configured to expand the refrigerant;
a second heat exchanger configured to receive the refrigerant from the first expansion valve;
a second expansion valve disposed in parallel with the first expansion valve and configured to receive the refrigerant from the first heat exchanger;
a third heat exchanger disposed in parallel with the second heat exchanger and configured to receive the refrigerant from the second expansion valve;
a four way valve connected with the compressor, the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, and the third heat exchanger and configured to change a flow path the refrigerant;
and
a blowing fan facing the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger and configured to blow air toward the second heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/212,920Filed 22 Jun 2023
Priority: KR 10-2022-007737224 Jun 2022
Published: US 2023/0414060 A128 Dec 2023
Granted: 28 Jul 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification21 codes

A47L 15/4285
Details: water-heater arrangements
A47L 15/0047
Controlling processes, i.e. processes to control the operation of the machine characterised by the purpose or target of the control: energy or…
A47L 15/22
With movably-mounted spraying devices: rotary spraying devices
A47L 15/4291
Details: recovery arrangements, e.g. for the recovery of energy or water