Filter assembly for a dishwasher appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10130239-B2
Application number	US-201615216784-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2016
Priority date	Jul 22, 2016
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A filter assembly for filtering a wash fluid to be circulated by a circulation pump in a dishwasher appliance includes a discharge blade defining lateral, transverse and vertical directions. The discharge blade includes a blade hub and a pair of opposing blades, and each of the opposing blades extend outward from the blade hub to a blade tip along the lateral direction. Further, each opposing blade may include a leading edge, a trailing edge, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The trailing edge of at least one opposing blade may be spaced apart from the leading edge along both the transverse and vertical directions, and may define a curve extending between the blade hub and blade tip along the lateral direction. Still further, the top surface of the at least one opposing blade may define a slope between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the transverse direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A filter assembly for filtering a wash fluid to be circulated by a circulation pump in a dishwasher appliance, the filter assembly defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the axial direction extending between a top portion of the dishwasher appliance and a bottom portion of the dishwasher appliance, the filter assembly comprising:
a filter member including a filter panel, the filter panel defining a plurality of filter openings, the filter member defining a discharge opening;
a circumferential discharge chamber disposed radially outward of the filter member, the discharge chamber in fluid communication with the filter member through the discharge opening; and
a discharge blade attached to a shaft that extends through the filter member and is rotatable about the axial direction, the discharge blade positioned adjacent to the filter panel, the discharge blade defining a lateral direction, a transverse direction and a vertical direction, the discharge blade comprising:
a blade hub defining an aperture, the shaft extending through the aperture such that the discharge blade is attached to the shaft and can rotate about the axial direction; and
a pair of opposing blades extending outward from the blade hub to a blade tip along the lateral direction, at least one of the opposing blades comprising:
a leading edge defined between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction;
a trailing edge spaced apart from the leading edge along both the transverse and vertical direction, the trailing edge defining a curve that extends between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction; and
a top surface spaced apart from a bottom surface along the vertical direction, the top surface defining a slope between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the transverse direction,
wherein the trailing edge is positioned above the leading edge along the vertical direction such that both the top surface and the bottom surface slope upward from the leading edge to the trailing edge along the transverse direction.

2. The filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the leading edge is linear between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction.

3. The filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first point on the curve is defined between the blade hub and the blade tip, wherein a second point on the curve is defined between the blade hub and the first point, wherein a third point on the curve is defined between the first point and the blade tip, wherein a first slope of the curve is defined between the first point and the second point, wherein a second slope of the curve is defined between the first point and the third point, and wherein the first slope is different from the second slope.

4. The filter assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first point is a midpoint of the curve.

5. The filter assembly of claim 4 , wherein the midpoint of the curve is between approximately 0.035 inches and approximately 0.075 inches above the leading edge along the vertical direction.

6. The filter assembly of claim 3 , wherein the second slope is greater than the first slope.

7. The filter assembly of claim 6 , wherein an apex of the curve is between approximately 0.036 inches and approximately 0.076 inches above the leading edge along the vertical direction.

8. The filter assembly of claim 7 , wherein the apex is a midpoint of the curve.

9. The filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the pair of opposing blades comprises:
a leading edge defined between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction;
a trailing edge spaced apart from the leading edge along both the vertical direction and the transverse direction, the trailing edge defining a curve that extends between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction;
a top surface extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the circumferential direction, the top surface defining a slope between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the transverse direction; and
a bottom surface spaced apart from the top surface along the axial direction, the bottom surface extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the transverse direction.

10. The filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the opposing blades is configured to lift particles off of the filter panel and simultaneously expel the particles radially outward towards the discharge opening.

11. A dishwasher appliance, comprising:
a tub defining a wash chamber;
a sump;
a circulation pump for circulating a wash fluid in the sump to the wash chamber; and
a filter assembly disposed within the sump and in flow communication with the circulation pump, the filter assembly defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the axial direction extending between a top portion of the dishwasher appliance and a bottom portion of the dishwasher appliance, the filter assembly comprising:
a filter member including a filter panel, the filter panel defining a plurality of filter opening, the filter member defining a discharge opening;
a circumferential discharge chamber disposed radially outward of the filter member, the discharge chamber in fluid communication with the filter member through the discharge opening; and
a discharge blade attached to a shaft that extends through the filter member and is rotatable about the axial direction, the discharge blade positioned adjacent to the filter panel, the discharge blade defining a lateral direction, a transverse direction and a vertical direction, the discharge blade comprising:
a blade hub defining an aperture, the shaft extending through the aperture such that the discharge blade is attached to the shaft and can rotate about the axial direction; and
a pair of opposing blades extending outward from the blade hub to a blade tip along the radial direction, at least one of the opposing blades comprising:
a leading edge defined between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction;
a trailing edge spaced apart from the leading edge along both the transverse and vertical direction, the trailing edge defining a curve that extends between the blade hub and the blade tip along the lateral direction; and
a top surface spaced apart from a bottom surface along the vertical direction, the top surface defining a slope between the leading edge and the trailing edge along the transverse direction,
wherein the trailing edge is positioned above the leading edge along the vertical direction such that both the top surface and the bottom surface slope upward from the leading edge to the trailing edge along the transverse direction.

12. The dishwasher appliance of claim 11 , wherein the leading edge is linear between the blade hub and the blade tip.

13. The dishwasher appliance of claim 11 , wherein a first point on the curve is defined between the blade hub and the blade tip, wherein a second point on the curve is defined between the blade hub and the first point, wherein a third point on the curve is defined between the first point and the blade tip, wherein a first slope of the curve is defined between the first point and the second point, wherein a second slope of the curve is defined between the first point and the third point, and wherein the first slope is different from the second slope.

14. The dishwasher appliance of claim 13 , wherein the first point is a midpoint of the curve defined by the trailing edge.

15. The dishwasher appliance of claim 13 , wherein the second slope is greater than the firs

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Boyer Joel Charles

Classifications

• A47L15/4208 Primary

  Arrangements to prevent clogging of the filters, e.g. self-cleaning · CPC title

• B01D29/03

  self-supporting · CPC title

• C02F1/001

  Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance (C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00) · CPC title

• B01D29/86

  Retarding cake deposition on the filter during the filtration period, e.g. using stirrers {(B01D29/908 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B01D29/58 Primary

  arranged concentrically or coaxially · CPC title