Patent Publication Number: US-9839342-B2

Title: Angled dishwasher sumps

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/069,483, filed Oct. 28, 2014, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     This disclosure relates generally to dishwashers, and, more particularly, to dishwashers with a sump positioned at the bottom of the tub. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A conventional automated home dishwasher performs cycles of operation on items present within the tub of the dishwasher and has racks and silverware baskets to hold the items. Sumps for collecting the wash water are traditionally provided at the bottom surface of the tub of the dishwasher, in a generally horizontal orientation. These sumps have collecting portions where wash water is gathered to be routed to a pump for recirculation. The pump is traditionally provided underneath the sump. In this case, the height of the pump becomes a determining factor in how much the bottom surface of the dishwasher tub can be lowered in order to maximize the capacity of the dishwasher tub. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     An embodiment of the invention relates to a dishwasher for treating dishes, which comprises a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber, the tub having a bottom portion with a sump opening therein, wherein the sump opening is inclined so that a rearward portion of the sump opening is vertically offset from a forward portion of the sump opening. A liquid spraying system supplies a spray of liquid to the treating chamber. A liquid recirculation system recirculates the sprayed liquid from the treating chamber to the liquid spraying system to define a recirculation flow path. A sump is positioned in the sump opening of the bottom of the tub within the recirculation flow path, the sump having an outlet therein located adjacent the forward portion of the sump opening. A pump has an inlet fluidly interconnected with the outlet of the sump, the pump configured to receive fluid from the outlet of the sump and impel the fluid along the recirculation flow path toward the treating chamber. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of an example dishwasher having an angled sump and pump assembly constructed in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the example controller of the dishwasher of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric perspective view of the bottom portion of the tub of the example dishwasher of  FIG. 1  having an angled sump. 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric perspective view of the bottom portion of the tub of the example dishwasher of  FIG. 1  having an angled sump. 
         FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view of the bottom portion of the tub of the example dishwasher of  FIG. 1  having an angled sump. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the of the bottom portion of the tub of the example dishwasher of  FIG. 1  having an angled sump. 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric perspective view of the angled sump of  FIGS. 1 and 3-6 . 
         FIG. 8  is side view of the angled sump of  FIGS. 1 and 3-7 . 
         FIG. 9  is side cross-sectional view of the angled sump of  FIGS. 1 and 3-8 . 
         FIG. 10  is an isometric perspective cross-sectional view of the angled sump of  FIGS. 1 and 3-9 . 
         FIG. 11  is an isometric perspective view of the bottom of the angled sump of  FIGS. 1 and 3-10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a side cross-sectional view of the angled pump and sump assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 13  is an isometric perspective side cross-sectional view of the angled pump and sump assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 12 . 
         FIG. 14  is a bottom view of the angled sump and pump assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 12-13 . 
         FIG. 15  is an isometric perspective view of the angled sump and pump assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 12-14 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     To increase dishwasher washing compartment volume, the tub bottom is often moved closer to the floor. This can make in-place, under the tub servicing (i.e., servicing without de-installing the dishwasher) more difficult. In particular, when the sump is lowered to provide more space in the washing compartment, or treating chamber, there may not be sufficient room to allow the pump to connect to the sump outside the periphery of the sump, as is conventional. 
     To overcome at least these problems, disclosed dishwashers having angled sumps, and pumps positioned generally beneath the higher portions of the sump are disclosed. In some examples, the sump is positioned in the rear portion of a washing compartment, and is sloped downward from the rear of the washing compartment toward the middle of the washing compartment. The sump has its greatest depth at its collecting portion, generally at the middle of the washing compartment. The low spot at the front of the sump is selected so the pump may be located beneath the higher portion of the sump. By locating the pump toward the rear and beneath the angled sump, the depth of the sump and pump combination may be reduced. 
     As used herein, terms such as up, down, top, bottom, side, end, front, back, etc. are used with reference to a currently considered or illustrated orientation. If it is considered with respect to another orientation, it should be understood that such terms must be correspondingly modified. 
     Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of this disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are described below by referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements. When like reference numerals are shown, corresponding description(s) are not repeated and the interested reader is referred to the previously discussed figure(s) for a description of the like element(s). Connecting lines, or connectors shown in the various figures presented are intended to represent example functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships, physical connections or logical connections may be present in a practical device. 
     In general, identical elements are illustrated with identical reference numerals in the figures, however, for brevity the description of identically numbered elements is not repeated. In some instances identical reference numerals are omitted when their inclusion could reduce clarity and/or comprehension. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of example automated dishwasher  10  having an angled sump with connected pump constructed in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. In the example shown in the drawings, the angled sump is shown with a first portion adjacent a rearward portion of the bottom surface of the tub and a second portion located adjacent a lower central region of the bottom surface of the tub. Of course, it would be apparent to one skilled in the art that the angled sump according to the invention can have its first portion located adjacent any portion of the periphery of the bottom surface of the tub and a second portion vertically offset therefrom in another portion of the bottom surface of the tub. Typically, the second portion of the sump will be located adjacent a central region of the bottom surface of the tub. The example dishwasher  10  of  FIG. 1  shares many features of a conventional automated dishwasher. 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  18  provides accessibility to the treating chamber  16  for the loading and unloading of dishes or other washable items. 
     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 (not shown) 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. 
     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 an easier loading and unloading silverware basket  29 . 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, silverware, and utensils. 
     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 spray assembly  40 , mid-level rotatable spray assembly  38  and lower rotatable spray assembly  34  are located, respectively, above the upper rack  26 , beneath the upper rack  26 , and beneath the lower rack  24  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. 
     A liquid recirculation system is provided for recirculating the sprayed liquid from the treating chamber  16  to the liquid 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 , or a single pump implementing both drain and recirculation functionality. 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 to define a recirculation flow path. 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 . 
     As described below and shown in  FIGS. 3-16 , the sump  30  is angled corresponding generally to a slope of a bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 . The bottom surface  64  of the tub  14  has a circular sump opening  70  therein. The sump opening  70  is inclined so that a rearward portion of the sump opening  70  is vertically offset from a forward portion of the sump opening  70 . The sump opening  70  further has a forward portion located adjacent the center or middle portion  68  of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 , and a rearward portion located adjacent a rear portion  66  of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 . The sump  30  is positioned in the sump opening  70  in a rear portion  66  of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 , and is sloped downward from the rear portion  66  of the bottom surface  64  toward the middle portion  68  of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 . The sump  30  has its greatest depth generally at a collecting portion  102  at the middle portion  68  of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 . The low spot, or portion, at the front of the sump  30  is configured or dimensioned so the pump  31  may be fluidly coupled to that low spot and be located beneath the angled portion of the sump  30 . By locating the pump  31  toward the rear and beneath the angled sump  30 , the depth of the sump  30  and pump  31  combination or assembly  35  is reduced 
     A heating system including a heater  46  may be located within the sump  30  for heating the liquid contained in the sump  30 . 
     A controller  50  may also be included in the dishwasher  10 , which may be operably coupled with various components of the dishwasher  10  to implement a cycle of operation. The controller  50  may be located within the door  18  as illustrated, or it may alternatively be located somewhere within the chassis  12 . The controller  50  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  50  and receive information. 
     As illustrated schematically in  FIG. 2 , the controller  50  may be coupled with the heater  46  for heating the wash liquid during a cycle of operation, the drain pump  32  for draining liquid from the treating chamber  16 , and the recirculation pump  33  for recirculating the wash liquid during the cycle of operation. The controller  50  may be provided with a memory  52  and a central processing unit (CPU)  54 . The memory  52  may be used for storing control machine-readable instructions that may be executed by the CPU  54  in completing a cycle of operation using the dishwasher  10  and any additional machine-readable instructions. For example, the memory  52  may store one or more pre-programmed cycles of operation that may be selected by a user and completed by the dishwasher  10 . The controller  50  may also receive input from one or more sensors  58 . Non-limiting examples of sensors that may be communicably coupled with the controller  50  include a temperature sensor and turbidity sensor to determine the soil load associated with a selected grouping of dishes, such as the dishes associated with a particular area of the treating chamber. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 3-6 ,  FIGS. 3 and 4  are isometric perspective views of the bottom portion of the tub  14  of the example dishwasher  10  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 , sump  30  and pump  31 , and  FIG. 6  is a side view of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 , sump  30  and pump  31 . As shown, the sump  30  extends from the rear portion  66  of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14  toward the middle portion  68  of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 . That is, the sump  30  is not positioned about or centered on the middle portion  68  of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 , as implemented in conventional dishwashers. Instead, the sump  30  is offset from the middle portion  68  of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 . 
     The bottom surface  64  of the tub  14  slopes from the sides of the bottom surface  64  toward the low or collecting portion  102  of the sump  30  (e.g., see  FIG. 4 ), such that the bottom surface  64  further comprises a forward portion that is vertically offset from the forward portion of the sump opening  70 . The substantially lowest point  104  of the collecting portion  102  (i.e., its substantially greatest depth) is near or below the bottom  106  of the pump  31  (e.g., see  FIG. 6 ). As shown in  FIG. 6 , the pump  31  extends rearward and beneath the angled sump  30 . By positioning the sump  30  and pump  31  as shown, impact on tub height by the pump  31  is reduced. Moreover, by positioning the pump  31  beneath the sump  30 , the pump  31  and/or other components beneath the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14  may be more easily serviced without de-installation of the dishwasher  10 . 
     The upper edge of the gasket, or seal,  108  that fluidly seals the sump  30  to the sump opening  70  in the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14  is positioned along the angled slope  110  of the rear portion  66  of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 . The angled upper edge of the seal  108  abuts the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14  around the sump opening  70  and receives a portion of the sump  30 . In stark contrast, the sumps and gaskets, or seals, in conventional dishwashers are horizontal and centered about the middle of the bottom of the tub. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 7-11 ,  FIG. 7  is an isometric perspective view of the example angled sump  30 ,  FIG. 8  is side view of the example angled sump  30  in an installed orientation,  FIG. 9  is side cross-sectional view of the example angled sump  30  in an installed orientation,  FIG. 10  is an isometric perspective cross-sectional view of the example angled sump  30 , and  FIG. 11  is an isometric perspective view of the bottom of the angled sump  30 . 
     The sump  30  has an inlet  112  to the pump  31  (not shown) from the sump  30  that is located adjacent the forward portion of the sump opening  70 , in the collecting portion  102  of the sump  30  (e.g., see  FIG. 7 ). The pump  31  via the inlet  112  receives liquid collecting in the collecting portion  102  of the sump  30 . In this way, the inlet  112  to the pump  31  is also a fluidly interconnected outlet  112  from the sump  30  within the recirculation flow path. The collecting portion  102  has at least one ramped portion that descends toward the outlet  112  of the sump  30  to direct collected fluid in the collecting portion  102  of the sump  30  towards the sump outlet  112 . The pump  31  is configured to receive fluid from the outlet  112  of the sump  30 , which is adjacent the collecting portion  102 , and impel the fluid along the recirculation flow path toward the treating chamber  16 . 
     As shown in its installed orientation shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the sump  30  has an upper edge  114  that is angled and is sealed by means of the seal  108  to the sloped rear portion  66  of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 . The sump  30  has a flat or planar housing portion  116  that, when the sump  30  is positioned in the sump opening  70  of the bottom surface  64  of the tub  14 , an upper portion of the planar housing portion  116  is disposed generally horizontally within the treating chamber  16 . Further, a forward portion of the planar housing portion  116  extends vertically above a peripheral portion of the sump  30  when the sump  30  is positioned in an angular position within the sump opening  70 . The planar housing portion  116  of the sump  30  also supports the bottom spray member  34  (e.g., see  FIG. 3 ) and/or other portions of the liquid spraying system or other water recirculation elements by serving as a mounting surface for, for example, the bottom spray member  34 . 
     Referring still to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the sump  30  further defines a pump  31  receiving area  72  that is adjacent the outlet  112  of the sump  30  and beneath the planar housing portion  116 , such that at least a portion of the pump  31  is positioned beneath the planar housing portion  116  of the sump  30  and the pump  31  inlet  112  is positioned in a fluidly interconnected manner with the outlet  112  of the sump  30 . 
       FIGS. 12-15  are additional views of the example angled pump and sump assembly of  FIGS. 3-6 .  FIG. 12  is a side cross-sectional view,  FIG. 13  is an isometric perspective side cross-sectional view,  FIG. 14  is a bottom view, and  FIG. 15  is an isometric perspective view. Because the salient elements of  FIGS. 12-15  are discussed above in connection with  FIGS. 3-11 , they are not repeated here. Instead, the interested reader is referred to  FIGS. 3-11  for discussion of these identical elements. 
     While the various aspects of the embodiment are described in a rear to front downwardly sloping context, the particular orientation and arrangement of the angled sump assembly is not limiting. For example, the highest point of the angled sump could be instead positioned at any point adjacent to the perimeter of the bottom surface of the tub such that the lowest part of the angled sump is positioned at the center of the bottom surface of the tub. 
     As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” do not exclude the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Further, conjunctions such as “and,” “or,” and “and/or” used herein are inclusive unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, “A and/or B” includes A alone, B alone, and A with B; “A or B” includes A with B, and “A and B” includes A alone, and B alone. Moreover, no item or component is essential to the practice of the embodiments disclosed herein unless the element is specifically described as “essential” or “critical”. 
     Although certain examples have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the claims of this patent.