Maytag Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation

John Trevor Morrison

Chad M Thomas

Robert Alan Elick

Barry E Tuller

Thomas M Johnson

Kory A Gunnerson

Anthony Lewis Durfee

Christopher Lynn Flowers

John Henry Miilu

A dishwasher includes a pump assembly which functions to chop all fluid entrained soil prior to directing fluid to upper and lower wash arms. A flow conduit leading to the upper wash arm is provided with a sampling port which directs a percentage of the fluid flow into a filter chamber having one or more fine mesh filter screens that open into the dishwasher tub basin. The filter chamber is exposed to a collection chamber that leads to a drain. In the event the filter chamber becomes clogged, a pressure relief valve opens a pressure regulation port to permit washing fluid in the filter chamber to enter the tub basin. In one embodiment, the pressure relief valve is constituted by a check ball which is displaced by a pressure build up in the filter chamber. In another embodiment, the pressure relief valve is constituted by a flapper valve.

Dishwasher pump and filtration system

A dishwasher, including a tub provided with a front lip, has a front door provided with alignment structure on an inner bottom portion which is designed to abut and deflect the front lip, when the front lip is bowed or otherwise deformed, to control the relative positioning between the door and the frontal lip in order to prevent the development of a leakage gap or undesirable engagement between the door and lip. The alignment feature preferably includes at least one cam rib located on the lower underside of the door, as well as adjacent abutment rib(s) adapted to extend toward the front lip of the tub when the door is opened. The cam rib functions to guide the lip along a smooth surface when the tub is bowed or otherwise significantly shifted from a design position to assure quiet shifting of the door, while the abutment rib functions to prevent the development of a potential leakage gap between the front lip and the door.

Tub lip alignment system for a dishwasher

A dishwasher includes a pump assembly which functions to chop all fluid entrained soil prior to directing fluid to upper and lower wash anms. A flow conduit leading to the upper wash arm is provided with a sampling port which directs a percentage of the fluid flow into a filter chamber having one or more fine mesh filter screens that open into the dishwasher tub basin. The filter chamber is exposed to a collection chamber that leads to a flapper valve and then to a drain port. An overflow tube, which is in fluid communication with the filter chamber, extends upwardly within the dishwasher. When the fine mesh filter becomes clogged, fluid will be forced to flow up the overflow tube and be exposed to another filter. A filter guard is secured to a housing of the recirculation pump over portions of the fine mesh filter.

An improved wash tube is provided for a dishwasher. The wash tube is mounted on the upper rack and has a first end adapted to be releasably docked with the water manifold in the back of the dishwashing chamber as the rack is moved between the extended loading position and the retracted wash position. The inner end of the wash tube includes a curved cap which increases the docking tolerance and which presents a substantially downwardly oriented water inlet to the wash tube. The cap creates water stagnation adjacent the inlet such that the water velocity is substantially reduced and the pressure increased. The second end of the wash tube is connected to the spray arm which rotates as water is ejected from the spray arm nozzles at increased pressure. The cap allows the wash tube to fully dock into the manifold without obstructing the water inlet.

Bullet ended wash tube for dishwasher

A dishwasher functions to chop all fluid entrained soil prior to directing fluid to at least upper and lower wash arms and directs a percentage of the fluid flow into a filter chamber having one or more fine mesh filter screens that open into the dishwasher tub basin. When the fine mesh filter becomes clogged, fluid is forced to flow up an overflow tube and be exposed to another filter. The draining of portions of the system are sequenced to enhance soil removal.

Growing community of inventors

Cedar Grove, TN, United States of America

John Trevor Morrison