Resistive heater coatings for dishwashing appliances

Abstract

A dishwashing appliance may generally include a door and a tub defining a wash chamber configured to be closed via the door. The tub may include a top wall, a bottom wall and sidewalls extending between the top and bottom walls. In addition, the dishwashing appliance may include a heating device provided in operative association with the tub. The heating device may correspond to a resistive coating applied directly onto a surface of the bottom wall of the tub, wherein, when current is supplied through the resistive coating, the heating device is configured to generate heat.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dishwashing appliance, comprising:
 a door;   a tub defining a wash chamber configured to be closed via the door, the tub including a top wall, a bottom wall and sidewalls extending between the top and bottom walls; and   a heating device provided in operative association with the tub, the heating device corresponding to a resistive coating applied directly onto a surface of the bottom wall of the tub,   wherein, when current is supplied through the resistive coating, the heating device is configured to generate heat.   
     
     
         2 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the resistive coating is applied directly onto an outer surface of the bottom wall of the tub. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the resistive coating is applied directly onto an inner surface of the bottom wall of the tub. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a power source electrically coupled to the heating device, the power source being configured to supply current to the heating device. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the resistive coating is formed from at least one of a resistive ink or a resistive paste. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one of the resistive ink or the resistive paste is at least one of carbon-based, silver-based, copper-based or conductive-polymer based. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the resistive coating is applied using a 3-D printing process. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the tub is formed from stainless steel. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein, when current is supplied through the resistive coating, the heating device is configured to radiate heat through the bottom wall of the tub. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the resistive coating is applied on the surface of the bottom wall along a semi-circular path. 
     
     
         11 . The dishwashing appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the resistive coating is applied on the surface of the bottom wall according to a pattern. 
     
     
         12 . A tub for a dishwashing appliance, the tub comprising:
 a wash chamber defined at least partially by a top wall, a bottom wall and sidewalls extending between the top and bottom walls;   a heating device provided in operative association the bottom wall, the heating device corresponding to a resistive coating applied directly onto a surface of the bottom wall,   wherein, when current is supplied through the resistive coating, the heating device is configured to generate heat.   
     
     
         13 . The tub of  claim 12 , wherein the resistive coating is applied directly onto an outer surface of the bottom wall. 
     
     
         14 . The tub of  claim 12 , wherein the resistive coating is applied directly onto an inner surface of the bottom wall. 
     
     
         15 . The tub of  claim 12 , wherein the resistive coating is formed from at least one of a resistive ink or a resistive paste. 
     
     
         16 . The tub of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one of the resistive ink or the resistive paste is at least one of carbon-based, silver-based, copper-based or conductive-polymer based. 
     
     
         17 . The tub of  claim 12 , wherein the resistive coating is applied using a 3-D printing process. 
     
     
         18 . The tub of  claim 12 , wherein the resistive coating is applied on the surface of the bottom wall along a semi-circular path. 
     
     
         19 . The tub of  claim 12 , wherein the resistive coating is applied on the surface of the bottom wall according to a pattern. 
     
     
         20 . A dishwashing appliance, comprising:
 a door;   a tub defining a wash chamber configured to be closed via the door, the tub including a top wall, a bottom wall and sidewalls extending between the top and bottom walls; and   a heating device provided in operative association with the tub, the heating device corresponding to a resistive coating applied directly onto a surface of at least one of the top wall, the bottom wall or one of the sidewalls of the tub,   wherein, when current is supplied through the resistive coating, the heating device is configured to generate heat.