Patent Application
20170150867
A conventional automated dish treating appliance includes either a hinged or sliding door that selectively provides access to a treating chamber in which dishes are placed for treatment according to an automatic cycle of operation. Some doors may be provided with a window assembly through which the treating chamber may be visible from an exterior of the dish treating appliance. The window provides an additional component in the dish treating appliance which must be provided within the dish treating appliance in such a manner as to minimize the leakage of fluid from the treating chamber to other parts of the dish treating appliance or to the exterior of the dish treating appliance.
An embodiment of the invention relates to a dish treating appliance for treating dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation, in which the dish treating appliance comprises a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving dishes for treatment according to the automatic cycle of operation and an access opening provided in the tub and through which is had access to the treating chamber. A door is movable relative to the tub to selectively open and close the access opening and has an inner surface confronting the access opening when the door closes the access opening, and an outer surface opposite the inner surface. A window assembly is provided in the door having spaced and sealed inner and outer panes sandwiched between inner and outer frame elements that are connected by a waterproof weld joint.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a window insert for a door comprising opposing outer and inner panes, a spacer disposed between and spacing the panes, a first seal forming a seal between the panes, a frame having an outer frame and an inner frame sandwiching the panes, a welded joint extending about the periphery of the frames, and a second seal between the inner frame and the inner pane.
In the drawings:
A door assembly 20 may be movably mounted to the dish treating appliance 10 for movement between opened and closed positions to selectively open and close the open face 18 of the tub 14. Thus, the door assembly 20 provides accessibility to the treating chamber 16 for the loading and unloading of dishes or other washable items. When the door assembly 20 is closed, user access to the treating chamber 16 may be prevented, whereas user access to the treating chamber 16 may be permitted when the door assembly 20 is open. The door assembly 20 may be hingedly connected with the chassis 12 or slidingly attached to a drawer slide system to selectively provide access to the treating chamber 16.
Additional features, such as a liquid supply and circulation system 22, including one or more liquid supply and drain conduits, sprayers and/or pumps, a control system 24 including one or more controllers and a user interface, one or more dish racks 26, and any other alternative or additional features used in a conventional automatic dish treating appliance may also be provided in the dish treating appliance 10 without deviating from the scope of the invention.
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The peripheral frame 62 has a generally “C-shaped” interior cross-section that receives the spacer 74, the peripheral edge 70c, 72c, and at least a portion of the outer surface 70b, 72b of the outer and inner window panes 70, 72 adjacent the spacer 74 and peripheral edges 70c, 72c and extends about the perimeter of the spacer 74 and peripheral edges 70c, 72c. The peripheral frame 62 comprises an inner frame element 62a and an outer frame element 62b that are joined together at a waterproof weld joint 62c. The waterproof weld joint 62c comprises a channel on one of the inner or outer frame elements 62a, 62b and a weld flange on the other of the inner or outer frame elements 62a, 62b, with the weld flange received within the channel and the flange and the channel welded together. The waterproof weld joint 62c extends about the peripheral edges 70c, 72c of the outer and inner window panes 70, 72. The waterproof weld joint 62c provides a continuous and waterproof connection between the inner and outer frame elements 62a, 62b along the entirety of the length of the peripheral frame 62. While it is contemplated that any suitable method of providing a continuous waterproof weld joint 62c can be employed, an exemplary embodiment utilizes EMABOND to provide the waterproof weld joint 62c. EMABOND is a commercially available product comprising an extruded polypropylene rope having ferrous material embedded therein, such that the ferrous particles can be excited by an electromagnet and made to form a waterproof weld joint 62c without causing vibration or other disturbances to the glass panes 70, 72 of the window assembly 40.
The overall profile of the peripheral frame 62 can include opposing outer and inner flanges 90 and 92, respectively, connected by a horizontal leg 94. The inner frame element 62a comprises the inner flange 92 and the innermost portion of the horizontal leg 94, while the outer frame element 62b comprises the outer flange 90 and the outermost portion of the horizontal leg 94. The inner flange 92 overlies the outer surface 72b of the inner pane 72, extending about a periphery of the inner pane 72. The outer flange 90 overlies the outer surface 70b of the outer pane 70, extending about a periphery of the outer pane 70. The inner flange 92 and the outer flange 90 compressively retain the inner and outer panes 72, 70. The outer flange 90 can be in the form of a trim bezel. The inner frame element 62a can further include a second flange 98 extending radially away from the panes 70, 72 and the “C-shaped” portion of the peripheral frame 62 and overlying the inner surface 46 of the interior door panel 42 and configured to seal with the interior door panel 42 through the optional seal 78, which can be in the form of a sealant and/or a gasket.
The window assembly 40 can further include a second, inner seal 100 that is provided between the inner frame element 62a and the inner pane 72. Specifically, the inner seal 100 is positioned between the inner flange 92 of the inner frame element 62a and the outer surface 72b of the inner pane 72, co-extending about the periphery of the inner pane 72 along with the inner flange 92. The inner pane 72 is configured to seal with the inner flange 92 of the inner frame element 62a through the inner seal 100, which can be in the form of a sealant and/or a gasket. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials of the inner seal 100 include a foam-in-place seal or a silicone foam seal.
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The process 200 begins with assembling the spacer 74 and the edge seal element 76 between the confronting inner surfaces 70a, 72a of the outer and inner window panes 70, 72 at 202. Assembling the spacer 74 and edge seal element 76 with the outer and inner window panes 70, 72 can include the application of one or more sealants between the components. For example, a sealant can be provided between the spacer 74 and the edge seal element 76 and/or between the inner surfaces 70a, 72a and the spacer 74 and/or the edge seal element 76. Non-limiting examples of suitable types of sealants include silicone, a butyl rubber based sealant, a polyisobutylene sealant, and combinations thereof.
At 204, the second, inner seal 100 can be applied about the periphery of the outer surface 72b of the inner pane 72. The inner seal 100 is applied such that it will be positioned between the inner flange 92 of the inner frame element 62a and the outer surface 72b of the inner pane 72 in order to provide a seal between the inner flange 92 of the inner frame element 62a and the outer surface 72b of the inner pane 72.
At 206, the inner and outer frame elements 62a, 62b of the peripheral frame 62 can be assembled so that the weld flange and the channel located on the inner and outer frame elements 62a, 62b interlock with one another. In this way, the peripheral frame 62 is positioned about the periphery of the assembled spacer 74 and peripheral edges 70c, 72c of the outer and inner window panes 70, 72.
At 208, the continuous waterproof weld joint 62c is formed in a welding process to sandwich the assembled window panes 70, 72 and spacer 74. During the welding process, the spacer 74 provides support to the outer and inner window panes 70, 72 to prevent the window panes 70, 72 from being damaged due to the compression. The material forming the spacer 74 as well as the dimensions of the spacer 74 can be configured to provide sufficient support for the window panes 70, 72 during the welding process.
In an exemplary embodiment, the peripheral frame 62 and the spacer 74 are made from a base resin, preferably a polypropylene-based resin. Furthermore, one or both of the peripheral frame 62 and the spacer 74 are made from a material that includes a polypropylene-based resin and one more additives, including a filler. The filler can be used to increase the strength of the peripheral frame 62 and the spacer 74, which may be the same or different in the peripheral frame 62 and the spacer 74. The amount of filler present in the spacer 74 can be selected so as to fulfill the requirements of strength necessary to support the inner and outer panes 72, 70 as they are sandwiched between the inner and outer frame elements 62a, 62b of the peripheral frame 62. Non-limiting examples of suitable fillers include fiberglass, minerals, glass, mica, calcium carbonate, sand, quartz, carbon black, nanotubes, glass spheres, and talc.
The base resin for the peripheral frame 62 and the spacer 74 are also preferably selected to be compatible with the environment inside the dish treating appliance's treating chamber 16. During a cycle of operation, the components of the dish treating appliance 10 in fluid contact with the treating chamber 16 can be exposed to a variety of treating agents and debris and variations in temperature and moisture. Polypropylene-based resins have been found to be satisfactorily compatible with the conditions inside the treating chamber 16. Alternative resins, such as polyvinylchloride, are generally not satisfactorily compatible with the conditions inside the treating chamber 16. For example, polyvinylchloride can be damaged by repeated exposure to detergent, in some cases.
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The encapsulation of the inner pane 372 of the window assembly 340 by the inner frame element 362a of the peripheral frame 362 is provided to form a seal about the peripheral edge 372c of the inner window panes 372 to seal the chamber 80 from the exterior environment, particularly the environment within the treating chamber 16. During the overmolding process, the molten polymeric resin molds around the portions of the outer and inner surfaces 372b, 372a and peripheral edge 372c of the inner window panes 372 adjacent the inner and second flanges 392, 396 and forms a mechanical bond between these adjacent components as the polymeric resin shrinks and cools. While the encapsulation of the inner pane 372 is illustrated herein as fully wrapping around the peripheral edge 372c of the inner pane 372, it is also considered that the encapsulation is required only to form a seal and need not necessarily wrap fully around the glass. A nonlimiting example of an alternate configuration includes providing the peripheral edge 372c of the inner pane 372 with a shape or deformation that the inner frame element 362a can be overmolded to. For example, the peripheral edge 372c can have a projection, such as a rib, or a groove that the inner frame element 362a can encapsulate. As another example, the peripheral edge 372c of the inner pane 372 could have a semi-circular protruding profile such that the inner frame element 362a can encapsulate only the rounded peripheral edge 372c of the inner pane 372 without having to contact the outer or inner surfaces 372b, 372a of the inner pane 372.
During use of the dish treating appliance 10, water, treating chemistry, and debris can come into contact with any of the components of the dish treating appliance 10 in fluid communication with the treating chamber 16. If the window assembly 340 is not adequately sealed, liquid, and any materials carried by the liquid, such as food debris, can leak into the chamber 80 between the outer and inner window panes 370, 372, and form an undesirable film or sludge within the chamber 80 over time, which may become visible to the consumer. Even if the liquid evaporates within the chamber 80, debris, such as food debris or dissolved salts carried by the liquid, will remain and can build up over time. In some cases, the liquid may even leak to an exterior of the dish treating appliance 10. The encapsulation of the inner pane 372 of the window assembly 340 by the inner frame element 362a of the peripheral frame 362 is provided to form a seal about the peripheral edge 372c of the inner window pane 372 to inhibit leakage around and into the window assembly 340.
Because the encapsulation provides a waterproof seal between the inner frame element 362a and the inner pane 372, there is no need for the inner seal 100 as in
The door assembly 20 described herein includes a window assembly 40, 340 formed with first and second window panes that define an intervening sealed chamber. In a traditional door assembly in which two separate panels are individually attached, one to the exterior door panel and the other to the interior door panel, humidity and condensation may occur between the panels, which is difficult to prevent. The window assemblies 40, 340 described herein form a sealed chamber that minimizes the likelihood of moisture and debris entering the space between the first and second window panes that could obscure the view through the window assemblies 40, 340 or build-up over time.
To the extent not already described, the different features and structures of the various embodiments of the invention may be used in combination with each other as desired. For example, one or more of the features illustrated and/or described with respect to one of the window assemblies 40, 340 may be used with or combined with one or more features illustrated and/or described with respect to the other of the window assemblies 40, 340. That one feature may not be illustrated in all of the embodiments is not meant to be construed that it cannot be, but is done for brevity of description. Thus, the various features of the different embodiments may be mixed and matched as desired to form new embodiments, whether or not the new embodiments are expressly described.
While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation. Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the forgoing disclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.
