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US 11,185,209 B2Granted
Dishwasher steam generator
AssigneeMidea Group Co., Ltd.
InventorBassam Fawaz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dishwasher and method utilize one or more sprayers to generate steam within a wash tub of a dishwasher by directing one or more sprays of fluid onto a heating element disposed in the wash tub of the dishwasher.
Claims19
A dishwasher, comprising:
- a wash tub including a sump;
- a rack disposed in the wash tub;
- a heating element disposed in the sump and configured to heat fluid retained in the sump;
- a fluid supply configured to supply fluid to the wash tub;
- a controllably-movable sprayer disposed in the wash tub and in fluid communication with the fluid supply;
- and
- a controller coupled to the heating element and the controllably-movable sprayer and configured to heat fluid retained in the sump and controllably move the controllably-movable sprayer to spray fluid onto one or more utensils disposed in the rack using the fluid heated by the heating element, wherein the controller is further configured to generate steam in the wash tub by controlling a level of fluid in the sump such that the surface of the heating element is exposed above any fluid retained in the sump and controllably moving the controllably-movable sprayer to selectively direct a spray of fluid onto a surface of the heating element while the surface of the heating element is exposed.
4 more elements
A dishwasher, comprising:
- a wash tub including a sump;
- a heating element disposed in the wash tub;
- a controllable sprayer disposed in the wash tub;
- and
- a controller configured to generate steam in the wash tub by controlling a level of fluid in the sump such that a surface of the heating element is exposed above any fluid retained in the sump, controlling the controllable sprayer to selectively direct a spray of fluid onto the surface of the heating element, and controlling the heating element to heat the surface of the heating element to a temperature sufficient to vaporize at least a portion of the spray of fluid selectively directed onto the surface of the heating element.
2 more elements
A dishwasher, comprising:
- a wash tub;
- a heating element disposed in the wash tub;
- and
- a sprayer disposed in the wash tub and configured to generate steam in the wash tub by directing a spray of fluid onto a surface of the heating element;
- wherein the sprayer is a controllable sprayer including one or more apertures extending through an exterior surface thereof and being in fluid communication with a fluid supply to direct fluid from the fluid supply into the wash tub through the one or more apertures;
- wherein the dishwasher further comprises a controller configured to control the controllable sprayer to selectively direct the spray of fluid onto the surface of the heating element;
- wherein the heating element is disposed in a sump of the dishwasher;
- wherein the heating element is further configured to heat fluid retained in the sump when the heating element is submerged in the fluid retained in the sump;
- and
- wherein the controller is configured to control a level of fluid in the sump such that the heating element is submerged when heating fluid to be sprayed onto utensils by one or more sprayers in the dishwasher, and such that the surface of the heating element is exposed above any fluid retained in the sump when generating steam.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.