Fixed air knife for a dishwasher

Abstract

A dishwasher includes a tub having a top wall extending between opposing side walls. The tub defines a washing chamber. A dishrack operable between a stowed state within the washing chamber and a deployed state extending at least partially out of the washing chamber. An air drying system is coupled to the tub and includes a housing coupled to the top wall of the tub. The housing extends into the washing chamber proximate the dishrack and defines an air inlet. An air knife coupled to the housing and extending along a width of the washing chamber proximate to the top wall of the tub. The air knife defines a slit. A blower operably coupled to the air knife is configured to draw air through the air inlet and direct the air through the slit of the air knife to generate an air curtain across the width of the washing chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air drying system for a dish washing appliance, comprising:
 a tub defining a washing chamber, wherein the tub includes a top wall defining an opening providing fluid communication between the washing chamber and an external area;   a housing disposed within the opening and defining an air inlet;   an air knife coupled to and in fluid communication with the housing, wherein the air knife includes an elongated body defining an elongated air outlet;   a blower disposed within the housing, wherein the blower is configured to draw air through the air inlet and direct the air through the elongated air outlet to form an air curtain; and   a controller configured to activate the blower to generate the air curtain for a dry assist cycle.   
     
     
         2 . The air drying system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a user interface communicatively coupled with the controller, wherein the user interface includes an option for selecting the dry assist cycle.   
     
     
         3 . The air drying system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to automatically activate the dry assist cycle after completion of a dishwashing process. 
     
     
         4 . The air drying system of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated body has rounded opposing ends. 
     
     
         5 . The air drying system of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated body defines a teardrop cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         6 . The air drying system of  claim 1 , wherein the air knife is disposed proximate to a front opening into the washing chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The air drying system of  claim 6 , wherein the elongated body defined a slit forming the elongated air outlet, and wherein the slit is angled toward the washing chamber to direct the air curtain toward the washing chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The air drying system of  claim 1 , wherein the blower is centrally located relative to the air knife. 
     
     
         9 . The air drying system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a dishrack operably coupled with the tub; and   a sensor configured to sense movement of the dishrack to a deployed position, wherein the controller is configured to activate the dry assist cycle in response to sensed movement of the dishrack.   
     
     
         10 . An air drying system for a dish washing appliance, comprising:
 a tub having a wall defining an opening, wherein the tub defines a washing chamber;   a housing coupled to the wall, wherein the housing includes an external portion defining an air inlet in an area external to the washing chamber and an inner portion extending into the washing chamber;   a blower disposed within the inner portion of the housing; and   an air knife coupled to the inner portion of the housing and extending across the washing chamber, wherein the air knife defines an air outlet nozzle, and wherein the blower is configured to draw air into the housing and direct the air through the air outlet nozzle to form a pressurized air curtain that extends across the washing chamber.   
     
     
         11 . The air drying system of  claim 10 , wherein the air knife includes an elongated body defining a slit that forms the air outlet nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . The air drying system of  claim 11 , wherein the slit is angled toward the washing chamber at an acute angle relative to vertical. 
     
     
         13 . The air drying system of  claim 12 , wherein the acute angle in between 2° and 3°. 
     
     
         14 . The air drying system of  claim 10 , wherein the air outlet nozzle is configured to form the pressurized air curtain in a fan shape. 
     
     
         15 . The air drying system of  claim 10 , wherein the wall is a top wall of the tub, and wherein the housing is disposed proximate to a front opening into the washing chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The air drying system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a dishrack, wherein the dishrack is configured to move through the pressurized air curtain as the dishrack moves between a stowed position and a deployed position.   
     
     
         17 . An air knife assembly for a dish washing appliance, comprising:
 a housing configured to couple with a top tub wall of said dish washing appliance, wherein the housing defines an upper opening and a central opening;   a cover coupled to the housing at the upper opening, wherein the cover and the housing define an air inlet;   a blower disposed within a lower portion of the housing below the cover and proximate to the central opening; and   an air knife coupled to the housing and in fluid communication with an interior of the housing via the central opening, wherein the air knife includes:
 an elongated body extending in opposing directions from the central opening; 
 rounded distal ends; and 
 an elongated slit defining an air outlet, wherein the blower is configured to draw air through the air inlet and direct air through the elongated slit to form a pressurized air curtain. 
   
     
     
         18 . The air knife assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the elongated slit has a depth of less than 2 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The air knife assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the air directed by the blower and forming the air curtain moves at a velocity between 5 m/s and 12 m/s at the air outlet and at a distance of between 200 mm and 250 mm from the air outlet. 
     
     
         20 . The air knife assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the slit is angled toward the housing at an acute angle relative to vertical.