Patent ID: 8177915

Claim:
A filtration system for a dishwasher, comprising: a macerator chamber adapted to house a macerator device, the macerator device and the macerator chamber comprising a macerator system separately operable from a washing fluid circulation system, the macerator chamber being configured to receive washing fluid for the macerator device to comminute contaminants within the washing fluid; and a drain chamber in fluid communication with the macerator chamber and configured to receive the washing fluid and comminuted contaminants therefrom via a fluid port therebetween, the drain chamber further having a vented member associated therewith, the vented member defining at least one first vent providing fluid communication between the drain chamber and the washing fluid circulation system, the vented member being spaced apart from the fluid port, and being configured to strain the comminuted contaminants from the washing fluid so as to retain the comminuted contaminants within the drain chamber while allowing the washing fluid to pass therethrough to the washing fluid circulation system, wherein the vented member further defines at least one second vent laterally displaced from the at least one first vent, the second vent configured to strain finer comminuted contaminants from the washing fluid than the first vent.