General Electric Company

Dwight William Jacobus

Mark Edward Dausch

Joseph Duane Tobbe

Bang M Kim

Youssef El-Shoubary

Andrew Joseph Spanyer

Vivek Venugopal Badami

Thomas R Payne

Walter Whipple

Michael Thomas Beyerle

Wilbur C Bewley

Larry Lee Hawkins

John L Preher

Roger L Hoffman

Norbert P Haag

Diane M Dehli

Bob D Merryman

John Joseph Domagala

Robert Ray Cureton

Glen Miller

James R Cochrane

Lawrence R Collins

Kevin Harold Kratch

A washing machine including a tub having a helical flow path defined by a channel and a sump located at a lower end of the channel with a dam therein is described. In an exemplary embodiment, a water outlet is located in the sump, and the dam is positioned in the sump upstream from the outlet. The dam, in the exemplary embodiment, is substantially perpendicular to flow path and extends from a tub sidewall to at least beyond the outer perimeter of the water outlet. The dam has a sufficient height to prevent debris heavier than water from flowing from the channel to the outlet during a non-spin portion of a wash cycle, yet is low enough so that when the spin cycle is initiated, the debris will flow over the dam to the outlet.

Tub sump dam

A method of controlling a dispenser duct door, including positioning an upper side of the door, in a closed position, in a door-opening direction, and rotating a bottom end of the door to a partially open position vertically under the upper side of the door in response to an opening signal. The bottom end of the door is rotated further in the door-opening direction in response to ice hitting a rear of the door and is returned to the partially open position. After a predetermined delay, the bottom end of the door is returned to the closed position.

Ice dispenser duct door mechanism

The appliance comprises a container for receiving the soiled articles, a circulation pump for distributing a hot liquid to the container, a drain positioned in the container and connected to the pump for emptying the liquid from the container upon completion of a cycle and a hydroclone connected to the drain and the pump, for removing soil from the liquid such that about ninety percent (90%) of the liquid distributed to the container during one cycle can be utilized during at least one subsequent cycle. Another embodiment includes a dishwasher having a normal operating cycle, the dishwasher comprising a container for accommodating a plurality of articles, a circulation pump for delivering a liquid to the container and for circulating the liquid within the container, a diverter connected to the circulation pump for diverting at least a portion of the circulating liquid to a hydroclone while returning at least about ninety percent (90%) of the liquid diverted to the hydroclone to the circulating liquid, the returned liquid having at most about 0.02% solids contained therein.

Reduced energy cleaning appliance

Apparatus including water traps for containing pump gurgling noise within a washing machine are described. In one embodiment, tub outlet openings are formed in the washing machine tub bottom wall, and the apparatus includes an inlet in flow communication, and integral, with the tub water outlet. The pump inlet hose is coupled to the apparatus outlet so that the outlet is in flow communication with the water pump. The water trap is located between the apparatus inlet and outlet, and the water trap includes a u-shaped channel, a baffle extending from a lower surface of the tub bottom wall, and a standpipe. The u-shaped channel includes a water reservoir portion at an elevation below an end of the standpipe. In operation, water from the tub is discharged from the tub through the tub water outlets and into the apparatus. The water accumulates in the water reservoir portion, and if the amount of water discharged into the apparatus exceeds the volume of the water reservoir portion, the water spills over into the standpipe and is discharged from the apparatus through the outlet and into the pump inlet hose. Water discharged into the pump inlet hose is discharged from the washing machine by the water pump. The pump gurgling noise which may be generated as the pump oscillates between pumping water and air is substantially blocked by the water retained in the water trap.

Water traps for washing machines

A plastic molded, upper dishwasher rack and support assemblies are described. In one embodiment, the upper rack is supported by first and second upper rack support assemblies, and each support assembly includes an elongate slide member and first and second roller assemblies secured to respective sidewalls of the tub. Each elongate slide member includes a channel, and upper and lower flanges. The rollers are located within the channels so that the slide member is movable relative to first and second rollers. Front and rear caps are secured to a front end and a back end, respectively, of each slide member. The flanges and caps facilitate retaining, or trapping, the rollers within the channels. In addition, the front caps have stop members extending inwardly towards the upper rack and cooperate with the upper rack to limit the extent to which the upper rack can be withdrawn from tub. The upper rack includes a plurality of stringers and rails arranged in a basket-like configuration including a bottom portion and oppositely disposed generally parallel and upwardly extending first and second side portions. The upper rack further includes front and back wall portions extending upwardly from bottom portion and interconnecting ends of the first and second side portions. A first rim is formed along the first side portion and is configured to receive a portion of the elongate slide member of the first support assembly. A second rim is formed along the second side portion and is configured to receive a portion of the elongate slide member of the second support assembly. Stop members extend from the side portions of the upper rack, and the stop members cooperate with the front cap stop members to limit the extent to which the upper rack can be withdrawn from the tub.

Wireless plastic upper dish rack

An automatic domestic dish washing machine has a chamber for the items to be washed and a pump to pressurize the washing fluid. A spray arm includes elongated top and bottom walls encompassing an elongated passageway to receive the pressurized fluid. A spray device has an elongated body with a passageway and an exit opening at each end of the passageway. A hollow support shaft extends perpendicular to the body and includes a passageway communicating with the body passageway. The shaft is mounted in the spray arm with lateral openings in the shaft communicating with the passageway in the arm so that fluid flows through the arm, shaft and body and sprays out through the exit openings. The lower portion of the shaft is cylindrical and extends through an opening in the bottom wall of the arm. A bearing mounted to the arm includes a longitudinal opening surrounding the lower portion of the shaft and spaced from it to define an annulus with a width just greater than the size of hard waste particles likely to be entrained in the wash fluid. A thrust washer is attached to the shaft below the bearing. When pressurized fluid flows through the spray device the shaft lifts and the washer engages the bearing and centers the shaft in the longitudinal opening. When pressurized fluid is not flowing, the shaft lowers and the thrust washer is spaced below the bearing a distance greater than the width of the annulus between the bearing and the shaft.

Dish washing machine with improved wash mechanism

An out-of-balance condition detecting system with a lid actuated switching assembly for interrupting operation of a washing machine upon detection of an out-of-balance (OOB) condition or upon a lid of the washing machine being open. The system includes pneumatic generating units for generating a predetermined fluidic pressure in response to excursions of a tub of the washing machine during a spin cycle; an actuator which is fluidly coupled to such generating units for providing an actuating position corresponding to the OOB condition; and a switching assembly which includes a switch responsive to the actuator in its actuating position to interrupt the OOB condition. The switch is further responsive to the lid to deenergize the motor upon the lid being in an open position. The switch which can be either mechanically or magnetically actuated may be designed such that once the OOB condition has been detected, a user is required to open the lid in order to reset operation of the washing machine.

Out-of-balance condition detecting system with lid actuated switching

A mechanism for securing items in a dishwasher rack includes a support member mounted on the rack, and a U-shaped contact member with the distal ends of the contact member rotatably connected to the support member. A spring is mounted on the support member and engages the ends of the contact member to urge the contact member into engagement with items in the dishwasher rack.

Article retaining mechanism

A refrigerator includes a cabinet having an upper compartment to be refrigerated and a lower machinery compartment. First and second elongated support members extend across the front and back of the machinery compartment respectively. A condenser is supported from the first support member and extends rearwardly in the machinery compartment. A support frame is supported from the second support member and extends forwardly in the machinery compartment in partial overlapping relationship with the condenser. The overlapping portions of the condenser and frame are structurally connected. A compressor is mounted on the frame. A condensate collection container is supported from the rear support member and extends forwardly in the machinery compartment in partial overlapping relationship with the condenser. The overlapping portions of the condenser and container are structurally connected. A blower mechanism, including a shroud, is positioned in the machinery compartment with the shroud received in slots in the container and structurally connected to the cabinet.

Growing community of inventors

Louisville, KY, United States of America

Dwight William Jacobus