Dishwasher with filter assembly

• US 8,733,376 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Tuller, Barry E., Welch, Rodney M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Markoff, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US13/164,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20120291805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 134/56.D, 134/57.D, 134/58.D, 134/104.2, 134/109, 134/110, 134/111, 210/405, 210/407, 210/408, 210/418, 210/420, 210/456
• US Class Current: 134/111
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4202 Water filter means or strainers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4206 Tubular filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4208 Arrangements to prevent clogging of the filters, e.g. self-cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4219 Water recirculation A47L15/0078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4225 Arrangements or adaption of recirculation or discharge pumps

Abstract

A dishwasher with a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber, a liquid spraying system, a liquid recirculation system defining a recirculation flow path, and a liquid filtering system. The liquid filtering system includes a filter disposed in the recirculation flow path to filter the liquid.

Claims

1. A dishwasher for treating utensils according to a cycle of operation, comprising:

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber;

a liquid spraying system configured to supply a spray of liquid to the treating chamber;

a liquid recirculation system having a recirculation flow path configured to recirculate sprayed liquid from the treating chamber to the liquid spraying system;

a rotating filter having an upstream surface and a downstream surface and located within the recirculation flow path such that the recirculation flow path passes through the rotating filter from the upstream surface to the downstream surface to effect a filtering of the sprayed liquid;

a first artificial boundary spaced from and rotating relative to one of the downstream and upstream surfaces to form an increased shear force zone therebetween wherein liquid passing between the first artificial boundary and the rotating filter applies a greater shear force on the at least one of the downstream and upstream surfaces than liquid in an absence of the first artificial boundary; and

a drive system operably coupled to the rotating filter and the first artificial boundary to effect their relative rotation.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the drive system is configured to rotate the rotating filter and the first artificial boundary in opposite directions.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the drive system is configured to rotate the rotating filter and the first artificial boundary at different rotational speeds.

4. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the drive system is configured to rotate the rotating filter and the first artificial boundary in a same direction.

5. The dishwasher of claim 4 wherein the drive system is configured to rotate the rotating filter and the first artificial boundary at different rotational speeds.

6. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the drive system comprises a first drive unit for the first artificial boundary and a second drive unit for the rotating filter.

7. The dishwasher of claim 6 wherein the recirculation system comprises a recirculation pump having an impeller and the impeller forms one of the first and second drive units.

8. The dishwasher of claim 7 wherein the other of the first and second drive units comprises a motor.

9. The dishwasher of claim 7 wherein the other of the first and second drive units comprises a rotation reverser operably coupled to the impeller.

10. The dishwasher of claim 9 wherein the rotation reverser comprises a gear assembly.

11. The dishwasher of claim 10 wherein the gear assembly comprises a reduction gear assembly.