System and method for ventilating a dishwasher

Abstract

A dishwasher for treating dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation can comprise a tub defining a treating chamber with an access opening. A door can be selectively moveable to a closed position to close the access opening and can have a metal inner panel with a rear face confronting the treating chamber when the door is in the closed position. The door can have a lower edge overlying a portion of the tub when the door is in the closed position. A ventilating strip can be provided along the lower edge and can have vent openings passing through the strip. A seal can extend between the tub and the ventilating strip when the door is closed to form a liquid seal between the ventilating strip and the tub.

1 . A dishwasher for treating dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation, the dishwasher comprising:
 a tub defining a treating chamber with an access opening;
 a door selectively moveable to a closed position to close the access opening and having a metal inner panel with a rear face confronting the treating chamber when the door is in the closed position and a lower edge overlying a portion of the tub when the door is in the closed position; 
 a ventilating strip provided along the lower edge and having vent openings passing through the strip; and 
 a seal extending between the tub and the ventilating strip when the door is closed to form a liquid seal between the ventilating strip and the tub when the door is in the closed position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher of  claim 1  wherein the ventilating strip and seal are juxtaposed such that the vent openings are fluidly coupled to the treating chamber when the seal forms the liquid seal. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher of  claim 2  wherein the vent openings fluidly couple the treating chamber to ambient air. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher of  claim 3  wherein the vent openings fluidly couple the treating chamber to an interior of the door, with the interior fluidly coupled to the ambient air. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the seal contacts the ventilating strip downstream of the vent openings in terms of a fluid path flowing out of the treating chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the tub defines opposing corners and the ventilating strip has opposing ends, with each end corresponding to one of the opposing corners, and the seal extends between the ends and the corners. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the ventilating strip further comprises a strip channel and a portion of the seal is received within the strip channel to mount the seal to the ventilating strip. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the tub further comprises a tub lip at a bottom of the access opening. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher of  claim 8 , wherein the lower edge lies below the tub lip. 
     
     
         10 . A dishwasher for treating dishes according to an automatic cycle of operation, the dishwasher comprising:
 a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber with an access opening;   a sprayer emitting a liquid spray into the treating chamber;   a door assembly for selectively closing the access opening and having an inner panel terminating in a lower edge and a ventilating strip with a plurality of vent openings and mounted to the lower edge;   wherein the inner panel and the ventilating strip are arranged such and the vent openings are sized such that at least some of the liquid sprayed into the treating chamber and running down the inner panel forms a surface tension membrane covering the vent openings.   
     
     
         11 . The dishwasher of  claim 10  wherein the inner panel defines a plane and the ventilating strip forms a 90 degree or greater interior angle relative to the plane. 
     
     
         12 . The dishwasher of  claim 11  wherein the interior angle is 90 degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The dishwasher of  claim 10  wherein the door assembly further comprises a seal extending between the ventilating strip and the tub when the door closes the access opening to form a liquid seal between the tub and the door. 
     
     
         14 . The dishwasher of  claim 13  wherein the seal is juxtaposed with the ventilating strip such that the vent openings are fluidly coupled to the treating chamber when the seal forms the liquid seal. 
     
     
         15 . The dishwasher of  claim 14  wherein the vent openings fluidly couple the treating chamber to ambient air. 
     
     
         16 . The dishwasher of  claim 13 , wherein the tub defines opposing corners and the ventilating strip has opposing ends, with each end corresponding to one of the opposing corners, and the seal extends between the ends and the corners. 
     
     
         17 . The dishwasher of  claim 10 , wherein the ventilating strip further comprises a strip channel and a portion of the seal is received within the strip channel to mount the seal to the ventilating strip. 
     
     
         18 . The dishwasher of  claim 10 , wherein the tub further comprises a tub lip at a bottom of the access opening and the lower edge lies below the tub lip. 
     
     
         19 . A method for attenuating noise generated during a spraying of liquid within a treating chamber of a dishwasher, the method comprising forming a surface tension membrane over vent openings for the treating chamber from the liquid sprayed within the treating chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the vent openings are located along a lower edge of a door for the dishwasher. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the forming the surface tension membrane comprises flowing the liquid along an inner surface of the door and then over the vent openings.