ADJUSTABLE MULTI-COMPARTMENT DISHWASHER

Abstract

A dishwasher may include a tub and a divider located within the tub to divide the interior into a first treating chamber and a second treating chamber. The relative size of the first and second treating chambers may be adjusted by moving the divider relative to the tub.

Description

BACKGROUND

Contemporary automatic household dishwashers may have a tub with multiple, separate compartments for receiving soiled utensils to be treated. Typically, in such dishwashers, each compartment may be in the form of a movable tub or drawer carrying a utensil rack, wherein the drawer may be slidable relative to the tub. Alternatively, one or more of the compartments may be stationary with a utensil rack slidable relative to the tub. Regardless of the compartment type, the compartments are typically physically separated and are commonly arranged in a vertical, stacked configuration with a fixed height for each compartment.

SUMMARY

A dishwasher according to one embodiment may include a tub defining an interior and having an open face, a moveable door for selectively closing the open face, and a divider located within the tub to divide the interior into a first treating chamber and a second treating chamber. A first spray system may spray liquid into the first treating chamber, a second spray system may spray liquid into the second treating chamber, and a recirculation system may recirculate the spray liquid for the first and second treating chambers. An adjuster may moveably mount the divider to the tub wherein the relative size of the first and second treating chambers may be adjusted by moving the divider relative to the tub.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dishwasher with a door closed according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dishwasher of FIG. 1 with the door open, an upper utensil rack retracted, and a lower utensil rack extended.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 with the upper utensil rack extended and the lower utensil rack retracted.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a liquid supply system, a liquid recirculation system, and an air supply system for the dishwasher of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the region labeled V in FIG. 2, wherein a divider of the dishwasher is shown in an upper position.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 5 with the divider shown in a lower position.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a controller for the dishwasher of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 with the divider in the lower position.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a dishwasher, wherein the divider forms part of a drawer and is in the upper position, and the drawer is in a retracted position.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 9, wherein the drawer is in an extended position.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating sloped configurations for the drawer and corresponding seals that mate with the dishwasher tub in the upper and lower positions, wherein the drawer is in the upper position.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 11, wherein the drawer is in the lower position.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 9 with the divider in the lower position.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-compartment dishwasher 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. Although the actual dishwasher 10 into which the embodiments of the invention may be incorporated may vary, the invention is shown in connection with the dishwasher 10 for illustrative purposes. The dishwasher 10 includes a chassis 12 and a door 14 mounted to the chassis 12. The chassis 12 may be a cabinet or a frame, with or without exterior panels. Built-in dishwashers typically have only a frame without panels, whereas stand-alone dishwashers have a frame with decorative panels covering the frame.

Referring now to FIG. 2, which is a front view of the dishwasher 10 with the door 14 in an open position, the dishwasher 10 may comprise an open-face tub housing or tub 16 having opposing top and bottom walls 18, 20, opposing side walls 22, and a rear wall 24 that collectively define an interior with an open face 26. The front edges of the tub top and bottom walls 18, 20 and the opposing side walls 22 define the open face 26, and the door 14 may be moveably mounted to the chassis 12 for selectively closing the open face 26 of the tub 16, such as by pivoting relative to the chassis 12 at hinges 28 located at a lower end of the door 14. The closed position of the door 14 is illustrated in FIG. 1. When the door 14 is in an opened position, as in FIG. 2, the open door 14 provides access to the tub 16 through the open face 26 for loading and unloading utensils or other treatable items. As used in this description, the term “utensil(s)” is intended to be generic to any item, single or plural, that may be treated in the dishwasher 10, including, without limitation, dishes, plates, pots, bowls, pans, glassware, and silverware.

The interior of the tub 16 may include any number of multiple compartments, and the illustrated embodiment features two compartments, an upper compartment and a lower compartment, formed by an upper tub 30 and a lower tub 32 that respectively define at least a portion of an upper treating chamber 34 and a lower treating chamber 36. The upper and lower tubs 30, 32 are illustrated as having differing size, with the upper tub 30 being smaller than the lower tub 32; however, the tubs 30, 32 may be of the same size. Further, the upper and lower tubs 30, 32 may have a vertically stacked configuration as illustrated or may alternatively have a horizontal side-by-side configuration. The tubs 30, 32 may also be remote from each other in a distributed configuration.

A divider 40 within the tub 16 may separate the tub 16 into the upper tub 30 and the lower tub 32. The upper tub 30 may be defined by the divider 40 and the portion of the tub 16 above the divider 40 to define the upper treating chamber 34, and, similarly, the lower tub may be defined by the divider 40 and the portion of the tub 16 below the divider 40 to form the lower treating chamber 36.

In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the divider 40 may be in the form of a shelf-like partition spanning approximately the width and depth of the tub 16 and may include a divider support 42 extending along the side walls 22 and the rear wall 24 of the tub 16. The divider support 42 may have any suitable form and is shown as a vertical bracket extending along the side walls 22 and the rear wall 24 and having an upper edge 44 and a lower edge 46. The upper edge 44 may be angled or sloped downwardly from the front of the tub 16 to the rear of the tub 16, while the lower edge may be angled or sloped upwardly from the front of the tub 16 to the rear of the tub 16 such that the height of the portion of the divider support 42 on the side walls 22 tapers from the front to the rear of the tub 16. The divider support 42 may have a constant height along the rear wall 24 of the tub 16.

The upper tub 30 may contain a drawer 50 slidably mounted to the divider assembly. In the illustrated embodiment, the drawer 50 may be mounted to the divider 40, particularly to the divider support 42, by slide rails 52 such that the drawer 50 may slide relative to the tub 16 and to the divider 40 between a retracted position, shown in FIG. 2, and an extended position, shown in FIG. 3. The slide rails 52 may be well-known, conventional drawer slides; alternatively, the drawer 50 may be mounted to the divider 40 by other suitable extendible support guides or attachment devices. In an alternative embodiment, the drawer 50 may be slidably mounted on its bottom to the shelf-like portion of the divider 40.

The drawer 50 may be any type of dishwasher drawer, and the exemplary drawer 50 of the illustrated embodiment includes a bottom wall 54 with an upwardly extending peripheral lip 56 supported by the bottom wall 54. The slide rails 52 coupling the drawer 50 to the divider 40 may be mounted to the peripheral lip 56. The drawer 50 may be provided with a utensil rack 60 for supporting various objects, such as utensils and the like, to be exposed to a treating operation in the upper treating chamber 34. The utensil rack 60 may slide with the drawer 50 horizontally relative to the tub 16 and the divider 40. Further, the bottom wall 54 of the drawer 50 may be sloped to function as a sump or fluid outlet to drain treatment fluid from the upper treating chamber 34.

With continued reference to FIG. 3, the lower tub 32 may be collectively formed by the divider 40 and the portion of the tub 16 below the divider 40 to define the lower treating chamber 36. A utensil rack 62 for supporting various objects, such as utensils and the like, to be exposed to a treating operation in the lower treating chamber 36 may be slidable within the lower tub 32 by wheels 64 on the lower side of the rack 62 such that the rack 62 may roll on the door 14 in the opened position and on ledges 66 disposed on the side walls 22 between an extended position, shown previously in FIG. 2, and a retracted position, as shown in FIG. 3. Alternatively, the rack 62 may be mounted to and slidable relative to the side walls 22 by slide rails, which may be well-known, conventional drawer slides or other suitable extendible support guides or attachment devices. Further, the bottom wall 20 of the tub 16 may be sloped to function as a sump or fluid outlet to drain treatment fluid from the lower treating chamber 36.

Referring additionally to the schematic diagram of FIG. 4, a spray system may be provided for spraying liquid within the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36. The spray system may include a sprayer of some type for spraying liquid in the treating chambers 34, 36, and the sprayers in the upper treatment and lower treating chambers 34, 36 function as fluid inlets for the respective upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36. In the current embodiment, the sprayers are in the form of upper and lower spray assemblies 70, 72 and may comprise a traditional spray arm located below the respective utensil racks 60, 62, as shown for illustrative purposes in the figures. The spray assemblies 70, 72 are configured to generate a spray of liquid in a generally upward direction, over at least a portion of the respective treating chamber 34, 36, typically directed to treat utensils located in the utensil racks 60, 62. Alternatively or additionally, the spray assemblies 70, 72 may include other types of spray assemblies, including other rotating sprayers, stationary sprayers, including spray bars, zone sprayers, individual spray nozzles, and the like, located at any suitable location, such as on the walls of the respective upper and lower tubs 30, 32 and on the respective utensil racks 60, 62 to provide treating fluid to the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36. The type, number, and location of the spray assemblies 70, 72 are not germane to the present invention.

With continued reference to FIG. 4, the dishwasher 10 may further include a liquid recirculation system, which may include a pump and filter unit 80, for selectively supplying, recirculating, and draining liquid from the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36. The liquid recirculation system may be fluidly coupled to the spray system having the upper spray assembly 70 and the lower spray assembly 72 described above.

The liquid recirculation system includes several fluid conduits or lines, which are indicated by solid lines in FIG. 4. An upper supply conduit 82 may couple an outlet of the pump and filter unit 80 to an inlet of the upper treating chamber 34, such as via the upper spray assembly 70, for supplying liquid to the upper treating chamber 34 through the upper spray assembly 70. For the lower treating chamber 36, a lower supply conduit 84 may couple the outlet of the pump and filter unit 80 to an inlet of the lower treating chamber 36, such as via the lower spray assembly 72, for supplying liquid to the lower treating chamber 36 through the lower spray assembly 72. Similar conduits may be present for draining fluid from the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 to the pump and filter unit 80. An upper return conduit 86 may fluidly couple an outlet of the upper treating chamber 34, such as via the upper sump formed by the drawer bottom wall 54, with an inlet of the pump and filter unit 80. For the lower treating chamber 36, a lower return conduit 88 may fluidly couple an outlet of the lower treating chamber 36, such as via the lower sump formed by the tub bottom wall 20, with the inlet of the pump and filter unit 80. Portions of the upper and lower supply conduits 82, 84 and of the upper and lower return conduits 86, 88 may be located within the respective upper and lower tubs 30, 32, while other portions may be hidden from the user's view behind the tub 16. To accommodate sliding movement of the drawer 50 and the upper spray assembly 70 and the upper sump that move with the drawer 50, the upper supply conduit 82 and the upper return conduit 86 may include extendible sections and/or may selectively uncouple and recouple with itself or corresponding components of the dishwasher 10. Alternatively, the upper supply and return conduits 82, 86 may be configured such that they are unitary and remain coupled to the corresponding components of the dishwasher 10 during sliding movement of the drawer 50.

The liquid recirculation system may further comprise a liquid diverter system having supply and return diverters 90, 92 to selectively control the liquid movement within and between the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36. The supply diverter 90 has an inlet fluidly coupled to the outlet of the pump and filter unit 80 and a pair of outlets fluidly coupled to the upper and lower supply conduits 82, 84. In this case, a pump outlet conduit 94 coupling the outlet of the pump and filter unit 80 to the supply diverter 90 functions as either the upper or lower supply conduit 82, 84 depending on the source of the fluid flow. Correspondingly, the pump and filter unit 80 may supply liquid to the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 through the pump outlet conduit 94, the supply diverter 90, the respective upper and lower supply conduits 82, 84, and the respective upper and lower spray assemblies 70, 72. The return diverter 92 has a pair of inlets fluidly coupled to the upper and lower return conduits 86, 88 and an outlet fluidly coupled to the inlet of the pump and filter unit 80. In this case, a pump inlet conduit 96 coupling the supply diverter 90 to the inlet of the pump and filter unit 80 functions as either the upper or lower return conduit 86, 88 depending on the source of the fluid flow. Correspondingly, the pump and filter unit 80 may receive liquid drained from the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 through the respective upper and lower sumps, the respective upper and lower return conduits 86, 88, the return diverter 92, and the pump inlet conduit 96. The supply and return diverters 90, 92 may be valve type diverters or other types of diverters capable of diverting all or some of the liquid passing therethrough.

In the recirculation system, the fluid conduits or lines form recirculation circuits for the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 formed by the upper and lower tubs 30, 32. The upper supply conduit 82 and the upper return conduit 86 define an upper recirculation circuit whereby treating fluid may be supplied from the pump and filter unit 80 to the upper treating chamber 34 and also returned from the upper treating chamber 34 to the pump and filter unit 80. Similarly, the lower supply conduit 84 and the lower return conduit 88 define a lower recirculation circuit whereby treating fluid may be supplied from the pump and filter unit 80 to the lower treating chamber 36 and also returned from the lower treating chamber 36 to the pump and filter unit 80. While the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 are physically separate, they may be considered selectively fluidly coupled by the pump and filter unit 80, which functions as a fluid connector for the upper and lower recirculation circuits. In other words, the pump and filter unit 80 may be operated to supply liquid obtained from the upper recirculation circuit to the lower recirculation circuit and vice-versa, if desired.

With continued reference to FIG. 4, the dishwasher 10 may also include a liquid supply system for providing external liquid to the pump and filter unit 80, which selectively supplies the liquid to either or both of the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 through the liquid recirculation system. Fluid conduits or lines of the liquid supply system are identified with a dash-dash-dot line in FIG. 4. The liquid supply system may include a liquid supply conduit 100 extending from a liquid source 102, such as a household water supply, to the pump and filter unit 80, and a supply valve 104 may control flow of the liquid from the liquid source 102 to the liquid supply conduit 100 and the pump and filter unit 80. A siphon break or reservoir 106 with an overflow conduit 108 may be located along the liquid supply conduit 100 to aid in supplying the liquid from the liquid source 102 to the pump and filter unit 80. Alternatively, the liquid supply system may employ separate liquid supplies for the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36.

With continued reference to FIG. 4, the pump and filter unit 80 may be a single assembly incorporating several devices, such as a supply and recirculation pump 110 for pumping liquid from the liquid supply conduit 100 and/or the pump inlet conduit 96 to the pump outlet conduit 94, a drain pump 112 for pumping liquid from the pump inlet conduit 96 to a household drain conduit 114 (indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 4), a liquid filter (not shown) to filter the liquid prior to being supplied to the pump outlet conduit 94, a heater (not shown) for heating the liquid prior to being supplied to the pump outlet conduit 94, and a fan or blower 116. The supply and recirculation pump 110, the drain pump 112, and the blower 116 are shown schematically as components of the pump and filter unit 80 in FIG. 4, the boundaries of which are not intended to show location or relative size of the components but are rather included to indicate only the presence of these components in the pump and filter unit 80. Further details of exemplary pump and filter units may be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/643,394, filed Dec. 21, 2009, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/910,203, filed Oct. 22, 2010, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/947,317, filed Nov. 16, 2010, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/959,483, filed Dec. 3, 2010, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/949,687, filed Dec. 3, 2010, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/959,507, filed Dec. 3, 2010, U.S. patent Ser. No. 12/959,673, filed Dec. 3, 2010, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/966,420, filed Dec. 13, 2010, and related applications, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The '673 application further includes additional details of an exemplary liquid recirculation system, including an exemplary liquid diverter system, and an exemplary liquid supply system.

The dishwasher 10 may further include an air supply system that may comprise the blower 116 of the pump and filter unit 80, along with a blower outlet conduit 120 in fluid communication with the upper treating chamber 34 through an upper air supply conduit 122 and with the lower treatment chamber 36 through a lower air supply conduit 124. The air conduits or lines are illustrated as dash-dot-dash lines in FIG. 4. An air diverter 126 may selectively direct air from the blower outlet conduit 120 to one of the upper and lower air supply conduits 122, 124 to thereby selectively deliver air to the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36, respectively. Optionally, the heater of the pump and filter unit 80 may heat the air prior to delivery to the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36. Further details of an exemplary air supply system may be found in the aforementioned and incorporated '673 application.

The described and illustrated liquid recirculation system, the liquid supply system, and the air supply system, along with the pump and filter unit 80, are provided for exemplary purposes. Any suitable systems capable of supplying, recirculating, and draining liquid and any suitable system for supplying air may be employed with the dishwasher 10.

The dishwasher 10 may further include an adjusting system and a sealing system that may function cooperatively in adjusting the vertical position of the divider 40 within the tub 16 to thereby adjust the sizes of the upper and lower tubs 30, 32, and thereby the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36, and sealing the divider 40 to the tub 16 in the adjustable positions of the divider 40. Referring now to FIG. 5, which is an enlarged view of the region labeled V in FIG. 2, the adjusting system may include an adjuster 130, which may have any suitable form and is illustrated by example as having on the divider support 42 an actuator 132 that interacts with a ratchet mechanism 134 located on the side wall 22 of the tub 16. The actuator 132 may be a mechanical actuator with a finger or pawl that can be moved relative to the divider support 42 to engage and disengage the actuator 132 from the ratchet mechanism 134, such as by pulling the actuator 132 away from the side wall 22 to disengage the ratchet mechanism 134 and pushing the actuator 132 toward the side wall 22 to engage the ratchet mechanism 134. Alternatively, the actuator 132 may be spring biased into the engaged position whereby the user could simply release the pulled actuator 132 to engage the ratchet mechanism 134. Engaging the actuator 132 with the ratchet mechanism 134 locks the divider 40 in position relative to the tub 16, while disengaging the actuator 132 from the ratchet mechanism 134 allows sliding vertical movement of the divider 40 relative to the tub 16. The ratchet mechanism 134 may include any desirable number of steps or ratchets corresponding to an equal number of predetermined positions for the actuator 132 and, thereby, the divider 40. In this manner, the divider may have a discrete number of positions, such as an upper position, as shown in FIG. 5, and a lower position, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The adjusting system may have one or more of the adjusters 130, and the illustrated embodiment has a pair of the adjusters 130, with each one of the pair located on opposite sides of the divider 40 and the tub 16 mounting the opposite sides of the divider 40 to the tub 16. With one of the adjusters 130 on each side of the divider 40, a user may grasp one of the actuators 132 with each hand for simultaneous actuation.

The predetermined positions of the ratchet mechanism 134 define a range within with the divider 40 is adjustable. The range may be any suitable range for a given dishwasher, and as one example, the range may be less than about three inches. In a configuration where the upper and lower treatment chambers 34, 36 are adjacent to one another and separated by a single divider, as in the illustrated embodiment, the range corresponds to the maximum increase in height of one of the treating chambers 34, 36 and a corresponding maximum decrease in the height of the other of the treating chambers 34, 36. The adjusting system may have any suitable number of predetermined positions and is not limited to the two described above and shown in the figures. In an alternative embodiment, the adjusting system may be configured to locate the divider 40 in any position, rather than discrete positions, within the range.

The tub 16 may include a recessed portion or channel 140 accommodating the divider support 42 and the ratchet mechanism 134. The channel 140 may extend generally horizontally along the side walls 22 and the rear wall 24 of the tub 16. As with the divider support 42, the channel 140 may have a sloped upper edge 142 and a sloped lower edge 144 such that the channel 140 tapers along the side walls 22 from the front to the rear of the tub 16. The portion of the channel 140 on the rear wall 24 of the tub 16 may have a constant height. The ratchet mechanism 134 may be provided in the channel 140 near the front of the tub 16 but may be disposed at any suitable location.

The sealing system may be configured such that the divider 40 may be sealed to the tub 16 in the adjustable positions of the divider 40. The sealing system may have any suitable form and is illustrated by example as having a peripheral seal 150 extending around the front peripheral edge of the tub 16 defining the open face 26 of the tub 16. The peripheral seal 150 mates with the door 14 when the door 14 is closed to prevent leakage of treating fluid outside the dishwasher 10. An upper seal 152 may be located on the upper edge 44 of the divider support 42, and, similarly, a lower seal 154 may be positioned on the lower edge 46 of the divider support 42. The upper seal 152 interacts with the upper edge 142 of the channel 140 when the divider 40 is in the upper position of FIG. 5 to form a seal between the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 and prevent leakage therebetween. Likewise, the lower seal 154 interacts with the lower edge 144 of the channel 140 when the divider 40 is in the lower position of FIG. 6 to form a seal between the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 and prevent leakage therebetween. Optionally, the upper and lower seals 152, 154 may extend around the front edge of the divider support 42 to join and form a single, continuous seal. Alternatively, the upper and lower seals 152, 154 may be located on the respective upper and lower edges 140, 144 of the channel 140 rather than on the divider support 42 of the divider 40. The sealing system may further include a divider seal 156 extending along the front edge of the divider 40, including the divider support 42 of the divider 40. The divider seal 156 may abut the door 14 when the door 14 is closed to further seal the upper treating chamber 34 from the lower treating chamber 36.

The various systems and components of the dishwasher 10 communicate with an electronic control, shown in the illustrated embodiment as a controller 160, that may be located in the chassis 12 below the tub 16 as part of the pump and filter unit 80 (FIG. 4). The controller 160 may be a single controller for both the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 and may be operably coupled to various components of the dishwasher 10 to implement a treating cycle of operation in one or both of the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36. As illustrated herein, the controller 160 may be part of the pump and filter unit 80 to provide a compact and modular assembly for installation within the dishwasher 10; however, one or more components shown as integrated with each other in the pump and filter unit 80 may also be provided separately. Further, the controller 160 may be positioned in locations of the dishwasher 10 other than below the tub 16, such as in other locations on the chassis 12 or on the door 14.

Referring now to FIG. 7, which is a schematic view of the controller 160 for the dishwasher 10, the controller 160 may be operably coupled to a user interface 162 to communicate with the user regarding the selection of treatment cycles and options for one or both of the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36, operation status, and other features common to dishwasher user interfaces. The user interface 162 may be disposed in any suitable location on the dishwasher, such as on the door 14. Further, the user interface 162 may be configured to communicate to the user a status of the divider 40, such a status related to the position of the divider 40, i.e., the upper position and the lower position for the present embodiment of the dishwasher 10. The status of the divider 40 may be an indicator in the form of, for example, one or more illuminators or text/image on a display.

Additionally, the controller 160 may be coupled with the supply and recirculation pump 110, the supply diverter 90, and the return diverter 92 for supply and circulation of fluid in the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 and with the drain pump 112 for drainage of fluid from the dishwasher 10. The controller 160 may be coupled with the supply valve 104 for supplying liquid to the pump and filter unit 80. The controller 160 may also be operably coupled with the blower 116 and the air diverter 126 to provide air into the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36. The controller 160 may also be coupled with the heater 164 to heat the fluid and/or air depending on the step being performed in the cycle of operation. The controller 160 may also be coupled to a dispenser 166 for dispensing a treating chemistry during appropriate steps in a cycle of operation into the upper and/or lower treating chambers 34, 36. Alternatively, each of the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 may have its own dedicated dispenser.

The controller 160 may also be coupled with one or more temperature sensors 168, which are known in the art, such that the controller 160 may control the duration of the steps of the cycle of operation based upon the temperature detected in the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 or in one of the various conduits of the dishwasher 10. The controller 160 may also receive inputs from positional sensors 170 that may detect the positions of the divider 40. Further, the controller 160 may also communicate with one or more other additional sensors 172, examples of which are known in the art. Non-limiting examples of the additional sensors 172 that may be communicably coupled with the controller 160 include a moisture sensor, a turbidity sensor, and positional sensors for the door 14.

The controller 160 may also be provided with a memory 174 and a central processing unit (CPU) 176. The memory 174 may be used for storing control software that may be executed by the CPU 176 in completing a cycle of operation using one or both of the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 of the dishwasher 10 and any additional software. For example, the memory 174 may store one or more pre-programmed cycles of operation that may be selected by a user and completed by one or more of the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36. A cycle of operation for the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 may include one or more of the following steps: a wash step, a rinse step, and a drying step. The wash step may further include a pre-wash step and a main wash step. The rinse step may also include multiple steps such as one or more additional rinsing steps performed in addition to a first rinsing. The amounts of fluid and/or rinse aid used during each of the multiple rinse steps may be varied. The drying step may have a non-heated drying step (so called “air only”), a heated drying step, or a combination thereof. These multiple steps may be performed by one or both of the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 in any desired combination.

The operation of the dishwasher 10 will now be described with a focus on the operation of the adjustable divider 40. Details regarding the supply and delivery of treating fluid and the delivery of heated and non-heated air to the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 may be found in the aforementioned and incorporated '673 application. The following description is provided for descriptive purposes only with the understanding that the operation may proceed in any suitable order and may be adapted according to variations of embodiments of the dishwasher 10. While the operation description will include reference to different figures, inherent reference to FIG. 7 may continually be made when discussing communication between the controller 160 and various systems and components of the dishwasher 10.

Prior to executing a treating cycle of operation, a user places utensils to be treated in the upper and/or lower utensil racks 60, 62 with the door 14 in the opened position. The user may adjust the divider 40 to change the sizes of the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 for accommodating the sizes of the utensils. For example, assuming the divider 40 is in the upper position of FIGS. 2 and 5, the user may lower the divider 40 to the lower position, thereby increasing the height of the upper treating chamber 34 and lowering the position of the upper utensil rack 60 such that larger utensils may fit in upper treating chamber 34. The user may lower the divider 40 by grasping the actuators 132 of the adjusters 130 and disengaging them from the respective ratchet mechanisms 134 by pulling them inward toward the interior of the tub 16. With the actuators 132 disengaged, the user may lower the divider 40 by sliding the divider 40 with the divider support 42, and thereby the drawer 50 and the upper utensil rack 60, downward vertically within the tub 16 to the lower position where the lower edge 46 of the divider support 42 and the lower seal 154 on the lower edge 46 abut the lower edge 144 of the tub channel 140, as illustrated in FIG. 6 and in FIG. 8, which is a perspective view of the dishwasher 10 with the divider 40 in the lower position. With the divider 40 in the lower position, the user may push the actuators 132 toward the respective ratchet mechanism 134, or simply release the actuators 132 if they are spring biased, to engage the ratchet mechanism 134 and secure the divider 40 in the lower position. An increase in the height of the upper treating chamber 34 results in a corresponding decrease in the height of the lower treating chamber 36.

Conversely, assuming the divider 40 is in the lower position shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the user may raise the divider 40 to the upper position, thereby increasing the height of the lower treating chamber 36 such that larger utensils may fit in the lower treating chamber 36. The process of raising the divider 40 is essentially identical to that for lowering the divider 40, with the exception of raising the divider 40 by sliding the divider 40 with the divider support 42 upward, rather than downward, vertically within the tub 16 to the upper position. The upward movement of the divider 40 by the user occurs until the upper edge 44 of the divider support 42 and the upper seal 152 on the upper edge 44 abut the upper edge 142 of the tub channel 140, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 5. An increase in the height of the lower treating chamber 36 results in a corresponding decrease in the height of the upper treating chamber 34.

With the divider 40 in the desired upper or lower position, the user may complete the loading of the utensils, move the door 14 to the closed position, and select the desired treating cycle of operation for the upper treating chamber 34, the lower treating chamber 36, or both the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36. If treating cycles are selected for both of the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36, the selected treating cycles for the upper and lower treating chambers 34, 36 may be the same treating cycle or differing treating cycles. The controller 160 executes the selected treating cycles according to preprogrammed instructions and information received from the various sensors 168, 172.

It is within the scope of the invention to modify the embodiment of the dishwasher 10 described above and shown in the figures as needed. In one modification, the divider 40 may be adapted to slide horizontally relative to the tub 16 between retracted and extended positions. The drawer 50 and the utensil rack 60 carried by the drawer 50 may be fixedly mounted to the divider 40 such that the drawer 50 and the utensil rack 60 may slide with the divider 40 rather than sliding relative to the divider 40. An example of an embodiment having a slidable divider is described below with respect to FIGS. 9-12.

FIG. 9 presents an alternative embodiment of a dishwasher 10. Components similar to those of the previous embodiment of the dishwasher 10 are labeled with the same reference numeral bearing a prime ( ) symbol. The alternative embodiment of the dishwasher 10 is essentially identical to the dishwasher 10, with the exception that the divider 40 may be integral with the drawer 50, such that the divider 40 forms the bottom wall of the drawer 50. The divider 40 may slide relative to the tub 16 with the drawer 50 between a retracted position, as shown in FIG. 9, and an extended position, as seen in FIG. 10, of the drawer 50. The drawer 50, shown in the figures without its utensil rack for ease of viewing the parts of the drawer 50, may include opposing side walls 200, a rear wall 202, and a front frame 204 in addition to the divider 40 as its bottom wall. The drawer 50 and the portion of the tub 16 above the drawer 50 form the upper tub 30 defining the upper treating chamber 34, while the portion of the tub 16 below the divider 40, which corresponds to the portion of the tub 16 below the drawer 50, forms the lower tub 32 defining the lower treating chamber 36.

As with the previous embodiment, the channel 140 in the tub 16 may be tapered along the tub side walls 22 and may include the upper edge 142 and the lower edge 144. Similarly, the upper and lower edges of the side walls 200 of the drawer 50 may be sloped downwardly and upwardly, respectively, to taper the side walls 200 from the front to the rear of the tub 16, and the upper and lower edges of the drawer side walls 200 may carry the upper seal 152 and the lower seal 154, respectively. This configuration may be seen in the schematic views of FIGS. 11 and 12. Alternatively, the seals 152, 154 may be located on the channel edges 142, 144. When the drawer 50 is in the upper position of FIGS. 9 and 11, the upper seal 152 on the upper edge of the drawer side walls 200 abuts the channel upper edge 142 projecting inward from the tub side walls 22, while the lower seal 154 on the lower edge of the drawer side walls 200 abuts the channel lower edge 144 projecting inward from the tub side walls 22 when the drawer 50 is in the lower position shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The sloped configuration of the drawer side walls 200 and the tapered shape of the drawer side walls 200 prevents contact between the tub 16 and the seals 152, 154 while the drawer 50 is sliding relative to the tub 16 until the drawer 50 is fully inserted into the retracted position, regardless of whether the drawer 50 is in the upper position or the lower position. Such a design reduces unnecessary wear on the seals 152, 154 that may otherwise occur during sliding of the drawer 50.

The adjusting system for moving the divider 40 between the upper and lower positions may be similar to that of the previous embodiment but modified to accommodate the structure of the drawer 50. For example, the adjusting system may include the actuator 132 and the ratchet mechanism 134, with the actuator 132 located on, for illustrative purposes, the drawer side walls 200 and the ratchet mechanism 134 located in the channel 140 of the tub 16. Two sets of the actuator 132 and the ratchet mechanism 134 may be present, with one set located on each opposing side of the drawer 50 and the tub 16. As an option, the adjusting system may be incorporated with the slide rails (not shown) or other sliding device for sliding the drawer 50 between the extended and retracted positions.

The operation of the dishwasher 10 with the adjustable divider 40 formed with the drawer 50 is substantially identical to that described above for the dishwasher 10 and will not be repeated here for brevity.

While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.

Claims

1. A dishwasher comprising:

a tub defining an interior and having an open face;

a moveable door for selectively closing the open face; and

a divider located within the tub to divide the interior into a first treating chamber and a second treating chamber;

a first spray system spraying liquid into the first treating chamber;

a second spray system spraying liquid into the second treating chamber;

a recirculation system recirculating the spray liquid for the first and second treating chambers; and

an adjuster moveably mounting the divider to the tub wherein the relative size of the first and second treating chambers may be adjusted by moving the divider relative to the tub.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the open face is vertically oriented and the adjuster moves the divider vertically within the tub.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the door is hingedly mounted for rotation between a generally horizontal open position and a generally vertical closed position.

4. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the adjuster is movable within a predetermined range of adjustment.

5. The dishwasher of claim 4 wherein the predetermined range is less than 3 inches.

6. The dishwasher of claim 4 wherein the adjuster is discretely adjustable.

7. The dishwasher of claim 6 wherein the adjuster comprises a ratchet mechanism having predetermined positions for the divider.

8. The dishwasher of claim 7 wherein the adjuster comprises multiple ratchet mechanisms.

9. The dishwasher of claim 8 wherein a first ratchet mechanism mounts a first side of the divider to the tub and a second ratchet mechanism mounts a second side, opposite the first side, of the divider to the tub.

10. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a first seal between the divider and the tub.

11. The dishwasher of claim 10, further comprising a second seal between the divider and the tub to at least fluidly seal the first chamber relative to the second chamber, with the first seal sealing when the divider is in an upper position and the second seal sealing when the divider is in a lower position.

12. The dishwasher of claim 11, further comprising a third seal between the divider and the door when the door closes the open face.

13. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a first dish rack located within the first treating chamber and supported by the divider.

14. The dishwasher of claim 13 wherein the first dish rack is mounted to the divider.

15. The dishwasher of claim 14 wherein one of the first dish rack and divider is slidably mounted to the tub to enable sliding movement of the first dish rack through the open face.

16. The dishwasher of claim 13, further comprising a second dish rack located within the second treating chamber.

17. The dishwasher of claim 16 wherein the second dish rack is slidably mounted to the tub for slideable movement through the open face.

18. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the recirculation system comprises a pump assembly having an inlet fluidly coupled to the first and second treating chambers and an outlet fluidly coupled to the first and second spray systems.

19. The dishwasher of claim 18 wherein the recirculation system comprises a first return line fluidly coupling the first treating chamber to the pump inlet and a second return line fluidly coupling the second treating chamber to the pump inlet.

20. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a drawer slideable relative to the interior, and the divider is carried by the drawer.

21. The dishwasher of claim 20 wherein the divider is integrally formed with the drawer.

22. The dishwasher of claim 21 wherein the drawer comprises a bottom defining at least a portion of the divider.

23. The dishwasher of claim 20, further comprising a first seal between the drawer and the tub to at least fluidly seal the first chamber relative to the second chamber.

24. The dishwasher of claim 23, further comprising a second seal between the drawer and the tub to at least fluidly seal the first chamber relative to the second chamber, with the first seal sealing when the divider is in an upper position and the second seal sealing when the divider is in a lower position.

25. The dishwasher of claim 24 wherein the first seal comprises an upper peripheral edge of the drawer and a first projection from the tub, and the second seal comprises a lower peripheral edge of the drawer and a second projection from the tub, with the second projection located lower in the tub than the first projection.

26. The dishwasher of claim 25 wherein the first and second seals are angled toward each other in a direction corresponding to from the front of the tub to the rear of the tub.