Means for heating incoming water in a dishwasher

Claim 2

A water fill system for a dishwasher having a washing compartment and a water collecting sump, a fill valve and drainage means for said compartment, electrical operating means for effecting the operation of the inlet of said fill valve, a motor-pump unit for selectively pumping water to spray means or to said drainage means, an elongated sloped trough positioned between said washing compartment and said sump, said trough having outlet means adjacent its low end communicating with said sump, electrically energizable heating means disposed coextensive with said trough, conduit means for conducting water from said valve to the high end of said trough, cycle control means for energizing said fill valve inlet to permit water from a domestic supply to flow into said valve, said valve having first orifice means adapted to be opened and closed by valve flow restrictor means, said valve having second orifice means permitting a predetermined amount of bypass water to flow therethrough into said trough high end upon energization of said fill valve electrical operating means, thermostatic means biasing said restrictor means to an open position upon said thermostatic means sensing a predetermined trough water temperature, said thermostatic means operative for moving said restrictor means toward a closed position in response to sensing the trough water temperature below said predetermined temperature, whereby incoming fill water flows in said trough in a heat exchange manner therewith at a temperature-responsive rate such that fill water enters said sump through said trough outlet at or above said predetermined temperature.

Claim 3

A water fill system for a dishwasher having a washing compartment and a water collecting sump, a fill valve and drainage means for said compartment, electrical operating means Pg,12 for effecting the operation of the inlet of said fill valve, a motor-pump unit for selectively pumping water to spray means or to said drainage means, an elongated sloped trough positioned between said washing compartment and said sump, said trough having outlet means adjacent its low end communicating with said sump, an electrically energizable heater element disposed within said trough and coextensive therewith, the body of said valve having a partition dividing the interior into an inlet chamber and an outlet passage, conduit means for conducting water from said valve outlet passage to the high end of said trough, cycle control means for energizing said fill valve inlet to permit water from a domestic supply to flow into said valve inlet chamber, said partition having a first orifice adapted to be opened and closed by a valve flow restrictor, said partition having second orifice means permitting a predetermined amount of bypass water to flow therethrough into said trough high end upon energization of said fill valve electrical operating means, thermostatic means biasing said restrictor to an open position upon said thermostatic means sensing a predetermined trough water temperature, said thermostatic means operative for moving said restrictor toward a closed position in response to sensing the trough water temperature below said predetermined temperature, whereby incoming fill water flows in said trough in a heat exchange manner with said heater at a temperature-responsive rate, such that fill wateer enters said sump through said trough outlet at or above said predetermined temperature.

Claim 4

A water fill system for a dishwasher having a washing compartment and a water collecting sump, a fill valve and drainage means for said compartment, electrical operating means Pg,12 for effecting the operation of the inlet of said fill valve, a motor-pump unit for selectively pumping water to spray means or to said drainage means, an elongated sloped trough positioned between said washing compartment and said sump, said trough having outlet means adjacent its low end communicating with said sump, an electrically energizable heater element disposed within said trough and coextensive therewith, the body of said valve having a partition dividing the interior into an inlet chamber and an outlet passage, conduit means for conducting water from said valve outlet passage to the high end of said trough, cycle control means for energizing said fill valve inlet to permit water from a domestic supply to flow into said valve inlet chamber, said partition having a first orifice adapted to be opened and closed by a valve flow restrictor, said partition having second orifice means permitting a predetermined amount of bypass water to flow therethrough into said trough high end upon energization of said fill valve electrical operating means, thermostatic means biasing said restrictor to an open position upon said thermostatic means sensing a predetermined trough water temperature, said thermostatic means operative for moving said restrictor toward a closed position in response to sensing the trough water temperature below said predetermined temperature, whereby incoming fill water flows in said trough in a heat exchange manner with said heater at a temperature-responsive rate, such that fill wateer enters said sump through said trough outlet at or above said predetermined temperature.

Claim 5

A water fill system for a dishwasher having a washing compartment and a water collecting sump, a water inlet fill valve and drainage means for said compartment, electrical operating means for effecting the operation of said fill valve water inlet, a motor-pump unit for selectively pumping water to spray means or to said drainage means, an elongated sloped trough positioned between said washing compartment and said sump, said trough having outlet means adjacent its low end communicating with said sump, thermally responsive valve means for opening and closing said trough outlet means, an electrically energizable heater element disposed within said trough and coextensive therewith, conduit means for conducting water from said valve outlet to the high end of said trough, cycle control means for energizing said fill valve inlet to permit water from a domestic supply to flow into said trough high end upon energization of said fill valve electrical operating means, said thermally responsive valve means operative for closing said trough outlet means upon sensing the trough water temperature below a predetermined temperature, said thermally responsive valve means operative for opening said trough outlet means in response to sensing the water temperature in said trough at said predetermined temperature, whereby incoming fill water flows in said trough at a rate proportional to the temperature attained by the water flowing in heat exchange with said heater element.

Claim 6

A water fill system for a dishwasher having a washing compartment and a water collecting sump, a water inlet fill valve and drainage means for said compartment, electrical operating means for effecting the operation of said fill valve water inlet, a motor-pump unit for selectively pumping water to spray means or to said drainage means, an elongated sloped trough positioned between said washing compartment and said sump, said trough having outlet means adjacent its low end communicating with said sump, thermally responsive valve means for opening and closing said trough outlet means, an electrically energizable heater element disposed within said trough and coextensive therewith, conduit means for conducting water from said valve outlet to the high end of said trough, cycle control means for energizing said fill valve inlet to permit water from a domestic supply to flow into said trough high end upon energization of said fill valve electrical operating means, said thermally responsive valve means operative for closing said trough outlet means upon sensing the trough water temperature below a predetermined temperature, said thermally responsive valve means operative for opening said trough outlet means in response to sensing the water temperature in said trough at said predetermined temperature, whereby incoming fill water flows in said trough at a rate proportional to the temperature attained by the water flowing in heat exchange with said heater element.

Claim 7

A water fill system for a dishwasher having a washing compartment and a water collecting sump, a water inlet fill valve and drainage means for said compartment, electrical operating means for effecting the operation of said fill valve water inlet, a motor-pump unit for selectively pumping water to spray means or to said drainage means, an elongated sloped channel sectioned trough positioned between said washing compartment and said sump, said trough having a valve outlet adjacent the low end of its bottom wall communicating with said sump, a thermally responsive trough valve for opening and closing said trough valve outlet, said trough valve including a bimetal actuator having one end fixed to said trough bottom wall and having a valve stopper on its free end, said bimetal actuator biased to normally close said trough valve outlet, said bimetal actuator operative to deflect downwardly and open said valve outlet upon sensing a prEdetermined trough water temperature of about 140* F., an electrically energizable heater element disposed within said trough and coextensive therewith, conduit means for conducting water from said valve outlet to the high end of said trough, cycle control means for energizing said fill valve inlet to permit water from a domestic supply to flow into said trough high end upon the energization of said fill valve electrical operating means, said trough valve operative for closing said trough outlet upon sensing the trough water temperture below said predetermined temperature, said trough valve operative for opening said trough valve outlet in response to sensing the trough water temperature at said predetermined temperature causing water to flow therefrom into said sump, whereby incoming fill water flows in said trough at a rate proportional to the temperature attained by the water flowing in heat exchange with said heater element.

Claim 8

A water fill system for a dishwasher having a washing compartment and a water collecting sump, a water inlet fill valve and drainage means for said compartment, electrical operating means for effecting the operation of said fill valve water inlet, a motor-pump unit for selectively pumping water to spray means or to said drainage means, an elongated sloped channel sectioned trough positioned between said washing compartment and said sump, said trough having a valve outlet adjacent the low end of its bottom wall communicating with said sump, a thermally responsive trough valve for opening and closing said trough valve outlet, said trough valve including a bimetal actuator having one end fixed to said trough bottom wall and having a valve stopper on its free end, said bimetal actuator biased to normally close said trough valve outlet, said bimetal actuator operative to deflect downwardly and open said valve outlet upon sensing a prEdetermined trough water temperature of about 140* F., an electrically energizable heater element disposed within said trough and coextensive therewith, conduit means for conducting water from said valve outlet to the high end of said trough, cycle control means for energizing said fill valve inlet to permit water from a domestic supply to flow into said trough high end upon the energization of said fill valve electrical operating means, said trough valve operative for closing said trough outlet upon sensing the trough water temperture below said predetermined temperature, said trough valve operative for opening said trough valve outlet in response to sensing the trough water temperature at said predetermined temperature causing water to flow therefrom into said sump, whereby incoming fill water flows in said trough at a rate proportional to the temperature attained by the water flowing in heat exchange with said heater element.