Dishwashing system and impeller driven manifold

Abstract

A dishwasher includes a housing defining a washtub, a plurality of racks disposed within the washtub, a manifold positioned on a backside of at least one of the plurality of racks. The manifold includes an impeller positioned within an inlet of the manifold, a drive gear system mechanically coupled to the impeller via a drive shaft, a transmission shaft mechanically coupled to the drive gear system, and a plurality of spray tubes fluidly coupled to the manifold. The plurality of spray tubes oscillate to distribute fluid onto items positioned within the washtub.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dishwasher comprising:
 a housing defining a washtub;   a plurality of racks disposed within the washtub;   a manifold in fluid communication with recirculation fluid within the washtub, the manifold further comprising:
 an impeller positioned in fluid communication with an inlet of the manifold; 
 a drive gear system mechanically coupled to the impeller via a drive shaft; 
 a transmission shaft mechanically coupled to the drive gear system; and 
 a spray tube coupled to the transmission shaft and fluidly coupled to the inlet of the manifold, the spray tube being configured to oscillate to distribute fluid onto items positioned within the washtub. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the manifold is coupled to at least one of the plurality of racks. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller is axially aligned with the inlet of the manifold, such that fluid that enters the manifold traverses the impeller in a direction collinear with the axis of rotation of the impeller. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , further comprising a range-limiting assembly mechanically coupled to the transmission shaft. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher of  claim 4 , wherein the range-limiting assembly is configured to limit rotational movement of the spray tube. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher of  claim 5 , wherein the spray tube is configured to oscillate within an included cone angle of between approximately 0 degrees and approximately 150 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , wherein the spray tube is coupled to a front portion of at least one of the plurality of racks via an attachment bracket. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the manifold includes more than one spray tube. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of racks includes at least one manifold. 
     
     
         10 . A dishwasher comprising:
 a housing defining a washtub;   at least one dishware rack slidably disposed within the washtub from a loading position to a wash position;   at least one manifold coupled to a rear side of the at least one dishware rack, the manifold further comprising:
 an inline impeller in fluid communication with a fluid inlet of the manifold and having an axis of rotation collinear with a fluid path of fluid entering the fluid inlet; 
 a drive gear system mechanically coupled to the impeller via a drive shaft; 
 a transmission shaft mechanically coupled to the drive gear system; and 
 at least one spray tube in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and mechanically coupled at one end to the transmission shaft via a drive oscillator and at the other end to a front side of the at least one dishware rack, the at least one spray tube being configured to oscillate to distribute fluid onto items positioned within the at least one dishware rack. 
   
     
     
         11 . The dishwasher of  claim 10 , further comprising a range-limiting assembly mechanically coupled to the transmission shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The dishwasher of  claim 11 , wherein the range-limiting assembly further comprises an offset drive wheel coupled to the transmission shaft and having a coupling joint disposed radially thereon a first distance from an axis of rotation of the disc. 
     
     
         13 . The dishwasher of  claim 12 , wherein the drive oscillator further comprises a hollow cylindrical body having a pin located thereon at a distance radially disposed away from a central axis of the drive oscillator. 
     
     
         14 . The dishwasher of  claim 13 , wherein the range-limiting assembly further comprises a transmission shaft arm having a first end and a second end. 
     
     
         15 . The dishwasher of  claim 14 , wherein the first end of the transmission shaft arm is coupled to the offset drive wheel at the coupling joint and the second end of the transmission shaft arm is coupled to the pin. 
     
     
         16 . The dishwasher of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one spray tube is configured to oscillate about its cylindrical axis between an included cone angle of approximately 0 and approximately 150 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . A dishwasher comprising:
 a housing defining a washtub;   at least one rack slidably disposed within the washtub;   at least one manifold coupled to a rear side of at least one rack and having a fluid inlet in fluid communication with recirculated fluid within the washtub, the manifold further comprising:
 an impeller positioned in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and rotatable about an impeller axis that is collinear with a fluid path entering the fluid inlet; 
 a drive gear system mechanically coupled to the impeller via a drive shaft that is also collinear with the fluid path entering the fluid inlet; 
 a transmission shaft mechanically coupled to the drive gear system; 
 at least one spray tube in fluid communication with the fluid inlet, the at least one spray tube having a first end and a second end, the first end mechanically coupled to the transmission shaft via a drive oscillator, the second end being coupled to the at least one rack so as to allow the at least one spray tube to rotate about its longitudinal axis; and 
 a range-limiting assembly configured to limit the range of rotation of the at least one spray tube for targeted cleaning of dishware in the at least one rack. 
   
     
     
         18 . The dishwasher of  claim 17 , wherein the range-limiting component further includes an offset drive wheel coupled to the transmission shaft, a transmission shaft arm having a first end and a second end, and a pin coupled to the drive oscillator. 
     
     
         19 . The dishwasher of  claim 18 , wherein the first end is coupled to the offset drive wheel at a location radially disposed away from a center of the disc, and the second end is coupled to the drive oscillator at a location radially disposed away from a center of the drive oscillator. 
     
     
         20 . The dishwasher of  claim 19 , wherein the range-limiting assembly limits the range of possible rotation of the at least one spray tube to an included cone angle between approximately 0 degrees and approximately 150 degrees.