# US 2014/0190534 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 2014/0190534 A1 - Document ID: US20140190534A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/736,327 - Filed: 2013-01-08 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Joel Charles Boyer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190534A1 ## CPC - A47L 15/23: moved by means of the sprays - A47L 15/4282: {Arrangements to change or modify spray pattern or direction} - 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) ## Abstract A spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance is provided. The spray assembly includes a base unit and a mounting bracket rotatably mounted to the base unit. A spray arm is selectively secured to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket includes features for engaging the spray arm and hindering undesired detachment of the spray arm from the mounting bracket. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance, the spray assembly defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the spray assembly comprising: a base unit defining an inlet for receipt of wash fluid and an outlet; a mounting bracket rotatably mounted to said base unit, said mounting bracket comprising: an annular sidewall that has an inner surface and an outer surface, the annular sidewall also defining a plurality channels; a post mounted to the annular sidewall and extending away from the outer surface of the annular sidewall, the post having an upper surface; and a tab mounted on the upper surface of the post; and a spray arm selectively secured to said mounting bracket, said spray arm comprising: a main body that defines a chamber configured for receipt of wash fluid from the outlet of said base unit, the main body also having a bottom surface that faces said mounting bracket, the main body defining a detent on the bottom surface of the main body, the detent receiving the tab of said mounting bracket; a circular sidewall mounted to the main body and extending away from the bottom surface of the main body; and a plurality of projections mounted to the circular sidewall, each projection of the plurality of projections received within a respective channel of the plurality of channels of the annular sidewall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein said base unit defines an additional outlet and the main body of said spray arm defines an additional chamber configured for receipt of wash fluid from the additional outlet of said base unit, wherein said spray arm rotates in a first direction when wash fluid is directed into the chamber of said spray arm and said spray arm rotates in a second direction when wash fluid is directed into the additional chamber of said spray arm, the first direction being opposite to the second direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the tab includes an engagement surface that is substantially perpendicular the upper surface of the post. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The spray assembly of claim 2, wherein the main body of said spray arm includes an engagement surface positioned within the detent, the engagement surface of the main body positioned immediately adjacent the engagement surface of the tab. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the tab includes a sloped surface that defines an angle φ with the upper surface of the post, the angle φ being between about fifty degrees and about ten degrees. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the post extends away from the outer surface of the annular sidewall by more than about one inch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the post is downwardly deflectable in order to permit removal of the tab from the detent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels of the annular sidewall extend through the annular sidewall from the inner surface of the annular sidewall to the outer surface of the annual sidewall. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of projections of said spray arm comprises six projections, the six projections uniformly distributed on the circular sidewall of said spray arm such that each projection of the six projections is spaced apart from adjacent projections by about thirty degrees along the circumferential direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the detent is spaced apart from the circular sidewall of said spray arm by more than about one inch along the radial direction. ### Claim 11 A dishwasher appliance comprising: a tub that defines a wash compartment; a rack assembly mounted within the wash compartment of said tub and configured for receipt of articles for washing; and a spray assembly for applying wash fluid to articles within said rack assembly, said spray assembly defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, said spray assembly comprising: a base unit mounted to said tub, said base unit defining an inlet for receipt of wash fluid and an outlet; a mounting bracket rotatably mounted to said base unit, said mounting bracket comprising: an annular sidewall that has an inner surface and an outer surface, the annular sidewall also defining a plurality channels; a post mounted to the annular sidewall and extending away from the outer surface of the annular sidewall, the post having an upper surface; and a tab mounted on the upper surface of the post; and a spray arm selectively secured to said mounting bracket, said spray arm comprising: a main body that defines a chamber configured for receipt of wash fluid from the outlet of said base unit, the main body also having a bottom surface that faces said mounting bracket, the main body defining a detent on the bottom surface of the main body, the detent receiving the tab of said mounting bracket; a circular sidewall mounted to the main body and extending away from the bottom surface of the main body; a plurality of projections mounted to the circular sidewall, each projection of the plurality of projections received within a respective channel of the plurality of channels of the annular sidewall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The dishwasher appliance of claim 1, wherein said base unit defines an additional outlet and the main body of said spray arm defines an additional chamber configured for receipt of wash fluid from the additional outlet of said base unit, wherein said spray arm rotates in a first direction when wash fluid is directed into the chamber of said spray arm and said spray arm rotates in a second direction when wash fluid is directed into the additional chamber of said spray arm, the first direction being opposite to the second direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The dishwasher appliance of claim 1, wherein the tab includes an engagement surface that is substantially perpendicular the upper surface of the post. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The dishwasher appliance of claim 2, wherein the main body of said spray arm includes an engagement surface positioned within the detent, the engagement surface of the main body positioned immediately adjacent the engagement surface of the tab. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The dishwasher appliance of claim 1, wherein the tab includes a sloped surface that defines an angle φ with the upper surface of the post, the angle φ being between about fifty degrees and about ten degrees. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The dishwasher appliance of claim 1, wherein the post extends away from the outer surface of the annular sidewall by more than about one inch. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The dishwasher appliance of claim 1, wherein the post is downwardly deflectable in order to permit removal of the tab from the detent. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The dishwasher appliance of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels of the annular sidewall extend through the annular sidewall from the inner surface of the annular sidewall to the outer surface of the annual sidewall. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The dishwasher appliance of claim 1, wherein the plurality of projections of said spray arm comprises six projections, the six projections uniformly distributed on the circular sidewall of said spray arm such that each projection of the six projections is spaced apart from adjacent projections by about thirty degrees along the circumferential direction. ### Claim 20 A spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance, the spray assembly defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the spray assembly comprising: a base unit defining an inlet for receipt of wash fluid and an outlet; a mounting bracket rotatably mounted to said base unit; a spray arm defining a chamber configured for receipt of wash fluid from the outlet of said base unit; a plurality of radial tabs mounted to said mounting bracket or said spray arm, said plurality of radial tabs oriented in the radial direction such that said plurality of radial tabs projects along the radial direction; a plurality of radial slots defined by said mounting bracket or said spray arm, said plurality of radial tabs received by said plurality of radial slots; a plurality of axial tabs mounted to said mounting bracket or said spray arm, said plurality of axial tabs oriented in the axial direction such that said plurality of axial tabs projects along the axial direction; a plurality of axial slots defined by said mounting bracket or said spray arm, said plurality of axial tabs received by said plurality of axial slots, and wherein said spray arm is selectively secured to said mounting bracket with said plurality of radial tabs and said plurality of axial tabs such that one of said plurality of radial tabs and said plurality of axial tabs hinders relative rotation in a clockwise direction and the other hinders relative rotation in a counterclockwise direction.