US 11,882,975 B2
Dishwasher with multi-level dishwasher rack
Robert M. Digman, Goshen, KY (US); Mark W. Wilson, Simpsonville, KY (US); and Garen Gibbs, Zionsville, IN (US)
Assigned to MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD., Guangdong (CN)
Filed by Midea Group Co., Ltd., Foshan (CN)
Filed on Nov. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/981,825.
Application 17/981,825 is a continuation of application No. 16/913,890, filed on Jun. 26, 2020, granted, now 11,490,779.
Prior Publication US 2023/0065565 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A47L 15/23 (2006.01); A47L 15/50 (2006.01); A47L 15/42 (2006.01); A47L 15/22 (2006.01)
CPC A47L 15/23 (2013.01) [A47L 15/508 (2013.01); A47L 15/22 (2013.01); A47L 15/4221 (2013.01); A47L 15/4282 (2013.01); A47L 15/503 (2013.01); A47L 15/507 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dishwasher, comprising:
a wash tub;
a fluid supply configured to supply fluid to the wash tub;
a multi-level rack disposed in the wash tub and configured to support a plurality of utensils to be washed, the rack configured to move between loading and washing positions, and the rack including a bottom and a plurality of side walls, the bottom of the rack including lower and upper portions disposed at different elevations to define deep and shallow portions of the rack and joined by an intermediate wall extending therebetween and in a generally transverse direction, a junction between the intermediate wall and the upper portion of the bottom of the rack forming a corner, and the deep portion of the rack sized to receive taller utensils than the shallow portion of the rack;
a rotatable spray tube disposed in the wash tub proximate the corner formed by the junction between the intermediate wall and the upper portion of the bottom of the rack, the rotatable spray tube being rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and including one or more apertures extending through an exterior surface thereof, and the rotatable spray tube in fluid communication with the fluid supply to direct fluid from the fluid supply into the wash tub through the one or more apertures; and
wherein the rotatable spray tube is positioned to direct fluid upwardly into the rack from beneath the upper portion of the bottom of the rack to spray a downwardly-facing surface of a first utensil supported in the shallow portion of the rack when rotated to a first rotational position, and to direct fluid laterally into the rack through the intermediate wall and towards the deep portion of the rack to spray a laterally-facing surface of a second utensil supported in the deep portion of the rack when rotated to a second rotational position.