U.S. patent application number 13/624983 was filed with the patent office on 2014-03-27 for adjustable multi-compartment dishwasher.
This patent application is currently assigned to WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION. Invention is credited to MARK W. BALDWIN, BARRY E. TULLER.
Application Number | 20140083472 13/624983 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50337657 |
Filed Date | 2014-03-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140083472 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BALDWIN; MARK W. ; et
al. |
March 27, 2014 |
ADJUSTABLE MULTI-COMPARTMENT DISHWASHER
Abstract
A dishwasher may include a tub and a divider located within the
tub to divide the interior into a first treating chamber and a
second treating chamber. The relative size of the first and second
treating chambers may be adjusted by moving the divider relative to
the tub.
Inventors: |
BALDWIN; MARK W.; (SAINT
JOSEPH, MI) ; TULLER; BARRY E.; (STEVENSVILLE,
MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION |
BENTON HARBOR |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
BENTON HARBOR
MI
|
Family ID: |
50337657 |
Appl. No.: |
13/624983 |
Filed: |
September 24, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
134/198 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 15/4248 20130101;
A47L 15/0084 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
134/198 |
International
Class: |
A47L 15/42 20060101
A47L015/42 |
Claims
1. A dishwasher comprising: a tub defining an interior and having
an open face; a moveable door for selectively closing the open
face; and a divider located within the tub to divide the interior
into a first treating chamber and a second treating chamber; a
first spray system spraying liquid into the first treating chamber;
a second spray system spraying liquid into the second treating
chamber; a recirculation system recirculating the spray liquid for
the first and second treating chambers; and an adjuster moveably
mounting the divider to the tub wherein the relative size of the
first and second treating chambers may be adjusted by moving the
divider relative to the tub.
2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the open face is vertically
oriented and the adjuster moves the divider vertically within the
tub.
3. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the door is hingedly mounted
for rotation between a generally horizontal open position and a
generally vertical closed position.
4. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the adjuster is movable within
a predetermined range of adjustment.
5. The dishwasher of claim 4 wherein the predetermined range is
less than 3 inches.
6. The dishwasher of claim 4 wherein the adjuster is discretely
adjustable.
7. The dishwasher of claim 6 wherein the adjuster comprises a
ratchet mechanism having predetermined positions for the
divider.
8. The dishwasher of claim 7 wherein the adjuster comprises
multiple ratchet mechanisms.
9. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein a first ratchet mechanism
mounts a first side of the divider to the tub and a second ratchet
mechanism mounts a second side, opposite the first side, of the
divider to the tub.
10. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a first seal
between the divider and the tub.
11. The dishwasher of claim 10, further comprising a second seal
between the divider and the tub to at least fluidly seal the first
chamber relative to the second chamber, with the first seal sealing
when the divider is in an upper position and the second seal
sealing when the divider is in a lower position.
12. The dishwasher of claim 11, further comprising a third seal
between the divider and the door when the door closes the open
face.
13. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a first dish rack
located within the first treating chamber and supported by the
divider.
14. The dishwasher of claim 13 wherein the first dish rack is
mounted to the divider.
15. The dishwasher of claim 14 wherein one of the first dish rack
and divider is slidably mounted to the tub to enable sliding
movement of the first dish rack through the open face.
16. The dishwasher of claim 13, further comprising a second dish
rack located within the second treating chamber.
17. The dishwasher of claim 16 wherein the second dish rack is
slidably mounted to the tub for slideable movement through the open
face.
18. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the recirculation system
comprises a pump assembly having an inlet fluidly coupled to the
first and second treating chambers and an outlet fluidly coupled to
the first and second spray systems.
19. The dishwasher of claim 18 wherein the recirculation system
comprises a first return line fluidly coupling the first treating
chamber to the pump inlet and a second return line fluidly coupling
the second treating chamber to the pump inlet.
20. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a drawer
slideable relative to the interior, and the divider is carried by
the drawer.
21. The dishwasher of claim 20 wherein the divider is integrally
formed with the drawer.
22. The dishwasher of claim 21 wherein the drawer comprises a
bottom defining at least a portion of the divider.
23. The dishwasher of claim 20, further comprising a first seal
between the drawer and the tub to at least fluidly seal the first
chamber relative to the second chamber.
24. The dishwasher of claim 23, further comprising a second seal
between the drawer and the tub to at least fluidly seal the first
chamber relative to the second chamber, with the first seal sealing
when the divider is in an upper position and the second seal
sealing when the divider is in a lower position.
25. The dishwasher of claim 24 wherein the first seal comprises an
upper peripheral edge of the drawer and a first projection from the
tub, and the second seal comprises a lower peripheral edge of the
drawer and a second projection from the tub, with the second
projection located lower in the tub than the first projection.
26. The dishwasher of claim 25 wherein the first and second seals
are angled toward each other in a direction corresponding to from
the front of the tub to the rear of the tub.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Contemporary automatic household dishwashers may have a tub
with multiple, separate compartments for receiving soiled utensils
to be treated. Typically, in such dishwashers, each compartment may
be in the form of a movable tub or drawer carrying a utensil rack,
wherein the drawer may be slidable relative to the tub.
Alternatively, one or more of the compartments may be stationary
with a utensil rack slidable relative to the tub. Regardless of the
compartment type, the compartments are typically physically
separated and are commonly arranged in a vertical, stacked
configuration with a fixed height for each compartment.
SUMMARY
[0002] A dishwasher according to one embodiment may include a tub
defining an interior and having an open face, a moveable door for
selectively closing the open face, and a divider located within the
tub to divide the interior into a first treating chamber and a
second treating chamber. A first spray system may spray liquid into
the first treating chamber, a second spray system may spray liquid
into the second treating chamber, and a recirculation system may
recirculate the spray liquid for the first and second treating
chambers. An adjuster may moveably mount the divider to the tub
wherein the relative size of the first and second treating chambers
may be adjusted by moving the divider relative to the tub.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] In the drawings:
[0004] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dishwasher with a door
closed according to one embodiment.
[0005] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dishwasher of FIG. 1
with the door open, an upper utensil rack retracted, and a lower
utensil rack extended.
[0006] FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 with the
upper utensil rack extended and the lower utensil rack
retracted.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a liquid supply system, a
liquid recirculation system, and an air supply system for the
dishwasher of FIG. 1.
[0008] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the region labeled V in FIG.
2, wherein a divider of the dishwasher is shown in an upper
position.
[0009] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 5 with the
divider shown in a lower position.
[0010] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a controller for the
dishwasher of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 with the
divider in the lower position.
[0012] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
dishwasher, wherein the divider forms part of a drawer and is in
the upper position, and the drawer is in a retracted position.
[0013] FIG. 10 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 9, wherein the
drawer is in an extended position.
[0014] FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating sloped
configurations for the drawer and corresponding seals that mate
with the dishwasher tub in the upper and lower positions, wherein
the drawer is in the upper position.
[0015] FIG. 12 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 11, wherein the
drawer is in the lower position.
[0016] FIG. 13 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 9 with the
divider in the lower position.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-compartment
dishwasher 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. Although
the actual dishwasher 10 into which the embodiments of the
invention may be incorporated may vary, the invention is shown in
connection with the dishwasher 10 for illustrative purposes. The
dishwasher 10 includes a chassis 12 and a door 14 mounted to the
chassis 12. The chassis 12 may be a cabinet or a frame, with or
without exterior panels. Built-in dishwashers typically have only a
frame without panels, whereas stand-alone dishwashers have a frame
with decorative panels covering the frame.
[0018] Referring now to FIG. 2, which is a front view of the
dishwasher 10 with the door 14 in an open position, the dishwasher
10 may comprise an open-face tub housing or tub 16 having opposing
top and bottom walls 18, 20, opposing side walls 22, and a rear
wall 24 that collectively define an interior with an open face 26.
The front edges of the tub top and bottom walls 18, 20 and the
opposing side walls 22 define the open face 26, and the door 14 may
be moveably mounted to the chassis 12 for selectively closing the
open face 26 of the tub 16, such as by pivoting relative to the
chassis 12 at hinges 28 located at a lower end of the door 14. The
closed position of the door 14 is illustrated in FIG. 1. When the
door 14 is in an opened position, as in FIG. 2, the open door 14
provides access to the tub 16 through the open face 26 for loading
and unloading utensils or other treatable items. As used in this
description, the term "utensil(s)" is intended to be generic to any
item, single or plural, that may be treated in the dishwasher 10,
including, without limitation, dishes, plates, pots, bowls, pans,
glassware, and silverware.
[0019] The interior of the tub 16 may include any number of
multiple compartments, and the illustrated embodiment features two
compartments, an upper compartment and a lower compartment, formed
by an upper tub 30 and a lower tub 32 that respectively define at
least a portion of an upper treating chamber 34 and a lower
treating chamber 36. The upper and lower tubs 30, 32 are
illustrated as having differing size, with the upper tub 30 being
smaller than the lower tub 32; however, the tubs 30, 32 may be of
the same size. Further, the upper and lower tubs 30, 32 may have a
vertically stacked configuration as illustrated or may
alternatively have a horizontal side-by-side configuration. The
tubs 30, 32 may also be remote from each other in a distributed
configuration.
[0020] A divider 40 within the tub 16 may separate the tub 16 into
the upper tub 30 and the lower tub 32. The upper tub 30 may be
defined by the divider 40 and the portion of the tub 16 above the
divider 40 to define the upper treating chamber 34, and, similarly,
the lower tub may be defined by the divider 40 and the portion of
the tub 16 below the divider 40 to form the lower treating chamber
36.
[0021] In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the
divider 40 may be in the form of a shelf-like partition spanning
approximately the width and depth of the tub 16 and may include a
divider support 42 extending along the side walls 22 and the rear
wall 24 of the tub 16. The divider support 42 may have any suitable
form and is shown as a vertical bracket extending along the side
walls 22 and the rear wall 24 and having an upper edge 44 and a
lower edge 46. The upper edge 44 may be angled or sloped downwardly
from the front of the tub 16 to the rear of the tub 16, while the
lower edge may be angled or sloped upwardly from the front of the
tub 16 to the rear of the tub 16 such that the height of the
portion of the divider support 42 on the side walls 22 tapers from
the front to the rear of the tub 16. The divider support 42 may
have a constant height along the rear wall 24 of the tub 16.
[0022] The upper tub 30 may contain a drawer 50 slidably mounted to
the divider assembly. In the illustrated embodiment, the drawer 50
may be mounted to the divider 40, particularly to the divider
support 42, by slide rails 52 such that the drawer 50 may slide
relative to the tub 16 and to the divider 40 between a retracted
position, shown in FIG. 2, and an extended position, shown in FIG.
3. The slide rails 52 may be well-known, conventional drawer
slides; alternatively, the drawer 50 may be mounted to the divider
40 by other suitable extendible support guides or attachment
devices. In an alternative embodiment, the drawer 50 may be
slidably mounted on its bottom to the shelf-like portion of the
divider 40.
[0023] The drawer 50 may be any type of dishwasher drawer, and the
exemplary drawer 50 of the illustrated embodiment includes a bottom
wall 54 with an upwardly extending peripheral lip 56 supported by
the bottom wall 54. The slide rails 52 coupling the drawer 50 to
the divider 40 may be mounted to the peripheral lip 56. The drawer
50 may be provided with a utensil rack 60 for supporting various
objects, such as utensils and the like, to be exposed to a treating
operation in the upper treating chamber 34. The utensil rack 60 may
slide with the drawer 50 horizontally relative to the tub 16 and
the divider 40. Further, the bottom wall 54 of the drawer 50 may be
sloped to function as a sump or fluid outlet to drain treatment
fluid from the upper treating chamber 34.
[0024] With continued reference to FIG. 3, the lower tub 32 may be
collectively formed by the divider 40 and the portion of the tub 16
below the divider 40 to define the lower treating chamber 36. A
utensil rack 62 for supporting various objects, such as utensils
and the like, to be exposed to a treating operation in the lower
treating chamber 36 may be slidable within the lower tub 32 by
wheels 64 on the lower side of the rack 62 such that the rack 62
may roll on the door 14 in the opened position and on ledges 66
disposed on the side walls 22 between an extended position, shown
previously in FIG. 2, and a retracted position, as shown in FIG. 3.
Alternatively, the rack 62 may be mounted to and slidable relative
to the side walls 22 by slide rails, which may be well-known,
conventional drawer slides or other suitable extendible support
guides or attachment devices. Further, the bottom wall 20 of the
tub 16 may be sloped to function as a sump or fluid outlet to drain
treatment fluid from the lower treating chamber 36.
[0025] Referring additionally to the schematic diagram of FIG. 4, a
spray system may be provided for spraying liquid within the upper
and lower treating chambers 34, 36. The spray system may include a
sprayer of some type for spraying liquid in the treating chambers
34, 36, and the sprayers in the upper treatment and lower treating
chambers 34, 36 function as fluid inlets for the respective upper
and lower treating chambers 34, 36. In the current embodiment, the
sprayers are in the form of upper and lower spray assemblies 70, 72
and may comprise a traditional spray arm located below the
respective utensil racks 60, 62, as shown for illustrative purposes
in the figures. The spray assemblies 70, 72 are configured to
generate a spray of liquid in a generally upward direction, over at
least a portion of the respective treating chamber 34, 36,
typically directed to treat utensils located in the utensil racks
60, 62. Alternatively or additionally, the spray assemblies 70, 72
may include other types of spray assemblies, including other
rotating sprayers, stationary sprayers, including spray bars, zone
sprayers, individual spray nozzles, and the like, located at any
suitable location, such as on the walls of the respective upper and
lower tubs 30, 32 and on the respective utensil racks 60, 62 to
provide treating fluid to the upper and lower treating chambers 34,
36. The type, number, and location of the spray assemblies 70, 72
are not germane to the present invention.
[0026] With continued reference to FIG. 4, the dishwasher 10 may
further include a liquid recirculation system, which may include a
pump and filter unit 80, for selectively supplying, recirculating,
and draining liquid from the upper and lower treating chambers 34,
36. The liquid recirculation system may be fluidly coupled to the
spray system having the upper spray assembly 70 and the lower spray
assembly 72 described above.
[0027] The liquid recirculation system includes several fluid
conduits or lines, which are indicated by solid lines in FIG. 4. An
upper supply conduit 82 may couple an outlet of the pump and filter
unit 80 to an inlet of the upper treating chamber 34, such as via
the upper spray assembly 70, for supplying liquid to the upper
treating chamber 34 through the upper spray assembly 70. For the
lower treating chamber 36, a lower supply conduit 84 may couple the
outlet of the pump and filter unit 80 to an inlet of the lower
treating chamber 36, such as via the lower spray assembly 72, for
supplying liquid to the lower treating chamber 36 through the lower
spray assembly 72. Similar conduits may be present for draining
fluid from the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 to the pump
and filter unit 80. An upper return conduit 86 may fluidly couple
an outlet of the upper treating chamber 34, such as via the upper
sump formed by the drawer bottom wall 54, with an inlet of the pump
and filter unit 80. For the lower treating chamber 36, a lower
return conduit 88 may fluidly couple an outlet of the lower
treating chamber 36, such as via the lower sump formed by the tub
bottom wall 20, with the inlet of the pump and filter unit 80.
Portions of the upper and lower supply conduits 82, 84 and of the
upper and lower return conduits 86, 88 may be located within the
respective upper and lower tubs 30, 32, while other portions may be
hidden from the user's view behind the tub 16. To accommodate
sliding movement of the drawer 50 and the upper spray assembly 70
and the upper sump that move with the drawer 50, the upper supply
conduit 82 and the upper return conduit 86 may include extendible
sections and/or may selectively uncouple and recouple with itself
or corresponding components of the dishwasher 10. Alternatively,
the upper supply and return conduits 82, 86 may be configured such
that they are unitary and remain coupled to the corresponding
components of the dishwasher 10 during sliding movement of the
drawer 50.
[0028] The liquid recirculation system may further comprise a
liquid diverter system having supply and return diverters 90, 92 to
selectively control the liquid movement within and between the
upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36. The supply diverter 90
has an inlet fluidly coupled to the outlet of the pump and filter
unit 80 and a pair of outlets fluidly coupled to the upper and
lower supply conduits 82, 84. In this case, a pump outlet conduit
94 coupling the outlet of the pump and filter unit 80 to the supply
diverter 90 functions as either the upper or lower supply conduit
82, 84 depending on the source of the fluid flow. Correspondingly,
the pump and filter unit 80 may supply liquid to the upper and
lower treating chambers 34, 36 through the pump outlet conduit 94,
the supply diverter 90, the respective upper and lower supply
conduits 82, 84, and the respective upper and lower spray
assemblies 70, 72. The return diverter 92 has a pair of inlets
fluidly coupled to the upper and lower return conduits 86, 88 and
an outlet fluidly coupled to the inlet of the pump and filter unit
80. In this case, a pump inlet conduit 96 coupling the supply
diverter 90 to the inlet of the pump and filter unit 80 functions
as either the upper or lower return conduit 86, 88 depending on the
source of the fluid flow. Correspondingly, the pump and filter unit
80 may receive liquid drained from the upper and lower treating
chambers 34, 36 through the respective upper and lower sumps, the
respective upper and lower return conduits 86, 88, the return
diverter 92, and the pump inlet conduit 96. The supply and return
diverters 90, 92 may be valve type diverters or other types of
diverters capable of diverting all or some of the liquid passing
therethrough.
[0029] In the recirculation system, the fluid conduits or lines
form recirculation circuits for the upper and lower treating
chambers 34, 36 formed by the upper and lower tubs 30, 32. The
upper supply conduit 82 and the upper return conduit 86 define an
upper recirculation circuit whereby treating fluid may be supplied
from the pump and filter unit 80 to the upper treating chamber 34
and also returned from the upper treating chamber 34 to the pump
and filter unit 80. Similarly, the lower supply conduit 84 and the
lower return conduit 88 define a lower recirculation circuit
whereby treating fluid may be supplied from the pump and filter
unit 80 to the lower treating chamber 36 and also returned from the
lower treating chamber 36 to the pump and filter unit 80. While the
upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 are physically separate,
they may be considered selectively fluidly coupled by the pump and
filter unit 80, which functions as a fluid connector for the upper
and lower recirculation circuits. In other words, the pump and
filter unit 80 may be operated to supply liquid obtained from the
upper recirculation circuit to the lower recirculation circuit and
vice-versa, if desired.
[0030] With continued reference to FIG. 4, the dishwasher 10 may
also include a liquid supply system for providing external liquid
to the pump and filter unit 80, which selectively supplies the
liquid to either or both of the upper and lower treating chambers
34, 36 through the liquid recirculation system. Fluid conduits or
lines of the liquid supply system are identified with a
dash-dash-dot line in FIG. 4. The liquid supply system may include
a liquid supply conduit 100 extending from a liquid source 102,
such as a household water supply, to the pump and filter unit 80,
and a supply valve 104 may control flow of the liquid from the
liquid source 102 to the liquid supply conduit 100 and the pump and
filter unit 80. A siphon break or reservoir 106 with an overflow
conduit 108 may be located along the liquid supply conduit 100 to
aid in supplying the liquid from the liquid source 102 to the pump
and filter unit 80. Alternatively, the liquid supply system may
employ separate liquid supplies for the upper and lower treating
chambers 34, 36.
[0031] With continued reference to FIG. 4, the pump and filter unit
80 may be a single assembly incorporating several devices, such as
a supply and recirculation pump 110 for pumping liquid from the
liquid supply conduit 100 and/or the pump inlet conduit 96 to the
pump outlet conduit 94, a drain pump 112 for pumping liquid from
the pump inlet conduit 96 to a household drain conduit 114
(indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 4), a liquid filter (not shown)
to filter the liquid prior to being supplied to the pump outlet
conduit 94, a heater (not shown) for heating the liquid prior to
being supplied to the pump outlet conduit 94, and a fan or blower
116. The supply and recirculation pump 110, the drain pump 112, and
the blower 116 are shown schematically as components of the pump
and filter unit 80 in FIG. 4, the boundaries of which are not
intended to show location or relative size of the components but
are rather included to indicate only the presence of these
components in the pump and filter unit 80. Further details of
exemplary pump and filter units may be found in U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/643,394, filed Dec. 21, 2009, U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/910,203, filed Oct. 22, 2010, U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/947,317, filed Nov. 16, 2010, U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/959,483, filed Dec. 3, 2010, U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/949,687, filed Dec. 3, 2010, U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/959,507, filed Dec. 3, 2010, U.S. patent
Ser. No. 12/959,673, filed Dec. 3, 2010, U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 12/966,420, filed Dec. 13, 2010, and related applications,
which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The
'673 application further includes additional details of an
exemplary liquid recirculation system, including an exemplary
liquid diverter system, and an exemplary liquid supply system.
[0032] The dishwasher 10 may further include an air supply system
that may comprise the blower 116 of the pump and filter unit 80,
along with a blower outlet conduit 120 in fluid communication with
the upper treating chamber 34 through an upper air supply conduit
122 and with the lower treatment chamber 36 through a lower air
supply conduit 124. The air conduits or lines are illustrated as
dash-dot-dash lines in FIG. 4. An air diverter 126 may selectively
direct air from the blower outlet conduit 120 to one of the upper
and lower air supply conduits 122, 124 to thereby selectively
deliver air to the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36,
respectively. Optionally, the heater of the pump and filter unit 80
may heat the air prior to delivery to the upper and lower treating
chambers 34, 36. Further details of an exemplary air supply system
may be found in the aforementioned and incorporated '673
application.
[0033] The described and illustrated liquid recirculation system,
the liquid supply system, and the air supply system, along with the
pump and filter unit 80, are provided for exemplary purposes. Any
suitable systems capable of supplying, recirculating, and draining
liquid and any suitable system for supplying air may be employed
with the dishwasher 10.
[0034] The dishwasher 10 may further include an adjusting system
and a sealing system that may function cooperatively in adjusting
the vertical position of the divider 40 within the tub 16 to
thereby adjust the sizes of the upper and lower tubs 30, 32, and
thereby the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36, and sealing
the divider 40 to the tub 16 in the adjustable positions of the
divider 40. Referring now to FIG. 5, which is an enlarged view of
the region labeled V in FIG. 2, the adjusting system may include an
adjuster 130, which may have any suitable form and is illustrated
by example as having on the divider support 42 an actuator 132 that
interacts with a ratchet mechanism 134 located on the side wall 22
of the tub 16. The actuator 132 may be a mechanical actuator with a
finger or pawl that can be moved relative to the divider support 42
to engage and disengage the actuator 132 from the ratchet mechanism
134, such as by pulling the actuator 132 away from the side wall 22
to disengage the ratchet mechanism 134 and pushing the actuator 132
toward the side wall 22 to engage the ratchet mechanism 134.
Alternatively, the actuator 132 may be spring biased into the
engaged position whereby the user could simply release the pulled
actuator 132 to engage the ratchet mechanism 134. Engaging the
actuator 132 with the ratchet mechanism 134 locks the divider 40 in
position relative to the tub 16, while disengaging the actuator 132
from the ratchet mechanism 134 allows sliding vertical movement of
the divider 40 relative to the tub 16. The ratchet mechanism 134
may include any desirable number of steps or ratchets corresponding
to an equal number of predetermined positions for the actuator 132
and, thereby, the divider 40. In this manner, the divider may have
a discrete number of positions, such as an upper position, as shown
in FIG. 5, and a lower position, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The
adjusting system may have one or more of the adjusters 130, and the
illustrated embodiment has a pair of the adjusters 130, with each
one of the pair located on opposite sides of the divider 40 and the
tub 16 mounting the opposite sides of the divider 40 to the tub 16.
With one of the adjusters 130 on each side of the divider 40, a
user may grasp one of the actuators 132 with each hand for
simultaneous actuation.
[0035] The predetermined positions of the ratchet mechanism 134
define a range within with the divider 40 is adjustable. The range
may be any suitable range for a given dishwasher, and as one
example, the range may be less than about three inches. In a
configuration where the upper and lower treatment chambers 34, 36
are adjacent to one another and separated by a single divider, as
in the illustrated embodiment, the range corresponds to the maximum
increase in height of one of the treating chambers 34, 36 and a
corresponding maximum decrease in the height of the other of the
treating chambers 34, 36. The adjusting system may have any
suitable number of predetermined positions and is not limited to
the two described above and shown in the figures. In an alternative
embodiment, the adjusting system may be configured to locate the
divider 40 in any position, rather than discrete positions, within
the range.
[0036] The tub 16 may include a recessed portion or channel 140
accommodating the divider support 42 and the ratchet mechanism 134.
The channel 140 may extend generally horizontally along the side
walls 22 and the rear wall 24 of the tub 16. As with the divider
support 42, the channel 140 may have a sloped upper edge 142 and a
sloped lower edge 144 such that the channel 140 tapers along the
side walls 22 from the front to the rear of the tub 16. The portion
of the channel 140 on the rear wall 24 of the tub 16 may have a
constant height. The ratchet mechanism 134 may be provided in the
channel 140 near the front of the tub 16 but may be disposed at any
suitable location.
[0037] The sealing system may be configured such that the divider
40 may be sealed to the tub 16 in the adjustable positions of the
divider 40. The sealing system may have any suitable form and is
illustrated by example as having a peripheral seal 150 extending
around the front peripheral edge of the tub 16 defining the open
face 26 of the tub 16. The peripheral seal 150 mates with the door
14 when the door 14 is closed to prevent leakage of treating fluid
outside the dishwasher 10. An upper seal 152 may be located on the
upper edge 44 of the divider support 42, and, similarly, a lower
seal 154 may be positioned on the lower edge 46 of the divider
support 42. The upper seal 152 interacts with the upper edge 142 of
the channel 140 when the divider 40 is in the upper position of
FIG. 5 to form a seal between the upper and lower treating chambers
34, 36 and prevent leakage therebetween. Likewise, the lower seal
154 interacts with the lower edge 144 of the channel 140 when the
divider 40 is in the lower position of FIG. 6 to form a seal
between the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 and prevent
leakage therebetween. Optionally, the upper and lower seals 152,
154 may extend around the front edge of the divider support 42 to
join and form a single, continuous seal. Alternatively, the upper
and lower seals 152, 154 may be located on the respective upper and
lower edges 140, 144 of the channel 140 rather than on the divider
support 42 of the divider 40. The sealing system may further
include a divider seal 156 extending along the front edge of the
divider 40, including the divider support 42 of the divider 40. The
divider seal 156 may abut the door 14 when the door 14 is closed to
further seal the upper treating chamber 34 from the lower treating
chamber 36.
[0038] The various systems and components of the dishwasher 10
communicate with an electronic control, shown in the illustrated
embodiment as a controller 160, that may be located in the chassis
12 below the tub 16 as part of the pump and filter unit 80 (FIG.
4). The controller 160 may be a single controller for both the
upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 and may be operably
coupled to various components of the dishwasher 10 to implement a
treating cycle of operation in one or both of the upper and lower
treating chambers 34, 36. As illustrated herein, the controller 160
may be part of the pump and filter unit 80 to provide a compact and
modular assembly for installation within the dishwasher 10;
however, one or more components shown as integrated with each other
in the pump and filter unit 80 may also be provided separately.
Further, the controller 160 may be positioned in locations of the
dishwasher 10 other than below the tub 16, such as in other
locations on the chassis 12 or on the door 14.
[0039] Referring now to FIG. 7, which is a schematic view of the
controller 160 for the dishwasher 10, the controller 160 may be
operably coupled to a user interface 162 to communicate with the
user regarding the selection of treatment cycles and options for
one or both of the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36,
operation status, and other features common to dishwasher user
interfaces. The user interface 162 may be disposed in any suitable
location on the dishwasher, such as on the door 14. Further, the
user interface 162 may be configured to communicate to the user a
status of the divider 40, such a status related to the position of
the divider 40, i.e., the upper position and the lower position for
the present embodiment of the dishwasher 10. The status of the
divider 40 may be an indicator in the form of, for example, one or
more illuminators or text/image on a display.
[0040] Additionally, the controller 160 may be coupled with the
supply and recirculation pump 110, the supply diverter 90, and the
return diverter 92 for supply and circulation of fluid in the upper
and lower treating chambers 34, 36 and with the drain pump 112 for
drainage of fluid from the dishwasher 10. The controller 160 may be
coupled with the supply valve 104 for supplying liquid to the pump
and filter unit 80. The controller 160 may also be operably coupled
with the blower 116 and the air diverter 126 to provide air into
the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36. The controller 160
may also be coupled with the heater 164 to heat the fluid and/or
air depending on the step being performed in the cycle of
operation. The controller 160 may also be coupled to a dispenser
166 for dispensing a treating chemistry during appropriate steps in
a cycle of operation into the upper and/or lower treating chambers
34, 36. Alternatively, each of the upper and lower treating
chambers 34, 36 may have its own dedicated dispenser.
[0041] The controller 160 may also be coupled with one or more
temperature sensors 168, which are known in the art, such that the
controller 160 may control the duration of the steps of the cycle
of operation based upon the temperature detected in the upper and
lower treating chambers 34, 36 or in one of the various conduits of
the dishwasher 10. The controller 160 may also receive inputs from
positional sensors 170 that may detect the positions of the divider
40. Further, the controller 160 may also communicate with one or
more other additional sensors 172, examples of which are known in
the art. Non-limiting examples of the additional sensors 172 that
may be communicably coupled with the controller 160 include a
moisture sensor, a turbidity sensor, and positional sensors for the
door 14.
[0042] The controller 160 may also be provided with a memory 174
and a central processing unit (CPU) 176. The memory 174 may be used
for storing control software that may be executed by the CPU 176 in
completing a cycle of operation using one or both of the upper and
lower treating chambers 34, 36 of the dishwasher 10 and any
additional software. For example, the memory 174 may store one or
more pre-programmed cycles of operation that may be selected by a
user and completed by one or more of the upper and lower treating
chambers 34, 36. A cycle of operation for the upper and lower
treating chambers 34, 36 may include one or more of the following
steps: a wash step, a rinse step, and a drying step. The wash step
may further include a pre-wash step and a main wash step. The rinse
step may also include multiple steps such as one or more additional
rinsing steps performed in addition to a first rinsing. The amounts
of fluid and/or rinse aid used during each of the multiple rinse
steps may be varied. The drying step may have a non-heated drying
step (so called "air only"), a heated drying step, or a combination
thereof. These multiple steps may be performed by one or both of
the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 in any desired
combination.
[0043] The operation of the dishwasher 10 will now be described
with a focus on the operation of the adjustable divider 40. Details
regarding the supply and delivery of treating fluid and the
delivery of heated and non-heated air to the upper and lower
treating chambers 34, 36 may be found in the aforementioned and
incorporated '673 application. The following description is
provided for descriptive purposes only with the understanding that
the operation may proceed in any suitable order and may be adapted
according to variations of embodiments of the dishwasher 10. While
the operation description will include reference to different
figures, inherent reference to FIG. 7 may continually be made when
discussing communication between the controller 160 and various
systems and components of the dishwasher 10.
[0044] Prior to executing a treating cycle of operation, a user
places utensils to be treated in the upper and/or lower utensil
racks 60, 62 with the door 14 in the opened position. The user may
adjust the divider 40 to change the sizes of the upper and lower
treating chambers 34, 36 for accommodating the sizes of the
utensils. For example, assuming the divider 40 is in the upper
position of FIGS. 2 and 5, the user may lower the divider 40 to the
lower position, thereby increasing the height of the upper treating
chamber 34 and lowering the position of the upper utensil rack 60
such that larger utensils may fit in upper treating chamber 34. The
user may lower the divider 40 by grasping the actuators 132 of the
adjusters 130 and disengaging them from the respective ratchet
mechanisms 134 by pulling them inward toward the interior of the
tub 16. With the actuators 132 disengaged, the user may lower the
divider 40 by sliding the divider 40 with the divider support 42,
and thereby the drawer 50 and the upper utensil rack 60, downward
vertically within the tub 16 to the lower position where the lower
edge 46 of the divider support 42 and the lower seal 154 on the
lower edge 46 abut the lower edge 144 of the tub channel 140, as
illustrated in FIG. 6 and in FIG. 8, which is a perspective view of
the dishwasher 10 with the divider 40 in the lower position. With
the divider 40 in the lower position, the user may push the
actuators 132 toward the respective ratchet mechanism 134, or
simply release the actuators 132 if they are spring biased, to
engage the ratchet mechanism 134 and secure the divider 40 in the
lower position. An increase in the height of the upper treating
chamber 34 results in a corresponding decrease in the height of the
lower treating chamber 36.
[0045] Conversely, assuming the divider 40 is in the lower position
shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the user may raise the divider 40 to the
upper position, thereby increasing the height of the lower treating
chamber 36 such that larger utensils may fit in the lower treating
chamber 36. The process of raising the divider 40 is essentially
identical to that for lowering the divider 40, with the exception
of raising the divider 40 by sliding the divider 40 with the
divider support 42 upward, rather than downward, vertically within
the tub 16 to the upper position. The upward movement of the
divider 40 by the user occurs until the upper edge 44 of the
divider support 42 and the upper seal 152 on the upper edge 44 abut
the upper edge 142 of the tub channel 140, as seen in FIGS. 2 and
5. An increase in the height of the lower treating chamber 36
results in a corresponding decrease in the height of the upper
treating chamber 34.
[0046] With the divider 40 in the desired upper or lower position,
the user may complete the loading of the utensils, move the door 14
to the closed position, and select the desired treating cycle of
operation for the upper treating chamber 34, the lower treating
chamber 36, or both the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36.
If treating cycles are selected for both of the upper and lower
treating chambers 34, 36, the selected treating cycles for the
upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 may be the same treating
cycle or differing treating cycles. The controller 160 executes the
selected treating cycles according to preprogrammed instructions
and information received from the various sensors 168, 172.
[0047] It is within the scope of the invention to modify the
embodiment of the dishwasher 10 described above and shown in the
figures as needed. In one modification, the divider 40 may be
adapted to slide horizontally relative to the tub 16 between
retracted and extended positions. The drawer 50 and the utensil
rack 60 carried by the drawer 50 may be fixedly mounted to the
divider 40 such that the drawer 50 and the utensil rack 60 may
slide with the divider 40 rather than sliding relative to the
divider 40. An example of an embodiment having a slidable divider
is described below with respect to FIGS. 9-12.
[0048] FIG. 9 presents an alternative embodiment of a dishwasher
10. Components similar to those of the previous embodiment of the
dishwasher 10 are labeled with the same reference numeral bearing a
prime ( ) symbol. The alternative embodiment of the dishwasher 10
is essentially identical to the dishwasher 10, with the exception
that the divider 40 may be integral with the drawer 50, such that
the divider 40 forms the bottom wall of the drawer 50. The divider
40 may slide relative to the tub 16 with the drawer 50 between a
retracted position, as shown in FIG. 9, and an extended position,
as seen in FIG. 10, of the drawer 50. The drawer 50, shown in the
figures without its utensil rack for ease of viewing the parts of
the drawer 50, may include opposing side walls 200, a rear wall
202, and a front frame 204 in addition to the divider 40 as its
bottom wall. The drawer 50 and the portion of the tub 16 above the
drawer 50 form the upper tub 30 defining the upper treating chamber
34, while the portion of the tub 16 below the divider 40, which
corresponds to the portion of the tub 16 below the drawer 50, forms
the lower tub 32 defining the lower treating chamber 36.
[0049] As with the previous embodiment, the channel 140 in the tub
16 may be tapered along the tub side walls 22 and may include the
upper edge 142 and the lower edge 144. Similarly, the upper and
lower edges of the side walls 200 of the drawer 50 may be sloped
downwardly and upwardly, respectively, to taper the side walls 200
from the front to the rear of the tub 16, and the upper and lower
edges of the drawer side walls 200 may carry the upper seal 152 and
the lower seal 154, respectively. This configuration may be seen in
the schematic views of FIGS. 11 and 12. Alternatively, the seals
152, 154 may be located on the channel edges 142, 144. When the
drawer 50 is in the upper position of FIGS. 9 and 11, the upper
seal 152 on the upper edge of the drawer side walls 200 abuts the
channel upper edge 142 projecting inward from the tub side walls
22, while the lower seal 154 on the lower edge of the drawer side
walls 200 abuts the channel lower edge 144 projecting inward from
the tub side walls 22 when the drawer 50 is in the lower position
shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The sloped configuration of the drawer
side walls 200 and the tapered shape of the drawer side walls 200
prevents contact between the tub 16 and the seals 152, 154 while
the drawer 50 is sliding relative to the tub 16 until the drawer 50
is fully inserted into the retracted position, regardless of
whether the drawer 50 is in the upper position or the lower
position. Such a design reduces unnecessary wear on the seals 152,
154 that may otherwise occur during sliding of the drawer 50.
[0050] The adjusting system for moving the divider 40 between the
upper and lower positions may be similar to that of the previous
embodiment but modified to accommodate the structure of the drawer
50. For example, the adjusting system may include the actuator 132
and the ratchet mechanism 134, with the actuator 132 located on,
for illustrative purposes, the drawer side walls 200 and the
ratchet mechanism 134 located in the channel 140 of the tub 16. Two
sets of the actuator 132 and the ratchet mechanism 134 may be
present, with one set located on each opposing side of the drawer
50 and the tub 16. As an option, the adjusting system may be
incorporated with the slide rails (not shown) or other sliding
device for sliding the drawer 50 between the extended and retracted
positions.
[0051] The operation of the dishwasher 10 with the adjustable
divider 40 formed with the drawer 50 is substantially identical to
that described above for the dishwasher 10 and will not be repeated
here for brevity.
[0052] While the invention has been specifically described in
connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be
understood that this is by way of illustration and not of
limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be
construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.
* * * * *