Dishwasher having spray manifold and method for controlling same
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsCHRISTOPHER J. CARLSON, JORDAN R. FOUNTAIN, ANTONY M. RAPPETTE, CHAD T. VANDERROEST
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially forming a treating chamber, a dish rack provided within the wash chamber, and a spray manifold. The spray manifold can have multiple apertures and/or sprayers for emitting wash liquid to define a spray zone.
Claims58
A dishwasher comprising:
- a tub at least partially forming a treating chamber;
- a dish rack provided within the treating chamber and defining a utensil zone in which utensils are received for washing;
- a spray manifold having multiple sprayers, each sprayer having an outlet through which liquid is sprayed to collectively define a first spray zone directed toward the utensil zone, and each sprayer having a volumetric flow rate requirement;
- a supply conduit fluidly coupled to the spray manifold and through which liquid is supplied to the spray manifold from a liquid source;
- and
- a flow diverter proportionally dividing the liquid supplied from the supply conduit to the multiple sprayers in proportion to the volumetric flow rate requirement of the multiple sprayers.
A method of controlling a distribution of liquid in a dishwasher having a tub at least partially forming a treating chamber, a dish rack located in the treating chamber and defining a utensil zone in which utensils are received for washing, and a spray manifold having multiple sprayers that emit liquid to define a spray zone directed toward the utensil zone, with each sprayer having a volumetric flow rate requirement, the method comprising:
- supplying liquid from a liquid source to the spray manifold;
- and
- proportionally distributing the supplied liquid to the multiple sprayers according to the volumetric flow rate requirement of each of the sprayers.
A dishwasher comprising:
- a tub at least partially forming a treating chamber;
- a dish rack provided within the treating chamber and defining a utensil zone in which utensils are received for washing;
- and
- a spray manifold provided within the treating chamber and having multiple apertures though which liquid is emitted to define a first spray zone directed toward the utensil zone, the spray manifold comprising:
- multiple branches, each branch supplying liquid to at least one of the apertures;
- a liquid distribution header defining an interior flow path having an inlet from which extends multiple channels corresponding to the multiple branches, with each of the channels in fluid communication with the corresponding branch;
- and
- a supply conduit in fluid communication with the inlet for supplying wash liquid to the liquid distribution header;
- wherein the corresponding channel and branch have matching volumetric flow rate requirements to minimize pressure loss from the inlet to the branches.
A dishwasher comprising:
- a tub at least partially forming a treating chamber;
- a dish rack provided within the treating chamber and defining a utensil zone in which utensils are received for washing;
- and
- a spray manifold provided within the treating chamber such that liquid emitted from the spray manifold defines a first spray zone directed toward the utensil zone, the spray manifold comprising:
- a first rotating spray head coupled to an exterior surface of the spray manifold and having at least one aperture for emitting liquid;
- a second rotating spray head coupled to an exterior surface of the spray manifold and having at least one aperture for emitting liquid;
- a first interior flow path that supplies liquid to the first rotating spray head;
- and
- a second interior flow path that supplies liquid to the second rotating spray head;
- wherein the first and second interior flow paths are configured to supply liquid to the first and second rotating spray heads, respectively, at the same volumetric flow rate.
A dishwasher comprising:
- a tub at least partially forming a treating chamber;
- a dish rack provided within the treating chamber and defining a utensil zone in which utensils are received for washing;
- and
- a spray manifold having multiple rotating spray heads, each spray head having at least one aperture through which liquid is emitted to define a first spray zone directed toward the utensil zone, and multiple liquid flow paths, each flow path corresponding to a rotating spray head, with each flow path supplying liquid at the same volumetric flow rate to the corresponding rotating spray head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.