US20140083472A1 - Adjustable multi-compartment dishwasher - Google Patents

Abstract

A dishwasher may include a tub and a divider located within the tub to divide the interior into a first treating chamber and a second treating chamber. The relative size of the first and second treating chambers may be adjusted by moving the divider relative to the tub.

Description

BACKGROUND
• Contemporary automatic household dishwashers may have a tub with multiple, separate compartments for receiving soiled utensils to be treated. Typically, in such dishwashers, each compartment may be in the form of a movable tub or drawer carrying a utensil rack, wherein the drawer may be slidable relative to the tub. Alternatively, one or more of the compartments may be stationary with a utensil rack slidable relative to the tub. Regardless of the compartment type, the compartments are typically physically separated and are commonly arranged in a vertical, stacked configuration with a fixed height for each compartment.
SUMMARY
• A dishwasher according to one embodiment may include a tub defining an interior and having an open face, a moveable door for selectively closing the open face, and a divider located within the tub to divide the interior into a first treating chamber and a second treating chamber. A first spray system may spray liquid into the first treating chamber, a second spray system may spray liquid into the second treating chamber, and a recirculation system may recirculate the spray liquid for the first and second treating chambers. An adjuster may moveably mount the divider to the tub wherein the relative size of the first and second treating chambers may be adjusted by moving the divider relative to the tub.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• In the drawings:
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dishwasher with a door closed according to one embodiment.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dishwasher ofFIG. 1 with the door open, an upper utensil rack retracted, and a lower utensil rack extended.
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar toFIG. 2 with the upper utensil rack extended and the lower utensil rack retracted.
• FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a liquid supply system, a liquid recirculation system, and an air supply system for the dishwasher ofFIG. 1.
• FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the region labeled V inFIG. 2, wherein a divider of the dishwasher is shown in an upper position.
• FIG. 6 is an enlarged view similar toFIG. 5 with the divider shown in a lower position.
• FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a controller for the dishwasher ofFIG. 1.
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar toFIG. 2 with the divider in the lower position.
• FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a dishwasher, wherein the divider forms part of a drawer and is in the upper position, and the drawer is in a retracted position.
• FIG. 10 is a perspective view similar toFIG. 9, wherein the drawer is in an extended position.
• FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating sloped configurations for the drawer and corresponding seals that mate with the dishwasher tub in the upper and lower positions, wherein the drawer is in the upper position.
• FIG. 12 is a schematic view similar toFIG. 11, wherein the drawer is in the lower position.
• FIG. 13 is a perspective view similar toFIG. 9 with the divider in the lower position.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of amulti-compartment dishwasher10 according to an embodiment of the invention. Although theactual dishwasher10 into which the embodiments of the invention may be incorporated may vary, the invention is shown in connection with thedishwasher10 for illustrative purposes. Thedishwasher10 includes achassis12 and adoor14 mounted to thechassis12. Thechassis12 may be a cabinet or a frame, with or without exterior panels. Built-in dishwashers typically have only a frame without panels, whereas stand-alone dishwashers have a frame with decorative panels covering the frame.
• Referring now toFIG. 2, which is a front view of thedishwasher10 with thedoor14 in an open position, thedishwasher10 may comprise an open-face tub housing ortub16 having opposing top andbottom walls18,20,opposing side walls22, and arear wall24 that collectively define an interior with anopen face26. The front edges of the tub top andbottom walls18,20 and theopposing side walls22 define theopen face26, and thedoor14 may be moveably mounted to thechassis12 for selectively closing theopen face26 of thetub16, such as by pivoting relative to thechassis12 athinges28 located at a lower end of thedoor14. The closed position of thedoor14 is illustrated inFIG. 1. When thedoor14 is in an opened position, as inFIG. 2, theopen door14 provides access to thetub16 through theopen face26 for loading and unloading utensils or other treatable items. As used in this description, the term “utensil(s)” is intended to be generic to any item, single or plural, that may be treated in thedishwasher10, including, without limitation, dishes, plates, pots, bowls, pans, glassware, and silverware.
• The interior of thetub16 may include any number of multiple compartments, and the illustrated embodiment features two compartments, an upper compartment and a lower compartment, formed by anupper tub30 and alower tub32 that respectively define at least a portion of an upper treatingchamber34 and a lower treatingchamber36. The upper andlower tubs30,32 are illustrated as having differing size, with theupper tub30 being smaller than thelower tub32; however, thetubs30,32 may be of the same size. Further, the upper andlower tubs30,32 may have a vertically stacked configuration as illustrated or may alternatively have a horizontal side-by-side configuration. Thetubs30,32 may also be remote from each other in a distributed configuration.
• Adivider40 within thetub16 may separate thetub16 into theupper tub30 and thelower tub32. Theupper tub30 may be defined by thedivider40 and the portion of thetub16 above thedivider40 to define the upper treatingchamber34, and, similarly, the lower tub may be defined by thedivider40 and the portion of thetub16 below thedivider40 to form the lower treatingchamber36.
• In the illustrated embodiment shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, thedivider40 may be in the form of a shelf-like partition spanning approximately the width and depth of thetub16 and may include adivider support42 extending along theside walls22 and therear wall24 of thetub16. Thedivider support42 may have any suitable form and is shown as a vertical bracket extending along theside walls22 and therear wall24 and having anupper edge44 and alower edge46. Theupper edge44 may be angled or sloped downwardly from the front of thetub16 to the rear of thetub16, while the lower edge may be angled or sloped upwardly from the front of thetub16 to the rear of thetub16 such that the height of the portion of thedivider support42 on theside walls22 tapers from the front to the rear of thetub16. Thedivider support42 may have a constant height along therear wall24 of thetub16.
• Theupper tub30 may contain adrawer50 slidably mounted to the divider assembly. In the illustrated embodiment, thedrawer50 may be mounted to thedivider40, particularly to thedivider support42, byslide rails52 such that thedrawer50 may slide relative to thetub16 and to thedivider40 between a retracted position, shown inFIG. 2, and an extended position, shown inFIG. 3. Theslide rails52 may be well-known, conventional drawer slides; alternatively, thedrawer50 may be mounted to thedivider40 by other suitable extendible support guides or attachment devices. In an alternative embodiment, thedrawer50 may be slidably mounted on its bottom to the shelf-like portion of thedivider40.
• Thedrawer50 may be any type of dishwasher drawer, and theexemplary drawer50 of the illustrated embodiment includes abottom wall54 with an upwardly extendingperipheral lip56 supported by thebottom wall54. Theslide rails52 coupling thedrawer50 to thedivider40 may be mounted to theperipheral lip56. Thedrawer50 may be provided with autensil rack60 for supporting various objects, such as utensils and the like, to be exposed to a treating operation in the upper treatingchamber34. Theutensil rack60 may slide with thedrawer50 horizontally relative to thetub16 and thedivider40. Further, thebottom wall54 of thedrawer50 may be sloped to function as a sump or fluid outlet to drain treatment fluid from the upper treatingchamber34.
• With continued reference toFIG. 3, thelower tub32 may be collectively formed by thedivider40 and the portion of thetub16 below thedivider40 to define the lower treatingchamber36. Autensil rack62 for supporting various objects, such as utensils and the like, to be exposed to a treating operation in the lower treatingchamber36 may be slidable within thelower tub32 bywheels64 on the lower side of therack62 such that therack62 may roll on thedoor14 in the opened position and onledges66 disposed on theside walls22 between an extended position, shown previously inFIG. 2, and a retracted position, as shown inFIG. 3. Alternatively, therack62 may be mounted to and slidable relative to theside walls22 by slide rails, which may be well-known, conventional drawer slides or other suitable extendible support guides or attachment devices. Further, thebottom wall20 of thetub16 may be sloped to function as a sump or fluid outlet to drain treatment fluid from the lower treatingchamber36.
• Referring additionally to the schematic diagram ofFIG. 4, a spray system may be provided for spraying liquid within the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36. The spray system may include a sprayer of some type for spraying liquid in the treatingchambers34,36, and the sprayers in the upper treatment and lower treatingchambers34,36 function as fluid inlets for the respective upper and lower treatingchambers34,36. In the current embodiment, the sprayers are in the form of upper andlower spray assemblies70,72 and may comprise a traditional spray arm located below therespective utensil racks60,62, as shown for illustrative purposes in the figures. Thespray assemblies70,72 are configured to generate a spray of liquid in a generally upward direction, over at least a portion of the respective treatingchamber34,36, typically directed to treat utensils located in theutensil racks60,62. Alternatively or additionally, thespray assemblies70,72 may include other types of spray assemblies, including other rotating sprayers, stationary sprayers, including spray bars, zone sprayers, individual spray nozzles, and the like, located at any suitable location, such as on the walls of the respective upper andlower tubs30,32 and on therespective utensil racks60,62 to provide treating fluid to the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36. The type, number, and location of thespray assemblies70,72 are not germane to the present invention.
• With continued reference toFIG. 4, thedishwasher10 may further include a liquid recirculation system, which may include a pump andfilter unit80, for selectively supplying, recirculating, and draining liquid from the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36. The liquid recirculation system may be fluidly coupled to the spray system having theupper spray assembly70 and thelower spray assembly72 described above.
• The liquid recirculation system includes several fluid conduits or lines, which are indicated by solid lines inFIG. 4. Anupper supply conduit82 may couple an outlet of the pump andfilter unit80 to an inlet of the upper treatingchamber34, such as via theupper spray assembly70, for supplying liquid to the upper treatingchamber34 through theupper spray assembly70. For the lower treatingchamber36, alower supply conduit84 may couple the outlet of the pump andfilter unit80 to an inlet of the lower treatingchamber36, such as via thelower spray assembly72, for supplying liquid to the lower treatingchamber36 through thelower spray assembly72. Similar conduits may be present for draining fluid from the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 to the pump andfilter unit80. Anupper return conduit86 may fluidly couple an outlet of the upper treatingchamber34, such as via the upper sump formed by thedrawer bottom wall54, with an inlet of the pump andfilter unit80. For the lower treatingchamber36, alower return conduit88 may fluidly couple an outlet of the lower treatingchamber36, such as via the lower sump formed by thetub bottom wall20, with the inlet of the pump andfilter unit80. Portions of the upper andlower supply conduits82,84 and of the upper andlower return conduits86,88 may be located within the respective upper andlower tubs30,32, while other portions may be hidden from the user's view behind thetub16. To accommodate sliding movement of thedrawer50 and theupper spray assembly70 and the upper sump that move with thedrawer50, theupper supply conduit82 and theupper return conduit86 may include extendible sections and/or may selectively uncouple and recouple with itself or corresponding components of thedishwasher10. Alternatively, the upper supply and returnconduits82,86 may be configured such that they are unitary and remain coupled to the corresponding components of thedishwasher10 during sliding movement of thedrawer50.
• The liquid recirculation system may further comprise a liquid diverter system having supply and returndiverters90,92 to selectively control the liquid movement within and between the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36. Thesupply diverter90 has an inlet fluidly coupled to the outlet of the pump andfilter unit80 and a pair of outlets fluidly coupled to the upper andlower supply conduits82,84. In this case, apump outlet conduit94 coupling the outlet of the pump andfilter unit80 to thesupply diverter90 functions as either the upper orlower supply conduit82,84 depending on the source of the fluid flow. Correspondingly, the pump andfilter unit80 may supply liquid to the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 through thepump outlet conduit94, thesupply diverter90, the respective upper andlower supply conduits82,84, and the respective upper andlower spray assemblies70,72. Thereturn diverter92 has a pair of inlets fluidly coupled to the upper andlower return conduits86,88 and an outlet fluidly coupled to the inlet of the pump andfilter unit80. In this case, apump inlet conduit96 coupling thesupply diverter90 to the inlet of the pump andfilter unit80 functions as either the upper orlower return conduit86,88 depending on the source of the fluid flow. Correspondingly, the pump andfilter unit80 may receive liquid drained from the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 through the respective upper and lower sumps, the respective upper andlower return conduits86,88, thereturn diverter92, and thepump inlet conduit96. The supply and returndiverters90,92 may be valve type diverters or other types of diverters capable of diverting all or some of the liquid passing therethrough.
• In the recirculation system, the fluid conduits or lines form recirculation circuits for the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 formed by the upper andlower tubs30,32. Theupper supply conduit82 and theupper return conduit86 define an upper recirculation circuit whereby treating fluid may be supplied from the pump andfilter unit80 to the upper treatingchamber34 and also returned from the upper treatingchamber34 to the pump andfilter unit80. Similarly, thelower supply conduit84 and thelower return conduit88 define a lower recirculation circuit whereby treating fluid may be supplied from the pump andfilter unit80 to the lower treatingchamber36 and also returned from the lower treatingchamber36 to the pump andfilter unit80. While the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 are physically separate, they may be considered selectively fluidly coupled by the pump andfilter unit80, which functions as a fluid connector for the upper and lower recirculation circuits. In other words, the pump andfilter unit80 may be operated to supply liquid obtained from the upper recirculation circuit to the lower recirculation circuit and vice-versa, if desired.
• With continued reference toFIG. 4, thedishwasher10 may also include a liquid supply system for providing external liquid to the pump andfilter unit80, which selectively supplies the liquid to either or both of the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 through the liquid recirculation system. Fluid conduits or lines of the liquid supply system are identified with a dash-dash-dot line inFIG. 4. The liquid supply system may include aliquid supply conduit100 extending from aliquid source102, such as a household water supply, to the pump andfilter unit80, and asupply valve104 may control flow of the liquid from theliquid source102 to theliquid supply conduit100 and the pump andfilter unit80. A siphon break orreservoir106 with anoverflow conduit108 may be located along theliquid supply conduit100 to aid in supplying the liquid from theliquid source102 to the pump andfilter unit80. Alternatively, the liquid supply system may employ separate liquid supplies for the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36.
• With continued reference toFIG. 4, the pump andfilter unit80 may be a single assembly incorporating several devices, such as a supply andrecirculation pump110 for pumping liquid from theliquid supply conduit100 and/or thepump inlet conduit96 to thepump outlet conduit94, adrain pump112 for pumping liquid from thepump inlet conduit96 to a household drain conduit114 (indicated by a dotted line inFIG. 4), a liquid filter (not shown) to filter the liquid prior to being supplied to thepump outlet conduit94, a heater (not shown) for heating the liquid prior to being supplied to thepump outlet conduit94, and a fan orblower116. The supply andrecirculation pump110, thedrain pump112, and theblower116 are shown schematically as components of the pump andfilter unit80 inFIG. 4, the boundaries of which are not intended to show location or relative size of the components but are rather included to indicate only the presence of these components in the pump andfilter unit80. Further details of exemplary pump and filter units may be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/643,394, filed Dec. 21, 2009, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/910,203, filed Oct. 22, 2010, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/947,317, filed Nov. 16, 2010, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/959,483, filed Dec. 3, 2010, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/949,687, filed Dec. 3, 2010, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/959,507, filed Dec. 3, 2010, U.S. patent Ser. No. 12/959,673, filed Dec. 3, 2010, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/966,420, filed Dec. 13, 2010, and related applications, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The '673 application further includes additional details of an exemplary liquid recirculation system, including an exemplary liquid diverter system, and an exemplary liquid supply system.
• Thedishwasher10 may further include an air supply system that may comprise theblower116 of the pump andfilter unit80, along with ablower outlet conduit120 in fluid communication with the upper treatingchamber34 through an upperair supply conduit122 and with thelower treatment chamber36 through a lowerair supply conduit124. The air conduits or lines are illustrated as dash-dot-dash lines inFIG. 4. Anair diverter126 may selectively direct air from theblower outlet conduit120 to one of the upper and lowerair supply conduits122,124 to thereby selectively deliver air to the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36, respectively. Optionally, the heater of the pump andfilter unit80 may heat the air prior to delivery to the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36. Further details of an exemplary air supply system may be found in the aforementioned and incorporated '673 application.
• The described and illustrated liquid recirculation system, the liquid supply system, and the air supply system, along with the pump andfilter unit80, are provided for exemplary purposes. Any suitable systems capable of supplying, recirculating, and draining liquid and any suitable system for supplying air may be employed with thedishwasher10.
• Thedishwasher10 may further include an adjusting system and a sealing system that may function cooperatively in adjusting the vertical position of thedivider40 within thetub16 to thereby adjust the sizes of the upper andlower tubs30,32, and thereby the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36, and sealing thedivider40 to thetub16 in the adjustable positions of thedivider40. Referring now toFIG. 5, which is an enlarged view of the region labeled V inFIG. 2, the adjusting system may include anadjuster130, which may have any suitable form and is illustrated by example as having on thedivider support42 anactuator132 that interacts with aratchet mechanism134 located on theside wall22 of thetub16. Theactuator132 may be a mechanical actuator with a finger or pawl that can be moved relative to thedivider support42 to engage and disengage the actuator132 from theratchet mechanism134, such as by pulling theactuator132 away from theside wall22 to disengage theratchet mechanism134 and pushing theactuator132 toward theside wall22 to engage theratchet mechanism134. Alternatively, theactuator132 may be spring biased into the engaged position whereby the user could simply release the pulledactuator132 to engage theratchet mechanism134. Engaging theactuator132 with theratchet mechanism134 locks thedivider40 in position relative to thetub16, while disengaging the actuator132 from theratchet mechanism134 allows sliding vertical movement of thedivider40 relative to thetub16. Theratchet mechanism134 may include any desirable number of steps or ratchets corresponding to an equal number of predetermined positions for theactuator132 and, thereby, thedivider40. In this manner, the divider may have a discrete number of positions, such as an upper position, as shown inFIG. 5, and a lower position, as illustrated inFIG. 6. The adjusting system may have one or more of theadjusters130, and the illustrated embodiment has a pair of theadjusters130, with each one of the pair located on opposite sides of thedivider40 and thetub16 mounting the opposite sides of thedivider40 to thetub16. With one of theadjusters130 on each side of thedivider40, a user may grasp one of theactuators132 with each hand for simultaneous actuation.
• The predetermined positions of theratchet mechanism134 define a range within with thedivider40 is adjustable. The range may be any suitable range for a given dishwasher, and as one example, the range may be less than about three inches. In a configuration where the upper andlower treatment chambers34,36 are adjacent to one another and separated by a single divider, as in the illustrated embodiment, the range corresponds to the maximum increase in height of one of the treatingchambers34,36 and a corresponding maximum decrease in the height of the other of the treatingchambers34,36. The adjusting system may have any suitable number of predetermined positions and is not limited to the two described above and shown in the figures. In an alternative embodiment, the adjusting system may be configured to locate thedivider40 in any position, rather than discrete positions, within the range.
• Thetub16 may include a recessed portion orchannel140 accommodating thedivider support42 and theratchet mechanism134. Thechannel140 may extend generally horizontally along theside walls22 and therear wall24 of thetub16. As with thedivider support42, thechannel140 may have a slopedupper edge142 and a slopedlower edge144 such that thechannel140 tapers along theside walls22 from the front to the rear of thetub16. The portion of thechannel140 on therear wall24 of thetub16 may have a constant height. Theratchet mechanism134 may be provided in thechannel140 near the front of thetub16 but may be disposed at any suitable location.
• The sealing system may be configured such that thedivider40 may be sealed to thetub16 in the adjustable positions of thedivider40. The sealing system may have any suitable form and is illustrated by example as having aperipheral seal150 extending around the front peripheral edge of thetub16 defining theopen face26 of thetub16. Theperipheral seal150 mates with thedoor14 when thedoor14 is closed to prevent leakage of treating fluid outside thedishwasher10. Anupper seal152 may be located on theupper edge44 of thedivider support42, and, similarly, alower seal154 may be positioned on thelower edge46 of thedivider support42. Theupper seal152 interacts with theupper edge142 of thechannel140 when thedivider40 is in the upper position ofFIG. 5 to form a seal between the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 and prevent leakage therebetween. Likewise, thelower seal154 interacts with thelower edge144 of thechannel140 when thedivider40 is in the lower position ofFIG. 6 to form a seal between the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 and prevent leakage therebetween. Optionally, the upper andlower seals152,154 may extend around the front edge of thedivider support42 to join and form a single, continuous seal. Alternatively, the upper andlower seals152,154 may be located on the respective upper andlower edges140,144 of thechannel140 rather than on thedivider support42 of thedivider40. The sealing system may further include adivider seal156 extending along the front edge of thedivider40, including thedivider support42 of thedivider40. Thedivider seal156 may abut thedoor14 when thedoor14 is closed to further seal the upper treatingchamber34 from the lower treatingchamber36.
• The various systems and components of thedishwasher10 communicate with an electronic control, shown in the illustrated embodiment as acontroller160, that may be located in thechassis12 below thetub16 as part of the pump and filter unit80 (FIG. 4). Thecontroller160 may be a single controller for both the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 and may be operably coupled to various components of thedishwasher10 to implement a treating cycle of operation in one or both of the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36. As illustrated herein, thecontroller160 may be part of the pump andfilter unit80 to provide a compact and modular assembly for installation within thedishwasher10; however, one or more components shown as integrated with each other in the pump andfilter unit80 may also be provided separately. Further, thecontroller160 may be positioned in locations of thedishwasher10 other than below thetub16, such as in other locations on thechassis12 or on thedoor14.
• Referring now toFIG. 7, which is a schematic view of thecontroller160 for thedishwasher10, thecontroller160 may be operably coupled to auser interface162 to communicate with the user regarding the selection of treatment cycles and options for one or both of the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36, operation status, and other features common to dishwasher user interfaces. Theuser interface162 may be disposed in any suitable location on the dishwasher, such as on thedoor14. Further, theuser interface162 may be configured to communicate to the user a status of thedivider40, such a status related to the position of thedivider40, i.e., the upper position and the lower position for the present embodiment of thedishwasher10. The status of thedivider40 may be an indicator in the form of, for example, one or more illuminators or text/image on a display.
• Additionally, thecontroller160 may be coupled with the supply andrecirculation pump110, thesupply diverter90, and thereturn diverter92 for supply and circulation of fluid in the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 and with thedrain pump112 for drainage of fluid from thedishwasher10. Thecontroller160 may be coupled with thesupply valve104 for supplying liquid to the pump andfilter unit80. Thecontroller160 may also be operably coupled with theblower116 and theair diverter126 to provide air into the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36. Thecontroller160 may also be coupled with theheater164 to heat the fluid and/or air depending on the step being performed in the cycle of operation. Thecontroller160 may also be coupled to adispenser166 for dispensing a treating chemistry during appropriate steps in a cycle of operation into the upper and/or lower treatingchambers34,36. Alternatively, each of the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 may have its own dedicated dispenser.
• Thecontroller160 may also be coupled with one ormore temperature sensors168, which are known in the art, such that thecontroller160 may control the duration of the steps of the cycle of operation based upon the temperature detected in the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 or in one of the various conduits of thedishwasher10. Thecontroller160 may also receive inputs frompositional sensors170 that may detect the positions of thedivider40. Further, thecontroller160 may also communicate with one or more otheradditional sensors172, examples of which are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of theadditional sensors172 that may be communicably coupled with thecontroller160 include a moisture sensor, a turbidity sensor, and positional sensors for thedoor14.
• Thecontroller160 may also be provided with amemory174 and a central processing unit (CPU)176. Thememory174 may be used for storing control software that may be executed by theCPU176 in completing a cycle of operation using one or both of the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 of thedishwasher10 and any additional software. For example, thememory174 may store one or more pre-programmed cycles of operation that may be selected by a user and completed by one or more of the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36. A cycle of operation for the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 may include one or more of the following steps: a wash step, a rinse step, and a drying step. The wash step may further include a pre-wash step and a main wash step. The rinse step may also include multiple steps such as one or more additional rinsing steps performed in addition to a first rinsing. The amounts of fluid and/or rinse aid used during each of the multiple rinse steps may be varied. The drying step may have a non-heated drying step (so called “air only”), a heated drying step, or a combination thereof. These multiple steps may be performed by one or both of the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 in any desired combination.
• The operation of thedishwasher10 will now be described with a focus on the operation of theadjustable divider40. Details regarding the supply and delivery of treating fluid and the delivery of heated and non-heated air to the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 may be found in the aforementioned and incorporated '673 application. The following description is provided for descriptive purposes only with the understanding that the operation may proceed in any suitable order and may be adapted according to variations of embodiments of thedishwasher10. While the operation description will include reference to different figures, inherent reference toFIG. 7 may continually be made when discussing communication between thecontroller160 and various systems and components of thedishwasher10.
• Prior to executing a treating cycle of operation, a user places utensils to be treated in the upper and/or lower utensil racks60,62 with thedoor14 in the opened position. The user may adjust thedivider40 to change the sizes of the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 for accommodating the sizes of the utensils. For example, assuming thedivider40 is in the upper position ofFIGS. 2 and 5, the user may lower thedivider40 to the lower position, thereby increasing the height of the upper treatingchamber34 and lowering the position of theupper utensil rack60 such that larger utensils may fit in upper treatingchamber34. The user may lower thedivider40 by grasping theactuators132 of theadjusters130 and disengaging them from therespective ratchet mechanisms134 by pulling them inward toward the interior of thetub16. With theactuators132 disengaged, the user may lower thedivider40 by sliding thedivider40 with thedivider support42, and thereby thedrawer50 and theupper utensil rack60, downward vertically within thetub16 to the lower position where thelower edge46 of thedivider support42 and thelower seal154 on thelower edge46 abut thelower edge144 of thetub channel140, as illustrated inFIG. 6 and inFIG. 8, which is a perspective view of thedishwasher10 with thedivider40 in the lower position. With thedivider40 in the lower position, the user may push theactuators132 toward therespective ratchet mechanism134, or simply release theactuators132 if they are spring biased, to engage theratchet mechanism134 and secure thedivider40 in the lower position. An increase in the height of the upper treatingchamber34 results in a corresponding decrease in the height of the lower treatingchamber36.
• Conversely, assuming thedivider40 is in the lower position shown inFIGS. 6 and 8, the user may raise thedivider40 to the upper position, thereby increasing the height of the lower treatingchamber36 such that larger utensils may fit in the lower treatingchamber36. The process of raising thedivider40 is essentially identical to that for lowering thedivider40, with the exception of raising thedivider40 by sliding thedivider40 with thedivider support42 upward, rather than downward, vertically within thetub16 to the upper position. The upward movement of thedivider40 by the user occurs until theupper edge44 of thedivider support42 and theupper seal152 on theupper edge44 abut theupper edge142 of thetub channel140, as seen inFIGS. 2 and 5. An increase in the height of the lower treatingchamber36 results in a corresponding decrease in the height of the upper treatingchamber34.
• With thedivider40 in the desired upper or lower position, the user may complete the loading of the utensils, move thedoor14 to the closed position, and select the desired treating cycle of operation for the upper treatingchamber34, the lower treatingchamber36, or both the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36. If treating cycles are selected for both of the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36, the selected treating cycles for the upper and lower treatingchambers34,36 may be the same treating cycle or differing treating cycles. Thecontroller160 executes the selected treating cycles according to preprogrammed instructions and information received from thevarious sensors168,172.
• It is within the scope of the invention to modify the embodiment of thedishwasher10 described above and shown in the figures as needed. In one modification, thedivider40 may be adapted to slide horizontally relative to thetub16 between retracted and extended positions. Thedrawer50 and theutensil rack60 carried by thedrawer50 may be fixedly mounted to thedivider40 such that thedrawer50 and theutensil rack60 may slide with thedivider40 rather than sliding relative to thedivider40. An example of an embodiment having a slidable divider is described below with respect toFIGS. 9-12.
• FIG. 9 presents an alternative embodiment of adishwasher10. Components similar to those of the previous embodiment of thedishwasher10 are labeled with the same reference numeral bearing a prime ( ) symbol. The alternative embodiment of thedishwasher10 is essentially identical to thedishwasher10, with the exception that thedivider40 may be integral with thedrawer50, such that thedivider40 forms the bottom wall of thedrawer50. Thedivider40 may slide relative to thetub16 with thedrawer50 between a retracted position, as shown inFIG. 9, and an extended position, as seen inFIG. 10, of thedrawer50. Thedrawer50, shown in the figures without its utensil rack for ease of viewing the parts of thedrawer50, may include opposingside walls200, arear wall202, and afront frame204 in addition to thedivider40 as its bottom wall. Thedrawer50 and the portion of thetub16 above thedrawer50 form theupper tub30 defining the upper treatingchamber34, while the portion of thetub16 below thedivider40, which corresponds to the portion of thetub16 below thedrawer50, forms thelower tub32 defining the lower treatingchamber36.
• As with the previous embodiment, thechannel140 in thetub16 may be tapered along thetub side walls22 and may include theupper edge142 and thelower edge144. Similarly, the upper and lower edges of theside walls200 of thedrawer50 may be sloped downwardly and upwardly, respectively, to taper theside walls200 from the front to the rear of thetub16, and the upper and lower edges of thedrawer side walls200 may carry theupper seal152 and thelower seal154, respectively. This configuration may be seen in the schematic views ofFIGS. 11 and 12. Alternatively, theseals152,154 may be located on the channel edges142,144. When thedrawer50 is in the upper position ofFIGS. 9 and 11, theupper seal152 on the upper edge of thedrawer side walls200 abuts the channelupper edge142 projecting inward from thetub side walls22, while thelower seal154 on the lower edge of thedrawer side walls200 abuts the channellower edge144 projecting inward from thetub side walls22 when thedrawer50 is in the lower position shown inFIGS. 12 and 13. The sloped configuration of thedrawer side walls200 and the tapered shape of thedrawer side walls200 prevents contact between thetub16 and theseals152,154 while thedrawer50 is sliding relative to thetub16 until thedrawer50 is fully inserted into the retracted position, regardless of whether thedrawer50 is in the upper position or the lower position. Such a design reduces unnecessary wear on theseals152,154 that may otherwise occur during sliding of thedrawer50.
• The adjusting system for moving thedivider40 between the upper and lower positions may be similar to that of the previous embodiment but modified to accommodate the structure of thedrawer50. For example, the adjusting system may include theactuator132 and theratchet mechanism134, with theactuator132 located on, for illustrative purposes, thedrawer side walls200 and theratchet mechanism134 located in thechannel140 of thetub16. Two sets of theactuator132 and theratchet mechanism134 may be present, with one set located on each opposing side of thedrawer50 and thetub16. As an option, the adjusting system may be incorporated with the slide rails (not shown) or other sliding device for sliding thedrawer50 between the extended and retracted positions.
• The operation of thedishwasher10 with theadjustable divider40 formed with thedrawer50 is substantially identical to that described above for thedishwasher10 and will not be repeated here for brevity.
• While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.

Claims (26)

What is claimed is:

1. A dishwasher comprising:

a tub defining an interior and having an open face;

a moveable door for selectively closing the open face; and

a divider located within the tub to divide the interior into a first treating chamber and a second treating chamber;

a first spray system spraying liquid into the first treating chamber;

a second spray system spraying liquid into the second treating chamber;

a recirculation system recirculating the spray liquid for the first and second treating chambers; and

an adjuster moveably mounting the divider to the tub wherein the relative size of the first and second treating chambers may be adjusted by moving the divider relative to the tub.

2. The dishwasher ofclaim 1 wherein the open face is vertically oriented and the adjuster moves the divider vertically within the tub.

3. The dishwasher ofclaim 2 wherein the door is hingedly mounted for rotation between a generally horizontal open position and a generally vertical closed position.

4. The dishwasher ofclaim 1 wherein the adjuster is movable within a predetermined range of adjustment.

5. The dishwasher ofclaim 4 wherein the predetermined range is less than 3 inches.

6. The dishwasher ofclaim 4 wherein the adjuster is discretely adjustable.

7. The dishwasher ofclaim 6 wherein the adjuster comprises a ratchet mechanism having predetermined positions for the divider.

8. The dishwasher ofclaim 7 wherein the adjuster comprises multiple ratchet mechanisms.

9. The dishwasher ofclaim 8 wherein a first ratchet mechanism mounts a first side of the divider to the tub and a second ratchet mechanism mounts a second side, opposite the first side, of the divider to the tub.

10. The dishwasher ofclaim 1, further comprising a first seal between the divider and the tub.

11. The dishwasher ofclaim 10, further comprising a second seal between the divider and the tub to at least fluidly seal the first chamber relative to the second chamber, with the first seal sealing when the divider is in an upper position and the second seal sealing when the divider is in a lower position.

12. The dishwasher ofclaim 11, further comprising a third seal between the divider and the door when the door closes the open face.

13. The dishwasher ofclaim 1, further comprising a first dish rack located within the first treating chamber and supported by the divider.

14. The dishwasher ofclaim 13 wherein the first dish rack is mounted to the divider.

15. The dishwasher ofclaim 14 wherein one of the first dish rack and divider is slidably mounted to the tub to enable sliding movement of the first dish rack through the open face.

16. The dishwasher ofclaim 13, further comprising a second dish rack located within the second treating chamber.

17. The dishwasher ofclaim 16 wherein the second dish rack is slidably mounted to the tub for slideable movement through the open face.

18. The dishwasher ofclaim 1 wherein the recirculation system comprises a pump assembly having an inlet fluidly coupled to the first and second treating chambers and an outlet fluidly coupled to the first and second spray systems.

19. The dishwasher ofclaim 18 wherein the recirculation system comprises a first return line fluidly coupling the first treating chamber to the pump inlet and a second return line fluidly coupling the second treating chamber to the pump inlet.

20. The dishwasher ofclaim 1, further comprising a drawer slideable relative to the interior, and the divider is carried by the drawer.

21. The dishwasher ofclaim 20 wherein the divider is integrally formed with the drawer.

22. The dishwasher ofclaim 21 wherein the drawer comprises a bottom defining at least a portion of the divider.

23. The dishwasher ofclaim 20, further comprising a first seal between the drawer and the tub to at least fluidly seal the first chamber relative to the second chamber.

24. The dishwasher ofclaim 23, further comprising a second seal between the drawer and the tub to at least fluidly seal the first chamber relative to the second chamber, with the first seal sealing when the divider is in an upper position and the second seal sealing when the divider is in a lower position.

25. The dishwasher ofclaim 24 wherein the first seal comprises an upper peripheral edge of the drawer and a first projection from the tub, and the second seal comprises a lower peripheral edge of the drawer and a second projection from the tub, with the second projection located lower in the tub than the first projection.

26. The dishwasher ofclaim 25 wherein the first and second seals are angled toward each other in a direction corresponding to from the front of the tub to the rear of the tub.

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