Dishwasher rack lift system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9895046-B1
Application number	US-201615391733-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 27, 2016
Priority date	Dec 27, 2016
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A dishwasher rack for a dish washing appliance. The dishwasher rack may be positionable between a variety of height positions. A drive mechanism may assist the dishwasher rack between the vertical positions. A worm screw may be coupled to a motor and may be positioned within the dishwasher tub.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dish washing appliance comprising:
a dishwasher tub defining a wash cavity;
one or more dishwasher racks positioned within the wash cavity of the dishwasher tub, at least one of the dishwasher racks is moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the deployed position is different from the stowed position;
at least one threaded member;
one or more slides coupling the at least one dishwasher r rack to the at least one threaded member;
at least one motor;
at least one worm screw located within the wash cavity and operably coupled to the at least one motor;
the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack connected to the at least one worm screw, wherein the at least one threaded member, the one or more slides, and the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between a first height and a second height along a length of the at least one worm screw when the at least one dishwasher rack is in the deployed position, wherein the second height is at a higher vertical elevation than the first height; and
wherein the at least one threaded member and the at least one worn screw are positioned adjacent a rear wall of the dishwasher tub.

2. The dish washing appliance of claim 1 wherein the at least one worm screw is located between the at least one rack and the rear wall of the dishwasher tub.

3. The dish washing appliance of claim 1 wherein the at least one dishwasher rack is in the stowed position in at least one height between the first height and the second height along the at least one worm screw.

4. The dish washing appliance of claim 1 further including a rack support fixed to the at least one threaded member, wherein the rack support includes the one or more slides.

5. The dish washing appliance of claim 4 further comprising one or more guide mechanisms between the rack support and the dishwasher tub.

6. The dish washing appliance of claim 5 wherein the one or more guide mechanisms are adjacent a rear wall of the dishwasher tub.

7. A dish washing appliance comprising:
a dishwasher tub defining a wash cavity, wherein the dishwasher tub includes a rear wall;
one or more dishwasher racks, at least one of the dishwasher racks is positionable within the wash cavity of the dishwasher tub;
at least one threaded member;
at least one motor;
at least one worm screw positioned within the wash cavity between the at least one dishwasher rack and the rear wall, the at least one worm screw operably coupled to the at least one motor;
the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack connected to the at least one worm screw, wherein the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between a first height and a second height along the at least one worm screw, wherein the second height is at a higher vertical elevation than the first height; and
the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between a stowed position and a deployed position when the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher racks are capable of being positioned at one or more heights between the first height and the second height, wherein the deployed position is different from the stowed position;
wherein the at least one dishwasher rack includes one or more slides engaging the at least one dishwasher rack to the at least one threaded member;
a rack support fixed to the at least one threaded member, wherein the rack support includes the one or more slides; and
one or more guide mechanisms between the rack support and the dishwasher tub, wherein the one or more guide mechanisms are adjacent the rear wall of the dishwasher tub.

8. The dish washing appliance of claim 7 wherein the at least one motor is positioned outside the wash cavity.

9. The dish washing appliance of claim 7 wherein the one or more heights include at least one of the first height and the second height.

10. The dish washing appliance of claim 7 wherein the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between the first height and the second height along the at least one worm screw when in the deployed position.

11. A dish washing appliance comprising:
a dishwasher tub, wherein the dishwasher tub includes at least a rear wall therein defining a wash cavity;
one or more dishwasher racks, at least one of the dishwasher racks is positioned within the wash cavity of the dishwasher tub;
at least one threaded member;
at least one motor;
at least one worm screw operably coupled to the at least one motor, wherein the at least one worm screw is fixedly positioned in a substantially vertical orientation adjacent the rear wall of the dishwasher tub;
the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack connected to the at least one worm screw, wherein the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between a first height and a second height along the at least one worm screw, wherein the second height is at a higher vertical elevation than the first height; and
the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between a stowed position and a deployed position when the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack are at one or more heights between the first height and the second height, wherein the deployed position is different from the stowed position.

12. The dish washing appliance of the claim 11 wherein the one or more dishwasher racks is an upper dishwasher rack positioned above a lower dishwasher rack.

13. The dish washing appliance of claim 11 wherein the at least one worm screw is located within the wash cavity of the dishwasher tub.

14. The dish washing appliance of claim 11 wherein the at least one dishwasher rack includes one or more slides engaging the at least one dishwasher rack to the at least one threaded member.

15. The dish washing appliance of claim 14 further including a rack support fixed to the at least one threaded member, wherein the rack support includes the one or more slides.

16. The dish washing appliance of claim 15 further comprising one or more guide mechanisms between the rack support and the dishwasher tub.

17. The dish washing appliance of claim 11 wherein the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between the first height and the second height along the at least one worm screw when in the deployed position.

18. A dish washing appliance comprising:
a dishwasher tub defining a wash cavity;
one or more dishwasher racks positioned within the wash cavity of the dishwasher tub, at least one of the dishwasher racks is moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the deployed position is different from the stowed position;
at least one threaded member;
one or more slides coupling the at least one dishwasher rack to the at least one threaded member;
at least one motor;
at least one worm screw located within the wash cavity and operably coupled to the at least one motor;
the at least one threaded member and the at least one dishwasher rack connected to the at least one worm screw, wherein the at least one threaded member, the one or more slides, and the at least one dishwasher rack is positionable between a first height and a second height along a length of the at least one worm screw when the at least one dishwasher rack is in the deployed position, wherein the second height is at a higher vertical elevation than the first height;
a rack support fixed to the a

Assignees

• Midea Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wilson Mark W
• Wetzel Timothy Martin

Classifications

• A47B2088/901

  Drawers having a lifting mechanism · CPC title

• A47L15/506 Primary

  Arrangements for lifting racks for loading or unloading purposes · CPC title

• A47L15/507

  Arrangements for extracting racks, e.g. roller supports · CPC title

• A47L15/504 Primary

  Arrangements for changing the height of racks · CPC title