Water feed tube for dishwasher with integrated retainer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12016509-B2
Application number	US-202117220017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2021
Priority date	Apr 1, 2021
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A water feed tube assembly for a dishwasher with a water feed tube having one or more inlets and outlets and front, back, and side walls. At least one outlet is positioned on the front wall of the water feed tube. The water feed tube includes a manifold docking retainer that is integral with the water feed tube at a position adjacent to the outlet. The manifold docking retainer includes first and second ears that are positioned on and extend integrally from the side walls of the water feed tube such that the first and second ears of the manifold docking retainer are configured to receive first and second docking arms of a spray arm manifold. The manifold docking retainer includes first and second knobs that are positioned on and extend integrally from the front wall of the water feed tube to mate with the spray arm manifold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water feed tube assembly for a dishwasher comprising:
a water feed tube including front, back, and side walls;
said water feed tube including at least one inlet and at least one outlet where said outlet is positioned in said front wall of said water feed tube;
said water feed tube including a manifold docking retainer positioned adjacent to said outlet; and
said manifold docking retainer is integral with said water feed tube and includes first and second ears that are positioned on and extend integrally from said side walls of said water feed tube,
wherein said first and second ears of said manifold docking retainer include openings that are configured to receive said first and second docking arms of a spray arm manifold,
wherein each of said first and second ears include an inner-arc shaped wall that defines said openings and an outer arc-shaped wall that is spaced from said inner arc-shaped wall by a channel that is open on a rear side and runs between said inner arc-shaped wall and said outer arc-shaped wall.

2. The water feed tube assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second ears are positioned to either side of said outlet of said water feed tube, respectively, such that said first and second ears are aligned with a substantially horizontal axis that bisects said outlet of said water feed tube.

3. The water feed tube assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said first and second ears has a half-pipe shape with lateral edges that are integrally attached to one of said side walls of said water feed tube.

4. The water feed tube assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of said first and second ears has a front end and a back end where said front end protrudes forward from said front wall of said water feed tube and includes a tapered surface that slopes inwardly towards said opening in each of said first and second ears.

5. The water feed tube assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said channel that runs between inner arc shaped wall and said outer arc-shaped wall each of said first and second ears is open at said back end of said first and second ears.

6. The water feed tube assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said manifold docking retainer includes first and second knobs that are positioned above and below said outlet of said water feed tube, respectively, to mate with said spray arm manifold where said first and second knobs are aligned with a substantially vertical axis that bisects said outlet of said water feed tube.

7. The water feed tube assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said first and second knobs are cylindrical structures that extend forward from said front wall of said water feed tube and terminate at closed ends that are domed and said outlet of said water feed tube is a cylindrical structure that extends forward from said front wall of said water feed tube and terminates at an open end that mates with said spray arm manifold.

8. A water feed tube assembly for a dishwasher comprising:
a water feed tube including front, back, and side walls;
said water feed tube including at least one inlet and at least one outlet where said outlet is positioned in said front wall of said water feed tube;
a spray arm manifold including mounting features that attach to a dishwasher rack that is configured to slide towards and away from said outlet of said water feed tube between an extended position and a retracted position;
said spray arm manifold including a manifold inlet, a manifold dock positioned adjacent to said manifold inlet, a manifold outlet, a manifold passageway extending between said manifold inlet and said manifold outlet, a first spray arm mount adjacent to said manifold outlet;
said manifold dock including a manifold inlet cavity and first and second docking arms that are arranged to each side of said manifold inlet cavity;
said water feed tube including a manifold docking retainer positioned adjacent to said outlet; and
said manifold docking retainer is integral with said water feed tube and includes first and second ears that are positioned on and extend integrally from said side walls of said water feed tube,
wherein said first and second ears of said manifold docking retainer include openings that are configured to receive said first and second docking arms of said spray arm manifold when said dishwasher rack is slid to said retracted position,
wherein each of said first and second ears include an inner-arc shaped wall that defines said openings and an outer arc-shaped wall that is spaced from said inner arc-shaped wall by a channel that is open on a rear side and runs between said inner arc-shaped wall and said outer arc-shaped wall.

9. The water feed tube assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said manifold docking retainer includes first and second knobs that are positioned to be received in said inlet cavity of said spray arm manifold when said dishwasher rack is slid to said retracted position.

10. The water feed tube assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first and second knobs are positioned above and below said first outlet of said middle segment of said water feed tube, respectively, such that said first and second knobs are aligned with a substantially vertical axis that bisects said outlet of said water feed tube.

11. The water feed tube assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said first and second knobs are cylindrical structures that extend forward from said front wall of said water feed tube and terminate at closed ends that are domed and said outlet of said water feed tube is a cylindrical structure that extends forward from said front wall of said water feed tube and terminates at an open end that is arranged in fluid communication with said manifold inlet when said dishwasher rack is slid to said retracted position.

12. The water feed tube assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said first and second ears has a half-pipe shape with lateral edges that are integrally attached to one of said side walls of said water feed tube.

13. A water feed tube assembly for a dishwasher comprising:
a water feed tube including a lower segment, an upper segment, and a middle segment extending between said upper and lower segments;
said lower segment of said water feed tube including at least one inlet;
said middle segment of said water feed tube including a front wall, a back wall, at least one outlet on said front wall of said middle segment, and a manifold docking retainer positioned on said middle segment of said water feed tube adjacent to said outlet;
a spray arm manifold including mounting features that attach to a dishwasher rack that is configured to slide towards and away from said middle segment of said water feed tube between an extended position and a retracted position;
said spray arm manifold including a manifold inlet, a manifold dock positioned adjacent to said manifold inlet, a manifold outlet, a manifold passageway extending between said manifold inlet and said manifold outlet, and a first spray arm mount adjacent to said manifold outlet;
said manifold dock including an inlet cavity and first and second docking arms that are arranged to each side of said inlet cavity;
a first spray arm rotatably mounted to said first spray arm mount such that said first spray arm is supported on and rotatable relative to said spray arm manifold; and
said manifold docking retainer is integral with said middle segment of said water feed tube and includes first and second ears with openings that are positioned to receive said first and second docking arms of said manifold dock when said dishwasher rack is slid to said retracted posi

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Patil Amit Suryakant
• Linstedt Brian
• Herrmann Marcos
• Borase Jayesh Prakash

Classifications

• B05B3/025

  Rotational joints · CPC title

• A47L15/508 Primary

  Hydraulic connections for racks · CPC title

• B05B15/652

  whereby the jet can be oriented · CPC title

• A47L15/4214 Primary

  Water supply, recirculation or discharge arrangements; Devices therefor · CPC title

• A47L15/22

  Rotary spraying devices · CPC title