Dishwasher sump and dishwasher apparatus

Abstract

A dishwashing apparatus may include a sump. The sump may include a sump pan configured to couple with a wash chamber of the dishwashing apparatus. The sump may include a sump well coupled to the sump pan and configured to collect the liquid from the sump pan. The sump well may include a well inlet in communication with the sump pan. The sump pan may convey the liquid to the well inlet. A recirculation port extending through a first wall of the sump well. A drain port may extend through a second wall of the sump well. The second wall defines a bottom of the sump well. The dishwashing apparatus may include a controller. The controller may monitor electrical characteristics of a pump. The controller may provide a notification if fluid is not flowing through the pump.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for supplying a cleaning product to a wash chamber in a dishwasher, comprising:
 a reservoir configured to store the cleaning product;   a pump configured to pump the cleaning product from the reservoir to the wash chamber of the dishwasher;   a sensor configured to measure one or more electrical characteristics of the pump; and   a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, the controller configured to produce one or more notifications indicative at least one of depletion of the reservoir or occlusion of the pump using the one or more electrical characteristics of the pump.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the pump is pumping liquid, pumping gas, or occluded using the one or more electrical characteristics of the pump. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to produce a notification indicative the depletion of the reservoir based on a determination of whether the pump is pumping liquid or pumping gas. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to modulate the pump to prime the pump in response to a determination that the pump is pumping gas. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to produce a notification indicative the occlusion of the pump in response to a determination that the pump is pumping neither liquid nor gas. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pump is configured to pump the cleaning product during each cycle of dishwashing cycles of the dishwasher, and the controller is configured to modulate the pump to pump a specified volume of the cleaning product for the each cycle, to monitor the dishwashing cycles using the one or more electrical characteristics of the pump, and to determine a level of the cleaning product in the reservoir based on an outcome of the monitoring of the dishwashing cycles. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to produce a notification indicative the depletion of the reservoir based on the level of the cleaning product in the reservoir. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the sensor is configured to measure the one or more electrical characteristics of the pump including at least one of a current draw by the pump and a voltage differential across the pump, and the controller is configured to produce the one or more notifications by comparing each electrical characteristic of the one or more electrical characteristics of the pump to a characteristic threshold. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a diaphragm pump. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a sump connected to the wash chamber, the sump including:
 a sump pan including a pan inlet, wherein the sump pan is configured to couple with the wash chamber, and the pan inlet is configured to receive liquid from the wash chamber; and   a sump well coupled to the sump pan and configured to collect liquid from the sump pan, the sump well including:
 a well inlet in communication with the sump pan, wherein the sump pan is configured to convey liquid to the well inlet; 
 a recirculation port extending through a first wall of the sump well, wherein the recirculation port is configured to provide liquid to a recirculation pump; and 
 a drain port extending through a second wall of the sump well, 
   wherein the second wall defines a bottom of the sump well,   wherein the sump pan and the sump well are formed from a unitary piece of material.   
     
     
         11 . A method for supplying a cleaning product to a wash chamber in a dishwasher, comprising:
 pumping the cleaning product from a reservoir to the wash chamber of the dishwasher using a pump;   measuring one or more electrical characteristics of the pump using a sensor;   determining at least one of depletion of the reservoir or occlusion of the pump using the one or more electrical characteristics of the pump; and   producing one or more notifications based on an outcome of the determination.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining the at least one of the depletion of the reservoir or the occlusion of the pump comprises determining whether fluid is flowing through the pump during operation of the pump using the one or more electrical characteristics of the pump. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein producing the one or more notifications comprises production a notification indicative the occlusion of the pump in response to a determination that fluid is not flowing through the pump during operation of the pump. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising determining whether liquid or gas is flowing through the pump during operation of the pump. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein producing the one or more notifications comprises producing a notification indicative of the depletion of the reservoir in response to a determination that gas is flowing through the pump during operation of the pump. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising priming the pump in response to a determination that gas is flowing through the pump during operation of the pump. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein pumping the cleaning product comprises pumping the cleaning product during each cycle of dishwashing cycles, and further comprising:
 pumping a specified volume of the cleaning product for the each cycle using the pump;   monitoring the dishwashing cycles using the one or more electrical characteristics of the pump; and   determining a level of the cleaning product in the reservoir based on an outcome of the monitoring of the dishwashing cycles.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein producing the one or more notifications comprises producing a notification indicative of the depletion of the reservoir based on the level of the cleaning product in the reservoir. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein measuring one or more electrical characteristics of the pump comprises measuring a current draw by the pump, and determining the at least one of the depletion of the reservoir or the occlusion of the pump comprises comparing the current draw by the pump to a current threshold. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein measuring one or more electrical characteristics of the pump comprises measuring a voltage differential across the pump, and determining the at least one of the depletion of the reservoir or the occlusion of the pump comprises comparing the voltage differential across the pump to a voltage threshold.