US 11,737,640 B2
Pump and dishwasher comprising the same
Sangwoo Woo, Seoul (KR); Youngsoo Kim, Seoul (KR); and Hyungman Park, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
Filed by LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
Filed on Mar. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/691,543.
Application 17/691,543 is a division of application No. 15/928,521, filed on Mar. 22, 2018, granted, now 11,291,348.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2017-0035886 (KR), filed on Mar. 22, 2017; and application No. 10-2017-0112095 (KR), filed on Sep. 1, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0192458 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A47L 15/42 (2006.01); A47L 15/00 (2006.01)
CPC A47L 15/4225 (2013.01) [A47L 15/0015 (2013.01); A47L 15/4223 (2013.01); A47L 15/4234 (2013.01); A47L 15/4285 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dishwasher comprising:
a tub;
a spray arm configured to spray washing water into the tub;
a steam nozzle configured to discharge steam into the tub;
a sump configured to store washing water;
a pump that is configured to supply washing water stored in the sump to the spray arm, the pump being further configured to generate steam and to supply steam to the steam nozzle; and
a selector valve that is located between the pump and the steam nozzle, the selector valve being configured to block discharge of washing water from the pump toward the steam nozzle and to allow discharge of steam from the pump toward the steam nozzle,
wherein the pump comprises:
a housing,
a water inlet pipe coupled to the housing and configured to guide washing water to the housing,
a water outlet pipe coupled to the housing and configured to guide discharge of washing water from the housing,
an impeller disposed in the housing and configured to cause washing water to flow from the water inlet pipe to the water outlet pipe,
a heater coupled to the housing and configured to heat washing water in the housing, the heater being configured to generate steam from washing water, and
a steam discharge pipe configured to discharge steam generated by the heater, and
wherein the selector valve comprises:
a valve body that defines a flow path therein,
an outflow tube that protrudes from an upper portion of a first side surface of the valve body in a first direction,
an inflow tube that is spaced apart from the outflow tube and that protrudes from a lower portion of a second side surface of the valve body in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and
a valve ball disposed inside the valve body, the valve ball being configured to close the flow path of the valve body based on the valve ball being disposed at the outflow tube.