DISH WASHER AND WASH WATER FILTER MODULE

BACKGROUND

Field

[0001]The present disclosure relates to a dishwasher and a wash water filter module, and more specifically, to a dishwasher and a wash water filter module that secure a wide filtering area and thus provide a higher filtering force by forming a filtering mesh constituting the wash water filter module to have a cross-section in a wave shape having a plurality of valleys and ridges, and effectively detach food residues adhered to a filtering surface by a suction force during a drainage cycle as a suction force component acting on the food residues in a vertical direction of the filtering surface is increased by forming the filtering mesh to include a truncated cone shape with an expanding inclined angle that allows an inner diameter and an outer diameter of a horizontal cross-section to gradually increase downward.

Description of Related Art

[0002]A dishwasher is an apparatus that washes dishes, cooking utensils, and the like, which are objects-to-be-washed stored therein, by spraying wash water such as water. In this regard, wash water used for the washing may include a detergent.

[0003]In general, the dishwasher includes a tub that defines a washing space, an accommodation portion that accommodates the objects-to-be-washed therein within the washing tub, a spray arm that sprays wash water to the accommodation portion, and a sump that stores water and supplies wash water to the spray arm.

[0004]Using such a dishwasher, time and effort required for washing the objects-to-be-washed, such as the dishes, after a meal may be reduced, thereby contributing to a convenience of a user.

[0005]In general, the dishwasher is designed to perform a washing cycle of washing the objects-to-be-washed, a rinsing cycle of rinsing the objects-to-be-washed, and a drying cycle of drying the objects-to-be-washed after the washing and the rinsing are completed.

[0006]Such a washing cycle is generally performed in a state in which food residues are not completely removed from the dishes. Therefore, the dishwasher generally includes a wash water filtering means as a means for collecting the food residues detached from the dishes during the washing cycle.

[0007]The wash water filtering means includes a mesh filter having a fine wire diameter and a fine inter-line spacing to collect food residues of small size. In this regard, the mesh filter is generally disposed inside the sump.

[0008]The sump may be generally formed in a cylindrical container shape to facilitate collection of wash water, and the mesh filter may be formed to have a simple cylindrical shape in response thereto.

[0009]However, the mesh filter formed in such a simple cylindrical shape may have a problem in that it may not provide a sufficient filtering area relative to a capacity of wash water circulating during the washing cycle. In addition, the mesh filter having the cylindrical shape may have a problem in that there is a high possibility of overall clogging of a filtering surface when excessive food residues occur during the washing cycle as the food residues are generally evenly adhered to the filtering surface having a cylindrical shape.

[0010]To solve the problems of such a mesh filter in the simple cylindrical shape, a dishwasher (Prior Art 001) having a mesh filter having an inverted truncated cone shape in which an inner diameter is gradually reduced from an upper end to a lower end is known.

[0011]To solve the problems of such a mesh filter in the simple cylindrical shape, Korean Patent No. 10-1436672 (Prior Art 002) discloses a dry cleaning apparatus having a mesh filter that has a cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction in a wave shape composed of a plurality of valleys and ridges.

PRIOR ART LITERATURE

Patent Document

SUMMARY

[0013]In the dishwasher of Prior Art 001 described above, because the mesh filter is formed in the inverted truncated cone shape, a wider filtering area may be secured compared to the mesh filter in the simple cylindrical shape having the same vertical dimension, and thus a higher filtering force may be provided.

[0014]However, the mesh filter of the dishwasher in Prior Art 001 has a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction formed as a simple curved surface having a constant curvature without unevenness, similar to the mesh filter in the simple cylindrical shape. Therefore, like the mesh filter in the simple cylindrical shape, the food residues may be generally evenly adhered to the filtering surface, and there may be a high possibility of overall clogging of the filtering surface in a short time when the excessive food residues occur during the washing cycle.

[0015]In addition, the mesh filter of the dishwasher in Prior Art 001 is formed to have a reducing inclination angle with which the inner diameter gradually decreases in a downward direction, as compared to the mesh filter in the simple cylindrical shape. Accordingly, during a draining cycle, an angle formed between the filtering surface of the mesh filter and a direction in which a suction force of a drain pump is applied may be significantly small.

[0016]Accordingly, as the angle formed between the filtering surface of the mesh filter and the direction in which the suction force of the drain pump is applied is significantly small, a suction force component acting on the food residues in a vertical direction of the filtering surface is reduced. Therefore, the mesh filter of the dishwasher in Prior Art 001 has problems in that the food residues adhered to the filtering surface are not effectively detached during the drainage cycle, which may cause inconvenience to the user who should frequently detach the mesh filter and remove foreign substances manually.

[0017]On the other hand, the mesh filter in the form disclosed in Prior Art 002 has the cross-section formed in the wave shape composed of the plurality of valleys and ridges, so that a very wide filtering area may be secured compared to the mesh filter in the simple cylindrical shape and the mesh filter in the inverted truncated cone shape having the same vertical dimension, and thus a higher filtering force may be provided. Further, the food residues may be concentrated on one of the valleys and ridges constituting the wave shape, so that the overall clogging of the filtering surface may be prevented.

[0018]However, the mesh filter in the form disclosed in Prior Art 002 has a problem in that, like the filter in the simple cylindrical shape, the suction force component acting on the food residues in the vertical direction of the filtering surface is reduced, so that the food residues adhered to the filtering surface are not effectively detached during the drainage cycle, which may cause the inconvenience to the user who should frequently detach the mesh filter and remove the foreign substances manually.

[0019]The present disclosure has been devised to solve such problems of the prior art, and the first object of the present disclosure is to provide a dishwasher that forms a filtering mesh constituting a wash water filter module to have a cross-section in a wave shape composed of a plurality of valleys and ridges, thereby securing a wide filtering area and thus providing a higher filtering force.

[0020]In addition, a second object of the present disclosure is to provide a dishwasher that forms a filtering mesh in a wave shape, but forms the same to include a truncated cone shape having an expanding inclination angle with which an inner diameter and an outer diameter of a horizontal cross-section gradually expand along the downward direction, thereby effectively detaching the food residues adhered to the filtering surface by a suction force during the drainage cycle as the suction force component acting on the food residues in the vertical direction of the filtering surface is increased.

[0021]In addition, a third object of the present disclosure is to provide a dishwasher that forms a filtering mesh to have a composite shape having different inclination angles, thereby easily generating turbulence and vortex of wash water at an inflection position where the inclination angle changes, and thus additionally improving a detachment performance of the food residues adhered to the filtering surface.

[0022]In addition, a fourth object of the present disclosure is to provide a dishwasher that forms a filtering mesh to have a composite shape having different inclination angles, thereby easily generating turbulence and vortex of wash water at an inflection position where the inclination angle changes, and thus, when an operation of a washing pump is stopped, effectively preventing the food residues not adhered to the filtering surface or floating in wash water from being reintroduced into the tub.

[0023]Objects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects and advantages of the present disclosure that are not mentioned may be understood by the following description, and will be more clearly understood by embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, it will be readily seen that the objects and the advantages of the present disclosure may be realized by means indicated in the claims and combinations thereof.

[0024]A dishwasher according to the present disclosure includes a tub that defines a washing space and accommodates dishes therein, a sump disposed under the tub, and a mesh filter that is coupled to the sump and filters food residues contained in wash water, the mesh filter includes a filtering mesh having a filtering surface with a horizontal cross-section in a wave shape, and the filtering mesh includes a diameter-increasing portion whose horizontal width increases from an upper end to a lower end thereof.

[0025]Further, the wave shape may include multiple valleys serving as positions protruding inward of the filtering mesh and multiple ridges serving as positions protruding outward of the filtering mesh, and the number of valleys and the number of ridges formed in the horizontal cross-section may be constantly maintained from the upper end to the lower end of the diameter-increasing portion.

[0026]Further, the individual valleys and the individual ridges constituting the wave shape may extend linearly from the upper end to the lower end of the diameter-increasing portion.

[0027]Further, the each valley and the each ridge constituting the wave shape may extend non-linearly or non-linearly from the upper end to the lower end of the diameter-increasing portion.

[0028]Further, in the horizontal cross-section, a circumferential length between a pair of valleys consecutively arranged and a circumferential length between a pair of ridges consecutively arranged may be the same as each other.

[0029]Further, in the horizontal cross-section, a circumferential length between a pair of valleys consecutively arranged and a circumferential length between a pair of ridges consecutively arranged may gradually increase from the upper end to the lower end of the diameter-increasing portion.

[0030]Further, a total length of the wave shape in the horizontal cross-section may gradually increase from the upper end to the lower end of the diameter-increasing portion.

[0031]Further, a total length of the wave shape in the horizontal cross-section may be kept constant from the upper end to the lower end of the diameter-increasing portion.

[0032]Further, the diameter-increasing portion may include a first diameter-increasing portion having an extension inclination angle of the filtering surface relative to a vertical direction as a first expanding inclination angle, and a second diameter-increasing portion having an extension inclination angle of the filtering surface relative to the vertical direction as a second expanding inclination angle.

[0033]Further, the first expanding inclination angle may be smaller than the second expanding inclination angle.

[0034]Further, the filtering mesh may further include a diameter-decreasing portion disposed on top of the diameter-increasing portion and having a horizontal width decreasing from an upper end to a lower end thereof.

[0035]Further, an outer circumferential separation space where wash water filtered while flowing through the filtering mesh flows may be defined between the sump and an outer circumferential surface of the filtering mesh, and a horizontal width of the outer circumferential separation space may gradually decrease from an upper end to a lower end of the filtering mesh.

[0036]Further, the dishwasher may further include a supply pipe that is integrally connected to the sump and guides filtered wash water to flow toward the tub during a washing cycle, and the outer circumferential separation space and the supply pipe may define a supply channel where filtered wash water flows.

[0037]Further, an inlet of the supply pipe in communication with the outer circumferential separation space may be disposed closer to the lower end between the upper end and the lower end of the diameter-increasing portion.

[0038]Further, an outer circumferential separation space where wash water filtered while flowing through the filtering mesh flows may be defined between the sump and an outer circumferential surface of the filtering mesh, and a horizontal width of the outer circumferential separation space may be irregular along a circumferential direction.

[0039]Further, the outer circumferential separation space may include a portion where the horizontal width increases along the circumferential direction and a portion where the horizontal width decreases along the circumferential direction.

[0040]Further, the wave shape may include multiple valleys serving as positions protruding inward of the filtering mesh and multiple ridges serving as positions protruding outward of the filtering mesh, and the horizontal width of the outer circumferential separation space may become irregular as the outer circumferential surface of the filtering mesh has the wave shape.

[0041]Further, a horizontal width of an inner circumferential surface of the sump may not uniformly decrease toward a lower end of the sump, and as the horizontal width of the inner circumferential surface of the sump does not uniformly decrease, the horizontal width of the outer circumferential separation space may become irregular.

[0042]Further, a lower end separation space where wash water flows may be defined between an inner lower end surface of the sump and a lower end of the filtering mesh.

[0043]Further, the dishwasher may further include a drain pipe that is integrally connected to the sump and guides wash water to be discharged to the outside during a drainage cycle, the lower end separation space and the drain pipe may define a drain channel where wash water that has completed the washing flows, and an inlet of the drain pipe in communication with the lower end separation space may be disposed at a position lower than the lower end of the filtering mesh.

[0044]A wash water filter module according to the present disclosure, as a wash water filter module for filtering food residues contained in wash water, includes a filtering mesh having a corrugated pipe-shaped filtering surface with a horizontal cross-section including multiple irregularities, and a horizontal width of the filtering mesh increases from an upper end to a lower end thereof.

[0045]The dishwasher according to the present disclosure forms the filtering mesh constituting the wash water filter module to have the cross-section in the wave shape composed of the plurality of valleys and ridges, thereby securing the wide filtering area and thus providing the higher filtering force.

[0046]In addition, the dishwasher according to the present disclosure forms the filtering mesh to include the truncated cone shape, thereby effectively detaching the food residues adhered to the filtering surface by the suction force during the drainage cycle as the suction force component acting on the food residues in the vertical direction of the filtering surface is increased.

[0047]In addition, the dishwasher according to the present disclosure forms the filtering mesh to have the composite shape having the different inclination angles, thereby easily generating the turbulence and the vortex of wash water at the inflection position where the inclination angle changes, and thus additionally improving the detachment performance of the food residues adhered to the filtering surface.

[0048]In addition, the dishwasher according to the present disclosure forms the filtering mesh to have the composite shape having the different inclination angles, thereby easily generating the turbulence and the vortex of wash water at the inflection position where the inclination angle changes, and thus, when the operation of the washing pump is stopped, effectively preventing the food residues not adhered to the filtering surface or floating in wash water from being reintroduced into the tub.

[0049]In addition to the above-described effects, specific effects of the present disclosure will be described together while describing specific matters for implementing the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0050]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051]FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a dishwasher shown in FIG. 1

[0052]FIG. 3 is a front perspective view showing a state in which a door of a dishwasher shown in FIG. 1 is opened.

[0053]FIGS. 4 and 5 are front perspective views showing a state in which a wash water filter module shown in FIG. 3 is mounted on a sump.

[0054]FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 5.

[0055]FIG. 7 is a front perspective view illustrating a state in which a screen filter is removed from a wash water filter module shown in FIG. 5.

[0056]FIGS. 8 and 9 are a front perspective view and an exploded perspective view of a wash water filter module shown in FIG. 5.

[0057]FIGS. 10 and 11 are a perspective view and a front view of a handle body constituting a wash water filter module.

[0058]FIG. 12 is a plan view of a screen filter constituting a wash water filter module.

[0059]FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a first embodiment of a mesh filter constituting a wash water filter module.

[0060]FIG. 14 is a front view illustrating a filtering mesh and a frame of a mesh filter according to a first embodiment.

[0061]FIG. 15 is a top view of a filtering mesh shown in FIG. 14.

[0062]FIG. 16 is a schematic view showing a situation in which food residues are filtered by a filtering mesh shown in FIGS. 13 to 15.

[0063]FIGS. 17 and 18 are views showing steps of manufacturing a filtering mesh of a mesh filter according to a first embodiment.

[0064]FIGS. 19A, 19B, and 19C are vertical cross-sectional views and schematic views of FIG. 7.

[0065]FIG. 20 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of FIG. 7.

[0066]FIG. 21 is a perspective view and a partial enlarged view of FIG. 20.

[0067]FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram for illustration by comparing situations in which food residues are filtered during a washing cycle via a filtering mesh according to the related art and a filtering mesh according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure with each other.

[0068]FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram for illustration by comparing directions of a resultant force acting on food residues filtered by a filtering mesh according to the related art and a filtering mesh according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure during a washing cycle with each other.

[0069]FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram for illustration by comparing situations in which food residues and wash water are discharged via a drain channel during a drainage process using a filtering mesh according to the related art and a filtering mesh according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure with each other.

[0070]FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram for illustration by comparing directions of a resultant force acting on food residues filtered by a filtering mesh according to the related art and a filtering mesh according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure during a drainage cycle with each other.

[0071]FIG. 26 is a front view of a filtering mesh constituting a mesh filter according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072]FIG. 27 is a front view of a filtering mesh constituting a mesh filter according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0073]FIG. 28 is a front view of a filtering mesh constituting a mesh filter according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0074]FIG. 29 is a front view of a filtering mesh constituting a mesh filter according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS

[0075]The above-mentioned purposes, features, and advantages will be described in detail later with reference to the attached drawings, so that those skilled in the art in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs may easily practice the technical ideas of the present disclosure. In describing the present disclosure, when it is determined that a detailed description of the publicly known technology related to the present disclosure may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings, identical reference numerals are used to indicate identical or similar components.

[0076]Although the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, and so on may be used herein to describe various components, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used to distinguish one component from another component. Thus, unless otherwise stated, a first component may be a second component.

[0077]Throughout the present document, unless otherwise stated, each component may be implemented in either singular or plural form.

[0078]Hereinafter, an arrangement of an arbitrary component “on (or under)” or “above (or below)” a certain component may mean that the arbitrary component may be disposed in contact with a top surface (or a bottom surface) of the certain component, as well as that a further component may be interposed between the certain component and the arbitrary component disposed on (or under) the certain component.

[0079]In addition, when a component is described as being “connected” or “coupled” to another component, it should be understood that the components may be directly connected or coupled to each other, but a further component may be “interposed” therebetween, or the components may be “connected” or “coupled” to each other via the further component.

[0080]A singular expression used herein includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the present application, terms such as “composed of” or “including” should not be construed as necessarily including all of the various components or steps described herein, but should be construed as allowing exclusion of some components or steps or inclusion of additional components or steps.

[0081]In addition, a singular expression used herein includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the present application, terms such as “composed of” or “including” should not be construed as necessarily including all of the various components or steps described herein, but should be construed as allowing exclusion of some components or steps or inclusion of additional components or steps.

[0082]Throughout the present disclosure, “A and/or B” means A, B, or A and B, unless otherwise specified, and “C to D” means C inclusive to D inclusive unless otherwise specified.

[Overall Structure of Dishwasher]

[0083]Hereinafter, an overall structure of a dishwasher 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0084]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a dishwasher according to the present disclosure, FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of a dishwasher according to the present disclosure, and FIG. 3 is a front perspective view showing a state in which a door 30 of the dishwasher 1 shown in FIG. 1 is opened.

[0085]As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the dishwasher 1 according to the present disclosure includes a casing 10 that forms an outer appearance of the dishwasher, a tub 20 that is installed inside the casing 10, has a washing space 21 defined therein in which objects-to-be-washed are washed, and has an open front surface, the door 30 that opens and closes the open front surface of the tub 20, a driver 40 that is located under the tub 20 and supplies, collects, circulates, and drains wash water for washing the objects-to-be-washed, a storage 50 detachably disposed in the inner washing space 21 of the tub 20 and on which the objects-to-be-washed are seated, and a sprayer that is installed adjacent to the storage 50 and sprays wash water for washing the objects-to-be-washed.

[0086]In this regard, the objects-to-be-washed seated on the storage 50 may be, for example, dishes such as bowls, plates, spoons, and chopsticks, and other cooking utensils. Unless otherwise stated below, the objects-to-be-washed will be referred to as the dishes.

[0087]The tub 20 may be formed in a box shape with an entirely open front surface, and may correspond to a component known as a so-called washing tank.

[0088]The washing space 21 may be defined inside the tub 20, and the open front surface may be opened and closed by the door 30.

[0089]The tub 20 may be formed via press processing of a metal plate resistant to high temperature and moisture, for example, a plate made of a stainless steel-based material.

[0090]In addition, multiple brackets may be disposed on an inner surface of the tub 20 to support and install functional components such as the storage 50 and the sprayer, which will be described later, inside the tub 20.

[0091]In one example, the driver 40 may include a sump 41 that stores wash water therein, a sump cover 42 that separates the sump 41 from the tub 20, a water supplier 43 that supplies wash water to the sump 41 from the outside, a drainage 44 that discharges wash water of the sump 41 to the outside, and a washing pump 45 and a supply flow channel 46 for supplying wash water of the sump 41 to the sprayer.

[0092]The sump 41 is disposed under a bottom surface 25 of the tub 20 and serves to collect wash water to be used during a washing cycle or a rinsing cycle.

[0093]The sump 41 may be connected to the water supplier 43 through which wash water supplied from the outside flows.

[0094]A water supply valve (not shown) that regulates wash water supplied from the outside may be disposed in the water supplier 43. When the water supply valve is opened, wash water supplied from the outside is introduced into the sump 41 via the water supplier 43. The water supplier 43 may include a flowmeter (not shown) that measures a flow rate of wash water flowing to the sump 41.

[0095]The sump 41 may be connected to a drainage 44 that guides stored wash water to the outside of the dishwasher 1. A drain pump 414 that drains wash water in the sump 41 via the drainage 44 may be disposed in the drainage 44. As will be described later, the drain pump 414 may be attached to the sump 41, and the sump 41 may include a drain pump coupling portion on which the drain pump 414 is installed and a drain pipe constituting the drainage 44.

[0096]When the drain pump 414 is operated, wash water stored in the sump 41 may flow to the outside of the casing 10 via the drainage 44.

[0097]In one example, a wash water filter module 47 that serves to filter foreign substances such as food residues from wash water moving from the tub 20 to the sump 41 may be disposed on the sump 41.

[0098]Detailed configurations of the sump 41 and the wash water filter module 47 coupled to the sump 41 will be described later with reference to FIG. 4.

[0099]The sump cover 42 may be disposed on the sump 41 and may separate the tub 20 from the sump 41. In addition, the sump cover 42 may include a plurality of recovery holes for recovering wash water sprayed into the washing space 21 via the sprayer to the sump 41.

[0100]That is, wash water sprayed from the sprayer toward the dishes may drop to a lower portion of the washing space 21, and may be recovered to the sump 41 again via the wash water filter module 47 and the sump cover 42 as will be described later.

[0101]The washing pump 45 is disposed next to or under the sump 41 and serves to pressurize wash water and supply wash water to the sprayer.

[0102]One end of the washing pump 45 may be connected to the sump 41 and the other end thereof may be connected to the supply flow channel 46. The washing pump 45 may include an impeller 451, a motor 453, and the like. When power is supplied to the motor 453, the impeller 451 may rotate, and wash water in the sump 41 may be pressurized and then supplied to the sprayer via the supply flow channel 46.

[0103]Although not shown, a wash water heater for heating wash water supplied during the washing cycle or a heating rinsing cycle may be disposed at the other end of the washing pump 45.

[0104]In one example, the supply flow channel 46 may serve to selectively supply wash water supplied from the washing pump 45 to the sprayer.

[0105]Illustratively, the supply flow channel 46 may include a first supply flow channel 461 connected to a lower spray arm 61 and a second supply flow channel 463 connected to an upper spray arm 62 and a top nozzle 63, and the supply flow channel 46 may include a supply flow channel switching valve 465 that selectively opens and closes the supply flow channels 461 and 463.

[0106]In this regard, the supply flow channel switching valve 465 may be controlled such that the supply flow channels 461 and 463 are sequentially opened or simultaneously opened.

[0107]In one example, the sprayer may spray wash water to the dishes and the like stored on the storage 50.

[0108]In more detail, the sprayer may include the lower spray arm 61 that is positioned in a lower portion of the tub 20 and sprays wash water to a lower rack 51, the upper spray arm 62 that is positioned between the lower rack 51 and an upper rack 52 and sprays wash water to the lower rack 51 and the upper rack 52, and the top nozzle 63 that is positioned in an upper portion of the tub 20 and sprays wash water to a top rack 53 or the upper rack 52.

[0109]In particular, the lower spray arm 61 and the upper spray arm 62 may be rotatably disposed in the washing space 21 of the tub 20 and spray wash water while rotating toward the dishes of the storage 50.

[0110]The lower spray arm 61 may be rotatably supported at a position above the sump cover 42 so as to spray wash water toward the lower rack 51 while rotating at a position below the lower rack 51.

[0111]In addition, the upper spray arm 62 may be rotatably supported by a spray arm holder 467 so as to spray wash water while rotating between the lower rack 51 and the upper rack 52.

[0112]In one example, although not shown, to increase a washing efficiency, a means for switching a direction of wash water sprayed from the lower spray arm 61 into an upward direction (a U-direction) may be further disposed on the bottom surface 25 of the tub 20.

[0113]Because a configuration already known in the art may be applied to a detailed configuration of the sprayer, a detailed description of the configuration of the sprayer will be omitted below.

[0114]In one example, the storage 50 for storing the dishes may be disposed in the washing space 21.

[0115]The storage 50 is withdrawable from the inside of the tub 20 via the open front surface of the tub 20.

[0116]FIG. 2 exemplarily illustrates an embodiment in which disposed is the storage including the lower rack 51 located in the lower portion of the tub 20 and capable of storing relatively large dishes, the upper rack 52 located above the lower rack 51 and capable of storing medium-sized dishes, and the top rack 53 located in the upper portion of the tub 20 and capable of storing small dishes. The present disclosure is not limited thereto, but will be described based on an embodiment of the dishwasher 1 having three storages 50 as shown.

[0117]Each of the lower rack 51, the upper rack 52, and the top rack 53 may pass through the open front surface of the tub 20 and be withdrawn to the outside.

[0118]To this end, guide rails 54 may be disposed on both sidewalls forming inner surfaces of the tub 20, and illustratively, the guide rails 54 may include upper rails, lower rails, top rails, and the like.

[0119]A wheel may be disposed on each of the lower rack 51, the upper rack 52, and the top rack 53. A user may withdraw the lower rack 51, the upper rack 52, and the top rack 53 to the outside via the front surface of the tub 20 to store the dishes thereon or easily remove the washed dishes therefrom.

[0120]The guide rail 54 may be formed as a fixed guide rail in a form of a simple rail for guiding the withdrawal and insertion of the storage 50 or a flexible guide rail for guiding the withdrawal and the insertion of the storage 50 and increasing a withdrawal distance thereof based on the withdrawal of the storage 50.

[0121]In one example, the door 30 has the above-described purpose of opening and closing the open front surface of the tub 20.

[0122]A hinge (not shown) for opening and closing the door 30 is generally disposed at a bottom of the opened front surface, and the door 30 is opened while pivoting about the hinge.

[0123]Here, a handle 31 for opening the door 30 and a control panel 32 for controlling the dishwasher 1 may be disposed on an outer surface of the door 30.

[0124]As illustrated, the control panel 32 may include a display 33 that visually displays information on a current operating state of the dishwasher 1 and the like, and a button assembly 34 including a selection button to which a user's selection manipulation is input, a power button to which a user's manipulation for turning on/off the dishwasher 1 is input, and the like.

[0125]In one example, an inner surface of the door 30 may form one surface of the tub 20 when the door 30 is closed, and at the same time, may form a seating surface on which the lower rack 51 of the storage 50 may be supported when the door 30 is fully opened.

[0126]To this end, when the door 30 is fully opened, it is preferable that the inner surface of the door 30 forms a horizontal surface in the same direction as a direction in which the guide rail 54 on which the lower rack 51 is guided extends.

[0127]In one example, although not shown, a detergent supply apparatus for automatically supplying a detergent into the tub 20 may be further disposed on the inner surface of the door 30.

[0128]In one example, a moisture absorbing drying apparatus 80 that absorbs water vapor contained in air discharged from the tub 20 and then re-supplies air to the tub 20 again during the drying cycle may be disposed under the tub 20.

[0129]As illustrated, the moisture absorbing drying apparatus 80 may include a suction duct 81 through which air discharged from the tub 20 is sucked, a blower 82 that generates an airflow, a heater 83 that heats air sucked from the tub 20, and a moisture absorbent 85 that absorbs water vapor contained in air.

[0130]As will be described later, an air supply hole 254 may be defined in the bottom surface 25 of the tub 20 such that air from which water vapor has been removed via the moisture absorbing drying apparatus 80 is introduced into the tub 20.

[Detailed Configuration of Sump and Wash Water Filter Module]

[0131]Hereinafter, detailed configurations of the sump 41 and the wash water filter module 47 disposed in the dishwasher 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 13.

[0132]First, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the dishwasher 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include the sump 41 that collects wash water to be supplied to the tub 20, and the wash water filter module 47 that is coupled to the sump 41 and filters wash water introduced into the tub 20.

[0133]The sump 41 serves to store wash water to be supplied to the tub 20 and to collect wash water recovered from the tub 20.

[0134]To this end, the sump 41 may be disposed under the bottom surface 25 of the tub 20 and may be coupled to the bottom surface 25 of the tub 20.

[0135]A sump hole 251 through which wash water flows may be defined at a position at which the sump 41 is coupled, and wash water in the tub 20 may be moved by gravity along the bottom surface 25, pass through the sump hole 251, and be collected into the sump 41.

[0136]A funnel-shaped converging surface having a downward gradient toward the sump hole 251 may be formed on the bottom surface 25 of the tub 20 such that wash water may easily move to the sump 41 by gravity.

[0137]As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the sump 41 may include a sump body 411 coupled to a lower side of the bottom surface 25 of the tub 20, a water collector 412 in which wash water is collected, and a spray arm coupling portion 413 to which the lower spray arm 61 is connected.

[0138]The spray arm coupling portion 413 may be disposed on a top surface of the sump body 411 and may be formed in an approximately circular shape. The spray arm coupling portion 413 may include an outer wall 4131 forming an edge of the spray arm coupling portion 413 and having a hollow cylindrical shape.

[0139]As illustrated, illustratively, the outer wall 4131 of the spray arm coupling portion 413 may be formed in a cylindrical shape having a constant thickness.

[0140]In this regard, a top surface of the spray arm coupling portion 413 may be disposed to be higher than the top surface of the sump body 411 with respect to a vertical direction (a U-D direction).

[0141]A spray arm holder 422 may be coupled to the outer wall 4131 of the spray arm coupling portion 413, and wash water may be supplied to the spray arm holder 422 via the spray arm coupling portion 413.

[0142]In one example, a plurality of fastening bosses 4132 for fastening the spray arm holder 422 may be formed around the spray arm coupling portion 413 so as to protrude upward toward the spray arm holder 422.

[0143]The sump body 411 may be disposed on the lower side of the bottom surface 25 of the tub 20 and may be directly or indirectly coupled to the tub 20.

[0144]As illustrated, the sump body 411 may be formed in an approximately disk shape. An inclined surface 4111 having a downward gradient may be formed on a top surface of the sump body 411 so as to guide wash water to the water collector 412.

[0145]As illustrated in FIG. 4, the sump cover 42 may be disposed on the sump body 411. The sump cover 42 is disposed on the sump hole 251 of the tub 20 together with a screen filter 472 to be described later, and serves to entirely cover the sump hole 251.

[0146]Furthermore, the sump cover 42 may also serve to rotatably support the lower spray arm 61. To this end, the spray arm holder 422 coupled to the lower spray arm 61 and rotatably supporting the lower spray arm 61 may be coupled to a plate-shaped cover body 421.

[0147]In one example, the water collector 412 may be formed in a cylindrical shape so as to effectively store wash water collected via the inclined surface 4111 of the sump body 411.

[0148]In this regard, an inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412 may be formed in a shape of a simple cylindrical surface, or may be formed in a shape of a funnel surface in which an inner diameter is gradually reduced from an upper end surface 4121 toward a lower end surface 4122. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration in which the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412 is formed in the shape of the funnel surface. The present disclosure is not limited thereto, but hereinafter, a description will be made based on the configuration of the water collector 412 having the inner circumferential surface formed in the shape of the funnel surface.

[0149]The upper end 4121 of the cylindrical water collector 412 may be entirely open and may be integrally connected to the inclined surface 4111 of the sump body 411.

[0150]The lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412 extends from the upper end 4121 in a downward direction (a D-direction), and a drain channel Cd for discharging wash water, after completion of the washing process, to the outside may be defined in the lower end surface 4122.

[0151]In addition, a handle body 471 and a mesh filter 473 constituting the wash water filter module 47 may be inserted into the water collector 412 as will be described later, and the handle body 471 and the mesh filter 473 may be coupled to the sump 41 in the state of being inserted into the water collector 412 as such.

[0152]A water supply pipe 4124 to which the water supplier 43 is connected and allowing wash water supplied from the outside to flow into the water collector 412 may be disposed on an upper side of an outer surface of the water collector 412.

[0153]In addition, a drain pump coupling portion 4127 on which the drain pump 414 is mounted may be disposed on a lower side of the outer surface of the water collector 412, and a drain pipe 4125 to which the drainage 44 is connected and through which wash water in the water collector 412 is discharged to the outside may be connected to the drain pump coupling portion 4127. As will be described later, the drain pipe 4125 may define the drain channel Cd through which wash water, after the completion of the washing process, flows.

[0154]In addition, a supply pipe 4126 that guides wash water in the water collector 412 to the washing pump 45 may be disposed on the lower side of the outer surface of the water collector 412.

[0155]The water supply pipe 4124, the drain pipe 4125, and the supply pipe 4126 may be formed in a shape of a connection pipe or a nipple formed to protrude from the outer surface of the water collector 412, and preferably may be integrally formed on the outer surface of the water collector 412.

[0156]In one example, a sterilization module 415 for sterilization of the mesh filter 473 of the wash water filter module 47, which will be described later, and the inside of the water collector 412 may be coupled to a space above the drain pump coupling portion 4127, as an outer surface of the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412. For the coupling of the sterilization module 415, a sterilization module coupling portion 4128 may be integrally formed on the outer surface of the water collector 412. Illustratively, the sterilization module 415 may sterilize an inner surface of the water collector 412, wash water remaining on the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412, and the mesh filter 473 disposed inside the water collector 412 using an ultraviolet ray.

[0157]As shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, the wash water filter module 47 that filters wash water introduced into the sump 41 may include the handle body 471 that blocks relatively large-sized food residues from being introduced into the sump 41, the screen filter 472 that guides the food residues to move toward the handle body 471, and the mesh filter 473 that filters wash water by filtering fine food residues that have through the handle body 471.

[0158]The handle body 471 is inserted into the water collector 412 of the sump 41 and serves to prevent the relatively large-sized food residues, the small dishes, and the like from being introduced into the sump 41.

[0159]For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the handle body 471 may include an upper body 4711 exposed to the tub 20 in a state of being coupled to the sump 41, a middle body 4712 disposed under the upper body 4711 and coupled to the screen filter 472 to be described later, and a lower body 4713 extending downward from the middle body 4712.

[0160]A detailed configuration of the handle body 471 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11.

[0161]The screen filter 472 is disposed on the sump hole 251 of the tub 20 together with the sump cover 42 to partially cover the sump hole 251. To this end, the screen filter 472 may be formed to have a plate shape as a whole.

[0162]In addition, the screen filter 472 serves to separate the food residues from wash water and guide a movement direction thereof such that the separated food residues move into the mesh filter 473 via the handle body 471. Accordingly, as will be described later, the screen filter 472 may include multiple fine filtering holes 4724 that allow wash water to flow therethrough and prevent the introduction of the food residues, and a through-hole 4723 into which the lower body 4713 of the handle body 471 is inserted.

[0163]As the multiple fine filtering holes 4724 are defined, a portion of wash water flowing along a surface of the screen filter 472 may flow through the screen filter 472 and be introduced into the sump body 411, but the food residues may not pass through the screen filter 472 and be introduced into the handle body 471 and the mesh filter 473 while moving along a top surface of the screen filter 472.

[0164]A detailed configuration of the screen filter 472 will be described later with reference to FIG. 12.

[0165]In one example, the mesh filter 473 serves to filter wash water by filtering the fine food residues from wash water during the washing cycle and the rinsing cycle.

[0166]To this end, the mesh filter 473 may include a filtering mesh 4731 having an inter-line spacing that is narrow enough to prevent the fine food residues from passing therethrough and having a tubular or column-shaped filtering surface, and a frame 4732 supporting the filtering mesh 4731 and reinforcing rigidity of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0167]In this regard, the filtering mesh 4731 constituting the mesh filter 473 may be formed in a corrugated pipe shape with a horizontal cross-section having a wave shape. As the filtering mesh 4731 is formed in the corrugated pipe shape with the horizontal cross-section having the wave shape, the mesh filter 473 of the present disclosure may have a higher filtering area and improved filtering performance than that with the filtering mesh in a simple cylindrical shape.

[0168]In addition, as will be described later, the filtering mesh 4731 of the mesh filter 473 according to the present disclosure may include a diameter-increasing portion having a shape in which a horizontal width gradually increases from an upper end to a lower end, for example, a truncated cone shape.

[0169]A detailed configuration of the mesh filter 473 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 13 to 16.

[0170]In one example, the wash water filter module 47 according to the present disclosure may be constructed such that the handle body 471, the screen filter 472, and the mesh filter 473 having different shapes and functions are detachably coupled to each other to be modularized.

[0171]A first fastening portion 4714 may be disposed at the handle body 471 as a means for detachable coupling between the handle body 471 and the screen filter 472, and a second fastening portion 4715 may be disposed at the handle body 471 as a means for detachable coupling between the handle body 471 and the mesh filter 473.

[0172]In addition, the wash water filter module 47 may be detachably coupled to the sump 41, more specifically, to the water collector 412 of the sump 41 in the modularized state. A third fastening portion 4716 may be disposed at a lower end of the handle body 471 as a means for detachable coupling to the water collector 412 of the sump 41.

[0173]A fastening protrusion 4123p to which the third fastening portion 4716 of the handle body 471 is coupled may be disposed at a position adjacent to the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412, which is inside the water collector 412 of the sump 41, to correspond to the third fastening portion 4716 of the handle body 471.

[0174]As described above, an exemplary detailed configuration of the handle body 471 including the first fastening portion 4714, the second fastening portion 4715, and the third fastening portion 4716 is illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 11.

[0175]Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the handle body 471 may include the upper body 4711 exposed to the washing space 21 of the tub 20, the middle body 4712 disposed under the upper body 4711 and coupled to the screen filter 472, and the lower body 4713 extending downward from the middle body 4712.

[0176]The upper body 4711 protrudes upward from the screen filter 472 toward the washing space 21 of the tub 20, and serves to directly block the introduction, into the sump 41, of the large-sized food residues contained in wash water moving toward the sump 41 via the screen filter 472 and the sump cover 42, the spoons, the forks, and the like.

[0177]To this end, the upper body 4711 may be formed in a cylindrical shape in which upper and lower ends are entirely open and an outer circumferential surface is partially open.

[0178]Furthermore, the upper body 4711 may function as a handle for gripping the wash water filter module 47 when the wash water filter module 47 is removed from the tub 20 and the sump 41 or coupled to the tub 20 and the sump 41. To this end, the upper body 4711 may include a grip portion 4711a for facilitating the user's grip. Illustratively, the grip portion 4711a may be formed in a shape of multiple protrusions arranged at an equal spacing on an outer circumferential surface of an upper end of the upper body 4711 formed in a ring shape.

[0179]The upper end of the upper body 4711 formed in the ring shape may be connected to the middle body 4712 via multiple of bridges 4711b extending in the vertical direction and having a rod shape.

[0180]The middle body 4712 expands a contact area with respect to the screen filter 472, and serves as a stopper that limits a relative downward movement of the handle body 471 with respect to the screen filter 172.

[0181]Illustratively, the middle body 4712 may be formed as a ring-shaped flange surface extending radially outward from a lower end of the upper body 4711.

[0182]In correspondence to the shape of the middle body 4712, the screen filter 472 may include a disk-shaped concave groove 4722 to which the middle body 4712 is coupled.

[0183]A bottom surface of the middle body 4712 may be coupled to the concave groove 4722 of the screen filter 472 in a surface contact state.

[0184]An outer diameter of the middle body 4712 may be set to be smaller than or equal to an inner diameter of the concave groove 4722 so as to be inserted into the concave groove 4722 of the screen filter 472.

[0185]In one example, the lower body 4713 extends downward from the middle body 4712 and serves to prevent the large-sized food residues and the small dishes from being introduced into the water collector 112.

[0186]In addition, the lower body 4713 is disposed to be entirely inserted into the water collector 412 of the sump 41.

[0187]Accordingly, in correspondence to the shape of the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412 having the cylindrical shape, the lower body 4713 may include, for example, a cylindrical portion 4713a in which an upper end surface and a lower end surface are entirely open and an outer circumferential surface is partially open.

[0188]In addition, as will be described later, the lower body 4713 is disposed to be inserted into the mesh filter 473.

[0189]Accordingly, to maximally reduce interference with the mesh filter 473 in a process of being inserted via an open upper end of the mesh filter 473, in correspondence to the shape of the mesh filter 473 having the truncated cone shape in which a maximum horizontal width Wu of the upper end is smaller than a maximum horizontal width Wd of the lower end, an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 4713a of the lower body 4713 may be formed to have a reducing inclination in which a horizontal width is gradually reduced in the downward direction.

[0190]However, the reducing inclination angle of the cylindrical portion 4713a of the lower body 4713 may be set to be smaller than the expanding inclination angle α of the mesh filter 473.

[0191]In one example, the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 4713a may be partially opened so as to block the introduction of the large-sized food residues, the small dishes, and the like, but allow inflow of wash water to be smoothly performed. To this end, multiple opening holes may be defined in the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 4713a.

[0192]In one example, there are the fine food residues that are not filtered by the filtering mesh 4731, but float inside the water collector 412 and the mesh filter 473 after being introduced into the water collector 412 of the sump 41.

[0193]The handle body 471 may further include a means for preventing the fine food residues floating as such from moving in an opposite direction to an introduction direction and being introduced back into the tub 20.

[0194]The handle body 471 may include a first blocking portion 4713b and a second blocking portion 4713c as means for preventing the reverse introduction of the fine food residues.

[0195]As illustrated, each of the first blocking portion 4713b and the second blocking portion 4713c may be disposed inside the lower body 4713 as an intermediate position between the upper end and a lower end of the lower body 4713, and may be formed in a shape of a blocking plate that partially blocks a flow path.

[0196]Illustratively, a blocking plate disposed at a relatively higher position and blocking half of an inner space of the lower body 4713 may be referred to as the first blocking portion 4713b, and a blocking plate disposed at a relatively lower position and blocking the other half of the inner space of the lower body 4713 may be referred to as the second blocking portion 4713c.

[0197]As the first blocking portion 4713b and the second blocking portion 4713c are disposed in the inner space of the lower body 4713 as described above, when the handle body 471 is viewed from above, the inside of the lower body 4713 is entirely blocked.

[0198]In this regard, each of the first blocking portion 4713b and the second blocking portion 4713c may be formed to be downwardly inclined such that the fine food residues introduced into the lower body 4713 are easily moved downward by gravity, but the reverse introduction thereof along an upward direction is minimized.

[0199]In one example, as will be described below, the drain channel Cd through which wash water and the fine food residues are discharged during the drainage cycle is formed under the cylindrical portion 4713a of the lower body 4713.

[0200]As described above, it is necessary to secure a maximum open area of the lower end of the cylindrical portion 4713a of the lower body 4713 such that the lower end of the cylindrical portion 4713a of the lower body 4713 does not interfere with the drainage of wash water via the drain channel Cd.

[0201]As illustrated, openings having a shape of a pair of arches for expanding the open area in a flow direction of wash water flowing via the drain channel Cd may be defined at the lower end of the cylindrical portion 4713a of the lower body 4713.

[0202]The third fastening portion 4716 may be disposed between the pair of arch-shaped openings, as will be described later.

[0203]As described above, the handle body 471 may include the first fastening portion 4714 as the means for the detachable coupling to the screen filter 472, the second fastening portion 4715 as the means for the detachable coupling between the handle body 471 and the mesh filter 473, and the third fastening portion 4716 as the means for the detachable coupling to the water collector 412 of the sump 41.

[0204]The first fastening portion 4714 provides the means for the detachable coupling to the screen filter 472.

[0205]Illustratively, the first fastening portion 4714 may be formed in a hook shape in which a lower end serving as one end becomes a fixed end and the other end serving as an upper end becomes a free end.

[0206]The first fastening portion 4714 having the one end serving as the fixed end and the other end serving as the free end may be integrally formed with the cylindrical portion 4713a of the lower body 4713 in a form of partially cutting the cylindrical portion 4713a of the lower body 4713 as shown.

[0207]The first fastening portion 4714 may be formed to gradually protrude outward toward the free end serving as the upper end.

[0208]Accordingly, when the cylindrical portion 4713a of the lower body 4713 is inserted into the through-hole 4723 of the screen filter 472, the free end of the first fastening portion 4714 is elastically deformed when the lower body 4713 moves downward.

[0209]When the relative movement of the handle body 471 in the downward direction is completed, the concave groove 4722 of the screen filter 472 is disposed between the free end of the first fastening portion 4714 and the middle body 4712, and the fastening is completed as the first fastening portion 4714 returns to an initial shape thereof before the deformation.

[0210]Accordingly, as the concave groove 4722 of the screen filter 472 is sandwiched between the free end of the first fastening portion 4714 and the middle body 4712, a coupling state in which relative vertical movement between the lower body 4713 and the screen filter 472 is blocked may be achieved.

[0211]In this regard, the lower body 4713 may be in a state in which the relative vertical movement is blocked with respect to the screen filter 472, but a relative movement in a rotational direction is available.

[0212]The second fastening portion 4715 provides the means for the detachable connection to the mesh filter 473.

[0213]Illustratively, the second fastening portion 4715 may be formed in a shape of a cylindrical surface extending downward from the bottom surface of the middle body 4712.

[0214]The second fastening portion 4715 having the cylindrical surface shape may be coupled to an upper frame 4732U of the frame 4732 constituting the mesh filter 473 in an interference fitting manner.

[0215]As will be described later, the upper frame 4732U of the mesh filter 473 may be formed in a ring shape with a vertical cross-section having an L-shape.

[0216]As described above, as the second fastening portion 4715 is interference-fitted into an inner circumferential surface of a vertical extension constituting the L-shaped cross-section in the surface contact manner, the handle body 471 and the mesh filter 473 may be detachably coupled to each other.

[0217]For the detachable interference-fitting, an outer diameter of the second fastening portion 4715 having the cylindrical surface shape may be set equal to an inner diameter of the vertical extension of the upper frame 4732U.

[0218]The third fastening portion 4716 provides the means for the detachable connection to the sump 41.

[0219]Illustratively, the third fastening portion 4716 may be detachably coupled to the water collector 412 of the sump 41 while relatively rotating about a central axis of the cylindrical portion 4713a of the lower body 4713.

[0220]To this end, the third fastening portion 4716 may include a fastening groove 4716a extending along a circumferential direction from an outer circumferential surface of the lower end of the cylindrical portion 4713a constituting the lower body 4713.

[0221]As illustrated in FIG. 11, the fastening groove 4716a may be defined in a groove shape extending along the circumferential direction and concavely defined in the cylindrical portion 4713a.

[0222]The lower end of the lower body 4713 where the fastening groove 4716a is defined may protrude downward toward the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412 beyond a lower frame 4732L of the mesh filter 473 so as to be coupled to and separated from the water collector 412 of the sump 41 in a relative rotation manner.

[0223]The fastening groove 4716a may have a shape in which a vertical dimension thereof is gradually reduced in a rotational direction for fastening.

[0224]In one example, the fastening groove 4716a may include a locking protrusion 4716b protruding in a direction intersecting the rotation direction for the fastening.

[0225]As will be described later, the water collector 412 of the sump 41 may include the fastening protrusion 4123p integrally formed with each of a pair of protrusions 4123 protruding upward from the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412.

[0226]The fastening protrusion 4123p may have an outer shape corresponding to a shape of the fastening groove 4716a so as to be inserted into and coupled to the fastening groove 4716a. That is, in correspondence to the shape of the fastening groove 4716a, the fastening protrusion 4123p may have a shape in which a vertical dimension thereof gradually increases in the rotational direction for the fastening. In addition, the fastening protrusion 4123p may include a locking groove 4123g to which the locking protrusion 4716b is locked and coupled. Detailed configurations of the fastening protrusion 4123p and the locking groove 4123g formed at the water collector 412 of the sump 41 will be described later with reference to FIG. 21.

[0227]In one example, an exemplary detailed configuration of the screen filter 472 is illustrated in FIG. 12. The exemplary detailed configuration of the screen filter 472 will be described with reference to FIG. 12.

[0228]As described above, the screen filter 472 is disposed on the sump hole 251 and partially closes the sump hole 251, and serves to partially filter wash water introduced into the sump hole 251.

[0229]To this end, the screen filter 472 may include a plate-shaped body plate 4721 partially shielding the sump hole 251.

[0230]The body plate 4721 may be coupled to the bottom surface 25 of the tub 20 and shield a front portion of the sump hole 251.

[0231]Accordingly, the body plate 4721 may be determined in a size to have a width in a left and right direction greater than a diameter of the sump hole 251.

[0232]However, as described above, the screen filter 472 may be disposed on the bottom surface 25 of the tub 20 so as to be detachable via the handle body 471.

[0233]Therefore, to prevent interference with the lower spray arm 61 disposed above during attachment and detachment, a rear edge of the main body plate 4721 may be formed to have a shape in which a width in the left-right direction is gradually reduced rearward based on a state of being coupled to the bottom surface 25 of the tub 20.

[0234]The screen filter 472 is disposed to be directly exposed to the washing space of the tub 20. Therefore, the main body plate 4721 of the screen filter 472 may be manufactured by pressing a metal plate having predetermined heat resistance and corrosion resistance, preferably, a stainless steel-based metal plate, similar to the tub 20.

[0235]In one example, the screen filter 472 may include the concave groove 4722 concavely protruding downward from the main body plate 4721.

[0236]As described above, the concave groove 4722 allows the middle body 4712 of the handle body 471 to be coupled in the surface contact state, thereby increasing a coupling force between the screen filter 472 and the handle body 471.

[0237]To allow the middle body 4712 to be coupled in a state of being entirely inserted, it may be defined in a shape of a bead forming portion protruding downward and having a disk shape to correspond to the shape of the middle body 4712.

[0238]In this regard, the inner diameter of the concave groove 4722 may be set to be greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the middle body 4712.

[0239]In addition, a depth of the concave groove 4722 may be set to be greater than or equal to a thickness of the middle body 4712 in the vertical direction.

[0240]In one example, the through-hole 4723 may be defined through a center of the concave groove 4722 to allow the lower body 4713 of the handle body 471 to be inserted thereinto, but to prevent the middle body 4712 from passing therethrough while allowing the lower body 4713 to pass therethrough.

[0241]The through-hole 4723 may be defined through the concave groove 4722, and may be defined as a circular hole having a diameter greater than a maximum outer diameter of the lower body 4713 and smaller than an outer diameter of the middle body 4712 so as to prevent interference with the lower body 4713 when the handle body 471 is inserted and removed.

[0242]In one example, as described above, the screen filter 472 may serve to partially filter wash water and guide the fine food residues to move toward the handle body 471.

[0243]To this end, as illustrated, the multiple filtering holes 4724 may be defined through the body plate 4721 uniformly throughout the body plate 4721.

[0244]Similar to the filtering mesh 4731 of the mesh filter 473 to be described later, the multiple filtering holes 4724 may be defined as fine holes such that the fine food residues are not able to pass therethrough, and may be exemplarily defined as circular holes having a diameter of about 0.2 mm.

[0245]Wash water that has flowed through the filtering hole 4724 may flow through the sump hole 251 and fall to the sump body 411 of the sump 41, and may be introduced into the water collector 412 via the sump body 411.

[0246]In one example, a detailed configuration of the mesh filter 473 is illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 16.

[0247]First, referring to FIG. 13, the mesh filter 473 of the dishwasher 1 according to the present disclosure may include the filtering mesh 4731 and the frame 4732.

[0248]The filtering mesh 4731 filters wash water by filtering the fine food residues contained in wash water introduced into the sump 41 via the handle body 471.

[0249]To this end, for example, the filtering mesh 4731 may be formed via a metal net made of a metal material having a line diameter of 0.12 mm and the inter-line spacing of 0.2 mm.

[0250]As described above, as the filtering mesh 4731 having the inter-line spacing of 0.2 mm is applied, wash water may be filtered as the fine food residues having a size exceeding 0.2 mm is filtered via the filtering mesh 4731, and filtered wash water may be re-supplied to the tub 20 using the washing pump 45 via the supply pipe 4126 of the sump 41.

[0251]Because the filtering mesh 4731 is exposed to a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, it may be formed by weaving a metal wire having predetermined corrosion resistance and heat resistance, preferably a stainless steel-based metal wire in the form of the metal net.

[0252]However, this is only an example, and the filtering mesh 4731 may be formed by plastic injection molding. The present disclosure is not limited thereto, but hereinafter, a description will be made based on the embodiment in which the filtering mesh 4731 is formed as the metal net made of the metal material.

[0253]As described above, the filtering mesh 4731 may be formed to have the corrugated pipe shape with the horizontal cross-section having the wave shape including multiple irregularities.

[0254]Therefore, the filtering mesh 4731 according to the present disclosure may have a much greater filtering area and a significantly improved filtering performance compared to the filtering mesh formed in the simple cylindrical shape.

[0255]A wave of the filtering mesh 4731 formed in a horizontal cross-section may be formed in a shape similar to a sine wave entirely composed of a smooth curve or may be formed in a triangular wave shape in which a valley 4731v and a ridge 4731p of the wave are sharply formed.

[0256]The present disclosure is not limited thereto, but hereinafter, a description will be made based on a configuration in which the wave is implemented in a shape similar to that of the sine wave.

[0257]In a following description, in the shape of the wave constituting the multiple irregularities, a portion at which the wave maximally protrudes inward of the filtering mesh 4731 is referred to as the valley of the wave, and a portion at which the wave maximally protrudes outward of the filtering mesh 4731 is referred to as the peak.

[0258]In one example, as the horizontal cross-section is formed in the wave shape having the multiple irregularities and in which the multiple valleys 4731v and ridges 4731p are alternately and repeatedly arranged as described above, as shown in FIG. 16, the food residues contained in wash water may be intensively filtered at a specific portion rather than being uniformly filtered throughout an entire inner filtering surface of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0259]More specifically, a peripheral portion of the valley 4731v formed to maximally protrude inward has a shape in which a width in a circumferential direction gradually increases outward, and a peripheral portion of the ridge 4731p formed to maximally protrude outward has a shape in which a width in the circumferential direction is gradually reduced outward.

[0260]Accordingly, because wash water is introduced into the filtering mesh 4731 by flowing through the handle body 471 and then a flow of wash water has directionality of flowing through the filtering mesh 4731 outward, the collection of the food residues may be achieved in a manner of minimizing collection of the food residues around the valley 4731v constituting the wave shape by a flow rate of the wash water, and maximizing collection of the food residues around the ridge 4731p constituting the wave shape by the flow rate of wash water.

[0261]Accordingly, clogging of the filtering mesh 4731 by the food residues around the valley 4731v of the wave shape may be minimized, and accordingly, an occurrence of a phenomenon in which the filtering mesh 4731 is entirely clogged by the food residues over time may be minimized.

[0262]In addition, the filtering mesh 4731 constituting the mesh filter 473 according to the present disclosure may be constructed to have the wave shape in the horizontal cross-section and include the diameter-increasing portion in which the horizontal width gradually increases from the upper end to the lower end.

[0263]That is, the filtering mesh 4731 may include the diameter-increasing portion designed to have a truncated cone shape or an inverted funnel shape.

[0264]In FIGS. 13 to 15, a configuration of the filtering mesh 4731 composed entirely of the diameter-increasing portion according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0265]As will be described later, the filtering mesh 4731 may be deformed to have a composite shape including at least partially the diameter-increasing portion. Embodiments regarding various composite shapes of the filtering mesh 4731, which partially include the diameter-increasing portion, will be described below with reference to FIGS. 26 to 29.

[0266]As illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 15, as the diameter-increasing portion of the filtering mesh 4731 is formed in the truncated cone shape or the inverted funnel shape, a maximum width Wu of the upper end may be smaller than a maximum width Wd of the lower end with respect to a horizontal direction.

[0267]In this regard, the horizontal width of the filtering mesh 4731 may gradually increase from an upper edge 4731U toward a lower edge 4731B.

[0268]In addition, in the horizontal cross-section, the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p may integrally extend from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731, and total numbers of valleys 4731v and ridges 4731p may be maintained constant from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B.

[0269]That is, as illustrated in FIG. 15, when 16 valleys 4731v and 16 ridges 4731p are formed in the horizontal cross-section at the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731, the same numbers may be maintained up to the lower edge 4731B.

[0270]In addition, circumferential positions of the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p in the horizontal cross-section of the filtering mesh 4731 may be equally maintained from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B.

[0271]Accordingly, in a top view as shown in FIG. 15, the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p may be arranged to extend radially from a center of the filtering mesh 4731, from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B.

[0272]As will be described later, the flow of wash water during the washing cycle and during the drainage cycle has downward directionality toward the supply pipe 4126 or the drain pipe 4125 disposed at the lower end of the water collector 412 of the sump 41.

[0273]Accordingly, when the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p are arranged in a spiral shape or the like rather than the radial shape from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731, the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p where the traveling direction is changed may act as factors that increase a flow resistance of wash water, or the food residues may be adhered to the valley 4731v rather than the ridge 4731p.

[0274]As in the illustrated embodiment, when the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p are arranged to extend radially from the center of the filtering mesh 4731, from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B, the flow resistance to wash water may be minimized, and the problem in which the food residues are adhered to the valley 4731v may be prevented.

[0275]In this regard, the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p may be formed to extend linearly or non-linearly from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0276]Although not shown, when the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p of the filtering mesh 4731 extend non-linearly, the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p may extend in a curved shape so as to be convex outward, or the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p may extend in a curved shape so as to be concave inward.

[0277]When the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p extend non-linearly, a filtering area may be further expanded compared to the linearly extending configuration.

[0278]FIG. 13 and below exemplarily shows an embodiment in which the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p in the diameter-increasing portion of the filtering mesh 4731 linearly extend. The present disclosure is not limited thereto, but a description will be made based on the configuration of the diameter-increasing portion in which the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p linearly extend as shown.

[0279]As illustrated, when the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p extend linearly, an extending direction of the individual valleys 4731v and an extending direction of the individual ridges 4731p may form an expanding inclination angle a with respect to the vertical direction.

[0280]Because the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p extend linearly from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B, the expanding inclination angle a may be kept constant from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B.

[0281]Illustratively, the expanding inclination angle a may be 4 to 6 degrees, preferably 5 degrees.

[0282]This takes into account that when the expanding inclination angle α of the filtering mesh 4731 is formed to be smaller than 4 degrees, there is little difference in effect compared to when the filter mesh 4731 is formed in the simple cylindrical shape, and when the expanding inclined angle a exceeds 6 degrees, the maximum width Wu of the upper end of the filtering mesh 4731 is too small, which may cause difficulty in insertion and coupling of the handle body 471.

[0283]In addition, as shown in FIG. 15, a circumferential length Lwc between a pair of valleys 4731v consecutively disposed in the horizontal cross-section of the diameter-increasing portion of the filtering mesh 4731 and a circumferential length Lwc between a pair of ridges 4731p consecutively disposed may be the same as each other.

[0284]However, as described above, because the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p extend radially from the center of the filtering mesh 4731, from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B, the circumferential length Lwc between the pair of valleys 4731v consecutively disposed in the horizontal cross-section and the circumferential length Lwc between the pair of ridges 4731p consecutively disposed may gradually increase from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B of the diameter-increasing portion.

[0285]In addition, as will be described later, depending on whether the base material metal net forming the diameter-increasing portion of the filtering mesh 4731 is in a fan shape or a rectangular shape, a total length of the wave shape in the horizontal cross-section of the expanded diameter-increasing portion of the filtering mesh 4731 may gradually increase from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B, or may be constantly maintained from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B. A detailed description of a method for manufacturing the filtering mesh 4731 in the diameter-enlarged shape will be made later with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18.

[0286]In one example, the frame 4732 serves to maintain the shape of the filtering mesh 4731 and reinforce rigidity of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0287]As described above, the diameter-increasing portion of the filtering mesh 4731 constituting the mesh filter 473 may be formed by forming the metal net made of the metal material having the line diameter of 0.12 mm and the inter-line spacing of 0.2 mm into the truncated cone shape.

[0288]In addition, because the diameter-increasing portion of the filtering mesh 4731 having the truncated cone shape is formed in a state in which the upper end and the lower end thereof are entirely open, self-rigidity is inevitably weak, and thus the shape of the diameter-increasing portion of the filtering mesh 4731 is highly likely to be easily deformed even with a small external force.

[0289]As such, the frame 4732 may be coupled to the diameter-increasing portion of the filtering mesh 4731 as a means for maintaining the shape of the diameter-increasing portion of the filtering mesh 4731 having the weak self-rigidity and reinforcing the diameter-increasing portion of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0290]More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the frame 4732 may illustratively include the upper frame 4732U coupled to the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731, the lower frame 4732L coupled to the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731, a mid frame 4732M coupled at an intermediate position between the upper edge 4731U and the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731, and a vertical frame 4732V having one end connected to the upper frame 4732U and the other end connected to the lower frame 4732L and extending along the vertical direction.

[0291]The upper frame 4732U protects and reinforces the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731 and serves to prevent injury of the user by the sharpened upper edge 4731U.

[0292]To this end, it may have a shape capable of entirely covering the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731 such that the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731 is not exposed to the outside.

[0293]As illustrated, the upper frame 4732U may be illustratively formed as a ring-shaped member having a vertical cross-section of L-shape corresponding to the shape of the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0294]The upper frame 4732U serving as the ring-shaped member may include a vertical extension extending upward to have the L-shaped vertical cross-section, and a horizontal extension extending from a lower end of the vertical extension toward the filtering mesh 4731.

[0295]As illustrated, the vertical extension of the upper frame 4732U may extend upward from the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0296]As described above, as the second fastening portion 4715 of the handle body 471 is fitted into and coupled to an inner circumferential surface of the vertical extension of the upper frame 4732U in the surface contact manner, the handle body 471 and the mesh filter 473 may be detachably coupled to each other.

[0297]As illustrated, illustratively, the horizontal extension of the upper frame 4732U may be constructed such that a radially outer edge is integrally connected to a lower end of the vertical extension of the upper frame 4732U and a radially inner edge is coupled to the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0298]The radially inner edge of the horizontal extension of the upper frame 4732U may be formed in the same wave shape as the wave shape of the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731 so as to be directly coupled to the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0299]The lower frame 4732L protects and reinforces the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731 and serves to prevent injury of the user by the sharpened lower edge 4731B.

[0300]To this end, it may have a shape capable of entirely covering the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731 such that the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731 is not exposed to the outside.

[0301]Similar to the above-described upper frame 4732U, as illustrated, the lower frame 4732L may be illustratively formed as a ring-shaped member having a vertical cross-section having an inverted L shape corresponding to the shape of the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0302]The lower frame 4732L serving as the ring-shaped member may include a vertical extension extending downward to have the inverted L-shaped vertical cross-section, and a horizontal extension extending from an upper end of the vertical extension toward the filtering mesh 4731.

[0303]As illustrated, for example, the vertical extension of the lower frame 4732L may extend upward from the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0304]As will be described later, an inner circumferential surface of the lower end of the vertical extension of the lower frame 4732L may be detachably coupled to a sealing protrusion 4129p disposed on a coupling surface 4129 at the lower end of the water collector 412 of the sump 41.

[0305]As illustrated, illustratively, the horizontal extension of the lower frame 4732L may be constructed such that a radially outer edge is integrally connected to the upper end of the vertical extension, and a radially inner edge is coupled to the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0306]To be directly coupled to the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731, the radially inner edge of the horizontal extension of the lower frame 4732L may be formed in the same wave shape as the wave shape of the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0307]The mid frame 4732M is disposed between the upper frame 4732U and the lower frame 4732L, prevents deformation of an intermediate portion between the upper edge 4731U and the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731, and reinforces rigidity of the intermediate portion.

[0308]The mid frame 4732M may be formed to have the same shape as the horizontal extension of the upper frame 4732U and the horizontal extension of the lower frame 4732L described above.

[0309]A radially inner edge of the mid frame 4732M may have the same wave shape as the wave shape of the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731 so as to be directly coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0310]In one example, the vertical frame 4732V serves to prevent deformation caused by a vertical load applied to the filtering mesh 4731 and reinforce vertical rigidity of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0311]To reinforce the vertical rigidity of the filtering mesh 4731, the vertical frame 4732V may be formed in a shape of a rod having an upper end connected to the upper frame 4732U and a lower end connected to the lower frame 4732L.

[0312]In addition, the vertical frame 4732V may be integrally connected to the mid frame 4732M at the intermediate position between the upper end and the lower end.

[0313]FIGS. 13 and 14 exemplarily illustrate a configuration in which a total of four vertical frames 4732V are disposed. The number of vertical frames 4732V may be adjusted differently based on a size of the mesh filter 473. The present disclosure is not limited thereto, but hereinafter, a description will be made based on a configuration in which a total of four vertical frames 4732V are disposed as an example.

[0314]In this regard, the four vertical frames 4732V may linearly extend radially in the same direction as the direction in which the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p of the filtering mesh 4731 extend.

[0315]In addition, the four vertical frames 4732V may be arranged at the same circumferential spacing so as to be equally reinforced along the circumferential direction.

[0316]In one example, to minimize interference with the water collector 412 of the sump 41 in which the mesh filter 473 is disposed, the individual vertical frame 4732V extends along the inner circumferential surface of the filtering mesh 4731 and minimizes a portion protruding to the outer surface of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0317]Accordingly, the outer edge of the vertical cross-section of the vertical frame 4732V may have the shape of the valley 4731v or the ridge 4731p having the same wave shape as the wave shape of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0318]However, as described above, the filtering mesh 4731 according to the present disclosure is constructed such that the food residues are collected in a manner of minimizing the collection of the food residues around the valley 4731v constituting the wave shape and maximizing the collection of the food residues around the ridge 4731p constituting the wave shape.

[0319]Therefore, to maximize the filtering efficiency of wash water, it is preferable that the vertical frame 4732V is not disposed around the valley 4731v of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0320]To this end, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the vertical frame 4732V may be disposed at the ridge 4731p of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0321]In this regard, when a horizontal cross-sectional area of the vertical frame 4732V is great, the rigidity of the filtering mesh 4731 may be secured to the maximum, but the filtering area and a wash water flowing area of the filtering mesh 4731 may be reduced by the vertical frame 4732V. Therefore, the horizontal cross-sectional area and a horizontal width of the vertical frame 4732V need to be kept to a minimum.

[0322]To this end, the horizontal width of the vertical frame 4732V may be set to be a circumferential width smaller than or equal to a circumferential width of a single cycle of the wave shape of the filtering mesh 4731. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 13, the horizontal width of the vertical frame 4732V may be set to a circumferential width of a half cycle of the wave shape of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0323]In one example, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the frame 4732 may further include a protrusion 4733 protruding from the vertical frame 4732V inward of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0324]As described above, the protrusion 4733 serves to guide a moving direction and a coupling position of the lower body 4713 of the handle body 471 that is inserted into and disposed inside the filtering mesh 4731.

[0325]In addition, because the protrusion 4733 passes through the filtering mesh 4731 and protrudes inward of the filtering mesh 4731, the protrusion 4733 may have an effect of improving a coupling force of the vertical frame 4732V relative to the filtering mesh 4731.

[0326]As described above, the frame 4732 including the upper frame 4732U, the mid frame 4732M, the lower frame 4732L, and the vertical frame 4732V may be formed by insert injection molding or formed separately from the filtering mesh 4731 and then attached and coupled to the filtering mesh 4731.

[0327]When the frame 4732 is formed by the insert injection method, the upper frame 4732U, the mid frame 4732M, the lower frame 4732L, and the vertical frame 4732V may be integrally formed as a whole, and there may be an advantage in that the separate attachment and coupling to the filtering mesh 4731 are omitted.

[Manufacturing Process of Mesh Filter]

[0328]Hereinafter, embodiments of the method for manufacturing the mesh filter 473 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18.

[0329]FIG. 17 illustrates steps of constituting an embodiment of the method for manufacturing the mesh filter 473.

[0330]First, referring to (a) in FIG. 17, a step of preparing the base material metal net having the fan shape may be performed.

[0331]That is, as described above, the filtering mesh 4731 of the mesh filter 473 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure may be formed as the diameter-increasing portion having the truncated cone shape.

[0332]To form the diameter-increasing portion having the truncated cone shape as described above, a step of cutting the metal net into the fan shape so as to have a planar shape of a side surface constituting the truncated cone shape may be performed.

[0333]The metal net cut into the fan shape to filter the fine food residues may have the line diameter of 0.12 mm and the inter-line spacing of 0.2 mm.

[0334]As the metal net is cut in the fan shape as described above, a circumferential length Lu of the upper edge 4731U of the metal net has a smaller size than a circumferential length Lb of the lower edge 4731B of the metal net, based on the illustrated state.

[0335]In addition, the circumferential length of the metal net gradually increases from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B of the metal net.

[0336]Therefore, as will be described later, after the fan-shaped metal net is formed into the truncated cone shape having the horizontal cross-section in the wave shape, a total length of the wave shape of the horizontal cross-section gradually increases from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B of the diameter-increasing portion of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0337]In one example, the length Lu of the upper edge 4731U and the length Lb of the lower edge 4731B of the fan-shaped metal net may be slightly greater than a wave length of the upper edge 4731U and a wave length of the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731, which has been formed in the truncated cone shape, respectively, as will be described later.

[0338]This is in consideration of a length of a circumferential width of bonding portions 4731f formed at both side edges of the fan-shaped metal net and welded while overlapping each other as will be described later.

[0339]In one example, an inclination angle A of the side edge of the fan-shaped metal net may be slightly greater than the expanding inclination angle a of the filtering mesh 4731 that has been formed into the truncated cone shape. As an example, when the expanding inclination angle a of the filtering mesh 4731 is set to 5 degrees as described above, the inclination angle A of the side edge may be 7.25 degrees.

[0340]When the step of cutting the metal net into the fan shape is completed, as shown in (b) in FIG. 17, a step of forming the metal net such that a cross-section thereof has a wave shape may be performed.

[0341]In the step of forming the fan-shaped metal net to have the wave shape, the wave shape may be formed on the metal net via a method of plastically deforming the metal net by passing the same through a pair of rollers each having wave-shaped teeth or a pressing method of placing a metal net within a pair of molds each having wave-shaped teeth and then pressing the metal net to plastically deform the same.

[0342]In this regard, the wave-shaped teeth formed in the pair of rollers or molds may be formed to be arranged radially.

[0343]As described above, when the step of forming the fan-shaped metal net to have the wave shape is completed, the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p of the wave shape may be alternately formed and arranged in the fan-shaped metal net radially.

[0344]When the step of forming the metal net to have the wave shape is completed, as shown in (c) in FIG. 17, to form the metal net having the wave shape into the filtering mesh 4731 having the truncated cone shape, a step of bonding both side edges of the metal net to each other may be performed.

[0345]The bonding portions 4731f formed at both side edges of the fan-shaped metal net having the cross-section in the wave shape may be firmly coupled to each other via a means such as the welding.

[0346]When the step of forming the filtering mesh 4731 having the truncated cone shape by bonding both side edges of the metal net to each other as described above is completed, as shown in (d) in FIG. 17, an insert injection step for forming the frame 4732 may be performed after moving the filtering mesh 4731 having the truncated cone shape into an insert mold not shown.

[0347]When the insert injection step is completed, the upper frame 4732U, the mid frame 4732M, the lower frame 4732L, and the vertical frame 4732V constituting the frame 4732 may be integrally and simultaneously formed.

[0348]In addition, as the frame 4732 composed of the upper frame 4732U, the mid frame 4732M, the lower frame 4732L, and the vertical frame 4732V is formed via the insert injection, the frame 4732 may be attached to the filtering mesh 4731 simultaneously with the injection. Accordingly, a process or a step of attaching the frame 4732 to the filtering mesh 4731 may be omitted.

[0349]In FIG. 18, steps of constituting another embodiment of the method for manufacturing the mesh filter 473 are illustrated.

[0350]First, referring to (a) in FIG. 18, a step of preparing the base material metal net having the rectangular shape may be performed.

[0351]As in the above-described embodiment, the metal net having the line diameter of 0.12 mm and the inter-line spacing of 0.2 mm may be cut into the rectangular shape so as to filter the fine food residues.

[0352]Therefore, unlike the above-described embodiment, as the metal net is cut in the rectangular shape, the length Lu of the upper edge 4731U of the metal net and the length Lb of the lower edge 4731B of the metal net have the same size, based on the illustrated state.

[0353]Therefore, unlike the above-described embodiment, after the rectangular metal net is completely formed into the truncated cone shape having the horizontal cross-section in the waveform shape, the total length of the wave shape of the horizontal cross-section is constantly maintained from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0354]In addition, the length Lu of the upper edge 4731U and the length Lb of the lower edge 4731B of the rectangular metal net may be slightly greater than the wave length of the upper edge 4731U and the wave length of the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731, which has been formed in the truncated cone shape, respectively, as will be described below.

[0355]This is in consideration of the length of the circumferential width of the bonding portions 4731f formed at both side edges of the rectangular metal net and welded while overlapping each other, as in the above-described embodiment.

[0356]When the step of cutting the metal net into the rectangular shape is completed as described above, as shown in (b) in FIG. 18, a step of forming the metal net such that a cross-section thereof has a wave shape may be performed.

[0357]Similar to the above-described embodiment, in the step of forming the rectangular metal net to have the wave shape, the wave shape may be formed on the metal net via the method of plastically deforming the metal net by passing the same through the pair of rollers each having the wave-shaped teeth or the pressing method of placing the metal net within the pair of molds each having the wave-shaped teeth and then pressing the metal net to plastically deform the same.

[0358]In this regard, the wave-shaped teeth formed in the pair of rollers or molds may be arranged side by side so as to have a uniform spacing from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B rather than in the radial shape.

[0359]As described above, when the step of forming the rectangular metal net to have the wave shape is completed, the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p of the wave shape may be alternately formed and arranged in the rectangular metal net so as to have the uniform spacing.

[0360]When the step of forming the metal net to have the wave shape is completed, as shown in (c) in FIG. 18, to form the metal net having the wave shape into the filtering mesh 4731 having the cylindrical shape, a step of bonding both side edges of the metal net to each other may be performed.

[0361]The bonding portions 4731f formed at both side edges of the rectangular metal net having the cross-section in the wave shape may be firmly coupled to each other via a means such as the welding.

[0362]When the step of forming the filtering mesh 4731 having the cylindrical shape by bonding both side edges of the metal net to each other as described above is completed, a step of forming the filtering mesh 4731 having the cylindrical shape into the truncated cone shape may be performed.

[0363]The step of forming the filtering mesh 4731 having the cylindrical shape into the truncated cone shape may be performed by pressing the filtering mesh 4731 having the cylindrical shape inward from an outer circumferential side thereof.

[0364]In this regard, the filtering mesh 4731 having the cylindrical shape may be plastically deformed and formed into truncated cone shape by allowing pressing to be performed in the same direction from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731 having the cylindrical shape, but gradually decreasing an amount of deformation in the horizontal direction. However, this is only an example, and any method of plastically deforming the cylindrical shape into the truncated cone shape may be applied.

[0365]When the step of forming the filtering mesh 4731 having the cylindrical shape into the truncated cone shape is completed, as shown in (e) in FIG. 18, an insert injection step for forming the frame 4732 may be performed after moving the filtering mesh 4731 having the truncated cone shape into the insert mold not shown.

[0366]When the insert injection step is completed, the upper frame 4732U, the mid frame 4732M, the lower frame 4732L, and the vertical frame 4732V constituting the frame 4732 may be integrally and simultaneously formed.

[0367]In addition, as described above, as the frame 4732 composed of the upper frame 4732U, the mid frame 4732M, the lower frame 4732L, and the vertical frame 4732V is formed via the insert injection, the frame 4732 may be attached to the filtering mesh 4731 simultaneously with the injection. Accordingly, the process or the step of attaching the frame 4732 to the filtering mesh 4731 may be omitted.

[Placement of Mesh Filter and Configurations of Water Supply Channel and Drain Channel Formed Around Mesh Filter]

[0368]Hereinafter, a structure in which the mesh filter 473 is disposed in the sump 41 and configurations of a supply channel Cs and a drain channel Cd formed around the mesh filter 473 will be described with reference to FIGS. 19A and 21.

[0369]As described above, the mesh filter 473 and the handle body 471 constituting the wash water filter module 47 are modularized and coupled to the water collector 412 of the sump 41.

[0370]As illustrated in FIG. 19A, in the state in which the mesh filter 473 and the handle body 471 are coupled to the water collector 412 of the sump 41, the upper frame 4732U serving as the upper end of the mesh filter 473 may protrude upward from the water collector 412.

[0371]Furthermore, the upper frame 4732U of the mesh filter 473 may protrude to a position higher than a bottom surface of the sump body 411.

[0372]As described above, by protruding the upper frame 4732U of the mesh filter 473 to the position higher than the bottom surface of the sump body 411, the discharge of the fine food residues, which has passed through the handle body 471 and the upper frame 4732U of the mesh filter 473 and entered the filtering mesh 4731, back toward the sump body 411 in the reverse direction may be minimized.

[0373]As will be described later, most of the fine food residues introduced into the filtering mesh 4731 during the washing cycle or during the rinsing cycle are filtered by the filtering mesh 4731, but some of the fine food residues that are not filtered remain suspended inside the filtering mesh 4731.

[0374]Therefore, when the operation of the washing pump 45 is stopped based on the completion of the washing cycle or the rinsing cycle, the fine food residues floating by flow energy of wash water may leak to the sump body 411 beyond the upper frame 4732U of the mesh filter 473 together with wash water.

[0375]As described above, by maintaining the position of the upper frame 4732U as high as possible, the reverse introduction of the floating fine food residues toward the sump body 411 may be minimized.

[0376]In one example, in the state in which the mesh filter 473 and the handle body 471 are coupled to the water collector 412 of the sump 41, the lower frame 4732L serving as the lower end of the mesh filter 473 may be in contact with the coupling surface 4129 formed at the lower end of the water collector 412 and be supported by the coupling surface 4129.

[0377]As illustrated in FIGS. 19A to 21, the coupling surface 4129 formed to be spaced upwardly apart from the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412 may be formed inside the water collector 412.

[0378]As described above, as the lower frame 4732L of the mesh filter 473 is supported by the coupling surface 4129 formed at the position spaced upwardly apart from the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412 of the sump 41, a lower end separation space may be defined between the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412 of the sump 41 and the filtering mesh 4731 of the mesh filter 473.

[0379]As will be described later, wash water that has completed the washing and the fine food residues filtered and collected by the filtering mesh 4731 may be discharged to the outside via the lower end separation space during the drainage cycle.

[0380]As illustrated, the lower end separation space may be connected to the drain pipe 4125 via the drain pump coupling portion 4127, and accordingly, the lower end separation space may define the drain channel Cd through which wash water that has completed the washing flows together with the drain pipe 4125.

[0381]To allow wash water that has completed the washing to be easily discharged by gravity and to minimize power consumption of the drain pump 414, an inlet of the drain pipe 4125 may be disposed at a position lower than the lower end of the filtering mesh 4731 of the mesh filter 473 and the lower end of the lower frame 4732L, similarly to the lower end separation space.

[0382]In one example, corresponding to the shape of the lower frame 4732L of the mesh filter 473, the coupling surface 4129 may be formed as a cylindrical surface having an L-shaped cross-section.

[0383]An inner diameter of a vertical surface constituting the cylindrical coupling surface 4129 may be set to be greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the vertical extension of the lower frame 4732L, and a horizontal width of a horizontal surface constituting the cylindrical coupling surface 4129 may be greater than a horizontal thickness of the vertical extension of the lower frame 4732L.

[0384]Accordingly, when the mesh filter 473 is coupled to the water collector 412 of the sump 41, as the lower end of the vertical extension of the lower frame 4732L comes into contact with the horizontal surface of the coupling surface 4129 constituting the cylindrical surface, a downward support structure for the mesh filter 473 may be formed, and as the outer circumferential surface of the vertical extension of the lower frame 4732L comes into surface contact with the vertical surface of the coupling surface 4129 constituting the cylindrical surface, a horizontal support structure for the mesh filter 473 may be formed.

[0385]In addition, the sealing protrusion 4129p for guiding a coupling position of the lower frame 4732L of the mesh filter 473 and preventing the food residues that have not passed through the filtering mesh 4731 from being introduced into the supply channel Cs to be described later may be formed to protrude upward on the horizontal surface of the coupling surface 4129.

[0386]The sealing protrusion 4129p may be formed as a ring-shaped protrusion corresponding to the shape of the vertical extension of the lower frame 4732L of the mesh filter 473, and an outer diameter of the sealing protrusion 4129p may be smaller than or equal to an inner diameter of the vertical extension of the lower frame 4732L.

[0387]Accordingly, the lower end of the lower frame 4732L of the mesh filter 473 may be sandwiched between the horizontal surface of the coupling surface 4129 and the ring-shaped sealing protrusion 4129p.

[0388]In one example, as illustrated, a pair of protrusions 4123 formed to be spaced upwardly apart from the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412 may be disposed on a radially inner side of the coupling surface 4129.

[0389]Each of the pair of protrusions 4123 may be formed to have a fan-shaped column shape protruding upward from the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412.

[0390]As described above, the drain channel Cd may be formed in the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412. Because the pair of protrusions 4123 are disposed in a shape partially blocking the drain channel, the pair of protrusions 4123 may be formed in the fan-shaped column shape to minimize a decrease in capacity of the drain channel Cd and minimize a flow resistance to wash water during the drainage cycle.

[0391]Upper end surfaces of the pair of protrusions 4123 may have the same vertical level as the above-described coupling surface 4129. Accordingly, the upper end surfaces of the pair of protrusions 4123 and the coupling surface 4129 may form a continuous surface with each other.

[0392]A fastening protrusion 4123p having an inverted L shape may be integrally formed on an inner circumferential surface of each of the pair of protrusions 4123.

[0393]A horizontal extension 4123p1 of the inverted L-shaped fastening protrusion 4123p is inserted into the fastening groove 4716a constituting the third fastening portion 4716 of the handle body 471 described above and is coupled thereto while rotating relative thereto.

[0394]Accordingly, the fastening protrusion 4123p may have an outer shape corresponding to a shape of the fastening groove 4716a so as to be inserted into and coupled to the fastening groove 4716a. That is, in correspondence to the shape of the fastening groove 4716a, the fastening protrusion 4123p may have a shape in which a vertical dimension gradually increases in a rotation direction for fastening.

[0395]A vertical extension 4123p2 of the inverted L-shaped fastening protrusion 4123p may serve as a stopper for preventing the handle body 471 from additionally rotating relatively in the rotation direction for the fastening after the fastening of the handle body 471 to the water collector 412 is completed.

[0396]When the fastening of the handle body 471 is completed, a front end of the fastening groove 4716a based on the rotation direction for the fastening may come into contact with the vertical extension 4123p2 of the fastening protrusion 4123p, and thus the relative rotation of the handle body 471 may be prevented.

[0397]In addition, the fastening protrusion 4123p may have the locking groove 4123g into which the locking protrusion 4716b constituting the third fastening portion 4716 of the handle body 471 is locked and coupled.

[0398]In one example, when the mesh filter 473 and the handle body 471 are coupled to the water collector 412 of the sump 41, the filtering mesh 4731 of the mesh filter 473 is disposed inside the water collector 412 in a state of being separated from the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412.

[0399]According to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, a predetermined outer circumferential separation space Cf in which wash water filtered while flowing through the filtering mesh 4731 flows may be defined between the outer circumferential surface of the filtering mesh 4731 formed as the diameter-increasing portion and the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412.

[0400]As described above, the diameter-increasing portion constituting the filtering mesh 4731 is formed in the truncated cone shape in which the maximum width in the horizontal direction gradually increases from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B.

[0401]In addition, as described above, the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412 may be formed in the funnel surface shape in which the inner diameter is gradually reduced from the upper end surface 4121 toward the lower end surface 4122.

[0402]Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 19A, the outer circumferential separation space Cf may have a shape in which a width in the horizontal direction gradually decreases from the upper edge 4731U toward the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731 of the mesh filter 473.

[0403]As described above, as the horizontal width of the outer circumferential separation space Cf is gradually reduced downward, a flow cross-sectional area of flowing wash water is gradually reduced. Accordingly, a flow rate of wash water introduced into the outer circumferential separation space Cf via the filtering mesh 4731 may gradually increase downward.

[0404]In addition to the horizontal width of the separation space Cf gradually decreasing downward, a pattern in which the horizontal width gradually decreases or increases may be repeated by the shapes of the ridges 4731p and the valleys 4731v of the filtering mesh 4731 repeated along the horizontal direction at the same vertical level.

[0405]That is, because the horizontal width is reduced downward while the increase and the decrease in the horizontal width of the separation space Cf are repeated in the horizontal direction (or the circumferential direction), a fairly complex turbulence may be formed in wash water, so that complex effects of more easily removing food residues D from the filtering mesh 4731 during the drainage process and minimizing a flow resistance by the filtering mesh 4731 may be achieved.

[0406]In addition, the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412 may also be designed in a shape in which the width thereof gradually decreases downward, thereby further enhancing the above effects.

[0407]The descending flow of wash water in the separation space Cf may collide with the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412 and then be headed to the filtering mesh 4731.

[0408]In this regard, as illustrated in FIG. 19B, an inclination angle of the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412 may be smaller than an inclination angle of the filtering mesh 4731, based on a cross-section.

[0409]Accordingly, an effect in which the turbulence is more easily generated by the filtering mesh 4731 than by the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412 may be expected.

[0410]In addition, the inclination angle of the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412 may be non-uniform depending on a circumferential position. Accordingly, the width of the separation space Cf may be non-uniform in the horizontal direction (or the circumferential direction), and accordingly, the turbulence effect of wash water may be additionally increased.

[0411]As the horizontal width of the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412 is gradually reduced downward, an additional free space is secured between the tub 20 and a base supporting the tub 20, so that design of other components may be more free.

[0412]In one example, as illustrated in FIG. 19C, because of other conditions and reasons not described above, the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412 may be formed in a shape having an inclination angle allowing the horizontal width thereof to gradually increase downward.

[0413]Even with this configuration, when the inclination angle of the inner circumferential surface of the water collector 412 is smaller than the inclination angle of the filtering mesh 4731, the width of the separation space Cf is still reduced in the same manner as in the above-described configurations, so that the above-described effect may be achieved.

[0414]In one example, as shown in FIGS. 19A to 21, the outer circumferential separation space Cf may be connected to the supply pipe 4126 that guides filtered wash water to flow toward the tub 20 during the washing cycle or the rinsing cycle.

[0415]As described above, the supply pipe 4126 may be disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the lower end of the water collector 412.

[0416]As the outer circumferential separation space Cf is connected to the supply pipe 4126, the outer circumferential separation space Cf and the supply pipe 4126 may together define the supply channel Cs that guides wash water that has flowed through the filtering mesh 4731 to the washing pump 45.

[0417]In this regard, similar to the configuration of the drain channel Cd described above, an inlet of the supply pipe 4126 may be disposed closer to the lower edge 4731B between the upper edge 4731U and the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731 of the mesh filter 473 such that wash water introduced into the outer circumferential separation space Cf through the filtering mesh 4731 may easily flow by gravity and power consumption of the washing pump 45 may be minimized.

[0418]Illustratively, FIG. 19A illustrates a configuration in which the inlet of the supply pipe 4126 is disposed close to the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731, but the lower end of the filtering mesh 4731 is disposed to belong to an area of the inlet of the supply pipe 4126 based on a vertical cross-section. The present disclosure is not limited thereto, but a description will be made below based on the illustrated configuration.

[0419]As the supply channel Cs is defined with the outer circumferential separation space Cf and the supply pipe 4126 as described above, wash water flowing through the filtering mesh 4731 and introduced into the outer circumferential separation space Cf may flow with a directionality toward the inlet of the supply pipe 4126 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the lower end of the water collector 412.

[Flow of Wash Water During Washing Cycle and Flow of Wash Water During Drainage Cycle]

[0420]Hereinafter, the process of filtering the food residues via the filtering mesh 4731 of the wash water filter module 47 according to the present disclosure and the process of discharging the filtered food residues will be described with reference to FIGS. 22 to 25.

[0421]First, FIGS. 22 and 23 are schematic diagrams for illustration by comparing a filtering process of the fine food residues D and a flow path of wash water via the existing simple cylindrical filtering mesh 4731 during the washing cycle and the rinsing cycle with a filtering process of the fine food residues D and a flow path of wash water via the filtering mesh 4731 serving as the diameter-increasing portion according to the present disclosure.

[0422](a) in FIG. 22 and (a) in FIG. 23 show a configuration with the existing cylindrical filtering mesh 4731, and (b) in FIG. 22 and (b) in FIG. 23 show a configuration with the filtering mesh 4731 serving as the diameter-increasing portion according to the present disclosure.

[0423]For the mutual comparison and illustration, the two configurations are set to be identical except for the shape of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0424]First, referring to FIG. 22, during the washing cycle and the rinsing cycle, a portion of wash water that has performed the washing or the rinsing with respect to the dishes may flow through the screen filter 472 and be introduced into the sump body 411, and may be introduced into the outer circumferential separation space Cf via the sump body 411.

[0425]Wash water containing the fine food residues D as the remaining portion of wash water that has performed the washing or the rinsing with respect to the dishes during the washing cycle and the rinsing cycle may be introduced into the filtering mesh 4731 by flowing through the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0426]In this regard, wash water introduced into the filtering mesh 4731 may have a directionality toward the inlet of the supply pipe 4126 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the lower end of the water collector 412.

[0427]Therefore, as shown in FIG. 23, a force acting downward by the gravity Fg and a force Fpc acting toward the inlet of the supply pipe 4126 by the flow rate of wash water are simultaneously applied to the fine food residues D.

[0428]As a result, a direction of a resultant force Ft_c acting on the fine food residues D on the inner circumferential surface of the filtering mesh 4731 acting as the filtering surface may be formed between a direction in which the gravity Fg acts and a direction of the force Fpc acting by the flow rate.

[0429]In this regard, as shown in (a) in FIG. 23, in the case of the simple cylindrical filtering mesh 4731, because the filtering surface of the filtering mesh 4731 has a directionality of extending downward, a first crossing angle θc that is considerably great is inevitably formed between the direction of the resultant force Ft_c acting on the fine food residues D and the extending direction of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0430]Therefore, as the relatively great first crossing angle θc is formed, a component tan θc of the force acting in the vertical direction with respect to the filtering mesh 4731 among components of the resultant force Ft_c acting on the fine food residues D is increased, and a force for adhering the fine food residues D to the filtering mesh 4731 during the washing cycle and the rinsing cycle is inevitably increased.

[0431]However, as shown in (b) in FIG. 23, when the filtering mesh 4731 is formed as the diameter-increasing portion according to the present disclosure, the first crossing angle θc formed between the direction of the resultant force Ft_c acting on the fine food residues D and the extending direction of the filtering mesh 4731 may be formed to be very small compared to those of the existing configuration shown in (a) in FIG. 23.

[0432]Accordingly, as the very small first crossing angle θc is formed, the component tan θc of the force acting in the vertical direction with respect to the filtering mesh 4731 among the components of the resultant force Ft_c acting on the fine food residues D may be greatly reduced, and the force for adhering the fine food residues D to the filtering mesh 4731 during the washing cycle and the rinsing cycle may be significantly reduced.

[0433]Accordingly, a possibility that the filtering mesh 4731 according to the present disclosure is clogged by the adhesion of the fine food residues D may be significantly reduced compared to that in the related art. In addition, as the fine food residues D are filtered by the filtering mesh 4731 because of the adhering force that is small compared to that in the related art, the fine food residues D may be removed from the filtering mesh 4731 by a small flow rate during the drainage cycle as will be described later.

[0434]FIGS. 24 and 25 are schematic diagrams for illustration by comparing a discharging process of the fine food residues D filtered by the existing simple cylindrical filtering mesh 4731 and a flow path of wash water during the drainage cycle with a discharging process of the fine food residues D filtered by the filtering mesh 4731 serving as the diameter-increasing portion according to the present disclosure and a flow path of wash water.

[0435](a) in FIG. 24 and (a) in FIG. 25 show a configuration with the existing cylindrical filtering mesh 4731, and (b) in FIG. 24 and (b) in FIG. 25 show a configuration with the filtering mesh 4731 serving as the diameter-increasing portion according to the present disclosure.

[0436]As described above, for the mutual comparison and illustration, the two configurations are set to be identical except for the shape of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0437]First, referring to FIG. 24, wash water that has completed the washing or the rinsing with respect to the dishes during the drainage cycle may be discharged to the outside via the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412 of the sump 41 and the drain channel Cd defined in the drain pipe 4125.

[0438]In this regard, at least some of the fine food residues D collected on and adhered to the inner circumferential surface of the filtering mesh 4731 may be discharged to the outside via the drain channel Cd together with wash water.

[0439]Therefore, as shown in FIG. 25, a force acting downward by the gravity Fg and a force Fpd acting toward the lower end surface 4122 of the water collector 412 by the flow rate of wash water are simultaneously applied to the fine food residues D.

[0440]As a result, a direction of a resultant force Ft_d acting on the fine food residues D on the inner circumferential surface of the filtering mesh 4731 acting as the filtering surface may be formed between a direction in which the gravity Fg acts and a direction of the force Fpd acting by the flow rate.

[0441]In this regard, as shown in (a) in FIG. 25, in the case of the simple cylindrical filtering mesh 4731, the filtering surface of the filtering mesh 4731 has a directionality of extending downward, so that a relatively small second crossing angle θd is inevitably formed between the direction of the resultant force Ft_d acting on the fine food residues D and the extending direction of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0442]Therefore, as the relatively small second crossing angle θd is formed, a component tan Od of the force acting in the vertical direction with respect to the filtering mesh 4731 among components of the resultant force Ft_d acting on the fine food residues D is reduced, and a force for removing the fine food residues D from the filtering mesh 4731 during the drainage cycle is inevitably reduced.

[0443]However, as shown in (b) in FIG. 25, when the filtering mesh 4731 is formed as the diameter-increasing portion according to the present disclosure, the second crossing angle θd formed between the direction of the resultant force Ft_d acting on the fine food residues D and the extending direction of the filtering mesh 4731 may be very large compared to that in the existing configuration shown in (a) in FIG. 25.

[0444]Therefore, as the very large second crossing angle θd is formed, the component tan Od of the force acting in the vertical direction with respect to the filtering mesh 4731 among the components of the resultant force Ft_d acting on the fine food residues D may be increased, and the force for removing the fine food residues D from the filtering mesh 4731 may be significantly increased during the drainage cycle.

[0445]Accordingly, in the filtering mesh 4731 according to the present disclosure, the fine food residues D may be separated and removed from the filtering mesh 4731 even at a small flow rate during the drainage cycle, and an amount of the fine food residues D remaining in the filtering mesh 4731 may be significantly reduced when the drainage process is completed.

[Embodiments of Filtering Mesh at Least Partially Including Diameter-Increasing Portion]

[0446]Hereinafter, embodiments of the filtering mesh 4731 including the diameter-increasing portion will be described with reference to FIGS. 26 to 29.

[0447]First, FIG. 26 illustrates a first embodiment of a filtering mesh 4731 formed entirely as the diameter-increasing portion as described above.

[0448]Referring to FIG. 26, as described above, the filtering mesh 4731 according to the first embodiment may have the horizontal cross-section in the wave shape, but may be formed in the truncated cone shape or the inverted funnel shape as a whole.

[0449]As the filtering mesh 4731 is entirely formed as the diameter-increasing portion, the maximum width Wu of the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731 may be smaller than the maximum width Wd of the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731 in the horizontal direction.

[0450]In this regard, the horizontal width of the filtering mesh 4731 may gradually increase from the upper edge 4731U toward the lower edge 4731B.

[0451]In addition, in the horizontal cross-section, the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p may continuously extend from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731, and the total number of valleys 4731v and ridges 4731p may be maintained constant from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B.

[0452]As illustrated, when the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p extend linearly, the extending direction of the individual valleys 4731v and the extending direction of the individual ridges 4731p may form the expanding inclination angle a with respect to the vertical direction.

[0453]Because the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p extend linearly from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B, the expanding inclination angle a may be kept constant from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B.

[0454]In addition, the circumferential positions of the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p in the horizontal cross-section of the filtering mesh 4731 may be constantly maintained from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B. In a top view, the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p may be arranged to extend radially from the center of the filtering mesh 4731, from the upper edge 4731U to the lower edge 4731B.

[0455]FIG. 27 illustrates a second embodiment of the filtering mesh 4731 having a composite shape including a first mesh 4731a formed as a first diameter-increasing portion and a second mesh 4731b formed as a second diameter-increasing portion.

[0456]Referring to FIG. 27, the filtering mesh 4731 according to the second embodiment may include the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b, each of which has a horizontal cross-section formed in a wave shape and is generally formed in a truncated cone shape or an inverted funnel shape.

[0457]As illustrated, the first mesh 4731a may form an upper portion of the filtering mesh 4731, and the second mesh 4731b may form a lower portion of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0458]Accordingly, an upper edge of the first mesh 4731a may form the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731, and a lower edge of the second mesh 4731b may form the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0459]In addition, as illustrated, because each of the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b is formed as the diameter-increasing portion, each of the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b may be formed such that a horizontal width thereof gradually increases downward.

[0460]In addition, each of the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b may be constructed such that the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p in the horizontal cross-section thereof continuously extend downward, and the total number of valleys 4731v and ridges 4731p is kept constant. Further, the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b may have the same total number of valleys 4731v and ridges 4731p.

[0461]In addition, the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b are constructed such that the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p extend linearly. Further, an extending direction of the individual valleys 4731v in the first mesh 4731a and an extending direction of the individual ridges 4731p in the second mesh 4731b may form a first expanding inclination angle a1 and a second expanding inclination angle a2 with respect to the vertical direction, respectively.

[0462]Because the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p extend linearly along the vertical direction, the first expanding inclination angle a1 and the second expanding inclination angle a2 may be constantly maintained in the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b, respectively.

[0463]In this regard, the filtering mesh 4731 according to the second embodiment may be constructed such that the first expanding inclination angle a1 and the second expanding inclination angle a2 are different from each other.

[0464]Preferably, the second expanding inclination angle a2 may be set to be greater than the first expanding inclination angle a1.

[0465]As described above, as the second expanding inclination angle a2 is set to be greater than the first expanding inclination angle a1, the filtering mesh 4731 according to the second embodiment may have an increased width of the lower edge 4731B acting as an outlet of wash water and the fine food residues D, and accordingly, a discharge amount of wash water and the fine food residues D may be increased.

[0466]In addition, in the filtering mesh 4731 according to the second embodiment, based on an inflection position at which the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b are connected to each other and the expanding inclination angle changes, a flow rate and a flow direction of wash water change during the drainage cycle, thereby increasing a possibility of generating the vortex and the turbulence with respect to wash water. As the vortex and the turbulence are generated in wash water as described above, a removal amount of the food residues D attached and adhered to the filtering mesh 4731 during the drainage cycle may be increased.

[0467]FIG. 28 illustrates a third embodiment of the filtering mesh 4731 having a composite shape including the first mesh 4731a formed as a diameter-decreasing portion and the second mesh 4731b formed as the diameter-increasing portion.

[0468]Referring to FIG. 28, the filtering mesh 4731 according to the third embodiment may include the first mesh 4731a having a horizontal cross-section in a wave shape and generally formed in a funnel shape, and the second mesh 4731b having a horizontal cross-section in a wave shape and generally formed in a truncated cone shape or an inverted funnel shape.

[0469]As illustrated, the first mesh 4731a may form the upper portion of the filtering mesh 4731, and the second mesh 4731b may form the lower portion of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0470]Accordingly, an upper edge of the first mesh 4731a serving as the diameter-decreasing portion may form the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731, and a lower edge of the second mesh 4731b serving as the diameter-increasing portion may form the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0471]In addition, as illustrated, the first mesh 4731a may be constructed such that a horizontal width thereof is gradually reduced downward as it is formed as the diameter-decreasing portion, and the second mesh 4731b may be constructed such that a horizontal width thereof gradually increases downward as it is formed as the diameter-increasing portion.

[0472]In addition, each of the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b may be constructed such that the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p in the horizontal cross-section thereof continuously extend downward, and the total number of valleys 4731v and ridges 4731p is kept constant. Further, the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b may have the same total number of valleys 4731v and ridges 4731p.

[0473]In addition, the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b are constructed such that the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p extend linearly. Further, an extending direction of the individual valleys 4731v in the first mesh 4731a and an extending direction of the individual ridges 4731p in the second mesh 4731b may form a reducing inclination angle b and an expanding inclination angle a with respect to the vertical direction, respectively.

[0474]Because the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p extend linearly along the vertical direction, the reducing inclination angle b and the expanding inclination angle a may be constantly maintained in the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b, respectively.

[0475]In this regard, the filtering mesh 4731 according to the third embodiment may be constructed such that the reducing inclination angle b and the expanding inclination angle a are the same as each other.

[0476]In addition, as illustrated, a vertical dimension of the first mesh 4731a and a vertical dimension of the second mesh 4731b may be set to be the same as each other.

[0477]That is, an upper end maximum width Wu of the first mesh 4731a serving as the diameter-decreasing portion and a lower end maximum width Wd of the second mesh 4731b may be the same as each other.

[0478]Accordingly, compared to the case in which the first mesh 4731a is formed as the diameter-increasing portion having the expanding inclination angle as in the above-described second embodiment, a sufficient amount of wash water inflow via the upper edge 4731U may be secured.

[0479]In addition, the upper end maximum width Wu of the filtering mesh 4731 based on the horizontal direction may be increased to a level similar to that of the cylindrical filtering mesh 4731, so that the insertion of the handle body 471 into the filtering mesh 4731 and the coupling of the handle body 471 may be stably performed.

[0480]In addition, in the filtering mesh 4731 according to the third embodiment, based on an inflection position at which the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b are connected to each other and the inclination angle changes, a flow rate and a flow direction of wash water change during the drainage cycle, thereby increasing a possibility of generating the vortex and the turbulence with respect to wash water. As the vortex and the turbulence are generated in wash water as described above, a removal amount of the food residues D attached and adhered to the filtering mesh 4731 during the drainage cycle may be increased.

[0481]FIG. 29 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the filtering mesh 4731 having a composite shape including the first mesh 4731a formed as the diameter-increasing portion and the second mesh 4731b formed in the simple cylindrical shape.

[0482]Referring to FIG. 29, the filtering mesh 4731 according to the fourth embodiment may include the first mesh 4731a having a horizontal cross-section in a wave shape and generally formed in a truncated cone shape or an inverted funnel shape, and the second mesh 4731b having a horizontal cross-section in a wave shape and generally formed in the simple cylindrical shape.

[0483]As illustrated, the first mesh 4731a may form the upper portion of the filtering mesh 4731, and the second mesh 4731b may form the lower portion of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0484]Accordingly, the upper edge of the first mesh 4731a serving as the diameter-increasing portion may form the upper edge 4731U of the filtering mesh 4731, and the lower edge of the second mesh 4731b formed in the cylindrical shape may form the lower edge 4731B of the filtering mesh 4731.

[0485]In addition, as illustrated, the first mesh 4731a may be constructed such that the horizontal width thereof gradually increases downward as it is formed as the diameter-increasing portion, and the second mesh 4731b may be constructed such that the horizontal width thereof is maintained constant as it is formed in the simple cylindrical shape.

[0486]Accordingly, a horizontal width of the lower edge 4731B of the first mesh 4731a and the horizontal width of the second mesh 4731b may be the same as each other.

[0487]In addition, as in the above-described embodiments, each of the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b may be constructed such that the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p in the horizontal cross-section thereof continuously extend downward, and the total number of valleys 4731v and ridges 4731p is kept constant. Further, the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b may have the same total number of valleys 4731v and ridges 4731p.

[0488]In addition, as in the above-described embodiments, the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b may be constructed such that the individual valleys 4731v and the individual ridges 4731p linearly extend.

[0489]However, in the first mesh 4731a, an extending direction of the individual valley 4731v and an extending direction of the individual ridge 4731p may form an expanding inclination angle a with respect to the vertical direction.

[0490]In addition, as illustrated, a vertical dimension of the first mesh 4731a may be set to be greater than a vertical dimension of the second mesh 4731b. Accordingly, the effect of removing the food residues D during the drainage cycle via the formation of the expanding inclined surface may be maintained as much as possible.

[0491]In addition, as in the above-described embodiments, in the filtering mesh 4731 according to the fourth embodiment, based on an inflection position at which the first mesh 4731a and the second mesh 4731b are connected to each other and the inclination angle changes, a flow rate and a flow direction of wash water change during the drainage cycle, thereby increasing a possibility of generating the vortex and the turbulence with respect to wash water. As the vortex and the turbulence are generated in wash water as described above, a removal amount of the food residues D attached and adhered to the filtering mesh 4731 during the drainage cycle may be increased.

[0492]As described above, although the present disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited by the embodiments disclosed herein and the drawings. Further, it is obvious that various modifications may be made by a person skilled in the art within the scope of the technical idea of the present disclosure. In addition, even when the effects according to the configuration of the present disclosure are not explicitly described while describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is natural that effects predictable by the corresponding configuration should also be recognized.