Dish washer

Abstract

A dish washer includes a tub having a washing space defined therein for accommodating therein a dish; and a moisture-absorption and drying device configured to absorb moisture from air discharged from the tub and supply moisture-free air to the tub, wherein the moisture-absorption and drying device may include: a moisture absorbent for absorbing the moisture contained in the air; a housing for accommodating therein the moisture absorbent; and a heater having at least a portion received in the housing and configured to heat the moisture absorbent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dish washer comprising:
 a tub having a washing space defined therein for accommodating therein a dish; and   a moisture-absorption and drying device configured to absorb moisture from air discharged from the tub and supply moisture-free air to the tub,   wherein the moisture-absorption and drying device includes:
 a moisture absorbent for absorbing the moisture contained in the air; 
 a housing for accommodating therein the moisture absorbent; and 
 a heater having at least a portion received in the housing and configured to heat the moisture absorbent. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dish washer of  claim 1 , wherein the heater includes a plurality of heaters spaced apart from each other while the moisture absorbent is disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of heaters. 
     
     
         3 . The dish washer of  claim 2 , wherein the housing of the moisture-absorption and drying device includes an air inlet defined therein through which air flows into the housing, and an air outlet defined therein through which air is discharged out of the housing,
 wherein electrical powers respectively applied to the plurality of heaters are distributed so as to increase as the plurality of heaters are arranged sequentially in a direction from the heater adjacent to the air outlet to the heater adjacent to the air inlet.   
     
     
         4 . The dish washer of  claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal direction of the heater intersects an air flow direction in the housing,
 wherein the heater includes heat dissipation fins arranged in the longitudinal direction of the heater and protruding from the heater in a direction parallel to the air flow direction.   
     
     
         5 . The dish washer of  claim 1 , wherein the heater extends in a longitudinal direction thereof parallel to an air flow direction in the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The dish washer of  claim 1 , wherein the moisture-absorption and drying device includes:
 an air inlet through which air flows into the moisture-absorption and drying device; and   an air outlet through which air is discharged out of the moisture-absorption and drying device,   wherein the dish washer further comprises:   a first air pipe connecting the tub and the air inlet to each other;   a second air pipe connecting the air outlet and the tub to each other; and   a blower received in the first air pipe and configured to supply the air to the moisture-absorption and drying device.   
     
     
         7 . The dish washer of  claim 6 , wherein the moisture-absorption and drying device is disposed under the tub,
 wherein the second air pipe extends through a lower plate constituting the tub.   
     
     
         8 . The dish washer of  claim 7 , wherein the first air pipe extends through a side plate constituting the tub. 
     
     
         9 . The dish washer of  claim 7 , wherein the first air pipe extends through an upper plate constituting the tub. 
     
     
         10 . The dish washer of  claim 7 , wherein the first air pipe extends through the lower plate constituting the tub. 
     
     
         11 . The dish washer of  claim 7 , wherein the first air pipe includes:
 a (1-1)-st pipe extending through either a side plate or an upper plate constituting the tub;   a (1-2)-nd pipe disposed under the (1-1)-st pipe and extending through the side plate constituting the tub; and   a (1-3)-rd pipe having an inlet connected to the (1-1)-st pipe and the (1-2)-nd pipe and an outlet connected to the air inlet.   
     
     
         12 . The dish washer of  claim 11 , wherein the dish washer is configured such that:
 when the dish washer performs a moisture absorption process in which the moisture absorbent of the moisture-absorption and drying device absorbs moisture in the air, the air flows from the tub through the (1-1)-st pipe and the (1-3)-rd pipe into the moisture-absorption and drying device and is discharged from the moisture-absorption and drying device through the air outlet into the tub,   wherein the dish washer performs a moisture absorbent regeneration process of drying the moisture absorbent of the moisture-absorption and drying device, the air flow is inverted such that the air flows from the tub through the air outlet into the moisture-absorption and drying device and is discharged from the moisture-absorption and drying device through the air inlet and through the (1-3)-rd pipe and the (1-2)-nd pipe into the tub.   
     
     
         13 . The dish washer of  claim 11 , wherein the dish washer further comprises a blower configured to generate air flow in the moisture-absorption and drying device,
 wherein the blower includes:   a first blowing fan received in the (1-3)-rd pipe and at a position adjacent to the moisture-absorption and drying device; and   a second blowing fan received in the second air pipe and at a position adjacent to the moisture-absorption and drying device.   
     
     
         14 . The dish washer of  claim 13 , wherein the dish washer is configured such that:
 during a moisture absorption process, the first blowing fan operates and the second blowing fan stops, or   during a moisture absorbent regeneration process, the second blowing fan operates and the first blowing fan stops.   
     
     
         15 . The dish washer of  claim 13 , wherein the dish washer further comprises:
 a first damper disposed at the (1-1)-st pipe to open and close the (1-1)-st pipe; and   a second damper disposed at the (1-2)-nd pipe and opening and closing the (1-2)-nd pipe,   wherein the dish washer is configured such that:   during the moisture absorption process, the first damper is opened and the second damper is closed, or   during the moisture absorbent regeneration process, the second damper is opened and the first damper is closed.   
     
     
         16 . A dish washer comprising:
 a tub having a washing space defined therein for accommodating therein a dish;   a moisture-absorption and drying device configured to absorb moisture from air discharged from the tub and supply moisture-free air to the tub;   a duct disposed out of and on a side of the tub and constructed to accommodate therein at least a portion of the moisture-absorption and drying device;   a third air pipe connecting one end of the duct and the tub to each other; and   a fourth air pipe connecting the other end of the duct and the tub to each other,   wherein the moisture-absorption and drying device includes:
 a moisture absorbent received in the duct and absorbing moisture contain in the air; and 
 a heater having at least portion received in the duct and configured to heat the moisture absorbent. 
   
     
     
         17 . The dish washer of  claim 16 , wherein the dish washer is configured such that:
 when the dish washer performs a moisture absorption process in which the moisture absorbent of the moisture-absorption and drying device absorbs moisture in the air, or   when the dish washer performs a moisture absorbent regeneration process of drying the moisture absorbent of the moisture-absorption and drying device,   the air flows from the tub through the third air pipe into the moisture-absorption and drying device and is discharged from the moisture-absorption and drying device through the fourth air pipe into the tub.   
     
     
         18 . The dish washer of  claim 16 , wherein the dish washer further comprises a blower received in the third air pipe and configured to generate air flow in the moisture-absorption and drying device. 
     
     
         19 . The dish washer of  claim 16 , wherein the heater includes a plurality of heaters spaced apart from each other while the moisture absorbent is disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of heaters,
 wherein the dish washer further comprises a bypass pipe having one end connected to one end of the duct, and the other end connected to the other end of the duct.   
     
     
         20 . The dish washer of  claim 16 , wherein the dish washer is configured such that:
 during a moisture absorption process, air flows from the tub through the third air pipe into the moisture-absorption and drying device and is discharged from the moisture-absorption and drying device through the fourth air pipe into the tub, or   during the moisture absorbent regeneration process, the air flow is inverted such that the air flows through the fourth air pipe into the moisture-absorption and drying device and is discharged from the moisture-absorption and drying device through the third air pipe into the tub.