Abstract: An appliance vent duct cover includes a first cover portion, and a second cover portion including a plurality of openings, wherein the second cover portion is slidably coupled to the first cover portion such that the second cover portion is selectively positionable with respect to the first cover portion to enable the plurality of openings to be substantially covered by the first cover portion.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating a dishwasher in a variable dry cycle mode is provided. The dishwasher includes a wash chamber, a heater element located within the wash chamber, a rinse aid product dispenser, and a fan unit for circulating air. The method comprises determining a temperature of the wash chamber, determining an amount of rinse aid product in the dispenser, and, based upon the determined temperature and the amount of rinse aid product, determining an optimized heater element cycle and an optimized fan unit cycle.

Abstract: A cookware washer includes a wash chamber, and a lower rack positioned within said wash chamber. The lower rack includes a substantially unobstructed bottom surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating a dishwasher in a variable dry cycle mode is provided. The dishwasher includes a wash chamber, a heater element located within the wash chamber, a rinse aid product dispenser, and a fan unit for circulating air. The method comprises determining a temperature of the wash chamber, determining an amount of rinse aid product in the dispenser, and, based upon the determined temperature and the amount of rinse aid product, determining an optimized heater element cycle and an optimized fan unit cycle.

Abstract: A cookware washer includes a wash chamber, and a lower rack positioned within said wash chamber. The lower rack includes a substantially unobstructed bottom surface.

Abstract: The appliance comprises a container for receiving the soiled articles, a circulation pump for distributing a hot liquid to the container, a drain positioned in the container and connected to the pump for emptying the liquid from the container upon completion of a cycle and a hydroclone connected to the drain and the pump, for removing soil from the liquid such that about ninety percent (90%) of the liquid distributed to the container during one cycle can be utilized during at least one subsequent cycle.

Abstract: The appliance comprises a container for receiving the soiled articles, a circulation pump for distributing a hot liquid to the container, a drain positioned in the container and connected to the pump for emptying the liquid from the container upon completion of a cycle and a hydroclone connected to the drain and the pump, for removing soil from the liquid such that about ninety percent (90%) of the liquid distributed to the container during one cycle can be utilized during at least one subsequent cycle.

Abstract: A dishwasher including a third level washing apparatus which is low cost and effective in spraying water over the upper rack of the dishwasher is described. More particularly, and in one embodiment, the dishwasher includes a rotatable arm mounted in the dishwasher tub below the lower rack for providing first level washing, and a retractable tower secured to, and rotatable with, the rotatable arm and positioned to extend through the lower rack when fully extended. The retractable tower provides second level washing. The dishwasher also includes a third level wash apparatus having a base secured to the upper rack and an elongate body extending from the base. A water passage extends through the base and elongate body. In one embodiment, a spray member is spaced from an open outlet end of the elongate body, and at least one support member extends from the elongate body to the spray member for supporting the spray member at an elevation above the upper rack.

Abstract: The instant invention is directed in general to dishwashers and, more specifically, to a non-symmetric heating element/spray-arm alignment within a dishwasher. In a first embodiment of the instant invention, a dishwasher having a washing phase and a drying phase, includes a spray-arm having a center point, rotatably attached within a dishwasher and a heating element having a center point positioned within the dishwasher, where the center point of the heating element and the center point of the spray-arm are offset such that the heating element and the spray-arm are non-symmetrically aligned and the spray-arm is exposed to the heating element in varying regions during drying phases.

Abstract: A spray-arm assembly comprises a convergent base section having a bell mouth, a throat section, and a cylindrical housing that extends axially along the periphery of the throat section, a lower cylindrical conduit section and an upper cylindrical conduit section, and a divergent diffuser section having an entry area and an exit area. In one embodiment of the instant invention, a drainage groove is disposed within the diffuser section in order to facilitate the drainage of excess water from the spray-arm assembly once a washing or rinsing phase of operation is completed. In another embodiment of the instant invention, at least one drainage notch is formed at the mouth of the divergent diffuser section in order to create a drainage passage between the divergent section and the convergent base section.