This application is a National Stage Application, filed under 35 U.S.C. § 371, of International Application No. PCT/US2016/026704, filed Apr. 8, 2016; the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to dishwashers and, more particularly, to cutlery racks for dishwashers and dishwashers comprising at least one cutlery rack.
Dishwashers are often provided with a cutlery basket or a cutlery tray for stacking cutlery pieces. Traditionally, cutlery baskets may be detachably arranged within the lower rack of the dishwasher, and arranged for essentially vertical reception of cutlery. However, these baskets occupy space in the bottom of the lower rack or must be removed and stored outside the dishwasher. Cutlery trays may be arranged for substantially horizontal reception of cutlery, and are adapted to be extractably arranged in the dishwasher, e.g. attached to the wall or top of the tub in the upper part of the dishwasher, above the upper rack. These cutlery trays also occupy substantial vertical space in the tub, even when not in use.
Applicant has identified a number of deficiencies and problems associated with conventional dishwasher cutlery racks and other associated systems and methods. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified problems have been solved by developing solutions that are included in embodiments of the present invention, many examples of which are described in detail herein.
Generally, some embodiments provided herein include dishwashers, cutlery racks, and associated methods. The dishwasher may include a dishwasher rack disposed in the dishwasher. The dishwasher rack may comprise at least a first wall and a second wall. The first wall may be parallel to the second wall, and each of the first wall and the second wall may define at least one end. The dishwasher may further include a cutlery rack comprising a first engaging portion. The first engaging portion of the cutlery rack may be slidably attached to the first wall of the dishwasher rack. The cutlery rack may include a second engaging portion, and the second engaging portion of the cutlery rack may be slidably attached to the second wall of the dishwasher rack. The cutlery rack may further include a shelf extending between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion. The shelf may define a receiving surface for receiving cutlery. The shelf may be configured to slide in a longitudinal direction with respect to the first wall and the second wall, and the shelf may be configured to pivot with respect to the dishwasher rack between a working position and a stowed position. In the working position, the receiving surface of the shelf may be aligned with the longitudinal direction. In the stowed position, the receiving surface shelf may be pivoted out of alignment with the longitudinal direction and may be positioned adjacent an end of the first wall and an end of the second wall.
In some embodiments, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion may be disposed on a first side of the cutlery rack. The first engaging portion may define a first pivotal attachment member engaging a first rail on the first wall of the dishwasher rack, and the second engaging portion may define a second pivotal attachment member engaging a second rail on the second wall of the dishwasher rack. The cutlery rack may further comprise a second side comprising a third engaging portion configured to be removably and slidably disposed on the first rail in the working position and a fourth engaging portion configured to be removably and slidably disposed on the second rail in the working position. The cutlery rack may be configured to slide along the first rail on the first engaging portion and the third engaging portion and the cutlery rack may be configured to slide along the second rail on the second engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion. The cutlery rack may be configured to be pivoted to the stowed position by lifting the second side of the cutlery rack and rotating the cutlery rack about a first pivotal attachment member of the first engaging portion and a second pivotal attachment member of the second engaging portion.
In some embodiments, in the working position, the receiving surface of the shelf may be configured to be disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal direction. In the stowed position, the receiving surface of the shelf may be configured to be disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
The first wall may further comprise a first rail disposed on an upper edge of the first wall. The first rail may at least partially define a first receiving slot. The first receiving slot may extend parallel to the longitudinal direction, and the first engaging portion may be configured to engage the first receiving slot. In some embodiments, the first engaging portion may include a first leg attached generally perpendicular to the shelf, the first leg defining a length. The first receiving slot may terminate at a distance from the end of the first wall of the dishwasher rack, and the distance may be equal to the length of the first leg.
In some embodiments, the second wall may further comprise a second rail disposed on an upper edge of the second wall. The second rail may at least partially define a second receiving slot. The second receiving slot may extend parallel to the longitudinal direction, and the second engaging portion may be configured to engage the second receiving slot.
The second engaging portion may comprise a second leg attached generally perpendicular to the shelf, the second leg defining the length. The second receiving slot may terminate at the distance from the end of the second wall of the dishwasher rack.
In some embodiments, the cutlery rack may further comprise a third engaging portion attached to the shelf and a fourth engaging portion attached to the shelf. The third engaging portion may be configured to engage the first wall in the working position, and the fourth engaging portion may be configured to engage the second wall in the working position.
The first engaging portion may define a first slot configured to receive at least a portion of the first wall therein. The first engaging portion may further comprise a first attachment member extending across the first slot, such that the first engaging portion may at least partially surround the portion of the first wall.
The second engaging portion may define a second slot configured to receive at least a portion of the second wall therein. The second engaging portion may further comprise a second attachment member extending across the second slot, such that the second engaging portion may at least partially surround the portion of the second wall. In some embodiments, the shelf may be configured to pivot about an axis spanning the first attachment member and the second attachment member.
In some embodiments, in the stowed position, a portion of the shelf is configured to rest on an upper edge of a third wall of the dishwasher rack, and the third wall may extend between the end of the first wall and the end of the second wall.
The shelf, the first engaging portion, and the second engaging portion may be fixedly connected to each other, and the shelf may be configured to pivot about an axis extending between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion.
In another embodiment, a cutlery rack may be provided. The cutlery rack may include a first side and a second side. The first side may comprise a first engaging portion configured to pivotally and slidably attach to a first rail of a first wall of a dishwasher rack. The first engaging portion may define a first pivotal attachment member configured to engage the first rail. The first side may include a second engaging portion configured to pivotally and slidably attach to a second rail of a second wall of a dishwasher rack. The second engaging portion may define a second pivotal attachment member configured to engage the second rail. The second side may comprise a third engaging portion configured to be removably and slidably disposed on the first rail and a fourth engaging portion configured to be removably and slidably disposed on the second rail. The cutlery rack may be configured to slide along the first rail on the first engaging portion and the third engaging portion and the cutlery rack may be configured to slide along the second rail on the second engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion. The cutlery rack may be configured to be pivoted to a stowed position by lifting the second side of the cutlery rack and rotating the cutlery rack about the first pivotal attachment member of the first engaging portion and the second pivotal attachment member of the second engaging portion.
In some embodiments, the cutlery rack may comprise a shelf extending between the first side and the second side, the shelf defining a receiving surface for receiving cutlery. The first engaging portion may comprise a first leg attached generally perpendicular to the shelf, the first leg defining a length. The length may be configured to be equal to a distance a termination point of a first receiving slot defined by the first rail and an end of the first wall.
In some embodiments, the second engaging portion may comprise a second leg attached generally perpendicular to the shelf, the second leg defining the length.
The first engaging portion may define a first slot configured to receive the first rail. In some embodiments, the first attachment member may extend across the first slot, such that the first engaging portion may be configured to at least partially surround the first rail. The second engaging portion may define a second slot configured to receive the second rail, and the second attachment member may extend across the second slot, such that the second engaging portion may be configured to at least partially surround the second rail.
In yet another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a dishwasher with a cutlery rack is provided. The dishwasher may include a dishwasher rack disposed in the dishwasher. The dishwasher rack may comprise at least a first wall and a second wall. The first wall may be parallel to the second wall, and each of the first wall and the second wall may define at least one end. The dishwasher may further include a cutlery rack comprising a first engaging portion, a second engaging portion, and a shelf extending between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion. The shelf may define a receiving surface for receiving cutlery. The method may include attaching the first engaging portion of the cutlery rack to the first wall of the dishwasher rack. After attachment, the first engaging portion may be configured to slide relative to the first wall of the dishwasher rack. The method may further include attaching the second engaging portion of the cutlery rack to the second wall of the dishwasher rack. After attachment, the second engaging portion may be configured to slide relative to the second wall of the dishwasher rack. The shelf may be configured to slide in a longitudinal direction with respect to the first wall and the second wall. The shelf may be configured to pivot with respect to the dishwasher rack between a working position and a stowed position. In the working position, the receiving surface of the shelf may be aligned with the longitudinal direction. In the stowed position, the receiving surface shelf may be pivoted out of alignment with the longitudinal direction and positioned adjacent an end of the first wall and an end of the second wall.
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
Dishwashers often include dedicated receiving areas for washing cutlery. Cutlery, including knives, forks, spoons, and the like, often has smaller dimensions than traditional dishware and, thus, may fall through the relatively larger openings of a dishwasher rack. Moreover, cutlery includes many, smaller surfaces, which warrant specific positioning in the wash chamber and/or higher spray intensities to ensure that the cutlery is cleaned thoroughly.
Some embodiments discussed herein include an improved cutlery rack that offers space and organization for cutlery, while also obstructing as little of the wash chamber as possible without requiring disassembly or storage. As detailed herein, a cutlery rack may be provided that is slidably attached to a dishwasher rack (e.g., the middle rack of a three-rack dishwasher or the top rack of a two-rack dishwasher), wherein the cutlery tray includes a detachable front connection and is designed to pivot to a vertical stowed position that is aligned with and proximate the back wall of the dishwasher tub when in non-use.
With reference to
The embodiment shown in
In some embodiments, one or more of the raised side walls 18, 20, 22, 24 may include one or more holders 26 (e.g., grooves, slots, openings, or other holding features) for supporting and securing cutlery. For example, in the embodiment shown in
In some embodiments, the shelf 14 may define a width corresponding to the width of the dishwasher rack. For example, in some embodiments, the width of the shelf 14 may be from 18 inches to 20 inches. For example, the width of the shelf 14 may be 18.41 inches (˜467.54 mm). In some embodiments, the length of the shelf 14 in the longitudinal direction A may be from 4 inches to 5 inches. For example, the length of the shelf 14 may be 4.88 inches (˜124 mm). In some embodiments, the walls 20, 22, 24, 26 of the shelf 14 may be between half an inch and 1.5 inches tall. For example, the height of the walls 20, 22, 24, 26 of the shelf 14 may be 0.71 inches (˜18 mm).
With reference to
The depicted rails 48 are defined on a top edge of the first side wall 38 and the second side wall 40, such that slots 36 of the engaging portions 28, 30, 32, 34 may slide along the rails at an uppermost edge of the side walls. As detailed below, the rails 48 may define longitudinal receiving slots 52 between the rail and the remainder of the walls (e.g., first side wall 38 and second side wall 40). In some embodiments, the engaging portions may ride on rails disposed on an outside or inside surface of the dishwasher rack walls, and the rails may be disposed at an uppermost edge of the walls or at some intermediate position on the side walls. One of ordinary skill in the art will further appreciate, in light of the present disclosure, that the cutlery rack may ride along any parallel walls of the dishwasher rack (e.g., the first and second side walls 38, 40 or the front and rear walls 42, 44), or the cutlery rack may attach to the bottom 46 of the dishwasher rack.
The shelf 14 may be positioned above the dishwasher rack 8 by the engaging portions 28, 30, 32, 34 to allow sufficient space for crockery in the middle dishwasher rack 8. For example, the shelf 14 may be positioned higher than a wine glass, which may be positioned on the dishwasher rack 8 below. The engaging portions 28, 30, 32, 34 may each define a length L from the attachment members 50, which may engage the underside of the rails 48 in the receiving slot 52, to the top of the side walls 20, 22, 24, 26 of the shelf 14. The sum of the length L and the height of the respective wall 38, 40, 42, 44 from the bottom 46 of the dishwasher rack 8 to the attachment members 50 may define the maximum height of the crockery that may be positioned in the dishwasher rack. In some embodiments, the length may be from 3 inches to 5 inches. For example, the length L may be approximately 3.78 inches (˜96.05 mm) in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the length L may be zero, such that the shelf 14 is generally level with the rail 48. In some embodiments, the shelf 14 may rest on the rails 48, and the engaging portions 28, 30, 32, 34 may define slots, bumpers, abutment mechanisms, or other attachment devices for attaching the shelf directly to the rails. In some embodiments, the engaging portions may define a width, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, of approximately 0.6 inches (˜15 mm).
One or more of the engaging portions 28, 30, 32, 34 may attach to the walls of the dishwasher rack 8 to allow pivotal and sliding movement of the shelf 14 relative to the rack, while limiting or preventing removal of the cutlery rack 12 from the dishwasher rack. In the depicted embodiment, the rear engaging portions 32, 34 attach to the rack 8, while the front engaging portions 28, 30 removably engage the dishwasher rack, such as by resting on the rack or loosely gripping the dishwasher rack in a working position. The depicted engaging portions 28, 30, 32, 34 include the slots 36 at a distal end of the legs for receiving a portion of the side walls (e.g., rails 48 of one or more of the walls 38, 40, 42, 44) therein. The depicted rear engaging portions 32, 34 further include attachment members 50 (e.g., pins, clips, pegs, bolts, or the like) extending across the slots 36 to hold the cutlery rack 12 on the rails 48. In such embodiments, the engaging portions 32, 34 having the attachment members 50 may be on a first side of the cutlery rack 12 and the engaging portions 28, 30 removably and slidably resting on the rails 48 without an attachment member may be on a second side of the cutlery rack 12.
The rails 48 may define a continuous, longitudinal receiving slot 52 in which the attachment members 50 may slide. The receiving slots 52 may allow the rear engaging portions 32, 34 on the first side to remain attached to the dishwasher rack 8 while being pivotable and slidable relative to the dishwasher rack. In some embodiments, the rails may be from 12 to 14 inches long (e.g., 12.62 inches or 320.55 mm), and the rails may be from one half inch to 1.5 inches tall (e.g., 0.65 inches or 16.53 mm) above the upper edge of the respective walls 38, 40, 42, 44.
In some embodiments, the slots 36 and attachment members 50 (shown in
Turning to the embodiment shown in
Turning to
With continued reference to
The stowed position may be defined farther from parallel to the longitudinal direction than the working position. In such embodiments, the receiving surface 16 of the shelf 14 may be pivoted out of alignment with the longitudinal direction when transitioning from the working position to the stowed position. With continued reference to
In the depicted embodiment, the receiving surface 16 of the shelf 14 is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in the stowed position. In some embodiments, the shelf 14 may be slid to the rear wall 44 in the stowed position to avoid obstructing the dishwasher rack 8. Said differently, the shelf 14 may be slid until the receiving surface 16 is adjacent to an end of the first wall and an end of the second wall (e.g., the left end relative to the page in
In some embodiments, the rear wall 44 and the receiving surface 16 of the shelf 14 may be generally parallel in the stowed position, and in some further embodiments, the rear wall 44 and the receiving surface 16 of the shelf 14 may be generally coplanar in the stowed position. In some other embodiments, the upper edges of the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 may be generally coplanar with the rear wall 44 in the stowed position. In each of the embodiments discussed above, the receiving surface 16 of the shelf 14 may be said to be adjacent the ends of the walls on which the cutlery rack slides. In some embodiments, the shelf may slide past the rear wall 44 (e.g., farther into the wash chamber 4 behind the dishwasher rack 8 and past the ends of the walls). The shelf 14 may rest against the rear wall 44 and/or the side walls 38, 40 of the dishwasher rack 8 in the stowed position.
In some embodiments, the receiving channel 52 of the rail 48 may terminate at a distance equal to the length L from the rear wall 44. In such embodiments, the cutlery rack 12 may be limited from sliding closer than the length L from the rear wall 44 in the working position, and thus, the shelf 14 may be generally coplanar with the rear wall 44 in the stowed position because the engaging portions 28, 30, 32, 34 may also define a length L.
In some embodiments described herein, a method of manufacturing a dishwasher with a cutlery rack may be provided. The dishwasher may include a dishwasher rack removably disposed in the dishwasher. The dishwasher rack may include at least a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall (e.g., first side wall 38, second side wall 40, and rear wall 44, respectively, in the embodiment depicted in
With reference to
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these embodiments of the invention pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. While some drawings and description may omit features described elsewhere for simplicity of explanation, it is understood that these features may nonetheless be present in any of the embodiments in any combination or configuration, as detailed above. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
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PCT/US2016/026704 | 4/8/2016 | WO | 00 |
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