Water spray system for a dishwasher

#The present invention relates to a domestic dishwasher and, in particular, to a dishwasher water spray system for more thoroughly washing and rinsing items in the lateral sides and corners of the dishwasher; such as one that is substantially wider than the front-to-back depth.

#In recent years the design of premiere kitchen appliances for homes have tended toward increasing the width of each appliance to increase the capacity and size of the appliance, as well as creating a “commercial” appliance appearance because of the increased size. For example, premiere built-in ovens now are often thirty inches wide and or more it is desirable from an aesthetic standpoint to provide the other built-in kitchen appliances of the same width. Of course, the increased width beneficially increases the capacity of each appliance. On the other hand, kitchen cabinets have remained approximately the same depth of about twenty-four inches or less. This results in the modern premiere appliances being significantly wider than their depths. However, conventional dishwashers rely on centrally located spinners that rotate on a vertical axis for spraying water throughout the interior of the dishwasher but the diameter of the spinner is limited by the front-to-back depth of the dishwasher cabinet. As a result, the lateral sides and corners of a modern premiere dishwasher of increased width do not receive the same amount of water spray from the spinners as the center portion. For example, a typical dishwasher spinner is limited to approximately eighteen inches (18″) in diameter and yet the interior width of a modern premiere dishwasher may be over twenty eight inches (28″), whereby the spinner does not extend below about five inches (5″) on each lateral side of the dishwasher and, of course, the four corners of the dishwasher interior cabinet are even further from the spinner.

#It is a principle object of the present invention to provide a novel dishwasher rack and water spray system wherein the lateral extremities and vertical corners of the interior of the dishwasher are adequately sprayed with wash and rinse water. A further object of this invention is to provide such a dishwasher in which tubes with spray outlets are mounted on the lateral sides of the dishwasher interior and each tube is mounted to rotate about its axis for spraying water in the lateral extremities and corners of the dishwasher. A still further object of this invention is to provide such a dishwasher in which such rotating tubes are mounted horizontally on lateral portions of the dish rack to spray water from the lateral sides of the dish rack. A still further object of this invention is to provide alternate forms of such a dishwasher spray system in which the rotating spray tubes are mounted on the lateral sides of the dishwasher interior separate from the dish racks. A more detailed object of this invention is to provide such a dishwasher which the rotating spray tubes are mounted horizontally, vertically or at an appropriate angle for accomplishing the most effective dishwashing and rinsing.

#Other and more detailed objects and advantages of the present invention will appear to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dishwasher of the type incorporating the present invention, although the inventive features are not visible;

#FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation view of the dishwasher of the present invention taken through the center of the dishwasher from the right side;

#Referring now to FIG. 1, a domestic kitchen dishwasher 10 is illustrated that is of the type for being built into a cabinet whereby it has an exterior housing 12 without a decorative appearance and a front door 14 with a decorative appearance. The dishwasher 10 has a height H, width W and a depth D suitable for mounting in a typical domestic kitchen cabinet under the kitchen counter. As noted above, normally the depth of a typical kitchen cabinet is limited whereby the depth D of the dishwasher is limited to approximately 24 inches and yet modern premium built-in kitchen appliances typically are much wider than 24 inches, such as 30 or even 36 inches wide. As will become more apparent from the following description of the other Figures, the present invention is particularly applicable to a dishwasher having a width W substantially larger than the depth D although the invention also is applicable to dishwashers of any width or depth.

#Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2-5, an upper dish rack, generally designated 16, is comprised of a wire basket constructed in a conventional manner with a plurality of crisscrossing and encircling wire segments 18 connected to each other to provide a space for supporting cups, glasses, small dishware, long utensils and the like in the usual manner. The upper rack 16 is provided with any conventional support means for allowing the rack to be rolled out the front of the dishwasher 10 when the door 14 is opened, such as a pair of upper rollers 20 and a pair of lower rollers 22 on each side of the rack 16 that engage a track (not shown) mounted on each side wall of the dishwasher 10.

#Referring also to FIGS. 6 and 11, the upper rack 16 is provided with a water spraying system, generally designated 24, that is mounted on the underside of the rack 16 and moves into and out of the front of the dishwasher 10 with the rack 16. A releasable water connection arrangement 26 is provided at the rear of the rack 16 for supplying water to the spraying system 24, as described more fully below with respect to FIG. 6. Water conduits 28 extend laterally in opposite directions from the connection arrangement 26 along the rear portion of the rack 16 to an elbow 30 at each lateral side of the rack. The connection arrangement 26, conduits 28 and elbows 30 are support from the rack by any convenient means, such as clips 31 connected to the wires 18. A water spray tube 32 is rotatably mounted in the forward extending portion 30a of each elbow 30 (see FIG. 12). The forward end 32a of spray tube 32 is rotatably supported by any convenient support mechanism 33, such as a pointed pin 34 engaging a conical depression 36 in a plug 38 fixedly mounted in the front end 32a of the spray tube 32 (also see FIG. 13). Preferably the pin 34 is cylindrical and has a cylindrical flange 34a slidably mounted in a cylindrical cavity 40a of a bracket 40 mounted on the bottom front portion of the upper rack 16, such as by clamping the bracket 40 onto a pair of spaced wires 18 of the rack. A coil spring 42 is mounted in the bracket 40 to engage the rear surface of the flange 34a to thereby resiliently urge the pointed end of the pin 34 into the conical depression 36 of the plug 38 on the spray tube 32. By this arrangement the spray tube 32 is rotatably mounted on the underside of the rack 16 in a very simple and inexpensive manner and yet the friction against rotation is minimized by the pointed pin 34 engagement with the conical depression 36.