DISHWASHER HAVING RACK ASSEMBLY WITH MOVABLE SHELVES

Abstract

A dishwasher is disclosed which includes a rack disposed inside a washing cabinet, a rack and at least one shelf which is rotatably connected to the rack so as to be rotated to a raised upright position and then to a lowered upright position and held, and which is rotatable to the raised upright position and then rotated to a substantially laid down position. Space utilization is increased as a height of the shelf extending above the shelf is reduced and a size of another rack assembly which may be positioned above the rack assembly may be increased.

Description

This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0112903 filed in Korea on Nov. 15, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

A dishwasher is disclosed herein having a rack assembly with moveable shelves.

2. Description of Related Art

A dishwasher is an apparatus, which washes food remnants adhered to cups, dishes, culinary tools and similar items (hereinafter, referred to as “dishes”) by using a detergent and wash water, and which is provided with racks for placing dishes thereon inside a washing cabinet, the racks being vertically moved in a backward and forward direction to be inserted into and drawn out from the washing cabinet. However, related art dishwasher have various disadvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a dishwasher according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of shelves in a laid down position inside the dishwasher of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of shelves being in a raised upright position inside the dishwasher of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a dishwasher according to another embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a rack assembly of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a shelf of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional view of a shelf of a rack assembly of FIG. 4 in a laid down position;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross sectional view of the shelf of FIG. 7 rotated and raised to upright position; and

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the shelf of FIG. 8 in a lowered upright position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, a dishwasher having a rack assembly with a moveable shelf or shelves according to embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded perspective view of a dishwasher according to an embodiment. In the dishwasher of FIG. 1, a plurality of rack assemblies 2, 3, 4 configured to receive thereon dishes or similar items may be disposed inside a washing cabinet 1. Guides 5 and 6 that guide backward and forward movement of the rack assemblies 2, 3 may be installed in the washing cabinet 1. Further, rack assembly 4 which is smaller in size that rack assemblies 2, 3 may be installed above the rack assembly 3.

Shelves 7 and 8 configured to receive cups or similar items placed thereon and shelf holders 12, 13, 14, and 15 that mount the shelves 7 and 8 thereon are provided on at least one of the rack assemblies. The shelves 7 and 8 may be configured to be laterally oriented only when a cup is placed on the shelves 7 and 8 for a user's convenience, and may be otherwise raised to an uptight position and held in that position.

The front left shelf holder 12 and the rear left shelf holder 13 may be mounted on a left portion of the rack 9 at an interval shorter than the front-to-rear length of the left shelf 7. Thus, when the left shelf 7 is raised upright, the front right shelf holder 12 may hold a front portion of the left shelf 7 and the rear left shelf holder 13 may hold a back portion of the left shelf 7. Similarly, the front right shelf holder 14 and the rear right shelf holder 15 may be mounted on a right portion of the rack 9 at an interval shorter than the front-to-rear length of the right shelf 8.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of shelves in a laid down position inside the dishwasher of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of shelves in a raised upright position inside the dishwasher of FIG. 1.

If the shelves 7 and 8 of the rack assembly 3 are laterally oriented as illustrated in FIG. 2, the shelves 7 and 8 are positioned only inside the rack 9 and do not project upward from the rack 9, and a space S1 formed above the rack assembly 3, in which another rack assembly 4 may be installed increases. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, if the shelves 7 and 8 are raised upright, a portion of each of the shelves 7 and 8 projects upward from the rack 9, and a space S2 formed above the rack assembly 3, in which another rack assembly 4 may be installed is reduced.

However, the rack assembly 4, which as set for the above is smaller in size than the rack assemblies 2, 3, may be installed above the rack assembly 3, even when the shelves 7 and 8 are in the raised upright position. Thus, the dishwasher according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 requires that the rack assembly 4 installed above the rack assembly 3 be reduced in size because the shelves 7 and 8 have a higher projection height when the shelves 7 and 8 are in the raised upright position.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a dishwasher according to another embodiment. The dishwasher of FIG. 4 may include a washing cabinet 1 and rack assemblies 2, 3, and 4 configured to be disposed inside the washing cabinet 1 and drawn out therefrom. Guides 5 and 6 that guide forward and backward movement of the rack assemblies 2, 3 may be installed inside the washing cabinet 1. Further, nozzles 12 and 14 that spray wash water toward the rack assemblies 2, 3, and 4 may be provided inside the washing cabinet 1. A door 16 that opens and closes a front opening face of the washing cabinet may be disposed at a front of the washing cabinet 1.

A sump (not shown) that collects wash water may be installed at a lower portion of the washing cabinet 1. A pump apparatus that pumps wash water in the sump toward the nozzles 12 and 14, a water supply apparatus that supplies wash water to the inside of the sump, and a drainage apparatus that drains wash water in the sump to outside may be connected to the sump.

The rack assemblies 2, 3, and 4 may be vertically spaced apart from each other, and one or more of the plurality of rack assemblies 2, 3 may be configured to receive therein plates or similar items, and the other rack assembly 4 may be configured to receive thereon cutlery, culinary tools, or similar items.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a rack assembly of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a shelf of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional view of a shelf of a rack assembly of FIG. 4 in a laid down position. FIG. 8 is a partial cross sectional view of the shelf of FIG. 7 rotated and raised to an upright position. FIG. 9 is a partial enlarged cross sectional view of the shelf of FIG. 8 in a lowered upright position.

The rack 50 may be, for example, a grill-type element. Further, the rack 50 may have an approximately hexahedron shape. Furthermore, the rack 50 may have a top surface, and may include a left portion 51, a right portion 52, a front portion 53, a rear portion 54, and a bottom portion 55.

The left portion 51, right portion 52, front portion 53, and rear portion 54 may be connected by a plurality of horizontal bar portion 56 and a plurality of vertical bar portions 57 which intersect each other. The bottom portion 55 may be connected such that a plurality of left and right bar portions 58 and a plurality of front and rear bar portions 59 intersect each other.

A plurality of shelves 70 and 80 may be provided on the rack 50. Alternatively, the shelves may be disposed one on each of the left portion 51 and the right portion 52, or they may both be disposed together on one of the left portion 51 and the right portion 52.

Hereinafter, description will be made with respect to an embodiment in which both shelves 70, 80 are disposed together on one side of the rack 50, more particularly, the right portion 52 of the rack 50, spaced apart in a forward and backward direction. In other words, the (front) shelf 70 is provided at a front side of the right portion 52 of the rack 50, and the (rear) shelf 80 is provided at a rear side of the right portion 52 of the rack 50, as shown in FIG. 5. The front shelf 70 and a rear shelf 80 may be constructed to have the same structure.

The shelves 70 and 80 may be configured to rotate to be raised to an upper side of the rack 50 (to a raised upright position) and then moved to a lower side thereof (to a lowered upright position) and held in that position, and moved to the upper side thereof (to the raised upright position) and then rotated to a laid down position. That is, the shelves 70 and 80 may have a hold position to which they are rotated so as to be raised to the upper side of the rack 50 and then moved to the lower side thereof and held, and a use position to which they are rotated so as to be moved to the upper side thereof and then laid down. That is, the respective shelf 70, 80 is rotated (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 8) to an upright position, as shown in FIGS. 7-8, and then is slid in a downward direction (in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 8) to a lowered upright position, as shown in FIG. 9, where it is held in such position by a hanger 100. The respective shelf 70, 80 may then be raised back to the upright position and then rotated to a laid out position.

The shelves 70 and 80 may each include a guide 90 configured to move or rotate along one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions 56, a hanger 100 configured to be stopped at another one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions 56 when the respective shelf 70, 80 is raised and then moved to the lowered upright position, and a support portion 110 configured to be stopped by the vertical bar portions 57 when the respective shelf 70, 80 is laid down and when the respective shelf 70, 80 is raised up and then moved to the lowered uptight position.

Hereinafter, for convenience, description will be made with respect to the case in which the guide 90 is guided along one of the upper horizontal bar portions 56a and the hanger 100 is stopped at one of the lower horizontal bar portions 56b.

The guide 90 may project from the shelf 70, 80 and may have a guide portion 91 configured to be guided along the upper horizontal bar portion 56a, such that the guide 90 has an overall U-shape.

A plurality of guides 90 may be provided spaced apart from each other in a lengthwise direction of the shelf 70, 80. A plurality of guides 90 may be formed approximately at a front and rear sides and a center of the shelf 70, 80.

The guide 90 may include an upper guide 92 projected from the shelf 70, 80, a linear portion 94 extending or curved from the upper guide 92, and a lower guide 96 extending or curved from the linear portion 94 so as to face the upper guide 92. The upper guide 92 may increase in thickness as it extends toward the shelf 70, 80. Further, the upper guide 92 may be configured to be positioned adjacent an upper side of the upper horizontal bar portion 56a when the shelf 70, 80 is raised and then slid down.

The linear portion 94 may come into contact with the upper horizontal bar portion 56a when the shelf 70, 80 slides in an up-and-down direction, that is, a direction parallel to a heightwise extended line P of the shelf 70, 80, as shown in FIG. 8. The linear portion 94 may have a length equal or similar to a distance between the upper horizontal bar portion 56a and the lower horizontal bar portion 56b.

The lower guide 96 may be configured to be stopped at the upper horizontal bar portion 56a when the shelf 70, 80 is slid in an upward direction, as shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 7, the lower guide 96 may contact the upper horizontal bar portion 56a when the shelf 70, 80 is rotated. Further, the lower guide 96 may include a curved surface portion 97 which may contact the upper horizontal bar portion 56a.

A protrusion 98 may be provided on the lower guide 96 which is stopped at the upper horizontal bar portion 56a in a vertical direction when the shelf 70, 80 is rotated into a laid down position and in a horizontal direction when the shelf 70, 80 is moved to or raised, as shown in FIGS. 7-8, respectively. The lower guide 96 may be configured to be placed on the lower horizontal bar portion 56b when the shelf 70, 80 is slid down to the lowered upright position, as shown in FIG. 9.

The hanger 100 may project from the guide 90. As shown in FIG. 9, the hanger 100 may be stopped at the lower horizontal bar portion 56b to prevent the shelf 70, 80 from being arbitrarily rotated to a laid down position when the shelf 70, 80 is in the lowered upright position. The hanger 100 may be formed to extend substantially in a direction parallel to the linear portion 94, and may project from the lower guide 96 in an opposite direction from the linear portion 94. Additionally, the hanger 100 may be shorter than a width between the upper horizontal bar portion 56a and the lower horizontal bar portion 56b so that the shelf 70, 80 is not interrupted by the lower horizontal bar portion 56b when rotating to the laid down position from the raised upright position.

The support portion 110 may project from an end of the shelf 70, 80 so as to be parallel to the linear portion 94 and the hanger 100, and may be positioned along the heightwise extended line P shown in FIG. 8.

The laid down angle of the shelf 70, 80 may be determined based on a shape and angle of a portion 112 of the support portion 110 (hereinafter, referred to as a “contact portion”) that contacts the vertical bar portions 57 of the rack 50 when the shelf 70, 80 is laid out laterally. If the contact portion 112 extends parallel to the end 71 of the shelf 70, 80, the shelf 70, 80 is laid out substantially horizontally. In contrast, if the contact portion 112 is sloped with respect to the end 71 of the shelf 70, 80, the shelf 70, 80 is laid out with a slope to the horizontal plane.

Further, if the slope angle between the shelf 70, 80 of the contact portion 112 and the end 71 is large, the slope angle between the shelf 70, 80 and the horizontal plane is large. In contrast, if the slope angle between the contact portion 112 and the end 71 of the shelf 70, 80 is small, the slope angle between the shelf 70, 80 and the horizontal plane is small.

The supporting portion 110 may be formed on the shelf 70, 80 so as to be spaced from the guide 90. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, a protrusion may project from the shelf 70, 80 to prevent a cup or similar items from being moved on the shelf 70, 80.

An operation of dishwasher according to embodiments and constructed as set forth above will be described herein below.

First, if the shelf 70, 80 is laid out substantially laterally, as shown in FIG. 7, the linear portion 94 of the guide 90 is positioned adjacent to or placed on the upper horizontal bar portion 56a, the guide 90 is oriented so as to turn around the upper horizontal bar portion 56a in a clockwise direction of FIG. 7, and the shelf 70, 80 is rotated around the upper horizontal bar portion 56a. When the shelf 70, 80 is disposed to be sloped horizontally or at a predetermined angle, the contact portion 112 of the support portion 110 contacts the vertical bar portion 57 and is restrained and/or stopped thereby as shown in FIG. 7, the lower guide 96 of the guide 90 is restrained and stopped by the upper horizontal bar portion 56a, and the shelf 70, 80 is held by the guide 90 and the support portion 110 engaged to the upper horizontal bar portion 56a and the vertical bar portions 57.

Meanwhile, if the shelf 70, 80 is rotated upward as shown in FIG. 8, the support portion 110 is moved apart from the vertical bar portion 57, the linear portion 94 of the guide 90 is moved to the left of and adjacent to the upper horizontal bar portion 56a, and the guide 90 turns around the upper horizontal bar portion 56a in the clockwise direction of (arrow A in) FIG. 8, and the shelf 70, 80 is raised to a raised upright position.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 8, the shelf 70, 80 may be freely slid downward. If the shelf 70, 80 is slid down, the linear portion 94 of the guide 90 descends along the upper horizontal bar portion 56a, and the position of the shelves 70 and 80 is lowered to a lowered upright position.

If the position of the shelf 70, 80 is lowered approximately a height H (see FIG. 9) of the linear portion 94 of the guide 90, the upper guide 92 is positioned adjacent to or placed on the upper horizontal bar portion 56a and/or the lower guide 94 is positioned adjacent to or placed on the lower horizontal bar portion 56b, and the hanger 100 is disposed at the left of and adjacent to the lower horizontal bar portion 56b. At this time, the support portion 110 is restrained as it is contacted to the vertical bar portion 57 of the rack 50, and the shelf 70, 80 is held by the guide 90, the hanger 100, and the support portion 110 engaged to the lower horizontal bar portion 56b and the upper horizontal bar portion 56a, respectively.

That is, the support portion 110 is stopped at the vertical bar portion 57 and restrained in the left direction of FIG. 9, the linear portion 94 of the guide 90 is stopped at the upper horizontal bar portion 56a and restrained in the right direction of FIG. 9, and the hanger 100 is stopped at the lower horizontal bar portion 56b and restrained in the left direction of FIG. 9. At this time, as the upper guide 92 of the guide 90 is positioned adjacent to or placed on the upper horizontal bar portion 56a and/or the lower guide 94 is positioned adjacent to or placed on the lower horizontal bar portion 56b, and the shelf 70, 80 is restricted from moving to the left and right and downward, and the shelf 70, 80 is held in the lowered upright position.

A dishwasher according to embodiments disclosed herein have at least the following advantages.

Embodiments disclosed herein provide a dishwasher which offers a high utilization of the space inside a washing cabinet by minimizing a height of a shelf not in use by preventing the shelf from projecting upward from the rack or reducing any projection. That is, dishwasher according to embodiments disclosed herein has increased space utilization as the space above the shelf may be increased and thus a size of another rack assembly positioned above the rack assembly may be increased. This is because the shelf may be moved downward and held to the rack in a lowered upright position if not in use, and thus the shelf does not project above the rack or the height of the portion projecting above the rack is reduced.

Moreover, the dishwasher according to embodiments disclosed herein is advantageous in that the shelves are not shaken and/or do not arbitrarily fall out from the rack during operation of the dishwasher.

There is provided according to embodiments disclosed herein a dishwasher which may include a rack disposed inside a washing tub or cabinet, and a shelf which is rotatable so as to be raised to an upper side of the rack and then moved to a lower side and held, and which is movable to the upper side and then rotated and laid down.

The rack may have a plurality of horizontal bar portions disposed thereon so as to be vertically spaced apart from each other and a plurality of vertical bar portions provided thereon, and the shelf may have a guide placed so as to be moved or rotated along one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and a support portion stopped at the vertical bar portions when the shelf is laid down and when the shelf is raised and moved. The guide may have a guide portion opened and guided along the one upper horizontal bar portion. The guide may be provided in a plural number spaced apart from each other in a lengthwise direction of the shelf. The guide may include an upper guide projected from the shelf, a linear portion curved from the upper guide, and a lower guide curved from the linear portion so as to face the upper guide.

The upper guide may become thicker as it goes closer to the shelf. The lower guide may have a protrusion which is stopped at the one upper horizontal bar portion in a vertical direction when the shelf is laid and in a horizontal direction when the shelf is raised.

The portion of the lower guide contacting the one horizontal bar portion may be formed of a curved surface portion. The surface of the support portion contacting the vertical bar portions may be sloped with respect to the end of the shelf. The support portion may be formed on the shelf so as to be spaced apart from the guide. The support portion may be formed in a plural number so as to be spaced apart from each other in the lengthwise direction of the shelf. A hanger may be formed which is stopped at the other one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions when the shelf is raised and moved. The hanger may be projected from the guide so as to be disposed next to the other horizontal bar portion and stopped when the shelf is raised and moved. The hanger may be shorter than a width between the one horizontal bar portion and the other horizontal bar portion.

Additionally, there is provided a dishwasher according to embodiments disclosed herein which may include a rack disposed inside a washing tub or cabinet, having a plurality of horizontal bar portions spaced apart from each other, and provided with horizontal bar portions, and a shelf having a guide to be moved or rotated along one of the horizontal bar portions and a hanger to be stopped at the other horizontal bar portion. The guide may include an upper guide projected from the shelf, a linear portion curved from the upper guide, and a lower guide curved from the linear portion so as to face the upper guide. A hanger may be projected from the guide so as to be shorter than a width between one horizontal bar portion and the other horizontal bar portion.

Further, there is provided a dishwasher according to embodiments disclosed herein which may include a rack disposed in the washing tub or cabinet, and a shelf having a hold mode at which it is rotated so as to be raised to an upper side of the rack and then moved to a lower side and held and a use mode at which it is moved to the upper side of the rack and then rotated and laid down. The shelf may include a guide moving or rotating along one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions formed on the rack, a support portion stopped at the vertical bar portions formed on the racks when the shelf is in the use mode and the hold mode, and a hanger stopped at the other one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions formed on the rack when the shelf is in the hold mode. The hanger may be projected from the guide so as to be shorter than the width between one horizontal bar portion and the other horizontal bar portion.

A dishwasher according to embodiments disclosed herein is advantageous in that space utilization is increased as the space as much as a decrease in the height of a shelf is ensured above the shelf and the size of another rack assembly positioned above the rack assembly where the shelf is installed can be maximized, because the shelf is moved downward and held to the rack after they are raised if it is not in use, thereby not projecting the shelf upward of the rack or minimizing the height of the portion projected upward of the rack.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A dishwasher, comprising: at least one rack configured to be disposed inside a washing cabinet; andat least one shelf rotatably attached to the at least one rack so as to be rotated from a substantially laid down position to a raised upright position with respect to the at least one rack and then moved to a lowered upright position and held thereat, and which is thereafter raisable to the raised upright position and then rotated back to the substantially laid down position.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the at least one rack comprises a plurality of horizontal bar portions vertically spaced apart from each other and a plurality of vertical bar portions attached thereto.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2, wherein the at least one shelf comprises at least one guide configured to be moved or rotated along one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the at least one shelf further comprises at least one support portion configured to be stopped at one of the plurality of vertical bar portions when the at least one shelf is in the substantially laid down and when the at least one shelf is in the lowered upright position.

5. The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein a surface of the at least one support portion contacting the one of the plurality of vertical bar portions is sloped with respect to a central widthwise axis of the at least one shelf.

6. The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein the at least one support portion is formed on the at least one shelf spaced apart from the at least one guide.

7. The dishwasher of claim 4, wherein the at least one support portion comprises a plurality of support portions spaced apart from each other in a lengthwise direction of the at least one shelf.

8. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the at least one guide comprises a guide portion opened and configured to be guided along an upper horizontal bar portion of the plurality of horizontal bar portions.

9. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the at least one guide comprises a plurality of guides spaced apart from each other in a lengthwise direction of the at least one shelf.

10. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the at least one guide includes an upper guide projected from the at least one shelf, a linear portion that extends from the upper guide, and a lower guide that extends from the linear portion so as to face the upper guide.

11. The dishwasher of claim 10, wherein the upper guide decreases in thickness as it extends away from the at least one shelf.

12. The dishwasher of claim 10, wherein the lower guide has a protrusion configured to be stopped at the upper horizontal bar portion in a vertical direction when the shelf is in the substantially laid down position and in a horizontal direction when the shelf is in the raised upright position.

13. The dishwasher of claim 10, wherein a portion of the lower guide contacting the one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions is formed of a curved surface portion.

14. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the at least one guide further comprises a hanger configured to be stopped at another one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions when the at least one shelf is moved to the lowered upright position.

15. The dishwasher of claim 14, wherein the hanger projects from the at least one guide so as to be disposed next to the another one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and stopped when the at least one shelf is moved to the lowered upright position.

16. The dishwasher of claim 14, wherein the hanger is shorter than a width between the one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and the another one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions.

17. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the at least one shelf comprises a plurality of shelves.

18. The dishwasher of claim 17, wherein the plurality of shelves are provided on one side of the rack in succession.

19. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the at least one shelf comprises at least one dish orienting protrusion.

20. A dishwasher, comprising: at least one rack configured to be disposed inside a washing cabinet and comprising a plurality of horizontal bar portions spaced apart from each other and a plurality of vertical bar portions attached thereto; andat least one shelf having at least one guide movable with respect to and rotatable along one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and at least one hanger configured to be stopped at another of the plurality of horizontal bar portions.

21. The dishwasher of claim 20, wherein the at least one guide comprises an upper guide projected from the at least one shelf, a linear portion that extends from the upper guide, and a lower guide that extends from the linear portion so as to face the upper guide.

22. The dishwasher of claim 20, wherein the at least one hanger projects from the at least one guide and is shorter than a width between the one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and the another of the plurality of horizontal bar portions.

23. A dishwasher, comprising: at least one rack configured to be disposed inside a washing cabinet; andat least one shelf configured to be movable between a hold mode in which it is rotated from a substantially laid down position to a raised upright position with respect to the at least one rack and then moved to a lowered upright position with respect to the at least one rack and held thereat, and a use mode in which it is returned to the raised upright position and is then rotated to the substantially laid down position.

24. The dishwasher of claim 18, wherein the at least one shelf comprises: at least one guide configured to move or rotated along one of a plurality of horizontal bar portions formed on the at least one rack;at least one support portion configured to be stopped at another of the plurality of horizontal bar portions when the shelf is in the use mode and the hold mode; andat least one hanger configured to be stopped at the another one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions when the shelf is in the hold mode.

25. The dishwasher of claim 23, wherein the at least one hanger projects from the at least one guide and is shorter than a width between the one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and the another of the plurality of horizontal bar portions.