US 12,329,341 B2
Dishwasher with rack-mounted tubular spray element assembly
Joel Boyer, Louisville, KY (US); and Robert M. Digman, Goshen, KY (US)
Assigned to Midea Group Co., Ltd., Guangdong (CN)
Filed by Midea Group Co., Ltd., Foshan (CN)
Filed on Jun. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/215,545.
Prior Publication US 2025/0000327 A1, Jan. 2, 2025
Int. Cl. A47L 15/22 (2006.01); A47L 15/42 (2006.01); A47L 15/50 (2006.01)
CPC A47L 15/22 (2013.01) [A47L 15/4246 (2013.01); A47L 15/4282 (2013.01); A47L 15/50 (2013.01); A47L 15/508 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dishwasher, comprising:
a wash tub;
a rack supported in the wash tub and movable between loading and washing positions;
a first tubular spray element supported at a first position on the rack and being rotatable about a first longitudinal axis, the first tubular spray element including a first plurality of apertures extending through a first exterior surface of the first tubular spray element and in fluid communication with a first fluid inlet;
a second tubular spray element supported at a second position on the rack and being rotatable about a second longitudinal axis, the second tubular spray element including a second plurality of apertures extending through a second exterior surface of the second tubular spray element and in fluid communication with a second fluid inlet;
a rotatable drive member supported on a wall of the wash tub;
an electric motor supported on the wall of the wash tub and configured to rotate the rotatable drive member;
a fluid port supported on the wall of the wash tub and physically separated from the rotatable drive member, the fluid port in fluid communication with a fluid supply; and
a rack-mounted tubular spray element assembly supported by the rack, the rack-mounted tubular spray element assembly comprising:
a fluid manifold including a manifold fluid inlet in fluid communication with first and second manifold fluid outlets, the manifold fluid inlet positioned to receive fluid from the fluid port when the rack is disposed in the washing position, and the first and second manifold fluid outlets respectively in fluid communication with the first and second fluid inlets of the first and second tubular spray elements;
first and second gears respectively coupled to the first and second tubular spray elements to rotate the first and second spray elements about the respective first and second longitudinal axes; and
a third gear operably coupled to the first and second gears and configured to be rotated by the rotatable drive member when the rack is disposed in the washing position to thereby rotate the first and second gears.