Dish washer and home appliance

Abstract

A dishwasher including a tub for forming a washing chamber from which air is dischargeable; an inlet duct; a connection duct; an outlet duct; and a thermoelectric device under the tub and inside the connection duct, the thermoelectric device including a cooling portion configured to cool air, and a heating portion configured to heat air. The inlet duct, the connection duct, the outlet duct, and the thermoelectric device are configured so that air discharged from the washing chamber flows through the inlet duct to the connection duct where the air is cooled by the cooling portion so that moisture is removed from the air and then the air cooled by the cooling portion is heated by the heating portion, and then the air heated by the heating portion flows into the outlet duct to be discharged into the washing chamber.

1 . A dishwasher comprising:
 a tub for forming a washing chamber from which air is dischargeable;   an inlet duct;   a connection duct;   an outlet duct; and   a thermoelectric device under the tub and inside the connection duct, the thermoelectric device including
 a cooling portion configured to cool air, and 
 a heating portion configured to heat air; 
   wherein the inlet duct, the connection duct, the outlet duct, and the thermoelectric device are configured so that air discharged from the washing chamber flows through the inlet duct to the connection duct where the air is cooled by the cooling portion so that moisture is removed from the air and then the air cooled by the cooling portion is heated by the heating portion, and then the air heated by the heating portion flows into the outlet duct to be discharged into the washing chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein
 the connection duct includes:
 a first connection duct coupling portion connecting the connection duct with the inlet duct; and 
 a second connection duct coupling portion connecting the connection duct with the outlet duct. 
   
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an inlet sealing member sealing a connection between the first connection duct coupling portion and the inlet duct.   
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an outlet sealing member sealing a connection between the second connection duct coupling portion and the outlet duct.   
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first connection duct coupling portion and the second connection duct coupling portion are positioned rearward from a center of the tub.   
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein
 the inlet duct and the outlet duct extend along an outer surface of the tub.   
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein
 the inlet duct and the outlet duct extend in an up and down direction.   
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sump assembly configured to supply washing water to the washing chamber,   wherein the thermoelectric device is positioned behind the sump assembly.   
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a base frame forming a machine room partitioned from the washing chamber,   wherein the connection duct is mounted in the machine room to a rear side of the base frame.   
     
     
         10 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein
 the thermoelectric device includes:
 a thermoelectric element having one side of the thermoelectric element in contact with the cooling portion and another side of the thermoelectric element in contact with the heating portion, and 
   the connection duct includes:
 a duct body to which the thermoelectric element is mounted, 
 a first cover coupled to one side of the duct body to form a cooling flow path for air to flow into the connection duct where air is cooled by the cooling portion, and 
 a second cover coupled to another side of the duct body to form a heating flow path where the air cooled by the cooling portion is heated by the heating portion. 
   
     
     
         11 . The dishwasher of  claim 10 , wherein the cooling flow path and the heating flow path extend in a left and right direction. 
     
     
         12 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the thermoelectric device is operable to cause air to be cooled by the cooling portion and air to be heated by the heating portion, and   the dishwasher further comprises:
 a controller configured to:
 operate the thermoelectric device while the washing chamber is at a predetermined temperature or less, and 
 stop operating the thermoelectric device while the washing chamber is at a temperature exceeding the predetermined temperature. 
 
   
     
     
         13 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a water tank in which washing water is storable, and from which washing water stored in the water tank is suppliable to the washing chamber,   wherein the inlet duct and the outlet duct are in the water tank.   
     
     
         14 . The dishwasher of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a fan device mounted on the water tank, the fan device configured to cause air in the tub to be discharged from the tub into the inlet duct to flow through the inlet duct.   
     
     
         15 . An appliance comprising:
 a main body;   a receiving space formed inside the main body from which air is dischargeable;   an inlet duct;   a connection duct;   an outlet duct;   a thermoelectric device under the receiving space and inside the connection duct, the thermoelectric device including:
 a cooling portion configured to cool air, and 
 a heating portion configured to heat air, 
 wherein
 the thermoelectric device is operable to cause air to be cooled by the cooling portion and air to be heated by the heating portion, and 
 the inlet duct, the connection duct, the outlet duct, and the thermoelectric device are configured so that air discharged from the receiving space flows through the inlet duct to the connection duct where the air is cooled by the cooling portion so that moisture is removed from the air and then the air cooled by the cooling portion is heated by the heating portion, and then the air heated by the heating portion flows into the outlet duct to be discharged into the receiving space; and 
 
   a controller configured to:
 operate the thermoelectric device while the receiving space is at a predetermined temperature or less, and 
 stop operating the thermoelectric device while the receiving space is at a temperature exceeding the predetermined temperature.