Dishwasher

Abstract

A dishwasher includes: a tub having a washing chamber that opens to the front; a door including a front face with an opening, that opens and closes the washing chamber; a handle that is disposed at the door, and that is disposed at the rear of the opening and has a space connected to the opening; a handle cover disposed at the opening to close the space of the handle and open the space of the handle by rotating in a first direction so as to get into the space of the handle; and a driving system that rotates the handle cover.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dishwasher comprising:
 a tub having a washing chamber that is opened to a front side of the tub;   a door including a front face with an opening, the door being configured to open and close the washing chamber;   a handle that is disposed at the door, that is disposed at a rear of the opening, and that has a space connected to the opening;   a handle cover disposed at the opening and configured to close and open the space of the handle, the handle cover being configured to open the space of the handle based on rotating in a first direction and moving into the space of the handle; and   a driving system configured to rotate the handle cover,   wherein the driving system includes:
 a motor, 
 an actuator configured to be rotated by the motor, and 
   a connector including a lever part that contacts the actuator, the connector being configured to rotate the handle cover and connected to the handle cover to rotate when the handle cover rotates, and   wherein the lever part is disposed in the first direction with respect to the actuator and configured to rotate with the actuator based on the actuator rotating in the first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the connector has a space that extends in a second direction opposite to the first direction, from the lever part with respect to a center of rotation of the actuator, and is not restrained by the actuator when the handle cover rotates in the first direction. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the connector includes:
 a body having the lever part; and   a recess extending in a second direction opposite to the first direction from the lever part with respect to a center of rotation of the actuator, into which the actuator is inserted.   
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher of  claim 3 , wherein the driving system further includes a pinion that is coupled to a motor shaft of the motor and rotates integrally with the motor shaft, and
 wherein the actuator includes:
 a gear part that meshes with the pinion; 
 an arm that rotates integrally with the gear part and extends outward of the gear part along a radius of rotation of the actuator; and 
 a finger that protrudes from the arm and is inserted into the recess of the connector. 
   
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher of  claim 3 , wherein the driving system further includes a driving unit shaft that penetrates the connector and the actuator and defines a center of rotation of the connector and the center of rotation of the actuator. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the driving system further includes a link comprising a first connecting portion to be connected to the handle cover and a second connecting portion be connected to the connector. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher of  claim 6 , wherein the first connecting portion is connected to the handle cover at a position spaced apart in a radial direction from a center of rotation of the handle cover. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher of  claim 6 , wherein the connector further includes:
 a body having the lever part; and   a joint that extends from the body and is connected to the second connecting portion.   
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher of  claim 8 , further comprising a bracket that is coupled to the handle cover and connected to the first connecting portion of the link, and
 wherein the bracket is spaced apart in a radial direction from the center of rotation of the handle cover.   
     
     
         10 . The dishwasher of  claim 9 , wherein the first connecting portion is rotatably coupled to the bracket, and the second connecting portion is rotatably coupled to the joint. 
     
     
         11 . The dishwasher of  claim 10 , wherein an angle between the handle cover and the link is smaller than 90 degrees when the handle cover is open. 
     
     
         12 . The dishwasher of  claim 11 , wherein the angle between the handle cover and the link is smaller than 90 degrees during rotation of the handle cover between a closed state and an open state. 
     
     
         13 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the driving system further includes a pinion that is coupled to a motor shaft of the motor and rotates integrally with the motor shaft,
 wherein the actuator includes a first gear part which meshes with the pinion, and   wherein the first gear part is positioned forward of the pinion.   
     
     
         14 . The dishwasher of  claim 3 , wherein the driving system further includes a spring that applies force to the handle cover in the second direction opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         15 . The dishwasher of  claim 14 , wherein the connector further includes a second gear part formed on an outer side of the body, and
 wherein the driving system further includes a rotary damper that meshes with the second gear part of the connector.   
     
     
         16 . The dishwasher of  claim 15 , wherein the rotary damper is a unidirectional damper which applies force to the connector in the second direction opposite to the first direction when the connector rotates in the first direction. 
     
     
         17 . The dishwasher of  claim 14 , wherein the handle includes a housing disposed inside the door and providing the space of the handle,
 wherein the housing includes:
 a side wall positioned on opposite ends of a width of the door; and 
 a spring housing disposed on an outer side of the handle cover in a width direction of the door and configured to hold the spring, and 
   wherein the handle cover includes a handle cover shaft that extends in the width direction of the door, provides the center of rotation of the handle cover, and penetrates the side wall of the housing.   
     
     
         18 . The dishwasher of  claim 17 , wherein the driving system further includes a holder that is disposed at the spring housing, is coupled to the handle cover shaft, rotates with the handle cover shaft, and is connected to the spring. 
     
     
         19 . A dishwasher comprising:
 a tub having a washing chamber that is opened to a front side of the tub;   a door including a front face with an opening, the door being configured to open and close the washing chamber;   a handle that is disposed at the door, that is disposed at a rear of the opening, and that has a space connected to the opening;   a handle cover disposed at the opening and configured to open and close the space of the handle, the handle cover being configured to open the space of the handle based on rotating in a first direction and moving into the space of the handle; and   a driving system configured to rotate the handle cover,   wherein the driving system includes:
 a motor, 
 an actuator configured to be rotated by the motor to rotate the handle cover in the first direction, and 
 a spring configured to apply force to the handle cover in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
   
     
     
         20 . A dishwasher comprising:
 a tub having a washing chamber that is opened to a front side of the tub;   a door including a front face with an opening, the door being configured to open and close the washing chamber;   a handle that is disposed at the door, that is disposed at a rear of the opening, and that has a space connected to the opening;   a handle cover disposed at the opening and configured to open and close the space of the handle, the handle cover being configured to open the space of the handle based on rotating in a first direction and moving into the space of the handle; and   a driving system configured to rotate the handle cover,   wherein the driving system includes:
 a motor, 
 an actuator configured to be rotated by the motor to rotate the handle cover in the first direction, and 
 a strap that connects the actuator and the handle cover and is configured to be bended by an external force applied to the handle cover to rotate in the first direction while the motor is stopped.