Composite Tub Body For A Dishwasher

• US 20080290770A1
• Filed: 05/21/2008
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Original Assignee: Owens Corning Intellectual Capital, LLC (Owens Corning)
• Inventors: Johnson, Phil, Rockwell, Anthony L., Pratt, Charles F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,748,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/228
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4246 Details of the tub A47L15/4272 takes precedence; insulation arrangements A47L15/4209

Abstract

A dishwasher tub includes a main body having opposing side walls that are interconnected by a rear wall, all formed from a multi-layered composite material. A cap member is joined atop the opposing side and rear walls, a base member is joined to lower edge portions of the opposing side walls and rear wall, and a frontal halo member is mounted between the cap and base member to define an overall washing chamber having a front opening. Preferably, the multi-layered composite material includes an inner stainless layer, a rigid layer and an outer protective layer, such as a layer of stainless steel, a rigid polyester mat, and a protective layer of hard plastic or aluminum foil. The outer layer also preferably serves as a shipping container for the dishwasher, enabling components of the dishwasher to be transported to a designated location for final assembly.

Claims

1. A dishwasher tub comprising:

a main body having first and second opposing side walls interconnected by a rear wall, each of said first and second opposing side walls and rear wall including corresponding upper and lower edge portion and being formed from a multi-layered composite material;

a cap member joined to the upper edge portion of each of the first and second opposing side walls and rear wall; and

a base member joined to the lower edge portion of each of the first and second opposing side walls and rear wall.

2. The dishwasher tub according to claim 1, wherein the multi-layered composite material includes an inner stainless layer, an intermediate layer and an outer protective layer.

3. The dishwasher tub according to claim 2, wherein the inner stainless layer is stainless steel and the intermediate layer is a fiber reinforced mat.

4. The dishwasher tub according to claim 3, wherein the mat is reinforced with a polyester fiber.

5. The dishwasher tub according to claim 3, wherein the outer layer is hard plastic.

6. The dishwasher tub according to claim 3, wherein the outer layer is aluminum foil.

7. The dishwasher tub according to claim 1, wherein each of the cap member and the base member is formed, at least in part, from stainless steel.

8. The dishwasher tub according to claim 7, wherein the cap member is also formed, at least in part, from plastic.

9. The dishwasher tub according to claim 1, further comprising:

first and second columns positioned at rear edge portions of the main body, wherein each of the first and second columns are formed from a fiber reinforced material.

10. The dishwasher tub according to claim 9, wherein the material is reinforced with a glass fiber.

11. The dishwasher tub according to claim 1, further comprising:

a door halo member positioned along front edge portions of the main body.

12. A method of forming a dishwasher tub comprising:

forming a main body of the dishwasher tub to establish first and second laterally opposed side walls and a rear wall;

joining a base member to the main body; and

connecting a cap member to the main body to form the dishwasher tub having a frontal opening.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

forming the main body from a multi-layer composite material including an inner stainless layer, an intermediate layer and an outer protective layer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the inner stainless layer is stainless steel and the intermediate layer is a fiber reinforced mat.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

connecting a door halo member, formed from a fiber reinforced material, to front edge portions of the main body.