Dishwasher and fan

Abstract

A dishwasher includes a cabinet defining a washing chamber, a door for closing an opening of the washing chamber and a fan for exhausting moist air from the washing chamber. The fan is arranged between an outer wall and an inner wall of the door, in fluid communication with the washing chamber via at least one vent hole formed in the inner wall, and includes a housing with an inlet and an outlet, an impeller in the housing and an electric motor for driving the impeller. The fan is arranged such that an axial direction of the motor is perpendicular to the inner wall. A flange is formed at an edge of the inlet to restrict water from entering the housing.

1 . A dishwasher, comprising:
 a cabinet which defines a washing chamber;   a door for closing an opening of the washing chamber; and   a fan for exhausting moist air from the washing chamber, the fan being arranged between an outer wall and an inner wall of the door, in fluid communication with the washing chamber via at least one vent hole formed in the inner wall, and comprising a housing with an inlet and an outlet, an impeller disposed in the housing and an electric motor for driving the impeller;   wherein a flange is formed at an edge of the inlet for blocking water from entering the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein an inner diameter of the flange gradually decreases along a direction from the edge of the inlet towards the impeller. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , wherein a bottom inner surface of the flange in the vertical direction forms an inclined angle θ that is less than 45 degrees relative to the axial direction of the motor. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the flange axially extends from the edge of the inlet. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the flange and the inner wall is less than 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a base with a side plate, and a cover assembled to the base and having a ring wall extending from one axial end surface of the cover facing the inner wall, the inlet being formed on the cover;
 a groove is formed between the ring wall and the side plate; and   a seal ring in water tight contact with the inner wall is disposed in the groove.   
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher of  claim 6 , wherein the distance between the flange and the inner wall is greater than the distance between the ring wall and the inner wall. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the flange extends outwardly from the edge of the inlet towards the inner wall. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the flange extends inwardly from the edge of the inlet towards the impeller. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the flange extends from the edge of the inlet towards both axial sides of the cover. 
     
     
         11 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio between the distance D between the flange and the inner wall and an axial length L of the flange is less than 10%. 
     
     
         12 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the fan is disposed such that an axial direction of the motor is perpendicular to the inner wall. 
     
     
         13 . A fan of a dishwasher for exhausting moist air from a washing chamber of the dishwasher, comprises a housing with an inlet and an outlet, an impeller disposed in the housing, and an electric motor for driving the impeller;
 wherein a flange is formed at an edge of the inlet for blocking water from entering the housing.   
     
     
         14 . The fan of  claim 13 , wherein an inner diameter of the flange gradually decreases along a direction from the edge of the inlet towards the impeller. 
     
     
         15 . The fan of  claim 14 , wherein an inner surface of the flange forms an inclined angle θ that is less than 45 degrees relative to an axial direction of the motor. 
     
     
         16 . The fan of  claim 13 , wherein the flange extends axially from the edge of the inlet. 
     
     
         17 . The fan of  claim 13 , wherein the motor is a low voltage direct current motor with an input voltage of less than 60V and an output power of less than 0.5 Watt. 
     
     
         18 . The fan of  claim 13 , wherein the flange extends outwardly from the edge of the inlet. 
     
     
         19 . The fan of  claim 13 , wherein the flange extends inwardly from the edge of the inlet towards the impeller. 
     
     
         20 . The fan of  claim 13 , wherein the flange extends from the edge of the inlet on both axial sides of the cover. 
     
     
         21 . The fan according to  claim 20 , wherein an inner diameter of the flange gradually decreases in a direction from the edge of the inlet towards the impeller. 
     
     
         22 . The fan according to  claim 13 , wherein the flange has an axial length L that is greater than 2 mm.