The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 16, 1997
Filed:
Mar. 29, 1996
Thomas M Johnson, Newton, IA (US);
Brian L Ness, Newton, IA (US);
Jeffrey T Jones, Newton, IA (US);
Rodney M Welch, Newton, IA (US);
Maytag Corporation, Newton, IA (US);
Abstract
A spray assembly for a dishwasher includes a fluid pump and a spray tower. The spray tower includes a lower stationary member and an upper rotatable member and includes a fluid cavity therein. The rotatable member has at least one spray opening adjacent its upper end. A spray nozzle directs a stream of washing fluid upwardly into the spray tower and moves the stream of washing fluid in a circular pattern. The stream of water engages the upper rotatable member of the spray tower and the upper rotatable member rotates in response thereto. One form of the invention uses a deflecting surface on the rotatable member for causing rotational movement of the rotatable member and for causing precession of the rotatable member. Another modification of the present invention utilizes a pair of intermeshing gears for causing precession of the rotatable member.