Dishwasher pump and filtration system
AssigneeMaytag Corporation
InventorsRobert A. Elick, Barry E. Tuller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dishwasher includes a pump assembly which functions to chop all fluid entrained soil prior to directing fluid to upper and lower wash arms. A flow conduit leading to the upper wash arm is provided with a sampling port which directs a percentage of the fluid flow into a filter chamber having one or more fine mesh filter screens that open into the dishwasher tub basin. The filter chamber receives washing fluid through a sampling port that interconnects with the flow conduit. The filter chamber can be fluidly connected to a drain based on the position of a valve which opens when washing fluid recirculation ceases.
Claims22
In a dishwasher including a tub having bottom, opposing side, rear and top walls which collectively define a washing chamber adapted to receive and cleanse soiled kitchenware by spraying washing fluid onto the kitchenware from at least one wash arm, a pump and filtration assembly comprising:
- a housing mounted at an opening provided in the bottom wall of the tub, said housing including a first plate portion sealed to the bottom wall about the opening, a second plate portion and a cap portion, said first and second plate portions being spaced to define an intake chamber of the housing, said second plate portion and said cap portion being spaced to define a pumping chamber of the housing;
- at least one drive member extending through each of the first and second plate portions;
- a chopper blade disposed in the intake chamber and drivingly connected to the at least one drive member;
- an apertured plate positioned between the washing chamber and the pumping chamber adjacent the chopper blade;
- a pumping unit arranged in the pumping chamber, said pumping unit including an impeller drivingly connected to the at least one drive member for directing washing fluid to the wash arm;
- a conduit leading from the housing and fluidly interconnecting the pumping chamber with the wash arm;
- a sampling port fluidly connected to the conduit for sampling a portion of the washing fluid being delivered to the at least one wash arm;
- a filter chamber connected to the conduit for receiving the portion of the washing fluid flowing through the sampling port, said filter chamber including at least one enlarged opening provided with a fine mesh filtering screen for entrapping soil from the washing fluid in the filter chamber, while permitting cleansed washing fluid to be directed back into the washing chamber;
- a drain passage positioned below the sampling port in the filter chamber;
- and
- a sealing member arranged below the sampling port at the drain passage, said sealing member being acted upon by the portion of the washing fluid flowing through the sampling port to close off the drain passage during a wash portion of a washing operation, and opening the drain passage during a drain portion of the washing operation.
In a dishwasher including a tub having bottom, opposing side, rear and top walls which collectively define a washing chamber adapted to receive and cleanse soiled kitchenware by spraying washing fluid onto the kitchenware from at least one wash arm, a pump and filtration assembly comprising:
- a housing mounted at an opening provided in the bottom wall of the tub, said housing including an intake chamber and a pumping chamber;
- a conduit leading from the housing and fluidly interconnecting the pumping chamber with the wash arm;
- a sampling port fluidly connected to the conduit for sampling a portion of the washing fluid being delivered to the at least one wash arm;
- a filter chamber connected to the conduit for receiving the portion of the washing fluid flowing through the sampling port;
- a drain passage positioned below the sampling port in the filter chamber;
- and
- a sealing member arranged below the sampling port at the drain passage, said sealing member being acted upon by the portion of the washing fluid flowing through the sampling port to close off the drain passage during a wash portion of a washing operation, and opening the drain passage during a drain portion of the washing operation.
In a dishwasher including a tub having bottom, opposing side, rear and top walls which collectively define a washing chamber adapted to receive and cleanse soiled kitchenware by spraying washing fluid onto the kitchenware from at least one wash arm, a pump and filtration assembly comprising:
- a housing mounted at an opening provided in the bottom wall of the tub, said housing including an intake chamber and a pumping chamber;
- a conduit leading from the housing and fluidly interconnecting the pumping chamber with the wash arm;
- a sampling port fluidly connected to the conduit for sampling a portion of the washing fluid being delivered to the at least one wash arm;
- a filter chamber connected to the conduit for receiving the portion of the washing fluid flowing through the sampling port;
- a drain passage positioned below the sampling port in the filter chamber;
- and
- means for sealing the drain passage during select portions of a washing operation.
A method of operating a dishwasher comprising:
- drawing washing fluid from within a washing chamber defined in a tub of the dishwasher into a pump housing;
- initially entrapping soil particles prior to directing the washing fluid to a pumping unit;
- pumping at least a majority of the washing fluid to upper and lower wash arms for spraying onto kitchenware being washed in the dishwasher;
- diverting a portion of the washing fluid into a filter chamber through a sampling port, said filter chamber having a filtering screen and a drain passage;
- sealing the drain passage during a washing operation to cause washing fluid to flow through the filtering screen back into the washing chamber while soil in the portion of the washing fluid is trapped in the filter chamber;
- ceasing a recirculation operation of the pump unit;
- and
- unsealing the drain passage to cause washing fluid and soil particles to flow downward out of the filter chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.