ISOLATED VOLTAGE DOOR LATCH FOR AN APPLIANCE

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to circuitry for an appliance for washing and rinsing goods.

BACKGROUND

A dishwasher appliance for washing and rinsing goods generally includes a door that opens to an interior for loading the goods for washing and/or unloading the goods after washing. For safety reasons, a dishwasher appliance may include an electrical cutoff switch in a door latch of the appliance to prevent one or more loads (e.g., a heater, a wash pump, etc.) of the appliance from operating when the door is open. Similar safety considerations may apply to other such appliances having doors and loads. However, Applicant has identified a number of deficiencies and/or problems associated with a door latch of a dishwasher appliance. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified problems have been solved by developing solutions that are included in embodiments of the present disclosure, many examples of which are described in detail herein.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Example embodiments of the present invention relate generally to an isolated voltage door latch for an appliance (e.g., a dishwasher appliance). The details of some embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.

In an embodiment, an appliance comprises a controller and a door contact. The controller is configured to control an electrical load device within the appliance based on a control signal. The door contact is configured to trigger transmission of a sensing signal to an electrical load actuator electrically coupled to the electrical load device. The sensing signal is transmitted to the electrical load actuator via a door latch circuit in a first instance in which the door contact is in a closed state. Furthermore, the electrical load device is configured to be activated in a second instance in which the sensing signal and the control signal are received by the electrical load actuator.

In some embodiments, the electrical load actuator is a relay device, and the sensing signal is transmitted from the door contact to the relay device via the door latch circuit in the first instance in which the door contact is in a closed state.

In some embodiments, the door latch circuit is configured to facilitate the control of the electrical load device based on the sensing signal.

In some embodiments, the door latch circuit is configured to deactivate the electrical load device in an instance in which the door contact is in an open state.

In some embodiments, a live alternating current voltage connection for the electrical load device is configured to be disconnected in an instance in which the door contact is in an open state.

In some embodiments, a neutral alternating current voltage connection for the electrical load device is configured to be disconnected in an instance in which the door contact is in an open state.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to provide the sensing signal to the door latch circuit via the door contact.

In some embodiments, the door latch circuit is further configured to facilitate the control of the electrical load device via a ground voltage signal connected to the electrical load actuator.

In some embodiments, the electrical load device is configured to be activated in a third instance in which the sensing signal, the ground voltage signal, and the control signal are received by the electrical load actuator.

In some embodiments, the control signal is a first control signal, and the electrical load device is configured to be activated in a third instance in which the sensing signal and a second control signal provided by the controller are received by a neutral actuator electrically coupled to the electrical load device.

In some embodiments, the control signal is a first control signal, and the electrical load device is configured to be activated in a fourth instance in which: the sensing signal, the ground voltage signal, and the first control signal are received by the electrical load actuator, and the sensing signal, the ground voltage signal, and a second control signal are received by a neutral actuator electrically coupled to the electrical load device.

In some embodiments, the sensing signal is a direct current (DC) voltage signal. The direct current (DC) voltage signal may be a low-voltage signal.

In some embodiments, the appliance is a dishwasher.

In another embodiment, an appliance comprises a controller and a door latch circuit. The controller is configured to control an electrical load device within the appliance based on a control signal. The door latch circuit is configured to facilitate the control of the electrical load device based on a sensing signal received from a door contact, The door latch signal is configured to transmit the sensing signal to an electrical load actuator electrically coupled to the electrical load device. The sensing signal is transmitted to the electrical load actuator via the door latch circuit in a first instance in which the door contact is in a closed state. Furthermore, the electrical load device is configured to be activated in a second instance in which the sensing signal and the control signal are received by the electrical load actuator.

In some embodiments, the electrical load actuator is a relay device, and the sensing signal is transmitted to the relay device via the door latch circuit in the first instance in which the door contact is in a closed state.

In some embodiments, the door latch circuit is configured to deactivate the electrical load device in an instance in which the door contact is in an open state.

In some embodiments, a live alternating current voltage connection for the electrical load device is configured to be disconnected in an instance in which the door contact is in an open state.

In some embodiments, a neutral alternating current voltage connection for the electrical load device is configured to be disconnected in an instance in which the door contact is in an open state.

The above summary is provided merely for purposes of summarizing some example embodiments to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the above-described embodiments are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the present invention in any way. It will be appreciated that the scope of the present invention encompasses many potential embodiments in addition to those here summarized, some of which will be further described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example dishwasher appliance, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the dishwasher appliance, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 further illustrates a block diagram of an example dishwasher appliance, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 further illustrates a block diagram of an example dishwasher appliance, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example door latch circuit, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates an example electrical load circuit, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 illustrates an example neutral control circuit, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 illustrates an example wiring assembly system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 illustrates a door latch, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 10 illustrates a door latch, in accordance with one or more other embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments are shown. Indeed, the embodiments may take 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 reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. The terms “exemplary” and “example” as may be used herein are not provided to convey any qualitative assessment, but instead merely to convey an illustration of an example. Thus, use of any such terms should not be taken to limit the spirit and scope of embodiments of the present invention.

As discussed above, an appliance may generally include a door that opens to an interior. In some embodiments, the appliance may be a dishwasher and the door may allow for loading the goods for washing and/or unloading the goods after washing. For safety reasons, an appliance may include an electrical cutoff switch circuitry that passes through a door latch, whether locking or merely applying resistance to opening the door, or another location of the door of the appliance (e.g., collectively discussed herein as a “door contact”) to prevent one or more loads (e.g., a heater, a wash pump, a dispenser, a drain pump, etc.) of the appliance from operating when the door is open. These loads are typically powered by high-voltage power (e.g., ˜120 VAC-240 VAC), and the safety features may be configured to prevent the high-powered loads from inadvertently switching on while the door is open (e.g., preventing a heater from turning on and burning a user). Therefore, to provide improved safety and/or performance for the appliance, it is desirable to isolate the high voltage power from the door latch while providing safety cutoff functionality in case the door is opened.

Thus, to address these and/or other issues, an isolated voltage door latch circuit for an appliance (e.g., a dishwasher) is disclosed herein. In one or more embodiments, a first sensing signal is provided through a door contact (e.g., a door latch) to detect continuity and indicate when a door of a dishwasher appliance is open/closed. The door contact may be, for example, incorporated into a physical lock that restrains the door from being opened without an unlocking action (e.g., pulling a handle or lever, or electronically actuating an actuator, such as solenoid); a “catch” that holds the door closed and requires additional force to open without including a separate lock; and/or any other contact between the door and other components of the dishwasher (e.g., a frame or tub wall) to complete an electrical circuit in an instance in which the door is closed.

The first sensing signal can be, for example, a low-voltage signal, such as, without limitation, a signal equal to or approximately equal to 5 VDC. In some embodiments, the low-voltage signal may be a signal configured to be sufficient to detect circuit continuity without posing a safety risk if inadvertently shorted by a user. Furthermore, the first sensing signal can trigger a door latch circuit to operate one or more electrical load actuators that provide power to one or more electrical load devices and/or remove power from one or more electrical load devices. For example, the first sensing signal can pass through the door latch circuit and/or trigger the door latch circuit to generate a second sensing signal to operate the one or more electrical load actuators in an instance in which the door contact is closed and the circuit complete. In an embodiment, the second sensing signal can be a direct current (DC) signal equal to or approximately equal to 12 VDC. The door latch circuit can be, for example, a wiggler circuit configured to control power provided to the one or more electrical load devices. The one or more electrical load actuators can be, for example, one or more relays, one or more semiconductor devices (e.g., one or more solid-state semiconductor device), and/or one or more triodes for alternating current (TRIAC) devices. In one or more embodiments, the one or more electrical load devices can be activated based on the first and/or second sensing signal provided by the door latch circuit and a control signal provided by a microcontroller of the dishwasher appliance. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the one or more electrical load devices can additionally be activated based on an electrical ground connection between the door latch circuit and the one or more electrical load actuators. In certain embodiments, the one or more electrical load devices can additionally be activated based on another control signal provided by the microcontroller and/or a neutral alternating current (AC) signal provided by a neutral actuator for the one or more electrical load devices. In such embodiments, two actuators may be used for each load (e.g., a live-side actuator controlling the live electrical connection to the load and a neutral-side actuator controlling the neutral line electrical connection to the neutral side of the load) with each actuator receiving the sensing signal, the ground connection, and/or one or more control signals. In some example embodiments, the neutral actuator may be shared between two or more loads. Thus, in certain example embodiments, redundant control of the loads may be accomplished (e.g., six-way redundancy for embodiments using a sensing signal, a ground connection, and a control signal for each of the “live” and “neutral” sides of the loads). The redundant control may further ensure that the controller has a final input in activation of the loads. For example, in some embodiments, if the door latch circuitry fails in an open state, no input from the controller may subsequently actuate the loads; however, if the door latch circuitry fails in a closed state, the controller may still ensure that the loads are not inadvertently operated.

In this regard, in one or more embodiments, the microcontroller can generate the low-voltage signal and the door latch circuit can detect the low-voltage signal (e.g., separately from the microcontroller) in an instance in which the door of the dishwasher appliance is closed. Additionally, if the low-voltage signal is detected by the door latch circuit, the door latch circuit can cause the one or more electrical load actuators to connect a live AC voltage line and a neutral AC voltage line to the one or more electrical load devices. In various embodiments, a live AC voltage line can supply AC voltage to the one or more electrical load devices and a neutral AC voltage line can return AC voltage to the one or more electrical load devices. In an embodiment, the live AC voltage line can be connected separately to each of the electrical load devices and the neutral AC voltage line can be commonly connected to all the electrical load devices. As such, by disconnecting both the live AC voltage line and the neutral AC voltage line, increased safety and/or performance for the dishwasher appliance can be provided by providing a redundant technique to reduce likelihood of a hazard condition occurring for the dishwasher appliance. Moreover, by employing one or more control signal provided by the microcontroller in combination with the DC signal provided by the door latch circuit and/or the electrical ground connection between the door latch circuit and the one or more electrical load actuators, a backup source of control for the one or more electrical load devices can be provided (e.g., in an instance in which the door latch circuit or the one or more electrical load actuators is in a state of failure). As such, improved safety, improved performance, and/or improved robustness for a dishwasher appliance can be provided.

FIG. 1 illustrates a dishwasher appliance 1 according to one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. It is to be appreciated that that dishwasher appliances can take on many forms and include many different functionalities. Moreover, it is to be appreciated that the embodiments described herein may be applied to other appliances (e.g., ovens, washing machines, microwaves, and the like) having doors and loads for which the various features benefits of the present disclosure may be used. As such, the dishwasher appliance 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is thus being used to illustrate one or more embodiments of the present disclosure and illustrates an exemplary appliance in which the present application can be applied. The illustrated dishwasher appliance 1 comprises a washing compartment 2, a door 4, a spraying system having a lower spray arm 3 and an upper/middle spray arm 5, a lower rack 6, and/or an upper/middle rack 7. The washing compartment 2 can be, for example, a tub. In one or more embodiments, the door 4 can be configured to close with respect to a body 10 of the dishwasher appliance 1 to seal the washing compartment 2. For example, the washing compartment 2 can be a cavity space within the body 10 of the dishwasher appliance 1. In some embodiments, a door contact (e.g., contact 31 shown in FIG. 3, which may be represented by metal contacts 93, 94 within a door latch 90 configured to contact each other upon closing of the door as shown in FIGS. 9-10) is configured to make electrical contact between the body 10 and the door 4 in an instance in which the door is closed, such as by completing a circuit through a corresponding contact elements in the door and/or body (e.g., both contacts may be inside the door, as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 9-10, or alternatively, one or more contacts may be elsewhere in the dishwasher, such as opposite the door on body of the appliance). As described herein, the door contact may include a door latch or any other means of completing an electrical circuit when the door is closed. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, a controller 11 such as, for example, a microprocessor, is arranged in the dishwasher appliance 1 for controlling washing programs and is communicatively connected to an interface 8 via which a user can select washing programs. In certain embodiments, the door 4 of the dishwasher appliance 1 comprises, on an inner surface of the door 4, a detergent dispenser 9 having a lid controllably opened and closed by the controller 11 for dispensing detergent from the dispenser 9 into the washing compartment 2.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the dishwasher appliance 1 to further illustrate components included in a dishwasher 1, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the cross-sectional view of the dishwasher appliance 1 can be taken along section A shown in FIG. 1; however, any layout capable of performing the functions of the washer may be used. As mentioned above, the dishwasher 1 comprises the washing compartment 2, the door 4, the spraying system having the lower spray arm 3 and the upper/middle spray arm 5, the lower rack 6, and/or the upper/middle rack 7. In one or more embodiments, the washing compartment 2 houses the lower rack 6, and/or the upper/middle rack 7 for accommodating goods to be washed. The goods can include, for example, utensils, cutlery, plates, bowls, cups, drinking-glasses, trays, and/or one or more other types of goods.

Detergent in the form of liquid, powder or tablets can be dosed in a detergent compartment located on the inside of the door 4 (not shown in FIG. 2) of the dishwasher appliance 1. Furthermore, the detergent can be controllably discharged into the washing compartment 2 in accordance with a selected washing program for the dishwasher appliance 1. In one or more embodiments, operation of the dishwasher appliance 1 can be controlled by the controller 11 executing appropriate software 12 stored in a memory 13.

In various embodiments, fresh water can be supplied to the washing compartment 2 via a water inlet 15 and/or a water supply valve 16. The fresh water can be collected in a sump 17 configured to mixed with the discharged detergent to provide process water 18. As recited herein, “process water” can be meant a liquid containing mainly water that is used in and/or circulates in the dishwasher appliance 1. The process water is water that may contain detergent and/or rinse aid in a varying amount. The process water may also contain soil, such as food debris or other types of solid particles, as well as dissolved liquids or compounds. Process water used in a main wash cycle is sometimes referred to as the wash liquid. Process water used in a rinse cycle is sometimes referred to as cold rinse or hot rinse depending on the temperature in the rinse cycle. The pressurized fluid supplied to the detergent dispensing device according to embodiments of the present disclosure thus at least partly contains process water.

In one or more embodiments, a filter 19 can be located approximately at a bottom of the washing compartment 2 for filtering soil from the process water 18 before the process water 18 leaves the compartment via process water outlet 20 for subsequent re-entry into the washing compartment 2 through circulation pump 21. Thus, in one or more embodiments, the process water 18 passes the filter 19 and is pumped through the circulation pump 21, which typically is driven by a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor 22, via a duct 23 and process water valve 24 and sprayed into the washing compartment 2 via nozzles (not shown) of a wash arm 3 and/or a wash arm 5 respectively associated with the lower rack 6 and/or the upper/middle rack 7. Thus, the process water 18 can exit the washing compartment 2 via the filter 19. Furthermore, the process water 18 can be recirculated via the circulation pump 21 and can be sprayed onto the goods to be washed accommodated in the respective basket via nozzles of the wash arm 3 and/or the wash arm 5. Further, a controllable heater 14 can be arranged in the sump 17 for heating the process water 18.

The washing compartment 2 of the dishwasher appliance 1 can be drained on process water 18 with a drain pump 29 driven by a BLDC motor 30. It is to be appreciated that the drain pump 29 and the circulation pump 21 can be driven by a single motor or respective motors. A sensing arrangement 25 can be arranged at the circulation pump 21 for measuring, for example, flow rate of the process water 18 passing through the circulation pump 21.

FIG. 3 further illustrates a block diagram of a dishwasher appliance 1 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In one or more embodiments, the dishwasher appliance 1 comprises the controller 11, a door contact 31 (e.g., comprising one or more contact elements 93, 94 shown and described with respect to FIGS. 9-10), a door latch circuit 32, an electrical load actuator 33, and/or one or more electrical load devices 34. In one or more embodiments, an electrical load circuit 45 of the dishwasher appliance 1 comprises at least the electrical load actuator 33 and/or one or more electrical load devices 34. In an embodiment, the controller 11 can control the one or more electrical load devices 34 within the dishwasher appliance 1 based on a control signal 36. The door contact 31 can be an electrical circuit component that passes an electrical voltage and/or an electrical signal in an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in a closed state. In some embodiments, the door 4 can be in the closed state in an instance in which the door contact 31 is in contact with a corresponding body contact of the body 10 of the dishwasher appliance 1. For example, the door contact 31 can be in a conductive state in an instance in which contacts of the door contact 31 touch when the door 4 is closed. In an aspect, the door 4 can be in the closed state in an instance in which the door contact 31 is in a conductive state and/or a door latch mechanism for the door 4 is mechanically altered to provide the closed state. Additionally, the door contact 31 can be configured to not pass electrical voltage and/or an electrical signal in an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in an open state. The door 4 can be in the open state in an instance in which the door contact 31 is not in contact with a corresponding body contact of the body 10 of the dishwasher appliance 1. In an aspect, the door 4 can be in the open state in an instance in which the door contact 31 is in a non-conductive state and/or a door latch mechanism for the door 4 is mechanically altered to provide the open state. In an embodiment, the door latch circuit 32 can trigger deactivation of the one or more electrical load devices 34 in an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in an open state. Additionally, in an embodiment, the door latch circuit 32 can trigger activation of the one or more electrical load devices 34 in an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in a closed state. In certain embodiments, a live AC voltage connection for the one or more electrical load devices 34 can be disconnected in an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in an open state (e.g., the electrical load actuator may be configured to connect and/or disconnect the live AC voltage from the power mains of the building depending upon its closed/open state). In certain embodiments, a neutral AC voltage connection for the one or more electrical load devices 34 can additionally or alternatively be disconnected in an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in an open state (e.g., the electrical load actuator may be configured to connect and/or disconnect the neutral AC voltage from the power mains of the building depending upon its closed/open state).

The door latch circuit 32 can facilitate the control of the one or more electrical load devices 34 based on DC voltage signal 38 and/or latch_gnd 53. In some embodiments, the door latch circuit 32 may be an independent circuit from the controller (e.g., may be separate from the main PCB of the controller 11). In the depicted embodiments, all three signal lines (e.g., a control signal 36, a latch_gnd 53, and a DC voltage 38) must be connected to at least a portion of the respective electrical load actuators 33 before the actuator completes the corresponding electrical connection to the one or more electrical load devices 34. The DC voltage signal 38 can be equal to or approximately equal to 12 VDC, for example. The latch_gnd 53 can be an electrical ground connection between the door latch circuit 32 and the electrical load actuator 33. The one or more electrical load devices 34 can include, for example, one or more wash pumps, one or more drain pumps, one or more circulation pumps, one or more filling valves, one or more dispensers, and one or more heaters, one or more motors, and/or one or more other electrical load devices. In one or more embodiments, the one or more electrical load devices 34 can be activated via high-voltage power (e.g., ˜120 VAC or ˜240 VAC). In some embodiments, the electrical loads may be powered by alternating current.

In one or more embodiments, the door contact 31 can trigger transmission of the depicted door_sw_out signal 51 through the door contact 31. The door_sw_out signal 51 can be, for example, a first sensing signal to facilitate determining whether the door 4 is in a closed state or an open state. In an embodiment, the door_sw_out signal 51 can be a low-voltage signal equal to or approximately equal to 5 VDC. Additionally, the DC voltage signal 38 can be a second sensing signal. In an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in a closed state, the door latch circuit 32 can receive door_sw_in signal 50. In an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in a closed state, the door_sw_in signal 50 can correspond to the first sensing signal (e.g., door_sw_out signal 51) transmitted by the door latch circuit 32. However, in an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in an open state, the door_sw_in signal 50 can be equal to or approximately equal to 0 VDC. In one or more embodiments, the one or more electrical load devices 34 can be activated via the electrical load actuator 33 in an instance in which at least the door_sw_in signal 50 corresponds to the first sensing signal (e.g., door_sw_out signal 51) transmitted by the door latch circuit 32, assuming any other required electrical conditions are met as discussed herein.

In an embodiment, the electrical load actuator 33 is a relay device and the DC voltage signal 38 can be transmitted to the relay device via the door latch circuit 32 in an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in a closed state. In another embodiment, the electrical load actuator 33 is a semiconductor device (e.g., a solid-state semiconductor device such as, for example, a thyristor) and the DC voltage signal 38 can be transmitted to the semiconductor device via the door latch circuit 32 in an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in a closed state. In another embodiment, the electrical load actuator 33 is a TRIAC device and the DC voltage signal 38 can be transmitted to the TRIAC device via the door latch circuit 32 in an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in a closed state. However, it is to be appreciated that, in certain embodiments, the electrical load actuator 33 can be a different type of electrical load actuator configured to facilitate operation of the one or more electrical load devices 34. In some embodiments, the electrical load actuator 33 may require simultaneous receipt of a plurality of signals (e.g., control signal 36, DC voltage signal 38, and/or latch_gnd 53) before connecting the electrical load devices 34 to the corresponding high-voltage power line (e.g., live AC or neutral AC).

In one or more embodiments, the controller 11 can generate the door_sw_out signal 51 in an instance in which a control signal 52 is received from the controller 11. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, the controller 11 can provide the DC voltage signal 38 (e.g., +12 VDC) to the electrical load actuator 33 in an instance in which a control signal 37 is received from the controller 11, which may provide an additional redundancy to the circuit. In one or more embodiments, the control signal 37 can be generated in an instance in which the controller 11 receives a door_s signal 54 from the door latch circuit 32. In an embodiment, the one or more electrical load devices 34 can be activated in an instance in which the DC voltage signal 38, the control signal 36, and the latch_gnd 53 are connected to one or more electrical load actuators 33 (e.g., the electrical load devices 34 may only be operated, in some embodiments, when both a positive and a ground signal are connected to the electrical load actuator(s) 33 through the door latch circuit 32 and the controller calls for operation of the electrical load device). In one or more embodiments, an AC voltage signal 39 provided to the one or more electrical load devices 34 (e.g., to activate the one or more electrical load devices 34) includes a live AC voltage connection for the one or more electrical load devices 34. For example, as described herein, the power mains may be connected to the electrical load devices 34 (e.g., as the AC voltage signal 39) by operation of the electrical load actuator(s) 33.

It is to be appreciated that, the controller 11 may be embodied in a number of different ways. In some embodiments, the controller 11 includes a microprocessor. For example, the processor may be embodied as one or more of various hardware processing means such as a microprocessor, or a coprocessor. The controller 11 may also be embodied in various other processing circuitry including integrated circuits such as, for example, an FPGA (field programmable gate array), a microcontroller unit (MCU), an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), or a special-purpose electronic chip. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the controller 11 may include one or more processing cores configured to perform independently. A multi-core processor may enable multiprocessing within a single physical package. Additionally or alternatively, the processor may include one or more processors configured in tandem via the bus to enable independent execution of instructions, pipelining, and/or multithreading.

In an example embodiment, the controller 11 may be configured to execute instructions, such as computer program code or instructions, stored in memory circuitry (e.g., non-transitory memory connected to the processor) or otherwise accessible to the controller 11. Alternatively or additionally, the controller 11 may be configured to execute hard-coded functionality. As such, whether configured by hardware or software instructions, or by a combination thereof, the controller 11 may represent a computing entity (e.g., physically embodied in circuitry) configured to perform operations according to an embodiment of the present invention described herein. For example, when the controller 11 is embodied as an ASIC, FPGA, or similar, the processor may be configured as hardware for conducting the operations of an embodiment of the invention. Alternatively, when the controller 11 is embodied to execute software or computer program instructions, the instructions may specifically configure the controller 11 to perform the algorithms and/or operations described herein when the instructions are executed. However, in some cases, the controller 11 may include a processor of a device (e.g., a mobile terminal or a fixed computing device) specifically configured to employ an embodiment of the present invention by further configuration of the processor using instructions for performing the algorithms and/or operations described herein. The controller 11 may further include a clock, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and logic gates configured to support operation of the controller 11, among other things. In some embodiments, the controller 11 may include or may otherwise be associated with a power supply configured to generate the respective signals (e.g., SVDC, 12 VDC, etc.) described herein. In one or more embodiments, the control signal 36, the control signal 37, and/or the control signal 52 provided by the controller 11 can be configured as a square wave signal (e.g., a DC square wave signal) or another dynamic signal. In some embodiments, the square wave may allow the signal to be differentiated from a ground or constant DC voltage, such as in the event of a short. A high pass filter may be used as discussed herein in conjunction with the square wave signal or other dynamic signal.

FIG. 4 further illustrates the dishwasher appliance 1 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In one or more embodiments, the dishwasher appliance 1 comprises the controller 11, the door contact 31 (e.g., comprising one or more contact elements 93, 94 shown and described with respect to FIGS. 9-10), the door latch circuit 32, and the electrical load circuit 45. In one or more embodiments, the electrical load circuit 45 comprises the electrical load actuator 33, a neutral actuator 43, and/or the one or more electrical load devices 34. The neutral actuator 43 can control transmission of neutral_sw 80 to the one or more electrical load devices 34. For example, the neutral_sw 80 can be a neutral AC signal provided to each of the one or more electrical load devices 34. The neutral actuator 43 can be, for example, a relay device or any other actuator capable of connecting the neutral line to the electrical load device(s) 34 upon receipt of one or more signals (e.g., control signal 46, dc voltage signal 38, and/or latch_gnd 53). In an embodiment, the neutral actuator 43 provides the neutral_sw 80 to the one or more electrical load devices 34 in an instance in which the DC voltage signal 38, the control signal 46, and the latch_gnd 53 are received by the neutral actuator 43. In certain embodiments, the one or more electrical load devices 34 can be activated (e.g., the AC voltage 39 and the neutral_sw 80 can be provided to the one or more electrical load devices 34) in an instance in which the DC voltage signal 38 is received by the electrical load actuator 33, the control signal 36 is received by the electrical load actuator 33, the latch_gnd 53 is received by the electrical load actuator 33, the control signal 46 is received by the neutral actuator 43, the DC voltage 38 is received by the neutral actuator 43, and the latch_gnd 53 is received by the neutral actuator 43. As discussed herein, in some embodiments, at least the neutral actuator 43 may be common to a plurality of electrical load devices 34 (e.g., a single actuator may control the neutral connection to multiple devices).

FIG. 5 illustrates the door latch circuit 32 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Although a specific circuit layout is shown as one example, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, in light of the present disclosure, that any number of circuit configurations designed to achieve the functionalities described herein may be used. In certain embodiments, one or more resistive electrical components, one or more diodes, one or more capacitors, and/or one or more other electrical components of the door latch circuit 32 can be added to the door latch circuit 32 and/or removed from the door latch circuit 32 to achieve the functionalities for the door latch circuit 32 described herein. In an embodiment, the door latch circuit 32 can be configured as a wiggler circuit configured to control power provided to the one or more electrical load devices 34 of the dishwasher appliance 1. In certain embodiments, the door latch circuit 32 can be configured to control power provided to the one or more electrical load devices 34 of the dishwasher appliance 1 as a redundant failsafe with the controller 11, For example, the door latch circuit 32 may provide redundancy in some embodiments by receiving certain signals may be generated by the controller 11, such as control signals 52 and/or 37, and connecting the resulting DC voltage signal 38 and/or latch_gnd 53 to the electrical actuator 33, in some embodiments, without requiring connection through, communication with, and/or analysis by the controller 11 in all instances. For example, in some embodiments, opening of the door 4 may cause the door latch circuit 32 to disable the electrical loads, via not connecting the DC voltage signal 38 and/or latch_gnd 53, without requiring any analysis, disabling signal, and/or other electrical cutoff from the controller 11. In certain embodiments, the door latch circuit 32 can be configured to control power provided to the one or more electrical load devices 34 of the dishwasher appliance 1 based on one or more control signals communicated between the door latch circuit 32 and the controller 11. In some embodiments, the door latch circuit 32 may return an intermediate signal (e.g., door_s signal 54) to the controller, which may prompt generation of control signal 37, providing a further failsafe.

The door latch circuit 32 can be configured to receive the door_sw_in signal 50 in an instance in which the door 4 is in a closed state. For example, an electrical node 507 of the door latch circuit 32 can receive the door_sw_in signal 50 corresponding to the first sensing signal (e.g., door_sw_out signal 51) transmitted by the door latch circuit 32 in an instance in which the door contact 31 and/or the door 4 is in a closed state (e.g., door_sw_out 51 and door_sw_in 50 may be the respective outbound and inbound legs of a circuit passing through the door contact (e.g., door latch) to indicate that the door is closed). The electrical node 502 can be electrically coupled to a resistive electrical component 516. As disclosed herein, a “resistive electrical component” can be a resistor or another type of passive electrical component configured to provide electrical resistance, reduce current flow, adjust a voltage level, and/or provide biasing. The resistive electrical component 516 can also be electrically coupled to an electrical ground. Furthermore, resistive electrical component 516 can also be electrically coupled to electrical node 508 of the door latch circuit 32.

The electrical node 508 can be electrically coupled to a diode component 512, a capacitor component 514, a resistive electrical component 516, and/or a resistive electrical component 518. The diode component 512 can be configured to provide switching functionality based on a state of the door contact 31 and/or the door 4. For example, the door latch circuit 32 can receive the door_sw_in signal 50 from the door 4 in an instance in which a latch connection for the door 4 is complete. In certain embodiments, a resistive electrical component 518 can be electrically coupled to the electrical node 508.

The door_sw_out signal 51 can be generated based on the control signal 52. For example, in one or more embodiments, the controller 11 provides the control signal 52 to the door latch circuit 32 to facilitate the door latch detection and activation of the one or more electrical load devices 34. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, the door_sw_out signal 51 can be provided to the door 4. In one or more embodiments, a transistor 524 can be employed to provide buffering of the control signal 52 to configure the door_sw_out signal 51 as a +5V signal, for example. The transistor 524 can be, for example, a PNP transistor. In certain embodiments, the control signal 52 can be provided to a resistive electrical component 526. The resistive electrical component 526 can also be electrically coupled to an electrical node 528 of the door latch circuit 32. In addition to being electrically coupled to the resistive electrical component 526, the electrical node 528 can electrically couple a resistive electrical component 530, a capacitor component 532, and/or the transistor 524. The resistive electrical component 530 and the capacitor component 532 can also be electrically coupled to a +5 V power source to, for example, configure the door_sw_out signal 51 as a +5V signal. In certain embodiments, the door_sw_out signal 51 can be generated based on a resistive electrical component 520 that is electrically coupled to the resistive electrical component 518 via an electrical node 522. The resistive electrical component 520 can also be electrically coupled to an electrical ground.

In one or more embodiments, the door latch circuit 32 comprises a switch 535 to facilitate generation of the DC voltage signal 38 based on the door_sw_in signal 50. The switch 535 can be, for example, a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). In certain embodiments, the switch 535 can be a MOSFET configured with N-channel logic to facilitate generation of the DC voltage signal 38 based on the door_sw_in signal 50. In an embodiment, a resistive electrical component 536 and a diode component 537 can be electrically coupled to the capacitor component 514 to condition the door_sw_in signal 50 as input for the switch 535. The resistive electrical component 536 can also be electrically coupled to an electrical ground. Furthermore, the diode component 537 can also be electrically coupled to a capacitor component 538 and a resistive electrical component 539 to condition the door_sw_in signal 50 for the switch 535. The capacitor component 538 can also be electrically coupled to an electrical ground. Furthermore, the resistive electrical component 539 can also be electrically coupled to a resistive electrical component 540 and the switch 535. In an embodiment, the capacitor component 514 and the resistive electrical component 536 can be configured as a high-pass filter (e.g., a passive high-pass filter, a high-pass RC filter, etc.) for the door_sw_in signal 50. For example, in one or more embodiments, the door_sw_in signal 50 can be configured as a square wave signal or other dynamic signal (e.g., a 5 VDC square wave signal) and the high-pass filter corresponding to the capacitor component 514 and the resistive electrical component 536 can prevent a non-dynamic DC voltage from triggering the switch 535. For example, the high-pass filter corresponding to the capacitor component 514 and the resistive electrical component 536 can be configured to activate the switch 535 in an instance in which a square wave signal (e.g., a 5 VDC square wave signal) is provided to the switch 535 to, for example, prevent a shorting scenario and/or a malfunction associated with the switch 535.

In one or more embodiments, the door latch circuit 32 comprises a switch 547 to facilitate transmission of the DC voltage signal 38 to electrical load circuit 45. The switch 547 can be, for example, a MOSFET. In certain embodiments, the switch 547 can be a MOSFET configured with N-channel logic to facilitate transmission of the DC voltage signal 38 to the door circuit 40 and/or the electrical load circuit 45. In an embodiment, the door latch circuit 32 comprises a capacitor component 548, a resistive electrical component 549, and/or a diode component 550 configured to condition the control signal 37 for a transistor 551. The transistor 551 can be configured to control the switch 547 based on the control signal 37 and/or the door_sw_in signal 50. In another embodiment, the door latch circuit 32 further comprises a resistive electrical component 552, a resistive electrical component 553, a resistive electrical component 554, a capacitor component 555, a resistive electrical component 556, a resistive electrical component 557, and/or a capacitor 558 employed to configure the DC voltage signal 38 as a +12V signal. In an embodiment, the capacitor component 548 and the resistive electrical component 549 can be configured as a high-pass filter (e.g., a passive high-pass filter, a high-pass RC filter, etc.) for the control signal 37. For example, in one or more embodiments, the control signal 37 can be configured as a square wave signal or other dynamic signal and the high-pass filter corresponding to the capacitor component 548 and the resistive electrical component 549 can prevent a non-dynamic DC voltage from triggering the switch 547. For example, the high-pass filter corresponding to the capacitor component 548 and the resistive electrical component 549 can be configured to activate the switch 547 in an instance in which a square wave signal is provided to the switch 547 to, for example, prevent a shorting scenario and/or a malfunction associated with the switch 547. In certain embodiments, the door latch circuit 32 comprises a transistor 560 that is configured to provide a +5V signal to the transistor 551 based on the control signal 37. In certain embodiments, a resistive electrical component 561, a resistive electrical component 562, and/or a capacitor 563 can optionally condition the control signal 37 for the transistor 560. In certain embodiments, a resistive electrical component 564 and/or a resistive electrical component 565 can further condition the control signal 37 and/or the +5V signal for the transistor 551. In certain embodiments, the control signal 37 can be provided to at least the resistive electrical component 561 to minimize fluctuations (e.g., spikes) associated with the control signal 37.

In one or more embodiments, the door latch circuit 32 comprises a switch 541 to facilitate transmission of latch_gnd 53 associated with electrical ground for the electrical load circuit 45. The switch 541 can be, for example, a MOSFET. In certain embodiments, the switch 541 can be a MOSFET configured with N-channel logic to facilitate transmission of the latch_gnd 53 to the electrical load circuit 45. In an embodiment, a resistive electrical component 542 and a diode component 543 can be electrically coupled to the capacitor component 512. The resistive electrical component 542 can also be electrically coupled to an electrical ground. Furthermore, the diode component 543 can also be electrically coupled to a capacitor component 544 and a resistive electrical component 545. The capacitor component 544 can also be electrically coupled to an electrical ground. Furthermore, the resistive electrical component 545 can also be electrically coupled to a resistive electrical component 546 and the switch 541. In certain embodiments, the door latch circuit 32 includes a resistive electrical component 502 electrically coupled to a diode component 506. In certain embodiments, the electrical node 508 can also be electrically coupled to a resistive electrical component 510 and/or a capacitor component 512. The resistive electrical component 510 can also be electrically coupled to an electrical ground. In an embodiment, the capacitor component 512 and the resistive electrical component 542 can additionally or alternatively be configured as a high-pass filter (e.g., a passive high-pass filter, a high-pass RC filter, etc.) for the door_sw_in signal 50. For example, in one or more embodiments, the door_sw_in signal 50 can be configured as a square wave signal or another dynamic signal (e.g., a 5 VDC square wave signal) and the high-pass filter corresponding to the capacitor component 510 and the resistive electrical component 542 can prevent a non-dynamic DC voltage from triggering the switch 541. For example, the high-pass filter corresponding to the capacitor component 510 and the resistive electrical component 542 can be configured to activate the switch 541 in an instance in which a square wave signal (e.g., a 5 VDC square wave signal) is provided to the switch 541 to, for example, prevent a shorting scenario and/or a malfunction associated with the switch 541.

In certain embodiments, the door_s signal 54 can be provided via an electrical node 509 of the door latch circuit 32. In one or more embodiments, the resistive electrical component 502 and the resistive electrical component 504 can be electrically coupled to the electrical node 509. In one or more embodiments, the door_sw_in 50 signal can cause the door_s signal 54 to be provided via the electrical node 509. In certain embodiments, the door_s signal 54 can be provided to the controller 11 to initiate generation of the control signal 37 by the controller 11. For example, in one or more embodiments, the door latch circuit 32 can receive the control signal 52 from the controller 11 and the door_sw_out signal 51 can be configured as a +5V signal (e.g., a square wave) for transmission through the door contact 31. In an instance in which the door 4 is in a closed state, the door latch circuit 32 can receive the door_sw_in signal 50, which can be provided to the electrical node 508 to generate the door_s signal 54 in parallel to connection of the latch_gnd 53 and/or transmission of the door_sw_in signal 50 to the switch 535. In response to receiving the door_s signal 54, the controller 11 can generate the control signal 37 to facilitate generation of the DC voltage signal 38. For example, the controller 11 can be configured to wait for receival of the door_s signal 54 before transmitting the control signal 37 to the door latch circuit 32 to trigger generation of the DC voltage signal 38. As such, the DC voltage signal 38 can be generated based on both the door_sw_in signal 50 and the control signal 37 being received by the door latch circuit 32. In one or more embodiments, the transistor 551 can be activated by the control signal 37 and the switch 535 can be activated by the door_sw_in signal 50 to initiate generation of the DC voltage signal 38. In certain embodiments, the door latch circuit 32 can generate DC sense 55 to provide a sensing signal to the controller 11 in response to generation of the DC voltage signal 38. In certain embodiments, the door latch circuit 32 can include a resistive electrical component 570, a resistive electrical component 571, a resistive electrical component 572, a capacitor 573, and/or a diode component 574 to facilitate configuring DC sense 55 as a +5V sensing signal for the controller 11 to indicate that the electrical load actuator 33 is being activated by the door latch circuit 32.

FIG. 6 illustrates an electrical load circuit 45 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The electrical load circuit 45 can include the electrical load actuator 33 and the one or more electrical load devices 34. For example, in one or more embodiments, the electrical load actuator 33 corresponds to the one or more electrical load actuators 33a-e and the one or more electrical load devices 34 corresponds to the one or more electrical load devices 34a-e. In a non-limiting embodiment, electrical load actuators 33a is a first relay device, electrical load actuators 33b is a second relay device, electrical load actuators 33c is a first TRIAC device, electrical load actuators 33d is a second TRIAC device, and electrical load actuators 33e is a third relay device. Additionally, in a non-limiting embodiment, electrical load device 34a is a wash pump, electrical load device 34b is a drain pump, electrical load device 34c is a filling valve, electrical load device 34d is a dispenser, and electrical load device 34e is a heater. In one or more embodiments, the one or more electrical load actuators 33a-e can be controlled based on respective control signals 36a-e. The control signal 36 can correspond to the respective control signals 36a-e. For example, the respective control signals 36a-e can be generated by the controller 11 to facilitate activation of the one or more electrical load devices 34.

In an embodiment, the electrical load device 34a can be configured to be activated in an instance in which the control signal 36a, the DC voltage signal 38, and/or the latch_gnd 53 are received by the electrical load actuator 33a. Additionally or alternatively, the electrical load device 34b can be configured to be activated in an instance in which the control signal 36b, the DC voltage signal 38, and/or the latch_gnd 53 are received by the electrical load actuator 33b. Additionally or alternatively, the electrical load device 34c can be configured to be activated in an instance in which the control signal 36c and/or the latch_gnd 53 are received by the electrical load actuator 33c. Additionally or alternatively, the electrical load device 34d can be configured to be activated in an instance in which the control signal 36d and/or the latch_gnd 53 are received by the electrical load actuator 33d. Additionally or alternatively, the electrical load device 34e can be configured to be activated in an instance in which the control signal 36e, the DC voltage signal 38, and/or the latch_gnd 53 are received by the electrical load actuator 33e. According to one or more embodiments, the one or more electrical load actuators 33a-e can be activated based on a line_door signal 41 respectively provided to the one or more electrical load actuators 33a-e. The line_door signal 41 can be a live AC line associated with AC voltage (e.g., 120V). In certain embodiments, the electrical load circuit 45 further includes a neutral control circuit 70 that controls a neutral AC line (e.g., neutral_sw 80) provided to the one or more electrical load devices 34a-e, which may be used to connect the neutral side of each load, either individually or for all loads simultaneously.

In some embodiments, additional safety and/or control features may be incorporated into the appliance without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, a thermostat circuit 62 is shown connected to the heater 34e in the embodiment of FIG. 6. The thermostat circuit 62 is configured to trip and disconnect the load(s) from the heater 34e in an instance in which a detected temperature is higher than a predetermined threshold, which may act as a failsafe to prevent overheating of the appliance components.

FIG. 7 illustrates the neutral control circuit 70 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In one or more embodiments, neutral_sw 80 can be generated in an instance in which the control signal 46, the DC voltage signal 38, and/or the latch_gnd 53 are received by the neutral actuator 43, which may be an embodiment of the electrical load actuators. The neutral_sw 80 can be a neutral AC voltage connection for each of the one or more electrical load devices 34a-e. In an embodiment, the electrical load actuator 33f can be configured to disconnect the neutral_sw 80 from each of the one or more electrical load devices 34a-e in an instance in which the door 4 is in an open state (e.g., the door contact 31, 93, 94 is disconnected). In another embodiment, the electrical load actuator 33f can be configured to provide the neutral_sw 80 to each of the one or more electrical load devices 34a-e in an instance in which the door 4 is in a closed state. In certain embodiments, the neutral actuator 43 can be configured to operate in an alternate mode (e.g., a high-voltage control mode) based on a neutral signal 60 provided to the neutral actuator 43.

FIG. 8 illustrates a wiring assembly system 80 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The wiring assembly system 80 includes a wiring assembly apparatus 81 and the door contact 31. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, the wiring assembly system 80 includes one or more electrical components of the dishwasher appliance 1 such as, for example, turbidity/thermistor 82 and/or fan 83. The wiring assembly apparatus 81 can be, for example, a low-voltage wiring harness configured to transmit door signals for the door contact 31 via a set of wires and/or a set of passive electrical components. In an embodiment, the wiring assembly apparatus 81 includes a first terminal that transmits the door_sw_in signal 50 via a first electrical connection (e.g., a first wired connection), a second terminal that receives a turbidity_in signal 85 for the turbidity/thermistor 82 via a second electrical connection (e.g., a second wired connection), a third terminal that transmits a turbidity_out signal 86 for the turbidity/thermistor 82 via a third electrical connection (e.g., a third wired connection), a fourth terminal that transmits a thermistor signal 87 for the turbidity/thermistor 82 via a fourth electrical connection (e.g., a fourth wired connection), a fifth terminal that is coupled to electrical ground via a fifth electrical connection (e.g., a fifth wired connection), a sixth terminal that receives the door_sw_out signal 51 via a sixth electrical connection (e.g., a sixth wired connection), a seventh terminal that is coupled to electrical ground via a seventh electrical connection (e.g., a seventh wired connection), and/or an eighth terminal that receives a fan 88 for the fan 83 via an eighth electrical connection (e.g., an eighth wired connection).

In one or more embodiments, the door_sw_out signal 51 is transmitted from the door latch circuit 32 and is received via the sixth terminal of the wiring assembly apparatus 81. The door_sw_out signal 51 can be further received by the door contact 31 via the sixth terminal of the wiring assembly apparatus 81. Furthermore, in an instance in which the door contact 31 is in a closed state, the door contact 31 can provide the door_sw_in signal 50 to the first terminal of the wiring assembly apparatus 81. The door_sw_in signal 50 can be further transmitted to the door latch circuit 32 via the first terminal of the wiring assembly apparatus 81. In one or more embodiments, the door_sw_in signal 50 at the first terminal of the wiring assembly apparatus 81 can be physically separated from the door_sw_out signal 51 at the sixth terminal of the wiring assembly apparatus 81 to minimize likelihood of a shorting condition associated with the wiring assembly apparatus 81. For example, four terminals can separate the first terminal associated with the door_sw_in signal 50 and the sixth terminal associated with the door_sw_out signal 51 to minimize likelihood of a shorting condition associated with the wiring assembly apparatus 81. Additionally or alternatively, the sixth terminal associated with the door_sw_out signal 51 can be implemented between two electrical grounds (e.g., the fifth terminal associated with electrical ground and the seventh terminal associated with electrical ground) to minimize likelihood of a shorting condition associated with the wiring assembly apparatus 81. Additionally or alternatively, by implementing the door_sw_in signal 50 associated with the first terminal proximate to the turbidity_in signal 85 (e.g., a constant DC voltage) for the turbidity/thermistor 82, a shorting condition associated with the turbidity_in signal 85 will not trigger the electrical load actuator 33 due to the high pass filters preventing passage of a constant DC voltage.

FIG. 9 illustrates a door latch 90 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The door latch 90 can be a door latch for the door 4. For example, in an embodiment, at least a portion of the door latch 90 can be mechanically attached (e.g., mounted) to the door 4, for example, at or near a top edge of the door 4 when the door 4 is in a closed position. In an alternate embodiment, at least a portion of the door latch 90 can be mechanically attached (e.g., mounted) to the body 10 (e.g., at or adjacent the washing compartment 2) of the dishwasher appliance 1 or another portion of the appliance, such as opposite the door 4.

The door latch 90 can include a metal strike 91 and a latch 92. In an embodiment, the metal strike 91 can be mounted to the body 10 (e.g., at or adjacent the washing compartment 2) of the dishwasher appliance 1 or another portion of the appliance, such as opposite the door 4. Furthermore, the latch 92 can be mounted to the door 4. In an alternate embodiment, the metal strike 91 can be mounted to the door 4, and the latch 92 can be mounted to the body 10 of the dishwasher appliance 1 or another portion of the appliance. The latch 92 can be configured to operate as a switch that includes a metal contact 93 and a metal contact 94. In an embodiment, the latch 92 can be a single pole single throw (SPST) switch. In one or more embodiments, the metal contact 93 and a metal contact 94 can correspond to the door contact 31. In the depicted embodiment, the latter metal contact 94 is stationary while the former metal contact 93 is displaced to break the circuit when the door is open.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the metal contact 93 and the metal contact 94 can be in contact such that the door contact 31 is in a closed state and an electrical circuit through the contacts 93, 94 is complete. In an instance in which the metal contact 93 and the metal contact 94 are in contact (e.g., the door contact 31 is in a closed state), the door_sw_out signal 51 can be transmitted through the door latch 90 (e.g., through the metal contact 93 and the metal contact 94) to provide the door_sw_in signal 50. In the depicted embodiments, the door_sw_in 50 and door_sw_out 51 signals would both travel within the door and pass into the body 10 near the bottom of the door (e.g., adjacent a door hinge). In one or more embodiments, the metal contact 93 and the metal contact 94 can be configured to transmit a 5V electrical signal (e.g., a square wave) associated with 5 mA current, 20 mA current, or a current between 5 mA and 20 mA. In some embodiments, the door latch 90 may provide resistive force to the door opening, with or without requiring locking the door in a closed position to prohibit opening during a wash cycle.

FIG. 10 illustrates a door latch 90′ according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, which represents the door latch 90 of FIG. 9 in an open state rather than the closed state of FIG. 9. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the metal contact 93 and the metal contact 94 can be separated by rotation and/or translation of a pawl 95 that engages the metal strike 91, such that the door contact 31 is in an open state and metal contacts 93, 94 are disconnected when the strike 91 disconnects from and facilitates rotation of the pawl of the door latch 90. For example, in the depicted embodiment, movement of the door and latch 92 right-to-left when moving into the closed state of the door (see FIG. 9) may cause the strike 91 to push the pawl 95 which may cause a pushing arm 96 associated with the pawl to retract from a lever 97 which releases the leftmost metal contact 93 to rest against the rightmost metal contact 94. Likewise, in the depicted embodiment, movement of the door and latch 92 into the open state of the door (see FIG. 10) may cause the strike 91 to rotate the pawl 95 which may cause the pushing arm 96 to engage the lever 97 and lift the leftmost metal contact 93 away from the rightmost metal contact 94 to open/break the circuit. In an instance in which the metal contact 93 and the metal contact 94 are separated (e.g., the door contact 31 is in an open state), transmission of the door_sw_out signal 51 via the door latch 90 (e.g., through the metal contact 93 and the metal contact 94) can be prevented.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the present 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 present 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. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe example embodiments in the context of certain example combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as may be set forth in some 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.

ISOLATED VOLTAGE DOOR LATCH FOR AN APPLIANCE

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