Dishwasher and motor cavity sound attenuator

• US 20050092353A1
• Filed: 10/29/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Retsema, Andrew James
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/58.00D
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4209 Insulation arrangements, e.g. for sound damping or heat insulation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4251 Details of the casing insulation arrangements A47L15/4209; collecting leaked water in the casing for preventing water damage A47L15/4212

Abstract

A dishwasher with a sound attenuator for attenuating the sound emanating from a motor cavity of the dishwasher. The sound attenuator comprising a sound absorber and a sound barrier. The sound absorber absorbing sound in the motor cavity with the sound barrier blocking the unabsorbed sound from escaping.

Claims

1. A dishwasher comprising:

a wash tub comprising a rear wall, top wall, bottom wall, and side walls, with the walls collectively forming an open-faced wash chamber;

a support frame having a front-facing opening intermediate a support frame upper portion and a support frame lower portion, and the wash tub is mounted to the support frame such that the open-faced wash chamber is in communication with the front-facing opening, and a motor cavity with a front-facing motor cavity opening is defined intermediate the wash tub bottom wall and the support frame lower portion; and

a sound attenuator comprising one of a sound barrier element and a sound absorbing element and substantially closing the motor cavity opening to attenuate the sound emanated from the motor cavity through the motor cavity opening.

2. The dishwasher assembly of claim 1 wherein the sound barrier element comprises a sheet-like body.

3. The dishwasher assembly of claim 1 wherein the sound barrier element extends across the motor cavity opening.

4. The dishwasher assembly of claim 2 wherein the sound barrier element comprises a mass loaded vinyl.

5. The dishwasher assembly of claim 1 wherein the sound absorbing element comprises a fibrous polyester.

6. The dishwasher assembly of claim 1 wherein the sound absorbing element comprises a sheet-like body.

7. The dishwasher assembly of claim 6 wherein the sheet-like body comprises a planar central portion adapted to be inserted into the motor cavity.

8. The dishwasher assembly of claim 7 wherein the sheet-like body comprises at least one lateral wing portion hingedly attached to the central portion and adapted for vertical installation along the sides of the motor cavity.

9. The dishwasher assembly of claim 8 and further comprising an insulation curtain extending along at least one side of the support frame and terminating in an edge adjacent the motor cavity, and the wing portion extending beyond the edge portion to overlap the insulation curtain.

10. The dishwasher assembly of claim 8 wherein the sheet-like body comprises a front panel portion hingedly attached to the central portion and adapted for vertical installation in motor cavity opening.

11. The dishwasher assembly of claim 10 wherein the sound barrier element extends along the front panel portion.

12. The dishwasher assembly of claim 11 and further comprising at least one connector for attaching the sound barrier element to the front panel portion.

13. The dishwasher assembly of claim 12 wherein the at least one connector comprises at least one staple.

14. The dishwasher assembly of claim 12 wherein the at least one connector comprises an adhesive.

15. The dishwasher assembly of claim 11 and further comprising a access panel mounted to the support frame in overlying relationship with the sound barrier and the motor cavity opening.

16. A method of installing a motor cavity sound attenuator for an automatic dishwasher in a built-in type installation, the automatic dishwasher comprising a wash chamber supported on a support frame above a motor cavity having a front-facing motor cavity opening that is closed an access panel, the method comprising:

providing a sound attenuator comprising a sound barrier and a sound absorber; and

positioning the sound attenuator to cover the motor cavity opening.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the positioning of the sound attenuator further comprises positioning a portion of the sound attenuator along a bottom portion of the motor cavity.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the positioning of the sound attenuator further comprises positioning a portion of the sound attenuator against a side portion of the motor cavity.

19. The method of claim 18 and further comprising overlapping the portion of the sound attenuator with an insulation element extending along the side of the motor cavity.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the positioning of the sound attenuator further comprises positioning a second portion of the sound attenuator along a bottom portion of the motor cavity.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the sound attenuator is positioned such that the sound absorber faces the motor cavity.

22. The method of claim 16 and further comprising the step of removing the access panel to expose the motor cavity.

23. The method of claim 22 and further comprising the step of replacing the access panel over the front portion of the motor cavity after inserting the motor cavity sound attenuator into the motor cavity to conceal the motor cavity sound attenuator.

24. The method of claim 16 and further comprising the step of inserting the motor cavity sound attenuator into the motor cavity so that the sound absorbing element extends along the bottom portion, the sides, and the front portion of the motor cavity, and the sound barrier element extends over the front portion of the motor cavity.