Single Drive Axis Motor for a Dishwasher Spray System

Abstract

A dishwasher appliance is provided having a motor that has a drive shaft with a pump shaft portion extending from one side and a secondary shaft portion extending from the other. The pump shaft portion drives a pump impeller within a pump housing to circulate wash fluid. The secondary shaft portion has a spur gear that is configured to engage a secondary gear that is operably coupled to a secondary component within the dishwasher, such as a diverter valve or spray arm. The meshing of the spur gear with the secondary gear acts both as a speed reducer and the drive means for the secondary component. The motor is configured to rotate the pump shaft portion and secondary shaft portion such that the pump impeller rotates at a first speed and the secondary component rotates at a second speed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid circulation assembly defining a vertical direction and comprising:
 a motor having a top side and a bottom side, the motor comprising a rotatable drive shaft that includes:
 a pump shaft portion extending out of the bottom side; and 
 a spray arm shaft portion extending out of the top side; 
   a spur gear disposed on the spray arm shaft portion;   a spray arm assembly comprising:
 a rotatable spray arm; and 
 a spray arm gear connected with the spray arm and engaged with the spur gear; and 
   a pump assembly comprising:
 a pump housing; and 
 a pump impeller disposed on the pump shaft portion within the pump housing, 
   wherein the motor is configured to rotate the drive shaft so as to rotate the pump impeller at a first speed and the spray arm at a second speed.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid circulation assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the spur gear is a first spur gear, and the fluid circulation assembly further comprises:
 a second spur gear disposed on the spray arm shaft portion;   a rotatable diverter disc; and   a diverter gear connected with the diverter disc and engaged with the second spur gear,   wherein the second spur gear rotates the diverter disc to selectively divert the flow of wash fluid between one or more spray arms within the fluid circulation assembly.   
     
     
         3 . The fluid circulation assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the diverter gear comprises gear teeth extending radially outward from a perimeter of the diverter disc. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid circulation assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the diverter disc and the spray a assembly rotate at a slower speed than the spray arm shaft portion. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid circulation assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is vertically oriented within a sump area of the dishwasher, such that the drive shaft is vertically oriented relative to the dishwasher. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid circulation assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the pump impeller is positioned near a bottom of the sump area of the dishwasher and the pump housing defines a pump intake that faces down toward the bottom of the sump area. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid circulation assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the motor is a submersible motor. 
     
     
         8 . A fluid circulation assembly defining a vertical direction and comprising:
 a motor having a top side and a bottom side, the motor comprising a rotatable drive shaft that includes:
 a pump shaft portion extending out of the bottom side; and 
 a diverter shaft portion extending out of the top side; 
   a spur gear disposed on the diverter shaft portion;   a diverter assembly comprising:
 a diverter disc defining one or more apertures that are selectively aligned with one or more spray arm assemblies to selectively distribute wash fluid; and 
 a diverter gear connected with the diverter disc and engaged with the spur gear; and 
   a pump assembly comprising:
 a pump housing; and 
 a pump impeller disposed on the pump shaft portion within the pump housing, 
   wherein the motor is configured to rotate the drive shaft so as to rotate the pump impeller at a first speed and the diverter disc at a second speed.   
     
     
         9 . The fluid circulation assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the spur gear is a first spur gear, and the fluid circulation assembly further comprises:
 a second spur gear disposed on the diverter shaft portion; and   a spray arm assembly comprising:
 a rotatable spray arm; and 
 a spray arm gear connected with the spray arm and engaged with the second spur gear, 
   wherein the second spur gear rotates the spray arm.   
     
     
         10 . The fluid circulation assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the diverter disc and the spray arm rotate at a slower speed than the diverter shaft portion. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid circulation assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the motor is vertically oriented within a sump area of the dishwasher, such that the drive shaft is vertically oriented relative to the dishwasher. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid circulation assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the pump impeller is positioned near a bottom of the sump area of the dishwasher and the pump housing defines a pump intake that faces down toward the bottom of the sump area. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid circulation assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the motor is a submersible motor. 
     
     
         14 . A dishwasher appliance, comprising:
 a motor having a top side and a bottom side, the motor comprising a rotatable drive shaft that includes:
 a pump shaft portion extending out of the bottom side; 
 a secondary shaft portion extending out of the top side; 
   a pump assembly comprising:
 a pump housing; and 
 a pump impeller disposed on the pump shaft portion within h pump housing; 
   a spur gear disposed on the secondary shaft portion; and   a secondary gear engaged with the spur gear,   wherein the motor is configured to rotate the drive shaft so as to rotate the pump impeller at a first speed and the secondary gear at a second speed.   
     
     
         15 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 14 , further comprising a diverter assembly comprising:
 a diverter disc attached to the secondary gear, the diverter disc defining one or more apertures that are selectively aligned with one or more spray arm assemblies to selectively distribute wash fluid,   wherein the spur gear engages the secondary gear so as to rotate the diverter disc at a slower speed than the pump impeller.   
     
     
         16 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the spur gear is a first spur gear, and the dishwasher appliance further comprises:
 a second spur gear disposed on the secondary shaft portion;   a spray arm assembly comprising:
 a rotatable spray arm; and 
 a spray arm gear connected with the spray arm and engaged with second spur gear, 
   wherein the second spur gear rotates the spray arm at a slower speed than the pump impeller.   
     
     
         17 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 14 , further comprising a spray arm assembly comprising:
 a rotatable spray arm attached to the secondary gear,   wherein the spur gear engages the secondary gear so as to rotate the spray arm at a slower speed than the pump impeller.   
     
     
         18 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the spur gear is a first spur gear, and the dishwasher appliance further comprises:
 a second spur gear disposed on the secondary shaft portion;   a rotatable diverter disc; and   a diverter gear connected with the diverter disc and engaged with the second spur gear,   wherein the second spur gear rotates the diverter disc to selectively divert the flow of wash fluid between one or more spray arms within the dishwasher appliance.   
     
     
         19 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 18 , wherein the diverter disc defines a geared perimeter for engaging the second spur gear. 
     
     
         20 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the motor is vertically oriented within a sump area of the dishwasher appliance, such that the pump impeller is positioned near a bottom of the sump area of the dishwasher appliance.