US 12,268,347 B2
Dishwasher with rotatable diverter valve
Robert M. Digman, Goshen, KY (US); and Joel Boyer, Louisville, KY (US)
Assigned to MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD., Guangdong (CN)
Filed by Midea Group Co., Ltd., Foshan (CN)
Filed on Apr. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/225,442.
Application 17/225,442 is a continuation of application No. 16/132,106, filed on Sep. 14, 2018, granted, now 11,000,176.
Prior Publication US 2021/0219809 A1, Jul. 22, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A47L 15/42 (2006.01); A47L 15/50 (2006.01)
CPC A47L 15/428 (2013.01) [A47L 15/4217 (2013.01); A47L 15/4246 (2013.01); A47L 15/4282 (2013.01); A47L 15/504 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dishwasher, comprising:
a wash tub;
a fluid supply configured to supply fluid to the wash tub, the fluid supply including a pump;
a tubular spray element disposed in the wash tub and being rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof, the tubular spray element including one or more apertures extending through an exterior surface thereof;
a valve body coupled to the tubular spray element for rotation about the longitudinal axis with the tubular spray element, the valve body including a fluid inlet configured to receive fluid from the fluid supply;
a valve member disposed at a predetermined rotational position about the longitudinal axis to restrict fluid flow through the fluid inlet to the tubular spray element when the tubular spray element and the fluid inlet are rotated to the predetermined rotational position and thereby shut off the tubular spray element; and
a tubular spray element drive coupled to the tubular spray element and configured to discretely direct the tubular spray element to each of a plurality of rotational positions about the longitudinal axis thereof, the tubular spray element drive further configured to rotate the tubular spray element and the fluid inlet of the valve body to the predetermined rotational position and maintain the tubular spray element and the fluid inlet of the valve body at the predetermined rotational position by stopping the tubular spray element at the predetermined rotational position during operation of the pump to restrict fluid flow through the fluid inlet to the tubular spray element and thereby shut off the tubular spray element.