Household dishwasher with bulk wash aid dispenser

• US 20040231710A1
• Filed: 05/20/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Carlson, Christopher J., Dingler, Geoffrey L., Huie, Michael L., DeWeerd, Brent A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,231,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/93
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4246 Details of the tub A47L15/4272 takes precedence; insulation arrangements A47L15/4209
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4445 Detachable devices

Abstract

A household dishwasher with a bulk wash aid dispenser for metering individual charges of wash aid from a bulk wash aid supply.

Claims

1. A household dishwasher, comprising:

a housing defining an interior chamber and having an open face providing access to the interior chamber;

a door moveably mounted to the housing for movement between a closed position where the door closes the open face to block access to the interior chamber and an open position where the door is remote from the open face to permit access to the interior chamber;

a tub located within the interior chamber and comprising spaced side walls, a top wall connecting upper edges of the spaced side walls, a bottom wall connecting lower edges of the spaced side walls, and a rear wall connecting rear edges of the spaced side walls to form an open-face wash chamber with an open face that is coincident with the open face of the interior chamber;

a liquid recirculation system for recirculating liquid throughout the wash chamber; and

a bulk wash aid dispenser located within the wash chamber and comprising a wash aid meter that dispenses an individual charge of wash aid from a bulk wash aid supply, and a cover sized to overlie and receive the bulk wash aid supply to prevent the recirculated liquid from directly contacting the bulk wash aid supply.

2. The household dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein the wash aid meter comprises a spray nozzle that directs a spray of fluid onto the bulk wash aid supply to erode or dissolve a sufficient amount of wash aid from the bulk wash aid supply to form the individual charge of wash aid.

3. The household dishwasher according to claim 2, wherein the cover has a lower peripheral edge defining an open bottom.

4. The household dishwasher according to claim 3, wherein the spray nozzle is positioned beneath the bulk wash aid supply to direct a spray of fluid through the open bottom of the cover and onto the bulk wash aid supply.

5. The household dishwasher according to claim 3, wherein the lower peripheral edge extends below the bulk wash aid supply when the bulk wash aid supply is received within the cover to form an air pocket around the bulk wash aid supply to prevent liquid that accumulates in the bottom of the wash chamber from contacting the bulk wash aid supply when the level of the accumulating liquid is above the peripheral edge of the cover.

6. The household dishwasher according to claim 2, wherein the cover has the shape of a dome.

7. The household dishwasher according to claim 2, wherein the cover is removeably mounted to the bottom wall.

8. The household dishwasher according to claim 2, wherein the bulk wash aid dispenser further comprises a support for holding the bulk wash aid supply and the support is carried by the cover.

9. The household dishwasher according to claim 8, wherein the support is removeably mounted to the cover.

10. The household dishwasher according to claim 1, wherein the cover has a lower peripheral edge that extends below the bulk wash aid supply when the bulk wash aid supply is received within the cover to form an air pocket around the bulk wash aid supply to prevent liquid that accumulates in the bottom of the wash chamber from contacting the bulk wash aid supply when the level of the accumulating liquid rises above the peripheral edge.

11. The household dishwasher according to claim 10, wherein the wash aid meter comprises a moveable support for carrying the bulk wash aid supply that is moveable from a neutral position in the air pocket to an active position below the lower peripheral edge of the cover to expose the bulk wash aid supply carried by the moveable support to liquid accumulating in the bottom of the wash chamber to erode or dissolve a sufficient amount of wash aid from the bulk wash aid supply to form the individual charge of wash aid.

12. The household dishwasher according to claim 11, wherein the moveable support comprises a cradle for supporting the bulk wash aid supply and an arm connected to the cradle and pivotally mounted to one of the cover and the bottom wall for pivotal movement between a first position where the cradle is in the neutral position and a second position where the cradle is in the active position.

13. The household dishwasher according to claim 11, wherein the cover has the shape of a dome.

14. The household dishwasher according to claim 11, wherein the cover is removeably mounted to the bottom wall.

15. The household dishwasher according to claim 10, wherein the cover has the shape of a dome.

16. The household dishwasher according to claim 10, wherein the cover is removeably mounted to the bottom wall.

17. A household dishwasher, comprising:

a tub comprising spaced side walls, a top wall connecting upper edges of the spaced side walls, a bottom wall connecting lower edges of the spaced side walls, and a rear wall connecting rear edges of the spaced side walls to form an open-face wash chamber;

a liquid recirculation system for recirculating liquid throughout the wash chamber; and

a bulk wash aid dispenser mounted within the wash chamber and comprising a wash aid meter that dispenses an individual charge of wash aid from a bulk wash aid supply, and a cover sized to overlie and receive the bulk wash aid supply to prevent the recirculated liquid from directly contacting the bulk wash aid supply.

18. The household dishwasher according to claim 17, wherein the wash aid meter comprises a spray nozzle that directs a spray of fluid onto the bulk wash aid supply to erode or dissolve a sufficient amount of wash aid from the bulk wash aid supply to form the individual charge of wash aid.

19. The household dishwasher according to claim 17, wherein the cover has a lower peripheral edge defining an open bottom and the wash aid meter comprises a moveable support for carrying the bulk wash aid supply that is moveable from a neutral position within the cover to an active position below the lower peripheral edge of the cover to expose the bulk wash aid supply carried by the moveable support to liquid accumulating in the bottom of the wash chamber to erode or dissolve a sufficient amount of wash aid from the bulk wash aid supply to form the individual charge of wash aid.

20. The household dishwasher according to claim 17, wherein the cover has a lower peripheral edge that extends below the bulk wash aid when the bulk wash aid supply is received within the cover to form an air pocket around the bulk wash aid supply to prevent liquid that accumulates in the bottom of the wash chamber from contacting the bulk wash aid supply when the level of the accumulating liquid rises above the peripheral edge.

21. The household dishwasher according to claim 17, wherein the cover has a dome shape.

22. The household dishwasher according to claim 17, wherein the cover is moveably mounted to the bottom wall, wherein the cover can be moved from a closed use position to an open fill position.

23. The household dishwasher according to claim 17, wherein the cover is removeably mounted to the bottom wall.