Dishwashers include a treating chamber in which dishes are placed to be washed according to an automatic cycle of operation. Users are increasingly interested in remote communication with home appliances, including dishwashers, in order to efficiently manage usage of the appliance. It is known to provide a dishwasher with an antenna to facilitate remote communication. Providing a dishwasher with an antenna is challenging because most dishwashers are primarily constructed of metal that is electrically connected to earth ground and acts as a large Faraday shield that does not allow wireless signals to escape the dishwasher. In addition, dishwashers having a door with a metallic front panel that covers the entire front surface of the door are becoming highly desirable because of their sleek, clean, high-end appearance, but such doors serve as large Faraday shields, thus further complicating antenna location for the dishwasher.
An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a dishwasher, comprising a housing, a tub within the housing and at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving dishes for treatment according to the at least one automatic cycle of operation, a controller coupled with at least one controllable component configured to implement the at least one automatic cycle of operation, and a radio system communicably coupled with the controller, the radio system including a plurality of antennas and a radio operably coupled with the plurality of antennas and the controller and where the radio is configured to automatically operate one of the plurality of antennas based on a determined signal strength.
In the drawings:
In
The dishwasher 10 has a housing, which may include a cabinet or chassis 12 that may define an interior of the dishwasher 10. Depending on whether the dishwasher 10 is a stand-alone or built-in, the housing of the dishwasher 10 may be a chassis/frame with or without panels attached, respectively. An open-faced tub 14 may be mounted to the dishwasher housing and provided within the chassis 12, and may at least partially define a treating chamber 16, having an open face 18 defining an access opening, for receiving dishes for treatment.
A closure element 20 may be movably mounted to the dishwasher 10 for movement between opened and closed positions to selectively open and close the open face 18 of the treating chamber 16. Thus, the closure element 20 provides accessibility to the treating chamber 16 for the loading and unloading of dishes or other treatable items. When the closure element 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 closure element 20 is open. The closure element 20 is shown by example in the present disclosure as a door mounted at its lower end, such as by a hinge mounting, for pivoting movement relative to the tub 14, whose open face 18 faces forwardly. Alternatively, the tub 14 may be slidable relative to the chassis 12 with the treating chamber open face 18 facing upwardly, as in a drawer-type dishwasher, and the closure element 20 may be slidable with the tub 14, such as by forming a portion of a drawer housing surrounding the tub 14 or being in the form of a drawer front attached to the front of the tub 14, so that opening and closing the closure element 20 moves the tub 14 relative to the chassis 12 to thereby provide or prevent, respectively, access to the treating chamber open face 18, as will be described later in more detail.
The closure element 20 may include a front panel 22 that extends from at or near an upper edge 24 of the closure element 20 to at or near a lower edge 26 of a closure element 20 so as to cover substantially the entire front face of the closure element 20, with the possible exception of one or more apertures to accommodate elements on the closure element 20, such as, for example, a handle (not shown) to facilitate opening and closing the closure element 20, an illumination display (not shown) (e.g., a light for indicating an operational status of the dishwasher 10), and a window. The front panel 22 may be made of a metallic material, such as stainless steel, or other suitable materials. A user interface 28 may be supported by the closure element 20 so as to be located on or to form an upper face 30 of the closure element 20, facing upwardly when the closure element 20 is in a closed position. This type of closure element may be referred to as an integrated closure element or integrated door as the front panel 22 of the closure element 20 provides a clean, sleek appearance uninterrupted by a forward facing user interface so as to render the dishwasher more integrated with its surroundings, such as cabinetry. When the closure element 20 is in the closed positon, shown in
Dish holders, illustrated in the form of upper and lower dish racks 34, 36, respectively, are located within the treating chamber 16 and receive dishes for washing. The upper and lower racks 34, 36 are typically mounted for slidable movement in and out of the treating chamber 16 for ease of loading and unloading. Other dish holders may be provided, such as a silverware or utensil basket. As used in this description, the term “dish(es)” is intended to be generic to any item, single or plural, that may be treated in the dishwasher 10, including, without limitation, dishes, plates, pots, bowls, pans, glassware, and silverware. While not shown, additional dish holders, such as a silverware basket on the interior of the closure element 20 or a third level rack above the upper rack 34, may also be provided.
A spraying system 38 may be provided for spraying liquid into the treating chamber 16 and is illustrated as having multiple sprayers in the form of an upper sprayer 40, a mid-level sprayer 42, a lower rotatable sprayer 44, and a spray manifold 46. The upper sprayer 40 may be located above the upper rack 34 and is illustrated as a rotatable spray arm that sprays liquid downwardly within the treating chamber 16. Mid-level rotatable sprayer 42 and lower rotatable sprayer 44 are located, respectively, beneath upper rack 34 and lower rack 36 and are illustrated as rotating spray arms. The mid-level sprayer 42 may provide a liquid spray upwardly through the bottom of the upper rack 34. The lower rotatable sprayer 44 may provide a liquid spray upwardly through the bottom of the lower rack 36. The mid-level rotatable sprayer 42 may optionally also provide a liquid spray downwardly onto the lower rack 36, but for purposes of simplification, this will not be illustrated herein. The spray manifold 46 may be fixedly mounted to the tub 14 adjacent to the lower rack 36 and may provide a liquid spray laterally through a side of the lower rack 36. The spray manifold 46 may not be limited to this position; rather, the spray manifold 46 may be located in virtually any part of the treating chamber 16. While not illustrated herein, the spray manifold 46 may include multiple spray nozzles having apertures configured to spray wash liquid towards the lower rack 36. The spray nozzles may be fixed or rotatable with respect to the tub 14.
A liquid recirculation system 48 may be provided for recirculating liquid from the treating chamber 16 to the spraying system 38. The recirculation system 48 may include a sump 50 and a pump assembly 52. The sump 50 collects liquid sprayed in the treating chamber 16 and may be formed by a sloped or recessed portion of a bottom wall of the tub 14. The pump assembly 52 may include both a drain pump 54 and a recirculation pump 56. The drain pump 54 may draw liquid from the sump 50 and pump the liquid out of the dishwasher 10 to a household drain line 58. The recirculation pump 56 may draw liquid from the sump 50 and pump the liquid to the spraying system 38 to supply liquid into the treating chamber 16. While the pump assembly 52 is illustrated as having separate drain and recirculation pumps 54, 56 in an alternative aspect of the present disclosure, the pump assembly 52 may include a single pump configured to selectively supply wash liquid to either the spraying system 38 or the drain line 58, such as by configuring the single pump to rotate in opposite directions, or by providing a suitable valve system. Though not shown, a liquid supply system may be fluidly coupled with the recirculation system 48 and may include a water supply conduit coupled with a household water supply for supplying water to the treating chamber 16.
As shown herein, the recirculation pump 56 has an outlet conduit in fluid communication with the spraying system 38 for discharging wash liquid from the recirculation pump 56 to the sprayers 40, 42, 44, 46. As illustrated, liquid may be supplied to the spray manifold 46, the mid-level rotatable sprayer 42, and the upper sprayer 30 through a supply tube 60 that extends generally rearward from the recirculation pump 56 and upwardly along a rear wall of the tub 14. While the supply tube 60 ultimately supplies liquid to the spray manifold 46, the mid-level rotatable sprayer 42, and the upper sprayer 40, it may fluidly communicate with one or more manifold tubes that directly transport liquid to the spray manifold 46, the mid-level rotatable sprayer 42, and the upper sprayer 40. Further, diverters (not shown) may be provided within the spraying system such that liquid may be selectively supplied to each of the sprayers 40, 42, 44, 46. The sprayers 40, 42, 44, 46 spray water and/or treating chemistry onto the dish racks 34, 36 (and hence any dishes positioned thereon) to effect a recirculation of the liquid from the treating chamber 16 to the liquid spraying system 38 to define a recirculation flow path.
A heating system including a heater 62 may be located within or near the sump 50 for heating liquid contained in the sump 50. A filtering system (not shown) may be fluidly coupled with the recirculation flow path for filtering the recirculated liquid.
A dispensing system may be provided for storing and dispensing treating chemistry to the treating chamber 16. As shown herein, the dispensing system can include a dispenser 64 mounted on an inside surface of the closure element 20 such that the dispenser 64 is disposed in the treating chamber 16 when the closure element 20 is in the closed position. The dispenser 64 is configured to dispense treating chemistry to the dishes within the treating chamber 16. The dispenser 64 can have one or more compartments 66 closed by a door 68 on the inner surface of the closure element 20. The dispenser 64 can be a single use dispenser which holds a single dose of treating chemistry, a bulk dispenser that holds a bulk supply of treating chemistry and is adapted to dispense a dose of treating chemistry from the bulk supply during a cycle of operation, or a combination of both a single use and bulk dispenser. The dispenser 64 can further be configured to hold multiple different treating chemistries. For example, the dispenser 64 can have multiple compartments defining different chambers in which treating chemistries can be held. While shown as being disposed on the closure element 20, other locations of the dispenser 64 are possible.
A controller 70 may also be included in the dishwasher 10, which may be operably coupled with various controllable components of the dishwasher 10 to implement a cycle of operation. The controller 70 may be located beneath the tub 14 as illustrated, or it may alternatively be located elsewhere within the chassis 12 or within the closure element 20. The controller 70 may also be operably coupled with the user interface 28 or other control panel for receiving user-selected inputs and communicating information to the user. The user interface 28 may include operational controls such as dials, lights, switches, and displays enabling a user to input commands, such as a cycle of operation, to the controller 70, and receive information.
The dishwasher 10 may further include a radio system in communication with the controller 70 for the exchange of data between the controller 70 and an external device, such as a home router. The radio system may include multiple antennas for external communication. In many dishwashers, the tub 14 is made from metal. The metal tub 14 and the metallic front panel 22 on the closure element 20 are electrically connected to earth ground and act as large Faraday shields that do not allow wireless signals to escape the dishwasher 10. The dishwasher 10 may employ antenna diversity to improve the quality and strength of the wireless signal, and the multiple antennas of the dishwasher 10 may be located relative to the tub 14 and the closure element 20 such that signals from the antennas are least affected by the metal tub 14 and the metal front panel 22. Even if the dishwasher 10 is provided with a plastic tub 14, antenna coverage may still prove to be an issue if the dishwasher 10 is provided with the metal front panel 22, or if the dishwasher 10 is placed near a metal object, like another appliance.
In the aspect of the present disclosure shown herein, the radio system includes a first antenna 74 and a second antenna 76, with the first antenna 74 located in or on the closure element 20 and the second antenna located in or on the housing. The antennas 74, 76 may be spaced from one another and can be directional, such that a complete, substantially spherical coverage pattern is provided, with each antenna 74, 76 providing an area of coverage. The antennas 74, 76 may need to communicate with a wireless router within the home, and the location of the wireless router with respect to the dishwasher 10 can vary from home to home.
Thus, if the wireless router is somewhere within a first coverage area provided by the first antenna 74, the first antenna 74 alone may be able to communicate with the wireless router. Likewise, if the wireless router is somewhere within a second coverage area provided by the second antenna 76, the second antenna 76 alone may be able to communicate with the wireless router.
The number and location of the antennas can be varied in order to achieve a desired coverage pattern and may depend on factors such as the materials used to construct the dishwasher 10 and the environment in which the dishwasher will be located. For example, a dishwasher having a plastic tub rather than a metal tub may still experience antenna coverage issues if it is placed next to a metal object, such as another appliance like a refrigerator. In one example, one or both of the antennas 74, 76 can be a straight F-antenna, a slot antenna, a PIFA (“planar inverted-F antenna”), or a PESA (“passive electronically scanned antenna”), although other types of antennas may be usable as well.
In the illustrated aspect of the present disclosure, the first antenna is provided on or within the closure element 20 and is referred to herein as a front antenna 74. Because the closure element front panel 22 is metallic and hinders signal transmission forwardly of the dishwasher 10, the front antenna 74 is located proximate the closure element upper face 30 adjacent the user interface 28, facing upwardly when the closure element 20 is in the closed position. The second antenna is provided on or located proximate to a rear of the dishwasher 10, and is referred to herein as a rear antenna 76. A rear wall of the tub 14 or a rear portion of the chassis 12 may define the rear of the dishwasher 10. In the illustrated aspect of the present disclosure, the rear antenna 76 is mounted below the tub 14 in the rear of the dishwasher 10 (i.e., a lower rear side of the dishwasher 10) and can be mounted to an exterior or interior surface of the chassis 12, the tub 14, the frame (not shown), or panels mounted to the frame.
The radio system can further include one or more communication modules which operably couples the front and rear antennas 74, 76 to the controller 70. As illustrated, the front and rear antennas 74, 76 are operably coupled with a common communication module, which may include a radio 78, which is in turn operably coupled with the controller 70. The radio 78 provides an interface between the appliance controller 70 and an external network and can comprise a Wi-Fi radio module. In the illustrated aspect of the present disclosure, the rear antenna 76 is integrated into a printed circuit board (PCB) of the Wi-Fi radio module, and a cable 80 connects the front antenna 74 to the radio 78. In one example, the cable 80 can be a coaxial cable, although other types of cables, connections or wiring may be usable as well. While only the single radio 78 is shown herein, each of the antennas 74, 76 can be coupled with a separate radio, and the rear antenna 76 can be separate from the radio 78 rather than being integrated with the PCB for the radio 78.
As illustrated schematically in
In addition, the sectional view shows that the top plate 92 can overlie the upper edge of the closure element front panel 22 (shown schematically in phantom); alternatively, the top plate 92 can be terminate behind the upper edge of the front panel 22. Either of these configurations, or another configuration, is feasible for the formation of the upper edge 24 of the integrated closure element 20.
Employing antenna diversity with the front and rear antennas 74, 76 and locating the upwardly facing front antenna 74 adjacent the user interface 28 on the upper face 30 of the closure element 20 (
In air, a slot antenna, which is used for the rear antenna 76 in the exemplary disclosure, has a 360° range of coverage, but the metallic front panel 22 and the tub 14, if metallic, interfere with signal transmission between the rear antenna 76 and areas in front of the dishwasher 10. The front antenna 74, positioned as disclosed herein, compensates for these areas of poor signal coverage. In air, a straight F-antenna, which is used for the front antenna 74 in the exemplary disclosure, has a 360° range of coverage, and this range is limited to around 180° when positioned at the upper face 30 of the closure element 20 because of the metallic front panel 22. An alternative antenna with a 180° range of coverage, such as an inverted F-antenna, could be employed for the front antenna 74 as long as it fits within the special constraints of the control console 90 and the closure element 20. In the illustrated aspect of the present disclosure, the straight F-antenna, which is smaller than the inverted F-antenna, is a better fit for the control console 90.
The combination of the front and rear antennas 74, 76, with their ranges of coverage affected by the metallic front panel 22 and the tub 14, if metallic, provides acceptable wireless signal coverage around the entire dishwasher 10. To illustrate this point, the polar graph of
The radio system as described above can be modified for use in any of type of dishwasher or appliance having an upwardly facing user interface along an upper face of an integrated closure element. For example,
Referring to
As described previously, the dishwasher 10 of
One advantage that may be realized in the practice of aspects of the present disclosure of the described systems and methods is that, even with an integrated closure element and a metal tub, the appliance has a complete antenna coverage pattern, such that the appliance can communicate with an external device, regardless of the location of the external device with respect to the appliance. Modifications may be made to the control console and the radio system, such as to accommodate a specific configuration of a dishwasher or to optimize the performance of the radio system. For example, the front antenna can be located within its own housing and/or it can be positioned adjacent the control console rather than being mounted within the control console as long as it is adjacent the upwardly facing user interface on the upper face of the closure element.
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.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/841,566, filed Dec. 14, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,271,709, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/508,197, filed Oct. 7, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,924,849, issued Mar. 27, 2018, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15841566 | Dec 2017 | US |
Child | 16354317 | US | |
Parent | 14508197 | Oct 2014 | US |
Child | 15841566 | US |