Behind Sink Dishwasher

Abstract

A dishwasher assembly is disclosed including one or more racks for retaining one or more dishware items to be washed. A washer system is provided for respectively washing and drying the dishware item. A dishwasher housing is used for retaining the rack and the washer system. The dishwasher housing includes a door for accessing the rack, to enable the inserting and removing the dishware item. Preferably, the rack is a rotary rack that cooperates with a rotation assembly for rotating the rack. Also, the dishwasher housing preferably includes a first wall-facing side and a second wall-facing side. The first and second wall-facing sides are preferably formed at a desired angle, so as to fit into a corner.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . A dishwasher assembly comprising:
 a dishwasher housing having a first side, a second side, and a door;   a washer system disposed within the dishwasher housing;   a rotary rack disposed within the dishwasher housing;   a divider panel that divides the rotary rack into a first section and a second section and thereby isolates the first section from the second section; and   a rotation assembly adapted to rotate the rotary rack between
 a first position in which the first section of the rotary rack is disposed proximate to the washer system and the second section of the rotary rack is disposed proximate to the door, and 
 a second position in which the second section of the rotary rack is disposed proximate to the washer system and the first section of the rotary rack is disposed proximate to the door; 
   wherein, when the rotary rack is in the first position, dishware may be placed onto or removed from the second section of the rotary rack through the door at the same time as dishware supported on the first section of the rotary rack is being washed by the washer system, and   wherein, when the rotary rack is in the second position, dishware may be placed onto or removed from the first section of the rotary rack through the door at the same time as dishware supported on the second section of the rotary rack is being washed by the washer system.   
   
   
       22 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 21  wherein the rotary rack is multi-tiered. 
   
   
       23 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 21  wherein the washer system comprises a spray arm for spraying water and a heating arrangement for drying dishware supported on the section of the rotary rack disposed proximate to the washer system. 
   
   
       24 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 23  wherein the spray arm is a linear spray arm having a linear axis, which is adapted to spray water using an oscillating motion about the linear axis. 
   
   
       25 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 23  wherein the spray arm is a rotating spray arm. 
   
   
       26 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 23  wherein the heating arrangement comprises a flash dryer system. 
   
   
       27 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 21  wherein the washer system comprises a peristaltic pump. 
   
   
       28 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 27  wherein the washer system includes a linear spray arm and the peristaltic pump pulses water through the linear spray arm. 
   
   
       29 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 21  wherein the washer system further comprises a detergent dispenser for retaining a cleaning agent. 
   
   
       30 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 29  wherein the detergent dispenser is a bulk detergent dispenser for retaining and dispensing a plurality of wash cycles of cleaning agent. 
   
   
       31 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 30  wherein the detergent dispenser is configured to receive a container of detergent on a fitting so as to permit detergent to flow from the container through the fitting under the force of gravity into a collection cup, and wherein the detergent dispenser further comprises a motor adapted to displace the collection cup from a “fill” position in which detergent can flow into the collection cup from the container under the force of gravity to an “empty” position in which detergent can flow out of the collection cup into the dishwasher assembly during a wash cycle. 
   
   
       32 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 31  wherein the motor is a wax motor. 
   
   
       33 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 21  wherein the door comprises a single tambour sliding door that is adapted to slide toward and away from the first wall-facing side and the second wall-facing side. 
   
   
       34 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 21  wherein the door comprises two tambour sliding doors, wherein one of said two tambour sliding doors is adapted to slide toward and away from the first wall-facing side and wherein the other of said two tambour sliding doors is adapted to slide toward and away from the second wall-facing side. 
   
   
       35 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 21  wherein the first side and the second side are oriented at substantially a ninety-degree angle with respect to each other and the dishwasher assembly has a substantially triangular cross-section. 
   
   
       36 . The dishwasher assembly according to  claim 21  wherein the first side and the second side are oriented substantially parallel with respect to each other and the dishwasher assembly has a substantially rectangular cross-section. 
   
   
       37 . A kitchen installation comprising:
 a sink   a countertop extending from at least a rear portion of the sink, and   a dishwasher assembly disposed behind the sink and supported by the countertop, the dishwasher assembly comprising:
 a dishwasher housing having a first side, a second side, and a door; 
 a washer system disposed within the dishwasher housing; 
 a rotary rack disposed within the dishwasher housing; 
 a divider panel that divides the rotary rack into a first section and a second section and thereby isolates the first section from the second section; and 
 a rotation assembly adapted to rotate the rotary rack between
 a first position in which the first section of the rotary rack is disposed proximate to the washer system and the second section of the rotary rack is disposed proximate to the door, and 
 a second position in which the second section of the rotary rack is disposed proximate to the washer system and the first section of the rotary rack is disposed proximate to the door; 
 
   wherein, when the rotary rack is in the first position, dishware may be placed onto or removed from the second section of the rotary rack through the door at the same time as dishware supported on the first section of the rotary rack is being washed by the washer system, and   wherein, when the rotary rack is in the second position, dishware may be placed onto or removed from the first section of the rotary rack through the door at the same time as dishware supported on the second section of the rotary rack is being washed by the washer system.   
   
   
       38 . The kitchen installation according to  claim 37  wherein the first side and the second side of the dishwasher housing are oriented at substantially a ninety-degree angle with respect to each other and wherein each faces a corner wall. 
   
   
       39 . The kitchen installation according to  claim 37  wherein the door comprises a single tambour sliding door that is adapted to slide toward and away from the first wall-facing side and the second wall-facing side. 
   
   
       40 . The kitchen installation according to  claim 37  wherein the door comprises two tambour sliding doors, wherein one of said two tambour sliding doors is adapted to slide toward and away from the first wall-facing side and wherein the other of said two tambour sliding doors is adapted to slide toward and away from the second wall-facing side.