US 2019/0313878 A1 · WASH PUMP IMPELLER FOR A DISHWASHING APPLIANCE AND A METHOD OF ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURING THE SAME

Abstract

A wash pump impeller for a dishwasher appliance and a method of forming the same using an additive manufacturing process are provided. The wash pump impeller includes a hub and a plurality of vanes integrally formed with the hub and extending at an extension angle of less than 60 degrees relative to a flow surface of the hub and the vanes may be curved in three dimensions. The wash pump impeller is formed by establishing a three-dimensional model of the wash pump impeller, converting that model into slices defining cross-sectional layers of the wash pump impeller, and successively forming those layers using an additive manufacturing process.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A dishwasher appliance comprising:

a wash tub defining a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing;
a sump for collecting wash fluid;
a wash pump impeller in fluid communication with the wash fluid in the sump and being configured for urging a flow of wash fluid into the wash chamber for cleaning articles, the wash pump impeller comprising:
a hub defining a flow surface, an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction;
a plurality of vanes integrally formed with the hub, the vanes extending from the hub at an extension angle relative to the flow surface of the hub, the extension angle being less than 60 degrees.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

15/953,562Filed 16 Apr 2018

Published

17 Oct 2019

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification33 codes

A47L 15/4225
Water supply, recirculation or discharge arrangements; Devices therefor: arrangements or adaption of recirculation or discharge pumps
A47L 15/06
With circulation and agitation of the cleaning liquid in the cleaning chamber containing a stationary basket: by means of an impeller in the chamber
B22F 10/12
Formation of a green body: by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP]
B22F 10/28
Direct sintering or melting: powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]

Wash pump impeller for a dishwashing appliance and a method of additively manufacturing the same

Life of this patent

Wash pump impeller for a dishwashing appliance and a method of additively manufacturing the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20