DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

The present invention generally regards the technical field of devices for washing dishes, and in particular it relates to a particularly compact manual or automatic flush mounting device for washing dishes.

Definitions

In the present text, the expression 'dishes' and derivatives is used to indicate tools used in the kitchen to cook, contain, serve and grasp food, made of any material deemed suitable for the purpose. For example, reference is made to pots, containers, plates, bowls, cutlery, other tableware and the like.

State of the Art

The difficulty linked to the washing of the dishes in difficult situations, such as for example in kitchens with narrow spaces which do not allow to introduce a dishwasher, in campers or the like is known.

Removable dishwasher tubs which can be inserted into washbasins to mainly exploit the drain pipe are known.

However, such known solution requires a space dedicated to the storage of the dishwasher tub when it is not in use.

Small portable dishwashers which can be connected to the water and electrical mains are also known. However, such known solution requires to occupy considerable overall dimensions, as well as the use of a further space dedicated to the manual washing of the dishes.

Washbasins comprising two adjacent tubs, one dedicated to the manual washing of the dishes, the other including a small flush-mounted dishwasher are also known.

However, such known solution has considerable overall dimensions given that the space occupied on the work plane of a kitchen is considerable.

Summary of the invention

An object of the present invention is to at least partly overcome the drawbacks outlined above, by providing a dish washing device that is highly efficient and relatively cost- effective.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a washing device which allows the automatic or manual washing of the dishes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a washing device with minimum overall dimensions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which exploits the space of the washbasin column.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a washing device with hermetic closing.

These and other objects which will be more apparent hereinafter are achieved by a dish washing device according to what is described and/or claimed and/or illustrated herein.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined according to the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent in light of the detailed description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A and IB are sectional views of the device 1;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are axonometric views of the device 1, respectively when the washbasin 20 is in the first and second operative position;

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are axonometric views of the device 1, respectively when the washbasin 20 is in the first operative position, upon the rotation thereof around the axis X' and in the second operative position;

FIG. 3D is an enlargement of a detail of FIG. 3C.

Detailed description of some preferred embodiments

With reference to the aforementioned figures, herein described is a device 1 which can be used by a user for washing dishes S.

Such device 1 may have a substantially longitudinal extension, or it may extend along an axis Y.

The device 1 may be of the flush-mounting type, i.e. it may be inserted into a compartment SP obtained in a work plane PL, as known.

In particular, such device 1 being particularly useful in difficult situations, such as for example kitchens with narrow spaces, campers or the like, it is possible to exploit the entire column usually occupied by a washbasin, making use of the space below it, typically used for detergents or storage of waste.

However, it is clear that such device 1 may be used in any space comprising water and electric supply mains by means of the connection to a clean water system, a dirty water system and an electric system.

Preferably, the device 1 may comprise a substantially box-like tub 10, preferably made of stainless steel, acrylic resins, aluminium hydroxide or compounds thereof, including for example aluminium hydroxide compounds and acrylic resins (Corian ^® ).

The tub 10 may be flush-mountable along a direction defined by the axis Y.

Such tub 10 may include a bottom wall 12 and four side walls 13 defining a container compartment 14 in which the dishes S can be housed.

Suitably, the compartment 14 may be accessible by the user along the direction defined by the axis Y, i.e. the dishes S can be inserted thereinto and picked up therefrom along a vertical loading/unloading direction, in a manner such that the compartment 14 mutually faces the user.

In other words, the compartment 14 may be accessible from above, so as to minimise the possible overall dimensions caused by the presence of a door for opening the tub 10, positioned at one of the side walls 13.

Preferably, the tub 10 may comprise an outer surface 16 and an opposite inner surface 15.

In addition, the bottom wall 12 may comprise a clean water supply hole 12' which can be connected to the clean water system.

In particular, such connection may occur by means of a supply pipe 30.

Likewise, the bottom wall 12 may comprise a drain hole 12" connectable to the dirty water system, for example by means of a drain pipe 40.

Suitably, the tub 10 may comprise an edge 11 comprising a pair of opposite sides 17 and a pair of opposite sides 18. The sides of the pair of sides 17 may each comprise a portion 17'. An axis X passing through the portions 17', perpendicular to the sides 17, may also be provided for.

The device 1 may further comprise a pair of displacement arms 60 each comprising the opposite end portions 60', 60".

In particular, the end portions 60' may be pivoted in a pair of hinging points 17 at the portions 17', in a manner such that the arms 60 rotate around the axis X passing through the portions 17'.

In this manner, it may be possible to use the device 1 in several operative positions, as will be described in detail hereinafter.

The present invention can include various parts and/or similar or identical elements. Unless otherwise specified, similar or identical parts and/or elements will be indicated using a single reference number, it being clear that the described technical features are common to all similar or identical parts and/or elements.

The device 1 may further comprise a box-shaped washbasin 20, which can be inserted into a portion of the compartment 14 defined by the walls 12 and 13 of the tub 10.

Such washbasin 20 may comprise a bottom wall 22 including a drain hole 22".

The latter may be connectable to the dirty water system, for example by means of a pipe 41, for draining the dirty water from the washbasin 20.

Preferably, the drain hole 22" may be closable, i.e. plug means may be provided for, such as for example a hermetic sealing closing plug 212 or a solenoid valve or other known hermetic closing systems.

The washbasin 20 may comprise an outer surface 26 and an inner operative surface 25 which may come into mutual contact with the dishes S to be washed and/or washed or may face the space 14.

In particular, the water supply may occur by means of a tap 31 connected to the clean water system.

Furthermore, the washbasin 20 may comprise four side walls 23 coupled to the bottom wall 22, defining a container space 24 for housing the dishes S.

Suitably, washbasin 20 may comprise an edge 21 comprising a pair of opposite sides 27 and a pair of opposite sides 28. The sides of the pair of sides 27 may each comprise a portion 27'. An axis X' passing through the portions 27', perpendicular to the sides 27, may also be provided for.

Furthermore, the end portions 60' may be pivoted in a pair of hinging points 27 at the portions 27', in a manner such that the arms 60 rotate around the axis X' passing through the portions 27'.

Therefore, it is clear that the displacement arms 60 may be substantially perpendicular to the axes X and X'.

Furthermore, it is clear that the washbasin 20, more preferably the pair of sides 27 of the latter , may rotate around the axis X' to take an operative position in which the washbasin 20 is inserted into a portion of the compartment 14 of the tub 10 for the use thereof as a conventional sink, thus to allow the manual washing of the dishes S, by suitably connecting, if the connection is not already in place, the drain hole 22" to the drain pipe 41.

In this manner, the bottom walls 12 and 22 will be substantially proximal, the edges 11 and 21 may adhere to each other while the outer surface 26 and the inner surface 15 may be at mutual contact or in proximity, in particular at the side walls 23 and/or at the bottom wall 22 and at least one pair of stop elements 19 positioned at two or more side walls 13, in order to minimise possible misalignments of the washbasin 20 during use by means of an integral coupling between the stop elements 19 and side walls 13, the former comprising, for example, pins or coupling elements of the male type and the second comprising respectively holes which can be coupled to the aforementioned pins or coupling elements of the female type, or even other known joining and centring elements.

However, it is clear that the opposite may also occur, i.e. the side walls 13 may comprise pins or coupling elements of the male type, for example, and the stop elements 19 may respectively comprise holes which can be coupled to the aforementioned pins or coupling elements of the female type.

It is clear that the inner surface 15 may include the faces of the side walls 13 and of the bottom wall 12 facing toward the space 14 and the surfaces of the stop means 19 facing the space 14.

In such first operative position, the inner surface 15 of the tub 10 and the outer surface 26 of the washbasin 20 may face each other. In addition, a second operative position in which the washbasin 20 will substantially act as a lid for the tub 10 will be allowed.

In particular, the drain hole 22" may be closed so as to avoid possible spilling of water when the device 1 is used as an automatic 'dishwasher'.

In such second operative position, the edges 11 and 21 may adhere to each other, the bottom walls 12 and 22 will be substantially distal and the inner surfaces 15 and 25 may face each other.

It is clear that the mutual adhesion of the edges 11 and 21 will also act as a support for the washbasin 20, which will therefore be supported by the tub 10 at the edges 11 and 21 and by the abutment between the latter.

Furthermore, control means 70 for actuating the device 1 when the tub 20 is in the second operative position may be provided for so as to control the automatic washing of the dishes S.

It is clear that should there arise the need to return the washbasin 20 from the second to the first operative position, it will be advisable to reopen the drain hole 22" and reconnect it to the drain pipe 41.

Preferably, hermetic closing means 52 may be provided for in order to avoid possible spilling of water during washing and to promote adhesion between the edges 11 and 21, when the washbasin 20 is in the first and/or second operative position.

Said hermetic closing means 52 may comprise hermetic sealing means 51, such as for example a gasket, coupled to the edge 11 in a manner such that when the washbasin 20 is in the first or second operative position - the washbasin 20 and the tub 10 are prevented from sliding at the edges 11 and 21 by friction, and water is prevented from spilling when washing the dishes S when the washbasin 20 is in the second operative position.

However, it is clear that the hermetic sealing means 51 may be coupled to the edge 21 without departing from the scope of protection of the attached claims.

Furthermore, said hermetic closing means 52 may comprise coupling means, such as for example one or more pairs of grippers 50 or bayonet-type couplings, mechanical spring like couplings or the like, arranged at the edges 11 and 21 to integrally join them and prevent possible misalignments of the washbasin 20. Preferably, the grippers of each pair of grippers 50 may be positioned at two non- consecutive sides, for example to grip the pairs of sides 17 and 27, as illustrated in particular in FIG. 3C, and/or to the pairs of sides 18 and 28.

Lastly, the hermetic closing means 52 may comprise the plug means 212 which can be coupled to the drain hole 22" to plug it when the washbasin 20 is in the second operative position.

Suitably, the axis X may be substantially fixed, the tub 10 being anchored or anchorable to the work plane PL, while the axis X' may rotate around the first.

In this manner, the guided rotation of the washbasin 20 around the axis X' will be facilitated so that the edges 11 and 21 correspond.

Preferably, the portions 17', through which the axis X passes, may define a pair of substantially angular portions along the edge 11 i.e. they may be defined at the points of abutment between two different sides 17 and 18.

Furthermore, the portions 27', through which the axis X' passes, may be in a substantially central position along the pair of opposite sides 27 and the displacement arms 60 may be dimensioned in a manner such that their movement allows the alignment of the edges 11 and 21 when the washbasin 20 is in the first and/or second operative position, facilitating the centring between the washbasin 20 and the tub 10 upon adhesion between the edges 11, 21 which will therefore be superimposed and corresponding.

For example, the sides 17 and 27 may measure about 55-60 cm, while the distance between the hinging points 171' and 27 of each displacement arm 60 may be about 27.5 - 30 cm, respectively.

It is clear that the opposite can also occur, i.e. the portions 17' may be substantially central along the sides 17 and the portions 27' may be substantially angular along the edge 21 without departing from the scope of protection of the attached claims.

However, it is clear that the device 1 may be without the arms 60 and the washbasin 20 may be positioned by the user in the first and second operative position without using displacement arms, without departing from the scope of protection of the attached claims.

The washbasin 20 may therefore be overturned to be moved between the first and the second operative position in a non-guided manner, or it can rotate in a guided manner around the axis X' by means of the displacement arms 60.

Furthermore, the displacement of the arms 60 can be manual or automatic.

In this second case, the actuation means and the control means 70 may be operatively connected to the arms 60 to actuate them and control the motion thereof.

As known, the device 1 may comprise the components typical of a dishwasher, i.e., for example, drive means such as an electric motor connected to the electric system and to the electronic circuitry of the device 1, a system of pipes, including the clean water supply pipes 30 and the dirty water pipes 40 thereof, a tray designed for the introduction of the detergent, a pump and a tank for heating the water to be sprayed by means of a rotating spray arm 63 comprising a plurality of nozzles 63', a filter system, as well as a drying circuit 64.

In addition, the control means 70 may be connected to the electric motor and to the circuitry, for the automatic actuation of the device 1.

Preferably, the device 1 may comprise a basket 61 which can be inserted into the tub 10, in particular in the compartment 14 thereof, at suitable support projections 6 so as to house the dishes S when they are washed automatically.

Suitably, the basket 61 may be superimposed with respect to the clean water pipe 30 to optimise the washing of the dishes S.

Preferably, the dishwasher basket 61 may be collapsed, so as to optimise the space of the compartment 14 that can be used for the insertion of the washbasin 20 in the first operative position.

According to a further embodiment, a second dishwasher basket 62 superimposed on the dishwasher basket 61 which can be positioned - at suitable supports 62' - inside the tub 10 may be provided for to guarantee the washing of a larger number of dishes S.

It is clear that this will allow to obtain a device 1 for the automatic or manual washing of the dishes, with minimum overall dimensions, which exploits the space of the washbasin column.

In light of the above, it is clear that the invention attains the pre-set objectives.

The invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants. All details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements, and the materials can be different depending on the technical needs, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention defined by the attached claims.