Dishwasher

• US 10,561,295 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2018
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Beshears, Jr., Paul E., Ghosh, Kaustav, Klein, James W., Slabbekoorn, Scott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ayalew, Tinsae B
• Application Number:
  US15/860,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20180125328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 134 10, 134 18, 134 93, 134 992, 1341022, 1341041, 134115 R, 134 57 D, 134 941, 134 953, 134 56 D
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4463 Multi-dose dispensing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/449 Metering controlling devices A47L15/4229 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/22 Number of operational cycles

Abstract

A dishwasher has a treating chamber for receiving dishes for treatment according to an automatic cycle of operation and a dispensing system for storing and dispensing treating chemistry to the treating chamber during the cycle of operation. The dishwasher can be provided with a lifetime supply of a treating chemistry for the dispensing system.

Claims

1. A dishwasher, comprising:

a chassis defining an interior;

at least one tub located within the interior, the at least one tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and configured for receiving dishes for treatment according to a cycle of operation;

a dispensing system having at least one dispenser that is accessible by a user to define a user accessible dispenser;

a sealed reservoir located such that the sealed reservoir is inaccessible and not refillable; and

a lifetime supply of treating chemistry stored in the sealed reservoir, wherein the lifetime supply of treating chemistry comprises a predetermined number of doses of treating chemistry for multiple cycles of operation configured to last an expected lifetime of the dishwasher based on a designed useful life of the dishwasher as determined by a manufacturer; and

a metering device fluidly coupled to the sealed reservoir and configured to meter a dose of treating chemistry from the lifetime supply of treating chemistry stored in the sealed reservoir during the cycle of operation.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the user accessible dispenser is a single use dispenser configured to hold a single dose of treating chemistry, a bulk dispenser configured to hold a bulk supply of treating chemistry and adapted to dispense a dose of treating chemistry from the bulk supply during the cycle of operation, or a combination of both a single use dispenser and a bulk dispenser.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2, further comprising a cover mounted to the chassis and moveable between an opened position wherein a user of the dishwasher may access the treating chamber, and a closed position wherein the cover closes an open face of the treating chamber.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3 wherein the user accessible dispenser is located within the cover.

5. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the at least one tub includes multiple tubs.

6. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the treating chemistry comprises a rinse aid.

7. The dishwasher of claim 6 wherein the rinse aid comprises a super-concentrated rinse aid.

8. The dishwasher of claim 7 wherein the super-concentrated rinse aid comprises no greater than 45% by weight of water.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein the super-concentrated rinse aid comprises no greater than 10% by weight of water.

10. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the sealed reservoir has a volume of no greater than one liter.

11. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the sealed reservoir is located within a space between the chassis and the at least one tub.

12. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a recirculation pump, wherein the sealed reservoir is in fluid communication with the recirculation pump.

13. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a controller operably coupled to the metering device and where the controller is configured to control dosing of the treating chemistry from the lifetime supply of treating chemistry in the sealed reservoir.

14. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the sealed reservoir is configured to collapse as a volume of the lifetime supply of treating chemistry in the sealed reservoir decreases.

15. A dishwasher for treating dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation, the dishwasher comprising:

a chassis defining an interior;

a tub located within the interior and at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving dishes for treatment according to the cycle of operation;

at least one sprayer spraying liquid into the treating chamber;

a liquid recirculation system recirculating liquid from the treating chamber to the at least one sprayer and comprising a sump provided in the tub;

a tank located within the interior of the chassis and exteriorly of the tub where the tank is configured to be non-refillable, inaccessible, and not openable;

a lifetime supply of treating chemistry stored in the tank, wherein the lifetime supply of treating chemistry comprises a predetermined number of doses of treating chemistry for multiple cycles of operation and where the lifetime supply of treating chemistry is configured to last for an expected lifetime of the dishwasher based on a designed useful life of the dishwasher determined by a manufacturer;

a conduit fluidly coupling the tank and the sump; and

a metering device configured to meter a dose of treating chemistry from the lifetime supply of treating chemistry stored in the tank during the cycle of operation.

16. The dishwasher of claim 15, further comprises a dispensing pump and the dispensing pump is in fluid communication with the metering device.

17. The dishwasher of claim 16, further comprising a user-accessible dispenser having a compartment configured to store another treating chemistry to be dispensed during the cycle of operation.

18. The dishwasher of claim 16, further comprising a holding area in fluid communication between the tank and the conduit and where the metering of the dose comprises initial metering to the holding area and final metering to the conduit.

19. The dishwasher of claim 18, further comprising a controller operably coupled to the metering device and the dispensing pump and where the controller is configured to control the initial metering and the final metering.

20. The dishwasher of claim 15, wherein the tank comprises a sealed, collapsible container.