IP Library Granted Patent US 9,179,818
Granted Patent B2
US 9,179,818 · App. 13/461,071 · Granted Nov 10, 2015

Spray arm assembly for a dishwasher appliance

Inventors: Joel Charles Boyer (Louisville, KY); Errin Whitney Gnadinger (Louisville, KY); Ronald Scott Tarr (Louisville, KY); Satish Kumar Raju Buddharaju (Hyderabad, IN)
Assignee: General Electric Company
A47L15/4278A47L15/23
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,179,818
App. No.
13/461,071
Granted
Nov 10, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A dishwasher appliance is provided with a spray arm assembly. The spray arm assembly defines an orifice for directing liquid out of the spray arm assembly. The orifice can selectively receive a nozzle with a particular outlet geometry. By selectively receiving the nozzle, a spray pattern of liquid exiting the orifice can be changed by replacing or modifying the nozzle without remanufacturing or replacing the spray arm assembly.

Claims (25)

1. A spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance comprising:

a spray arm defining a chamber configured for receipt of a wash fluid, said spray arm further defining a plurality of orifices;

a first nozzle inserted within one of the plurality of orifices, the first nozzle 5 having a first outlet geometry;

a second nozzle inserted within another one of the plurality of orifices, the second nozzle having a second outlet geometry, the second outlet geometry being different from the first outlet geometry, wherein said first and second nozzles are configured for directing wash fluid out of the chamber of said spray arm; and

a sheet extending between said first nozzle and said second nozzle, said first nozzle and said second nozzle mounted to said sheet, said sheet disposed within the chamber of said spray arm.

2. The spray assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first nozzle is a first color and said spray arm is a second color, wherein the first color is different from the second color.

3. The spray assembly of claim 2 , wherein said second nozzle is a third color, wherein third color is different from the first and second colors.

4. The spray assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet geometry comprises a pencil jet geometry and the second outlet geometry comprises a fan jet geometry.

5. The spray assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet geometry comprises a pencil jet geometry with a first diameter and the second outlet geometry comprises a pencil jet geometry with a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is different than the second diameter.

6. The spray assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet geometry comprises a pencil jet geometry that directs wash fluid in a first direction and the second outlet geometry comprises a pencil jet geometry that directs wash fluid in a second direction, wherein the first direction is different than the second direction.

7. The spray assembly of claim 6 , wherein said first nozzle or said second nozzle is heat staked, ultrasonically welded, over-molded, or co-molded to said spray arm.

8. The spray assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first and second nozzles are constructed of a rigid material.

9. The spray assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first and second nozzles are constructed of an elastic material.

10. A dishwasher appliance having a tub that defines a wash compartment, a rack assembly is received within the wash compartment, the rack assembly is configured for receipt of articles for washing, a spray assembly is configured for applying wash fluid to articles in the rack assembly, the spray assembly comprising:

a spray arm defining a chamber configured for receipt of the wash fluid, said spray arm further defining a plurality of orifices;

a first nozzle inserted within one of the plurality of orifices, the first nozzle having a first outlet geometry;

a second nozzle inserted within another one of the plurality of orifices, the second nozzle having a second outlet geometry, the second outlet geometry being different from the first outlet geometry, wherein the first and second outlet geometries are configured for directing wash fluid out of the chamber of said spray arm towards articles in the rack assembly; and

a sheet extending between said first nozzle and said second nozzle, said first nozzle and said second nozzle mounted to said sheet, said sheet disposed within the chamber of said spray arm.

11. The dishwasher appliance of claim 10 , wherein said first nozzle is a first color and said spray arm is a second color, wherein the first color is different from the second color.

12. The dishwasher appliance of claim 11 , wherein said second nozzle is a third color, wherein third color is different from the first and second colors.

13. The dishwasher appliance of claim 10 , wherein the first outlet geometry comprises a pencil jet geometry and the second outlet geometry comprises a fan jet geometry.

14. The dishwasher appliance of claim 10 , wherein the first outlet geometry comprises a pencil jet geometry with a first diameter and the second outlet geometry comprises a pencil jet geometry with a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is different than the second diameter.

15. The dishwasher appliance of claim 10 , wherein the first outlet geometry comprises a pencil jet geometry that directs wash fluid in a first direction and the second outlet geometry comprises a pencil jet geometry that directs wash fluid in a second direction, wherein the first direction is different than the second direction.

16. The dishwasher appliance of claim 15 , wherein said first nozzle and second nozzle are heat staked, ultrasonically welded, over-molded, or co-molded to said spray arm.

17. The dishwasher appliance of claim 10 , wherein said first and second nozzles are constructed of a rigid material.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2016
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 038969/0813 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2012
From: BOYER, JOEL CHARLES; GNADINGER, ERRIN WHITNEY; TARR, RONALD SCOTT; BUDDHARAJU, SATISH KUMAR RAJU
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 028135/0522 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130291908A1 · Nov 7, 2013