EP1275336A1

EP1275336A1 - Dishwasher rack with tip-up shelves provided with pull-out cutlery grids

Info

Publication number: EP1275336A1
Application number: EP01830459A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ezio Gobbi
Original assignee: Bonferraro SpA
Current assignee: Bonferraro SpA
Priority date: 2001-07-11
Filing date: 2001-07-11
Publication date: 2003-01-15

Abstract

A dishwasher rack is provided with shelves (R) which can be tipped up to a vertical position around a horizontal axis (X), each shelf (R) being provided with a bottom cutlery grid (G) mounted for sliding in the transverse direction so as to be pulled out. In this way an optimal exploitation of the space of the upper rack is achieved by being able to arrange much cutlery (P, K) together with cups (T), glasses (E) and plates (M).

Description

The present invention relates to dishwashing machines, and in particular to a dishwasher rack with tip-up shelves provided with pull-out cutlery grids.
It is known that dishwasher racks are usually made from metal wires coated with plastic and welded together so as to form a supporting structure for the dishes. In order to make more flexible the use of said racks, mobile or removable supports are often provided which allow to change the exploitation of the rack according to the need of the moment.
An example of such a flexibility of use is found in the upper rack which is usually intended to receive the smaller dishes such as cups, glasses and the like. In order to fully exploit its height, there is usually provided a cup-supporting shelf extending along one or both sides of the rack and located at such a level as to allow the positioning of the glasses under the shelf.
Said shelf may also be used to place thereon large-size cutlery such as kitchen knives, kitchen spoons and the like, or even standard cutlery if the shelf is shaped as a cutlery grid (i.e. a shelf with a plurality of apertures where the cutlery is vertically introduced).
However, the presence of the shelf is an obstacle when the upper rack has to be used for larger dishes, therefore in order to make possible such a use the shelf can be made completely removable, as a separate insert, or tipped up to a vertical position. In the first case there is the drawback that if the user does not properly secure the shelf this can result in the shelf falling down on the underlying glasses under the load of the cups or cutlery placed thereon. Furthermore, it is not practical to have a separate piece which has to be stored outside the dishwasher when not in use.
Tip-up shelves do not have these drawbacks since they are fixed onto the rack, but they have size constraints. In fact, the rotation of the shelf takes place around an axis located at the point where the shelf is connected to the rack side. This means that the distance of said axis from the ceiling of the dishwasher tank must be greater than the width of the shelf, otherwise when the shelf is in the vertical position the rack could no more enter the tank.
With this known arrangement, the only possibility for increasing the shelf width in order to receive larger cups (or other dishes), or to arrange more cutlery, is to lower the point of connection of the shelf. However this implies reducing the height under the shelf available to the glasses. Therefore the advantage of a wider shelf corresponds to the drawback of less room for the glasses.
Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide a rack which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks.
This object is achieved by means of a rack wherein the shelves can not only be rotated to a vertical position, but are also provided with a pull-out cutlery grid which increases their load capacity.
The main advantage of this rack is that of combining the simplicity and safety of use of the tip-up shelf with the capability of size increase without constraints which is typical of the removable shelf.
A further advantage of this rack stemming from the above-mentioned widening of the shelf is that of allowing a better exploitation of the space of the upper rack.
Still another advantage of the present rack is that of allowing to reduce the size of, when not completely eliminating, the cutlery basket usually arranged in the lower rack, so as to make easier the use of the dishwasher at half-load with water supplied only to the upper sprinkler.
These and other advantages and characteristics of the rack according to the present invention will be clear to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, with reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
Fig.1 is a perspective view showing the shelves in the horizontal position with the cutlery grids retracted;
Fig.2 is a front view showing better the space occupied by the dishes in the position of the previous figure;
Fig.3 is a perspective view similar to fig.1 showing the cutlery grids in the extracted position;
Fig.4 is a front view showing the otpimal exploitation of the space in the position of the previous figure;
Fig.5 is a perspective view similar to fig.3 showing a shelf in the vertical position to allow the loading of larger dishes; and
Fig.6 is a front view similar to fig.4.
With reference to figs. 1 and 2, there is seen that a conventional upper rack C includes along the right side, for example, a pair of longitudinally aligned tip-up shelves R. These shelves R are pivoted onto rack C through hooks U snap-mounted on a lateral horizontal wire X of the rack which acts as rotation axis. The substantially horizontal position of shelves R is maintained by lower end stops S abutting against another horizontal wire.
Under each shelf R there is mounted a cutlery grid G slidable in the transverse direction and provided with two rows of apertures A, while shelf R is preferably provided with longitudinal seats to receive standard knives K in addition to being naturally capable of receiving large cutlery such as a kitchen spoon M.
As clearly seen in the front view of fig.2, when grid G is in the retracted position it practically does not project beyond shelf R and allows for an easy positioning of the dishes, such as cups T, under the shelf. Moreover, this figure shows how the portion of grid G in which apertures A are formed is inclined downward with respect to the portion of the grid slidably coupled to shelf R.
This angle between the two portions of grid G provides the double advantage of compensating for the upward inclination of shelf R, facilitating the introduction of cutlery in apertures A, and of moving grid G away from shelf R to make easier for the user to grip grid G for pulling it out.
Upon extraction of grids G the configuration is that illustrated in figs.3 and 4, in which there is seen that other cutlery P, such as spoons and little spoons, are vertically introduced into apertures A, while the space under shelves R is still fully available, even for rather tall glasses E. Obviously, to unload the dishes it will be necessary to remove cutlery P and retract grids G first and then proceed to remove glasses E.
Finally, figs.5 and 6 show the flexibility of use of the present rack, in which the first rack R is tipped up to the vertical position around axis X, to allow the arrangement in the rack of a big-size plate M, whereas the second shelf and the relevant grid remain in the configuration illustrated in figs.3 and 4.
It is clear that the above-described and illustrated embodiment of the rack according to the invention is just an example susceptible of various modifications. In particular, shelves R may be different in size and number, arranged on the right or left side of the rack or on both sides, and even have different length one from the other. Similarly, the mechanism for rotating the shelves with respect to the rack as well as that for pulling out the grids may be made in various ways according to specific manufacturing needs.

Claims

A dishwasher rack provided with at least one shelf (R) which can be tipped up to a substantially vertical position around a horizontal axis (X), characterized in that said at least one shelf (R) is provided with a bottom cutlery grid (G) mounted for sliding in the transverse direction.
A dishwasher rack according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes longitudinally aligned along a same side at least two shelves (R) with relevant pull-out grids (G).
A dishwasher rack according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said at least one shelf (R) is provided with longitudinal seats suitable to receive knives (K).
A dishwasher rack according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutlery grid (G) is formed by a first portion in which there are formed apertures (A) for introducing the cutlery and a second portion slidably coupled to the shelf (R), the first portion being inclined downward with respect to the second portion.