Back to results
US 7,270,132 B2Granted
Washer
AssigneeMatsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
InventorsHiroaki Inui, Makoto Oyama, Masaki Yura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A washer includes a plurality of washing devices for spraying washing water to an object to be washed from various directions of a washing tub, and a washing water feeding device for feeding the washing water. The washing water is sequentially sprayed from respective washing devices. Thus, the washing water can be sprayed to eating utensils from the various directions without increasing fed water, and a washing effect is improved. Speedy washing, energy saving, and water saving can be also achieved.
Claims44
A washer comprising:
- washing devices for sequentially spraying washing water from various directions to an object to be washed, each of said washing devices having a spray port from which the washing water is to be sprayed;
- a washing water feeding device for feeding the washing water to said washing devices;
- a controller for controlling an operation of said washing water feeding device;
- at least one rack for holding the object to be washed;
- a washing tub for accommodating said at least one rack, said washing tub having an opening;
- a cover for opening or closing the opening of said washing tub;
- feeding/discharging passages for feeding/discharging the washing water and for coupling said washing water feeding device with said washing devices, respectively;
- and
- a water dividing structure including
- (i) a rotary water dividing unit having a wall defining a hollow interior, and plural discharge ports in said wall and communicating with said hollow interior, with at least one of said plural discharge ports being in a portion of said wall that is substantially orthogonal to a rotational axis of said rotary water dividing unit, and
- (ii) a driving device for rotating said rotary water dividing unit about the rotational axis,
- wherein said water dividing structure is for allowing the washing water to be sequentially fed to each of said washing devices by allowing the washing water, when fed by said washing water feeding device, to enter into said hollow interior and then be discharged from said plural discharge ports into said feeding/discharging passages upon rotation of said rotary water dividing unit, and
- wherein, of said washing devices, at least one is disposed in a lower part of said washing tub, at least one is disposed in an upper part of said washing tub, and at least one is disposed on a back face of said washing tub.
10 more elements
A washer comprising:
- washing devices for sequentially spraying washing water from various directions to an object to be washed, each of said washing devices having a spray port from which the washing water is to be sprayed;
- a washing water feeding device for feeding the washing water to said washing devices, said washing water feeding device having a washing water feeding device discharge port;
- a controller for controlling an operation of said washing water feeding device;
- at least one rack for holding the object to be washed;
- a washing tub for accommodating said at least one rack, said washing tub having an opening;
- a cover for opening or closing the opening of said washing tub;
- feeding/discharging passages for feeding/discharging the washing water and for coupling said washing water feeding device with said washing devices, respectively;
- and
- a water dividing structure having a driving device and a divided water output unit, said divided water output unit having plural divided water discharge ports, and said water dividing structure for allowing the washing water to be sequentially fed to each of said washing devices,
- wherein at least one of said plural divided water discharge ports is formed at a position higher than that of said washing water feeding device discharge port,
- wherein, of said washing devices, at least one is disposed in a lower part of said washing tub, at least one is disposed in an upper part of said washing tub, and at least one is disposed on a back face of said washing tub, and
- wherein at least one of said plural divided water discharge ports is in a portion of a wall that is substantially orthogonal to an axis of said divided water output unit.
9 more elements
A washer comprising:
- washing devices for sequentially spraying washing water from various directions to an object to be washed, each of said washing devices having a spray port from which the washing water is to be sprayed;
- a washing water feeding device for feeding the washing water to said washing devices;
- a controller for controlling an operation of said washing water feeding device;
- at least one rack for holding the object to be washed;
- a washing tub for accommodating said at least one rack, said washing tub having an opening;
- a cover for opening or closing the opening of said washing tub;
- feeding/discharging passages for feeding/discharging the washing water and for coupling said washing water feeding device with said washing devices, respectively;
- and
- a water dividing structure including
- (i) a changeover unit having a rotary water dividing unit with a discharge port,
- (ii) a driving device for rotating said rotary water dividing unit, and
- (iii) a divided water output unit having divided water discharge ports,
- with a cross sectional area of at least a first of said divided water discharge ports and a passage cross sectional area of a first of said feeding/discharging passages communicating with said first of said divided water discharge ports each being larger than an opening area of said discharge port,
- wherein said rotary water dividing unit faces said divided water output unit and said discharge port and said divided water discharge ports are arranged so that, during rotation of said rotary water dividing unit, said discharge port sequentially faces said divided water discharge ports to feed the washing water, when pressurized by said washing water feeding device, from said rotary water dividing unit sequentially to said divided water discharge ports such that the washing water is fed sequentially to each of said feeding/discharging passages, is guided to each of said washing devices, and is sprayed from each of said washing devices, and
- wherein, of said washing devices, at least one is disposed in a lower part of said washing tub, at least one is disposed in an upper part of said washing tub, and at least one is disposed on a back face of said washing tub.
12 more elements
A washer comprising:
- washing devices for sequentially spraying washing water from various directions to an object to be washed, each of said washing devices having a spray port from which the washing water is to be sprayed;
- a washing water feeding device for feeding the washing water to said washing devices;
- a controller for controlling an operation of said washing water feeding device;
- at least one rack for holding the object to be washed;
- a washing tub for accommodating said at least one rack, said washing tub having an opening;
- a cover for opening or closing the opening of said washing tub;
- feeding/discharging passages for feeding/discharging the washing water and for coupling said washing water feeding device with said washing devices, respectively;
- and
- a water dividing structure including
- (i) a changeover unit having a rotary water dividing unit with discharge ports, with at least one of said discharge ports being in a portion of said rotary water dividing unit that is substantially orthogonal to a rotational axis of said rotary water dividing unit,
- (ii) a driving device for rotating said rotary water dividing unit, and
- (iii) a divided water output unit having divided water discharge ports, wherein at least one of said plural divided water discharge ports is in a portion of a wall that is substantially orthogonal to an axis of said divided water output unit,
- with said rotary water dividing unit and said divided water output unit being disposed so as to prevent all of said discharge ports from simultaneously communicating with said divided water discharge ports during rotation of said rotary water dividing unit,
- wherein said rotary water dividing unit faces said divided water output unit and said discharge ports and said divided water discharge ports are arranged so that, during rotation of said rotary water dividing unit, said discharge ports sequentially face said divided water discharge ports to feed the washing water, when pressurized by said washing water feeding device, from said rotary water dividing unit sequentially to said divided water discharge ports such that the washing water is fed sequentially to each of said feeding/discharging passages, is guided to each of said washing devices, and is sprayed from each of said washing devices, and
- wherein, of said washing devices, at least one is disposed in a lower part of said washing tub, at least one is disposed in an upper part of said washing tub, and at least one is disposed on a back face of said washing tub.
12 more elements
A washer comprising:
- washing devices for sequentially spraying washing water from various directions to an object to be washed, each of said washing devices having a spray port from which the washing water is to be sprayed;
- a washing water feeding device for feeding the washing water to said washing devices;
- a controller for controlling an operation of said washing water feeding device;
- at least one rack for holding the object to be washed;
- a washing tub for accommodating said at least one rack, said washing tub having an opening;
- a cover for opening or closing the opening of said washing tub;
- feeding/discharging passages for feeding/discharging the washing water and for coupling said washing water feeding device with said washing devices, respectively;
- and
- a water dividing structure including
- (i) a changeover unit having a rotary water dividing unit with discharge ports,
- (ii) a driving device for rotating said rotary water dividing unit, and
- (iii) a divided water output unit having divided water discharge ports,
- with said rotary water dividing unit and said divided water output unit being disposed so as to prevent all of said discharge ports from simultaneously communicating with said divided water discharge ports during rotation of said rotary water dividing unit,
- wherein said rotary water dividing unit faces said divided water output unit and said discharge ports and said divided water discharge ports are arranged so that, during rotation of said rotary water dividing unit, said discharge ports sequentially face said divided water discharge ports to feed the washing water, when pressurized by said washing water feeding device, from said rotary water dividing unit sequentially to said divided water discharge ports such that the washing water is fed sequentially to each of said feeding/discharging passages, is guided to each of said washing devices, and is sprayed from each of said washing devices,
- wherein, of said washing devices, at least one is disposed in a lower part of said washing tub, at least one is disposed in an upper part of said washing tub, and at least one is disposed on a back face of said washing tub, and
- wherein said divided water output unit includes a passage varying device for varying passage cross sections of said feeding/discharging passages.
13 more elements
A washer comprising:
- washing devices for sequentially spraying washing water from various directions to an object to be washed, each of said washing devices having a spray port from which the washing water is to be sprayed;
- a washing water feeding device for feeding the washing water to said washing devices;
- a controller for controlling an operation of said washing water feeding device;
- at least one rack for holding the object to be washed;
- a washing tub for accommodating said at least one rack, said washing tub having an opening;
- a cover for opening or closing the opening of said washing tub;
- feeding/discharging passages for feeding/discharging the washing water and for coupling said washing water feeding device with said washing devices, respectively;
- a water dividing structure having a driving device, said water dividing structure for allowing the washing water to be sequentially fed to each of said washing devices;
- and
- a blowing device for feeding air,
- wherein said blowing device has a fan and an open/close valve, said open/close valve is for switching between the washing water and the air, and said blowing device is constructed and arranged to feed the air sequentially from said plurality of washing devices after switching of said open/close valve, and
- wherein, of said washing devices, at least one is disposed in a lower part of said washing tub, at least one is disposed in an upper part of said washing tub, and at least one is disposed on a back face of said washing tub.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.