ROTATING FILTER FOR A DISHWASHER

• US 20130319485A1
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: BLANCHARD, WALTER T., GEDA, JACQUELYN R., JOZWIAK, TODD M., RAPPETTE, ANTONY M., WELCH, RODNEY M., MILLER, JOHN A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,237,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/110
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4202 Water filter means or strainers
• 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 15/4221 Arrangements for redirection of washing water, e.g. water diverters to selectively supply the spray arms 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.

Claims

1. 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 dishes for treatment;

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

a pump fluidly coupled between the treating chamber and the sprayer to define a circulation circuit for circulating the sprayed liquid from the treating chamber to the sprayer;

a rotating filter located within the circulation circuit such that the circulated liquid passes through the filter from an upstream surface to a downstream surface;

a diverter extending along and spaced away from at least a portion of at least one of the upstream and downstream surfaces to define a gap between the diverter and the filter; and

a diverter mount operably coupling the diverter to the filter such that there is only a one tolerance stack up between at least one portion of the diverter and one portion of the filter that effects the gap.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the diverter mount comprises a diverter bearing surface on the diverter and a filter bearing surface on the filter, with the diverter bearing surface and the filter bearing surface being in contact during rotation of the filter to form the one tolerance stack up.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the filter comprises a frame, with at least a part of the frame forming the filter bearing surface.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3 wherein the filter comprises a screen, which is supported by the frame, with the screen having a first surface defining the upstream surface and a second surface defining the downstream surface.

5. The dishwasher of claim 4 wherein the position of the screen is fixed relative to the frame.

6. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein the screen defines a hollow body having an exterior, defined by one of the first and second surfaces, and an interior, defined by the other of the first and second surfaces.

7. The dishwasher of claim 6 wherein the filter further comprises a stationary shaft.

8. The dishwasher of claim 7 wherein the diverter mount has a first mount supported by the shaft.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein the diverter extends between the first mount and the diverter bearing surface.

10. The dishwasher of claim 9, further comprising a shroud at least partially enclosing the filter and having an access opening, with the diverter located within the access opening.

11. The dishwasher of claim 10 wherein the diverter projects through the access opening.

12. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein the hollow body comprises a cone and the diverter is positioned such that the gap is substantially constant relative to the filter.

13. The dishwasher of claim 12 wherein the relative axial position along the shaft of the cone and diverter is fixed.

14. The dishwasher of claim 13 further comprising a biasing element biasing the diverter and the cone into the fixed relative axial position.

15. The dishwasher of claim 14 wherein the biasing element is provided on the shaft and biases the first end of the diverter mount toward a first end of the filter to maintain the diverter and cone in the fixed relative axial position.

16. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein the pump comprises an impeller and the filter is coupled to the impeller such that the rotation of the impeller rotates the filter.

17. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a biasing device for biasing the diverter into position relative to the filter to form the gap.

18. 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 pump fluidly coupled between the treating chamber and the sprayer to define a circulation circuit for circulating the sprayed liquid from the treating chamber to the sprayer;

a rotating filter located within the circulation circuit such that the circulated liquid passes through the filter from an upstream surface to a downstream surface as the filter rotates; and

a first diverter extending along and positioned away from at least a portion of at least one of the upstream and downstream surfaces to define a gap, with at least a first portion of the first diverter in a floating relative relationship with the filter.

19. The dishwasher of claim 18 wherein the first portion of the first diverter comprises a first diverter bearing surface and the filter comprises a filter bearing surface, with the first diverter bearing surface and the filter bearing surface being in an abutting relationship to define the floating relative relationship.

20. The dishwasher of claim 19 wherein the filter comprises a frame, with at least a part of the frame forming the filter bearing surface.

21. The dishwasher of claim 19 wherein the first diverter further comprises a second portion in a fixed relative relationship with the filter.

22. The dishwasher of claim 21 wherein the filter further comprises a stationary shaft and the second portion of the first diverter is mounted to the shaft.

23. The dishwasher of claim 22, further comprising a biasing element provided on the shaft and biasing the second portion of the first diverter toward a first end of the filter to maintain the first diverter and the filter in the fixed relative position.

24. The dishwasher of claim 23 wherein the pump comprises an impeller operably coupled to the filter to effect the rotation of the filter, with the first portion of the first diverter being proximate the impeller and the second portion of the first diverter being distal the impeller.

25. The dishwasher of claim 24 wherein the filter defines a hollow cone having an exterior, defined by one of the upstream and downstream surfaces, and an interior, defined by the other of the upstream and downstream surfaces, and the biasing element biases both of the first diverter and the filter toward the impeller from the fixed relative position.

26. The dishwasher of claim 25, further comprising a second diverter, with the first diverter proximate one of the upstream and downstream surfaces and the second diverter proximate the other of the upstream and downstream surfaces to define a second gap.

27. The dishwasher of claim 26 wherein the second diverter is non-rotatably mounted to the shaft.

28. The dishwasher of claim 18, further comprising a shroud at least partially enclosing the filter and having an access opening, with the first diverter located within the access opening.

29. The dishwasher of claim 28 wherein the first diverter projects through the access opening.

30. The dishwasher of claim 29 wherein the filter comprises a hollow body having an exterior, defined by one of the upstream and downstream surfaces, and an interior, defined by the other of the upstream and downstream surfaces, with the first diverter proximate the exterior and the second diverter proximate the interior.

31. The dishwasher of claim 18, further comprising a biasing device for biasing the diverter into position relative to the filter to form the gap.

32. 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 pump fluidly coupled between the treating chamber and the sprayer to define a circulation circuit for circulating the sprayed liquid from the treating chamber to the sprayer;

a rotating filter comprising a frame supporting a screen, with the frame having at least one filter bearing surface extending beyond the screen, and the filter located within the circulation circuit such that the circulated liquid passes through the screen from an upstream surface to a downstream surface as the filter rotates;

a first diverter extending along at least a portion of one of the upstream and downstream surfaces, and having a diverter bearing surface; and

a biasing device relatively biasing the rotating filter and the first diverter such that the filter bearing surface and the diverter bearing surface contact;

wherein the filter and first diverter are arranged such that when the filter bearing surface and diverter bearing surface are in contact, the first diverter is spaced from the screen to form a gap between the first diverter and the screen.

33. The dishwasher of claim 32 wherein the filter bearing surface extends beyond the screen.

34. The dishwasher of claim 33 wherein the filter defines a hollow body and the filter bearing surface comprises a projection extending about a periphery of the hollow body.

35. The dishwasher of claim 34 wherein the frame comprises at least one ring, with a portion of the ring projecting beyond the screen to form the projection.

36. The dishwasher of claim 32, further comprising a shroud at least partially enclosing the filter and having an access opening, with the first diverter located within the access opening.

37. The dishwasher of claim 36 wherein the first diverter projects through the access opening.

38. The dishwasher of claim 32 wherein the filter further comprises a stationary shaft and a first portion of the first diverter is mounted to the shaft.

39. The dishwasher of claim 38, further comprising a second biasing element provided on the shaft and biasing the first portion of the first diverter toward a first end of the filter to maintain the first diverter and the filter in a fixed relative position.

40. The dishwasher of claim 39, further comprising a second diverter, with the first diverter proximate one of the upstream and downstream surfaces and the second diverter proximate the other of the upstream and downstream surfaces to define a second gap.

41. The dishwasher of claim 40 wherein the second diverter is mounted to the shaft.

42. 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 pump fluidly coupled between the treating chamber and the sprayer to define a circulation circuit for circulating the sprayed liquid from the treating chamber to the sprayer;

a rotating filter comprising a body in which are provided a plurality of openings, and the filter located within the circulation circuit such that the circulated liquid passes through the screen from an upstream surface to a downstream surface as the filter rotates; and

a first diverter extending along at least a portion of one of the upstream and downstream surfaces, and having a diverter bearing surface;

wherein the sum of the individual areas of the plurality of openings defines a cumulative open area for the body, the area of the body exposed to the circulation circuit defines the body area, and the ratio of the open area to the body area is 0.15 to 0.25.

43. The dishwasher of claim 42 wherein the ratio is a function of the rotational speed of the filter.

44. The dishwasher of claim 43 wherein the rotational speed of the filter is between 2000 and 3500 rpm.

45. The dishwasher of claim 43 wherein the pump comprises an inlet in fluid communication with the circulation circuit and an outlet in fluid communication with the circulation circuit, and the ratio is a function of at least the area of one of the inlet and the outlet.

46. The dishwasher of claim 45 wherein the inlet has an area of 660 to 810 mm² and the outlet has an area of 450 to 500 mm².

47. The dishwasher of claim 45 wherein the pump comprises a volumetric flow rate and the ratio is a function of the volumetric flow rate.

48. The dishwasher of claim 47 wherein the volumetric flow rate is 15 to 32 liters per minute.

49. The dishwasher of claim 42, further comprising a shroud at least partially enclosing the filter and having an access opening, with the first diverter located within the access opening.

50. The dishwasher of claim 49 wherein the first diverter projects through the access opening.

51. The dishwasher of claim 50 wherein the filter further comprises a stationary shaft and a first portion of the first diverter is mounted to the shaft.

52. The dishwasher of claim 42, further comprising a biasing element provided on the shaft and biasing the first portion of the first diverter toward a first end of the filter to maintain the first diverter and filter in a fixed relative position.

53. The dishwasher of claim 52, further comprising a second diverter, with the first diverter proximate one of the upstream and downstream surfaces and the second diverter proximate the other of the upstream and downstream surfaces to define a second gap.

54. The dishwasher of claim 53 wherein the second diverter is non-rotatably mounted to the shaft.

55. The dishwasher of claim 42 wherein the pump comprises an impeller and the filter is coupled to the impeller such that the rotation of the impeller rotates the filter.