Contemporary automatic dishwashers for use in a typical household include a tub and upper and lower racks or baskets for supporting soiled dishes within the tub. A spray system is provided for re-circulating wash liquid throughout the tub to remove soils from the dishes. The spray system can include a spray system assembly that has at least one removable component. The dishwasher can also include a controller that implements a number of pre-programmed cycles of operation to wash dishes contained in the tub.
In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a dishwasher with at least one automatic cycle of operation. The dishwasher includes a tub that defines at least part of a treating chamber for treating dishes, a recirculation circuit having an inlet and an outlet, and a sprayer mount fluidly coupled to the outlet with a first threaded portion. The dishwasher also includes a rotatable sprayer with a spray head and a hub with a second threaded portion. The second threaded portion is threadable with the first threaded portion and spatially related so that the second threaded portion is threaded onto and beyond the first threaded portion when the rotatable sprayer is coupled to the sprayer mount.
Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to an assembly for a dishwasher that includes a diverter valve having a housing incorporating a sprayer mount that includes a first threaded portion. The assembly also includes a rotatable sprayer with a spray head and a hub having a second threaded portion. The second threaded portion is threadable with the first threaded portion and spatially related so that the second threaded portion is threaded onto and beyond the first threaded portion when the rotatable sprayer is coupled to the sprayer mount.
In the drawings:
The aspects of the present disclosure are generally directed toward a spray system assembly for a dishwasher in which at least one component of the spray system assembly is threadably removable. The spray system assembly can include, but is not limited to, a bearing and a rotatable sprayer. The bearing can be a collar or part of a collar where the bearing or the bearing collar includes a first threaded portion. The rotatable sprayer includes a spray head and a hub with a second threaded portion. The rotatable sprayer can be attached to the bearing or bearing collar by threading the second threaded portion of the rotatable sprayer hub into the first threaded portion of the bearing or the bearing collar.
All directional references (e.g., radial, axial, proximal, distal, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, lateral, front, back, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, counterclockwise, upstream, downstream, forward, aft, etc.) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of aspects of the disclosure described herein. Connection references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and joined) are to be construed broadly and can include intermediate members between a collection of elements and relative movement between elements unless otherwise indicated. As such, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to one another. The exemplary drawings are for purposes of illustration only and the dimensions, positions, order and relative sizes reflected in the drawings attached hereto can vary.
In
It should be appreciated that the door assembly 18 can be secured to the lower front edge of the chassis 12 or to the lower front edge of the tub 14 via a hinge assembly (not shown) configured to pivot the door assembly 18. When the door assembly 18 is closed, user access to the treating chamber 16 can be prevented, whereas user access to the treating chamber 16 can be permitted when the door assembly 18 is open.
Dish holders, illustrated in the form of upper and lower racks 26, 28, are located within the treating chamber 16 and receive dishes for washing. The upper and lower racks 26, 28 are typically mounted for slidable movement in and out of the treating chamber 16 for ease of loading and unloading. Other dish holders can be provided, such as a silverware basket. As used in this description, the term “dish(es)” is intended to be generic to any item, single or plural, that can be treated in the dishwasher 10, including, without limitation, dishes, plates, pots, bowls, pans, glassware, and silverware.
A spray system is provided for spraying liquid in the treating chamber 16 and can include, but is not limited to, a spray system assembly 34, a lower spray assembly 36, a rotating mid-level spray assembly 38, and/or an upper spray assembly 40. Upper spray assembly 40, mid-level spray assembly 38, and spray system assembly 34 are located, respectively, above the upper rack 26, beneath the upper rack 26, and beneath the lower rack 28 and are illustrated as rotating spray arms. The lower spray assembly 36 is illustrated as being located adjacent the lower rack 28 toward the rear of the treating chamber 16. The lower spray assembly 36 is illustrated as including a vertically oriented distribution header or spray manifold 44. Such a spray manifold is set forth in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,594,513, issued Sep. 29, 2009, and titled “Multiple Wash Zone Dishwasher,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
A recirculation system 24 is provided for recirculating liquid from the treating chamber 16 to the spray system. An input 29 fluidly couples the recirculation system 24 and the tub 14. The recirculation system 24 can include a sump 30 and a pump assembly 31. The sump 30 collects the liquid sprayed in the treating chamber 16 and can be formed by a sloped or recess portion of a bottom wall of the tub 14. The pump assembly 31 can include both a drain pump 32 and one or more recirculation pumps 33. The drain pump 32 can draw liquid from the sump 30 and pump the liquid out of the dishwasher 10 to a household drain line (not shown). The recirculation pump 33 can draw liquid from the sump 30 and the liquid can be simultaneously or selectively pumped through a supply tube 42 to each of the assemblies 34, 36, 38, 40 for selective spraying. While not shown, a liquid supply system can include a water supply conduit coupled with a household water supply for supplying water to the treating chamber 16. The household water supply can include a household cold water supply, household hot water supply, or a mixture as desired.
A heating system including a heating element 46 can be located within the sump 30 for heating the liquid contained in the sump 30.
A controller 50 can also be included in the dishwasher 10, which can be operably coupled with various components of the dishwasher 10 to implement a cycle of operation. The controller 50 can be located within the door assembly 18 as illustrated, or it can alternatively be located somewhere within the chassis 12. The controller 50 can also be operably coupled with a control panel or user interface 56 for receiving user-selected inputs and communicating information to the user. The user interface 56 can 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 50 and receive information.
As illustrated schematically in
The diverter housing 60 includes the diverter valve 61. In a non-limiting example, the diverter valve 61 is illustrated as a disk with a through hole 69. As well known in the art, the diverter valve 61 can rotate so that the through hole 69 changes location. The diverter housing 60 can include an upper housing 70 above the diverter valve 61 and a lower housing 72 below the diverter valve. In a non-limiting example, the sprayer mount 62 can be mounted to the upper housing 70 of the diverter housing 60. The sprayer mount 62 can include a gap 74.
The diverter housing 60 fluidly couples an outlet 76 of the recirculation system 24 to the sprayer mount 62. The sprayer mount 62 can couple to the hub 66 of the rotatable sprayer 64. The hub 66 is fluidly coupled to the spray head 68 which is fluidly coupled to the treating chamber 16.
The remaining features of the hub 66 and the sprayer mount 62 are best seen in
The sprayer mount 62 can include a first threaded portion 92. The first threaded portion 92 is preferably located inside the sprayer mount 62, although it is not limited to this location, and can be located exteriorly. The first threaded portion 92 is demonstrated in as a protruding nub 94. The nub 94 can have, but is not limited to, an angled or contoured design. Other non-limiting examples of the first threaded portion 92 include a protruding convex thread that is less than one circumference or turn of the sprayer mount 62, or protruding convex thread that circumscribes the circumference of the sprayer mount 62 to form one or more turns, or a concave area capable of engaging convex thread that is less than one circumference or turn of the sprayer mount 62, or a concave area capable of engaging convex thread that circumscribes the circumference of the sprayer mount 62 to form one or more turns.
The first threaded portion 92 has a first thread distal end 96 and a first thread proximal end 98. A first distance 100 can be measured from the first thread distal end 96 to the sprayer proximal end 88 of the sprayer mount 62. The second threaded portion 82 has the second thread distal end 84 and the second thread proximal end 86. The second thread proximal end 86 is a second distance 102 from a base 103 of the spray head 68. The second distance 102 is greater than the first distance 100, which provides for a spatial relationship in which the second threaded portion 82 can be threaded through and beyond the first threaded portion 92. Once the second threaded portion 82 is threaded beyond the first threaded portion 92, the rotatable sprayer 64 can freely rotate clockwise and counterclockwise without unthreading from the sprayer mount 62.
The first and second threaded portions 92, 82 can have vertically-oriented centerlines. The vertically-oriented centerlines for the first threaded portions 92 and the second threaded portions 82 can include centerlines that are the same or centerlines that are different. A non-limiting example is a centerline 104 for the first threaded portions 92 and the second threaded portions 82.
In operation, the hub 66 of the rotatable sprayer 64 can be placed in the sprayer mount 62, illustrated as the first position in
Once the rotatable sprayer 64 is threaded to the sprayer mount 62, as illustrated in
The rotatable sprayer 64 will remain engaged to the sprayer mount 62 until the rotatable sprayer 64 is pushed or pulled in a direction parallel to the central axis centerline 104 that is in the opposite direction and overcomes the retaining force. The push or pull that overcomes the retaining force will also bring the second thread proximal end 86 into contact with the first thread distal end 96. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the rotatable sprayer 64 shown in
When the rotatable sprayer 64 is threadably coupled to the sprayer mount 62, as shown in
To the extent not already described, the different features and structures of the various aspects can be used in combination with each other as desired. That one feature cannot be illustrated in all of the aspects is not meant to be construed that it cannot be, but is done for brevity of description. Thus, the various features of the different aspects can be mixed and matched as desired to form new aspects, whether or not the new aspects are expressly described. Combinations or permutations of features described herein are covered by this disclosure.
This written description uses examples to disclose aspects of the disclosure, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice aspects of the disclosure, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. While aspects of the disclosure have been specifically described in connection with certain specific details 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 disclosure, which is defined in the appended claims.