Spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJoel Charles Boyer, Errin Whitney Gnadinger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present subject matter provides a spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance. The spray assembly includes a spray arm, a bearing, and a bracket for mounting the spray assembly to a dishwasher appliance. The spray arm is mounted for rotation relative to the bearing, and the bearing is mounted to the bracket. The spray assembly includes features for rotating the bearing relative to the bracket with the spray arm. Such rotation can assist with mounting of the bearing to the bracket.
Claims20
A spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance, the spray assembly defining an axial direction and a radial direction, the spray assembly comprising:
- a spray arm defining an opening and a chamber for receipt of wash fluid from the opening;
- a bearing, said spray arm rotatably mounted to said bearing, said bearing comprising:
- a conduit received within the opening of said spray arm;
- a plurality of projections positioned on the conduit and extending outwardly along the radial direction therefrom;
- and
- a flange mounted to the conduit and projecting from the conduit along the radial direction, the flange positioned within the chamber of said spray arm;
- a bracket that defines an aperture and a plurality of slots, the conduit of said bearing received within the aperture of said bracket and each projection of the plurality of projections of said bearing received within a respective one of the plurality of slots of said bracket;
- and
- means for selectively rotating the conduit of said bearing within the aperture of said bracket with said spray arm.
A spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance, the spray assembly defining an axial direction and a radial direction, the spray assembly comprising:
- a spray arm defining an opening and a chamber for receipt of wash fluid from the opening;
- a bearing, said spray arm rotatably mounted to said bearing, said bearing comprising:
- a conduit received within the opening of said spray arm;
- a plurality of projections positioned on the conduit and projecting along the radial direction therefrom;
- and
- a flange mounted to the conduit and projects from the conduit along the radial direction, the flange being positioned within the chamber of said spray arm;
- a bracket defining an aperture and a plurality of slots, the conduit of said bearing received within the aperture of said bracket and each projection of the plurality of projections of said bearing received within a respective one of the plurality of slots of said bracket;
- and
- a support fixed to said bracket and extending away from said bracket along the axial direction, the support defining a notch that is configured for mounting the spray assembly to a dishwasher appliance.
A method for mounting a spray assembly to a dishwasher appliance, the dishwasher appliance having a tub that defines a wash compartment, the method comprising:
- providing:
- (1) a spray arm that defines an opening and a chamber for receipt of wash fluid from the opening and includes a socket positioned within the chamber;
- (2) a bearing about which the spray arm is rotatable and that includes a conduit positioned within the opening of the spray arm, a plurality of projections positioned on the conduit and extending therefrom, a flange mounted to the conduit and positioned within the chamber of the spray arm, and a lug mounted to the conduit;
- and (3) a bracket that defines an aperture, a plurality of slots, and a plurality of channels;
- securing the bracket to the tub of the dishwasher appliance;
- positioning the conduit of the bearing within the aperture of the bracket such that each projection of the plurality of projections of the bearing is received within a respective one of the plurality of slots of the bracket;
- sliding the lug of the bearing into the socket of the spray arm;
- rotating the spray arm in order to rotate the bearing until each projection of the plurality of projections of the bearing is received within a respective one of the plurality of channels of the bracket;
- and
- releasing the spray arm such that the lug of the bearing disengages the socket of the spray arm and the spray arm is rotatable about the bearing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.