Dishwasher with auxiliary spray system having removable sprayers

• US 9,259,138 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2010
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Delgado, Kristopher L., Fountain, Jordan R., Rappette, Antony M., Schuh, Eric J., Tuller, Barry E., Chen, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): OSTERHOUT, BENJAMIN LEE
• Application Number:
  US12/961,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20120138110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,897 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0018 Controlling processes, i.e. processes to control the operation of the machine characterised by the purpose or target of the control for control of water softening or water softener regeneration A47L15/4229; for control of water level A47L15/4244; for control of bad smells or odours A47L15/4276; for control of water temperature A47L15/4287; for control of water pressure A47L15/4289; for control of condition of crockery or tableware A47L15/4295; for control of condition of washing water A47L15/4297
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/22 Rotary spraying devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4278 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/505 Inserts, e.g. for holding baby bottles, stemware or cups
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/06 Water supply, circulation or discharge information water level A47L2401/09; water pressure or flow rate A47L2401/14
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/08 Drain or recirculation pump parameters, e.g. pump rotational speed or current absorbed by the motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/24 Spray arms status, e.g. detection of spray arm rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/01 Water supply, e.g. opening or closure of the water inlet valve
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/03 Water recirculation, e.g. control of distributing valves for redirection of water flow

Abstract

An automatic dishwasher having at least one primary sprayer and at least one auxiliary sprayer located within a treating chamber. Wherein the at least one auxiliary sprayer is removably mounted in the treating chamber.

Claims

1. A dishwasher comprising:

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber;

at least one utensil rack provided in the treating chamber;

a liquid recirculation system comprising;

a primary supply conduit;

an auxiliary supply conduit having a fluid outlet; and

a liquid diverter selectively diverting liquid between the primary supply conduit and the auxiliary supply conduit;

at least one permanent sprayer fluidly coupled to the primary supply conduit and located adjacent the utensil rack such that spray from the permanent sprayer is directed into the utensil rack to form a primary spray zone; and

at least one selectively removable auxiliary sprayer forming an auxiliary spray zone and selectively releasably coupled to the fluid outlet of the auxiliary supply conduit;

wherein the auxiliary sprayer is moveably mounted within the treating chamber by coupling the auxiliary sprayer to any of a variety of portions of the utensil rack to provide an auxiliary spray zone at any of several different locations within the treating chamber and fluidly connecting the auxiliary sprayer to the fluid outlet of the auxiliary supply conduit to form an auxiliary spray zone within the treating chamber in addition to the primary spray zone and wherein the fluid outlet of the auxiliary supply conduit is fluidly sealed when it is not in use.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a fluid coupler fluidly connecting the fluid outlet of the auxiliary supply conduit to a fluid inlet of the auxiliary sprayer.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the fluid coupler is a quick-connect coupling.

4. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the fluid coupler comprises a valve provided with one of the fluid inlet and fluid outlet, and a valve opener provided with the other of the fluid inlet and fluid outlet, such that the valve opener opens the valve when the auxiliary sprayer is fluidly coupled to the auxiliary supply conduit.

5. The dishwasher of claim 4 wherein the auxiliary sprayer comprises a mount for connecting the auxiliary sprayer to the utensil rack.

6. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein the valve opener opens the valve when the auxiliary sprayer is connected to the utensil rack.

7. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the auxiliary supply conduit further comprises an auxiliary manifold fluidly coupled to the auxiliary supply conduit, with the at least one outlet provided on the auxiliary manifold.

8. The dishwasher of claim 7 wherein the auxiliary manifold mounts to at least one of the utensil rack and the tub.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein the auxiliary manifold releasably mounts to a bottom of the utensil rack and the at least one outlet faces toward the utensil rack such that the auxiliary sprayer may be placed in and supported by the rack when coupled to the at least one outlet.

10. The dishwasher of claim 9 wherein the utensil rack is slidably mounted for slidable movement relative to the tub between a wash position, where the utensil rack resides within the treating chamber, and a load position, where at least a portion of the utensil rack lies outside the treating chamber, and the auxiliary manifold fluidly uncouples from the auxiliary supply conduit when the utensil rack is moved from the wash position to the load position.

11. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the fluid outlet comprises multiple fluid outlets and the multiple fluid outlets are fluidly sealed when not in use.

12. The dishwasher of claim 11 wherein the auxiliary sprayer comprises an auxiliary spray module having a rack mount releasably mounting the auxiliary spray module to the utensil rack.

13. The dishwasher of claim 12 wherein the auxiliary spray module further comprises a fluid coupling releasably coupling the auxiliary spray module to at least one of the multiple outlets.

14. The dishwasher of claim 13 wherein the rack mount and fluid coupling are configured such that the fluid coupling couples to at least one of the multiple outlets when the auxiliary spray module is coupled to the utensil rack.

15. The dishwasher of claim 13, further comprising multiple spray modules that may be releasably mounted to at least one of the multiple outlets.

16. A dishwasher comprising:

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber;

at least one utensil rack provided in the treating chamber;

at least one permanent sprayer located adjacent the at least one utensil rack to provide a primary spray zone into the utensil rack;

a liquid recirculation system comprising a liquid supply conduit supplying liquid to the at least one permanent sprayer;

an auxiliary manifold fluidly coupled to the liquid recirculation system and carried by the at least one utensil rack, with the auxiliary manifold having multiple fluid outlets; and

at least one auxiliary sprayer having a fluid coupling releasably mating with at least one of the multiple fluid outlets, and forming an auxiliary spray zone;

wherein the auxiliary sprayer may be selectively releasably mounted with any of the multiple fluid outlets to provide an auxiliary spray zone at several different locations within the treating chamber.

17. The dishwasher of claim 16 wherein the auxiliary manifold comprises multiple branches.

18. The dishwasher of claim 16 wherein the auxiliary manifold is mounted to a wall of the utensil rack.

19. The dishwasher of claim 16 wherein the auxiliary manifold is mounted to a bottom wall of the utensil rack.

20. The dishwasher of claim 16, further comprising multiple auxiliary sprayers that may be releasably mounted to at least one of the multiple fluid outlets, whereby more than one of the multiple auxiliary sprayers may be simultaneously mounted to the auxiliary manifold to provide multiple auxiliary spray zones in the treating chamber.

21. The dishwasher of claim 20 wherein more than one of the multiple fluid outlets face toward the utensil rack such that the auxiliary sprayers may be placed in and supported by the rack when coupled to the at least one outlet.

22. The dishwasher of claim 21 wherein at least one of the fluid outlets face one of a bottom wall and a side wall of the utensil rack.

23. The dishwasher of claim 22 wherein at least one of the multiple auxiliary sprayers is mounted to the other of the bottom wall and side wall when fluidly coupled to the at least one of the fluid outlets.

24. The dishwasher of claim 16 wherein the liquid recirculation system further comprises an auxiliary supply conduit providing liquid to the auxiliary manifold.

25. The dishwasher of claim 21 wherein the liquid recirculation system comprises a liquid diverter selectively supplying liquid between the primary and auxiliary supply conduits.

26. A dishwasher comprising:

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber;

at least one utensil rack provided in the treating chamber;

a liquid recirculation system comprising;

a primary supply conduit;

an auxiliary supply conduit; and

a liquid diverter selectively diverting liquid from the tub to the primary supply conduit or the auxiliary supply conduit; and

at least one permanent rotating spray arm fluidly coupled to the primary supply conduit and located adjacent the utensil rack such that spray from the rotating spray arm is directed into the utensil rack to form a primary wash zone;

at least one auxiliary spray module having an auxiliary sprayer selectively mountable in any of a variety of positions to provide an auxiliary spray zone at any of several different locations within the treating chamber, selectively fluidly coupled to the auxiliary supply conduit; and

a controller operably coupled to the liquid diverter and controlling the liquid diverter to supply liquid to the auxiliary conduit when the at least one auxiliary spray module is fluidly coupled to the auxiliary supply conduit.

27. The dishwasher of claim 26, further comprising a sensor providing output indicative of the at least one auxiliary spray module being fluidly coupled to the auxiliary supply conduit.

28. The dishwasher of claim 27 wherein the sensor comprises a pump supplying liquid to the auxiliary supply conduit and the output comprises a characteristic of the pump.

29. The dishwasher of claim 28 wherein the pump comprises a motor and the characteristic of the pump is at least one of a motor current, motor voltage, motor speed, and motor torque.

30. The dishwasher of claim 26 wherein the auxiliary spray module comprises a housing that is removably mounted to the utensil rack.

31. The dishwasher of claim 26 wherein the auxiliary supply conduit further comprises an auxiliary manifold fluidly coupled to the auxiliary supply conduit and having at least one outlet to which the auxiliary spray module is fluidly coupled.

32. The dishwasher of claim 31 wherein the auxiliary manifold mounts to the utensil rack.

33. The dishwasher of claim 32 wherein the auxiliary manifold mounts to a bottom of the utensil rack and the at least one outlet faces toward the utensil rack such that the auxiliary spray module may be placed in the rack and coupled to the at least one outlet.

34. The dishwasher of claim 26 wherein the auxiliary supply conduit comprises a fluid outlet, the auxiliary spray module comprises a fluid inlet, and further comprising a fluid coupler fluidly connecting the fluid outlet to the fluid inlet.

35. The dishwasher of claim 34 wherein the fluid coupler comprises a valve provided with one of the fluid inlet and fluid outlet, and a valve opener provided with the other of the fluid inlet and fluid outlet, such that the valve opener opens the valve when the auxiliary spray module is fluidly coupled to the auxiliary supply conduit.

36. The dishwasher of claim 35 wherein the auxiliary spray module comprises a mount for connecting the auxiliary spray module to the utensil rack.

37. The dishwasher of claim 36 wherein the valve opener opens the valve when the auxiliary spray module is connected to the utensil rack.