Patent Grant
9861260
The present subject matter relates generally to dishwasher appliances and tines for the same.
Dishwasher appliances generally include a tub that defines a wash chamber. Wash fluid is applied to articles within the wash chamber to remove food particles and other debris during operation of the dishwasher appliance. Certain dishwasher appliances include rack assemblies for supporting the articles within the wash chamber. For example, an upper rack assembly may be disposed at a top of the washing chamber and may be used to hold glasses, cups and other small articles. As another example, a lower rack assembly may be positioned at a bottom of the wash chamber and may be used to support dishes, platters, food preparation bowls, pots and other large articles.
The upper and lower rack assemblies are commonly provided with an array of spaced apart, generally vertical tines that assist with spacing and supporting articles within the upper and lower rack assemblies. The tines are generally elongated rigid metal wires that extend vertically from a bottom wall of the upper and lower rack assemblies. Supporting certain items with such tines can be difficult. For example, sprays of wash fluid can remove small or light-weight items, such as baby bottles, plastic cups or storage containers, from such tines during operation of the dishwasher appliance. As another example, irregularly sized articles may be difficult to properly position between such tines.
Accordingly, a dishwasher appliance with features for supporting small or light-weight items within a rack assembly of the dishwasher appliance would be useful. In addition, a dishwasher appliance with features for supporting irregularly sized articles within a rack assembly of the dishwasher appliance would be useful.
Dishwasher appliances also generally include spray assemblies for directing flows of wash fluid towards articles within the rack assemblies. Certain dishwasher appliances include rotating spray arms that are positioned proximate the rack assemblies and direct sprays of wash fluid towards the rack assemblies during operation of the dishwasher appliance. However, such spray arms may not apply a continuous spray of wash fluid at any one location in the rack assembly and may instead provide an intermittent spray at a given location.
Accordingly, a dishwasher appliance with features for assisting a user with directing sprays of wash fluid towards articles within a rack assembly of the dishwasher appliance would be useful. In particular, a dishwasher appliance with features for assisting a user with directing various sprays of wash fluid towards irregularly shaped articles or articles with deep interior volumes would be useful.
The present subject matter provides a tine assembly for a dishwasher appliance. The tine assembly includes a plurality of segmented tines. Each segmented tine of the plurality of segmented tines includes a plurality of tine segments. Each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments is pivotally or rotatably mounted to a respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments such that the segmented tines of the plurality of segmented tines are compliant. A related dishwasher appliance is also provided. Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In a first exemplary embodiment, a dishwasher appliance is provided. The dishwasher appliance includes a tub that defines a wash chamber. A rack assembly is disposed within the wash chamber of the tub. A plurality of segmented tines is positioned within the rack assembly. Each segmented tine of the plurality of segmented tines includes a plurality of tine segments. Each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments is mounted to a respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments such that each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments is pivotable relative to the respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments.
In a second exemplary embodiment, a tine assembly for a dishwasher appliance is provided. The tine assembly defines a vertical direction, a lateral direction and a transverse direction. The vertical, lateral and transverse directions are mutually perpendicular. The tine assembly includes a mounting bracket that extends along the transverse direction between a first end portion and a second end portion. A plurality of segmented tines is mounted to the mounting bracket and extends away from the mounting bracket along the vertical direction. Each segmented tine of the plurality of segmented tines includes a plurality of tine segments. Each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments is pivotally mounted to a respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments such that the segmented tines of the plurality of segmented tines are compliant along at least one of the lateral and transverse directions.
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.
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.
Dishwasher appliance 100 defines a vertical direction V, a lateral direction L and a transverse direction T. The vertical direction V, the lateral direction L and the transverse direction T are mutually perpendicular and form an orthogonal direction system. As may be seen in
Guide rails 126 are mounted on tub side walls 128 and accommodate upper and lower roller-equipped rack assemblies 130 and 132. Each of the upper and lower rack assemblies 130 and 132 is fabricated from lattice structures that include a plurality of elongated members 134. Each rack of the upper and lower rack assemblies 130 and 132 is adapted for movement between an extended loading position (not shown) in which the rack is substantially positioned outside the wash compartment 106, and a retracted position (shown in
A silverware basket 160 is removably mounted to upper rack assembly 130. However, silverware basket 160 may also be selectively attached to other portions of dishwasher appliance 100, e.g., lower rack 132 or door 120. Silverware rack 160 is configured for receipt of silverware, utensils, and the like, that are too small to be accommodated by the upper and lower rack assemblies 130 and 132.
The dishwasher appliance 100 further includes a lower spray assembly 144 that is mounted within a lower region 146 of the wash compartment 106 and above a tub sump portion 142 so as to be in relatively close proximity to the lower rack 132. A mid-level spray assembly 148 is located in an upper region of the wash compartment 106 and may be located in close proximity to upper rack 130. Additionally, an upper spray assembly 150 is located above the upper rack 130 and mounted to top wall 107 of tub 104.
The lower and mid-level spray assemblies 144 and 148 and the upper spray assembly 150 are fed by a fluid circulation pump or assembly (not shown) for circulating water and wash fluid (e.g., detergent, water, and/or rinse aid) in the tub 104. The fluid circulation assembly may be located in a machinery compartment 140 located below the bottom sump portion 142 of the tub 104, as generally recognized in the art. The fluid circulation assembly also includes circulation piping 108 that directs liquid water and/or wash fluid to upper spray assembly 150.
Each spray assembly includes an arrangement of discharge ports or orifices for directing washing liquid onto dishes or other articles located in the upper and lower racks 130, 132 and silverware basket 160. The lower and mid-level spray assemblies 144 and 148 may be rotatably mounted in wash compartment 106. Accordingly, the arrangement of the discharge ports in at least the lower spray assembly 144 may provide a rotational force by virtue of washing fluid flowing through the discharge ports. The resultant rotation of the lower spray assembly 144 can provide coverage of dishes and other dishwasher contents with a washing spray.
The dishwasher appliance 100 is further equipped with a controller 137 to regulate operation of the dishwasher appliance 100. The controller may include a memory and microprocessor, such as a general or special purpose microprocessor 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 throughout dishwasher appliance 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 137 may be located within a control panel 116 of door 120 as shown. In such an embodiment, input/output (“I/O”) signals may be routed between the control system and various operational components of dishwasher appliance 100 along wiring harnesses that may be routed through the bottom 122 of door 120. Typically, the controller 137 includes a user interface panel 136 through which a user may select various operational features and modes and monitor progress of the dishwasher appliance 100. In one embodiment, the user interface 136 may represent a general purpose I/O (“GPIO”) device or functional block. In one embodiment, 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.
It should be appreciated that the present subject matter is not limited to any particular style, model, or other configuration of dishwasher appliance and that dishwasher appliance 100 depicted in
As may be seen in
Rack assembly 200 also includes a plurality of fixed tines 219 for assisting with supporting articles within interior volume 206 of rack assembly 200. Fixed tines 219 are mounted to bottom wall 210 of rack assembly 200 and extend into interior volume 206 of rack assembly 200, e.g., upwardly along the vertical direction V. In particular, as shown in
Tine assembly 220 also assists with supporting articles within interior volume 206 of rack assembly 200. As may be seen in
Articles within interior volume 206 of rack assembly 200 may be positioned on or over segmented tines 222 such that the articles are supported by segmented tines 222 and movement of the articles is limited by segmented tines 222. In addition, segmented tines 222 are flexible or compliant, as discussed in greater detail below. This, segmented tines 222 may be bent or adjusted to contact articles within interior volume 206 of rack assembly 200 and hold the articles within rack assembly 200.
Turning now to
Mounting bracket 224 may be mounted or secured to rack assembly 200, e.g., bottom wall 210 of rack assembly 200. As may be seen in
As discussed above, segmented tines 222 are flexible or compliant. In particular, tine segments 230 may permit segmented tines 222 to be flexible or compliant, e.g., along at least one of the lateral direction L and the transverse direction T. To provide such flexibility or compliance, each tine segment of tine segments 230 may be mounted to the respective adjacent tine segment of tine segments 230 such that each tine segment of tine segments 230 is pivotable or rotatable relative to the respective adjacent tine segment of tine segments 230. As an example, first tine segment 232 may be mounted to second tine segment 234 such that first tine segment 232 is pivotable or rotatable relative to second tine segment 234. Thus, segmented tines 222 may be bent or adjusted to contact articles within interior volume 206 of rack assembly 200 and hold the articles within rack assembly 200, e.g., by rotating or pivoting tine segments 230 relative to one another.
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
As shown in
An interference fit between each tine segment of tine segments 230 and the respective adjacent tine segment of tine segments 230 may mount each tine segment of tine segments 230 to the respective adjacent tine segment of tine segments 230. As an example, an interference fit between spherical portion 240 of first tine segment 232 and cup portion 242 of second tine segment 234 may couple first and second tine segments 232 and 234 together. To provide such interference fit, cup portion 242 of second tine segment 234 may elastically deform during insertion of spherical portion 240 of first tine segment 232 into cup portion 242 of second tine segment 234.
As may be seen in
As may be seen in
Segmented tines 330 are mounted to and extend from supply conduit 310, e.g., upwardly along the vertical direction V. Each segmented tine of segmented tines 330 may define a channel 332 therein. Channels 332 of segmented tines 330 are in fluid communication with supply conduit 310 such that fluid within supply conduit 310 may flow into the channels 332 of segmented tines 330. A pump 320, such as a recirculation pump of dishwasher appliance 100, is fluidly coupled to supply conduit 310, e.g., via suitable piping or hoses 322 that extend between pump 320 and supply conduit 310. Pump 320 is operable to supply or urge a fluid to supply conduit 310. From supply conduit 310, such fluid flows though channels 332 of segmented tines 330 to an exit, e.g., at a distal end of segmented tines 330, as discussed in greater detail below.
As discussed above, segmented tine 330 is flexible or compliant. Thus, a position of spray nozzle 334 within an associated rack assembly may be adjusted or changed by bending or pivoting segmented tine 330, and a user of an associated dishwasher appliance may position spray nozzle 334 at a desired location by bending or moving segmented tine 330. In such a manner, performance of the associated dishwasher appliance may be improved by directing wash fluid towards a desired location, e.g., where wash fluid is most needed or difficult to reach with other spray assemblies of the associated dishwasher appliance.
Spray nozzle 334 includes an outlet 336. As discussed above, spray nozzle 334 may rotate during operation of the associated dishwasher appliance. Thus, a spray of wash fluid directed out of outlet 336 of spray nozzle 334 may rotate during operation of the associated dishwasher appliance. In such a manner, a distribution of wash fluid from spray nozzle 334 may be improved, e.g., made more uniform.
As discussed above with respect to segmented tine 300, segmented tine 400 is flexible or compliant. Thus, a position of air nozzle 410 within an associated rack assembly may be adjusted or changed by bending or pivoting segmented tine 400, and a user of a dishwasher appliance may position air nozzle 410 at a desired location by bending or moving segmented tine 400. As an example, the user of the dishwasher appliance may position air nozzle 410 at a top of a coffee cup such that during a drying cycle of the dishwasher appliance, a flow of air from the air nozzle 410 is directed towards the top of the coffee cup and any liquid that has collected on the top of the coffee cup is blown off or dried with the flow of air.
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 languages of the claims.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4869375 | Lamb | Sep 1989 | A |
| 20080308510 | Richardson | Dec 2008 | A1 |
| 20120291827 | Buddharaju | Nov 2012 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2454984 | May 2012 | EP |
| 2554098 | Feb 2013 | EP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150272421 A1 | Oct 2015 | US |
