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US 2017/0280965 A1Published application
Dishwasher with sprayer
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorMark S. Feddema
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and a sprayer for spraying liquid to the treating chamber. The sprayer may include a liquid passage and at least one outlet extending from an interior to an exterior of the sprayer and in fluid communication with the liquid passage. A membrane may have at least one opening and may be in fluid communication with the liquid passage to control the flow of liquid through the at least one outlet.
Claims20
A dishwasher for treating utensils according to an automatic cycle of operation, comprising:
- a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving utensils for treatment according to the automatic cycle of operation;
- a sprayer for spraying liquid into the treating chamber and having a body with an exterior and an inner surface defining an interior wherein the interior forms at least a portion of a liquid passage and at least one outlet includes an aperture extending from the interior to the exterior where the inner surface includes a rib defining a periphery surrounding the at least one outlet;
- and
- a slidable valve body located within the interior including a membrane having at least one opening;
- wherein the membrane sealingly abuts the rib to form a liquid seal between the rib and the membrane and where the membrane and the sprayer are operably coupled wherein, during use, rotation of the sprayer causes reciprocating movement of the membrane relative to the sprayer such that at least a portion of the at least one opening passes within the periphery to fluidly couple the interior to the at least one outlet and provide for a fluid path from the interior, through the at least one opening, and through the at least one outlet to emit a spray of liquid from the sprayer into the treating chamber.
2 more elements
A dishwasher for treating utensils according to an automatic cycle of operation, comprising:
- a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving utensils for treatment according to the automatic cycle of operation;
- a rotatable sprayer for spraying liquid into the treating chamber and having a body with an exterior and an inner surface defining an interior wherein the interior forms at least a portion of a liquid passage and at least one outlet extending from the interior to the exterior;
- a slidable valve body located within the interior, adjacent the inner surface having the at least one outlet, the slidable body including a flexible membrane having at least one opening and a frame supportingly coupled to the flexible membrane;
- and
- a driver system coupling the rotatable sprayer to the frame;
- wherein the flexible membrane sealingly abuts the inner surface of the sprayer to form a liquid seal between the sprayer and the flexible membrane and wherein, during use, rotation of the sprayer acts as an input to the driver system, which in turn drives the membrane relative to the sprayer such that the valve body is moved from a first position wherein the flexible membrane blocks the fluid coupling of the at least one outlet and the interior and a second position wherein at least one outlet is fluidly coupled with the interior via the at least one opening.
3 more elements
A dishwasher for treating utensils according to an automatic cycle of operation, comprising:
- a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving utensils for treatment according to the automatic cycle of operation;
- a rotatable sprayer for spraying liquid into the treating chamber and having a body with an exterior and an inner surface defining an interior wherein the interior forms at least a portion of a liquid passage and multiple outlets extending from the interior to the exterior;
- a slidable valve body located within the interior, adjacent the inner surface having the multiple outlets, the slidable body including a flexible membrane having a set of openings;
- and
- a driver system coupling the rotatable sprayer to the flexible membrane;
- wherein the flexible membrane sealingly abuts the inner surface of the sprayer to form a liquid seal between the sprayer and the flexible membrane and wherein, during use, rotation of the sprayer acts as an input to the driver system, which in turn drives the membrane relative to the sprayer such that the valve body is moved from a first position wherein the set of openings in the flexible membrane fluid couples a first subset of the multiple outlets and a second position wherein the set of openings in the flexible membrane fluid couples a second subset of the multiple outlets and where the second subset is different from the first subset.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.