Method and apparatus for dishwasher with common heating element for multiple treating chambers

• US 9,668,636 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2013
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Tuller, Barry E., Vallejo Noriega, Alvaro, Welch, Rodney M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): OSTERHOUT, BENJAMIN LEE
• Application Number:
  US13/860,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20130186437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0034 Drying phases, including dripping-off phases
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0047 Energy or water consumption, e.g. by saving energy or water
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0084 of drawer-type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4251 Details of the casing insulation arrangements A47L15/4209; collecting leaked water in the casing for preventing water damage A47L15/4212
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4285 Water-heater arrangements steam generating arrangements A47L15/4234
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/48 Drying arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/06 Water heaters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/10 Air circulation, e.g. air intake or venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/11 Air heaters

Abstract

A dishwasher with multiple physically separate treating chambers includes an air supply system selectively supplying drying air to the treating chambers, and a drying air exhaust system selectively removing drying air from the treating chambers. A method for operating a dishwasher selectively supplies heated drying air to and exhausts drying air from at least one treating chamber.

Claims

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

a first tub at least partially defining a first treating chamber;

a second tub at least partially defining a second treating chamber physically separate from the first treating chamber;

a liquid supply system fluidly coupled to the first and second treating chambers to selectively supply liquid thereto;

an air supply system fluidly coupled to the first and second treating chambers to selectively supply air thereto;

a heating system for heating the supplied air; and

an air diverter coupled to the air supply system to selectively control a flow of air from the air supply system to the first and second treating chambers;

wherein the liquid supply system and the air supply system are configured such that liquid and air are independently supplied to the first tub and the second tub.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the air diverter selectively controls the flow of air to the first and second treating chambers.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the air diverter selectively controls the flow of air to the first and second treating chambers by discretely supplying air to the first and second treating chambers.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3 wherein the air diverter discretely supplies air to the first and second treating chambers by alternatively supplying air to the first and second treating chambers.

5. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the air diverter selectively controls the flow of air to the first and second treating chambers by alternating between supplying air and not supplying air to the first and second treating chambers.

6. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein the supplying air to the first and second treating chambers comprises at least one of simultaneously supplying air to the first and second treating chambers and alternatively supplying air to the first and second treating chambers.

7. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the air supply system further comprises a first air outlet in the first treating chamber and a second air outlet in the second treating chamber.

8. The dishwasher of claim 7 wherein the first and second air outlets are fluidly coupled.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein the air supply system further comprises an exhaust conduit fluidly coupling the first and second air outlets.

10. The dishwasher of claim 9 further comprising a cabinet in which the first and second treating chambers are located.

11. The dishwasher of claim 10 wherein the exhaust conduit is located within the cabinet.

12. The dishwasher of claim 11 wherein the cabinet defines a sidewall and the exhaust conduit extends along the sidewall.

13. The dishwasher of claim 10 further comprising a first drawer defining at least a portion of the first tub, a second drawer defining at least a portion of the second tub, with each of the first and second drawers having a corresponding first and second face, wherein the exhaust conduit comprises an exhaust outlet located between the cabinet and one of the first and second faces.

14. The dishwasher of claim 10 further comprising a bypass air conduit extending from the air supply system upstream of the air diverter to the exhaust conduit.

15. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to selectively implement independent cleaning cycles in the first treating chamber and the second treating chamber.

16. A method of treating dishes in a dishwasher having physically separate multiple treating chambers, the method comprising:

selectively supplying liquid to the physically separate multiple treating chambers from a liquid supply system; and

selectively supplying heated air to the physically separate multiple treating chambers from an air supply system by diverting heated air from the air supply system to the physically separate treating chambers;

wherein the liquid supply system and the air supply system are configured such that liquid and air are independently supplied to the physically separate multiple treating chambers.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the diverting the heated air comprises selectively supplying heated air to each of the physically separate treating chambers.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein selectively supplying heated air comprises discretely supplying air to each of the physically separate treating chambers.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the discretely supplying heated air comprises alternatively supplying heated air to each of the physically separate treating chambers.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the selectively supplying heated air to the physically separate multiple treating chambers comprises at least one of simultaneously supplying air to the physically separate multiple treating chambers and alternatingly supplying air to the physically separate multiple treating chambers.