Dishwasher assembly having an air conduit
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsTimothy Martin Wetzel, Joseph Duane Tobbe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dishwasher includes a cabinet having a wash chamber defined therein, a tub positioned within the wash chamber, a door coupled to the cabinet, and a fan positioned within the cabinet. An air conduit is positioned within the dishwasher and includes a conduit body configured to be mounted onto the door. The conduit body includes an air inlet and an air outlet, the air inlet is configured to be coupled in flow communication with the fan. The air conduit body is configured to channel air from the wash chamber through the conduit to an outside of the dishwasher, isolate the air within the conduit body from contacting the door, and provide a receptacle for condensed water other than a wash chamber tub.
Claims20
An air conduit for a dishwasher including a cabinet having a wash chamber defined therein, a tub positioned within the wash chamber, a door coupled to the cabinet, and a fan positioned within the cabinet, said air conduit comprising:
- a passageway having an air inlet and an air outlet, said air inlet being configured to be coupled in flow communication with the fan, said air outlet being configured to direct air to an ambient environment outside of the tub;
- wherein the passageway comprises:
- a stepped portion extending from the air inlet;
- an angled portion positioned below the stepped portion and extending substantially perpendicularly from the stepped portion;
- the angled portion including a slant wall having a condensation opening, the condensation opening being configured to direct condensed water from said air conduit to said tub, said condensation opening positioned downstream of said air inlet and upstream of said air outlet;
- the angled portion defining a receiving space that receives at least a portion of the tub;
- and
- a trough coupled to the passageway and positioned downstream of said condensation opening and said receiving space, the trough including an upper extended wall, the air outlet extending substantially perpendicularly through the upper extended wall, wherein the air outlet is positioned a distance up the upper extended wall to prevent condensed water in the trough from exiting the trough.
A dishwasher comprising:
- a cabinet including a wash chamber therein and a tub positioned within said wash chamber;
- a door coupled to said cabinet;
- a fan positioned within said cabinet and configured to create an air flow within said wash chamber;
- and
- an air conduit positioned within said cabinet and coupled in flow communication with said fan, said air conduit comprising an air inlet and an air outlet, a stepped passageway, an angled portion opposite the air inlet, a condensation opening disposed within the angled portion, the angled portion defining a receiving space to receive a portion of the tub, a trough, the trough having an upper extending wall in which the air outlet is disposed, said air conduit configured to channel air from the wash chamber to an ambient environment outside of said dishwasher, said condensation opening positioned downstream of said air inlet and upstream of said air outlet, said condensation opening configured to direct condensed water from said air conduit to said tub, wherein said trough is positioned downstream of said condensation opening, the air outlet being disposed a distance up the upper extending wall to prevent any condensed water in the trough from exiting the trough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.