CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2018/062028, filed May 9, 2018, which designated the United States and has been published as International Publication No. WO 2018/219614 A1 and which claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 10 2017 209 234.3, filed May 31, 2017, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a dishwasher cavity for a household dishwasher, to a household dishwasher having a dishwasher cavity of this type, and to a method for producing a dishwasher cavity of this type.

A dishwasher for the most part has one dishwasher cavity that is formed from multiple sheet metal portions that are connected to one another. The sheet metal portions may be by way of example welded to one another or connected to one another by means of a folding-over procedure. By way of example, the dishwasher cavity comprises a bottom, one side panel respectively being attached to each side of the bottom, and a back panel that closes off the dishwasher cavity at the back. The back panel is connected to the dishwasher cavity with the aid of an attachment flange that is provided on the dishwasher cavity.

Document DE 10 2015 216 228 A1 discloses a dishwasher having a dishwasher cavity, which comprises multiple panel parts and which is provided with a loading orifice on the front face for loading the items to be washed, said loading orifice may be able to be closed at least for periods of time by means of a cavity door, wherein the right-hand side panel, the top panel and the left-hand side panel form a metal hood that in the extended state forms a preferably flat press part and subsequently has been bent into a U-shape, wherein a trough-shaped bottom made from metal is a deep-drawn part that is manufactured from a preferably austenitic steel and wherein the metal back panel that is placed at the back against the metal hood and against the trough-shaped bottom made from metal is configured as a preferably flat press part.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

On the basis of this background, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved dishwasher cavity for a household dishwasher.

Accordingly, a dishwasher cavity for a household dishwasher is proposed. The dishwasher cavity comprises a bottom panel, a back panel and a U-shaped dishwasher cavity jacket that is arranged on the bottom panel and is fixedly connected thereto, wherein the bottom panel and the dishwasher cavity jacket have an attachment flange that encircles the dishwasher cavity so as to attach the back panel to the bottom panel and to the dishwasher cavity jacket, and wherein the bottom panel comprises a stamped step, which faces the direction of a top panel of the dishwasher cavity jacket and protrudes out of a bottom portion of the bottom panel, a part of the attachment flange being attached to said stamped step.

By virtue of the fact that a part of the attachment flange is already formed as one on the bottom panel, it is possible for the attachment flange to be already formed as one in part in the tool for producing the bottom panel. As a consequence, this part of the attachment flange may be produced very precisely, as a result of which the sealing arrangement between the back panel and the attachment flange is reliably ensured. Furthermore, the stamped step that is provided on the bottom panel makes it possible for the washing water to run off from the back panel away in the direction of a pump sump of the household dishwasher.

The fact that the dishwasher cavity jacket is U-shaped is to be understood to mean that said dishwasher cavity jacket comprises a first side panel, a second side panel and a top panel of the dishwasher cavity that is arranged between the first side panel and the second side panel. The dishwasher cavity jacket is in this case arranged and placed on the bottom panel in such a manner that the U-shaped geometric shape of the dishwasher cavity jacket is closed in the upward direction and open in the downward direction. In other words, the U-shaped geometric shape is not lying on the bottom panel but rather is arranged in a vertical position thereon. The bottom panel is preferably configured from a different steel material to that of the dishwasher cavity jacket. By way of example, it is possible to use for the dishwasher cavity jacket a more cost-efficient material than for the bottom panel. In particular, a flange portion that forms the previously mentioned part of the attachment flange is formed as one on the stamped step. This flange portion is preferably already formed as one thereon during the procedure of producing the bottom panel, by way of example with the aid of a deep-drawn method.

In accordance with one embodiment, the stamped step comprises a first step portion, which is arranged at an angle of inclination with respect to the bottom portion of the bottom panel, and a second step portion, which is arranged parallel to the bottom portion of the bottom panel, wherein the first step portion is arranged between the bottom portion and the second step portion.

It is possible with the aid of this geometric shape to create sufficient space for a welding tool to connect the attachment flange to the back panel. The angle of inclination is by way of example 10 to 40°, more preferably 20 to 30°, more preferably 25°. The stamped step comprises furthermore the flange portion that has already been mentioned previously and that is arranged in particular in a vertical manner with respect to the second step portion.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the stamped step extends as far as into a side panel portion of the bottom panel.

The bottom panel preferably comprises two side panel portions, wherein the stamped step extends into each of the side panel portions.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the stamped step extends with a radius into the side panel portion of the bottom panel.

In particular, both the first step portion and also the second step portion respectively extend with a radius into the side panel portion of the bottom panel. As a consequence, it is possible to realize an additional reinforcement of the side panel portions.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the side panel portion of the bottom panel comprises a formed portion that extends beyond the stamped step and is folded so as to form the attachment flange.

A formed portion of this type is preferably provided on each of the side panel portions. Each formed portion is formed during the procedure of producing the attachment flange.

In accordance with a further embodiment, prior to the formed portion being folded, said formed portion is arranged in a vertical manner with respect to the part of the attachment flange that is formed as one on the stamped step.

In particular, prior to the formed portion being folded, said formed portion is arranged in a vertical manner with respect to the flange portion of the stamped step.

In accordance with a further embodiment, after the formed portion has been folded, said formed portion is arranged parallel to the part of the attachment flange that is formed as one on the stamped step.

In particular, the part of the attachment flange, which is formed as one on the stamped step, namely the flange portion thereof, and the respective formed portion form a common plane.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the bottom panel comprises a first side panel portion, a second side panel portion and the bottom portion that is arranged between the first side panel portion and the second side panel portion.

In particular, the bottom panel has a U-shaped cross-section. In particular, the dishwasher cavity jacket is fixedly connected both to the first side panel portion and also to the second side panel portion. By way of example, the dishwasher cavity jacket is connected with the aid of a folded connection to the first side panel portion and the second side panel portion respectively.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the dishwasher cavity jacket comprises a first side panel that is fixedly connected to the bottom panel, a second side panel that is fixedly connected to the bottom panel and the top panel that is arranged between the first side panel and the second side panel.

In particular, the dishwasher cavity jacket is placed on the bottom panel in such a manner that the top panel is arranged opposite the bottom panel. In other words, the dishwasher cavity jacket is arranged with its U-shaped geometric shape in a vertical position with respect to the bottom panel and not lying on said bottom panel.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the attachment flange is folded in a vertical manner with respect to the dishwasher cavity jacket and the bottom portion of the bottom panel.

No further shaping of the stamped step, and in particular of the flange portion of the stamped step, is performed during the procedure of producing the attachment flange. In other words, in order to form the attachment flange, only the dishwasher cavity jacket, in particular a flange portion of the dishwasher cavity jacket, and the formed portions of the bottom panel are shaped.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the back panel is welded, in particular spot-welded, to the attachment flange.

A sealing element, by way of example a polyurethane seal, may be provided between the back panel and the attachment flange.

Moreover, a household dishwasher having a dishwasher cavity of this type is proposed.

It is possible to attach a door to the dishwasher cavity, said door being able to pivot about a pivot axis in order to open and close the dishwasher cavity. It is possible to provide in the dishwasher cavity a multiplicity of, by way of example three, devices for receiving items to be washed, said receiving devices being arranged one above the other.

Moreover, a method for producing a dishwasher cavity for a household dishwasher is proposed. The method comprises the steps: provide a bottom panel, a back panel and a U-shaped dishwasher cavity jacket, wherein the bottom panel comprises a stamped step that protrudes from a bottom portion of said bottom panel; connect the dishwasher cavity jacket to the bottom panel in such a manner that the stamped step extends in the direction of a top panel of the dishwasher cavity jacket; produce an attachment flange that encircles the dishwasher cavity jacket and the bottom panel, wherein a part of the attachment flange is formed by the stamped step; and connect the back panel to the attachment flange.

In particular, the dishwasher cavity jacket is connected to the bottom panel with the aid of a folded connection. The dishwasher cavity jacket is placed on the bottom panel in such a manner that the stamped step extends in the direction of the top panel of the dishwasher cavity jacket. During the procedure of providing the bottom panel, the stamped step is formed thereon as one with the folded flange portion. No further shaping of the flange portion of the stamped step is subsequently performed during the procedure of producing the attachment flange. During the procedure of producing the attachment flange, in particular only the flange portion of the dishwasher cavity jacket and the formed portions of the bottom panel are folded.

In accordance with a further embodiment, during the procedure of providing the bottom panel, the stamped step is formed thereon together with the part of the attachment flange that is formed by the stamped step.

For this purpose, in particular the stamped step is already pre-formed with the flange portion in the tool that is provided for producing the bottom panel.

In accordance with a further embodiment, a formed portion of a side panel portion of the bottom panel is folded during the procedure of producing the attachment flange, said formed portion extending beyond the stamped step.

In particular, two formed portions of the bottom panel that are provided on the respective side panel portions are folded.

The features that are described for the dishwasher cavity and the household dishwasher apply accordingly for the method and conversely.

Further possible implementations of the dishwasher cavity, of the household dishwasher and/or of the method comprise also combinations not explicitly mentioned of features or embodiments described previously or below in relation to the exemplary embodiments. In this case, the person skilled in the art will also add individual aspects as improvements or supplements to the respective basic form of the dishwasher cavity, of the household dishwasher and/or of the method.

Further advantageous embodiments and aspects of the dishwasher cavity, of the household dishwasher and/or of the method are the subject matter of the subordinate claims and also of the exemplary embodiments of the dishwasher cavity, of the household dishwasher and/or of the method that are described below. Furthermore, the dishwasher cavity, the household dishwasher and/or the method are explained in detail with the aid of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

