Abstract:
A dishwasher has a tub that defines a treating chamber with an access opening. A door assembly selectively permits access to the treating chamber and may carry electronics for the dishwasher. Appropriately placed chamfered fins in a crown in the door aids in assuring a flush fit and finish in a front panel of the door assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Automatic dishwashers for use in a typical household include a tub defining a treating chamber and a spraying system for recirculating liquid throughout the tub to remove soils from the dishes and utensils. Two common configurations are a door-type, where a pivoting door provides access to a treating chamber where dishes are washed or a drawer-type where a drawer provides access to the as well as defining a major portion of the treating chamber. In either configuration, a rack for holding dishes to be cleaned is typically provided within the treating chamber. 
         [0002]    A problem with some conventional door assemblies arises with fit and finish. For example, it is difficult to align a crown of the door assembly flush with side panels of the door, as shown schematically in  FIG. 1 . There exists a need to improve the fit and finish of appliances. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       [0003]    The present invention includes, in one embodiment, a dishwasher door assembly comprising a front panel having a front wall and spaced side walls extending from the front wall to define a substantially U-shaped cross section with an upper edge partially defining an upper opening, an inner panel spanning the side walls and having an upper edge partially defining the upper opening, a crown overlying the upper opening and having opposing upper and lower surfaces bounded by front and inner edges connected by spaced side edges, and tabs extending downward from the lower surface and spaced inward from the side edges by an amount substantially equal to the thickness of the upper edge along the side walls to define overhangs from the tabs to the side edges; wherein when the crown is mounted to the front panel, the tabs are received within the upper opening and in abutment with the side walls, the overhangs overlie the corresponding upper edge along the side wall, and the side edges are substantially flush with the side walls. 
         [0004]    In another embodiment, the invention may include a dishwasher door assembly comprising a front panel having a front wall and spaced side walls extending from the front wall to define a substantially U-shaped cross section with an upper edge partially defining an upper opening, a crown overlying the upper opening and having a front edge and spaced side edges extending from the front edge, and tabs extending downward from a lower surface of the crown and into the upper opening and in abutment with the side walls, the tabs spaced inward from the side edges an amount such that the crown overlies the upper edge and the side edges are substantially flush with the side walls. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of an overhang in a door assembly of a prior art dishwasher. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a dishwasher of the type where aspects of the invention are applicable. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the dishwasher of  FIG. 2  showing relative positions of a chassis and an open door assembly. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the door assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a front exploded view of the door assembly of  FIG. 4  according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5A  is an enlarged view of  FIG. 5 , focusing on a fascia, a crown, and a crown spacer. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5B  is an enlarged rear exploded view of the door assembly of  FIG. 4 , according to a second embodiment of the invention, focusing on the crown and the crown spacer. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a rear exploded view of the door assembly of  FIG. 4 , according to the second embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of a portion of a crown assembly in  FIG. 5A   
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a partial front cross sectional view of the crown assembly, taken along section VIII-VIII of  FIG. 4 , according to the first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a partial front cross sectional view of the crown assembly, taken along section IX-IX of  FIG. 4 , according to the second embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a partial enlarged side cross sectional view of the dishwasher of  FIG. 3  with the door closed, according to a third embodiment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view of the front panel of the dishwasher door assembly of  FIG. 5 , according to  11 - 11 ′. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of an overhang in a door assembly of a dishwasher according to the prior art, with a front door panel  2 . A crown  4  is affixed to the door panel resulting in an overhang  6 . 
         [0019]    In  FIG. 2 , an automated dishwasher  10  according to a first embodiment is illustrated. The dishwasher  10  shares many features of a conventional automated dishwasher, which will not be described in detail herein except as necessary for a complete understanding of the invention. 
         [0020]    A chassis  12  may define an interior of the dishwasher  10  and may include a frame, with or without panels mounted to the frame. An open-faced tub  14  may be provided within the chassis  12  and may at least partially define a treating chamber  16 , having an open face, for washing dishes. A door assembly  18  may be movably mounted to the dishwasher  10  for movement between opened and closed positions to selectively open and close the open face of the tub  14 . Thus, the door assembly provides accessibility to the treating chamber  16  for the loading and unloading of dishes or other washable items. 
         [0021]    It should be appreciated that the door assembly  18  may be secured to the lower front edge of the chassis  12  or to the lower front edge of the tub  14  via a hinge assembly  20  configured to pivot the door assembly  18 . When the door assembly  18  is closed, user access to the treating chamber  16  may be prevented, whereas user access to the treating chamber  16  may be permitted when the door assembly  18  is open. 
         [0022]    Dish holders, illustrated in the form of upper and lower dish racks  26 ,  28 , are located within the treating chamber  16  and receive dishes for washing. The upper and lower racks  26 ,  28  are typically mounted for slidable movement in and out of the treating chamber  16  for ease of loading and unloading. Other dish holders may be provided, such as a silverware basket. As used in this description, the term “dish(es)” 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. 
         [0023]    A spray system is provided for spraying liquid in the treating chamber  16  and is provided in the form of a first lower spray assembly  34 , a second lower spray assembly  36 , a rotating mid-level spray arm assembly  38 , and/or an upper spray arm assembly  40 . Upper sprayer  40 , mid-level rotatable sprayer  38  and lower rotatable sprayer  34  are located, respectively, above the upper rack  26 , beneath the upper rack  26 , and beneath the lower rack  28  and are illustrated as rotating spray arms. The second lower spray assembly  36  is illustrated as being located adjacent the lower dish rack  28  toward the rear of the treating chamber  16 . The second lower spray assembly  36  is illustrated as including a vertically oriented distribution header or spray manifold  44 . Such a spray manifold is set forth in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,594,513, issued Sep. 29, 2009, and titled “Multiple Wash Zone Dishwasher,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
         [0024]    A recirculation system is provided for recirculating liquid from the treating chamber  16  to the spray system. The recirculation system may include a sump  30  and a pump assembly  31 . The sump  30  collects the liquid sprayed in the treating chamber  16  and may be formed by a sloped or recess portion of a bottom wall of the tub  14 . The pump assembly  31  may include both a drain pump  32  and a recirculation pump  33 . The drain pump  32  may draw liquid from the sump  30  and pump the liquid out of the dishwasher  10  to a household drain line (not shown). The recirculation pump  33  may draw liquid from the sump  30  and the liquid may be simultaneously or selectively pumped through a supply tube  42  to each of the assemblies  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40  for selective spraying. While not shown, a liquid supply system may include a water supply conduit coupled with a household water supply for supplying water to the treating chamber  16 . 
         [0025]    A heating system including a heater  46  may be located within the sump  30  for heating the liquid contained in the sump  30 . 
         [0026]    The dishwasher door assembly  18  may also include a crown spacer  50 . A controller  52  may also be included in the crown spacer  50 , which may be operably coupled with various components of the dishwasher  10  to implement a cycle of operation. The controller  52  may be located within the crown spacer  50  as illustrated, or it may alternatively be located somewhere within the chassis  12 . The controller  52  may also be operably coupled with a control panel or user interface  56  for receiving user-selected inputs and communicating information to the user. The user interface  56  may include operational controls such as dials, lights, switches, and displays enabling a user to input commands, such as a cycle of operation, to the controller  52  and receive information. 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  shows an isometric view of the dishwasher  10  according to an embodiment of the current invention with a partially open door assembly  18 . The other components of the dishwasher inside the chassis  12  have not been shown here. 
         [0028]    In a first embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 4 , the door assembly  18  comprises four distinct components, i.e.: a front panel  65 , the crown spacer  60  (shown in  FIG. 5 ), an inner panel  62  (shown in  FIG. 5 ) and a crown  64 . The front panel  65  includes a front wall  66  with an outside surface  68 , and side walls  70  that extend from the front wall  66  away from the outside surface  68 , thereby lending the front wall  66  a U shape in cross-section. The front wall  66  at an upper edge  72  thereof has a return flange  274  (shown in  FIG. 6 ) extending away from the outside surface  68 . The return flange  274  terminates in a rear edge  276 . The crown spacer  60  comprises various electrical components and a housing for the same. The crown spacer  60  also comprises protrusions  78  positioned at various points along its outer surfaces as shown in  FIG. 5A  The inner panel  62  is a flat, rectangular structure of a width that is substantially equal to the distance between the side walls  70  of the front panel  65 , and height substantially equal to the height of the front panel  65 . The inner panel  62  comprises an upper edge  80 , two side edges  82 , and a bottom edge  84 . The upper edge  80  of the inner panel  62  abuts the crown  64  along the entire length of the upper edge  80  after assembly is complete. 
         [0029]    The crown  64  comprises a crown top surface  86  and a crown bottom surface  88 , both bounded by a front edge  90 , an inner edge  92  and spaced side edges  94  extending between the front edge  90  and the inner edge  92 . The crown top surface  86  may have a fascia  96  that includes the user interface or display  56 . The crown  64  has depending spacer tabs  98  along each side edge, that are placed inward from the side edge, by a distance  102  substantially equal to the thickness  104  of the upper edge along the side walls ( 70 ) as shown in  FIG. 8 . These spacer tabs  98 , extending from the crown  64  in a direction away from the crown top surface  86 , may have chamfered outer and distal surfaces comprising rounded corners as shown in  FIG. 7 . The crown also comprises several interlocking tabs  106  present along the front edge  90  and the inner edge  92  extending in a direction away from the crown top surface  86 , at positions corresponding to the positions of the protrusions  78  on the crown spacer. The protrusions  78  and the interlocking tabs  106  together form a locking assembly. 
         [0030]    The front edge of the crown and the rear edge of the front wall each may be curved and complementary such that the front edge overlaps the rear edge as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0031]    In assembly, the inner panel  62  is fitted to the front panel  65  such that it spans the gap between the two side walls  70  of the front panel. The opening thus defined by the upper edges  108  of the side walls ( 70 ), the upper edge of the front panel  65  and the upper edge  80  of the inner panel ( 62 ), is referred to henceforth as the upper opening. The crown spacer  60  is then fitted into the upper opening and held in place by screws  112 . Finally, the crown  64  is fitted over the front and the inner panels such that it covers the crown spacer  60 . In this position, the spacer tabs  98  along the side edges  94  press against the side walls  70 , thereby flexing the side walls  70  in a direction away from each other, reducing overhang. The interlocking tabs  106  snap into place once they go past the corresponding protrusions  78  on the crown spacer  60  when the crown  64  is fitted, thereby keeping the crown  64  in place. 
         [0032]    A second embodiment of the invention is contemplated in  FIGS. 5B, 6, 9 .  FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 10, 11  are common to both embodiments. The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment. Therefore, like parts will be identified with like numerals increasing by  200 , with it being understood that the description of the like parts of the first embodiment applies to the additional embodiments, unless otherwise noted. The crown spacer  260  comprises various electrical components and the housing for the same. The crown spacer  260  also has spacer tabs  298  along the sides, extending away from the crown spacer  260  as shown in  FIG. 5B . The spacer tabs  298  along the sides of the crown spacer  260  may have chamfered outer and distal surfaces comprising rounded comers. The spacer tabs  298  are dimensioned such that the any overhang of the crown ( 302 ) is substantially equal to the thickness of the upper edge along the side walls ( 270 ). 
         [0033]    To the extent not already described, the different features and structures of the various embodiments may be used in combination with each other as desired. That one feature may not be illustrated in all of the embodiments is not meant to be construed that it may not be, but is done for brevity of description. Thus, the various features of the different embodiments may be mixed and matched as desired to form new embodiments, whether or not the new embodiments are expressly described. All combinations or permutations of features described herein are covered by this disclosure. 
         [0034]    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. Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the forgoing disclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.