Dishwasher rack lift system

• US 10,299,657 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2018
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Midea Group Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: Midea Group Co., Ltd
• Inventors: Wilson, Mark W., Wetzel, Timothy Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Rohrhoff, Daniel J
• Application Number:
  US15/899,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20180177378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2088/901 Drawers having a lifting mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/506 Arrangements for lifting racks for loading or unloading purposes

Abstract

A dishwasher rack for a dish washing appliance. The dishwasher rack may be positionable between a variety of height positions. A drive mechanism may assist the dishwasher rack between the vertical positions. A worm screw may be coupled to a motor and may be positioned within the dishwasher tub.

Claims

1. A dish washing appliance comprising:

a dishwasher tub defining a wash cavity;

one or more dishwasher racks positioned within the wash cavity of the dishwasher tub, at least one of the dishwasher racks is moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the deployed position is different from the stowed position;

at least one threaded member;

one or more slides coupling the at least one dishwasher rack to the at least one threaded member, wherein a portion of the one or more slides extends between the stowed position and the deployed position with the at least one dishwasher rack;

at least one motor;

at least one worm screw located within the wash cavity and operably coupled to the at least one motor;

the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack connected to the at least one worm screw, wherein the at least one threaded member is in a fixed rotational position when longitudinally threaded along a length of the at least one worm screw;

a rack support fixed to the at least one threaded member, wherein the rack support couples the one or more slides to the at least one threaded member;

wherein the at least one threaded member, the one or more slides, the rack support, and the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between a first height and a second height along the length of the at least one worm screw when the at least one dishwasher rack is in the deployed position, wherein the second height is at a higher vertical elevation than the first height; and

wherein the at least one threaded member, the at least one worm screw, and the rack support are stowed within the dishwasher tub in both the first height and the second height of the at least one dishwasher rack when in the deployed position.

2. The dish washing appliance of claim 1 wherein the at least one threaded member and the at least one worm screw are positioned adjacent a rear wall of the dishwasher tub.

3. The dish washing appliance of claim 1 wherein the at least one threaded member includes a threaded opening therein, wherein the threaded opening of the at least one threaded member threadably engages an exterior thread of said at least one worm screw.

4. The dish washing appliance of claim 1 wherein the at least one dishwasher rack is in the stowed position in at least one height between the first height and the second height along the at least one worm screw.

5. The dish washing appliance of claim 1 further comprising one or more guide mechanisms between the rack support and the dishwasher tub.

6. The dish washing appliance of claim 1 further comprising one or more guide mechanisms coupled to the at least one dishwasher rack.

7. A dish washing appliance comprising:

a dishwasher tub defining a wash cavity, wherein the dishwasher tub includes a rear wall;

one or more dishwasher racks, at least one of the dishwasher racks is positionable within the wash cavity of the dishwasher tub;

at least one threaded member having a threaded opening;

at least one motor;

at least one worm screw positioned within the wash cavity and extends through the threaded opening of the at least one threaded member, the at least one worm screw operably coupled to the at least one motor, and wherein the at least one worm screw is fixedly positioned between the rear wall of the dishwasher tub and the at least one dishwasher rack;

the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack are fixed together and threadably driven in a linear direction by the at least one worm screw, wherein the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between a first height and a second height along the at least one worm screw, wherein the second height is at a higher vertical elevation than the first height; and

the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between a stowed position and a deployed position when the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher racks are capable of being positioned at one or more heights between the first height and the second height, wherein the deployed position is different from the stowed position.

8. The dish washing appliance of claim 7 wherein the at least one motor is positioned outside the wash cavity.

9. The dish washing appliance of claim 7 wherein the one or more heights include at least one of the first height and the second height.

10. The dish washing appliance of claim 7 wherein the at least one dishwasher rack includes one or more slides engaging the at least one dishwasher rack to the at least one threaded member.

11. The dish washing appliance of claim 10 further including a rack support fixed to the at least one threaded member, wherein the rack support includes the one or more slides.

12. The dish washing appliance of claim 11 further comprising one or more guide mechanisms between the rack support and the dishwasher tub.

13. The dish washing appliance of claim 7 further comprising a worm wheel operably connecting the at least one motor with said at least one worm screw.

14. The dish washing appliance of claim 7 wherein the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between the first height and the second height along the at least one worm screw when in the deployed position.

15. A dish washing appliance comprising:

a dishwasher tub, wherein the dishwasher tub includes at least a rear wall therein defining a wash cavity;

one or more dishwasher racks, at least one of the dishwasher racks is positioned within the wash cavity of the dishwasher tub;

at least one threaded member;

at least one motor;

a rack support fixed to the at least one threaded member, wherein the rack support includes one or more slides engaging the at least one dishwasher rack;

one or more guide mechanisms between the rack support and the dishwasher tub and wherein the one or more guide mechanisms is positioned in a substantially vertical orientation within the dishwasher tub to guide the at least one dishwasher rack vertically between a first height and a second height;

at least one worm screw operably coupled to the at least one motor, wherein the at least one worm screw is positioned in a substantially vertical orientation;

wherein at least one of the at least one worm screw and the one or more guide mechanisms are adjacent the rear wall of the dishwasher tub;

the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack connected to the at least one worm screw, wherein the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between the first height and the second height along the at least one worm screw, wherein the second height is at a higher vertical elevation than the first height; and

the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between a stowed position and a deployed position when the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack are at one or more heights between the first height and the second height, wherein the deployed position is different from the stowed position.

16. The dish washing appliance of the claim 15 wherein the one or more dishwasher racks is an upper dishwasher rack positioned above a lower dishwasher rack.

17. The dish washing appliance of claim 15 wherein the at least one worm screw is located within the wash cavity of the dishwasher tub.

18. The dish washing appliance of claim 15 wherein the one or more guide mechanisms is a pin and slot engagement.

19. The dish washing appliance of claim 15 wherein the at least one worm screw is positioned adjacent to the rear wall of the dishwasher tub.