Extra Width Dishwasher

Abstract

A dishwasher includes a cabinet and a wash system slidably mounted within the cabinet in such a manner that it may be withdrawn horizontally out of the cabinet for loading with dishes. The wash system includes an open top wash chamber having a floor and side walls adapted to accommodate dishes within which wash liquid is sprayed. Two rotating spray arms are mounted in the bottom of the chamber for producing a spray of wash liquid within the chamber. A wash pump for pressurising wash liquid discharges into a manifold located on the floor of the chamber. The spray arms receive wash liquid from the manifold. A drain pump evacuates wash liquid from said chamber. A wash chamber closure is mounted in the top of the cabinet. The closure engages with the wash chamber opening to sealably close off the wash chamber on its retraction into the cabinet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic pictorial view showing the double spray arm drawer type dishwasher according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 shows a top view looking into the interior of the wash tub of the present invention with the filter plate removed,

FIG. 3 is a partial oblique view of the componentry mounted in the floor of the wash tub with the filter plate removed,

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional side elevation of the wash tub floor, and wash system including two spray arms,

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of region A in FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 shows a partial underside view of the wash tub.

Claims

1. A dishwasher comprising: (a) a cabinet.(b) a wash system slidably mounted within said cabinet in such a manner that it may be withdrawn horizontally out of said cabinet for loading with dishes, said wash system including: (i) an open top wash chamber having a floor and side walls and adapted to accommodate dishes within which wash liquid is sprayed,(ii) two rotating spray arms mounted in the bottom of said chamber for producing a spray of wash liquid within said chamber,(iii) a wash pump for pressurising said wash liquid which discharges into a manifold located on the floor of said chamber,(iv) said spray arms receiving wash liquid from said manifold,(v) means for evacuating wash liquid from said chamber, and(c) a wash chamber closure mounted in the top of said cabinet which closure is engaged with the wash chamber opening to sealably close off said wash chamber on its retraction into said cabinet.

2. A dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein said wash pump is a centrifugal pump including an impellers within a housing and said housing is located inside said chamber.

3. A dishwasher according to claim 2 wherein said pump housing is located within said mainfold.

4. A dishwasher including to claim 3 wherein said housing has two outlets which discharge into opposing sections of said manifold.

5. A dishwasher according to claim 2 wherein said pump is driven by an electric motor, wherein said motor has a rotor which is mounted in a casing located below the level of the floor of said chamber, and said motor has a stator which co-acts with said rotor and is mounted exteriorly of said casing such that the stator is separated from said rotor by said casing.

6. A dishwasher according to claim 5 wherein said casing is joined integrally with and in the floor of said chamber.

7. A dishwasher according to claim 5 wherein said pump housing is located over said casing and said impeller is mounted on the drive shaft of said rotor.

8. A dishwasher according to claim 5 wherein said means for evacuating wash liquid from said chamber is a centrifugal drain pump formed by a second impeller connected to said rotor drive shaft within said casing co-axial with said wash pump and activated by rotating said rotor in the opposite direction to that which causes said wash pump to be effective.

9. A dishwasher according to claim 2 including a sub-chamber in the bottom of said wash chamber, an annular intake wash liquid to pass into said sub-chamber, said wash pump has an annular inlet in communication with said sub-chamber through which wash liquid is inducted from said sub-chamber in a substantially radial flowpath from said annular intake to said annular inlet and a heating element is mounted in said sub-chamber within the radial flow path to heat wash liquid passing over it.

10. A dishwasher according claim 1 wherein a first spray arm is mounted on said manifold and supplied with wash liquid directly from said manifold, and a second spray arm is mounted on the floor of said chamber remote from said manifold and supplied with wash liquid from said manifold through a conduit which passes under said wash chamber floor.

11. A dishwasher according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said spray arms rotate in parallel but vertically displaced planes which are parallel to the floor of said chamber.

12. A dishwasher according to claim 11 wherein said second spray arm rotates in a plane displaced below that plane in which said first spray arm rotates.

13. A dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein the width of said chamber perpendicular to the direction of sliding is greater than the depth of said chamber in the direction of sliding and said spray arms are mounted on a common axis perpendicular to the direction of sliding.

14. A dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein said spray arms are mounted in positions such that the areas swept by each spray arm overlap.

15. A dishwasher as claimed in claim 10 wherein said conduit enters the floor of said wash chamber at a location outside the sweep of said second spray arm.

16. A dishwasher as claimed in claim 10 wherein said means for evacuating wash liquid from said wash clamber includes a sump formed in the floor of said wash chamber, and an annular channel passing at least substantially around said manifold, said channel falling to said sump, and said conduit enters said floor at a location inside the path of said annular channel.

17. A dishwasher as claimed in claim 9 wherein said sub-chamber is formed between said floor of said wash chamber and a cover plate, said annular inlet being a space between the edge of said cover plate and the floor of the wash chamber.

18. A dishwasher as claimed in claim 1 including a filter plate enclosing the lower portion of said wash tub said spray arms being above said filter plate and the remainder of said wash system being below said filter plate.