Reduced sound with a rotating filter for a dishwasher

• US 9,730,570 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2014
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Geda, Jacquelyn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADHLAKHA, RITA P
• Application Number:
  US14/341,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20140332040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4206 Tubular filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4208 Arrangements to prevent clogging of the filters, e.g. self-cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4219 Water recirculation A47L15/0078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4225 Arrangements or adaption of recirculation or discharge pumps

Abstract

A dishwasher with a tub at least partially defining a washing chamber, a liquid spraying system, a liquid recirculation system defining a recirculation flow path, and a liquid filtering system. The liquid filtering system includes a rotating filter disposed in the recirculation flow path to filter the liquid and a flow diverter wherein liquid passing through a gap between the flow diverter and the rotating filter applies a greater shear force on the surface than liquid in an absence of the flow diverter.

Claims

1. A dishwasher for treating dishes according to at least one automatic cycle of operation and configured to sit on a support surface, comprising:

a chassis having a portion sitting on the support surface;

a tub supported by the chassis and at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving the dishes for treatment;

a sprayer proximate to the tub to spray liquid into the treating chamber;

a circulation circuit defining a fluid flow path from the treating chamber to the sprayer through which the sprayed liquid may return from the treating chamber back to the sprayer;

a housing defining a sump having an inlet fluidly coupled to the tub and an outlet fluidly coupled to the sprayer;

a rotating filter, located within the housing, having opposing first and second surfaces, the rotating filter being positioned within the circulation circuit to filter soils from liquid flowing through the fluid flow path as the liquid passes through the rotating filter between the first and second surfaces; and

at least one flow diverter having a body formed substantially concentrically outside the rotating filter and spaced apart from the first surface to define a gap through which at least some of the liquid passes as the liquid flows through the flow path;

wherein the rotating filter has a first portion nearest the tub and a second portion nearest the support surface, and where no flow diverter is located at one of a first space between the first portion and the tub or a second space between the second portion and the support surface and where liquid passing through the gap between the at least one flow diverter and the rotating filter applies a greater shear force on the first surface than liquid in an absence of the at least one flow diverter, and wherein a gap between the at least one flow diverter and the rotating filter is a uniform distance along an entire length of the filter.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein no flow diverter is located in either of the first and second spaces.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2, further comprising multiple external flow diverters and wherein each has a body spaced apart from the first surface to define a uniform gap through which at least some of the liquid passes as the liquid flows through the flow path.

4. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the rotating filter defines a hollow interior and the first surface is an external surface and the second surface is an internal surface.

5. The dishwasher of claim 4, further comprising a second flow diverter positioned within the hollow interior and spaced apart from an inner surface of the rotating filter.

6. The dishwasher of claim 4 wherein at least a first portion of the at least one flow diverter is in a floating relative relationship with the rotating filter.

7. The dishwasher of claim 6, further comprising a shroud at least partially enclosing the rotating filter and having an access opening, with the at least one flow diverter located within the access opening.

8. The dishwasher of claim 4 wherein the rotating filter defines a hollow cone.

9. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a wash pump including an impeller operably coupled to the rotating filter.

10. A dishwasher for treating dishes according to at least one automatic cycle of operation, comprising:

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving the dishes for treatment;

a sprayer proximate to the tub to spray liquid into the treating chamber;

a circulation circuit defining a fluid flow path from the treating chamber to the sprayer through which the sprayed liquid may return from the treating chamber back to the sprayer;

a housing defining a sump having an inlet fluidly coupled to the tub and an outlet fluidly coupled to the sprayer;

a rotating filter, located within the housing, having an outer surface and an inner surface and enclosing a hollow interior, the rotating filter being positioned within the circulation circuit to filter soils from liquid flowing through the fluid flow path as the liquid passes through the rotating filter; and

multiple external flow diverters formed substantially concentrically outside the rotating filter and spaced apart from the outer surface of the rotating filter to define gaps between the multiple external flow diverters and the rotating filter and where the multiple external flow diverters are not transversely located around the rotating filter such that none of the multiple external flow diverters are located 180 degrees from another of the multiple external flow diverters;

wherein liquid passing through the gaps between the multiple external flow diverters and the rotating filter applies a greater shear force on the outer surface than liquid in an absence of the multiple external flow diverters and where a gap between one of the multiple external flow diverters and the rotating filter is a uniform distance along an entire length of the filter.

11. The dishwasher of claim 10 wherein the multiple external flow diverters are not evenly spaced around the rotating filter.

12. The dishwasher of claim 10 wherein there is an odd number of external flow diverters.

13. The dishwasher of claim 12 wherein the multiple external flow diverters are evenly spaced around the rotating filter.

14. The dishwasher of claim 10, further comprising multiple internal flow diverters positioned within the hollow interior and spaced apart from the inner surface of the rotating filter.

15. The dishwasher of claim 14 wherein the multiple internal flow diverters are not transversely located within the rotating filter.

16. The dishwasher of claim 15 wherein the multiple internal flow diverters are not evenly spaced around the rotating filter.

17. The dishwasher of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of each of the multiple external diverters is in a floating relative relationship with the rotating filter.

18. The dishwasher of claim 17, further comprising a shroud at least partially enclosing the rotating filter and having multiple access openings, with at least one of the multiple external flow diverters located within each of the access openings.

19. The dishwasher of claim 10 wherein the rotating filter defines a hollow cone.

20. The dishwasher of claim 10, further comprising a wash pump including an impeller operably coupled to the rotating filter.