Water Delivery System For Upper Spray Arm Of A Dishwasher

Abstract

A dishwasher has an upper rack that carries a spray arm having a horizontal manifold tube that engages in a port associated with a vertical main feed tube for supplying wash water to the spray arm. There can be from one to a plurality of ports into which the manifold tube can be inserted. A check valve assembly can be included when there are a plurality of ports, the check valve assembly having from one to a plurality of flapper valves for closing each port when the manifold tube is withdrawn. The manifold tube has an entrance region at its open end that engages the/each port. The entrance region has a mouth lying in a plane oblique to the vertical and horizontal directions.

1 . A wash water delivery system for a spray arm in a dishwasher, comprising:
 a main feed tube for supplying wash water for the spray arm, the main feed tube extending along a generally vertical direction when installed in a dishwasher;   a port in fluid communication with the main feed tube, wash water being delivered from the main feed tube through the port for supply to the spray arm; and   a manifold tube for the spray arm, the manifold tube having an open end for insertion into the port so as to fluidly connect the manifold tube to the main feed tube;   wherein the manifold tube extends along a generally horizontal direction that is generally perpendicular to the generally vertical direction, and the open end of the manifold tube has an entrance region for capturing wash water flowing in the main feed tube along the generally vertical direction and turning the wash water to flow along the generally horizontal direction, the entrance region having a mouth lying substantially in a plane that is oriented obliquely to the generally horizontal direction and obliquely to the generally vertical direction.   
   
   
       2 . The wash water delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the entrance region of the manifold tube has an upper wall formed substantially as a ramp inclined relative to the generally horizontal direction. 
   
   
       3 . The wash water delivery system of  claim 2 , wherein the upper wall has an inner surface that is substantially planar over a predetermined distance in a flow direction and over a predetermined distance in a transverse direction perpendicular to said flow direction. 
   
   
       4 . The wash water delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of vertically spaced ports in fluid communication with the main feed tube, and the system further comprises a check valve assembly including a plurality of valve members respectively arranged to close each port when the open end of the manifold tube is withdrawn therefrom, each valve member being pushed open when the open end of the manifold tube is inserted into the respective port.