Patent Application
20130299438
The subject matter of the present disclosure relates generally to an assembly for holding articles in a rack assembly of a dishwashing appliance.
Modern dishwashers typically include a wash chamber where e.g., detergent, water, and heat can be applied to clean food or other materials from dishes and other articles being washed. Often an upper rack assembly is disposed close to the top of the wash chamber and is used to hold glasses, cups, and other small items. Typically, a lower rack assembly is positioned near the bottom of the chamber and a considerable distance below the upper rack. This provides vertical clearance to place dishes and platters on edge (i.e. a vertical orientation) and to place food preparation bowls and pots up-side-down on the lower rack for washing.
Each rack normally is supplied with an array of spaced apart, generally vertical tines or members, which support and separate the individual items. These vertical members support and fix the position of various articles during the washing process. More specifically, it is desirable to position an article, such as a dish, so that water and detergent can access all surfaces during cleaning while also preventing movement of the dish that could lead to breaking, chipping, or other damage.
Articles that may be placed in a dishwasher can vary substantially in size and type. Dishes, pots, pans, glasses and the like can differ in both shape and size. The same wash load may include a variety of these differently shaped and sized articles.
The vertical tines can be provided with features in an effort to accommodate such variations in the articles. For example, tines that can be folded between various positions can provide for adjustment to different shapes and sizes. Tines can also be shaped in configurations that help accommodate variations as well.
Typically, the position of the tines within a rack assembly of a dishwasher is fixed. More particularly, the rack assembly is usually constructed of elongated metal rods that are joined together by e.g., welding. The tines are also permanently affixed to the elongated rods of the rack assembly.
Such permanent positioning of the tines can be undesirable for several reasons. For example, where individual tines are each configured with an offset to one side the dishwasher, the consumer may wish to change the direction of the offset. Depending on the location of the dishwasher in a kitchen relative to e.g., the sink, the consumer may wish to rotate the direction of the offset of the tines for more convenience in loading and unloading articles. Also, the overall position of the tines within the rack assembly relative to e.g., the sides the rack assembly may not provide a good fit for certain articles from being placed into the rack. In addition, where a manufacturer wishes to provide different rack assemblies having different configurations of tines, each such configuration can require a separately manufactured rack assembly.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
The present invention provides an assembly of tines for a dishwashing appliance that can be repositioned within and/or removed from a rack assembly. For example, a user can reverse the direction of the tine assembly based upon the location of a dishwasher in the kitchen. The tines can be moved relative to the side or wall of the rack assembly to accommodate different article sizes. The tines can also be completely removed from the rack assembly if needed to accommodate a large article. Additional, a degree of modularity is provided in that the same rack assembly may be provided with different tine assembly configurations so as to e.g., simplify the manufacturing process.
For example, in on exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a removable tine block assembly for a dishwasher appliance. The tine block assembly defines longitudinal and lateral directions. The assembly includes a pair of elongated base members extending parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction and spaced apart from each other along the lateral direction. A plurality of tines extend vertically from the elongated base members and are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction and arranged in corresponding pairs along the lateral direction. A pair of transverse members extends along the lateral direction and connecting the base members. The transverse members define a pair of hooks that face along the longitudinal direction and are configured for removable attachment to a laterally extending member of a dishwasher rack assembly.
In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a dishwasher rack assembly that includes a bottom wall formed of a first set of elongated spaced apart rods crossed by a second set of spaced apart rods to define an open lattice structure. A tine block assembly is removably attached to the bottom wall. The tine block assembly includes a pair of elongated base members extending parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction and spaced apart from each other along the lateral direction; a plurality of tines extending vertically from said elongated base members, the tines spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction and arranged in corresponding pairs along the lateral direction; and a pair of transverse members extending along the lateral direction and connecting the base members, the transverse members defining a pair of hooks that face along the longitudinal direction and are configured for removable attachment to at least one of the rods of the bottom wall.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
A perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a tine assembly of the present invention is illustrated in
A side view of the exemplary embodiment of
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Upper and lower guide rails 124, 126 are mounted on tub side walls 128 and accommodate roller-equipped rack assemblies 130 and 132. Each of the rack assemblies 130, 132 is fabricated into lattice structures including a plurality of elongated members 134 (for clarity of illustration, not all elongated members making up assemblies 130 and 132 are shown in
The dishwasher 100 further includes a lower spray-arm assembly 144 that is rotatably mounted within a lower region 146 of the wash chamber 106 and above a tub sump portion 142 so as to rotate in relatively close proximity to rack assembly 132. A mid-level spray-arm assembly 148 is located in an upper region of the wash chamber 106 and may be located in close proximity to upper rack 130. Additionally, an upper spray assembly 150 may be located above the upper rack 130.
The lower and mid-level spray-arm assemblies 144, 148 and the upper spray assembly 150 are fed by a fluid circulation assembly 152 for circulating water and dishwasher fluid in the tub 104. The fluid circulation assembly 152 may include a pump 154 located in a machinery compartment 140 located below the bottom sump portion 142 of the tub 104, as generally recognized in the art. Each spray-arm assembly 144, 148 includes an arrangement of discharge ports or orifices for directing washing liquid onto dishes or other articles located in rack assemblies 130 and 132. The arrangement of the discharge ports in spray-arm assemblies 144, 148 provides a rotational force by virtue of washing fluid flowing through the discharge ports. The resultant rotation of the lower spray-arm assembly 144 provides coverage of dishes and other dishwasher contents with a washing spray.
The dishwasher 100 is further equipped with a controller 137 to regulate operation of the dishwasher 100. The controller may include a memory and microprocessor, such as a general or special purpose microprocessor operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with a cleaning cycle. The memory may represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH. In one embodiment, the processor executes programming instructions stored in memory. The memory may be a separate component from the processor or may be included onboard within the processor.
The controller 137 may be positioned in a variety of locations throughout dishwasher 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 137 may be located within a control panel area 121 of door 120 as shown. In such an embodiment, input/output (“I/O”) signals may be routed between the control system and various operational components of dishwasher 100 along wiring harnesses that may be routed through the bottom 122 of door 120. Typically, the controller 137 includes a user interface panel 136 through which a user may select various operational features and modes and monitor progress of the dishwasher 100. In one embodiment, the user interface 136 may represent a general purpose I/O (“GPIO”) device or functional block. In one embodiment, the user interface 136 may include input components, such as one or more of a variety of electrical, mechanical or electro-mechanical input devices including rotary dials, push buttons, and touch pads. The user interface 136 may include a display component, such as a digital or analog display device designed to provide operational feedback to a user. The user interface 136 may be in communication with the controller 137 via one or more signal lines or shared communication busses.
It should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to any particular style, model, or other configuration of dishwasher, and that the embodiment depicted in
Referring now to
Tine block 200 includes a pair of transverse members 212 and 214 that extend along the lateral direction T and are attached at respective ends between base members 202 and 204. By way of example, transverse member 214 may be welded to base member 202 at connection point 218. The transverse members 212 and 214 each define a hook 220 and 222, respectively, positioned mid-way along the lateral direction. As shown e.g., in the side views of
As shown in
Continuing with
However, assembly 200 may also be readily removed from and/or repositioned within rack assembly 226 as well. By moving base members 202 and 204 outwardly from each other as indicated by arrows E in
As stated, the present invention is not limited to the particular exemplary configuration of tine block assembly 200 shown in
In order to further secure tine block assembly 200 to rack assembly 226, a clip 252 is attached to both. Referring now to
Clip 252 includes a second end 256 defining a second slot 270 positioned between legs 266 and 268 extending along the transverse direction T from an arcuate portion 264. Second slot 270 is configured for the receipt of elongated member or rod 236 while arcuate portion 264 is configured for attachment to an elongated base member 202 (or 204). Accordingly, in order to remove tine block assembly 200 for removal from, or repositioning in, rack assembly 226, the user would rotate clip 252 along the direction of arrow R (
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
