Rotating drum filter for a dishwashing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9918609-B2
Application number	US-91020310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2010
Priority date	Dec 21, 2009
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A dishwasher with a tub and a recirculation pump, which includes a housing defining a chamber and having an inlet fluidly coupled to the tub and an outlet fluidly coupled to the tub, an impeller rotatably mounted within the chamber and expelling liquid from the chamber through the outlet, and a filter fluidly disposed between the inlet and the outlet and operably coupled to the impeller for co-rotation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dishwasher comprising:
a tub defining a washing chamber for receiving dishes for cleaning; and
a recirculation pump comprising:
a housing defining a chamber and having a housing inlet fluidly coupled to the tub and an outlet fluidly coupled to the tub;
an impeller rotatably mounted within the chamber and expelling liquid from the chamber through the outlet;
a motor operably coupled with the impeller to rotate the impeller; and
a rotating filter fluidly disposed within the chamber between the inlet and the outlet and operably coupled to the impeller for co-rotation; and

wherein the rotating filter fluidly divides the chamber into a first part that contains filtered soil particles and a second part that excludes filtered soil particles and liquid in the tub is recirculated by actuating the recirculation pump such that the liquid is drawn into the chamber through the inlet, passes through the rotating filter, and is expelled by the rotating impeller through the outlet to the tub.

2. The dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein the impeller and at least a portion of the filter are formed together to form a singular piece.

3. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , further comprising a speed adjuster operably coupling the impeller to the filter to rotate the filter at a speed different than the impeller.

4. The dishwasher according to claim 3 wherein the speed adjuster includes a speed reducer operably coupling the impeller to the filter wherein when the impeller is rotated the filter rotates at a slower speed than the impeller.

5. The dishwasher according to claim 3 wherein the speed adjuster includes a speed increaser operably coupling the impeller to the filter wherein when the impeller is rotated the filter rotates at a faster speed than the impeller.

6. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , further comprising a detachable mount coupling the filter to the impeller.

7. The dishwasher according to claim 6 wherein the detachable mount is a bayonet mount having a male side including lugs on one of the impeller and filter and a female side including corresponding slots on the other of the impeller and filter.

8. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , further comprising a first flow diverter positioned in the chamber, the first flow diverter having a tip spaced apart from an outer surface of the filter so as to define a gap and a second flow diverter positioned within an interior of the filter, the second flow diverter having an outer surface spaced apart from an inner surface of the filter and wherein during rotation of the filter an angular velocity of fluid advanced through the gap is increased relative to the angular velocity of the fluid prior to entering the gap.

9. The dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein the impeller further comprises vanes and the vanes are operably coupled with the filter to rotate the filter as the vanes are rotated.

10. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , further comprising a conduit fluidly coupling the tub to the housing inlet, wherein, in a direction from the tub to the housing inlet, the conduit slopes downwardly.

11. The dishwasher according to claim 10 wherein the conduit from the tub to the housing inlet slopes downwardly five degrees.

12. The dishwasher according to claim 10 wherein in a direction from the tub to the housing inlet, the conduit has a decreasing cross-sectional area.

13. The dishwasher according to claim 10 , further comprising a grate located at an inlet of the conduit.

14. The dishwasher according to claim 13 wherein the grate has a plurality of openings, which are sized to provide substantially non-turbulent liquid flow to the conduit.

15. The dishwasher according to claim 14 wherein the plurality of openings have a total cross-sectional area of about 1800 sq. mm for a flow rate ranging from 25-50 liters per minute.

16. A dishwasher comprising:
a tub defining a washing chamber for receiving dishes for cleaning;
a sump having a housing fluidly coupled to the tub and collecting liquid supplied to the tub;
a recirculation pump comprising an impeller fluidly coupled to the sump and an outlet fluidly coupled to the tub and a motor operably coupled with the impeller to rotate the impeller; and
a rotating filter fluidly separating the sump and the outlet such that the fluid on a sump side of the filter defines a first part that contains filtered soil particles and an outlet side of the filter defines a second part that excludes filtered soil particles and where the rotating filter is operably coupled to the impeller for co-rotation;
wherein liquid in the tub collects in the sump and is recirculated by actuating the recirculation pump such that the liquid in the sump is drawn through the rotating filter and is expelled through the outlet to the tub.

17. The dishwasher according to claim 16 wherein at least a portion of the filter extends into the sump.

18. The dishwasher according to claim 16 wherein the impeller and the filter are injection molded together to form a singular piece.

19. The dishwasher according to claim 16 , further comprising a speed adjuster operably coupling the impeller to the filter to rotate the filter at a speed different than the impeller.

20. The dishwasher according to claim 19 wherein the speed adjuster includes a speed reducer operably coupling the impeller to the filter wherein when the impeller is rotated, the filter rotates at a slower speed than the impeller.

21. The dishwasher according to claim 19 wherein the speed adjuster includes a speed increaser operably coupling the impeller to the filter wherein when the impeller is rotated the filter rotates at a faster speed than the impeller.

22. The dishwasher according to claim 16 , further comprising a detachable mount coupling the filter to the impeller.

23. The dishwasher according to claim 22 wherein the detachable mount is a bayonet mount having a male side including lugs on one of the impeller and filter and a female side including corresponding slots on the other of the impeller and filter.

24. The dishwasher according to claim 16 , further comprising a first flow diverter positioned in the chamber, the first flow diverter having a tip spaced apart from an outer surface of the filter so as to define a gap and a second flow diverter positioned within an interior of the filter, the second flow diverter having an outer surface spaced apart from an inner surface of the filter and wherein during rotation of the filter an angular velocity of fluid advanced through the gap is increased relative to the angular velocity of the fluid prior to entering the gap.

25. The dishwasher according to claim 16 , further comprising a conduit fluidly coupling the tub to an inlet of the housing, wherein, in a direction from the tub to the housing inlet, the conduit slopes downwardly.

26. The dishwasher according to claim 25 wherein the conduit from the tub to the housing inlet slopes downwardly five degrees.

27. The dishwasher according to claim 25 wherein in a direction from the tub to the housing inlet, the conduit has a decreasing cross-sectional area.

28. The dishwasher according to claim 25 , further comprising a grate located at an inlet of the conduit.

29. The dishwasher according to claim 28 wherein the grate has a plurality of openings, which are sized to provide substantially n

Assignees

• Fountain Jordan R
• Welch Rodney M
• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Fountain Jordan R
• Welch Rodney M

Classifications

• A47L15/4225

  Arrangements or adaption of recirculation or discharge pumps · CPC title

• A47L15/4202 Primary

  Water filter means or strainers · CPC title

• A47L15/4208

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

• A47L15/4206

  Tubular filters · CPC title