Dishwasher with spray system

• US 9,375,128 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2012
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Feddema, Mark S., Vanderroest, Chad T.
• Primary Examiner(s): KO, JASON Y
• Application Number:
  US13/570,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20130074886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/23 moved by means of the sprays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4282 Arrangements to change or modify spray pattern or direction

Abstract

A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving utensils for treatment according to the automatic cycle of operation, a rotatable spray arm provided within the treating chamber and defining an interior through which liquid may pass, and hydraulic driving nozzles to rotate the rotatable spray arm in both a a first direction and a second direction, opposite the first direction.

Claims

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

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving utensils for treatment according to the automatic cycle of operation;

a rotatable spray arm provided within the treating chamber and defining an interior through which liquid may pass;

first and second driving nozzles provided on the rotatable spray arm and in fluid communication with the interior, wherein emission of liquid from the first driving nozzle and not the second driving nozzle rotates the rotatable spray arm in a first direction, and emission of liquid from the second driving nozzle and not the first driving nozzle rotates the rotatable spray arm in a second direction, opposite the first direction;

a movable element located within the interior and movable between a first position, where the first driving nozzle is open and the second driving nozzle is closed, and a second position, where the first driving nozzle is closed and the second driving nozzle is open; and

a reciprocating element operably coupled between the movable element and the rotatable spray arm for reciprocation within the interior, based on the rotation of the rotatable spray arm, to alternately switch the movable element between the first and second positions to reverse the direction of rotation of the rotatable spray arm.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the movable element is pivotally mounted to the rotatable spray arm to pivot between the first and second positions.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2, further comprising a cam provided on one of the movable element and the reciprocating element, and a complementary cam follower provided on the other of the movable element and the reciprocating element, wherein the reciprocation of the reciprocating element causes the cam follower to follow the cam to move the movable element between the first and second positions.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3 wherein the cam comprises a wall and the cam follower comprises a pin.

5. The dishwasher of claim 4 wherein the cam further comprises first and second spaced walls with the cam follower following the first wall when the movable element is in the first position and following the second wall when the movable element is in the second position.

6. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein the first spaced wall is a different length than the second spaced wall.

7. The dishwasher of claim 5, further comprising a biasing element that biases the movable element toward the first wall when the cam follower follows the first wall and biases the movable element toward the second wall when the cam follower follows the second wall.

8. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a drive system operably coupling the rotatable spray arm to the reciprocating element.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein the drive system is configured to effect movement between the first and second positions at a predetermined interval.

10. The dishwasher of claim 9 wherein the predetermined interval is a function of the rotation of the rotatable spray arm.

11. The dishwasher of claim 10 wherein the predetermined interval is 30 to 50 revolutions of the rotatable spray arm.

12. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the reciprocating element is a laterally reciprocating element.

13. A dishwasher for treating utensils according to an automatic cycle of operation, comprising:

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving utensils for treatment according to the automatic cycle of operation;

a rotatable spray arm provided within the treating chamber and defining an interior through which liquid may pass;

first and second driving nozzles provided on the rotatable spray arm and in fluid communication with the interior, wherein emission of liquid from the first driving nozzle and not the second driving nozzle rotates the rotatable spray arm in a first direction, and emission of liquid from the second driving nozzle and not the first driving nozzle rotates the rotatable spray arm in a second direction, opposite the first direction;

a movable element located within the interior and movable between a first position, where the first driving nozzle is open and the second driving nozzle is closed, and a second position, where the first driving nozzle is closed and the second driving nozzle is open;

a reciprocating element operably coupled between the movable element and the rotatable spray arm for reciprocation within the interior to alternately switch the movable element between the first and second positions to reverse the direction of rotation of the rotatable spray arm; and

a cam provided on one of the movable element and the reciprocating element, and a complementary cam follower provided on the other of the movable element and the reciprocating element, wherein the reciprocation of the reciprocating element causes the cam follower to follow the cam to move the movable element between the first and second positions.

14. The dishwasher of claim 13, further comprising a biasing element that biases the movable element toward the second position when the movable element is in the first position and biases the movable element toward the first position when the movable element is in the second position.

15. The dishwasher of claim 13 wherein the reciprocating element is a laterally reciprocating element.

16. A dishwasher for treating utensils according to an automatic cycle of operation, comprising:

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving utensils for treatment according to the automatic cycle of operation;

a rotatable spray arm provided within the treating chamber and defining an interior through which liquid may pass;

first and second driving nozzles provided on the rotatable spray arm and in fluid communication with the interior, wherein emission of liquid from the first driving nozzle and not the second driving nozzle rotates the rotatable spray arm in a first direction, and emission of liquid from the second driving nozzle and not the first driving nozzle rotates the rotatable spray arm in a second direction, opposite the first direction;

a movable element located within the interior and movable between a first position, where the first driving nozzle is open and the second driving nozzle is closed, and a second position, where the first driving nozzle is closed and the second driving nozzle is open; and

a laterally reciprocating element operably coupled between the movable element and the rotatable spray arm for reciprocation within the interior to alternately switch the movable element between the first and second positions to reverse the direction of rotation of the rotatable spray arm.