# US 2014/0190533 A1 · Spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190533 A1 - Document ID: US20140190533A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/737,195 - Filed: 2013-01-09 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-09 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Joel Charles Boyer; Errin Whitney Gnadinger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190533A1 ## CPC - A47L 15/23: moved by means of the sprays - A47L 15/42: Details - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein said means for selectively rotating comprises: a socket positioned within the chamber of said spray arm; and a lug mounted to the conduit of said bearing and aligned with said socket along the axial direction, said lug receivable within said socket in order to enable rotation of the conduit of said bearing within the aperture of said bracket with said spray arm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The spray assembly of claim 2, wherein said lug has a hexagonal cross-section in a plane that is perpendicular to the axial direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The spray assembly of claim 2, wherein said spray arm comprises an upper spray arm body mounted to a lower spray arm body in order to define the chamber therebetween, the upper spray arm body defining the opening and said socket mounted to the lower spray arm body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein said spray assembly defines an axial direction, wherein said means for selectively rotating comprises: a socket mounted to the conduit of said bearing; and a lug positioned within the chamber of said spray arm and aligned with said socket along the axial direction, said lug receivable within said socket in order to enable rotation of said bearing with said spray arm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The spray assembly of claim 5, wherein said lug has a hexagonal cross-section in a plane that is perpendicular to the axial direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The spray assembly of claim 5, wherein said spray arm comprises an upper spray arm body mounted to a lower spray arm body in order to define the chamber therebetween, the upper spray arm body defining the opening and said lug mounted to the lower spray arm body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the conduit of said bearing has an annular cross-section in a plane that is perpendicular to the axial direction ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein said bracket has an outer surface and said spray arm has an outward surface that faces the outer surface of said bracket, the outer surface of said bracket spaced apart from the outward surface of said spray arm by less than about one inch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein said spray arm comprises an upper spray arm body mounted to a lower spray arm body in order to defines the chamber, the upper spray arm body defining the opening and the lower spray arm body defining a plurality of spray ports for directing wash fluid out of the chamber. ### Claim 11 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The spray assembly of claim 11, further comprising means for selectively rotating the conduit of said bearing within the aperture of said bracket with said spray arm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The spray assembly of claim 12, wherein said means for selectively rotating comprises: a socket positioned within the chamber of said spray arm; and a lug mounted to the conduit of said bearing and aligned with said socket along the axial direction, said lug receivable within said socket in order to enable rotation of the conduit of said bearing within the aperture of said bracket with said spray arm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The spray assembly of claim 13, wherein said lug has a hexagonal cross-section in a plane that is perpendicular to the axial direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The spray assembly of claim 13, wherein said spray arm comprises an upper spray arm body mounted to a lower spray arm body in order to define the chamber therebetween, the upper spray arm body defining the opening and said socket mounted to the lower spray arm body. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The spray assembly of claim 12, wherein said spray assembly defines an axial direction, wherein said means for selectively rotating comprises: a socket mounted to the conduit of said bearing; and a lug positioned within the chamber of said spray arm and aligned with said socket along the axial direction, said lug receivable within said socket in order to enable rotation of said bearing with said spray arm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The spray assembly of claim 16, wherein said lug has a hexagonal cross-section in a plane that is perpendicular to the axial direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The spray assembly of claim 16, wherein said spray arm comprises an upper spray arm body mounted to a lower spray arm body in order to define the chamber therebetween, the upper spray arm body defining the opening and said lug mounted to the lower spray arm body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The spray assembly of claim 11, wherein the conduit of said bearing has an annular cross-section in a plane that is perpendicular to the axial direction. ### Claim 20 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.