# US 2018/0020900 A1 · Filter assembly for a dishwasher appliance

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- Number: US 2018/0020900 A1
- Document ID: US20180020900A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/216,784
- Filed: 2016-07-22
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22
- Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
- Applicants: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
- Inventors: Joel Charles Boyer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180020900A1

## CPC

- A47L 15/4208: {Arrangements to prevent clogging of the filters, e.g. self-cleaning}
- A47L 15/4219: {Water recirculation (A47L15/0078 takes precedence)}
- A47L 15/4225: {Arrangements or adaption of recirculation or discharge pumps}
- B01D 29/03: self-supporting
- B01D 29/58: arranged concentrically or coaxially
- B01D 29/6476: {with a rotary movement with respect to the filtering element}
- B01D 29/86: Retarding cake deposition on the filter during the filtration period, e.g. using stirrers {(B01D29/908 takes precedence)}
- C02F 1/001: {Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance (C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00)}
- C02F 2303/26: Reducing the size of particles, liquid droplets or bubbles, e.g. by crushing, grinding, spraying, creation of microbubbles or nanobubbles
- C02F 2307/12: as part of household appliances such as dishwashers, laundry washing machines or vacuum cleaners
- 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)
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)

## Abstract

A filter assembly for filtering a wash fluid to be circulated by a circulation pump in a dishwasher appliance includes a discharge blade defining lateral, transverse and vertical directions. The discharge blade includes a blade hub and a pair of opposing blades, and each of the opposing blades extend outward from the blade hub to a blade tip along the lateral direction. Further, each opposing blade may include a leading edge, a trailing edge, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The trailing edge of at least one opposing blade may be spaced apart from the leading edge along both the transverse and vertical directions, and may define a curve extending between the blade hub and blade tip along the lateral direction. Still further, the top surface of the at least one opposing blade may define a slope between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the transverse direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A filter assembly for filtering a wash fluid to be circulated by a circulation pump in a dishwasher appliance, the filter assembly defining an axial direction and comprising:
a filter member including a filter panel and defining a discharge opening;
a circumferential discharge chamber disposed radially outward of the filter member, the discharge chamber in fluid communication with the filter member through the discharge opening; and
a discharge blade attached to a shaft that extends through the filter member and is rotatable about the axial direction, the discharge blade positioned adjacent to the filter panel, the discharge blade defining a lateral direction, a transverse direction and a vertical direction, the discharge blade comprising:
a blade hub defining an aperture, the shaft extending through the aperture such that the discharge blade is attached to the shaft and can rotate about the axial direction; and
a pair of opposing blades extending outward from the blade hub to a blade tip along the lateral direction, at least one of the opposing blades comprising:
a leading edge defined between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction; and
a trailing edge spaced apart from the leading edge along both the transverse and vertical direction, the trailing edge defining a curve that extends between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction; and
a top surface spaced apart from a bottom surface along the vertical direction, the top surface defining a slope between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the transverse direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the leading edge is linear between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein a first point on the curve is defined between the blade hub and the blade tip, wherein a second point on the curve is defined between the blade hub and the first point, wherein a third point on the curve is defined between the first point and the blade tip, wherein a first slope of the curve is defined between the first point and the second point, wherein a second slope of the curve is defined between the first point and the third point, and wherein the first slope is different from the second slope.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The filter assembly of claim 3, wherein the first point is a midpoint of the curve.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The filter assembly of claim 4, wherein the midpoint of the curve is between approximately 0.035 inches and approximately 0.075 inches above the leading edge along the vertical direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The filter assembly of claim 3, wherein the second slope is greater than the first slope.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the trailing edge is positioned above the leading edge along the vertical direction such that both the top surface and the bottom surface slope upward from the leading edge to the trailing edge along the transverse direction.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The filter assembly of claim 6, wherein an apex of the curve is between approximately 0.036 inches and approximately 0.076 inches above the leading edge along the vertical direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The filter assembly of claim 8, wherein the apex is a midpoint of the curve.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The filter assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of opposing blades comprises:
a leading edge defined between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction;
a trailing edge spaced apart from the leading edge along both the vertical direction and the transverse direction, the trailing edge defining a curve that extends between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction;
a top surface extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the circumferential direction, the top surface defining a slope between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the transverse direction; and
a bottom surface spaced apart from the top surface along the axial direction, the bottom surface extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the transverse direction.

### Claim 11

A dishwasher appliance, comprising:
a tub defining a wash chamber;
a sump;
a circulation pump for circulating a wash fluid in the sump to the wash chamber; and
a filter assembly disposed within the sump and in flow communication with the circulation pump, the filter assembly defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the filter assembly comprising:
filter member including a filter panel and defining a discharge opening;
a circumferential discharge chamber disposed radially outward of the filter member, the discharge chamber in fluid communication with the filter member through the discharge opening; and
a discharge blade attached to a shaft that extends through the filter member and is rotatable about the axial direction, the discharge blade positioned adjacent to the filter panel, the discharge blade defining a lateral direction, a transverse direction and a vertical direction, the discharge blade comprising:
a blade hub defining an aperture, the shaft extending through the aperture such that the discharge blade is attached to the shaft and can rotate about the axial direction; and
a pair of opposing blades extending outward from the blade hub to a blade tip along the radial direction, at least one of the opposing blades comprising:
a leading edge defined between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction;
a trailing edge spaced apart from the leading edge along both the transverse and vertical direction, the trailing edge defining a curve that extends between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction; and
a top surface spaced apart from a bottom surface along the vertical direction, the top surface defining a slope between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the transverse direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The dishwasher appliance of claim 11, wherein the leading edge is linear between the blade hub and the blade tip.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The dishwasher appliance of claim 11, wherein a first point on the curve is defined between the blade hub and the blade tip, wherein a second point on the curve is defined between the blade hub and the first point, wherein a third point on the curve is defined between the first point and the blade tip, wherein a first slope of the curve is defined between the first point and the second point, wherein a second slope of the curve is defined between the first point and the third point, and wherein the first slope is different from the second slope.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The dishwasher appliance of claim 13, wherein the first point is a midpoint of the curve defined by the trailing edge.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The dishwasher appliance of claim 13, wherein the second slope is greater than the first slope.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The dishwasher appliance of claim 11, wherein the trailing edge is positioned above the leading edge along the vertical direction such that both the top surface and the bottom surface slope upward from the leading edge to the trailing edge along the transverse direction.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The dishwasher appliance of claim 16, wherein an apex of the curve is between approximately 0.036 inches and approximately 0.076 inches above the leading edge along the vertical direction.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The dishwasher appliance of claim 17, wherein the apex is a midpoint of the curve.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The dishwasher appliance of claim 11, wherein each of the pan of opposing blades comprises:
a leading edge defined between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction;
a trailing edge spaced apart from the leading edge along both the transverse and vertical direction, the trailing edge defining a curve that extends between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction; and
a top surface spaced apart from a bottom surface along the vertical direction, the top surface defining a slope between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the transverse direction.