Patent Grant
9635994
The present disclosure relates generally to dishwasher appliances, and more particularly to improved spray arm assemblies for dishwasher appliances.
Dishwasher appliances generally include a tub that defines a wash compartment. Rack assemblies can be mounted within the wash compartment of the tub for receipt of articles for washing. During wash and rinse cycles, spray assemblies within the wash compartment can apply or direct wash fluid (e.g. various combinations of water and detergent along with optional additives) towards articles disposed within the rack assemblies in order to clean such articles.
Multiple spray assemblies can be provided including e.g., a lower spray arm assembly mounted to the tub at a bottom of the wash compartment, a mid-level spray arm assembly mounted to one of the rack assemblies, and/or an upper spray assembly mounted to the tub at a top of the wash compartment. Other configurations may be used as well.
One limitation of many currently known spray arm assemblies is the geometry of the spray arm assemblies relative to the geometry of the dishwasher appliance interior. Most known spray arm assemblies utilize a generally circular geometry. For example, an arm of a spray arm assembly may rotate in a circle, and jets or apertures defined in the arm may emit wash fluid from the arm in this circular pattern. However, the cross-sectional interior geometry of most currently known dishwasher appliances is square or rectangular. Accordingly, the corners of such dishwasher appliance, and the articles located therein, may not be sufficiently reached by wash fluid. This can result in these articles not being properly cleaned during operation of the dishwasher appliance.
Attempts have been made to provide sufficient wash fluid in the corners of dishwasher appliances. For example, various jets may be angled towards the outer periphery of a dishwasher appliance interior, in an attempt to direct wash fluid towards the corners. Such designs, however, are typically inefficient, requiring dedicated wash fluid streams which are only effective within minimal windows. Other attempts have utilized pivoting supports or outer peripheral tracks to guide the spray arm assemblies. Such designs, however, are typically complex, expensive, and ineffective.
Accordingly, improved dishwasher appliances and associated spray arm assemblies are desired in the art. In particular, improved spray arm assembly designs which provide sufficient wash fluid flow to the outer peripheral areas, and particularly the corners thereof, of dishwasher appliances would be advantageous.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a spray arm assembly for a dishwasher appliance is disclosed. The spray arm assembly includes a spray arm including a plurality of branches connected to each other and arrayed about a center point, each of the plurality of branches defining a passage therethrough and an aperture in fluid communication with the passage. The center point defines a spray arm central axis. The spray arm is rotatable about the spray arm central axis. The spray arm assembly further includes a base conduit defining a passage therethrough, the base conduit defining a base conduit central axis. The spray arm assembly further includes an intermediate conduit connecting the base conduit and the spray arm, the intermediate conduit defining a passage in fluid communication between the passage of the base conduit and the passages of the plurality of branches. The intermediate conduit is rotatable about the base conduit central axis. The spray arm central axis is offset from the base conduit central axis.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, a dishwasher appliance is disclosed. The dishwasher appliance includes a tub that defines a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing, and a spray arm assembly for directing a fluid flow into the wash chamber. The spray arm assembly includes a spray arm including a plurality of branches connected to each other and arrayed about a center point, each of the plurality of branches defining a passage therethrough and an aperture in fluid communication with the passage. The center point defines a spray arm central axis. The spray arm is rotatable about the spray arm central axis. The spray arm assembly further includes a base conduit defining a passage therethrough, the base conduit defining a base conduit central axis. The spray arm assembly further includes an intermediate conduit connecting the base conduit and the spray arm, the intermediate conduit defining a passage in fluid communication between the passage of the base conduit and the passages of the plurality of branches. The intermediate conduit is rotatable about the base conduit central axis. The spray arm central axis is offset from the base conduit central axis.
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:
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.
As used herein, the term “article” may refer to but need not be limited to dishes, pots, pans, silverware, and other cooking utensils and items that can be cleaned in a dishwashing appliance. The term “wash cycle” is intended to refer to one or more periods of time during which a dishwashing appliance operates while containing the articles to be washed and uses a detergent and water, preferably with agitation, to e.g., remove soil particles including food and other undesirable elements from the articles. The term “rinse cycle” is intended to refer to one or more periods of time in which the dishwashing appliance operates to remove residual soil, detergents, and other undesirable elements that were retained by the articles after completion of the wash cycle. The term “wash fluid” refers to a liquid used for washing and/or rinsing the articles and is typically made up of water that may include other additives such as detergent or other treatments.
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, also referred to as jets or apertures, 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 one or more microprocessors, 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.
Referring now to
In exemplary embodiments, the spray arm assembly 200 is a mid-level spray arm assembly 148. Alternatively, the spray arm assembly 200 may be a lower spray arm assembly 144 or may be utilized in the place of an upper spray assembly 150, or may be utilized in any other suitable position within dishwasher appliance 100. The spray arm assembly 200 may generally be in fluid communication with the fluid circulation assembly 152 to receive wash fluid therefrom. The wash fluid is then flowed through the spray arm assembly 200 and exhausted therefrom into the wash chamber 106 during operation of the dishwasher appliance 100, such as during a wash or rinse cycle.
Spray arm assembly 200 includes a spray arm 202, a base conduit 204, and an intermediate conduit 206 connecting the base conduit 204 and spray arm 202. The base conduit 204 may be in fluid communication with the fluid circulation assembly 152 to receive wash fluid therefrom. This wash fluid may flow from the base conduit 204 through the intermediate conduit 206 to the spray arm 202. Further, as discussed, the spray arm 202 may be rotatable about a central axis relative to the intermediate conduit 206, and the intermediate conduit 206 may be rotatable about a central axis relative to the base conduit 204. The respective central axes may be generally parallel and offset from each other, such that a travel path for branches of the spray arm 202 provides wash fluid to the outer periphery of the wash chamber 106. For example, in exemplary embodiments, the tips of each branch may generally form a Reuleaux triangle.
Spray arm 202 may include, for example, a plurality of branches 210. The branches 210 may be connected to each other and arrayed about a center point 212, as illustrated. Each branch 210 may define a passage 214 therethrough. Further, each branch 210 may define one or more apertures 216. Apertures 216 of a branch 210 may be in fluid communication with the passage 214 of that branch 210, such that wash fluid may flow from the passage 214 through the apertures 216 to the wash chamber 106.
In exemplary embodiments as illustrated, spray arm 202 may include three branches 210. These branches 210 may be equidistantly arrayed about the center point 212, which in the case of three branches 210 equates to 120 degrees apart. Apertures 216 may be spaced apart along the length of each branch 210. Further, in exemplary embodiments, at least one aperture 216 may be defined proximate a tip 218 of each branch 210. The tip 218 may be the farthest point on the branch 210 from the center point 212.
Center point 212 of the spray arm 202 may define a spray arm central axis 220. The axis 220 may extend through the center point 212 perpendicularly to a plane defined by the branches 210. The spray arm 202 may be rotatable about this axis 220.
Base conduit 204 may also define a passage 230 therethrough. Wash fluid may flow into the passage 230 from the fluid circulation assembly 152, and from the passage 230 to the intermediate conduit 206. Further, base conduit 204 may, as illustrated, define a base conduit central axis 232. In some embodiments, as illustrated, the base conduit central axis 232 may extend through a center point of the base conduit 204. The base conduit central axis 232 may extend generally parallel to the spray arm central axis 220. Further, advantageously, the spray arm central axis 220 may be offset from the base conduit central axis 232.
Intermediate conduit 206 may further define a passage 240 therethrough. The passage 240 may be in fluid communication between the passage 230 and the passages 214, such that wash fluid flowed to passage 230 can flow through passage 240 to passages 214. The intermediate conduit 206 may be rotatable about the base conduit central axis 232.
Accordingly, and as discussed, during operation of the spray arm assembly 200, rotation of two separate components about offset parallel axes may occur. The intermediate conduit 206 may rotate about the base conduit central axis 232, and the spray arm 202 by rotate about the spray arm central axis 220, which may be offset from the base conduit central axis 232. Such rotations may result in an advantageous travel path for the branches 210 and the apertures 216 thereof. Such travel path may allow the tips 218 of the branches 210 to approach the periphery, and in particular the peripheral corners, of the wash chamber 106, such that wash fluid from the apertures 216 proximate the tips 218 can impart wash fluid to the corners and periphery.
In exemplary embodiments, the tips 218 of the branches 210 may generally form a Reuleaux triangle. In other words, the tips 218 may be generally constrained by the geometries of a Reuleaux triangle. Respective apertures 216 of the branches 210 may similarly form, and thus be constrained by the geometries of, Reuleaux triangles.
Notably, in exemplary embodiments, fluid flow through the spray arm assembly 200 may cause rotation of the spray arm 202 about the spray arm central axis 220 and rotation of the intermediate conduit 206 about the base conduit central axis 232. In these embodiments, no external forces, such as by a motor, etc., may cause such rotations. Alternatively, however, external forces from a motor or other suitable device may be applied, solely or in addition to the use of forces from the fluid flow, to cause such rotations.
In exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in
In exemplary embodiments, a gear ratio between the first gear 262 and the second gear 264 is approximately 1 to −0.75. Such ratio may facilitate the advantageous movement of the branches 210, and the tips 218 and apertures 216 thereof, as discussed herein. For example, when a third gear 266 is utilized, a gear ratio between the first gear 262 and the third gear 266 may be approximately 1 to 1, and a gear ration between the third gear 266 and the second gear 264 may be approximately 1 to 0.75. Alternatively, however, any suitable gear ratios between any of the gears of gear assembly 260 may be utilized.
The second gear 264 may be fixidly connected to the spray arm 202, and the first gear 262 may be fixidly connected to the base conduit 204. Since the base conduit 204 is generally fixed to the fluid circulation assembly 152, rotation of the gear assembly 260 may thus cause rotation of the spray arm 202 and the intermediate conduit 206 as discussed herein. Further, as illustrated in
As further illustrated in
Referring again to
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.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3876148 | Cushing et al. | Apr 1975 | A |
| 20140069462 | Becker | Mar 2014 | A1 |
| 20150000708 | Welch | Jan 2015 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| EP 1050263 | Nov 2000 | IT |
| H10-117993 | May 1998 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150359408 A1 | Dec 2015 | US |
