Dish rack with dispenser unit
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsMark W. Baldwin, Paul E. Beshears, Jr., Scott D. Slabbekoorn, Elliott V. Stowe, Barry E. Tuller, Ameresh B. Viswanathan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dish rack for use in a dishwasher is provided. The dishwasher includes a tub defining a washing chamber for cleaning kitchenware and the like. The dish rack includes a wall bounding a space. A dispenser unit is mounted to the dish rack and is configured to hold an additive. A hydraulic circuit is disposed within the walls of the dish rack and is placed in fluid communication with the dispenser. Fluid pressure from the hydraulic circuit is operable to eject the additive from the dispenser unit into the washing chamber.
Claims22
A dish rack for use in a dishwasher in fluid communication with a water source, the dishwasher having a tub for holding the dish rack, the dish rack comprising:
- a front wall, a back wall, and a pair of side walls bounding a space for holding items to be washed, at least a portion of the back wall and at least a portion of one of the side walls comprise an inner sidewall surface, an outer sidewall surface, and a channel between the inner sidewall surface and the outer sidewall surface;
- a hydraulic circuit comprising a tubular passage disposed within the channel and in fluid communication with the water source, the hydraulic circuit having a hydraulic circuit intake disposed on an outer surface of the back wall;
- and
- a dispenser unit having at least a portion of the dispenser unit disposed within the channel, the dispenser unit configured to hold an additive, the dispenser unit in fluid communication with the hydraulic circuit, wherein fluid pressure from the hydraulic circuit ejects the additive from the dispenser unit into the dishwasher.
A dish rack for use in a dishwasher, the dishwasher having a hydraulic conduit in fluid communication with a water source, the dish rack comprising:
- a front wall, a back wall, and a pair of side walls bounding a space for holding items to be washed, at least a portion of the back wall and at least a portion of one of the side walls comprise an inner sidewall surface, an outer sidewall surface, and a channel between the inner sidewall surface and the outer sidewall surface;
- a hydraulic circuit comprising at least one tubular passage disposed within the channel and a hydraulic circuit intake disposed on an outer surface of the back wall;
- the hydraulic conduit having a plurality of passages, wherein one of the plurality of passages is directly coupled to the water source, and wherein the hydraulic circuit intake is coupled to the one of the plurality of passages directly coupled to the water source;
- and
- a dispenser unit having at least a portion of the dispenser unit disposed within the dish rack channel, the dispenser unit configured to hold an additive, the dispenser unit in fluid communication with the hydraulic circuit, wherein fluid pressure from the water source passes through the hydraulic circuit so as to eject the additive from the dispenser unit into the dishwasher.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.