Pump assembly for dispenser cleaning in a washing machine appliance
A washing machine appliance includes a wash tub positioned within a cabinet and defining a wash chamber, a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub for receiving a load of clothes, a dispensing assembly mounted within the cabinet for selectively adding wash fluid into the wash tub, and a pump assembly in fluid communication with a sump of the wash tub. The pump assembly includes a recirculation conduit fluidly coupled to the dispensing assembly and a recirculation pump for selectively urging a flow of wash fluid through the recirculation conduit.
1 . A washing machine appliance comprising:
a wash tub positioned within a cabinet and defining a wash chamber;
a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub for receiving a load of clothes;
a dispensing assembly mounted within the cabinet for selectively adding wash fluid into the wash tub; and
a pump assembly in fluid communication with a sump of the wash tub, the pump assembly comprising:
a dispenser housing defining an inlet port;
a recirculation conduit fluidly coupled to the dispensing assembly through the inlet port, wherein the inlet port comprises a fluid oscillator for oscillating or agitating the flow of wash fluid passing into the dispenser housing; and
a recirculation pump for selectively urging a flow of wash fluid through the recirculation conduit.
2 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the inlet port is defined on a back wall of the dispenser housing.
3 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the inlet port defines a fan-shaped geometry to spread the flow of wash fluid.
4 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing assembly further comprises:
one or more dispersion fins extending from the dispenser housing adjacent the inlet port for directing the flow of wash fluid.
5 . The washing machine appliance of claim 4 , wherein the one or more dispersion fins are positioned above the inlet port along a vertical direction.
6 . The washing machine appliance of claim 4 , wherein the one or more dispersion fins are angled downward along a vertical direction to direct the flow of wash fluid downward.
7 . The washing machine appliance of claim 4 , wherein the one or more dispersion fins are integrally formed with the dispenser housing.
8 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , wherein the dispensing assembly further comprises:
one or more distribution ribs extending from the dispenser housing for directing the flow of wash fluid through a dispenser manifold.
9 . The washing machine appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:
a drain conduit fluidly coupled to an external drain, wherein the recirculation pump is a bi-directional pump fluidly coupled to the drain conduit for selectively urging the flow of wash fluid through the drain conduit to an external drain.
10 . The washing machine appliance of claim 9 , wherein the bi-directional pump is a direct current (DC) pump.
11 . A pump assembly for a washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance comprising a dispensing assembly mounted within a cabinet for selectively adding wash fluid into a wash tub, the pump assembly comprising:
a dispenser housing defining an inlet port;
a recirculation conduit fluidly coupled to the dispensing assembly through the inlet port, wherein the inlet port comprises a fluid oscillator for oscillating or agitating the flow of wash fluid passing into the dispenser housing; and
a bi-directional pump for selectively urging a flow of wash fluid through the recirculation conduit.
12 . The pump assembly of claim 11 , wherein the inlet port is defined on a back wall of the dispenser housing.
13 . The pump assembly of claim 11 , wherein the inlet port defines a fan-shaped geometry to spread the flow of wash fluid.
14 . The pump assembly of claim 11 , wherein the dispensing assembly further comprises:
one or more dispersion fins extending from the dispenser housing adjacent the inlet port for directing the flow of wash fluid.
15 . The pump assembly of claim 14 , wherein the one or more dispersion fins are positioned above the inlet port along a vertical direction.
16 . The pump assembly of claim 14 , wherein the one or more dispersion fins are angled downward along a vertical direction to direct the flow of wash fluid downward.