Patent Application
20170258294
Embodiments herein relate to a holding assembly for holding one or more stemmed objects in a dishwasher. The embodiments herein also relates to a rack of a dishwasher and a dishwasher comprising a rack.
Interior environments of today's dishwashers are not always adapted to receive delicate items such as wine glasses, champagne glasses etc. The interior of a dishwasher is usually designed to receive plates and it is desirably if the interior is robust enough to receive heavy and bulky cookware such as pots and pans etc. Therefore, problems may arise when delicate items such as wine glasses, champagne glasses etc., are loaded into such an interior. In particular, one such problem is that when such items are loaded into a rack, a user usually has to handle the rack with great care, not to cause such items to fall. Even if a user does so, such items might fall anyway. Such falling may cause such delicate items to break. An option is to dish such items by hand, but dishwashing by hand is time consuming and many users also consider such activities to be burdensome. Also, items to be washed which are loaded into a dishwasher can have a variety of designs and sizes. This makes it difficult to design the interior of a dishwasher such that it can handle such different kind of items to be washed.
In view of above, there is a need for an improved holding assembly which may overcome some of the above mentioned problems.
An object of the embodiments herein is to provide an improved holding assembly.
According to an aspect of the embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a holding assembly for holding one or more stemmed objects in a dishwasher, the holding assembly comprising an elongated gripping unit frame and two or more gripping units arranged at the elongated gripping unit frame, where the two or more gripping units are arranged to grip a respective stemmed portion of the one or more stemmed objects, and where at least one of the two or more gripping units is displaceably arranged along a longitudinal direction of the elongated gripping unit frame. Since, at least one of the two or more gripping units is displaceably arranged along a longitudinal direction of the elongated gripping unit frame, positioning of the one or more stemmed objects, within the dishwasher, is facilitated.
As a result, the above mentioned object is achieved.
Also, since at least one of the two or more gripping units is displaceably arranged along a longitudinal direction of the elongated gripping unit frame, a distance between two or more gripping units may be adjusted. As a result, a holding assembly is provided where stemmed objects, such as wine glasses, having different diameters can be held. Further, a space within a dishwasher in which the holding assembly is positioned may be utilized more efficiently and space may be provided for accommodating other form of dish than stemmed objects.
Optionally, each gripping unit has a gripping mode and a releasing mode where the each gripping unit is arranged to release the respective stemmed portion in the releasing mode, and where the each gripping unit is arranged to grip the respective stemmed portion in the gripping mode. Since each gripping unit has a gripping mode and a releasing mode, holding of one or more stemmed objects may be ensured and removement of the one or more stemmed objects from the holding assembly may be facilitated.
Optionally, each gripping unit comprises a first arm and a second arm and a flexible strip arranged between the first and second arms. Since each gripping unit comprises a first arm and a second arm and a flexible strip arranged between the first and second arms, gripping of the one or more stemmed objects may be further improved.
Optionally, the flexible strip is arranged to at least partially enclose the stemmed portion of one of the one or more stemmed objects when the gripping unit is in the gripping mode. Since the flexible strip is arranged to at least partially enclose the stemmed portion when each gripping unit is in the gripping mode, gripping of the one or more stemmed objects may be further improved.
Optionally, the first arm and the second arm are rotably arranged at the holding assembly and where a tip of the first arm and a tip of the second arm are arranged to be closer to each other when the gripping unit is in the gripping mode than in the releasing mode. Thereby, gripping of a stemmed portion of a stemmed object may be further improved.
Optionally, the elongated gripping unit frame comprises one or more snap fittings, and where the holding assembly is arranged to be snapped onto a rack of the dishwasher via the one or more snap fittings. Since the elongated gripping unit frame comprises one or more snap fittings, the holding assembly provided may easily be snapped onto, and removed from, a rack of the dishwasher. Thereby, a user may snap the holding assembly onto an already existing rack of the dishwasher and may remove the holding assembly, from the rack, when it is not to be used.
Optionally, the one or more snap fittings are displaceably arranged along the longitudinal direction of the elongated gripping unit frame. Since the one or more snap fittings are displaceably arranged along the longitudinal direction of the elongated gripping unit frame, a holding assembly is provided which may be snapped onto racks having different designs. That is, the holding assembly may be snapped onto racks having different distances between wires of the racks.
Optionally, the snap fittings are arranged to allow the holding assembly to be folded between at least a gripping position and a storing position in relation to the rack of the dishwasher. Thereby, the holding assembly may be folded into a storing position when it is not in use to thereby provide space to other items to be washed than stemmed objects, and which may be folded into the gripping position when it is to be used.
Optionally, the holding assembly comprises a gripping unit side comprising the two or more gripping units and a rear side opposite to the gripping unit side, where the rear side comprises a wall being arranged with an angle in the range of 100-120 degrees, preferably in the range of 105-115 degrees, more preferably approximately 110 degrees, to a main extension plane of the holding assembly. Thereby, washing and drying of a stemmed object, being held in a dishwasher by a holding assembly provided, may be improved since water more easily may reach portions of such a stemmed object and water may run off such a stemmed object in a more efficient manner. In particular, drying of stemmed objects, such as wine glasses and champagne flutes, may be improved since water may run off from a bowl-shaped foot portion of such a glass, due to the rear side comprising a wall being arranged with an angle in the range of 100-120 degrees, preferably in the range of 105-115 degrees, more preferably approximately 110 degrees, to a main extension plane of the holding assembly.
According to a second aspect of the embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a rack of a dishwasher comprising a holding assembly according to some embodiments.
According to a third aspect of the embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a dishwasher comprising a rack according to some embodiments.
Further features of, and advantages with, the embodiments herein will become apparent when studying the appended claims and the following detailed description. Those skilled in the art will realize that the different features described may be combined to create embodiments other than those described in the following, without departing from the scope of the embodiments herein, as defined by the appended claims.
The various aspects of the embodiments herein, including its particular features and advantages, will be readily understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:
The embodiments herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments are shown. Disclosed features of example embodiments may be combined. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Well-known functions or constructions will not necessarily be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.
Two or more of, or even all of, the gripping units 5 may be displaceably arranged along the longitudinal direction Id of the elongated gripping unit frame 7. All six gripping units 5 of the holding assembly 1 illustrated in
Since at least one of the two or more gripping units 5 is displaceably arranged, a distance d between the two or more gripping units 5 can be adjusted. Thereby, stemmed objects 3, such as wine glasses, having different diameters can be held in the holding assembly provided. Further, a space within a dishwasher in which the holding assembly is positioned may be utilized more efficiently and space may be provided for accommodating other form of dish than stemmed objects within a dishwasher.
As illustrated in
Each gripping unit 5 of the holding assembly 1 illustrated in
Also, as can be seen in
The flexible strip 17 and/or the first arm 13.1 and the second arm 13.2 may be provided in a soft material. The soft material may be a ThermoPlastic Elastomers (TPE).
As illustrated in Fig.1 the elongated gripping unit frame 7 comprises one or more snap fittings 9. The snap fittings 9 allow the holding assembly 1 to be snapped onto a rack of a dishwasher. The snap fittings 9 may be displaceably arranged along the longitudinal direction ld of the elongated gripping unit frame 7. Thereby, a holding assembly 1 is provided which may be snapped onto racks having different designs. That is, a holding assembly 1 is provided which may be snapped onto racks having different distances between wires of the racks.
Snap fittings 9 of the holding assembly are arranged to allow the holding assembly 1 to be folded between at least a gripping position and a storing position in relation to the rack 15. In
As can be seen in
The advantages with these features are illustrated in
It is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of various example embodiments and the embodiments herein is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications to the disclosed embodiments, combinations of features of disclosed embodiments as well as other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2014/068528 | 9/1/2014 | WO | 00 |
