Patent Application
20250127375
The present disclosure relates generally to dishwasher appliances, and more particularly to a washing system for straws within a dishwasher.
Dishwasher appliances generally include a tub that defines a wash chamber and a rack assembly for the receipt of articles for washing. Some dishwasher appliances include a basket for silverware and similar items, with the basket attached to a rack assembly. Generally, the rack assembly and the silverware basket can accommodate most articles selected for washing in a dishwasher.
Recently, durable, reusable straws have become popular and are often washed in a dishwasher. However, the relatively long, tubular configuration of the reusable straws do not lend themselves to adequate cleaning in either a rack or the silverware basket. Typical racks cannot secure the straws in position to sufficiently clean the inner passage. The perforations in the bottom of typical silverware baskets are too large to prevent many straws from passing through the bottom of the basket and interfering with operation of the appliance. Perforations that may sufficiently contain the straws generally do not provide reliable or consistent wash water contact with the inner passage to properly clean the straws.
Accordingly, a dishwasher appliance including a straw holder that addresses the above-mentioned issues would be beneficial.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In one exemplary aspect, a dishwasher appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular is presented. The dishwasher appliance comprises a tub defining a wash chamber, a rack mounted within the wash chamber and configured for receipt of articles for cleaning, and a wash assembly for retaining a tubular article having an inner passage and introducing a stream of wash fluid to said inner passage. The wash assembly comprises a base defining a conduit, the conduit having a first end and a second end, a nozzle fluidly coupled to the second end of the conduit, the nozzle configured to be received within the inner passage, and a retainer system to removably secure the tubular article to the wash assembly, and wherein the conduit provides a pressurized flow of a wash fluid to the nozzle.
In another exemplary aspect, a wash assembly for retaining a tubular article having an inner passage and introducing a stream of wash fluid to said inner passage is presented. The wash assembly comprises a base defining a conduit, the conduit having a first end and a second end, a nozzle fluidly coupled to the second end of the conduit, the nozzle configured to be received within the inner passage, and a retainer system to removably secure the tubular article to the wash assembly, and wherein the conduit is adapted to provide a pressurized flow of a wash fluid to the nozzle.
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.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present invention.
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 terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components. The terms “includes” and “including” are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” Similarly, the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (i.e., “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”). In addition, here and throughout the specification and claims, range limitations may be combined and/or interchanged. Such ranges are identified and include all the sub-ranges contained therein unless context or language indicates otherwise. For example, all ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the endpoints, and the endpoints are independently combinable with each other. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “generally,” “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially,” are not to be limited to the precise value specified. In at least some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value, or the precision of the methods or machines for constructing or manufacturing the components and/or systems. For example, the approximating language may refer to being within a 10 percent margin, i.e., including values within ten percent greater or less than the stated value. In this regard, for example, when used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees greater or less than the stated angle or direction, e.g., “generally vertical” includes forming an angle of up to ten degrees in any direction, e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise, with the vertical direction V.
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” In addition, references to “an embodiment” or “one embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may. Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “an embodiment” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Moreover, 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 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.
Turning to the figures,
The tub 104 includes a front opening 114 and a door 116 hinged at its bottom for movement between a normally closed vertical position (shown in
As best illustrated in
Some, or all, of the rack assemblies 122, 124, 126 are fabricated into lattice structures including a plurality of wires or elongated members 130 (for clarity of illustration, not all elongated members making up rack assemblies 122, 124, 126 are shown in
Dishwasher 100 further includes a plurality of spray assemblies for urging a flow of water or wash fluid onto the articles placed within wash chamber 106. More specifically, as illustrated in
The various spray assemblies and manifolds described herein may be part of a fluid distribution system or fluid circulation assembly 150 for circulating water and wash fluid in the tub 104. More specifically, fluid circulation assembly 150 includes a pump 152 for circulating water and wash fluid (e.g., detergent, water, and/or rinse aid) in the tub 104. Pump 152 may be located within sump 138 or within a machinery compartment located below sump 138 of tub 104, as generally recognized in the art. Fluid circulation assembly 150 may include one or more fluid conduits or circulation piping for directing water and/or wash fluid from pump 152 to the various spray assemblies and manifolds. For example, as illustrated in
As illustrated, primary supply conduit 154 is used to supply pressurized wash fluid to one or more spray assemblies, e.g., to mid-level spray arm assembly 140 and upper spray assembly 142. However, it should be appreciated that according to alternative embodiments, any other suitable plumbing configuration may be used to supply pressurized wash fluid throughout the various spray manifolds and assemblies described herein. For example, according to another exemplary embodiment, primary supply conduit 154 could be used to provide pressurized wash fluid to mid-level spray arm assembly 140 and a dedicated secondary supply conduit (not shown) could be utilized to provide pressurized wash fluid to upper spray assembly 142. Other plumbing configurations may be used for providing pressurized wash fluid to the various spray devices and manifolds at any location within dishwasher appliance 100.
According to an embodiment, primary supply conduit 154 may also supply a pressurized flow of wash fluid to base 170 (
Each spray arm assembly 134, 140, 142, integral spray manifold 144, or other spray device may include an arrangement of discharge ports or orifices for directing wash fluid received from pump 152 onto dishes or other articles located in wash chamber 106. The arrangement of the discharge ports, also referred to as jets, apertures, or orifices, may provide a rotational force by virtue of pressurized wash fluid flowing through the discharge ports. Alternatively, spray arm assemblies 134, 140, 142 may be motor-driven, or may operate using any other suitable drive mechanism. Spray manifolds and assemblies may also be stationary. The resultant movement of the spray arm assemblies 134, 140, 142 and the spray from fixed manifolds provides coverage of dishes and other dishwasher contents with a washing spray. Other configurations of spray assemblies may be used as well. For example, dishwasher 100 may have additional spray assemblies for cleaning silverware, for scouring casserole dishes, for spraying pots and pans, for cleaning bottles, etc.
As illustrated in
In operation, pump 152 draws wash fluid in from sump 138, pressurizes the fluid, and pumps it to a diverter assembly 156, e.g., which is positioned within sump 138 of dishwasher appliance. Diverter assembly 156 may include a diverter disk (not shown) disposed within a diverter chamber 158 for selectively distributing the pressurized wash fluid to the spray arm assemblies 134, 140, 142 and/or other spray manifolds or devices. For example, the diverter disk may have a plurality of apertures that are configured to align with one or more outlet ports (not shown) at the top of diverter chamber 158. In this manner, the diverter disk may be selectively rotated to provide wash fluid to the desired spray device.
According to an exemplary embodiment, diverter assembly 156 is configured for selectively distributing the flow of pressurized wash fluid from pump 152 to various fluid supply conduits, only some of which are illustrated in
The dishwasher 100 is further equipped with a controller 160 to regulate operation of the dishwasher 100. The controller 160 may include one or more memory devices and one or more microprocessors, such as general or special purpose microprocessors 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. Alternatively, controller 160 may be constructed without using a microprocessor, e.g., using a combination of discrete analog and/or digital logic circuitry (such as switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators, flip-flops, AND gates, and the like) to perform control functionality instead of relying upon software.
The controller 160 may be positioned in a variety of locations throughout dishwasher 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 160 may be located within a control panel area 162 of door 116 as shown in
It should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to any particular style, model, or configuration of dishwasher 100. The exemplary embodiment depicted in
In the exemplary example illustrated in
Returning to
As mentioned above, the nozzles 184 may be provided as a dedicated source of pressurized wash fluid for cleaning tubular articles 168, such as durable, reusable straws, particularly the inside surface or such articles. As such, the illustrative nozzles 184 comprise a proximal end 186 adjacent to the base 170 and a distal end 188 spaced from the proximal end 186. The distal end 188 includes an orifice providing a nozzle outlet 189. In the illustrative embodiment of
In some embodiments, the body 190 may be tapered from the distal end 188 to the proximal end 186. In other words, the outer surface of the body 190 may be tapered radially outward from the free or distal end 188 to the proximal end 186, proximate to the base 170. The taper may be gradual or stepped such that a plurality of tubular articles 168 of different internal dimensions may fit on the body 190. The internal dimension may be a diameter or may be other internal dimensions depending on the tubular configuration (e.g., oval or rectangular).
According to some embodiments, a retainer system 206 may be provided to removably secure the tubular article 168 to the wash assembly 183, for example to resist the force of the pressurize wash fluid directed to the inside surfaces of the tubular articles 168. The retainer system 206 may comprise the nozzle 184 alone, the body 190 sized and shaped to cooperate with one or more sizes of tubular articles 168, or the retainer system 206 may include additional components.
In some embodiments of a retainer system 206, at least the outer surface of the body 190 comprises an elastomer that may deform when the nozzle body 190 is received in the tubular article 168 (i.e., the tubular article is placed over the nozzle 184). As such, the body 190 may engage the tubular article 168 to provide support and may form a seal with the inner wall of the tubular article 168. As discussed above, a portion of the body 190 may be radially tapered, increasing in diameter from the distal end 188 to the proximal end 186. As such, the body 190 may engage and support smaller diameter tubular articles 168 at the distal end 188 as part of a retainer system 206. Progressively large tubular articles 168 may engage and be retained by portions of the body 190 lower on the body 190 (i.e. closer to the proximal end 186). In other embodiments, the tubular article 168 may fit loosely on the body 190 and may utilize additional components to secure the tubular article 168 to the wash assembly 183.
In other embodiments of a retainer system 206, wash assembly 183 may include a retention clip 198 provided to removably secure the tubular article 168 to the nozzle 184. In the illustrative embodiment of
The above-described retainer systems 206 are examples of suitable systems for retaining a tubular article 168 on the wash assembly 183, provided as examples and not limitations. Other retainer systems may be used within the scope of the present disclosure.
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 language of the claims.
