US20150230687A1 - Spray arm assembly for dishwasher appliances - Google Patents
Spray arm assembly for dishwasher appliances Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20150230687A1 US20150230687A1 US14/181,768 US201414181768A US2015230687A1 US 20150230687 A1 US20150230687 A1 US 20150230687A1 US 201414181768 A US201414181768 A US 201414181768A US 2015230687 A1 US2015230687 A1 US 2015230687A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- disk
- spray
- assembly
- spray arm
- boss
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
- A47L15/14—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware with stationary crockery baskets and spraying devices within the cleaning chamber
- A47L15/18—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware with stationary crockery baskets and spraying devices within the cleaning chamber with movably-mounted spraying devices
- A47L15/22—Rotary spraying devices
- A47L15/23—Rotary spraying devices moved by means of the sprays
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
- A47L15/42—Details
- A47L15/4214—Water supply, recirculation or discharge arrangements; Devices therefor
- A47L15/4219—Water recirculation
- A47L15/4221—Arrangements for redirection of washing water, e.g. water diverters to selectively supply the spray arms
Definitions
- the subject matter of the present disclosure relates generally to dishwasher appliances, and more particularly to spray arm assemblies in dishwasher assemblies which include improved indexing and reversing features.
- Dishwasher appliances generally include a tub that defines a wash compartment.
- Rack assemblies can be mounted within the wash compartment of the tub for receipt of articles for washing.
- Spray assemblies within the wash compartment can apply or direct wash fluid towards articles disposed within the rack assemblies in order to clean such articles.
- Multiple spray assemblies can be provided including e.g., a lower spray arm assembly mounted to the tub at a bottom of the wash compartment, a mid-level spray arm assembly mounted to one of the rack assemblies, and/or an upper spray assembly mounted to the tub at a top of the wash compartment. Other configurations may be used as well.
- spray arms for dishwasher appliances are desired.
- spray arms with improved reversing features, and which are less expensive and more reliable than currently known spray arms, would be advantageous.
- the present disclosure provides a dishwasher appliance.
- the dishwasher appliance includes a tub that defines a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing, and a spray arm assembly for directing a fluid flow into the wash chamber.
- the spray arm assembly includes a plurality of spray arms, the plurality of spray arms comprising a first spray arm and a second spray arm.
- the spray arm assembly further includes a conduit in fluid communication with the plurality of spray arms, and an indexing assembly disposed between the conduit and the plurality of spray arms, the indexing assembly operable to selectively flow fluid to the first spray arm and the second spray arm.
- the indexing assembly includes a disk rotatable about an axis and movable along an axial direction between a first position and a second position, the disk defining an aperture and a channel and comprising a plurality of cams projecting into the channel.
- the indexing assembly further includes a biasing element configured to urge the disk into the first position, and a boss assembly, the boss assembly comprising a boss extending into the channel of the disk, the boss defining a plurality of guide elements.
- the guide elements and cams are configured to interact such that movement of the disk along the axial direction between the first position and the second position causes the disk to rotate about the axis.
- the present invention provides a spray arm assembly for a dishwasher appliance.
- the assembly includes a plurality of spray arms, the plurality of spray arms comprising a first spray arm and a second spray arm.
- the assembly further includes a conduit in fluid communication with the plurality of spray arms, and an indexing assembly disposed between the conduit and the plurality of spray arms, the indexing assembly operable to selectively flow fluid to the first spray arm and the second spray arm.
- the indexing assembly includes a disk rotatable about an axis and movable along an axial direction between a first position and a second position, the disk defining an aperture and a channel and comprising a plurality of cams projecting into the channel.
- the indexing assembly further includes a biasing element configured to urge the disk into the first position, and a boss assembly, the boss assembly comprising a boss extending into the channel of the disk, the boss defining a plurality of guide elements.
- the guide elements and cams are configured to interact such that movement of the disk along the axial direction between the first position and the second position causes the disk to rotate about the axis.
- FIG. 1 provides a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a dishwashing appliance of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 2 provides a side, cross-sectional view of the exemplary dishwashing appliance of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of various components of a spray arm assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of upper portions of a plurality of spray arms of a spray arm assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of various internal components of an exemplary embodiment of a spray arm assembly, including a disk in a first position, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of various internal components of an exemplary embodiment of a spray arm assembly, including a disk in a second position, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a disk of a spray arm assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a disk of a spray arm assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a boss assembly of a spray arm assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a boss of a boss assembly, with an outer wall of the boss assembly not shown for illustrative purposes, of a spray arm assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- the term “article” may refer to, but need not be limited to, dishes, pots, pans, silverware, and other cooking utensils and items that can be cleaned in a dishwashing appliance.
- the term “wash cycle” is intended to refer to one or more periods of time during the cleaning process where a dishwashing appliance operates while containing articles to be washed and uses a detergent and water, preferably with agitation, to e.g., remove soil particles including food and other undesirable elements from the articles.
- the term “rinse cycle” is intended to refer to one or more periods of time during the cleaning process in which the dishwashing appliance operates to remove residual soil, detergents, and other undesirable elements that were retained by the articles after completion of the wash cycle.
- drying cycle is intended to refer to one or more periods of time in which the dishwashing appliance is operated to dry the articles by removing fluids from the wash chamber.
- fluid refers to a liquid used for washing and/or rinsing the articles and is typically made up of water that may include additives such as e.g., detergent or other treatments.
- FIGS. 1 and 2 depict an exemplary domestic dishwasher 100 that may be configured in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
- the dishwasher 100 includes a cabinet 102 having a tub 104 therein that defines a wash chamber 106 .
- the tub 104 includes a front opening (not shown) and a door 120 hinged at its bottom 122 for movement between a normally closed vertical position (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 ), wherein the wash chamber 106 is sealed shut for washing operation, and a horizontal open position for loading and unloading of articles from the dishwasher.
- a latch 123 may be used to lock and unlock door 120 for access to chamber 106 .
- Upper and lower guide rails 124 , 126 are mounted on tub side walls 128 and accommodate roller-equipped rack assemblies 130 and 132 .
- Each of the rack assemblies 130 , 132 is fabricated into lattice structures including a plurality of elongated members 134 (for clarity of illustration, not all elongated members making up assemblies 130 and 132 are shown in FIG. 2 ).
- Each rack 130 , 132 is adapted for movement between an extended loading position (not shown) in which the rack is substantially positioned outside the wash chamber 106 , and a retracted position (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 ) in which the rack is located inside the wash chamber 106 . This is facilitated by rollers 135 and 139 , for example, mounted onto racks 130 and 132 , respectively.
- a silverware basket (not shown) may be removably attached to rack assembly 132 for placement of silverware, utensils, and the like, that are otherwise too small to be accommodated by the racks 130 , 132 .
- the dishwasher 100 further includes a lower spray-arm assembly 144 that is rotatably mounted within a lower region 146 of the wash chamber 106 and above a tub sump portion 142 so as to rotate in relatively close proximity to rack assembly 132 .
- a mid-level spray-arm assembly 148 is located in an upper region of the wash chamber 106 and may be located in close proximity to upper rack 130 .
- an upper spray assembly 150 may be located above the upper rack 130 .
- Each spray arm-assembly 144 may include a spray arm and a conduit in fluid communication with the spray arm, for providing a fluid flow to the spray arm.
- mid-level spray-arm assembly 148 may include a spray arm 160 and a conduit 162 .
- Lower spray-arm assembly 144 may include a spray arm 164 and a conduit 166 .
- upper spray assembly 150 may include a spray head 170 and a conduit 172 in fluid communication with the spray head 170 .
- the lower and mid-level spray-arm assemblies 144 , 148 and the upper spray assembly 150 are part of a fluid circulation assembly 152 for circulating water and dishwasher fluid in the tub 104 .
- the fluid circulation assembly 152 also includes a pump 154 positioned in a machinery compartment 140 located below the tub sump portion 142 (i.e., bottom wall) of the tub 104 , as generally recognized in the art. Pump 154 receives fluid from sump 142 and provides a flow to the various assemblies 144 , 148 , 150 .
- Each spray-arm assembly 144 , 148 includes an arrangement of discharge ports or orifices for directing washing liquid received from pump 154 onto dishes or other articles located in rack assemblies 130 and 132 .
- the arrangement of the discharge ports in spray-arm assemblies 144 , 148 provides a rotational force by virtue of washing fluid flowing through the discharge ports.
- the resultant rotation of the spray-arm assemblies 144 , 148 and the operation of spray assembly 150 provides coverage of dishes and other dishwasher contents with a washing spray.
- Other configurations of spray assemblies may be used as well.
- the dishwasher 100 is further equipped with a controller 137 to regulate operation of the dishwasher 100 .
- the controller may include one or more memory devices and one or more microprocessors, such as general or special purpose microprocessors operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with a cleaning cycle.
- the memory may represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH.
- the processor executes programming instructions stored in memory.
- the memory may be a separate component from the processor or may be included onboard within the processor.
- the controller 137 may be positioned in a variety of locations throughout dishwasher 100 .
- the controller 137 may be located within a control panel area 121 of door 120 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
- input/output (“I/O”) signals may be routed between the control system and various operational components of dishwasher 100 along wiring harnesses that may be routed through the bottom 122 of door 120 .
- the controller 137 includes a user interface panel/controls 136 through which a user may select various operational features and modes and monitor progress of the dishwasher 100 .
- the user interface 136 may represent a general purpose I/O (“GPIO”) device or functional block.
- GPIO general purpose I/O
- the user interface 136 may include input components, such as one or more of a variety of electrical, mechanical or electro-mechanical input devices including rotary dials, push buttons, and touch pads.
- the user interface 136 may include a display component, such as a digital or analog display device designed to provide operational feedback to a user.
- the user interface 136 may be in communication with the controller 137 via one or more signal lines or shared communication busses.
- FIGS. 1 and 2 are for illustrative purposes only. For example, different locations may be provided for user interface 136 , different configurations may be provided for racks 130 , 132 , and other differences may be applied as well.
- FIGS. 3 through 10 illustrate a spray arm assembly 200 and various components thereof in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.
- the assembly 200 is operable to direct a fluid flow into the wash chamber 106 , for example via a plurality of spray arms and a conduit.
- the conduit may be in fluid communication with the plurality of spray arms, and may thus supply the fluid flow to the spray arms. Fluid may be received from the fluid circulation assembly 152 by the conduit for flowing to the spray arms.
- the spray arm assembly 200 is a mid-level spray-arm assembly 148 .
- the conduit may be conduit 162 .
- the spray arm assembly 200 may be a lower spray-arm assembly 144 .
- the conduit may be conduit 166 .
- the spray arm assembly 200 may substitute for upper spray assembly 150 .
- the conduit may be conduit 170 .
- spray arm assembly 200 includes a plurality of spray arms. Any suitable number of spray arms may be included in spray arm assembly.
- the plurality of spray arms of a spray arm assembly 200 may include one or more first spray arms 202 , one or more second spray arms 204 , and one or more third spray arms 206 .
- the plurality of spray arms includes a pair of first spray arms 202 , a pair of second spray arms 204 , and a pair of third spray arms 206 . The spray arms of each pair are disposed oppositely in an array of spray arms.
- Each spray arm 202 , 204 , 206 includes a plurality of discharge ports, through which fluid is flowed into the chamber 106 .
- first spray arms 202 include discharge ports 212
- second spray arms 204 include discharge ports 214
- third spray arms 206 include discharge ports 216 .
- the orientation of the discharge ports 212 , 214 , 216 may cause the plurality of spray arms to rotate in a certain direction when fluid is flowed through the discharge ports.
- the first discharge ports 212 and third discharge ports 216 as illustrated are oriented such that the plurality of spray arms rotate clockwise when fluid is being flowed therethrough.
- Second discharge ports 214 as illustrated are oriented such that the plurality of spray arms rotate counter-clockwise when fluid is being flowed therethrough.
- first discharge ports 212 and third discharge ports 216 may be oriented such that the plurality of spray arms rotate counter-clockwise when fluid is being flowed therethrough, and second discharge ports 214 may be oriented such that the plurality of spray arms rotate clockwise when fluid is being flowed therethrough.
- any suitable directional orientation for any discharge ports is within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
- Each spray arm of the plurality of spray arms may define a channel through which fluid may flow to the discharge ports.
- a first channel 222 may be defined in each first spray arm 202
- a second channel 224 may be defined in the second spray arm 204
- a third channel 226 may be defined in the third spray arm 206 .
- fluid may be selectively and sequentially flowed to channels 222 , 224 and 226 for flowing to ports 212 , 214 , 216 and from the ports into the wash chamber 106 .
- indexing features may selectively flow fluid to channel 222 for a period of time. The indexing features may then index to selectively flow fluid to the second channels 224 , and then to the third channels 226 .
- the plurality of spray arms may rotate in one direction, and when fluid is flowed to the second channels 224 as illustrated, the plurality of spray arms may rotate in an opposite direction.
- the plurality of spray arms may in some embodiments be formed together from one or more components.
- FIG. 4 illustrates upper portions 230 of each spray arm, which may be formed integrally from a single component as illustrated or may be formed individually.
- Lower portions 232 of the spray arms 232 are illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 , and may similarly be formed integrally from a single component or formed individually.
- the upper portions 230 and lower portions 232 may be brought together to define the channels 222 , 224 , 226 therebetween.
- FIGS. 5 through 10 various additional components of a spray arm assembly 200 are illustrated.
- an inlet assembly 240 is illustrated.
- the inlet assembly 240 may be disposed between and in fluid communication with the conduit and the plurality of spray arms. Thus, fluid may flow from the conduit through the inlet assembly 240 to the plurality of spray arms.
- Inlet assembly 240 may include, for example, an outer cap 242 and an inner cap 244 .
- the outer cap 242 may connect to the conduit.
- a spray arm cover 246 may be disposed between the inner cap 244 and outer cap 242 , and may connect to the plurality of spray arms.
- the cover 246 may rotate with the plurality of spray arms between the inner cap 244 and outer cap 242 . Accordingly, a bearing may be disposed between the cover 246 and inner cap 244 to facilitate such rotation. As illustrated, a bore 248 may be defined by the inlet assembly 240 , such as by the various components thereof, through which fluid may flow to the plurality of spray arms.
- the present disclosure is not limited to the above described inlet assembly 240 , and rather that any suitable inlet assembly for facilitating fluid flow from the conduit to plurality of spray arms and/or rotation of the plurality of spray arms is within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
- portions or all of the inlet assembly 240 may be integral with the conduit and/or plurality of spray arms, or the inlet assembly 240 and components thereof may be separate components from the conduit and/or plurality of spray arms.
- an indexing assembly 300 is provided for facilitating indexing within the spray arm assembly 200 and resulting selective flowing of fluid to the various spray arms.
- the indexing assembly 300 may be disposed between the inlet assembly 240 and the plurality of spray arms, and may be operable to selectively flow fluid to the plurality of spray arms, such as the first spray arms 202 , second spray arms 204 , and third spray arms 206 .
- the indexing assembly 300 selectively controls the fluid flow into the various spray arms without the need for an additional motor or other active component.
- use of indexing assemblies according to the present disclosure is relatively inexpensive and minimizes leakage and pressure loss concerns during operation.
- Indexing assembly 300 may include, for example a disk 320 which is rotatable about an axis 322 , such as a central axial axis which may extend longitudinally with respect to the disk 320 .
- the disk defines one or more apertures 324 for selectively controlling fluid flow from the conduit and inlet assembly into one or more spray arms, such as first spray arms 202 , second spray arms 204 , and third spray arms 206 .
- Disk 320 can, for example, be selectively rotated such that apertures 324 align with one of channels 222 , channels 224 or channels 226 and fluid can be flowed through the apertures 324 into these channels.
- disk 320 is movable along an axial direction 326 (such as along axis 322 , which is parallel to the axial direction 326 ) between a first position shown in FIG. 5 and a second position shown in FIG. 6 .
- disk 320 In the first position shown in FIG. 5 , disk 320 is spaced from and not aligned with any of channels 222 , 224 , 226 .
- the disk 320 may further be in contact with the inlet assembly 240 , such as with the spray arm cover 246 , as illustrated, which may prevent fluid from flowing through the apertures 324 .
- Cams (discussed herein) of the disk 320 may be between guide elements of a boss (discussed herein) that the disk 320 may interact with to facilitate rotation thereof.
- disk 320 In the second position shown in FIG. 6 , disk 320 may be proximate and aligned with one of channels 222 , 224 , 226 , and the cams may be in contact with the guide elements.
- the disk 320 may have, due to cam—guide element interaction, rotated to align with one of the channels 222 , 224 , 226 .
- apertures 324 align with one of channels 222 , channels 224 or channels 226 and fluid can be flowed through the apertures 324 into these channels and thus into the corresponding spray arms 202 , 204 , 206 .
- Movement of disk 320 back and forth between the first position shown in FIG. 5 and the second position shown in FIG. 6 is provided by two opposing forces: i) the fluid flow passing through the conduit and inlet assembly 240 towards indexing assembly 300 that is counteracted by ii) a biasing element 330 , which may include a compression spring 332 as shown. More particularly, biasing element 330 in exemplary embodiments urges the disk 320 into the first position. For example, when fluid is not flowing through conduit and inlet assembly 240 towards indexing assembly 300 , biasing element 330 pushes along axial direction 326 against disk 320 and forces it away from channels 222 , 224 , 226 along axis 322 to the position shown in FIG. 5 .
- disk 320 The movement of disk 320 back and forth along axis 322 between the first and second positions shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 also causes disk 320 to rotate about axis 322 so that aperture 324 is switched to be in fluid communication with the various channels 222 , 224 , 226 .
- a single movement in either direction causes disk 320 to rotate approximately 30 degrees.
- disk 320 rotates about axis 322 approximately 60 degrees each time it is moved out of, and then returned to, either the first position ( FIG. 5 ) or the second position ( FIG. 6 ).
- channels 222 , 224 , 226 are generally spaced apart along a circumferential direction at angles of approximately 60 degrees.
- the rotation of disk 320 by approximately 60 degrees necessarily rotates apertures 324 so as to selectively provide fluid flow from one channel to the next channel along the direction of rotation.
- a cylindrically-shaped boss 340 extends along axis 322 . As shown, when in the second position, the boss 340 may extend into a channel 362 defined by disk 320 . Boss 340 may further define a recess 342 into which a first end of biasing element 330 is received. An opening 343 within recess 342 may additionally be defined, through which components of biasing element 330 may extend, as discussed herein. Boss 340 may also include a plurality of guide elements 344 , 346 that are spaced apart from each other along a circumferential direction 348 . The guide elements 344 , 346 may project from the boss 340 , such as in a radial direction 349 .
- a first plurality of guide elements 344 are located near a distal end of boss 340 while a second plurality of guide elements 346 are located near the channels 222 , 224 , 226 relative to the first elements 344 .
- Guide elements 344 and 346 are spaced apart along axial direction 326 and are also offset from each other along circumferential direction 348 . More particularly, each of the second plurality of guide elements 346 is aligned with a gap positioned between a respective pair of the first plurality of guide elements 344 . Conversely, each of the first plurality of guide elements 344 is aligned with a gap between a respective pair of the second plurality of guide elements 346 .
- Each of the guide elements 344 and 346 includes a contact face 350 and 352 , respectively.
- Each face 350 and 352 may be at, for example, a non-zero angle between zero and 90 degrees from the axial direction 326 .
- this angle is about 45 degrees. In another embodiment, this angle is about 42 degrees. In still another embodiment, this angle is between about 40 degrees to about 50 degrees from the axial direction 326 . It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is not limited to the above disclosed angles, and rather that any suitable angles or combination of angles is within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
- Disk 320 may further include a plurality of cams 364 projecting along the radial direction 349 into channel 362 .
- Each cam 364 includes an upper contact face 366 and a lower contact face 368 .
- Each face 366 and 368 may, similar to contact faces 350 , 352 , be at, for example, a non-zero angle between zero and 90 degrees from the axial direction 326 .
- a depression 370 of disk 320 defined and disposed in channel 362 may form and define a second recess 372 into which a second end of biasing element 330 is received.
- Guide elements 344 , 346 and cams 364 are configured to interact so that movement of the disk 320 along the axial direction 326 between the first position and the second position causes the disk 320 to rotate about the axis 322 .
- lower contact face 368 of each cam 364 contacts contact face 352 of a guide element 346 .
- Disk 320 is caused to rotate, such as approximately 30 degrees, so that each cam 364 moves into a gap between a pair of the plurality of guide elements 346 . This movement is guided by contact face 368 and contact face 352 .
- apertures 324 are aligned with one of channels 222 , 224 , 226 .
- biasing element 330 causes disk 320 to move towards the first position.
- upper contact face 366 of each cam 364 contacts contact face 350 of a guide element 344 and causes disk 320 to rotate another approximately 30 degrees so that each cam 364 moves into a gap between a pair of the first plurality of guide elements 344 .
- This movement is guided by contact face 366 and contact face 350 .
- disk 320 is again caused to rotate by approximately 30 degrees as previously described so that apertures 330 are now switched to the next sequential channels. The process can be repeated to switch to still other sequential channels.
- controller 137 can be programmed to operate pump 154 to flow fluid into the spray arm assembly 200 and thus control the position of disk 320 . For example, knowing the last channel 222 , 224 , 226 through which fluid flow occurred, controller 137 can activate pump 154 to rotate disk 320 to the next channel in the direction of rotation of disk 320 so as to control the flow of fluid. Each time pump 154 is cycled off and back on to provide a flow of fluid through spray arm assembly 200 , the controller 137 will “know” that disk 320 has been rotated to the next channel.
- Boss 340 may be a component of a boss assembly 380 which may be included in indexing assembly 300 .
- the boss assembly 380 may include the boss 340 and an outer wall 382 , which may be a generally cylindrical wall spaced from and surrounding the boss 340 .
- the portion of the disk 320 defining the channel 262 may be disposed between the boss 340 and the outer wall 382 .
- biasing element 330 may include a spring 332 , such as a compression spring as illustrated.
- biasing element 330 may further include a needle bearing 334 which the spring 332 may generally surround.
- the needle bearing 334 may facilitate rotation of the disk 320 and operation of the indexing assembly 300 , by preventing the spring 332 from impeding such rotation and the operation of the indexing assembly 300 .
- needle bearing 324 may include a shaft 336 , a needle tip 337 , and a collar 338 . The tip 337 may contact the disk 320 , such as within the second recess 372 .
- the collar 338 may be an upper barrier of the bearing 324 past which the spring 332 cannot extend, such that the spring 332 does not directly contact the disk 320 . Additionally, the end of the shaft 336 opposite the needle tip 337 may be allowed to extend through the opening 343 defined in the first recess 343 when the disk 320 is in the second position. Accordingly, when the disk 320 rotates, the needle bearing 334 may rotate with the disk 320 and relative to the spring 332 . The spring may indirectly interact with the disk 320 during movement between the first position and the second position.
- the indexing assembly 300 of the present disclosure may be used with more or less than three channels or pluralities of channels.
- the configuration of cams and guide elements described above can be modified to provide the desired amount of rotation between the selected number of channels.
- Six cams along with six upper and six lower guide elements are used to provide approximately 60 degrees of rotation between six channels in the exemplary embodiment above described.
- four cams along with four upper and four lower guide elements could be used to provide approximately 90 degrees of rotation between four outlet ports and so forth.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
- Washing And Drying Of Tableware (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The subject matter of the present disclosure relates generally to dishwasher appliances, and more particularly to spray arm assemblies in dishwasher assemblies which include improved indexing and reversing features.
- Dishwasher appliances generally include a tub that defines a wash compartment. Rack assemblies can be mounted within the wash compartment of the tub for receipt of articles for washing. Spray assemblies within the wash compartment can apply or direct wash fluid towards articles disposed within the rack assemblies in order to clean such articles. Multiple spray assemblies can be provided including e.g., a lower spray arm assembly mounted to the tub at a bottom of the wash compartment, a mid-level spray arm assembly mounted to one of the rack assemblies, and/or an upper spray assembly mounted to the tub at a top of the wash compartment. Other configurations may be used as well.
- Recently, reversing features have been added to spray arms utilized in dishwasher appliances. These features allow the spray arms to spin in one direction for a period of time and then reverse direction, spinning in the opposite direction for a period of time. This can improve the performance of the dishwasher appliance by providing wash fluid which can contact articles in the dishwasher appliance at multiple directions and from multiple locations.
- However, currently known reversing spray arms rely on costly and complicated reversing features. For example, various actively actuatable mechanical mechanisms have been utilized to facilitate reversing of the spray arms. Such currently known features and spray arms additionally are susceptible to leakage and pressure losses during operation.
- Accordingly, improved spray arms for dishwasher appliances are desired. In particular, spray arms with improved reversing features, and which are less expensive and more reliable than currently known spray arms, would be advantageous.
- In one exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a dishwasher appliance. The dishwasher appliance includes a tub that defines a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing, and a spray arm assembly for directing a fluid flow into the wash chamber. The spray arm assembly includes a plurality of spray arms, the plurality of spray arms comprising a first spray arm and a second spray arm. The spray arm assembly further includes a conduit in fluid communication with the plurality of spray arms, and an indexing assembly disposed between the conduit and the plurality of spray arms, the indexing assembly operable to selectively flow fluid to the first spray arm and the second spray arm. The indexing assembly includes a disk rotatable about an axis and movable along an axial direction between a first position and a second position, the disk defining an aperture and a channel and comprising a plurality of cams projecting into the channel. The indexing assembly further includes a biasing element configured to urge the disk into the first position, and a boss assembly, the boss assembly comprising a boss extending into the channel of the disk, the boss defining a plurality of guide elements. The guide elements and cams are configured to interact such that movement of the disk along the axial direction between the first position and the second position causes the disk to rotate about the axis.
- In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a spray arm assembly for a dishwasher appliance. The assembly includes a plurality of spray arms, the plurality of spray arms comprising a first spray arm and a second spray arm. The assembly further includes a conduit in fluid communication with the plurality of spray arms, and an indexing assembly disposed between the conduit and the plurality of spray arms, the indexing assembly operable to selectively flow fluid to the first spray arm and the second spray arm. The indexing assembly includes a disk rotatable about an axis and movable along an axial direction between a first position and a second position, the disk defining an aperture and a channel and comprising a plurality of cams projecting into the channel. The indexing assembly further includes a biasing element configured to urge the disk into the first position, and a boss assembly, the boss assembly comprising a boss extending into the channel of the disk, the boss defining a plurality of guide elements. The guide elements and cams are configured to interact such that movement of the disk along the axial direction between the first position and the second position causes the disk to rotate about the axis.
- These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
- A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
-
FIG. 1 provides a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a dishwashing appliance of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 2 provides a side, cross-sectional view of the exemplary dishwashing appliance ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of various components of a spray arm assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of upper portions of a plurality of spray arms of a spray arm assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of various internal components of an exemplary embodiment of a spray arm assembly, including a disk in a first position, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of various internal components of an exemplary embodiment of a spray arm assembly, including a disk in a second position, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a disk of a spray arm assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a disk of a spray arm assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a boss assembly of a spray arm assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a boss of a boss assembly, with an outer wall of the boss assembly not shown for illustrative purposes, of a spray arm assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. - Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
- As used herein, the term “article” may refer to, but need not be limited to, dishes, pots, pans, silverware, and other cooking utensils and items that can be cleaned in a dishwashing appliance. The term “wash cycle” is intended to refer to one or more periods of time during the cleaning process where a dishwashing appliance operates while containing articles to be washed and uses a detergent and water, preferably with agitation, to e.g., remove soil particles including food and other undesirable elements from the articles. The term “rinse cycle” is intended to refer to one or more periods of time during the cleaning process in which the dishwashing appliance operates to remove residual soil, detergents, and other undesirable elements that were retained by the articles after completion of the wash cycle. The term “drying cycle” is intended to refer to one or more periods of time in which the dishwashing appliance is operated to dry the articles by removing fluids from the wash chamber. The term “fluid” refers to a liquid used for washing and/or rinsing the articles and is typically made up of water that may include additives such as e.g., detergent or other treatments.
-
FIGS. 1 and 2 depict an exemplarydomestic dishwasher 100 that may be configured in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. For the particular embodiment ofFIGS. 1 and 2 , thedishwasher 100 includes acabinet 102 having atub 104 therein that defines awash chamber 106. Thetub 104 includes a front opening (not shown) and adoor 120 hinged at itsbottom 122 for movement between a normally closed vertical position (shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 ), wherein thewash chamber 106 is sealed shut for washing operation, and a horizontal open position for loading and unloading of articles from the dishwasher. Alatch 123 may be used to lock and unlockdoor 120 for access tochamber 106. - Upper and
lower guide rails tub side walls 128 and accommodate roller-equippedrack assemblies rack assemblies assemblies FIG. 2 ). Eachrack wash chamber 106, and a retracted position (shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 ) in which the rack is located inside thewash chamber 106. This is facilitated byrollers racks rack assembly 132 for placement of silverware, utensils, and the like, that are otherwise too small to be accommodated by theracks - The
dishwasher 100 further includes a lower spray-arm assembly 144 that is rotatably mounted within alower region 146 of thewash chamber 106 and above atub sump portion 142 so as to rotate in relatively close proximity torack assembly 132. A mid-level spray-arm assembly 148 is located in an upper region of thewash chamber 106 and may be located in close proximity toupper rack 130. Additionally, anupper spray assembly 150 may be located above theupper rack 130. - Each spray arm-
assembly 144 may include a spray arm and a conduit in fluid communication with the spray arm, for providing a fluid flow to the spray arm. For example, mid-level spray-arm assembly 148 may include aspray arm 160 and aconduit 162. Lower spray-arm assembly 144 may include aspray arm 164 and aconduit 166. Additionally,upper spray assembly 150 may include aspray head 170 and aconduit 172 in fluid communication with thespray head 170. - The lower and mid-level spray-
arm assemblies upper spray assembly 150 are part of afluid circulation assembly 152 for circulating water and dishwasher fluid in thetub 104. Thefluid circulation assembly 152 also includes apump 154 positioned in amachinery compartment 140 located below the tub sump portion 142 (i.e., bottom wall) of thetub 104, as generally recognized in the art.Pump 154 receives fluid fromsump 142 and provides a flow to thevarious assemblies - Each spray-
arm assembly pump 154 onto dishes or other articles located inrack assemblies arm assemblies arm assemblies spray assembly 150 provides coverage of dishes and other dishwasher contents with a washing spray. Other configurations of spray assemblies may be used as well. - The
dishwasher 100 is further equipped with acontroller 137 to regulate operation of thedishwasher 100. The controller may include one or more memory devices and one or more microprocessors, such as general or special purpose microprocessors operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with a cleaning cycle. The memory may represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH. In one embodiment, the processor executes programming instructions stored in memory. The memory may be a separate component from the processor or may be included onboard within the processor. - The
controller 137 may be positioned in a variety of locations throughoutdishwasher 100. In the illustrated embodiment, thecontroller 137 may be located within acontrol panel area 121 ofdoor 120 as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 . In such an embodiment, input/output (“I/O”) signals may be routed between the control system and various operational components ofdishwasher 100 along wiring harnesses that may be routed through thebottom 122 ofdoor 120. Typically, thecontroller 137 includes a user interface panel/controls 136 through which a user may select various operational features and modes and monitor progress of thedishwasher 100. In one embodiment, theuser interface 136 may represent a general purpose I/O (“GPIO”) device or functional block. In one embodiment, theuser interface 136 may include input components, such as one or more of a variety of electrical, mechanical or electro-mechanical input devices including rotary dials, push buttons, and touch pads. Theuser interface 136 may include a display component, such as a digital or analog display device designed to provide operational feedback to a user. Theuser interface 136 may be in communication with thecontroller 137 via one or more signal lines or shared communication busses. - It should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to any particular style, model, or configuration of dishwasher. The exemplary embodiment depicted in
FIGS. 1 and 2 is for illustrative purposes only. For example, different locations may be provided foruser interface 136, different configurations may be provided forracks -
FIGS. 3 through 10 illustrate aspray arm assembly 200 and various components thereof in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure. As discussed, theassembly 200 is operable to direct a fluid flow into thewash chamber 106, for example via a plurality of spray arms and a conduit. The conduit may be in fluid communication with the plurality of spray arms, and may thus supply the fluid flow to the spray arms. Fluid may be received from thefluid circulation assembly 152 by the conduit for flowing to the spray arms. - In some exemplary embodiments, the
spray arm assembly 200 is a mid-level spray-arm assembly 148. In these embodiments, the conduit may beconduit 162. Alternatively, thespray arm assembly 200 may be a lower spray-arm assembly 144. In these embodiments, the conduit may beconduit 166. In still other embodiments, thespray arm assembly 200 may substitute forupper spray assembly 150. In these embodiments, the conduit may beconduit 170. - As illustrated,
spray arm assembly 200 includes a plurality of spray arms. Any suitable number of spray arms may be included in spray arm assembly. For example, the plurality of spray arms of aspray arm assembly 200 may include one or morefirst spray arms 202, one or moresecond spray arms 204, and one or morethird spray arms 206. In the embodiment illustrated, the plurality of spray arms includes a pair offirst spray arms 202, a pair ofsecond spray arms 204, and a pair ofthird spray arms 206. The spray arms of each pair are disposed oppositely in an array of spray arms. - Each
spray arm chamber 106. For example,first spray arms 202 includedischarge ports 212,second spray arms 204 includedischarge ports 214, andthird spray arms 206 includedischarge ports 216. The orientation of thedischarge ports first discharge ports 212 andthird discharge ports 216 as illustrated are oriented such that the plurality of spray arms rotate clockwise when fluid is being flowed therethrough.Second discharge ports 214 as illustrated are oriented such that the plurality of spray arms rotate counter-clockwise when fluid is being flowed therethrough. Alternatively,first discharge ports 212 andthird discharge ports 216 may be oriented such that the plurality of spray arms rotate counter-clockwise when fluid is being flowed therethrough, andsecond discharge ports 214 may be oriented such that the plurality of spray arms rotate clockwise when fluid is being flowed therethrough. In still other embodiments, any suitable directional orientation for any discharge ports is within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. - Each spray arm of the plurality of spray arms may define a channel through which fluid may flow to the discharge ports. For example, a
first channel 222 may be defined in eachfirst spray arm 202, asecond channel 224 may be defined in thesecond spray arm 204, and athird channel 226 may be defined in thethird spray arm 206. As discussed herein, fluid may be selectively and sequentially flowed tochannels ports wash chamber 106. For example, as discussed herein indexing features may selectively flow fluid to channel 222 for a period of time. The indexing features may then index to selectively flow fluid to thesecond channels 224, and then to thethird channels 226. Notably, when fluid is flowed to thefirst channels 222 andthird channels 226 as illustrated, the plurality of spray arms may rotate in one direction, and when fluid is flowed to thesecond channels 224 as illustrated, the plurality of spray arms may rotate in an opposite direction. - The plurality of spray arms may in some embodiments be formed together from one or more components.
FIG. 4 illustratesupper portions 230 of each spray arm, which may be formed integrally from a single component as illustrated or may be formed individually.Lower portions 232 of thespray arms 232 are illustrated inFIGS. 5 and 6 , and may similarly be formed integrally from a single component or formed individually. Theupper portions 230 andlower portions 232 may be brought together to define thechannels - Referring now to
FIGS. 5 through 10 , various additional components of aspray arm assembly 200 are illustrated. For example, referring toFIGS. 5 and 6 (also illustrated inFIG. 3 ), aninlet assembly 240 is illustrated. Theinlet assembly 240 may be disposed between and in fluid communication with the conduit and the plurality of spray arms. Thus, fluid may flow from the conduit through theinlet assembly 240 to the plurality of spray arms.Inlet assembly 240 may include, for example, anouter cap 242 and aninner cap 244. Theouter cap 242 may connect to the conduit. A spray arm cover 246 may be disposed between theinner cap 244 andouter cap 242, and may connect to the plurality of spray arms. The cover 246 may rotate with the plurality of spray arms between theinner cap 244 andouter cap 242. Accordingly, a bearing may be disposed between the cover 246 andinner cap 244 to facilitate such rotation. As illustrated, abore 248 may be defined by theinlet assembly 240, such as by the various components thereof, through which fluid may flow to the plurality of spray arms. - It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the above described
inlet assembly 240, and rather that any suitable inlet assembly for facilitating fluid flow from the conduit to plurality of spray arms and/or rotation of the plurality of spray arms is within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, portions or all of theinlet assembly 240 may be integral with the conduit and/or plurality of spray arms, or theinlet assembly 240 and components thereof may be separate components from the conduit and/or plurality of spray arms. - Referring now to
FIGS. 5 through 10 , anindexing assembly 300 is provided for facilitating indexing within thespray arm assembly 200 and resulting selective flowing of fluid to the various spray arms. Theindexing assembly 300 may be disposed between theinlet assembly 240 and the plurality of spray arms, and may be operable to selectively flow fluid to the plurality of spray arms, such as thefirst spray arms 202,second spray arms 204, andthird spray arms 206. Advantageously, theindexing assembly 300 selectively controls the fluid flow into the various spray arms without the need for an additional motor or other active component. Further, use of indexing assemblies according to the present disclosure is relatively inexpensive and minimizes leakage and pressure loss concerns during operation. -
Indexing assembly 300 may include, for example adisk 320 which is rotatable about anaxis 322, such as a central axial axis which may extend longitudinally with respect to thedisk 320. The disk defines one ormore apertures 324 for selectively controlling fluid flow from the conduit and inlet assembly into one or more spray arms, such asfirst spray arms 202,second spray arms 204, andthird spray arms 206.Disk 320 can, for example, be selectively rotated such thatapertures 324 align with one ofchannels 222,channels 224 orchannels 226 and fluid can be flowed through theapertures 324 into these channels. - Such selective switching of the
aperture 324 may advantageously occur without use of a motor or other active component. For example, as can be seen by comparingFIGS. 5 and 6 ,disk 320 is movable along an axial direction 326 (such as alongaxis 322, which is parallel to the axial direction 326) between a first position shown inFIG. 5 and a second position shown inFIG. 6 . In the first position shown inFIG. 5 ,disk 320 is spaced from and not aligned with any ofchannels disk 320 may further be in contact with theinlet assembly 240, such as with the spray arm cover 246, as illustrated, which may prevent fluid from flowing through theapertures 324. Cams (discussed herein) of thedisk 320 may be between guide elements of a boss (discussed herein) that thedisk 320 may interact with to facilitate rotation thereof. In the second position shown inFIG. 6 ,disk 320 may be proximate and aligned with one ofchannels disk 320 may have, due to cam—guide element interaction, rotated to align with one of thechannels apertures 324 align with one ofchannels 222,channels 224 orchannels 226 and fluid can be flowed through theapertures 324 into these channels and thus into the correspondingspray arms - Movement of
disk 320 back and forth between the first position shown inFIG. 5 and the second position shown inFIG. 6 is provided by two opposing forces: i) the fluid flow passing through the conduit andinlet assembly 240 towardsindexing assembly 300 that is counteracted by ii) abiasing element 330, which may include acompression spring 332 as shown. More particularly, biasingelement 330 in exemplary embodiments urges thedisk 320 into the first position. For example, when fluid is not flowing through conduit andinlet assembly 240 towardsindexing assembly 300, biasingelement 330 pushes along axial direction 326 againstdisk 320 and forces it away fromchannels axis 322 to the position shown inFIG. 5 . Conversely, when there is a sufficient flow of fluid through conduit andinlet assembly 240 towardsindexing assembly 300, the momentum of this fluid will impactdisk 320. This momentum overcomes the force provided by biasingelement 330 so as to shiftdisk 320 along axial direction 326 towards thechannels FIG. 6 .Disk 320 will remain in the second position until the fluid flow ends or drops below a certain level. Then, biasingelement 330 urgesdisk 320 along axial direction 326 back into the first position shown inFIG. 5 . - The movement of
disk 320 back and forth alongaxis 322 between the first and second positions shown inFIGS. 5 and 6 also causesdisk 320 to rotate aboutaxis 322 so thataperture 324 is switched to be in fluid communication with thevarious channels disk 320 to rotate approximately 30 degrees. Accordingly,disk 320 rotates aboutaxis 322 approximately 60 degrees each time it is moved out of, and then returned to, either the first position (FIG. 5 ) or the second position (FIG. 6 ). - As shown in
FIGS. 5 through 10 , for this exemplary embodiment,channels disk 320 by approximately 60 degrees necessarily rotatesapertures 324 so as to selectively provide fluid flow from one channel to the next channel along the direction of rotation. - As further illustrated, a cylindrically-shaped
boss 340 extends alongaxis 322. As shown, when in the second position, theboss 340 may extend into achannel 362 defined bydisk 320.Boss 340 may further define arecess 342 into which a first end of biasingelement 330 is received. Anopening 343 withinrecess 342 may additionally be defined, through which components of biasingelement 330 may extend, as discussed herein.Boss 340 may also include a plurality ofguide elements circumferential direction 348. Theguide elements boss 340, such as in aradial direction 349. A first plurality ofguide elements 344 are located near a distal end ofboss 340 while a second plurality ofguide elements 346 are located near thechannels first elements 344.Guide elements circumferential direction 348. More particularly, each of the second plurality ofguide elements 346 is aligned with a gap positioned between a respective pair of the first plurality ofguide elements 344. Conversely, each of the first plurality ofguide elements 344 is aligned with a gap between a respective pair of the second plurality ofguide elements 346. - Each of the
guide elements contact face face - As stated and shown,
boss 340 is received into achannel 362 formed and defined bydisk 320.Disk 320 may further include a plurality ofcams 364 projecting along theradial direction 349 intochannel 362. Eachcam 364 includes anupper contact face 366 and alower contact face 368. Eachface depression 370 ofdisk 320 defined and disposed inchannel 362 may form and define asecond recess 372 into which a second end of biasingelement 330 is received. -
Guide elements cams 364 are configured to interact so that movement of thedisk 320 along the axial direction 326 between the first position and the second position causes thedisk 320 to rotate about theaxis 322. Thus, for example, as a flow of fluid overcomes biasingelement 330 anddisk 320 moves from the first position towards the second position,lower contact face 368 of eachcam 364contacts contact face 352 of aguide element 346.Disk 320 is caused to rotate, such as approximately 30 degrees, so that eachcam 364 moves into a gap between a pair of the plurality ofguide elements 346. This movement is guided bycontact face 368 andcontact face 352. In this second position,apertures 324 are aligned with one ofchannels element 330 causesdisk 320 to move towards the first position. During this movement,upper contact face 366 of eachcam 364contacts contact face 350 of aguide element 344 and causesdisk 320 to rotate another approximately 30 degrees so that eachcam 364 moves into a gap between a pair of the first plurality ofguide elements 344. This movement is guided bycontact face 366 andcontact face 350. Upon returning to the second position,disk 320 is again caused to rotate by approximately 30 degrees as previously described so thatapertures 330 are now switched to the next sequential channels. The process can be repeated to switch to still other sequential channels. - Accordingly, during operation of
appliance 100,controller 137 can be programmed to operatepump 154 to flow fluid into thespray arm assembly 200 and thus control the position ofdisk 320. For example, knowing thelast channel controller 137 can activate pump 154 to rotatedisk 320 to the next channel in the direction of rotation ofdisk 320 so as to control the flow of fluid. Eachtime pump 154 is cycled off and back on to provide a flow of fluid throughspray arm assembly 200, thecontroller 137 will “know” thatdisk 320 has been rotated to the next channel. -
Boss 340 may be a component of aboss assembly 380 which may be included inindexing assembly 300. Theboss assembly 380 may include theboss 340 and anouter wall 382, which may be a generally cylindrical wall spaced from and surrounding theboss 340. The portion of thedisk 320 defining the channel 262 may be disposed between theboss 340 and theouter wall 382. - Referring briefly again to
FIGS. 5 and 6 , biasingelement 330 as discussed may include aspring 332, such as a compression spring as illustrated. In some embodiments, biasingelement 330 may further include aneedle bearing 334 which thespring 332 may generally surround. Theneedle bearing 334 may facilitate rotation of thedisk 320 and operation of theindexing assembly 300, by preventing thespring 332 from impeding such rotation and the operation of theindexing assembly 300. For example,needle bearing 324 may include ashaft 336, aneedle tip 337, and acollar 338. Thetip 337 may contact thedisk 320, such as within thesecond recess 372. Thecollar 338 may be an upper barrier of thebearing 324 past which thespring 332 cannot extend, such that thespring 332 does not directly contact thedisk 320. Additionally, the end of theshaft 336 opposite theneedle tip 337 may be allowed to extend through theopening 343 defined in thefirst recess 343 when thedisk 320 is in the second position. Accordingly, when thedisk 320 rotates, theneedle bearing 334 may rotate with thedisk 320 and relative to thespring 332. The spring may indirectly interact with thedisk 320 during movement between the first position and the second position. The use of theneedle bearing 334 such that thedisk 320 rotates relative to thespring 332, however, reduces or prevents thespring 332 from torqueing duringdisk 320 rotation and then inducing a biasing force on thedisk 320 in the opposite rotational direction, impeding operation of theindexing assembly 300. - As stated, the
indexing assembly 300 of the present disclosure may be used with more or less than three channels or pluralities of channels. In such case, as will be understood by one of skill in the art using the teachings disclosed herein, the configuration of cams and guide elements described above can be modified to provide the desired amount of rotation between the selected number of channels. Six cams along with six upper and six lower guide elements are used to provide approximately 60 degrees of rotation between six channels in the exemplary embodiment above described. By way of example, four cams along with four upper and four lower guide elements could be used to provide approximately 90 degrees of rotation between four outlet ports and so forth. - This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
Claims (20)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US14/181,768 US20150230687A1 (en) | 2014-02-17 | 2014-02-17 | Spray arm assembly for dishwasher appliances |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US14/181,768 US20150230687A1 (en) | 2014-02-17 | 2014-02-17 | Spray arm assembly for dishwasher appliances |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20150230687A1 true US20150230687A1 (en) | 2015-08-20 |
Family
ID=53796983
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US14/181,768 Abandoned US20150230687A1 (en) | 2014-02-17 | 2014-02-17 | Spray arm assembly for dishwasher appliances |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20150230687A1 (en) |
Cited By (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20170071444A1 (en) * | 2015-09-15 | 2017-03-16 | General Electric Company | Variable position diverter for an appliance |
US9737191B2 (en) * | 2015-09-10 | 2017-08-22 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Variable position diverter for an appliance |
US9743822B2 (en) * | 2015-09-10 | 2017-08-29 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Variable position diverter for an appliance |
US10113654B2 (en) * | 2015-01-27 | 2018-10-30 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Water diverter assembly for a dishwashing appliance |
CN108852221A (en) * | 2018-07-25 | 2018-11-23 | 浙江欧琳生活健康科技有限公司 | A kind of dish-washing machine spray arm and dish-washing machine |
US10194782B2 (en) * | 2014-12-18 | 2019-02-05 | Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag | Dishwasher comprising a spray arm arrangement |
US10335010B2 (en) | 2015-02-02 | 2019-07-02 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Dish washer comprising an auxiliary arm with stoppers |
US11918164B1 (en) | 2022-09-27 | 2024-03-05 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Dishwasher appliance and method of operating a pump based on sump water |
WO2024060384A1 (en) * | 2022-09-19 | 2024-03-28 | 佛山市顺德区美的洗涤电器制造有限公司 | Spray arm assembly and dishwasher |
US12059113B2 (en) | 2022-04-04 | 2024-08-13 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Diverter assembly for dishwasher |
Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20110146728A1 (en) * | 2009-12-18 | 2011-06-23 | Lam Research Ag | High temperature chuck and method of using same |
US20120266924A1 (en) * | 2011-04-25 | 2012-10-25 | General Electric Company | Water diverter valve and related dishwasher |
-
2014
- 2014-02-17 US US14/181,768 patent/US20150230687A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20110146728A1 (en) * | 2009-12-18 | 2011-06-23 | Lam Research Ag | High temperature chuck and method of using same |
US20120266924A1 (en) * | 2011-04-25 | 2012-10-25 | General Electric Company | Water diverter valve and related dishwasher |
Cited By (18)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10194782B2 (en) * | 2014-12-18 | 2019-02-05 | Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag | Dishwasher comprising a spray arm arrangement |
US10113654B2 (en) * | 2015-01-27 | 2018-10-30 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Water diverter assembly for a dishwashing appliance |
US10376127B2 (en) | 2015-02-02 | 2019-08-13 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Dish washer with eccentric protrusion in power transfer assembly |
US10660498B2 (en) | 2015-02-02 | 2020-05-26 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Dish washer with eccentric protrusion in power transfer assembly |
US11903543B2 (en) | 2015-02-02 | 2024-02-20 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Dish washer with eccentric protrusion in power transfer assembly |
US11490778B2 (en) | 2015-02-02 | 2022-11-08 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Dish washer with eccentric protrusion in power transfer assembly |
US10602906B2 (en) | 2015-02-02 | 2020-03-31 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Dish washer with spray arm and power transfer assembly |
US10335010B2 (en) | 2015-02-02 | 2019-07-02 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Dish washer comprising an auxiliary arm with stoppers |
US10390676B2 (en) * | 2015-02-02 | 2019-08-27 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Dish washer including a switching unit for diverting water flow |
US10390677B2 (en) | 2015-02-02 | 2019-08-27 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Dish washer with eccentric protrusion in power transfer assembly |
US9737191B2 (en) * | 2015-09-10 | 2017-08-22 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Variable position diverter for an appliance |
US9743822B2 (en) * | 2015-09-10 | 2017-08-29 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Variable position diverter for an appliance |
US20170071444A1 (en) * | 2015-09-15 | 2017-03-16 | General Electric Company | Variable position diverter for an appliance |
US9980624B2 (en) * | 2015-09-15 | 2018-05-29 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Variable position diverter for an appliance |
CN108852221A (en) * | 2018-07-25 | 2018-11-23 | 浙江欧琳生活健康科技有限公司 | A kind of dish-washing machine spray arm and dish-washing machine |
US12059113B2 (en) | 2022-04-04 | 2024-08-13 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Diverter assembly for dishwasher |
WO2024060384A1 (en) * | 2022-09-19 | 2024-03-28 | 佛山市顺德区美的洗涤电器制造有限公司 | Spray arm assembly and dishwasher |
US11918164B1 (en) | 2022-09-27 | 2024-03-05 | Haier Us Appliance Solutions, Inc. | Dishwasher appliance and method of operating a pump based on sump water |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US9259137B2 (en) | Mid-level spray arm assembly for dishwasher appliances | |
US20150230687A1 (en) | Spray arm assembly for dishwasher appliances | |
US9980624B2 (en) | Variable position diverter for an appliance | |
US10206553B2 (en) | Hydraulically actuated diverter for an appliance | |
US9743822B2 (en) | Variable position diverter for an appliance | |
US9736123B2 (en) | Spray arm assemblies for dishwasher appliances | |
US9326657B2 (en) | Dual direction, double tier spray arm assembly for a dishwashing appliance | |
US8858729B2 (en) | Fluid flow diverter for a dishwasher appliance | |
US10405727B2 (en) | Disk diverter assembly for a dishwasher appliance | |
US10413152B2 (en) | Spray assemblies for dishwasher appliances | |
US9801523B2 (en) | Spray device assembly for dishwasher appliance | |
US9993132B2 (en) | Dish treating appliance with leak detection | |
US9375130B2 (en) | Spray control assembly for a dishwashing appliance with directional control for spray arms | |
US9737191B2 (en) | Variable position diverter for an appliance | |
US20170071442A1 (en) | Variable position diverter for an appliance | |
US9307886B2 (en) | Indexing passive diverter for an appliance | |
US9687137B2 (en) | Diverter for selective fluid flow in a dishwashing appliance | |
US10945580B2 (en) | Spray nozzle for a dishwasher appliance | |
US9687136B2 (en) | Turbine fluid diverter for an appliance | |
US10314458B2 (en) | Fluid circulation system for dishwasher appliances and related methods | |
US9795271B2 (en) | Variable position hydraulically actuated diverter for an appliance | |
CN112543611A (en) | Method for determining an operating mode of a dishwasher appliance fluid circulation system | |
US11109739B2 (en) | Multi-directional air distribution assembly for a dishwashing appliance | |
US10512387B2 (en) | Hydraulically actuated diverter for an appliance | |
US20160198927A1 (en) | Spray arm assemblies for dishwasher appliances |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, NEW YORK Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:DRIES, JOHN EDWARD;BOYER, JOEL CHARLES;DURHAM, KYLE EDWARD;REEL/FRAME:032227/0058 Effective date: 20140211 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC., DELAWARE Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY;REEL/FRAME:038951/0657 Effective date: 20160606 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |