Dishwasher with integrated lighting

• US 10,390,682 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2018
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Boyd, Tod E., Welsh, Anthony B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shahinian, Levon J
• Application Number:
  US15/980,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20180256005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 134 56 D, 134 57 D, 134 58 D, 134113
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4246 Details of the tub A47L15/4272 takes precedence; insulation arrangements A47L15/4209
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4257 Details of the loading door
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4274 Arrangement of electrical components, e.g. control units or cables A47L15/4293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/50 Racks ; Baskets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/502 Cutlery baskets

Abstract

A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving dishes for treatment according to the cycle of operation and having an open face providing access to the treating chamber, a dish holder slidable relative to the tub through the open face between a loading position and a treating position and a light source provided on the dish holder for illuminating dishes contained in the dish holder.

Claims

1. A dishwasher, comprising:

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving dishes for treatment according to a cycle of operation and having an open face providing access to the treating chamber; and

a dish rack slidable relative to the tub through the open face between a loading position and a treating position, the dish rack having four sides and comprising multiple wire elements, including a set of vertical wire elements and a set of horizontal wire elements, each of the four sides includes a set of stacked horizontal elements with a topmost element; and

a light pipe integrally formed with a remainder of the multiple wire elements such that light pipe is configured to form at least a portion of the topmost element extending along at least two of the four sides of the dish rack.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the dish rack comprises upper and lower dish racks and each of the upper and lower dish racks has a corresponding light pipe provided thereon for illuminating dishes contained in each of the of the upper and lower dish racks, respectively to define multiple light sources.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the multiple light sources are operably coupled to a single power source by separate electrical conductors that are provided with slack to enable the upper and lower dish racks to move at least partially out of the treating chamber.

4. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the light pipe extends along at least three of the four sides.

5. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the dish rack further comprises a drawer within which the dish rack can be retained and wherein the drawer is slidable relative to the tub through the open face between a loading position and a treating position, and having an outer wall and an inner wall spaced from the outer wall to define a cavity and another light source is located within the cavity and the another light source is configured to illuminate the dishes within the dish rack.

6. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein the inner wall comprises a transparent section, and the another light source is provided behind the transparent section.

7. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein the drawer comprises a pan forming a portion of a bottom of the drawer and further comprising a second light source provided on the pan.

8. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein the drawer further comprises a pan forming a bottom wall and further comprising at least one other light source provided on the pan and where the at least one other light source is configured to initially direct light upwards towards the dishes for illuminating dishes contained in the dish rack.

9. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a rail system slidably coupling the dish rack to the tub for movement relative to the tub and a power source selectively coupled to the light pipe by a contact connection wherein a first portion of the contact connection is provided on the rail system and a second portion of the contact connection includes a contact extending from the dish rack and operably coupled with the light pipe.

10. A dishwasher, comprising:

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving dishes for treatment according to a cycle of operation and having an open face providing access to the treating chamber;

a drawer slidable relative to the tub through the open face between a loading position and a treating position, and having a pan forming at least a portion of a bottom wall, an outer wall and an inner wall spaced from the outer wall to define a cavity, the inner wall defines an area configured for containing the dishes;

a first light source located within the cavity and configured to illuminate the dishes within the area;

a dish rack located within the drawer above the pan and configured for positioning the dishes within the drawer; and

a second light source provided on the pan and where the second light source is configured to initially direct light upwards towards the dishes for illuminating dishes contained in the dish rack.

11. The dishwasher of claim 10 wherein the first light source forms a portion of the inner wall or is located behind a transparent section of the inner wall.

12. The dishwasher of claim 10 wherein the first light source is a multi-colored LED operably coupled to a controller and the controller is configured to operate the multi-colored LED to display a specific color based on a status of the cycle of operation.

13. The dishwasher of claim 10 wherein at least one of the first light source or the second light source is illuminable when the drawer is in the treating position.

14. The dishwasher of claim 10 further comprising at least one power source located exteriorly of the tub and at least one electrical conductor passing through a portion of the tub and operably coupling with the first light source and the second light source.

15. The dishwasher of claim 14 wherein the at least one electrical conductor is provided with slack to enable the drawer to move at least partially out of the treating chamber.

16. The dishwasher of claim 14 wherein the first light source and the second light source are operably coupled to a single power source by separate electrical conductors.