Maytag Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation

Michael J Kramer

Kristen Karl Hedstrom

Mark Erwin Palm

Rodney Michael Welch

Kory A Gunnerson

Seungwon (Chris) Song

A dish support rack for a dishwasher is formed from composite, preferably ceramic/plastic composite. The dish rack includes front, rear and opposing side walls interconnected with a bottom portion. The dish support rack includes a plurality of tine members. The tine members include a base member from which extend a plurality of tines. Each base member includes a socket and a pin element used to join individual tine members to form tine rows. The tine rows are then fastened to the bottom portion to establish dish support zones in the dish rack. The tines can include one or more elastomeric bumpers positioned at various locations where dishware is likely to contact.

Molded plastic dishwasher rack tine members including elastomeric bumpers

A drawer-type dishwasher includes a frame assembly, a wash tub, a plurality of wash system components and a sump. The sump is either integrally formed with or separately formed and mounted to a bottom wall portion of the tub, while being provided with a plurality of fluid conduits that extend from a central intake ring to a respective plurality of attachment flanges. A wash pump and a drain pump are supported by respective ones of the plurality of attachment flanges so as to direct a flow of wash fluid into and out of the wash tub. The sump also includes structure for mounting a heater and a filter housing, as well as other wash and safety system components.

Multi-use sump for a drawer-type dishwaher

A dishwasher includes a drawer which is slidably mounted in a frame and forms a washing chamber. A lid assembly is mounted to the frame for selectively sealing the washing chamber during a washing operation. A closing mechanism moves the lid assembly from a first or open position to a second or closed position that provides a water-tight seal during a washing operation. The dishwasher is further provided with a latching mechanism including a pivoting door front member, a locking member and a linking bar interconnecting the door front member with the locking member. Manipulation of the pivoting drawer front member causes the locking member to engage/disengage with the lid assembly. The latching mechanism further includes a locking bar and a micro-switch that combine to prevent operation of the dishwasher if the drawer is not properly positioned in the frame.

Latching and sealing mechanism for a drawer-type dishwasher

An improved water distribution system is provided for a dishwasher. The system includes one or more disks mounted in the dishwasher for rotation about a vertical axis, and one or more water nozzles in the dishwasher for directing a water jet onto the disks. The water jets are directed transverse to the axis of rotation of the disks so as to impart rotation to the disks, and thereby redirect the water jet to a radial direction for distribution in the washing chamber of the dishwasher. Thus, the linear kinetic energy of the water jet is transferred to radial kinetic energy by the rotating disk.

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Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Michael J Kramer