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US 7,367,134 B2Granted
Dishwasher vent assembly
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsMichael S. Osvatic, Michael K. Hintz, Joel C. Bragg, Jeffrey J. Krieger, Mark D. Rodaer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanized vent for a dishwasher employs a vent plate moving about a hinge axis as driven by a cam mechanism at a surface of the vent plate removed from the hinge axis.
Claims16
A vent for a dishwasher comprising:
- a vent housing providing a conduit having a conduit wall for passage of moist air from the inside the dishwasher to an outlet outside the dishwasher;
- a valve plate having rotatable pivot elements allowing pivoting of the valve plate to block and unblock the conduit;
- an electrical actuator contacting the valve plate to move the valve plate to block and unblock the conduit;
- and
- wherein the electrical actuator is a linear actuator providing an operator moving along a line and contacting a cam surface on the valve plate to pivot the valve plate with movement of the operator along the cam surface;
- wherein the line along which the operator moves is substantially perpendicular to motion of the valve plate as it blocks and unblocks the conduit with pivoting.
3 more elements
A noise-reducing vent for a dishwasher comprising:
- a vent housing providing a conduit for a passage of moist air from the dishwasher;
- a valve plate within the housing movable under an urging of an electrical actuator toward and away from a valve seat to block and unblock the passage of air through the conduit;
- and
- a elastomeric gasket providing a flexible sheet having a center attached to the valve plate at a support area and having a cantilevered sheet edge at its periphery, the sheet edge extending beyond the support area of the valve plate to flex with respect to the support area of the valve plate when the valve plate engages the valve seat with motion of the valve plate, the membrane of the elastomeric gasket being substantially continuous over the valve plate to block sound transmission through the valve plate when the valve plate blocks the passage of air through the conduit with the membrane of the elastomeric gasket sandwiched between the valve plate and the valve seat to seal the conduit so that any sound must travel through the substantially continuous membrane.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.