Dishwasher

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dishwasher configured to perform a separate storage mode and a single drying course including only a single drying step by using a sorption drying device to meet a user's need to perform only an step of quickly drying dishes and the user's need to store dishes in a clean state for a long period of time, thereby significantly improving user convenience.

1 . A dishwasher comprising:
 a tub having a washing space configured to accommodate dishes;   a sorption drying device including a blowing fan configured to generate an airflow of air to be supplied to the washing space, a blowing motor configured to generate rotational driving power for the blowing fan, a moisture absorbent configured to absorb water vapor contained in the airflow discharged from the tub, and a heater configured to dry the moisture absorbent by heating the airflow to be supplied to the moisture absorbent; and   a control unit configured to perform at least any one of a plurality of courses defined by combining multiple detailed steps on the dishes,   wherein the control unit performs a drying step single course performing step of operating the sorption drying device to singly perform only a drying step among the multiple detailed steps.   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the drying step single course performing step comprises an identification step of identifying whether the moisture absorbent is in a moistened state or a dried state. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , wherein the control unit determines that the moisture absorbent is in the dried state when the course, which has been performed immediately before, does not include the drying step or when the course, which has been performed immediately before, includes a moisture absorbent regenerating step and a moisture absorbing step is not performed after the moisture absorbent regenerating step. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , wherein the drying step single course performing step comprises:
 a moisture absorbent regenerating step of drying the moisture absorbent and supplying steam to the washing space by turning on both the blowing motor and the heater by supplying electric power to the blowing motor and the heater when it is identified that the moisture absorbent is in the moistened state in the identification step; and   a moisture absorbing step of turning off the heater by cutting off a supply of electric power to the heater and turning on the blowing motor by supplying electric power to the blowing motor after the moisture absorbent regenerating step.   
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a door configured to open or close an opened front side of the tub; and   an automatic door opening module configured to partially open the door,   wherein the drying step single course performing step further comprises a door opening step of opening the door by means of the automatic door opening module before the moisture absorbent regenerating step when it is identified that the moisture absorbent is in the moistened state in the identification step.   
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , wherein the drying step single course performing step further comprises:
 a moisture absorbing step of turning off the heater by cutting off a supply of electric power to the heater and turning on the blowing motor by supplying electric power to the blowing motor when it is identified that the moisture absorbent is in the dried state in the identification step.   
     
     
         7 . A dishwasher comprising:
 a tub having a washing space configured to accommodate dishes;   a sorption drying device including a blowing fan configured to generate an airflow of air to be supplied to the washing space, a blowing motor configured to generate rotational driving power for the blowing fan, a moisture absorbent configured to absorb water vapor contained in the airflow discharged from the tub, and a heater configured to dry the moisture absorbent by heating the airflow to be supplied to the moisture absorbent; and   a control unit configured to perform at least any one of a plurality of courses defined by combining multiple detailed steps on the dishes,   wherein the control unit performs, in accordance with a user's option selection, a first mode performing step of operating the sorption drying device after the at least any one course is completed or a second mode performing step of singly operating the sorption drying device separately from the at least any one course.   
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher of  claim 7 , wherein the first mode performing step comprises:
 a moisture absorbent regenerating step of drying the moisture absorbent and supplying steam to the washing space by turning on both the blowing motor and the heater by supplying electric power to the blowing motor and the heater; and   a moisture absorbing step of turning off the heater by cutting off a supply of electric power to the heater and turning on the blowing motor by supplying electric power to the blowing motor after the moisture absorbent regenerating step.   
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher of  claim 8 , wherein the first mode performing step comprises an option identification step of identifying whether a performing option of the first mode is included in the user's option selection after the at least any one course is completed before the moisture absorbent regenerating step. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwasher of  claim 8 , wherein the first mode performing step comprises an elapsed time identifying step of identifying whether an elapsed time after initiation of the moisture absorbent regenerating step reaches a preset designated time after the moisture absorbing step. 
     
     
         11 . The dishwasher of  claim 10 , wherein the first mode performing step comprises a first mode ending step of ending the first mode by turning off the heater and the blowing motor when it is identified that the elapsed time reaches the designated time in the elapsed time identifying step. 
     
     
         12 . The dishwasher of  claim 7 , wherein the second mode performing step comprises an identification step of identifying whether the moisture absorbent is in a moistened state or a dried state. 
     
     
         13 . The dishwasher of  claim 12 , comprising:
 a moisture absorbent regenerating step of drying the moisture absorbent and supplying steam to the washing space by turning on both the blowing motor and the heater by supplying electric power to the blowing motor and the heater when it is identified that the moisture absorbent is in the moistened state in the identification step; and   a moisture absorbing step of turning off the heater by cutting off a supply of electric power to the heater and turning on the blowing motor by supplying electric power to the blowing motor after the moisture absorbent regenerating step.   
     
     
         14 . The dishwasher of  claim 13 , wherein the second mode performing step comprises an elapsed time identifying step of identifying whether an elapsed time after initiation of the moisture absorbent regenerating step reaches a preset designated time after the moisture absorbing step. 
     
     
         15 . The dishwasher of  claim 14 , wherein the second mode performing step comprises a second mode ending step of ending the first mode by turning off the heater and the blowing motor when it is identified that the elapsed time reaches the designated time in the elapsed time identifying step. 
     
     
         16 . The dishwasher of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a washing pump configured to pressurize washing water and supply the washing water to the washing space; and   a washing water heater configured to heat the washing water,   wherein the second mode performing step comprises a washing water drying/supplying step of providing heated washing water to the washing space by supplying electric power to the washing pump and the washing water heater when it is identified that the moisture absorbent is in the dried state in the identification step.   
     
     
         17 . The dishwasher of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a door configured to open or close an opened front side of the tub; and   a door position sensor configured to detect whether the door is in a closed state or an opened state,   wherein the second mode performing step comprises a door position determining step of identifying whether the door is in the closed state or the opened state by means of the door position sensor before the identification step.   
     
     
         18 . The dishwasher of  claim 17 , wherein the identification step is performed when it is determined that the door is in the closed state in the door position determining step.