Patent Application
20050016941
Dishwashers historically have at least two racks which are adapted to move between a retracted wash position within the washing chamber and an extended position outside the washing chamber for loading and unloading dishes and other objects to be washed. The racks typically include wheels or rollers for rolling movement along tracks or guides to the retracted and extended positions. Normally, the roller systems that carry or support the rack are provided with some looseness, particularly in the side-to-side or lateral directions, due to the space or gap between the sidewalls of the rack and the sidewalls of the tub or washing chamber. Such looseness in the roller systems is desirable so as to prevent binding, and to eliminate small gaps between parts that might accumulate food particles which may reduce wash performance or create odors over time. However, the looseness may cause objects in the rack to shift from a desired location during movement of the rack, thereby decreasing the washing effectiveness or damaging the objects.
Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a dishwasher rack guide for minimizing lateral movement of the rack as the rack moves into and out of the washing chamber.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a dishwasher rack guide which can be quickly and easily mounted on the rack to minimize lateral movement of the rack relative to the dishwasher tub.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a dishwasher rack guide which snap fits onto the rack to minimize lateral movement of the rack relative to the sidewalls of the tub.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of an improved dishwasher rack having guides mounted on the opposite sides of the rack for engagement with a sidewall of the dishwasher chamber to substantially preclude lateral movement of the rack relative to the chamber.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.
The dishwasher rack guide of the present invention includes a pair of members, each being, mountable onto one side of the rack adjacent the rear corners so as to extend laterally outwardly for engagement with the vertical sidewalls of the dishwasher tub. Although the members can be formed as projections in the rack side wires, preferably, each member snap fits onto the rack for quick and easy mounting. One or more legs extend from each member and engage a rack wire to prevent movement of the member. The member may include a wheel or roller for engagement with the tub sidewall.
The present invention is directed towards a pair of rack guides 22, which are mounted on each rear corner of the rack 10. In the preferred embodiment, each rack guide 22 is a one-piece molded member adapted to snap fit onto the rack 10.
More particularly, as seen in
It is understood that the surface 28 may have shapes other than the semi-circular curve shown in
In use, the surface 28 of the rack guides 22 engages the respective sidewall of the dishwasher tub, thereby minimizing or substantially eliminating the side-to-side movement of the rack which is otherwise present. Thus, as the rack 10 is moved in and out of the tub, the lateral movement normally present due to the looseness of the roller assemblies is precluded by the engagement of the surface 28 with the tub sidewall.
Thus, the rack guides 22 and 34 function to minimize or eliminate lateral movement of the rack 10 as the rack is moved into and out of the dishwashing tub or washing chamber. The function of the rollers 20 are not affected by the guides 22, 34.
As shown in
The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.
