Water diverter assembly for a dishwashing appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10113654-B2
Application number	US-201514606226-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2015
Priority date	Jan 27, 2015
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A diverter assembly for a dishwashing appliance may generally include a diverter head having a body portion and first and second outlets that form a single unitary component. In addition, the first outlet may be configured to be directly coupled to a first spray-arm assembly of the appliance and the second outlet may be configured to be directly coupled to a conduit in fluid communication with a second spray-arm assembly of the appliance. The diverter assembly may also include a valve housing configured to be coupled to the diverter head. The valve housing may define an inlet in fluid communication with a pump of the appliance and may at least partially house a diverter valve that diverts fluid received via the inlet to the first or second outlet. Moreover, the diverter assembly may be configured to be mounted directly to a bottom wall of a tub of the appliance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dishwashing appliance, comprising:
a tub defining a wash chamber, the tub including a top wall, a bottom wall and sidewalls extending between the top and bottom walls;
a first spray-arm assembly housed within the wash chamber;
a second spray-arm assembly housed within the wash chamber;
a pump configured to deliver fluid into the wash chamber;
a machinery compartment disposed below the bottom wall of the tub; and
a diverter assembly in fluid communication with the pump, the diverter assembly including:
a diverter head having a body portion and first and second outlets, the body portion and the first and second outlets forming a single unitary component, the first outlet being configured to be directly coupled to the first spray-arm assembly, the second outlet being configured to be directly coupled to a conduit in fluid communication with the second spray-arm assembly; and
a valve housing configured to be coupled to the diverter head, the valve housing defining an inlet in fluid communication with the pump and at least partially housing a diverter valve configured to divert the fluid received via the inlet to either the first outlet or the second outlet,

wherein the diverter assembly is mounted directly to the bottom wall of the tub, and
wherein the diverter head further comprises at least one mounting tab projecting outwardly from the body portion for mounting the diverter assembly to the bottom wall of the tub, the at least one mounting tab abutting against an outer surface of the bottom wall when the diverter head is inserted at least partially through an opening defined through the bottom wall, the outer surface of the bottom wall facing the machinery compartment.

2. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet is formed by an outlet body extending from the body portion to an outlet end of the first outlet, the first outlet defining at least one mounting feature at or adjacent to the outlet end for coupling the first outlet to the first spray-arm assembly.

3. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the second outlet is formed by an outlet body extending from the body portion to an outlet end of the second outlet, the second outlet defining at least one mounting feature at or adjacent to the outlet end for coupling the second outlet to the conduit.

4. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mounting tab defines a fastener opening for receiving a mechanical fastener for mounting the diverter assembly to the bottom wall.

5. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the diverter valve corresponds to a passive ball valve formed within the diverter assembly between the valve housing and the diverter head.

6. The dishwashing appliance of claim 5 , wherein the diverter valve comprises a ball movable within the valve housing between a first position, wherein the ball is configured to seal off the first outlet such that the fluid directed into the inlet is diverted through the second outlet, and a second position, wherein the ball is configured to seal off the second outlet such that the fluid directed into the inlet is diverted through the first outlet.

7. The dishwashing appliance of claim 6 , wherein the diverter assembly defines a looped path within which the ball is positioned, the looped path extending between a first end terminating at the first outlet and a second end terminating at the second outlet.

8. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing device extending around an outer perimeter of the diverter head, the sealing device being configured to form a seal between the diverter assembly and the bottom wall of the tub.

9. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing device positioned within second outlet, the sealing device being configured to prevent leakage between the second outlet and the conduit.

10. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall of the tub comprises a tub sump portion, wherein the diverter assembly is mounted to the tub sump portion.

11. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first and second outlets extend outwardly from an upper wall of the body portion, the body portion further comprising an annular sidewall extending from the upper wall so as to form an open-ended cavity within the diverter head.

12. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first spray-arm assembly corresponds to a lower spray-arm assembly of the dishwashing appliance and the second spray-arm assembly corresponds to at least one of a mid-level spray-arm assembly or an upper spray-arm assembly of the dishwashing appliance.

13. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the diverter head is directly mounted to the bottom wall of the tub.

14. The dishwashing appliance of claim 13 , wherein, when the diverter head is mounted to the bottom wall of the tub, the first and second outlets extend through the opening defined through the bottom wall and into an interior of the wash chamber.

15. The dishwashing appliance of claim 14 , wherein a sealing device extends around an outer perimeter of the diverter head, the sealing device being configured to form a seal between the outer perimeter of the diverter head and an outer perimeter of the opening defined through the bottom wall of the tub.

16. The dishwashing appliance of claim 15 , wherein the at least one mounting tab projects radially outwardly from the body portion further than an outer perimeter of the diverter head.

17. The dishwashing appliance of claim 15 , wherein the at least one mounting tab projects radially outwardly from the body portion further than the outer perimeter of the opening defined through the bottom wall of the tub.

18. The dishwashing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the valve housing is configured to be coupled to the diverter head by a mounting lip formed along an upper portion of the valve housing, the mounting lip configured to be received within a corresponding mounting recess formed along an inner surface of a top wall of the diverter head.

19. The dishwashing appliance of claim 18 , wherein the valve housing is configured to be coupled to the diverter head such that the valve housing is indirectly mounted to the bottom wall of the tub by the diverter head.

20. A dishwashing appliance, comprising:
a tub defining a wash chamber, the tub including a top wall, a bottom wall and sidewalls extending between the top and bottom walls;
a first spray-arm assembly housed within the wash chamber;
a second spray-arm assembly housed within the wash chamber;
a pump configured to deliver fluid into the wash chamber;
a machinery compartment disposed below the bottom wall of the tub; and
a diverter assembly in fluid communication with the pump, the diverter assembly including:
a diverter head having a body portion and first and second outlets, the body portion and the first and second outlets forming a single unitary component, the first outlet being configured to be directly coupled to the first spray-arm assembly, the second outlet being configured to be directly coupled to a conduit in fluid communication with the second spray-arm assembly; and
a valve housing configured to be coupled to the diverter head, the valve housing defining an inlet in fluid communication with the pump and at least partially housing a diverter valve configured to divert the fluid received via the inlet to either the first outlet or the second outlet,

wherein the valve housing is formed separately from the pump

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Riddle Brian Steven

Classifications

• F16K31/20

  actuating a lift valve · CPC title

• A47L15/4221 Primary

  Arrangements for redirection of washing water, e.g. water diverters to selectively supply the spray arms (A47L15/0078 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K11/056 Primary

  with ball-shaped valve members · CPC title