Dishwasher with sprayer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10052010-B2
Application number	US-201715812656-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2017
Priority date	Jul 15, 2013
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and a spraying system having a sprayer supplying liquid to the treating chamber. The sprayer may include a liquid passage and multiple spray outlets to emit sprays to wash the dishes, a first valve body to couple at least one of the multiple spray outlets to the liquid passage, and a second valve body to control a flow of liquid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dishwasher for washing dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation, comprising:
a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber; and
a spraying system supplying liquid to the treating chamber and having a sprayer comprising:
a sprayer body mounted within the tub for movement about a rotatable axis and having an interior;
a liquid passage provided in the interior;
multiple spray outlets extending through the sprayer body and in fluid communication with the liquid passage and configured to emit a spray of liquid into the treating chamber; and
a set of planar valve bodies located within the interior and wherein each of the set of planar valve bodies include at least one fluid opening and wherein each of the set of planar valve bodies are selectively moveable relative to the sprayer body and configured to control a flow of liquid from the interior through at least one of the multiple spray outlets.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the set of planar valve bodies are selectively moveable based on a selected cycle of operation of the dishwasher.

3. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the set of planar valve bodies are selectively moveable between a set of positions to define a first zonal spray and a second zonal spray.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3 wherein the set of planar valve bodies in a first position fluidly couple the interior with a first subset of the multiple spray outlets and in a second position fluidly couple the interior with a second subset of the multiple spray outlets, with the second subset differing from the first subset by at least one of the multiple spray outlets.

5. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein a first valve body of the set of planar valve bodies reciprocally moves within the sprayer body based on rotation of the sprayer body.

6. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein the rotatable sprayer body is a rotatable spray arm.

7. The dishwasher of claim 5 , further comprising an actuator selectively operably couplable to an other valve body of the set of planar bodies and configured to move the other valve body.

8. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein an other valve body of the set of planar bodies is moveable to a position where the other valve body blocks a flow of liquid through at least one of the multiple spray outlets.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein the other valve body located in the position results in less liquid emitted from the sprayer body than when the other valve body is located in a second position such that a restricted flow is defined when the other valve body is located in the position.

10. The dishwasher of claim 9 wherein the other valve body located in the position blocks a flow from the sprayer body into a predetermined area of the treating chamber to define a restricted zone.

11. A dishwasher for washing dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation, comprising:
a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber; and
a spraying system supplying liquid to the treating chamber and having a sprayer comprising:
a rotatable sprayer body mounted within the tub for movement about a rotatable axis and having an interior;
a liquid passage provided in the interior;
multiple spray outlets extending through the sprayer body and in fluid communication with the liquid passage and configured to emit a spray of liquid into the treating chamber;
a set of valve bodies wherein each of the set of valve bodies include at least one fluid opening and wherein each of the set of valve bodies are selectively moveable relative to the sprayer body or another of the set of valve bodies and the set of valve bodies are configured to control a flow of liquid from the interior through at least one of the multiple spray outlets; and
an actuator operably coupled to the rotatable sprayer body and at least one of the set of valve bodies via a mechanical linkage and configured to move the at least one of the set of valve bodies based on rotational movement of the rotatable sprayer body.

12. The dishwasher of claim 11 wherein the rotatable sprayer body is a rotatable spray arm.

13. The dishwasher of claim 12 wherein the at least one of the set of valve bodies is reciprocally moved within the rotatable spray arm.

14. The dishwasher of claim 11 wherein the set of valve bodies in a first position fluidly couple the interior with a first subset of the multiple spray outlets and in a second position fluidly couple the interior with a second subset of the multiple spray outlets, with the second subset differing from the first subset by at least one of the multiple spray outlets.

15. The dishwasher of claim 14 wherein the set of valve bodies are selectively moveable between the first position and the second position to define a first zonal spray and a second zonal spray.

16. The dishwasher of claim 14 wherein the set of valve bodies are selectively moveable based on a selected cycle of operation of the dishwasher.

17. The dishwasher of claim 11 wherein the set of valve bodies are selectively moveable between at least two positions to define a first zonal spray and a second zonal spray.

18. The dishwasher of claim 17 wherein the set of valve bodies are selectively moveable based on a selected cycle of operation of the dishwasher.

19. The dishwasher of claim 11 wherein at least one of the set of valve bodies is a planar valve body.

20. The dishwasher of claim 19 wherein all of the set of valve bodies are planar valve bodies.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Feddema Mark S

Classifications

• A47L15/23 Primary

  moved by means of the sprays · CPC title

• A47L15/4282

  Arrangements to change or modify spray pattern or direction · CPC title

• A47L15/4289

  Spray-pressure measuring or regulating arrangements (nozzles A47L15/4278) · CPC title