Dishwasher with tubular spray element slip ring alignment

A dishwasher, comprising:

• a wash tub;
• a rack supported in the wash tub and movable between loading and washing positions;
• a tubular spray element supported by the rack for movement with the rack, the tubular spray element being rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and including a connector proximate an end thereof and one or more spray apertures extending through an exterior surface thereof;
• and
• a docking arrangement coupled to a wall of the wash tub and configured to engage with the connector of the tubular spray element when the rack is in the washing position to supply fluid to the tubular spray element, the docking arrangement including:
• a rotatable docking port rotatable about an axis of rotation and positioned to receive the connector of the tubular spray element when the rack is disposed in the washing position;
• and
• a docking port drive coupled to the rotatable docking port and configured to rotate the rotatable docking port such that when the connector of the tubular spray element is received in the rotatable docking port, the docking port drive rotates the tubular spray element while rotating the rotatable docking port;
• wherein the tubular spray element and the rotatable docking port are coupled to one another through a slip ring alignment arrangement including first and second mating members respectively coupled to the connector of the tubular spray element and the rotatable docking port, the first and second mating members being movable along respective first and second circular paths within a common plane that is substantially transverse to the axis of rotation of the rotatable docking port when the connector of the tubular spray element is received within the rotatable docking port such that rotation of the rotatable docking port by the docking port drive in a first direction causes the first and second mating members to come into contact with one another to rotationally align the tubular spray element relative to the rotatable docking port and thereafter rotate the tubular spray element in the first direction while the first and second mating members are in contact with one another.