Dishwasher with a manifold assembly configured to attach a manifold to a dish rack and associated method

A dishwasher, comprising:

• a washing chamber;
• a dish rack disposed in the washing chamber;
• a spray device disposed in the washing chamber;
• a fluid supply that extends vertically along a rear wall of the washing chamber and is configured to supply a fluid to the spray device;
• a manifold assembly, comprising:
• a manifold coupled to the fluid supply so as to provide a fluid connection therewith, the manifold extending forwardly from the fluid supply and configured to direct the fluid from the fluid supply to the spray device;
• an attachment assembly configured to translatably couple the manifold to a dish rack to enable movement of the dish rack relative to the manifold between a retracted position of the dish rack and an extended position of the dish rack, while maintaining the coupling of the manifold to the dish rack and while maintaining fluid connection with the fluid supply, wherein when the dish rack is in the extended position, at least a portion of the dish rack extends outside of the washing chamber to facilitate dishware being loaded and unloaded therefrom,
• the attachment assembly comprising:
• at least one sliding rail,
• a first plurality of engagement members configured to couple the at least one sliding rail to the dish rack, and
• a second plurality of engagement members configured to couple to the manifold and the at least one sliding rail so as to allow movement along the at least one sliding rail along a major axis of the at least one sliding rail, wherein contact between one of the first plurality of engagement members and one of the second plurality of engagement members defines a dish rack travel limit for movement of the dish rack between the retracted position and the extended position.

A method for assembling a dishwasher, comprising the steps of:

• providing a dishwasher, comprising:
• a washing chamber;
• a dish rack disposed in the washing chamber;
• a spray device disposed in the washing chamber;
• and
• a fluid supply that extends vertically along a rear wall of the washing chamber and is configured to supply a fluid to the spray device;
• coupling a manifold to the fluid supply so as to establish a fluid connection therewith, the manifold extending forwardly from the fluid supply;
• and
• translatably coupling the manifold to the dish rack so as to enable movement of the dish rack relative to the manifold between a retracted position of the dish rack and an extended position of the dish rack, while maintaining the coupling of the manifold to the dish rack and while maintaining fluid connection with the fluid supply, wherein when the dish rack is in the extended position, at least a portion of the dish rack extends outside of the washing chamber to facilitate dishware being loaded and unloaded therefrom,
• wherein translatably coupling the manifold to the dish rack comprises:
• coupling a first plurality of engagement members to a sliding rail and the dish rack;
• and
• coupling a second plurality of engagement members to the manifold and the sliding rail so as to allow movement along the sliding rail along a major axis of the sliding rail, wherein contact between one of the first plurality of engagement members and one of the second plurality of engagement members defines a dish rack travel limit for movement of the dish rack between the retracted position and the extended position.