Drying systems and methods including multi-directional air distribution for a dishwashing appliance
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsThiyagarajan Sankaran Veerabhagu, Ramasamy Thiyagarajan, Timothy Kopera
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dishwashing appliance includes a tub defining a wash chamber. An inlet is defined in the tub and provides air flow into the wash chamber. An air handler selectively urges air through the inlet in one of a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction. The air flows from the inlet and through the wash chamber of the tub along a first defined path when the air handler urges air through the inlet in the first direction, and the air flows from the inlet and through the wash chamber of the tub along a second defined path when the air handler urges air through the inlet in the second direction.
Claims17
A dishwashing appliance, comprising:
- a tub defining a wash chamber;
- an inlet defined in the tub and providing air flow into the wash chamber;
- an air handler configured to selectively urge air through the inlet in one of a first direction and a second direction different from the first direction;
- a diverter disk proximate the inlet downstream of the air handler and upstream of the wash chamber, the diverter disk defining an axial direction, the diverter disk movable along the axial direction between a first position and a second position, wherein the diverter disk is configured to move from the second position to the first position when the air handler urges air through the inlet in the first direction, and to move from the first position to the second position when the air handler urges air through the inlet in the second direction, and wherein the diverter disk translates along the axial direction and rotates about the axial direction when the diverter disk moves between the first position and the second position;
- wherein the air flows from the inlet and through the wash chamber of the tub along a first defined path when the air handler urges the air in the first direction, and wherein the air flows from the inlet and through the wash chamber of the tub along a second defined path when the air handler urges the air in the second direction.
A method of drying articles in a dishwashing appliance, the method comprising:
- urging air through an inlet defined in a tub of the dishwashing appliance in a first direction, whereby the air flows from the inlet and through a wash chamber of the tub along a first defined path;
- urging air through the inlet defined in the tub of the dishwashing appliance in a second direction, whereby the air flows from the inlet and through the wash chamber of the tub along a second defined path;
- moving a diverter disk from a first position to a second position when urging the air in the first direction;
- and
- moving the diverter disk from the second position to the first position when urging the air in the second direction;
- wherein the diverter disk defines an axial direction, wherein the diverter disk translates along the axial direction and rotates about the axial direction during the step of moving the diverter disk from the first position to the second position and during the step of moving the diverter disk from the second position to the first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.