Dishwasher appliance and a method for forming a unitary tub

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016296098-A1
Application number	US-201514681198-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 8, 2015
Priority date	Apr 8, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A dishwasher appliance with a tub that defines a wash chamber is provided. A bottom wall of the tub defines a volute. An impeller is positioned within the volute of the bottom wall, and a motor mounted to the tub at the bottom wall of the tub. The motor is coupled to the impeller such that the motor selectively rotates the impeller within the volute of the bottom wall. A related method for forming a unitary tub for a dishwasher appliance is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A dishwasher appliance, comprising:
a tub defining a wash chamber, the tub having a bottom wall, the bottom wall of the tub shaped such that the bottom wall of the tub defines an inlet and a volute, the inlet of the bottom wall extending between the wash chamber of the tub and the volute of the bottom wall such that the inlet of the bottom wall is configured for directing wash fluid from the wash chamber of the tub to the volute of the bottom wall, the tub also defining a first outlet conduit and a second outlet conduit; a first spray assembly positioned within the wash chamber of the tub, the first outlet conduit extending between the volute of the bottom wall and the first spray assembly; a second spray assembly positioned within the wash chamber of the tub, the second outlet conduit extending between the volute of the bottom wall and the second spray assembly; an impeller positioned within the volute of the bottom wall; and a motor mounted to the tub at the bottom wall of the tub, the motor coupled to the impeller such that the motor selectively rotates the impeller within the volute of the bottom wall.

2 . The dishwasher appliance of claim 1 , wherein the motor has an axle, the impeller mounted to the axle of the motor, the axle positioned such that the axle rotates about a vertical axis during operation of the motor.

3 . The dishwasher appliance of claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall of the tub has a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the bottom wall facing the wash chamber of the tub, the bottom surface of the bottom wall positioned opposite the top surface of the bottom wall, the motor mounted to the tub at the bottom surface of the bottom wall.

4 . The dishwasher appliance of claim 3 , wherein the volute of the bottom wall is positioned between the top surface of the bottom wall and the bottom surface of the bottom wall.

5 . The dishwasher appliance of claim 4 , wherein the tub is integrally formed of a continuous piece of material such that the top surface of the bottom wall and the bottom surface of the bottom wall are integrally formed of the continuous piece of material.

6 . The dishwasher appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet conduit has an entrance positioned at the volute of the bottom wall and the second outlet conduit has an entrance positioned at the volute of the bottom wall, the entrance of the first outlet conduit positioned opposite the entrance of the second outlet conduit within the volute of the bottom wall.

7 . The dishwasher appliance of claim 1 , wherein the second outlet conduit extends linearly from the volute of the bottom wall to a back wall of the tub.

8 . The dishwasher appliance of claim 7 , wherein the first spray assembly is positioned at a bottom portion of the tub and the second spray assembly is positioned above the first spray assembly within the wash chamber of the tub.

9 . The dishwasher appliance of claim 1 , wherein the impeller is configured for rotating about a vertical axis within the volute of the bottom wall during operation of the motor.

10 . The dishwasher appliance of claim 1 , wherein the tub is integrally formed of a single continuous piece of plastic.

11 . A method for forming a unitary tub for a dishwasher appliance, comprising:
establishing three-dimensional information of the unitary tub; converting the three-dimensional information of the unitary tub from said step of establishing into a plurality of slices, each slice of the plurality of slices defining a respective cross-sectional layer of the unitary tub; and successively forming each cross-sectional layer of the unitary tub with an additive process; wherein, after said step of successively forming, the unitary tub is formed such that: (1) the unitary tub defines a wash chamber; (2) a bottom wall of the unitary tub defines an inlet and a volute; (3) the inlet of the bottom wall extends between the wash chamber of the unitary tub and the volute of the bottom wall such that the inlet of the bottom wall is configured for directing wash fluid from the wash chamber of the unitary tub to the volute of the bottom wall; and (4) the unitary tub also defines a first outlet conduit and a second outlet conduit that each extend from the volute of the bottom wall.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the additive process comprises at least one of fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, stereolithography, and digital light processing.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the unitary tub is a single, continuous piece of material after said step of successively forming.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the single, continuous piece of material comprises a plastic.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising mounting a motor to the tub at the bottom wall of the tub and coupling the motor to an impeller positioned within the volute of the bottom wall after said step of successively forming.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the bottom wall of the tub has a top surface and a bottom surface after said step of successively forming, the top surface of the bottom wall facing the wash chamber of the tub, the bottom surface of the bottom wall positioned opposite the top surface of the bottom wall, the motor mounted to the tub at the bottom surface of the bottom wall.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the volute of the bottom wall is positioned between the top surface of the bottom wall and the bottom surface of the bottom wall after said step of successively forming.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the tub is integrally formed of a continuous piece of material after said step of successively forming such that the top surface of the bottom wall and the bottom surface of the bottom wall are integrally formed of the continuous piece of material.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first outlet conduit has an entrance positioned at the volute of the bottom wall and the second outlet conduit has an entrance positioned at the volute of the bottom wall after said step of successively forming, the entrance of the first outlet conduit positioned opposite the entrance of the second outlet conduit within the volute of the bottom wall.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the second outlet conduit extends linearly from the volute of the bottom wall to a back wall of the tub after said step of successively forming.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Dries John Edward
• Miller Gregory Owen

Classifications

• B29C67/0051

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• A47L15/06 Primary

  by means of an impeller in the chamber · CPC title

• B08B3/02

  Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays · CPC title

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• A47L15/14

  with stationary crockery baskets and spraying devices within the cleaning chamber {(for drinking glasses A47L15/0065)} · CPC title