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:
Aug. 26, 2008
Filed:
Mar. 12, 2003
Christopher L. Flowers, Humboldt, TN (US);
Kory A. Gunnerson, Jackson, TN (US);
John H. Miilu, Jackson, TN (US);
John Trevor Morrison, Jackson, TN (US);
Chad M. Thomas, Jackson, TN (US);
Anthony Lewis Durfee, Jackson, TN (US);
Christopher L. Flowers, Humboldt, TN (US);
Kory A. Gunnerson, Jackson, TN (US);
John H. Miilu, Jackson, TN (US);
John Trevor Morrison, Jackson, TN (US);
Chad M. Thomas, Jackson, TN (US);
Anthony Lewis Durfee, Jackson, TN (US);
Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Abstract
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.