Patent Grant
8808466
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of dishwashers and, more particularly, to a detergent dispenser for a dishwasher.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many dishwashers include a dispenser having a lid that swings open to release detergent at a specific time during a dishwasher cycle. The dispenser is often located on an interior side of a dishwasher door. While this position allows for convenient filling of the dispenser, large objects within the dishwasher may obstruct the opening of the dispenser lid. For example, if a utensil positioned in a silverware basket of the dishwasher is pressed against the dispenser door when it is set to open, the detergent will not be released such that the dishes will not be adequately cleaned.
To address this obstruction problem, it has been proposed to incorporate a lid shield into a dishwasher detergent dispenser to enable the dispenser lid to open even when an object is located in its path of movement. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,341 discloses a dishwasher detergent dispenser including a shield extending in front of a pivoting dispenser lid to ensure that an object within the washing chamber does not prevent the lid from freely moving from a closed position covering a detergent chamber to a dispensing position during a wash cycle. To accomplish this function, the shield includes a cross member and side legs which themselves are mounted for pivotal movement relative to a dispenser housing. With this arrangement, the dispenser lid can pivot, through a limited angular range, relative to the shield and then pivot further in unison with the shield. Unfortunately, this configuration still mandates a rather large angular movement of the lid to expose the detergent chamber and enable the pre-loaded detergent to be washed into a tub of the dishwasher. In addition, the structure and mounting of the shield of this prior art results in a rather elaborate and costly production configuration.
Based on the above, there exists a need to for a dishwasher detergent dispenser which is constructed in a manner which will assure that loaded detergent will be properly and timely dispensed during a washing operation, even when the dispenser lid is obstructed from even partially opening by an object within the washing chamber of the dishwasher.
In general, the present invention is directed to a dishwasher capable of accommodating various kitchen items, such as on one or more racks provided within a washing chamber, for a washing operation, as well as a dispenser assembly including a housing defining a compartment for receiving detergent to be timely dispensed during the washing operation. A lid is connected to the housing for movement between a closed position in which the detergent compartment is covered, and a dispensing position in which the detergent compartment is exposed. The lid is preferably biased open and retained in the closed position through a releasable latch. Under normal operating conditions, the lid is not obstructed from opening. In accordance with the invention, the dispenser assembly is specifically constructed to assure that, even in the event that the lid is obstructed from fully opening for a dispensing operation, such as by tall utensils placed in a silverware basket within the washing chamber becoming lodged directly in front of the lid so as to obstruct free movement of the lid, the lid can still open to at least partially expose the detergent compartment to a flow of liquid, thereby enabling supplied detergent to be washed out of the detergent compartment.
More particularly, in accordance with a preferred form of the invention, the above objects are achieved by specifically forming the detergent compartment with at least one side wall including one or more washout ports enabling an inflow of washing liquid into the detergent compartment which, in turn, causes detergent to be washed from the detergent compartment even upon only a partial opening of the lid. Further, a shield extends in front of the lid to ensure that the lid will not be prevented from at least assuming a partially open position, even when the lid is obstructed from assuming its fully open position.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.
With initial reference to
Disposed within tub 5 and, more specifically, mounted within a central opening formed in bottom wall 8 of tub 5, is a pump and filter assembly 30. Extending about a substantial portion of pump and filter assembly 30, at a position raised above bottom wall 8, is a heating element 44. In a manner known in the art, heating element 44 preferably takes the form of a sheath, electric resistance-type heating element. In general, pump and filter assembly 30 is adapted to direct washing fluid to a lower wash arm 47 and an upper wash arm (not shown). Dishwasher 2 has associated therewith a drain hose 85 including at least one corrugated or otherwise curved portion 89 that extends about an arcuate hanger 92 provided on an outside surface of side wall 10. Drain hose 85 is also preferably secured to tub 5 through various clips, such as that indicated at 94. In any event, in this manner, an upper loop is maintained in drain hose 85 to assure proper drainage in a manner known in the art. Actually, a detailed description of the exact structure and operation of pump and filter assembly 30 of dishwasher 2 does not form part of the present invention, but is rather set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 7,146,992 entitled “Dishwasher Pump and Filtration System”, incorporated herein by reference.
At this point it should be realized that the particular construction and washing cycle operation of dishwasher 2 can greatly vary in accordance with the invention. Therefore, the type of dishwasher construction depicted in this figure is provided for exemplary purposes only such that the invention can be used on various dishwasher models, including drawer dishwashers. In connection with the embodiment shown in
As best shown in
More importantly, second side portion 104 of housing 100 establishes a detergent chamber 127 and a pre-wash chamber 129. A lid 132 is pivotally mounted to housing 100 for movement between an open position exposing both detergent and pre-wash chambers 127 and 129, and a closed position extending across both detergent and pre-wash chambers 127 and 129. More particularly, lid 132 is mounted through pins, one of which is shown at 135, for pivotal movement about an associated hinge axis, while being biased to the open position by a spring 137 through which pin 135 extends. When in the closed position, lid 132 is releasably secured through the use of a latch 141 having a manually engageable release portion 143, a shaft portion 145 and a latching element 146. Latch 141 is mounted to housing 100 for relative rotational movement, with shaft portion 145 extending into an aperture 147 of housing 100 with an interposed O-ring 149.
In the embodiment of
Lid 132 is adapted to support an annular gasket or seal 170 defined by legs 172-175. More specifically, an interior track 177 is established on the underside of lid 132 as clearly shown in
In further accordance with the invention, detergent dispenser 23 is also provided with a lid shield which, in the embodiment depicted in
When detergent dispenser 23 is fully assembled, a terminal portion (not separately labeled) of side leg 194 of lid shield 190 is fixedly received within an undercut 210 formed in cover 108. In a similar manner, a corresponding terminal portion of side leg 195 is fixedly received within a respective undercut (not labeled) formed in an adjacent portion of housing 100. This mounting between lid shield 190 and housing 300 can actually be performed in various ways known in the art, such as through the use of adhesive, welding, snap or other type of fixed connection. With this arrangement, release portion 143 of latch 141 projects from slotted region 202, with slotted regions 201 and 203 being open on either side thereof as clearly shown in
At the end of a washing cycle, lid 132 is typically in the fully open position shown in
In a manner known in the art, at a certain point in a washing cycle for dishwasher 2, latch 141 will be shifted such that lid 132 will move from the closed position toward the open position. The structure and operation of the mechanism to timely open lid 132 and dispense the housed detergent, as well as the timed release of any rinsing aid from rinse aid chamber 112, is not considered part of the present invention such that it will not be detailed herein. Instead, this structure and operation is known in the art, such as disclosed in co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/700,005 entitled “Dispenser for a Drawer-Type Dishwasher” filed Jan. 31, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference. As indicated above, the full opening of lid 132 can be obstructed, such as by utensil 18 within utensil basket 17, or other kitchenware items including pots or pans, which become lodged across lid 132 and prevent lid 132 from properly assuming its fully open position. However, since lid shield 190 extends across housing 100 directly adjacent lid 132 and includes raised guard 208 in accordance with an aspect of the invention, any potentially obstructing kitchenware item will actually contact raised guard 208, while being spaced from lid 132 at least when lid 132 is closed and latched. Even if the kitchenware item obstructs lid 132 from moving to the full open position, the positioning and structure of lid shield 190 still assures that lid 132 will be able to at least partially open, generally in the order of about 5-15°. Even this limited degree of movement by lid 132 causes seal 170 to become unseated, particularly leg 172 from the upper periphery of wall 181. This action, in combination with the inclusion of one or more washout ports 186, 187 assures that washing fluid will be caused to enter into detergent chamber 127 and both the entering washing fluid and the contained detergent to flow out of detergent chamber 127 and into tub 5. That is, washing fluid will be permitted to flow from between lid 132 and housing 100 into detergent chamber 127 through washout ports 186 and 187 and there will be a gap, guaranteed based on the positioning and structure of lid shield 190, at first end wall 155 to enable the washing fluid and detergent to flow over wall 181. With the inclusion of the various slotted regions, such as at 201-203, the washing fluid and detergent will then be able to flow right into tub 5. In this manner, the complete flushing of detergent chamber 183 is assured.
Obviously, if not obstructed, lid 132 can fully open based on the biasing force of spring 137. Certainly, assuming the fully open position is desired for at least filling of detergent chamber 127 and/or prewash chamber 129. In accordance with the overall invention, lid 132 has a preferred range from fully closed to fully open which exceeds 180°, most preferably about 190-200° as illustrated with the angle α beyond the 180° mark. With this arrangement, full and complete access to detergent chamber 127 and pre-wash chamber 129 is assured for the adding of a liquid or solid detergent.
Based on the above, it should be readily apparent that the provision of one or more washout ports 186, 187 in accordance with the invention assures that detergent chamber 127 will be exposed to the flow of washing fluid needed to flush detergent from chamber 127 during a washing cycle. If no obstruction to the opening of lid 132 exists, washout ports will simple enable an increased flow rate of washing fluid into detergent chamber 127. However, if there does exist an obstruction or other reason which prevents lid 132 from fully opening, washout ports 186, 187 will still provide for a requisite amount of washing fluid flow into detergent chamber 127 is enable the proper cleaning of the kitchenware placed in dishwasher 2 for cleaning. With the inclusion of lid shield 190, and particularly guard 208 extending beyond lid 132 in the direction of opening of lid 132, lid 132 will certainly be able to open, at least to the extent needed to permit flushing of the detergent from detergent chamber 127 in combination with washout ports 186, 187. In this particular embodiment described, lid shield 190 is also advantageously structured to establish lower passages at slotted regions 201-203 to accommodate the flow of washing fluid and detergent, while also providing a recessed region for release portion 143 of latch 141.
To further illustrate the invention,
For the sake of completeness, this embodiment depicts lid 352 with an upper or front panel 352, a pair of opposing side walls 353 and 354, and first and second end walls 355 and 356. A body portion of lid 352, adjacent end wall 356, includes a side aperture 364 for pivotally mounting lid 352 to housing 300 in a manner directly corresponding to that described above. In addition, lid 352 is shown to include a series of openings 357 exposed to pre-wash chamber 329 and a down-turned portion 366 at one end of first end wall 355. Also in a manner directly corresponding to the embodiment of
At this point, it should be realized that the exemplary configuration of this embodiment reinforces the notion that the actual construction of the housing, latch, lid and the like of the dispenser utilized in connection with the present invention can greatly vary. Instead, important in connection with the present invention is the inclusion of one or more washout ports associated with detergent chamber 327. In this embodiment, wall 383 of detergent chamber 327 is provided with an upper, elongated cut-out portion defining a single washout port indicated at 386. In addition, housing 300 is, in this embodiment, integrally formed with a lid shield having an associated plateau portion 393 and raised guard 408 (see both
As with the previously described embodiment, the arrangement of
Although described with reference to preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be readily understood that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. For instance, different shield structure may be used while still performing a shielding function by protecting the dispenser from utensils, pots, pans or the like. In addition, various types of latch mechanisms may be employed to hold the lid in the closed position. Furthermore, the shield member may be constituted by a fixed member mounted to an area within the washing chamber or on the interior panel, rather than being mounted to the housing of the detergent dispenser, wherein the lid could still be protected but could pivot. Still further, the washout ports can be formed in additional ways, including providing holes or bores leading to the detergent dispenser below the lid. Finally, it should be recognized that the dispenser of the invention could be located at numerous locations and employed in various dishwasher models, including drawer dishwashers. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.
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