Dishwasher with sprayer

• US 9,532,699 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2013
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Feddema, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cormier, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bucci, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US13/941,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20150013729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 134/176, 134/179, 134/56.D, 134/198, 134/172, 134/57.D, 134/58.D, 134/180, 134/178, 134/144, 134/181, 239/251, 239/245, 239/261, 239/222.17, 239/227, 239/237, 239/240, 239/242, 239/243, 239/380, 239/381
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4289 Spray-pressure measuring or regulating arrangements nozzles A47L15/4278

Abstract

A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and a spraying system having a sprayer supplying liquid to the treating chamber. The sprayer may include a liquid passage and multiple spray outlets to emit sprays to wash the dishes, a first valve body to couple at least one of the multiple spray outlets to the liquid passage, and a second valve body to control a flow of liquid.

Claims

1. A dishwasher for washing dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation, comprising:

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving dishes for cleaning; and

a spraying system supplying liquid to the treating chamber and having a sprayer comprising;

a sprayer body mounted within the tub for movement about a rotatable axis and having an interior;

a liquid passage provided in the interior;

multiple spray outlets extending through the sprayer body and in fluid communication with the liquid passage and configured to emit a spray of liquid into the treating chamber to wash the dishes;

a first valve body moveable relative to the sprayer body, the first valve body comprising;

at least one opening to fluidly couple at least one of the multiple spray outlets to the liquid passage;

a first slidable element having a first membrane; and

at least one opening in the first membrane that aligns with at least one of the multiple spray outlets; and

a second valve body selectively moveable relative to at least one of the sprayer body or the first valve body to control a flow of liquid through the at least one opening or through at least one of the multiple spray outlets.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the sprayer body comprises a rotating spray arm.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the rotating spray arm and the first valve body are coupled for relative movement.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3 wherein the first valve body and the second valve body are operably coupled and move in tandem.

5. The dishwasher of claim 3 wherein the first valve body reciprocally moves within the sprayer body based on the rotation of the sprayer body.

6. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein the first valve body comprises multiple opening to fluidly couple multiple spray outlets to the liquid passage.

7. The dishwasher of claim 6 wherein the first valve body is moveable between a first position in which at least some of the multiple spray outlets are coupled to the liquid passage and a second position in which other of the multiple spray outlets are coupled to the liquid passage.

8. The dishwasher of claim 7 wherein the second valve body is moveable between a first position in which the second valve body does not block the fluid coupling between the multiple spray outlets and the liquid passage and a second position in which the second valve body blocks the fluid coupling between at least one of the multiple spray outlets and the liquid passage.

9. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the first valve body and the second valve body are located within the sprayer body.

10. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the second valve body comprises a second slidable element that has solid portions which may block the fluid coupling between at least one of the multiple spray outlets and the liquid passage.

11. The dishwasher of claim 1 where the second valve body is moveable between a first position where the second valve body does not block the fluid coupling between the multiple spray outlets and the liquid passage and a second position where the second valve body blocks the fluid coupling between at least one of the multiple spray outlets and the liquid passage.

12. The dishwasher of claim 11 wherein the second valve body is manually movable between the first position and the second position.

13. The dishwasher of claim 11 wherein the second valve body is automatically moved based on a selected cycle of operation of the dishwasher.

14. The dishwasher of claim 11 wherein the second valve body is selectively operably coupled to an actuator that is configured to move the second valve body between the first position and the second position.

15. The dishwasher of claim 14 wherein the actuator includes a laterally extendable gear that mates with teeth formed in the second valve body.

16. The dishwasher of claim 15 wherein the actuator further comprises a solenoid operably coupled to the laterally extendable gear and wherein the solenoid may raise, lower, and rotate the laterally extendable gear.

17. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the sprayer body comprises a rotating disk.

18. The dishwasher of claim 17 wherein the first valve body rotates within the sprayer body based on the rotation of the sprayer body.