Acoustic base tray for a dishwashing appliance, and associated method
First Claim
1. A base tray operably engaged with a dishwashing appliance and configured to manage and control vibrations and/or sound waves in order to attenuate noise generated by the dishwashing appliance in an operational state, said base tray comprising:
- a major surface; and
an array of nodes disposed on the major surface and defined by a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, at least two of the nodes configured to channel the vibrations and/or sound waves therebetween so as to control and manage the vibrations and/or sound waves, thereby attenuating the noise associated with the vibrations and/or sound waves,wherein each of the nodes comprises an outer wall member protruding outwardly from the major surface and a node member positioned within the outer wall member and protruding outwardly from the major surface, andwherein at least two of the nodes are interconnected by the outer wall members.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and associated method for attenuating noise generated by a dishwashing appliance in operation is provided herein. During operation a dishwasher and its components generate thermo-acoustic waves associated with noise. A base tray comprising a major surface and an array of thermo-acoustic nodes are used to manage and control the thermo-acoustic waves. The array of thermo-acoustic nodes can be configured in a plurality of rows and columns with at least two thermo-acoustic nodes being interconnected. The array of thermo-acoustic nodes can be configured to channel the thermo-acoustic waves therebetween so as to control and manage the thermo-acoustic waves, thereby attenuating the noise associated with the thermo-acoustic waves. The base tray can be customizable with various arrangements of different thermo-acoustic nodes, clusters, stabilizers and/or channels.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A base tray operably engaged with a dishwashing appliance and configured to manage and control vibrations and/or sound waves in order to attenuate noise generated by the dishwashing appliance in an operational state, said base tray comprising:
-
a major surface; and an array of nodes disposed on the major surface and defined by a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, at least two of the nodes configured to channel the vibrations and/or sound waves therebetween so as to control and manage the vibrations and/or sound waves, thereby attenuating the noise associated with the vibrations and/or sound waves, wherein each of the nodes comprises an outer wall member protruding outwardly from the major surface and a node member positioned within the outer wall member and protruding outwardly from the major surface, and wherein at least two of the nodes are interconnected by the outer wall members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A method for managing and controlling vibrations and/or sound waves in order to attenuate noise generated by a dishwashing appliance in an operational state, said method comprising:
-
providing a base tray comprising; a major surface; and an array of nodes disposed on the major surface and defined by a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein each of the nodes comprises an outer wall member protruding outwardly from the major surface and a node member positioned within the outer wall member and protruding outwardly from the major surface, and wherein at least two of the nodes are interconnected by the outer wall member; and channeling the vibrations and/or sound waves between the nodes so as to control and manage the vibrations and/or sound waves and to thereby attenuate the noise associated with the vibrations and/or sound waves.
-
-
23. A method of manufacturing a base tray operably engaged with a dishwashing appliance and configured to manage and control vibrations and/or sound waves in order to attenuate noise generated by the dishwashing appliance in an operational state, the method comprising:
-
forming a base tray comprising a major surface and an array of nodes disposed on the major surface and defined by a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein each of the nodes comprises an outer wall member protruding outwardly from the major surface and a node member positioned within the outer wall member and protruding outwardly from the major surface, and wherein at least two of the nodes are interconnected by the outer wall member, at least two of the nodes configured to channel the vibrations and/or sound waves therebetween so as to control and manage the vibrations and/or sound waves, thereby attenuating the noise associated with the vibrations and/or sound waves.
-
Specification