Air knife assembly for a dishwasher

Abstract

A drying assembly for an appliance includes a tub defining a washing chamber. A lead screw extends along a length of the washing chamber. A support member extends along the length of the washing chamber proximate to the lead screw. An air knife assembly is operably coupled to the lead screw and the support member, where the air knife assembly is operable between a stowed state and a deployed state. The air knife assembly includes an air knife defining an elongated body. A first blower is coupled to a first portion of the elongated body and a second blower is coupled to a second portion of the elongated body. The first blower and the second blower are configured to generate an air curtain when the air knife assembly is in the deployed state.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dishwasher, comprising:
 a tub having a top wall and opposing sidewalls that at least partially define a washing chamber;   a dish rack operably coupled to the tub and extending between the opposing sidewalls;   a guide assembly operably coupled to the tub, the guide assembly including:
 a housing operably coupled to the top wall of the tub; 
 a motor disposed in the housing; 
 a lead screw operably coupled to the motor, wherein the lead screw extends between the opposing sidewalls of the tub; and 
 at least one support member operably coupled to the housing, wherein the at least one support member extends between the opposing sidewalls of the tub parallel to the lead screw; and 
   an air knife assembly operably coupled to the lead screw and the at least one support member, wherein the air knife assembly is operable between a stowed state and a deployed state, the air knife assembly including:
 an air knife defining at least one inlet and an outlet; and 
 a first blower and a second blower operably coupled to the air knife, wherein the first and second blowers are configured to direct air through the outlet of the air knife to generate an air curtain along a length of the dish rack when the air knife assembly is in the deployed state. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the air knife assembly includes:
 a first blower housing and a second blower housing operably coupled to the air knife, wherein the at least one inlet includes a first inlet defined by the first blower housing and a second inlet defined by the second blower housing, and wherein the first blower housing is spaced from the second blower housing.   
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , wherein the first blower housing and the second blower housing extend between one of the opposing sidewalls of the tub and the air knife. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a first receiving plate and a second receiving plate coupled with the tub proximate to the housing, wherein the first blower housing abuts the first receiving plate and the second blower housing abuts the second receiving plate when the air knife assembly is in the stowed state.   
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher of  claim 4 , wherein the first blower is disposed in the first blower housing and the second blower is disposed in the second blower housing, and wherein a portion of the first blower is positioned proximate to the first receiving plate and a portion of the second blower is positioned proximate to the second receiving plate when the air knife assembly is in the stowed state. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one support member includes a first support member parallel to a second support member, and wherein the lead screw is positioned between the first support member and the second support member. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher of  claim 6 , wherein the motor drives rotation of the lead screw to linearly translate the air knife assembly along the lead screw and the first and second support members. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , wherein the air knife includes an elongated body defining a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first blower housing is coupled to the elongated body, and the second blower housing is coupled to the elongated body. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher of  claim 8 , wherein the first blower housing is centrally located along the first portion and the second blower housing is centrally located along the second portion of the elongated body of the air knife. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwasher of  claim 8 , wherein the first portion of the elongated body defines a first zone and a second portion defines a second zone, and wherein the first zone forms a first air curtain portion and the second zone forms a second air curtain portion, and further wherein the first and second air curtains combine to form the air curtain. 
     
     
         11 . The dishwasher of  claim 8 , wherein the elongated body of the air knife defines an internal airflow passageway between opposing ends of the air knife, wherein the first and second blowers are configured to direct air from the internal airflow passageway and through the outlet to form the air curtain when the air knife assembly is in the deployed state. 
     
     
         12 . The dishwasher of  claim 8 , wherein the elongated body includes a lip defining a gap forming the outlet of the air knife, and wherein a height of the lip is configured to guide a continuous stream of the air curtain when the air knife assembly is in the deployed state. 
     
     
         13 . An appliance, comprising:
 a tub having opposing sidewalls that at least partially define a washing chamber;   a housing operably coupled to a top portion of the tub;   a lead screw operably coupled to the housing and extending between the opposing sidewalls of the tub;   a first support member and a second support member coupled to the housing and extending between the opposing sidewall, wherein the lead screw is positioned between the first and second support members; and   an air knife assembly operably coupled to the lead screw, wherein the air knife assembly is operable between a stowed state and a deployed state, the air knife assembly including:
 an air knife operably coupled to the lead screw, the first support member, and the second support member, wherein the air knife includes an inlet and an outlet; and 
 at least one blower operably coupled to the air knife, wherein the at least one blower is configured to direct air through the outlet of the air knife to generate an air curtain when the air knife assembly is in the deployed state. 
   
     
     
         14 . The appliance of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a first dish rack positioned above a second dish rack within the tub, each of the first and second dish racks being operably coupled to the tub and extending along a width of the washing chamber, wherein the air knife assembly is configured to direct the air curtain in a downward direction towards the first dish rack and the second dish rack when in the deployed state.   
     
     
         15 . The appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one blower includes a first blower and a second blower, and wherein the first blower is configured to generate a first airflow through the air knife and the second blower is configured to generate a second airflow through the air knife, and further wherein the first and second airflows combine to form the air curtain when the air knife assembly is in the deployed state. 
     
     
         16 . The appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the air knife defines an elongated slit forming the outlet to direct the air curtain in a downward direction, and wherein the elongated slit defines opposing raised ends configured to assist in directing the air curtain when the air knife assembly is in the deployed state. 
     
     
         17 . The appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one blower generates the air curtain as a sheet of air extending along a length of the elongated slit of the air knife to maximize removal of excess water on dishes disposed in the first and second dish rack. 
     
     
         18 . A drying assembly for an appliance, comprising
 a tub defining a washing chamber;   a lead screw extending through the washing chamber;   a support member extending through the washing chamber proximate to the lead screw; and   an air knife assembly operably coupled to the lead screw and the support member, wherein the air knife assembly is operable between a stowed state and a deployed state, the air knife assembly including:
 an air knife defining an elongated body; 
 a first blower coupled to a first portion of the elongated body; and 
 a second blower coupled to a second portion of the elongated body, wherein the first blower and the second blower are configured to generate an air curtain when the air knife assembly is in the deployed state. 
   
     
     
         19 . The drying assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the air knife includes an attachment feature coupled to a top of the air knife and defining a plurality of apertures to receive the lead screw and the support member. 
     
     
         20 . The drying assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a mounting bracket operably coupled to an opposing side wall of the tub opposite the air knife assembly, wherein the lead screw and the support member are coupled to the mounting bracket.