US-12616353-B2 - Sensing assembly for an appliance

Abstract

A dishwasher includes a tub. The dishwasher further includes a door rotatably coupled with the tub. The door is rotatable between a closed position and an open position. The dishwasher includes a leg coupled with the tub, and a biasing member coupled with the leg. The biasing member is coupled with the door. The biasing member biases the door toward the closed position. The dishwasher further includes a limit switch operably coupled to the biasing member. The dishwasher further includes an actuator assembly coupled with the tub. The actuator assembly includes a housing coupled with the tub, a driving member disposed within the housing, and an actuating member operably coupled with the driving member. The driving member drives the actuating member between a retracted position and an extended position. The actuating member moves the door in the closed position to an unsealed position.

Inventors

• Declan Vail

Assignees

• HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240528

Claims (19)

1. 1 . A dishwasher comprising: a tub defined by a top wall, a sidewall coupled with the top wall, and a bottom wall coupled with the sidewall; a door rotatably coupled with the sidewall of the tub proximal to the bottom wall, the door rotatable between a closed position and an open position; a leg coupled with the tub; a biasing member coupled with the leg, the biasing member coupled with the door, wherein the biasing member biases the door toward the closed position; a limit switch operably coupled to the biasing member; a limit switch housing coupled with the leg, wherein the limit switch housing at least partially circumscribes the leg; an actuator assembly coupled with the sidewall of the tub, the actuator assembly comprising: a housing coupled with the sidewall of the tub; a driving member disposed within the housing; and an actuating member operably coupled with the driving member, wherein the driving member drives the actuating member between a retracted position and an extended position, the actuating member moves the door in the closed position to an unsealed position.
2. 2 . The dishwasher according to claim 1 further comprising: a controller communicatively coupled with the limit switch, the controller configured to: identify a door opening request; receive a presence signal from the limit switch; determine a presence of the biasing member; and extend the actuating member, via the driving member, toward the door in response to determining the biasing member is present.
3. 3 . The dishwasher according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to: identify a door opening request; determine an absence of the biasing member; and prevent extension of the actuating member in response to the limit switch not detecting presence of the biasing member.
4. 4 . The dishwasher according to claim 1 further comprising: a second leg coupled with the tub; a second biasing member coupled with the second leg; and a second limit switch operably coupled with the second biasing member.
5. 5 . The dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein the biasing member comprises a hook, wherein the biasing member is coupled with the leg by hooking the hook to the leg.
6. 6 . The dishwasher according to claim 5 , wherein the limit switch detects a presence of the biasing member if the hook is engaged with the limit switch.
7. 7 . The dishwasher according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to: provide a user notification, wherein the user notification indicates to a user that the biasing member is not detected by the limit switch.
8. 8 . The dishwasher according to claim 7 , wherein the user notification is displayed on a display.
9. 9 . The dishwasher according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to: activate the driving member to extend the actuating member toward the door in response to determining the biasing member is in tension.
10. 10 . A method of auto-opening a door of a dishwasher, the method comprising: determining that an operating cycle is complete; detecting a presence of a biasing member coupled between the door and a leg via a limit switch coupled with a limit switch housing coupled with the leg, wherein the limit switch housing at least partially circumscribes the leg; extending an actuating member toward the door in response to determining the completion of the operating cycle and in response to determining the biasing member is present; and applying an actuator force to the door to move the door from a closed position to an unsealed position.
11. 11 . The method according to claim 10 further comprising the steps of: detecting the presence of a second biasing member coupled between the door and a second leg; determining the second biasing member is present; and extending the actuating member toward the door in response to determining the second biasing member is present.
12. 12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein detecting the presence of the biasing member occurs at a hook proximal the leg.
13. 13 . The method according to claim 10 further comprising the step of: providing a user notification in response to determining that the biasing member is absent.
14. 14 . The method according to claim 10 further comprising the steps of: detecting an absence of the biasing member coupled between the door and the leg; and preventing extension of the actuating member toward the door in response to determining the biasing member is absent.
15. 15 . The method according to claim 10 further comprising the step of: extending the actuating member toward the door in response to determining the biasing member is in tension.
16. 16 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the step of determining that the operating cycle is complete comprises: determining that the door is in the closed position.
17. 17 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the step of applying the actuator force to the door comprises: applying the actuator force to a contact flange coupled with the door.
18. 18 . The method according to claim 10 further comprising the step of: retracting the actuating member in response to the door moving from the unsealed position to an open position.
19. 19 . The method according to claim 10 further comprising the step of: retracting the actuating member in response to determining that the biasing member is absent.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present subject matter relates generally to dishwasher appliances, and more particularly, to systems for supporting a door of a dishwasher appliance. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Dishwasher appliances generally include a tub. Doors can be rotatably mounted to the tub. The door can seal the tub during an operating cycle. Sealing the tub with the door may contain fluids, including humid air, within the tub. After an operating cycle, there may be a drying cycle that attempts to dry contents of the tub while the door is sealing the tub. Notably, the contents of the tub, typically dishes and crockery, may still be wet even after the drying cycle is complete. These issues may require users to spend extra time and effort drying the dishes and crockery manually. Users may also be forced to manually open the door to let the humid air escape the tub over several hours. These issues may require service calls and may result in customer dissatisfaction. Accordingly, a dishwasher appliance includes features to promote drying of the contents within the tub after an operating cycle would be desirable. More specifically, features that automatically dry the dishes and crockery without taking up a lot of space within the kitchen would be particularly beneficial. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. In one exemplary embodiment, a dishwasher comprises: a tub defined by a top wall, a sidewall coupled with the top wall, and a bottom wall coupled with the sidewall; a door rotatably coupled with the sidewall of the tub proximal to the bottom wall, the door rotatable between a closed position and an open position; a leg coupled with the tub; a biasing member coupled with the leg, the biasing member coupled with the door, wherein the biasing member biases the door toward the closed position; a limit switch operably coupled to the biasing member; an actuator assembly coupled with the sidewall of the tub, the actuator assembly comprises: a housing coupled with the sidewall of the tub; a driving member disposed within the housing; and an actuating member operably coupled with the driving member, wherein the driving member drives the actuating member between a retracted position and an extended position, the actuating member moves the door in the closed position to an unsealed position. In another exemplary embodiment, a method of auto-opening a door of a dishwasher, the method comprises: determining that an operating cycle is complete; detecting a presence of a biasing member coupled between the door and a leg: extending an actuating member toward the door in response to determining the completion of the operating cycle and in response to determining the biasing member is present; and applying an actuator force to the door to move the door from a closed position to an unsealed position. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures. FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of a dishwasher appliance showing a dishwasher door in an unsealed position according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 provides a side elevation view of the dishwasher appliance of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 3 provides a rear perspective view of the dishwasher appliance of FIG. 1 showing the dishwasher door in an open position according to an example embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 4 provides a perspective view of the dishwasher appliance of FIG. 3 showing the dishwasher door in an open position according to an example embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 5 provides a perspective view of the dishwasher appliance of FIG. 1 showing the dishwasher door in a closed position according to an example embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 6 provides a rear perspective view of the dishwasher of FIGS. 1-3 showing an actuating assembly according to an example embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 7 provides a front perspective view of the actuating assembly of FIG. 4 according to an example embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 8 provides a perspective zoomed in view of a biasing member and a limit switch according to an example embodiment of the present subject