EP-4740827-A1 - DISHWASHER

EP4740827A1EP 4740827 A1EP4740827 A1EP 4740827A1EP-4740827-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dishwasher capable of effectively preventing a deterioration in rigidity of a tub by minimizing the number of opening portions, through which visible rays generated by a light source part pass, and minimizing an open area of each of the opening portions, the dishwasher being configured such that components of a lighting device, which are disposed inside a tub, are attached to an inner surface of the tub, components of the lighting device, which are disposed outside the tub, are attached to an outer surface of the tub, and the internal component and the external component are disposed so as not to be fastened to each other so that an additional fastening means, which penetrates the tub, may be excluded, such that a fastening hole, through which the fastening means passes, may be excluded, which may remarkably reduce the manufacturing costs and manufacturing time.

Inventors

CHOI, DONG JUN
JO, YEON A
KIM, Yongnam
CHO, SANGWOOG
PARK, SUNG HYUN
KANG, JIN WON

Assignees

LG Electronics Inc.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20240726

Claims (20)

A dishwasher comprising: a tub configured to define a washing space configured to accommodate dishes and having an opened front side; and a lighting device installed on an inner surface of the tub and having a light-emitting surface configured to emit visible rays toward the washing space, wherein an opening portion is provided in an inner surface of the tub and configured to allow the inside and outside of the tub to communicate with each other, and wherein the lighting device is disposed in the tub over the inside and outside of the tub while passing through the opening portion.
The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the lighting device comprises: a light source part configured to generate the visible rays; a light guide plate configured to switch a movement path of the visible rays generated by the light source part; a diffusion plate configured to define the light-emitting surface and diffuse the visible rays, which are introduced while passing through the light guide plate, toward the light-emitting surface; and a front cover coupled to an outer periphery edge of the light guide plate and fixed to the tub, wherein the front cover is attached to the inner surface of the tub, and wherein the opening portion is closed by the front cover and the diffusion plate.
The dishwasher of claim 2, wherein the lighting device further comprises: a first sealing member configured to attach the front cover to the inner surface of the tub and prevent the occurrence of a leak of water between the front cover and the tub; and a second sealing member configured to attach the diffusion plate to the front cover and prevent the occurrence of a leak of water between the front cover and the diffusion plate.
The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein a protruding surface is disposed around the opening portion of the tub and formed convexly toward the washing space, wherein a first groove portion is provided in one side surface of the front cover disposed to face the inner surface of the tub, and the first groove portion is formed at a position corresponding to the protruding surface and formed concavely toward the washing space so that the protruding surface is inserted into the first groove portion, and wherein the first sealing member is disposed between the protruding surface and the first groove portion.
The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein a plurality of through-holes, through which the first sealing member passes, is provided in the protruding surface, and the plurality of through-holes is disposed at equal intervals along the protruding surface.
The dishwasher of claim 2, wherein the lighting device further comprises a mid-casing disposed outside the tub and configured to accommodate and support the light source part and the light guide plate, wherein the tub comprises a rear bracket provided on an outer surface of the inner surface, disposed around the opening portion, and configured to fix the mid-casing to the tub, and wherein the mid-casing is detachably fixed to the tub in a non-adhesive manner by the rear bracket.
The dishwasher of claim 6, wherein the rear bracket comprises: a bracket main body extending along a periphery of the opening portion and fixed to the outer surface of the inner surface; and a plurality of fixing portions each having one end that is a fixed end integrally connected to the bracket main body, and the other end that is a free end extending toward the opening portion, the plurality of fixing portions being configured to elastically support an outer periphery edge of the mid-casing.
The dishwasher of claim 7, wherein the plurality of fixing portions comprises a pair of first fixing portions disposed at positions spaced apart from each other in an upward/downward direction with the mid-casing interposed therebetween, wherein an interval in the upward/downward direction between the pair of first fixing portions varies toward the bracket main body, wherein a minimum interval in the upward/downward direction between the pair of first fixing portions is smaller than a width in the upward/downward direction of the mid-casing, and wherein a maximum interval in the upward/downward direction between the pair of first fixing portions is larger than the width in the upward/downward direction of the mid-casing.
The dishwasher of claim 7, wherein the plurality of fixing portions comprises a pair of second fixing portions disposed at positions spaced apart from each other in a leftward/rightward direction with the mid-casing interposed therebetween, wherein an interval in the leftward/rightward direction between the pair of second fixing portions varies toward the bracket main body, wherein a minimum interval in the leftward/rightward direction between the pair of second fixing portions is smaller than a width in the leftward/rightward direction of the mid-casing, and wherein a maximum interval in the leftward/rightward direction between the pair of second fixing portions is larger than the width in the leftward/rightward direction of the mid-casing.
The dishwasher of claim 6, wherein the mid-casing is fixed to an outer portion of the tub after the front cover is fixed to an inner portion of the tub in a state in which the light guide plate is attached to the front cover, and wherein the front cover and the mid-casing are fixed to the tub in a non-fastened state.
The dishwasher of claim 2, wherein the light source part extends in a leftward/rightward direction in parallel with an upper or lower end of the light-emitting surface.
The dishwasher of claim 2, wherein the light source part extends in an upward/downward direction in parallel with a left or right end of the light-emitting surface.
The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the lighting device is fixed to a rear surface of the inner surface of the tub disposed to face the opened front side.
The dishwasher of claim 13, further comprising: a plurality of guide rails disposed on two opposite side walls of the inner surface of the tub and configured to guide a movement of an accommodation part configured to accommodate the dishes, wherein a lower end of the light-emitting surface is positioned between a lower rail, which is disposed at a lowermost side among the plurality of guide rails, and an upper rail disposed at a position higher than the lower rail based on an upward/downward direction.
The dishwasher of claim 13, wherein an upper end of the light-emitting surface is positioned between an upper rail and a top rail disposed at an uppermost side among the plurality of guide rails based on an upward/downward direction.
The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the lighting device comprises: a light source part configured to generate the visible rays; a diffusion plate configured to define the light-emitting surface and diffuse the visible rays, which are generated by the light source part, toward the light-emitting surface; and a cover disposed above the diffusion plate and configured to accommodate the light source part and an upper end of the diffusion plate therein, wherein an extension tube is provided on one side surface of the cover, protrudes toward the inner surface of the tub, and extends to the outside of the tub while passing through the opening portion, and wherein the cover is disposed in the tub as a whole, except for the extension tube.
The dishwasher of claim 16, wherein one end of the light source part passes through the cover and extends to the outside of the tub along the inside of the extension tube.
The dishwasher of claim 16, wherein the lighting device further comprises a gasket disposed between the opening portion and the extension tube to prevent the occurrence of a leak of water between the opening portion and the extension tube.
The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the lighting device comprises: a light source part configured to generate the visible rays; a diffusion plate configured to define the light-emitting surface and diffuse the visible rays, which are generated by the light source part, toward the washing space; and a cover disposed above the diffusion plate and configured to accommodate the light source part and an upper end of the diffusion plate therein, wherein the light source part and the cover are disposed outside the tub, and wherein the diffusion plate passes through the opening portion and extends toward the inside of the tub from the outside of the tub.
The dishwasher of claim 19, wherein the opening portion is formed in an edge surface having a predetermined curvature and configured to connect an upper surface of the tub and a rear surface of the tub.

Description

[Technical Field] The present invention relates to a dishwasher, and more particularly, to a dishwasher capable of effectively preventing a deterioration in rigidity of a tub by minimizing the number of opening portions, through which visible rays generated by a light source part pass, and minimizing an open area of each of the opening portions, the dishwasher being configured such that components of a lighting device, which are disposed inside a tub, are attached to an inner surface of the tub, components of the lighting device, which are disposed outside the tub, are attached to an outer surface of the tub, and the internal component and the external component are disposed so as not to be fastened to each other so that an additional fastening means, which penetrates the tub, may be excluded, such that a fastening hole, through which the fastening means passes, may be excluded, which may remarkably reduce the manufacturing costs and manufacturing time. [Background Art] A dishwasher refers to a device that washes washing targets, such as dishes and cookware, contained in the dishwasher by spraying washing water, such as water, to the washing targets. In this case, the washing water used for a washing process may include a detergent. In general, the dishwasher includes a tub configured to define a washing space, an accommodation part disposed in the washing tub and configured to accommodate the washing targets, a spray arm configured to spray the washing water to the accommodation part, and a sump configured to store water and supply the washing water to the spray arm. The use of the dishwasher may contribute to user convenience by reducing the time and effort required to wash washing targets, such as dishes, after a meal. Typically, the dishwasher may be configured to perform a washing operation of washing the washing target, a rinsing operation of rinsing the washing target, and a drying operation of drying the washing target completely washed and rinsed. A user needs to perform a process of opening and closing a door to accommodate dishes in the dishwasher before performing the above-mentioned operations and to take dishes, which are completely washed and dried, from the dishwasher after completing the above-mentioned operations. In the tub, at least one lighting device may be provided as a means used to effectively identify an accommodated state of the dishes and a washed state of the dishes in a situation in which an accommodation part, on which the dishes are mounted, is not withdrawn to the outside of the tub when the door is opened or closed. In consideration of a shape of the tub having a box shape having an opened front side, the lighting device may be disposed on any one of a rear surface and two opposite surfaces of the tub, which constitute an inner surface of the tub, and configured to emit visible rays toward the dishes. However, the lighting device, which is applied to the dishwasher, may emit point light beams with significantly small light-emitting areas. Therefore, in general, it is difficult to effectively illuminate the dishes, which are accommodated in the tub, only by using a single lighting device. In this regard, U.S. Patent No. 10,281,134 (Patent Document 001) discloses a configuration of a dishwasher equipped with a surface lighting type lighting device having a light-emitting surface with a relatively and significantly larger light-emitting area than a point lighting type lighting device. The lighting device of the dishwasher disclosed in Patent Document 001 may be provided as a plurality of lighting devices disposed to be fixed to a rear surface of a tub. In this case, a light source part, which constitutes the lighting device and includes electrical components, is configured to be fixed to an outer surface of the rear surface of the tub so that the light source part is not affected by a high-temperature, humid environment formed in the tub. A plurality of passing holes is formed in the rear surface of the tub and each has an open area corresponding to an area of the light-emitting surface while corresponding to each of the lighting devices so that visible rays generated by the light source part may be introduced into the tub. [Disclosure] [Technical Problem] The lighting device in Patent Document 001 is configured such that some components are disposed outside the tub, and some of the remaining components are disposed inside the tub. A plurality of fasteners extends while penetrating the tub as a means for fastening the components of the lighting device, which are disposed inside the tub, and the components of the lighting device, which are disposed outside the tub, to the tub. Therefore, in the dishwasher in Patent Document 001, the passing hole, which has a significantly large open area corresponding to the area of the light-emitting surface, needs to be formed, and fastening holes, through which the fasteners pass, need to be formed around the passing hole, which causes a pro