Sprayer assembly for laundry appliance

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a fluid pump that delivers process fluid through a fluid path. A tub is disposed within a cabinet and a drum that is rotationally operable within the tub. The tub and the drum define a portion of the fluid path, and a sprayer assembly is coupled with the tub for directing the process fluid into the drum. The sprayer assembly includes a first wall including a water inlet conduit and a light housing, a second wall spaced from the first wall, and a sidewall partially coupling the first wall and the second wall, thereby defining a cavity and an outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry appliance comprising:
 a fluid pump that delivers process fluid through a fluid path;   a tub disposed within a cabinet and a drum that is rotationally operable within the tub, wherein the tub and the drum define a portion of the fluid path; and   a sprayer assembly coupled with the tub for directing the process fluid into the drum, the sprayer assembly comprising:
 a first wall including a water inlet conduit and a light housing; 
 a second wall spaced from the first wall; 
 a sidewall partially coupling the first wall and the second wall, thereby defining a cavity and an outlet; and 
 a first rib disposed within the cavity and extending between the first wall and the second wall, the first rib defining a water flow channel and a light guide that are each in communication with the outlet, wherein the water flow channel is in fluid communication with the water inlet conduit and is fluidly sealed from the light guide. 
   
     
     
         2 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a bellows that extends between the tub and the cabinet, wherein the sprayer assembly is received within an aperture of the bellows. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry appliance of  claim 2 , wherein a majority of the second wall is visible from an access opening defined by the cabinet. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid path recirculates process fluid through the drum and the sprayer assembly via a fluid pump. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the light housing includes a light source that is configured to selectively illuminate a portion of a processing space defined within the drum. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the light housing is closed at a distal end thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a second rib disposed within the cavity and extending between the first wall and the second wall, wherein the first rib and the second rib define the water flow channel therebetween. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein a volume of the water flow channel is less than a volume of the cavity. 
     
     
         9 . A recirculating fluid flow system for an appliance, the recirculating fluid flow system comprising:
 a fluid pump that delivers process fluid through a fluid path;   a tub having a bellows, wherein the tub is disposed within a cabinet and defining a processing space, wherein the fluid path includes at least a portion of the processing space, the tub having an outlet that directs the process fluid toward the fluid pump; and   a sprayer assembly coupled with the tub for directing the process fluid into the processing space, the sprayer assembly comprising:
 a first wall including a water inlet conduit and a light housing; 
 a second wall spaced from the first wall; 
 a sidewall extending between the first wall and the second wall, thereby defining a cavity and sprayer outlet in communication with the water inlet conduit and the light housing via the cavity; and 
 a rib disposed within the cavity and extending between the first wall and the second wall, the rib separating the water flow channel from a light guide. 
   
     
     
         10 . The recirculating fluid flow system of  claim 9 , wherein the sidewall includes a first height at the sprayer outlet and a second height spaced from the sprayer outlet, wherein the first height is greater than the second height. 
     
     
         11 . The recirculating fluid flow system of  claim 9 , wherein the fluid path recirculates process fluid through the sprayer assembly and the tub via the fluid pump. 
     
     
         12 . The recirculating fluid flow system of  claim 11 , wherein process fluid is configured to exit the water flow channel at a flow rate approximately equal to a flow rate of process fluid within the fluid path adjacent the fluid pump. 
     
     
         13 . The recirculating fluid flow system of  claim 9 , wherein the sprayer assembly includes a unitary rigid housing. 
     
     
         14 . The recirculating fluid flow system of  claim 9 , wherein a volume of the water flow channel is less than a volume of the cavity. 
     
     
         15 . The recirculating fluid flow system of  claim 14 , wherein a volume of the light guide is less than a volume of the water flow channel. 
     
     
         16 . The recirculating fluid flow system of  claim 15 , wherein the light housing includes a light source configured to selectively illuminate a portion of the processing space via the light guide. 
     
     
         17 . A sprayer assembly for an appliance, the sprayer assembly comprising:
 a rigid housing comprising:
 a first wall that includes a water inlet conduit and a light housing, each extending therefrom; 
 a second wall spaced from the first wall; 
 a sidewall extending between the first wall and the second wall, thereby defining a cavity and an outlet; and 
 a first rib and a second rib disposed within the cavity and extending between the first wall and the second wall, the first rib and the second rib defining a water flow channel therebetween that is in fluid communication with the water inlet conduit and the outlet, wherein the water flow channel is fluidly sealed from the light housing. 
   
     
     
         18 . The sprayer assembly for an appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the sidewall includes a first height at the outlet and a second height spaced from the outlet, wherein the first height is greater than the second height. 
     
     
         19 . The sprayer assembly for an appliance of  claim 17 , wherein a volume of the water flow channel is less than a volume of the cavity. 
     
     
         20 . The sprayer assembly for an appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the first rib and the sidewall define a light guide therebetween that is fluidly sealed from the water flow channel and a volume of the light guide is less than a volume of the water flow channel.