IP Library Granted Patent US 10,368,717
Granted Patent B2
US 10,368,717 · App. 15/110,415 · Granted Aug 6, 2019

Dishwasher having a light signal projector

Inventors: Mario Lippera (Cerreto D'Esi, IT); Roberto Giorcelli (Turin, IT); Giacomo Marvardi (Gubbio, IT)
Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
A47L15/4293F21V5/04F21V23/0407F21V33/0044F21W2111/00F21Y2113/13F21Y2115/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,368,717
App. No.
15/110,415
Granted
Aug 6, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A dishwasher comprising a projection means having a concentration lens for concentrating a light beam coming from the light source, said concentration lens being external to the door and solidly constrained to a frame that encloses said access opening. The light beam is projected by the lens towards the exterior of the dishwasher. Downstream of the lens, the light beam extends in a substantially horizontal direction. Downstream of the lens, the light beam intersects an imaginary vertical upwards projection of an upper edge ( 30 ) of the door ( 3 ) considered in the closed position.

Claims (36)

1. A dishwasher, comprising:

a washing compartment for washing dishes;

a door selectively movable between an opened position, wherein the door enables access to the washing compartment, and a closed position, wherein the door is substantially vertical and closes an access opening to the washing compartment;

a frame at least partially enclosing the access opening;

a projector configured to project at least one pre-established light signal on a surface external to the dishwasher, the at least one pre-established light signal being associated with at least one of a washing state in progress or with achievement of an end-of-wash state, the projector, comprising:

a light source configured to emit a light beam; and

a concentration lens located external to and above the door when the door is in the closed position, the concentration lens configured for concentrating the light beam; and

a bracket for connecting the dishwasher to a work top that is located over the bracket, with the projector being supported by the bracket, the bracket comprises:

a vertical wall operably coupled to the frame, the vertical wall including a window aligned with the concentration lens along the direction of the light beam so as to permit passage thereof;

a wall extending horizontally and comprising a hole; and

a fastener for connecting the bracket and the work top and that passes through the hole,

wherein the light beam projected downstream of the concentration lens extends in a substantially horizontal direction.

2. The dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein the bracket is located at a junction of two edges of a perimeter of the access opening.

3. A dishwasher comprising:

a washing compartment for washing dishes;

a door that is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the door is substantially vertical and closes an access opening to the washing compartment;

a projector configured to project at least one pre-established light signal on a surface external to the dishwasher, the light signal being particularly associated with a washing state in progress or with an achievement of an end-of-wash state, the projector comprising:

a light source, a concentration lens for concentrating a light beam coming from the light source, the concentration lens being external to the door and solidly constrained to a frame that encloses the access opening wherein the light beam downstream of the concentration lens extends in a substantially horizontal direction; and

a bracket for connecting the dishwasher to a work top that is located over the bracket, with the projector being supported by the bracket and where the bracket is an angle bracket located at a junction of two edges of a perimeter of the access opening and the bracket comprises:

a vertical wall secured to both of the two edges of the perimeter of the access opening and including a window aligned with the concentration lens along the direction of the light beam so as to permit passage thereof;

a wall extending horizontally and comprising a hole; and

the dishwasher comprising a fastener for connecting the bracket and the work top and that passes through the hole.

4. The dishwasher according to claim 3 , wherein the light source comprises at least one LED and a printed circuit board whereto the LED is applied, the dishwasher comprising a protective casing inside of which the printed circuit board and the LED are inserted, and the protective casing being secured to the bracket.

5. The dishwasher according to claim 4 , wherein the light source comprises a plurality of LEDs, the protective casing comprising a plurality of lenses, each of which face a corresponding LED of the plurality of LEDs.

6. The dishwasher according to claim 5 , wherein the protective casing is entirely made of a transparent material.

7. The dishwasher according to claim 5 , wherein the concentration lens is made integrally with the protective casing.

8. The dishwasher according to claim 5 , wherein the protective casing is removably connected to the bracket by elastic deformation.

9. The dishwasher according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises a first LED that can emit light of a first color and a second LED that can emit light of a second color.

10. The dishwasher according to claim 9 , wherein a different pre-encoded message is associated with the first color and with the second color.

11. The dishwasher according to claim 3 wherein the light source and the concentration lens are horizontally aligned and located one in front of the other.

12. The dishwasher according to claim 3 wherein the light beam, downstream of the concentration lens, intersects an imaginary vertical upwards projection of an upper edge of the door considered in the closed position.

13. A method for controlling a projector for projecting a light signal by a dishwasher, the method comprises:

selecting one mode among the following projection modes for projecting the light signal utilizing the projector of claim 3 on a surface external to the dishwater, the projection modes all being made available by the dishwasher:

light signal not flashing during a wash and flashing at the end of the wash;

absence of the light signal during the wash and light signal flashing at the end of the wash; and

absence of the light signal both during the wash and at the end of the wash.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 29, 2024
From: INDESIT COMPANY S.P.A.
To: WHIRLPOOL EMEA S.P.A.
Reel/Frame 066597/0539 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 29, 2024
From: WHIRLPOOL EMEA S.P.A.
To: WHIRLPOOL EMEA S.R.L.
Reel/Frame 066597/0599 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2016
From: LIPPERA, MARIO; MARVARDI, GIACOMO; GIORCELLI, ROBERTO
To: INDESIT COMPANY S.P.A.
Reel/Frame 039105/0672 →
Priority Claims (1)
IT PR2013A0114 · Dec 30, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170164812A1 · Jun 15, 2017