Dishwasher with closed loop condenser

• US 8,875,721 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Bertsch, Roger J., Kabala, Keeley M., Melo, Rafael C., Vallejo Noriega, Alvaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shahinian, LeVon J
• Application Number:
  US13/327,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20130152981A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• US Class Current: 134/107
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0013 Drying phases, including dripping-off phases
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/483 by using condensers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/486 Blower arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/19 Air humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/20 Time, e.g. elapsed operating time
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/10 Air circulation, e.g. air intake or venting arrangements

Abstract

A dishwasher with a closed loop condenser having a moist air conduit, a dry air conduit having a portion in overlying relationship with a portion of the moist air conduit, wherein the overlying portions of the moist air conduit and the dry air conduit form a heat exchanger, and a controllable gate for selectively introducing, exhausting, or redirecting air relative to the condenser.

Claims

1. A dishwasher comprising:

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber with an open side;

a cover selectively closing the open side;

a heat-emitting component warming the surrounding air to create warm air; and

a closed loop condenser comprising;

a moist air conduit fluidly coupling a first portion of the treating chamber to a second portion of the treating chamber, and having a moist air inlet fluidly coupled to the first portion, an outlet fluidly coupled to the second portion, and a warm air inlet selectively fluidly coupled to the warm air; and

a dry air conduit fluidly coupled to ambient air and having a portion in overlying relationship with a portion of the moist air conduit, wherein the overlying portions of the moist air conduit and the dry air conduit form a heat exchanger to cool moist air in the moist air conduit and thereby precipitate moisture from the moist air; and

a controllable gate selectively opening the warm air inlet of the moist air conduit to effect a supply of the warm air to the moist air conduit, wherein the warm air may be supplied to the treating chamber.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the heat-emitting component comprises a pump assembly.

3. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the heat-emitting component comprises a motor.

4. The dishwasher of claim 1, and further comprising a compartment having an outlet aligned with the warm air inlet of the moist air conduit and selectively closed by the controllable gate, wherein the heat-emitting component is located within the compartment.

5. The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein the compartment is isolated from the treating chamber and closed loop condenser.

6. The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein the compartment is a motor compartment.

7. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the controllable gate comprises a motor-driven valve.

8. The dishwasher of claim 1, and further comprising a vent fluidly coupled with the ambient air, wherein excess air in the treating chamber can be exhausted via the vent.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8, and further comprising a softening agent regeneration system fluidly coupled to the treating chamber for regenerating softening agents used by a water softener and comprising the vent.

10. The dishwasher of claim 8, wherein the vent comprises a pressure-activated vent.