Dishwasher comprising a sensor unit for determining a rotation movement of a spray arm

Abstract

The invention proposes a dishwasher comprising a working chamber, comprising at least one spray arm which is arranged in a rotatable manner in the working chamber, and comprising a metering apparatus for supplying and metering a substance, such as detergent, rinse aid etc., into the working chamber, which metering apparatus is designed as an insert part comprising a housing for insertion into a recess in an inner wall of the working chamber, for example in the door of the working chamber, and comprising a sensor unit for identifying a spray arm movement in the working chamber of the dishwasher, which sensor unit is arranged at least partially in a housing of the metering apparatus, wherein the sensor unit 11 comprises at least one infrared transmitter 12 and/or one infrared receiver 13.

1 . A dishwasher comprising a working chamber, comprising at least one spray arm which is arranged in a rotatable manner in the working chamber, and comprising a metering apparatus for supplying and metering a substance, such as detergent, rinse aid etc., into the working chamber, which metering apparatus is designed as an insert part comprising a housing for insertion into a recess in an inner wall of the working chamber, for example in the door of the working chamber, and comprising a sensor unit for identifying a spray arm movement in the working chamber of the dishwasher, which sensor unit is arranged at least partially in a housing of the metering apparatus,
 characterized in that   the sensor unit  11  comprises at least one infrared transmitter  12  and/or one infrared receiver  13 .   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the spray arm  5 ,  6  and/or a jet of water or washing solution from a spray nozzle crosses the beam path of the infrared transmitter  12  and/or infrared receiver  13  during the rotation of the spray arm. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein the spray arm  5 ,  6  comprises a reflector for infrared light. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein the housing  19  of the metering apparatus  9  is of water-tight design. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher according to  claim 3  wherein the housing  19  of the metering apparatus  9  has guide elements  20  in order to keep the beam path of the infrared light at least partially free of water running off from the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher according to  claim 5  wherein the guide elements are designed as a roof  20  over an infrared-permeable passage in the housing  19  of the metering apparatus  9 . 
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein the inner wall of the working chamber has guide elements in order to keep water which is running off away from the beam path of the infrared light. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein the sensor unit  11  is arranged such that it is not situated directly in a jet of water from a spray arm nozzle. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher according to  claim 3  wherein a time sequence of the sensor signal is detected and an evaluation unit is provided in order to detect the periodicity or frequency of the sensor signal which is induced by the rotating spray arm. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwasher according to  claim 1  further comprising an analog evaluation circuit. 
     
     
         11 . A metering apparatus for supplying and metering a substance, such as detergent, rinse aid etc., into the working chamber of a dishwasher according to one of the preceding claims, which metering apparatus is designed as an insert part comprising a housing for insertion into a recess in an inner wall of the working chamber, for example in the door of the working chamber, and comprises a sensor unit for identifying a spray arm movement in the working chamber of the dishwasher, which sensor unit is arranged at least partially in the housing, characterized in that the sensor unit comprises at least one infrared transmitter and/or one infrared receiver.