초록 ▼

A spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance is provided. The spray assembly includes a base unit and a mounting bracket rotatably mounted to the base unit. A spray arm is selectively secured to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket includes features for engaging the spray arm and hindering unde

A spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance is provided. The spray assembly includes a base unit and a mounting bracket rotatably mounted to the base unit. A spray arm is selectively secured to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket includes features for engaging the spray arm and hindering undesired detachment of the spray arm from the mounting bracket.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance, the spray assembly defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the spray assembly comprising: a base unit defining an inlet for receipt of wash fluid and an outlet;a mounting bracket rotatably mounted to said base

1. A spray assembly for a dishwasher appliance, the spray assembly defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the spray assembly comprising: a base unit defining an inlet for receipt of wash fluid and an outlet;a mounting bracket rotatably mounted to said base unit, said mounting bracket comprising: an annular sidewall that has an inner surface and an outer surface, the annular sidewall also defining a plurality channels;a post mounted to the annular sidewall and extending away from the outer surface of the annular sidewall, the post having an upper surface; anda tab mounted on the upper surface of the post; anda spray arm selectively secured to said mounting bracket, said spray arm comprising: a main body that defines a chamber configured for receipt of wash fluid from the outlet of said base unit, the main body also having a bottom surface that faces said mounting bracket, the main body defining a detent on the bottom surface of the main body, the detent receiving the tab of said mounting bracket;a circular sidewall mounted to the main body and extending away from the bottom surface of the main body; anda plurality of projections mounted to the circular sidewall, each projection of the plurality of projections received within a respective channel of the plurality of channels of the annular sidewall;wherein said base unit defines an additional outlet and the main body of said spray arm defines an additional chamber configured for receipt of wash fluid from the additional outlet of said base unit;wherein said spray arm rotates in a first direction when wash fluid is directed into the chamber of said spray arm and said spray arm rotates in a second direction when wash fluid is directed into the additional chamber of said spray arm, the first direction being the opposite to the second direction;wherein said spray arm is secured to said mounting bracket with said projections and said channels and said spray arm is secured to said mounting bracket with said tab and said detent such that said projections and channels hinder relative rotation between the spray arm and the mounting bracket in the first direction and said tab and said detent hinder relative rotation between the spray arm and the mounting bracket in the second direction. 2. The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the tab includes an engagement surface that is perpendicular the upper surface of the post. 3. The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the main body of said spray arm includes an engagement surface positioned within the detent, the engagement surface of the main body positioned immediately adjacent the engagement surface of the tab. 4. The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the tab includes a sloped surface that defines an angle φ with the upper surface of the post, the angle φ being between fifty degrees and ten degrees. 5. The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the post extends away from the outer surface of the annular sidewall by more than one inch. 6. The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the post is downwardly deflectable in order to permit removal of the tab from the detent. 7. The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels of the annular sidewall extend through the annular sidewall from the inner surface of the annular sidewall to the outer surface of the annual sidewall. 8. The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of projections of said spray arm comprises six projections, the six projections uniformly distributed on the circular sidewall of said spray arm such that each projection of the six projections is spaced apart from adjacent projections by thirty degrees along the circumferential direction. 9. The spray assembly of claim 1, wherein the detent is spaced apart from the circular sidewall of said spray arm by more than one inch along the radial direction. 10. A dishwasher appliance comprising: a tub that defines a wash compartment;a rack assembly mounted within the wash compartment of said tub and configured for receipt of articles for washing; anda spray assembly for applying wash fluid to articles within said rack assembly, said spray assembly defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, said spray assembly comprising: a base unit mounted to said tub, said base unit defining an inlet for receipt of wash fluid and an outlet;a mounting bracket rotatably mounted o said base unit, said mounting bracket comprising: an annular sidewall that has an inner surface and an outer surface, the annular sidewall also defining a plurality channels;a post mounted to the annular sidewall and extending away from the outer surface of the annular sidewall, the post having an upper surface; anda tab mounted on the upper surface of the post; anda spray arm selectively secured to said mounting bracket, said spray arm comprising: a main body that defines a chamber configured for receipt of wash fluid from the outlet of said base unit, the main body also having a bottom surface that faces said mounting bracket, the main body defining a detent on the bottom surface of the main body, the detent receiving the tab of said mounting bracket;a circular sidewall mounted to the main body and extending away from the bottom surface of the main body;a plurality of projections mounted to the circular sidewall, each projection of the plurality of projections received within a respective channel of the plurality of channels of the annular sidewall;wherein said base unit defines an additional outlet and the main body of said spray arm defines an additional chamber configured for receipt of wash fluid from the additional outlet of said base unit;wherein said spray arm rotates in a first direction when wash fluid is directed into the chamber of said spray arm and said spray arm rotates in a second direction when wash fluid is directed into the additional chamber of said spray arm, the first direction being opposite to the second direction;wherein said spray arm is secured to said mounting bracket with said projections and channels and said spray arm is secured to said mounting bracket with said tab and said detent such that said projections and channels hinder relative rotation between the spray arm and the mounting bracket in the first direction and said tab and said detent hinder relative rotation between the spray arm and the mounting bracket in the second direction. 11. The dishwasher appliance of claim 10, wherein the tab includes an engagement surface that is perpendicular the upper surface of the post. 12. The dishwasher appliance of claim 10, wherein the main body of said spray arm includes an engagement surface positioned within the detent, the engagement surface of the main body positioned immediately adjacent the engagement surface of the tab. 13. The dishwasher appliance of claim 10, wherein the tab includes a sloped surface that defines an angle φ with the upper surface of the post, the angle φ being between fifty degrees and ten degrees. 14. The dishwasher appliance of claim 10, wherein the post extends away from the outer surface of the annular sidewall by more than one inch. 15. The dishwasher appliance of claim 10, wherein the post is downwardly deflectable in order to permit removal of the tab from the detent. 16. The dishwasher appliance of claim 10, wherein the plurality of channels of the annular sidewall extend through the annular sidewall from the inner surface of the annular sidewall to the outer surface of the annual sidewall. 17. The dishwasher appliance of claim 10, wherein the plurality of projections of said spray arm comprises six projections, the six projections uniformly distributed on the circular sidewall of said spray arm such that each projection of the six projections is spaced apart from adjacent projections by thirty degrees along the circumferential direction.