Sliding dishwasher lid seal

Abstract

In a dishwasher of the type where an open top wash chamber slides out of a cabinet for loading and a closure is provided in the cabinet to close the chamber during washing, the closure is provided with a water sealing elastomeric gasket containing a magnetic material and the wash chamber top edges with a complementary magnetic material such that when the chamber is in the washing position magnetic forces cause the flexible gasket to extend into sealing contact with the wash chamber top edges.

1 . A dishwasher having a cabinet containing one or more wash chambers wherein at least one wash chamber has an open top and slides out of said cabinet from a washing position for loading and unloading, and a closure mounted in said cabinet which closes the top of said wash chamber during the washing process,
 characterised in that a flexible gasket containing a magnetic material is provided at the periphery of said closure, the edges of said wash chamber defining said open top contain a magnetic material such that when said wash chamber is in or nearly in said washing position the magnetic force between said gasket and said chamber cause said gasket to engage in a substantially water tight seal with the top of said wash chamber, and   wherein said closure is mounted to permit a limited movement in the chamber sliding direction, and on the chamber being moved a limited distance from said washing position said closure remains sealed against said chamber and moves with it and upon further movement a lifting force on said gasket tends to break said seal to minimise the resistance to wash chamber sliding motion due to a frictional force between said gasket and said wash chamber edges when said gasket is engaged with said chamber edges.   
     
     
         2 . A dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein said magnetic material provided in said gasket is a series of magnets. 
     
     
         3 . A dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein said magnetic material provided in said gasket is a series of magnets and are aligned with said second set of magnets mounted in said cabinet so that opposite poles are adjacent when said lid is sealed against said chamber. 
     
     
         4 . A dishwasher according to any one of  claims 1 ,  2  and  3  wherein said magnets are electromagnets. 
     
     
         5 . A dishwasher as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said magnetic material in said gasket is provided as a series of distributed parts, and a set of magnets are mounted in said cabinet above but forward of said distributed parts of magnetic material, and during opening said set of magnets align with corresponding parts of magnetic material in said gasket and exert said lifting force.