1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to dishwashing appliances and, more particularly, to a filtration system for a dishwashing appliance, and an associated apparatus and method.
2. Description of Related Art
The effectiveness of a dishwasher may often be directly related to conditions associated with the washing fluid used thereby. Generally, a dishwasher implements a gravity-fed sump assembly for receiving washing fluid from a house source, from which the washing fluid is circulated by a circulation pump through various spray arms or other fluid-distribution provisions of the dishwasher for removing soils from the dishware disposed therein. After removing the soils and other debris from the dishware, the washing fluid is typically directed through a series of straining/filtering mechanisms associated with the sump assembly prior to being re-circulated through the hydraulic system of the dishwasher.
In some instances, one such straining/filtering mechanism associated with the sump assembly incorporates a drain chamber which acts as a buffer volume for soils-laden washing fluid prior to such washing fluid being pumped out of the dishwasher during a drain cycle performed by the dishwasher. In some instances, the drain chamber may be a so-called “still chamber” where the collected soils are allowed to settle out in the drain chamber. In such instances, the “still chamber” configuration avoids such soils being broken down by washing fluid turbulence/motion and subsequently dispersing back into the circulated washing fluid.
However, in some instances, the dishwasher may also implement a macerator chamber housing a rotating macerator device to chop and break down food soils, though such a macerator chamber may be disposed opposite the drain chamber from the house drain (i.e. the macerator chamber may be fluidly disposed prior to the drain chamber from the house drain). As such, in those instances, the spinning macerator blade and its supporting shaft may create turbulence in the soils-laden washing fluid within the macerator chamber, and this turbulence may, in turn, affect food soils in the drain chamber. As a result, the turbulence may cause the food soils to be driven into the drain chamber and/or expelled from the drain chamber through fluid pathways. To the extent that the food soils are undesirably expelled from the drain chamber and/or macerator chamber, such food soils may undesirably be driven back into the clean, re-circulating washing fluid and eventually onto the dishware disposed within the dishwasher.
Thus, there exists a need for a filtration system and method for permitting a flow (or overflow) of the soils-laden washing fluid with respect to the drain chamber of a dishwasher, the soils-laden washing fluid being received from the macerator chamber of the dishwasher, so as to contain the food soils and contaminants within the drain chamber while facilitating the necessary washing fluid level in the washing fluid circulation system, without re-introducing such food soils/contaminants back into the washing fluid circulation system, and prior to the soils being pumped out of the drain chamber, and out of the dishwasher, during the drain cycle.
The above and other needs are met by embodiments of the present invention which, according to one aspect, provides a filtration system for a dishwasher. Such a system comprises a macerator chamber adapted to house a macerator device, wherein the macerator device and the macerator chamber form a macerator system separately operable from a washing fluid circulation system. The macerator chamber is configured to receive washing fluid for the macerator device to comminute contaminants within the washing fluid. A drain chamber is in fluid communication with the macerator chamber and is configured to receive the washing fluid and comminuted contaminants therefrom via a fluid port therebetween. The drain chamber has a vented member associated therewith, and the vented member defines at least one first vent providing fluid communication between the drain chamber and the washing fluid circulation system. The vented member is spaced apart from the fluid port, and is configured to strain the comminuted contaminants from the washing fluid so as to retain the comminuted contaminants within the drain chamber while allowing the washing fluid to pass therethrough to the washing fluid circulation system.
Another aspect provides a dishwashing appliance, comprising a tub portion adapted to receive dishware therein. A washing fluid circulation system is configured to circulate washing fluid about the dishware within the tub portion. A maceration system is separately operable with respect to the washing fluid circulation system and in fluid communication with the tub portion. The maceration system comprises a macerator device housed by a macerator chamber configured to receive washing fluid from the tub portion for the macerator device to comminute contaminants within the washing fluid. A drain chamber is in fluid communication with the macerator chamber and is configured to receive the washing fluid and comminuted contaminants therefrom via a fluid port therebetween. The drain chamber has a vented member associated therewith, and the vented member defines at least one first vent providing fluid communication between the drain chamber and the washing fluid circulation system. The vented member is spaced apart from the fluid port, and is configured to strain the comminuted contaminants from the washing fluid so as to retain the comminuted contaminants within the drain chamber while allowing the washing fluid to pass therethrough to the washing fluid circulation system.
Yet another aspect provides a method of filtering contaminants in a dishwasher. Such a method comprises circulating washing fluid about dishware within a tub portion with a washing fluid circulation system in fluid communication therewith. The method further comprises directing the washing fluid from the tub portion to a maceration system separately operable with respect to the washing fluid circulation system. The maceration system comprises a macerator device housed by a macerator chamber configured to receive the washing fluid for the macerator device to comminute contaminants therein. The method further comprises directing the washing fluid and comminuted contaminants from the macerator chamber to a drain chamber via a fluid port therebetween. The drain chamber has a vented member associated therewith, and the vented member is spaced apart from the fluid port and defines at least one first vent providing fluid communication between the drain chamber and the washing fluid circulation system. The method further comprises straining the comminuted contaminants from the washing fluid with the vented member so as to retain the comminuted contaminants within the drain chamber while allowing the washing fluid to pass through the at least one first vent to the washing fluid circulation system.
Aspects of the present invention thus provide significant advantages as otherwise detailed herein.
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
The tub portion 12 may further define or have engaged therewith a sump (or sump assembly), generally designated as 14, in which wash water or rinse water is collected, typically under the influence of gravity. The sump 14 may cooperate with a bottom wall 17 of the tub portion 12 to form the lower end 18 of the tub portion 12, wherein the bottom wall 17 may be sloped to direct washing fluid toward the sump 14. With reference to
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6-10, therein is shown a filtration system 300 configured in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The filtration system 300 may generally comprise a macerator chamber 320 and having a drain chamber 340 in communication therewith. In this regard, washing fluid draining toward the sump 14 from the tub portion 12 passes through a first filter device 60 (which is not necessarily considered a component of the filtration system 300 described herein) comprising a coarse filter surrounding a second filter device 70 (which is also not necessarily considered a component of the filtration system 300 described herein), such as a “glass trap.” As generally illustrated by arrows A1 (illustrating the directional path of the washing fluid), the washing fluid passing through the coarse filter (i.e., sufficiently “clean”) may be collected by the sump 14 and directed to the circulation pump fluid inlet 206 and the circulation pump 150 (the circulation pump 150 comprising a circulation pump impeller (not shown) housed by a circulation pump housing at least partially defining the circulation pump fluid inlet 206) for re-circulation. Generally, contaminants too large to fit or otherwise pass through the first filter device 60 (i.e., the coarse filter) may be directed by the washing fluid toward the second filter device 70 (i.e., the glass trap) which, in some instances, may be centrally disposed at the lower end 18 of the dishwasher 10. As generally illustrated by arrows A2, the washing fluid/large contaminants entering the second filter device 70 may be directed through a filter fluid outlet 72 to a macerator system 400 comprised of a macerator (disposal/chopper/comminution) device (not shown) housed by the macerator chamber 320. The macerator device operates to reduce the size of (comminute) the food soils and debris removed from the dishware, and directed therethrough via the glass trap.
In some instances, the macerator device may be driven by a circulation pump motor associated with the circulation pump 150 (though, in other instances, the macerator device may be driven by a separate motor). As such, in those instances, the macerator chamber 320 may be located proximate to or otherwise associated with the circulation pump 150 (
In any instance, once the larger contaminants are acted upon by the macerator device, the washing fluid/macerated particles are directed from the macerator chamber 320 to the drain chamber 340 via a fluid port 310, as generally illustrated by arrow A3. As shown in
Referring to
In one embodiment, the first vent(s) 510 defined by the vented member 500 may be generally spaced apart from the fluid port 310. In some instances, the first vent(s) 510 may be disposed on the opposite end of the drain chamber 340, away from the fluid flow entrance (i.e., the fluid port 310) into the drain chamber 340 from the macerator chamber 320. According to some aspects of the present invention, the first vent 510 defined by the vented member 500 associated with the drain chamber 340 may be located in general proximity to the circulation pump fluid inlet 206, wherein such a configuration effectively shortens the washing fluid return path from the drain chamber 340 to the circulation pump 150 and thus helps to minimize the amount of washing fluid required for the circulation pump 150 to operate without starvation/cavitation. Less water required for circulation pump operation may also result in lower energy use and lower water consumption. For example, because less washing fluid is needed, less energy may be needed to heat the lesser amount of washing fluid volume in processes requiring the washing fluid to be heated.
According to one particular embodiment, as shown in
With further reference to
In one particular aspect, the cover member 600 may include a drain chamber cover portion 530 extending over the drain chamber receptacle and at least partially forming the vented member 500. The drain chamber cover portion 530 may be configured to interact with the drain chamber receptacle defined by the sump 14 to form the drain chamber 340. Further, the cover member 600 may include a circulation pump washing fluid outlet 570. According to one aspect, the circulation pump washing fluid outlet 570 may be configured to extend through a second filter device receptacle 76 defined by the second filter device 70 to connect to the delivery channel 202 for supplying washing fluid directed through the circulation pump washing fluid outlet 570 to the tub portion 12 of the dishwasher 10 via, for example, the lower spray arm 20A.
According to some embodiments of the present invention, as shown in
In some instances, the first vent 510 defined by the vented member 500 may be configured to provide some restriction to the flow of washing fluid therethrough. In some instances, the flow restriction may be provided by or intensified by accumulated particles/contaminants strained/filtered from the washing fluid. As such, according to some embodiments, the filtration system 300 may also comprise an optional/supplemental particle collection chamber 360 in fluid communication with the drain chamber 340. That is, the restricted flow of the washing fluid through the vented member 500 may provide an opportunity for lateral flow of the washing fluid, as generally illustrated by arrows A6. The vented member 500 may thus also extend laterally to cover the particle collection chamber 360 also defined by a portion of the sump 14. The portion of the vented member 500 extending over the particle collection chamber 360 may also define a second vent, generally designated 520, comprising a second plurality of apertures 522 or other filtering structures, similar to the first vent 510 of the vented member 500 associated with the drain chamber 340, thereby facilitating flow of washing fluid through the second vent 520 and providing an additional/supplemental filtering mechanism, as generally illustrated by arrow A7. According to one aspect, the apertures 522 of the second vent 520 extending over the particle collection chamber 360 may be of a smaller size than the apertures 512 of the first vent 510 extending over the drain chamber 340 to cause fine or finer particles (i.e., particles of a size that would allow them to pass through the first vent 510) to be retained within the particle collection chamber 360. That is, the second vent 520 provides a filter mechanism capable of retaining particles carried by the dishwashing fluid that would otherwise be capable of passing through the first vent 510. In this manner, finer particles may be filtered from the washing fluid and retained in the particle collection chamber 360.
According to some embodiments, the vented member 500 may also be configured to facilitate the lateral flow of the washing fluid from the drain chamber 340 toward the particle collection chamber 360 through one or more washing fluid channels 540 defined at least partially by the vented member 500. For example, the use of supplemental rib structures 550 defining such washing fluid channels 540 may be implemented. Such rib structures 550 may be, in some instances, configured to prevent larger particles from entering the particle collection chamber 360 such that the larger particles are retained within the drain chamber 340 and prevented from becoming lodged or otherwise retained within the particle collection chamber 360.
In further embodiments, the vented member 500 may be disposed below the normal water/washing fluid level required for operation (i.e., during a washing fluid circulation procedure) of the dishwasher 10, as illustrated in
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.