Appliances with sudsing-reducing flushable detergent dispensers

• US 10,538,873 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2017
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Amos, Sylvan J., Griswold, Eric G., Strain, Ryan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L.
• Application Number:
  US15/619,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20170275806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/028 Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/088 Liquid supply arrangements

Abstract

A fabric treating appliance comprising a treating chamber for receiving fabric for treatment and a treating chemistry dispenser, the treating chemistry dispenser comprising at least one cup with a bottom wall, a siphon tube with a cover, at least one water inlet, and a liquid distribution header coupled with the at least one water inlet for distributing water to the at least one cup.

Claims

1. A fabric treating appliance comprising a treating chamber for receiving fabric for treatment and a treating chemistry dispenser, the treating chemistry dispenser comprising:

at least one cup with a bottom wall;

a siphon tube projecting upwardly from the bottom wall for removal of treating chemistry from the at least one cup during a dispensing operation;

a cover for the siphon tube;

at least one water inlet; and

a liquid distribution header located above the bottom wall and fluidly coupled with the at least one water inlet for distributing water to the at least one cup, the liquid distribution header comprising;

a chamber overlying the at least one cup;

multiple water outlet holes located in the chamber and fluidly coupled to the at least one cup;

multiple water outlet slots located in the chamber and fluidly coupled to the at least one cup;

at least one of the multiple water outlet holes located downstream of the water inlet;

at least one of the multiple water outlet slots located downstream of the at least one water outlet hole to define a water outlet hole and water outlet slot pair; and

raised portions located in the chamber on opposite sides of the hole and slot pair to define a channel in which the hole and slot pair is located and for channeling a flow of water across the liquid distribution header from the at least one water inlet toward the pair; and

wherein water supplied to the liquid distribution header through the at least one water inlet is supplied to the at least one cup through the hole and slot pair.

2. The fabric treating appliance of claim 1 wherein one of the multiple water outlet holes is disposed above the cover such that water flowing through the water outlet hole impinges upon a top of the cover.

3. The fabric treating appliance of claim 1 wherein at least one of the raised portions comprises a raised nib, a raised portion, or combinations thereof.

4. The fabric treating appliance of claim 1 wherein a flow of water through the at least one water outlet hole has a velocity that is greater than a flow of water through the at least one water outlet slot.

5. The fabric treating appliance of claim 1 wherein at least one of the multiple water outlet slots has a shape configured to provide a spray of water in a generally downstream direction.

6. The fabric treating appliance of claim 1 wherein at least one of the multiple water outlet holes has a shape configured to provide a spray of water having a generally vertical trajectory.

7. The fabric treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the liquid distribution header further comprises at least one water outlet hole with a raised entrance.

8. The fabric treating appliance of claim 7 wherein a flow of water through the at least one water outlet hole with a raised entrance has a velocity that is less than a flow of water through the at least one water outlet hole.

9. The fabric treating appliance of claim 1 comprising a plurality of cups each having a water inlet fluidly coupled with the liquid distribution header for distributing water to each of the cups.

10. A fabric treating appliance comprising a treating chamber for receiving fabric for treatment and a treating chemistry dispenser, the treating chemistry dispenser comprising:

at least one cup with a bottom wall;

a siphon tube, with a cover, projecting upwardly from the bottom wall for removal of treating chemistry from the at least one cup during a dispensing operation;

at least one water inlet; and

a liquid distribution header located above the bottom wall and fluidly coupled with the at least one water inlet for distributing water to the at least one cup through a first water outlet oriented relative to the at least one cup such that a first water flow emitted through the first water outlet strikes a side of the cover, a second water outlet oriented relative to the at least one cup such that a second water flow emitted through the second water outlet strikes a top of the cover, and a third water outlet oriented relative to the at least one cup such that a third water flow emitted through the third water outlet strikes a bottom of the cup.

11. The fabric treating appliance of claim 10 wherein the first, second, and third water flows differ by at least one of a direction of flow, a velocity of flow, or a pattern of flow.

12. The fabric treating appliance of claim 11 wherein the pattern of flow comprises a shower, a spray, or a jet.

13. The fabric treating appliance of claim 11 wherein the direction of flow comprises a generally downstream direction of flow or a generally vertical direction of flow.

14. The fabric treating appliance of claim 10 wherein the first and second water outlets comprise round outlet openings and wherein a velocity of flow through the first water outlet is greater than a velocity of flow through the second water outlet.

15. The fabric treating appliance of claim 14 wherein the second water outlet comprises a raised entrance around the round outlet opening.

16. The fabric treating appliance of claim 10 wherein at least one of the first, second, or third water outlets has a shape configured to provide a spray of water in a generally downstream direction and the other of the first, second, and third water outlets has a shape configured to provide a spray of water having a generally vertical trajectory.

17. The fabric treating appliance of claim 10 wherein at least one of the first, second, or third water outlets comprises a slot outlet opening and the other of the first, second, and third water outlets comprises a round outlet opening.

18. The fabric treating appliance of claim 10 wherein the first water outlet comprises a round outlet opening, the second water outlet comprises a round outlet opening having a raised entrance, and the third water outlet comprises a slot outlet opening.

19. The fabric treating appliance of claim 10 wherein the first water outlet is disposed downstream of the at least one water inlet and the second and third water outlets are disposed downstream of the first water outlet.

20. The fabric treating appliance of claim 19 wherein the liquid distribution header comprises at least one raised feature channeling a flow of water across the liquid distribution header from the at least one water inlet toward the second and third water outlets.