Dishwashing appliances and sensor assemblies for detecting a position of an appliance door

Abstract

A dishwashing appliance may include a cabinet, a door, and a sensor assembly. The door may extend along the lateral direction between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. The door may be rotatably mounted to the cabinet to move about a rotation axis between an open position and a closed position. The sensor assembly may detect a rotational position of the door and include a stationary electrical contact and a movable electrical contact. The stationary electrical contact may be mounted on the cabinet at a first side or a second side. The movable electrical contact may be mounted on the door at the first lateral edge or the second lateral edge. The movable electrical contact may be in selective alignment and electrical connection with the stationary electrical contact based on the rotational position of the door.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dishwashing appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the dishwashing appliance comprising:
 a cabinet extending along the lateral direction between a first side and a second side, the cabinet defining a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing;   a door extending along the lateral direction between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge, the door being rotatably mounted to the cabinet to move about a rotation axis between an open position and a closed position; and   a sensor assembly to detect a rotational position of the door, the sensor assembly comprising
 a stationary electrical contact mounted on the cabinet at the first side or the second side, and 
 a movable electrical contact mounted on the door at the first lateral edge or the second lateral edge, the movable electrical contact being in selective alignment and electrical connection with the stationary electrical contact based on the rotational position of the door. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a latch assembly comprising
 a latch mounted to the door at an upper end of the door, and   a catch mounted to the cabinet to receive the latch,   wherein the latch assembly is configured to detect the door in the closed position.   
     
     
         3 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor assembly is configured to detect the door in the open position based on positioning of the movable electrical contact relative to the stationary electrical contact. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the door comprises a pin about which the door rotates, wherein the cabinet comprises a support arm on which the pin is held, and wherein the support arm forms the stationary electrical contact. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein one of the stationary electrical contact and the movable electrical contact comprises a contact disk defining an arcuate conductive surface, and wherein another of the stationary electrical contact and the movable electrical contact comprises a conductive rod extending laterally toward the contact disk. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the contact disk further comprises an arcuate insulative surface, wherein the arcuate conductive surface extends along a first angular distance about the rotation axis, wherein the arcuate insulative surface extends from the arcuate conductive surface along a second angular distance about the rotation axis. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein one of the stationary electrical contact and the movable electrical contact comprises a plurality of conductive rods extending laterally, and wherein the plurality of conductive rods are radially spaced apart from the rotation axis. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 7 , wherein another of the stationary electrical contact and the movable electrical contact comprises a contact disk defining an plurality of arcuate conductive surfaces radially matched to the plurality of conductive rods in selective engagement therewith. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 8 , wherein two or more of the plurality of arcuate conductive surfaces are circumferentially offset relative to each other to engage one or more of the plurality of conductive rods at different positions of the door between the closed position and the open position. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller attached to the cabinet, wherein the controller is configured to direct an appliance operation based on a position signal received from the sensor assembly. 
     
     
         11 . A dishwashing appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the dishwashing appliance comprising:
 a cabinet extending along the lateral direction between a first side and a second side, the cabinet defining a wash chamber for receipt of articles for washing;   a door extending along the lateral direction between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge, the door being rotatably mounted to the cabinet to move about a rotation axis between an open position and a closed position;   a latch assembly comprising a latch mounted to the door at an upper end of the door, and a catch mounted to the cabinet to receive the latch; and   a sensor assembly to detect a rotational position of the door, the sensor assembly may include
 a stationary electrical contact mounted on the cabinet at the first side or the second side, and 
 a movable electrical contact mounted on the door at the first lateral edge or the second lateral edge, the movable electrical contact being mounted at a common radial distance with the stationary electrical contact relative to the rotation axis in selective alignment and electrical connection with the stationary electrical contact based on the rotational position of the door. 
   
     
     
         12 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the latch assembly is configured to detect the door in the closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the sensor assembly is configured to detect the door in the open position based on positioning of the movable electrical contact relative to the stationary electrical contact. 
     
     
         14 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the door comprises a pin about which the door rotates, wherein the cabinet comprises a support arm on which the pin is held, and wherein the support arm forms the stationary electrical contact. 
     
     
         15 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein one of the stationary electrical contact and the movable electrical contact comprises a contact disk defining an arcuate conductive surface, and wherein another of the stationary electrical contact and the movable electrical contact comprises a conductive rod extending laterally toward the contact disk. 
     
     
         16 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the contact disk further comprises an arcuate insulative surface, wherein the arcuate conductive surface extends along a first angular distance about the rotation axis, wherein the arcuate insulative surface extends from the arcuate conductive surface along a second angular distance about the rotation axis. 
     
     
         17 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , wherein one of the stationary electrical contact and the movable electrical contact comprises a plurality of conductive rods extending laterally, and wherein the plurality of conductive rods are radially spaced apart from the rotation axis. 
     
     
         18 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 17 , wherein another of the stationary electrical contact and the movable electrical contact comprises a contact disk defining an plurality of arcuate conductive surfaces radially matched to the plurality of conductive rods in selective engagement therewith. 
     
     
         19 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 18 , wherein two or more of the plurality of arcuate conductive surfaces are circumferentially offset relative to each other to engage one or more of the plurality of conductive rods at different positions of the door between the closed position and the open position. 
     
     
         20 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising a controller attached to the cabinet, wherein the controller is configured to direct an appliance operation based on a position signal received from the sensor assembly.