Washing appliance

Abstract

A washing appliance configured to heat water supplied to the washing appliance by utilizing heated process water drained from a compartment of the washing appliance arranged to accommodate goods to be cleaned. The washing appliance comprises a tank configured to contain the water being supplied to the compartment of the washing appliance, a valve configured to be in fluid communication with said tank to control a flow of the water contained in the tank being supplied to the compartment of the washing appliance, a fresh water conduit extending inside the tank, the fresh water conduit being configured to transport the water supplied to the washing appliance, a drain water conduit configured to transport the drained heated process water, the drain water conduit being arranged to extend inside, and coaxially with, the fresh water conduit inside the tank.

1 . A washing appliance comprising:
 a compartment configured to receive goods to be cleaned;   a tank configured to contain a supply of water being supplied to the compartment;   a valve in fluid communication with said tank and configured to control a flow of the water through the tank;   a fresh water conduit extending inside the tank, the fresh water conduit being configured to transport the flow of the water supplied to the compartment; and   a drain water conduit configured to transport heated process water drained from the compartment, the drain water conduit extending inside, and coaxially with, the fresh water conduit inside the tank.   
     
     
         2 . The washing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the fresh water conduit and the drain water conduit are arranged along a periphery of the inside of the tank. 
     
     
         3 . The washing appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a drain pump configured to drain the heated process water from the compartment to a sewer or waste water tank by way of the drain water conduit and a drain water inlet of the tank.   
     
     
         4 . The washing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the tank is arranged on an external side of a main body of the washing appliance. 
     
     
         5 . The washing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a solenoid valve. 
     
     
         6 . The washing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tank comprises a fresh water inlet via which water is supplied to one end of the fresh water conduit, said fresh water inlet being arranged at a lower section on one side of the tank; and   the fresh water conduit comprises a fresh water outlet via which heated fresh water exits the fresh water conduit in another end for filling up the tank, said fresh water outlet being arranged at a lower section on an opposite side of the tank as the fresh water inlet.   
     
     
         7 . The washing appliance of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a fresh water inlet valve configured to control the flow of water into the fresh water inlet.   
     
     
         8 . The washing appliance of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a softener device to which the fresh water is supplied, the softener device being configured to soften the supplied fresh water;   a bypass conduit configured to provide a direct connection between the fresh water inlet and the valve, via which bypass conduit a softener waste product is discharged into the compartment; and   a check valve connected between the valve and a tank outlet via which heated fresh water is supplied to the compartment, the check valve being configured to allow fluid flow in a direction from the tank outlet to the valve and to prevent fluid flow in the opposite direction, thereby preventing the softener waste product from contacting the fresh water in the tank.   
     
     
         9 . The washing appliance of  claim 1 , the water being supplied to the compartment of the washing appliance being configured to be transported in the fresh water conduit in a first direction while the drained heated process water is configured to be transported in the drain water conduit in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         10 . The washing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein an interior of the fresh water conduit comprises protruding turbulators. 
     
     
         11 . The washing appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the protruding turbulators are arranged on different sides along a length of the fresh water conduit. 
     
     
         12 . The washing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the washing appliance is a dish washer or a washing machine.