Dishwashing appliance drop-in door hinge

Abstract

A dishwashing appliance includes a tub that defines a wash chamber therein. A door is rotatably coupled to the tub by a hinge. The hinge includes a first bracket mounted on the door, a second bracket mounted to the tub, and a hinge pin extending between the first bracket and the second bracket. The second bracket includes an outer channel configured to receive the hinge pin during installation and removal of the door, a round socket configured to retain the hinge pin during rotation of the door between the open position and the closed position, and a transition channel adjoining the outer channel and the round socket. The outer channel defines a first width and the transition channel defines a second width. The first width is generally constant over the entire outer channel and the second width is generally constant over the entire transition channel.

1 . A dishwashing appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction that are mutually perpendicular, the dishwasher appliance comprising:
 a tub extending between a front side and a rear side along the transverse direction, the tub defining a wash chamber therein for receipt of articles for washing, wherein the wash chamber within the tub is accessible through an opening in the front side of the tub;   a sump positioned at a bottom of the wash chamber for receiving fluid from the wash chamber;   a fluid circulation system coupled to the sump, the fluid circulation system comprising a pump and at least one spray assembly located in the wash chamber and configured to direct a spray of fluid into the wash chamber; and   a door rotatably coupled to the tub by a hinge, the door rotatable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the door permits access to the wash chamber in the open position and wherein the door sealingly encloses the wash chamber in the closed position;   wherein the hinge comprises a first bracket mounted on the door, a second bracket mounted to the tub, and a hinge pin extending between the first bracket and the second bracket, the second bracket comprising a mouth in an exterior edge of the second bracket, an outer channel configured to receive the hinge pin during installation and removal of the door, a round socket configured to retain the hinge pin during rotation of the door between the open position and the closed position, and a transition channel adjoining the outer channel and the round socket, wherein the outer channel defines a first width and the transition channel defines a second width, wherein the first width is generally constant over the entire outer channel and the second width is generally constant over the entire transition channel, wherein the outer channel is oblique to the vertical direction and the transition channel extends generally along the vertical direction, wherein the outer channel and the transition channel define a travel path for the hinge pin between the mouth and the round socket for installation or removal of the door, the travel path extending along a single vertical orientation between the mouth and the round socket.   
     
     
         2 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first width is generally equal to the second width. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the outer channel is linear and defines an angle of between about ten degrees and about forty degrees with the vertical direction. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein an opening of about ten degrees is defined in an upper portion of the round socket. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a retaining point defined at a boundary of the round socket and the transition channel. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the retaining point is defined by a rounded corner at the boundary of the round socket and the transition channel. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the second bracket comprises a front end, and the retaining point is defined at a front edge of the boundary of the round socket and the transition channel. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the transition channel is bounded along the transverse direction by the retaining point and a vertical edge. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the round socket defines a circular arc of greater than one hundred eighty degrees. 
     
     
         11 . A dishwashing appliance, comprising:
 a tub extending between a front side and a rear side, the tub defining a wash chamber therein for receipt of articles for washing, wherein the wash chamber within the tub is accessible through an opening in the front side of the tub;   a sump positioned at a bottom of the wash chamber for receiving fluid from the wash chamber;   a fluid circulation system coupled to the sump, the fluid circulation system comprising a pump and at least one spray assembly located in the wash chamber and configured to direct a spray of fluid into the wash chamber; and   a door rotatably coupled to the tub by a hinge, the door rotatable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the door permits access to the wash chamber in the open position and wherein the door sealingly encloses the wash chamber in the closed position;   wherein the hinge comprises a first bracket mounted on the door, a second bracket mounted to the tub, and a hinge pin extending between the first bracket and the second bracket, the second bracket comprising a mouth in an exterior edge of the second bracket, an outer channel configured to receive the hinge pin during installation and removal of the door, a round socket configured to retain the hinge pin during rotation of the door between the open position and the closed position, and a transition channel adjoining the outer channel and the round socket, wherein the outer channel defines a first width and the transition channel defines a second width, wherein the first width is generally constant over the entire outer channel and the second width is generally constant over the entire transition channel, wherein the outer channel is oblique to the transition channel, wherein the outer channel and the transition channel define a travel path for the hinge pin between the mouth and the round socket for installation or removal of the door, the travel path extending along a single vertical orientation between the mouth and the round socket.   
     
     
         12 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the first width is generally equal to the second width. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the outer channel defines an angle of between about ten degrees and about forty degrees with the transition channel. 
     
     
         15 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein an opening of about ten degrees is defined in an upper portion of the round socket. 
     
     
         16 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising a retaining point defined at a boundary of the round socket and the transition channel. 
     
     
         17 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the retaining point is defined by a rounded corner at the boundary of the round socket and the transition channel. 
     
     
         18 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the second bracket comprises a front end, and the retaining point is defined at a front edge of the boundary of the round socket and the transition channel. 
     
     
         19 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the transition channel is bounded by the retaining point and a vertical edge. 
     
     
         20 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the round socket defines a circular arc of greater than one hundred eighty degrees.