EP1773174B1 - Crockery basket for receiving crockery in a variable manner - Google Patents

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to increase the flexibility of the loading of a crockery basket (1). To this end, the invention relates to a crockery basket (1) for receiving a plurality of different types of crockery, especially in a dishwasher machine, said basket comprising a grid-type holding device (2) consisting of a plurality of prongs (3a, 3b), that can be pivoted between different pivoting positions. According to the invention, the holding device (2) consists of at least two pivoting rows of prongs (4a, 4b), that can be independently pivoted between the different pivoting positions.

Description

The invention relates to a crockery basket for receiving crockery, in particular in a dishwasher, with a rake-like holding device of a plurality of spikes, which is foldable between different pivotal positions. The invention further relates to a dishwasher with a dish rack.

Dish baskets for holding crockery such as plates, cups, glasses, etc., for use in dishwashers, especially household dishwashers, are well known. The goal in the design of such baskets is to provide the user with the greatest possible flexibility when decorating the dish rack. Thus, with optimum use of the available space, dishes of different dimensions, e.g. Plates and bowls of different depth, can be conveniently placed in a dish rack. To make this flexibility, a number of proposals have been made.

From the DE 88 11 474 U For example, a crockery basket for a domestic dishwasher with a rake-like diverter of interconnected spines is known. In this case, the holding device is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis between different layers. To the holding device protruding parts are formed perpendicular to the pivot axis and on both sides to a bearing surface of the holding device, which serve as Geschiranschläge for securing cups or similar small parts against slipping. The pivoting of the holding device between different layers allows the desired more flexible use of the dish rack.

From the DE 198 57 104 A1 a further developed dish rack is known in which the spikes of a pivotable between different layers holding device are formed angled at their lower ends facing the crockery basket. As a result, crockery parts, especially hollow body crockery - with in comparison to plates of greater depth - additionally be included in the dish rack. The capacity of the crockery basket can be used flexibly, without the need for other devices installed in the crockery basket or removed if not needed again.

A particularly high degree of flexibility results in a variant in which only every second spike is angled at its lower end of several spines of a holding device in a spiked row in order to effect as a stop holding wider hollow body dishes. Such can then be held when flattening the holding device between two stops, wherein the distance between the two stops is twice as large compared to the upright folding prong row. Disadvantage of the dish rack described is that no flat surface can be provided.

Another solution for flexible accommodation of dishes with varying depth is in the EP 0 729 725 A1 proposed. It is an insert that can be inserted into a dish rack with a pair of rotating wire holders that can be used to put the dish holder in different configurations. The rotatable holding devices are offset in the longitudinal direction offset from each other on two parallel rotating holding wires. In this way, the spikes are arranged in the longitudinal direction equidistant from each other. By turning one of the two holding devices in an "open" position, the distance between two spines of the dish holder is doubled. The disadvantage of in the EP 0 729 725 A1 arrangement described is that by the pivoting of one or both holding devices, the barbed ends of the pivoted holding device in the dish rack are perpendicular to the top and occupy a space adjacent to the dish holder. This has the consequence that only insufficient flexibility in the dish rack can be achieved.

Also known are baskets with at least two folding prong rows, which are independently hinged between different pivotal positions. Such baskets are for example in JP 06 217 921 A . US Pat. No. 5,158,185 A . US Pat. No. 3,752,322 . US 5 601 195 A . US 2001/0045401 A1 . DE 102 04 692 A1 . EP 0 797 949 A2 and GB 1 393 054 A described.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a possibility with which in a dish rack for receiving a plurality of different crockery, especially in a dishwasher, the greatest possible flexibility is achieved, with an optimal handling for the user should be possible. In particular, should a Possibility are created, which allows to arrange dishes of different depths under optimal use of space.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a crockery basket with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are given in the dependent claims.

Starting from a crockery basket with a rake-like holding device of a plurality of spikes, which is foldable between different pivotal positions, according to the subject invention, the holding device is formed from at least two folding prong rows, which are independently hinged between the different pivotal positions. In a first pivotal position, according to the invention, the spikes of both rows of folding prongs are erected approximately vertically and arranged in a row so that there is a small distance between two folding spikes located on a longitudinal axis for holding flat dishes, e.g. Plates, is formed. In a second pivotal position, one of the folding prong rows is folded over, so that their spikes come to lie approximately horizontally above the wire mat of the dish rack. As a result, a larger distance is formed by the remaining in the vertical or first pivot position spines of the other folding prong row, which depends on the arrangement of the spines of the other folding prong row. In a third pivot position, both folding prong rows are folded over, so that they come to rest in an approximately vertical arrangement above the wire mat of the dish rack. In order to hold crockery parts in a known arrangement in the crockery basket according to the invention, a total of two holding devices according to the embodiment described above are necessary.

The inventive division of a holding device in two rows of folding prongs dishes with different depth, such as flat plates, soup plates, bowls and the like, can be added to the fixture in a simple and cost-effective manner. If the holding device brought into the third pivot position, a substantially flat surface is created, so that the dish rack can be used to hold pots, pans or large dishes. The folding of the folding prong rows reliably prevents bending of individual spines in comparison with a stationary arrangement. A great advantage of at least two folding prong rows in a holding device is that, despite a high flexibility no device installed in the crockery basket and removed when not needed again.

Preferably, each folding prong row has its own axis of rotation. According to one embodiment, the axes of rotation of the folding prong rows are offset from each other in the vertical direction. It is particularly advantageous if the axis of rotation of one of the folding prong rows above the wire mat of the dish rack and the axis of rotation of the other Folding spike row is arranged below the wire mat of the dish rack. This allows when folding the folding prong rows in the third pivot position a particularly flat surface in the bottom of the dish rack.

A particularly simple mechanical configuration of the holding device is obtained when the axes of rotation of the folding prong rows are offset from each other in the horizontal direction.

According to a further embodiment, the holding device, consisting of the at least two folding prong rows, is mounted on at least one side strut defining a side wall of the dish rack. The storage of the holding device can be taken over by appropriate design of the side wall of the dish rack. It is particularly advantageous if a bearing plate which is detachably connected to the side wall of the crockery basket is provided as support or bearing for each holding device. The bearing plate or the bearing plates are preferably made of a plastic, since the desired shape can be achieved in a simple manner by means of an injection process.

In one embodiment, the carrier plate has a number of bearing bushes corresponding to the number of folding prong rows and located in a respective axis of rotation, which are integrally formed on the carrier plate and serve to receive bearing journals located in the axis of rotation. The carrier plate preferably further comprises at least one stop means which form stops for limiting the pivoting angle for parts of a folding prong row. It is preferred if the or the stop means are also integrally formed on the support plate or non-positively and positively connected thereto.

Preferably, a latching lug is provided for each folding prong row as a stop means in the carrier plate, which ensures a secure and firm fixation of the respective folding prong row in a first pivot position, in which the spikes of each folding prong row are aligned substantially vertically. Further latching lugs can serve to fix the folding prong rows in one of the further pivoting positions or at least to define a stop, so that further pivoting is no longer possible.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the spikes of a folding prong row on a bend, so that the spines of all folding prong rows in the first pivot position in which they are substantially vertically upwards, come along the axis of rotation in a line and orientation to lie. The crank is dimensioned such that it takes into account the distances between the respective axes of rotation of the folding prong rows.

It is further preferred if the spikes of each of the folding prong rows are regularly spaced apart from each other and the spikes of respective folding prong rows are arranged alternately equidistant from one another. If a holding device has exactly two rows of folding prongs, the distance between two successive spines can be doubled in the second pivoting position relative to the first pivoting position. In the first pivotal position, however, results in a uniform division over the entire length of the holding device.

In a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that each holding device is associated with a bearing plate in order to support the folding prong rows of the holding device and to limit the pivoting angle.

According to a special embodiment, the holding device may be formed over the inner length of the dish rack. It is also conceivable that the holding device is divided over the inner length in a first and a second holding device, each with at least two folding prong rows, which are independently hinged between the different pivotal positions. The division of the holding device, preferably in the middle of the dish rack, allows even greater flexibility in classifying the Geschinteile. While e.g. the holding devices in the front region of the crockery basket can be brought into the third pivoting position in order, in the substantially flat surface now created, e.g. To accommodate small pots, the folding prong rows of the holding device may remain in the first pivot position in the rear part to fill a plurality of small, flat plates.

The crockery basket according to the invention can be arranged both as a lower basket or as an upper basket in a dishwasher.

A dishwasher, in particular a domestic dishwasher, with a crockery basket of the type described above offers the possibility of flexible reception of crockery, either for a variety of flat dishes or a lower number of lower crockery or by providing a flat surface for particularly large, bulbous dishes.

Figur 1

einen Ausschnitt eines Geschirrkorbes in einer Perspektivansicht mit zwei Halteeinrichtungen, die jeweils zwei Klappstachelreihen umfassen, wobei die Klappstachelreihen jeweils aufgerichtet sind zur Aufnahme einer Vielzahl an Geschirrteilen mit geringer Tiefe,

Figur 2

einen anderen Ausschnitt eines Geschirrkorbes in einer Perspektivansicht mit zwei Halteeinrichtungen, die jeweils zwei Klappstachelreihen umfassen, wobei aus der Figur die Handhabung der Klappstachelreihen ersichtlich ist,

Figur 3

eine vergrößerte Ansicht des Geschirrkorbes aus der Figur 2, aus der die Lagerung der Klappstachelreihen einer Halteeinrichtung an jeweils einer Trägerplatte hervorgeht,

Figur 4

die Anordnung und Ausgestaltung der Klappstachelreihen zueinander in einer Seitenansicht, und

Figur 5

eine Trägerplatte zur Halterung der Klappstachelreihen einer Halteeinrichtung.

Further advantages, expediencies and embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the figures. s show:

FIG. 1

a section of a crockery basket in a perspective view with two holding devices, each comprising two folding prong rows, wherein the folding prong rows are respectively erected for receiving a plurality of crockery parts with shallow depth,

FIG. 2

another section of a crockery basket in a perspective view with two holding devices, each comprising two folding prong rows, from the figure, the handling of the folding prong rows is visible,

FIG. 3

an enlarged view of the crockery basket from the FIG. 2 , from which the storage of the folding prong rows of a holding device emerges on a respective carrier plate,

FIG. 4

the arrangement and design of the folding prong rows to each other in a side view, and

FIG. 5

a support plate for holding the folding prong rows of a holding device.

In the following figures, the same components are shown with the same reference numerals. The components shown in the figures do not correspond to their real size and are shown enlarged or reduced only for the purpose of a better explanation.

Based on FIGS. 1 to 4 In the following, a preferred embodiment of a crockery basket according to the invention will be described.

FIG. 1 shows a detail of a crockery basket 1 according to the invention in a perspective view. Two holding devices 2 are shown, which each have, for example, two folding prong rows 4a, 4b. Each folding prong row 4a has equidistantly arranged spines 3a, which have a straight course and are fastened to a wire part 5a. The attachment can be done arbitrarily. Each of the folding prong rows 4b has a plurality of equidistantly arranged prongs 3b, which are fastened to a wire part 5b.

To the in FIG. 1 shown first pivot position, in which the folding prong rows 4a, 4b of each holding device 2 erect, ie, are arranged approximately perpendicular to the bottom of the dish rack, to achieve the spines 3b each folding prong row 4b a crank 16. According to the present embodiment, the axis of rotation of the folding prong row 4a extends above a wire mat 6 of the dish rack, while the axis of rotation of the other folding prong row 4b is arranged below the wire mat 6 of the dish rack 1. This, in conjunction with the offset of the barbs 3b, enables a particularly flat surface of the crockery basket when the folding prong rows are brought into their horizontal position.

The spikes 3a of the folding prong row 4a are arranged at the same distance from each other as the prongs 3b of a folding prong row 4b. The folding prong rows 4a, 4b are aligned with each other in such a way that in the first pivot position of both folding prong rows 4a, 4b an equal spacing is achieved between respective adjacent prongs. In this position, the dish rack is set up to hold a variety of flat dishes.

A particularly great flexibility in loading the crockery basket results from the fact that each of the folding prong rows 4a, 4b of each of the holding devices 2 can be folded over one another separately. This is from the Figures 2 and 3 better, where FIG. 3 an enlarged view of the crockery basket of FIG. 2 represents, so that the storage of the folding prong rows of support plates 10 shows better. While in the Figures 2 and 3 located on the left side of the viewer folding prong rows 4a, 4b in a third pivotal position are brought in, in which both folding prong rows are folded and thus come to rest on the wire mat 6 (the bottom of the dish rack 1), in the holding device located on the right viewer side only the folding prong row 4b is folded to the bottom of the dish rack, while the folding prong row 4a continues to remain in its erected position.

By completely folding the folding prong rows, a substantially flat surface is created in the dish rack 1, so that it is suitable, for example, for receiving bulky dishes. By folding over only one row of folding prongs, the distance between two prongs of the still erected folding prong row is doubled in the present embodiment, so that e.g. Glasses or crockery can be added with a greater depth compared.

The separate folding the folding prong rows of a holding device requires a special geometry of the folding prong rows and a special storage. The division of a holding device is accomplished by two separate axes of rotation for each of the folding prong rows, two separate bearing points and means for holding the various sting positions for a folding prong row. The holder of the folding prong rows by means of the support plate 10. For each fixture 2 while a support plate 10 is provided. The carrier plate 10 is preferably made of a plastic material and is detachably connected to the dish rack 1. More specifically, the support plates 10 are each connected to a side wall 7 of the crockery basket 1 and are supported on one or more side struts 8 of the crockery basket.

An exemplary embodiment of a carrier plate 10 is in FIG. 5 shown. Each support plate has two horizontally and vertically spaced bearing bushes 11a, 11b, engage in the corresponding bearing pin of the folding prong rows. The journals lie in a line with the respective axes of rotation of the folding prong rows, which are formed by the wire parts 5a, 5b of a respective folding prong row 4a, 4b. The structural design of the bushings 11a, 11b can be arbitrary in principle. The bushing 11a has, for example, a segment-like cutout, through which the bearing journal of a folding prong row can be inserted. After the "impressions" of the bearing journal, the folding prong row is rotatably mounted in the bearing bush 11a. The bushing 11b requires another to hold the folding prong row Component in FIG. 5 is not shown, and which is pressed into the recess 18 to effect the support of the folding prong row in the bearing bush 11 b.

In order to arrange the spikes 3a, 3b of the folding prong rows 4a, 4b in the first pivot position in a row, aligned with each other, the spikes 3b of the folding prong rows 4b have a crank 16 in order to be able to compensate for the different positioning of the axes of rotation. This works best from the side view of FIG. 4 in which the arrangement and design of the folding prong rows to each other and to the carrier plate is shown.

In order to fix the folding prong rows in their vertical or horizontal position, each of the support plates 10 has a plurality of stop means 13. The stop means 13 are formed on the one hand in the form of a latching lug 15a for the folding prong row 4a and a latching lug 15b for the folding prong row 4b. Furthermore, a stop 14 is integrally formed on the detent 15b. The stop 14 is associated with the folding prong row 4a. From the FIGS. 1 and 4 It is best seen that each of the wire parts 5a, 5b of each folding prong row 4a, 4b has a holding part 17a, 17b fixed to the wire part 5a, 5b. In the first pivot position, the holding part 17a engages in the latching lug 15a, so that the folding prong row 4a is secured against accidental pivoting. In a corresponding manner, the holding part 17b engages in the locking lug 15b, whereby the folding prong row 4b is also secured against unintentional pivoting.

The twisting of a folding prong row is done by pressing one of the spines of a folding prong row. After overcoming the resistance generated by the correspondingly shaped locking lugs 15a, 15b, each of the folding prong rows 4a, 4b can be pivoted into a horizontal position. The spikes 3b of a folding prong row 4b come to rest either on the wire part 5a of the adjacent holding device or a wire strut of the wire mat 6, so that no separate abutment in the support plate 10 has to be formed for the holding part 17b. On the other hand, no such support is available for the folding prong row 4a, in particular for the holding device arranged on the right in the figure, for which reason the holding part 17a rests on the stop 14 in the horizontal alignment of the folding prong row 4a. The holder of the folding prong row 4a is thus not on parts of the dish rack 1, but on the stop 14. This is particularly well from the representation of FIG. 3 out.

While the carrier plate 10 in FIG. 5 only has a stop 14 on which the holding part 17 a can be supported, the carrier plates according to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3 formed such that the holding part 17a engages in the horizontal pivot position in a locking lug. The embodiment is at the discretion of the person skilled in the art. The stop means 13 for fixing the folding prong row 4b also need not be arranged on the side facing the interior of the dish rack, but instead can also be realized on the side facing the outside.

In the embodiments illustrated in the figures, each holding device on two folding prong rows with each equidistant from each other spaced spines. Of course, it is also conceivable that a holding device has more than the two folding prong rows shown. For each folding prong row is then, as described in the examples, a separate axis of rotation provided.

Like from the FIG. 2 shows, according to the described embodiment, the holding device is designed such that it extends over the entire inner width of the dish rack. It would also be conceivable to divide the parallel holding devices, eg in the middle, so that a total of four independent holding devices are arranged over the inner width of the dish rack. Each of the holding devices could then comprise a plurality of folding prong rows as described above. In the construction, it should be considered that for each of the holding devices, a carrier plate must be provided for holding and guiding the folding prong rows.

The invention has the advantage that for plates of different depth and Geschinteile with unfavorable geometry by folding away of folding prong rows more, flexible parking options are created. By pressing one or more folding prong rows narrow or wide parking spaces can be created. By folding down all folding prong rows, a dish rack with a substantially flat surface, eg for pots and pans, is created. The operation of the folding prong rows can be done without additional actuators, which in a dish rack available space is optimally utilized. The operation for a user remains simple because the holding device or the folding spines remain in the dish rack and must be removed for any application situation from the dish rack.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

dish rack

2

holder

3a, 3b

spur

4a, 4b

Hinged row of spikes

5a, 5b

wire part

6

wire mat

7

Side wall

8th

side strut

9

wire strut

10

bearing plate

11a, 11b

bearing bush

12a, 12b

pivot

13

filing means

14

attack

15a, 15b

locking lug

16

cranking

17a, 17b

holding part

18

recess

Claims (18)

1. Dishes basket (1) for reception of a plurality of different dishes, particularly in a dishwasher, with a rake-like holding device (2) consisting of a plurality of prongs (3a, 3b) pivotable between different pivot positions, wherein the holding device (2) is formed from at least two folding prong rows (4a, 4b) pivotable independently of one another between the different pivot positions, characterised in that the prongs (3a, 3b) of the two folding prong rows (4a, 4b) are in a first pivot position erected approximately vertically and arranged in a row so that a small spacing is formed between two pivot prongs (3a, 3b) lying on a longitudinal axis, and that in a second pivot position one of the folding prong rows (4b) is pivoted over so that the prongs (3b) thereof come to lie approximately horizontally above a wire mat (6) of the dishes basket (1), whereby due to the prongs (3a), which still remain in vertically erected position, of the other folding prong row (4a) a larger spacing is formed which depends on the arrangement of the prongs (3a) of the other folding prong row (4a).
2. Dishes basket (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that each folding prong row (4a, 4b) has an individual axis of rotation.
3. Dishes basket (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the axes (5a, 5b) of rotation of the folding prong rows (4a, 4b) are offset relative to one another in vertical direction.
4. Dishes basket (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the axis of rotation of one of the folding prong rows (4a, 4b) is arranged above a wire mat (6) of the dishes basket (1) and the axis of rotation of the other folding prong row (4a, 4b) is arranged below the wire mat (6) of the dishes basket (1).
5. Dishes basket (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the axes of rotation of the folding prong rows (4a, 4b) are offset relative to one another in horizontal direction.
6. Dishes basket (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the holding device (2) or the folding prong rows (4a, 4b) is or are mounted at at least one side strut (8) defining a side wall (7) of the dishes basket.
7. Dishes basket (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that a bearing plate (10) detachably connected with the side wall of the dishes basket (1) is provided as support of the bearing for each holding device (2).
8. Dishes basket (1) according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the support plate (10) comprises a plurality, which corresponds with the plurality of folding prong rows (4a, 4b), of bearing bushes (11 a, 11 b) which lie in a respective axis of rotation and which are formed on the support plate and serve for reception of bearing pins lying in the axis of rotation.
9. Dishes basket (1) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the support plate (10) comprises at least one abutment means (13), which for parts of a folding prong row (4a, 4b) forms abutments for limitation of the pivot angle.
10. Dishes basket (1) according to claim 9, characterised in that a respective detent lug (15a, 15b) for each folding prong row (4a 4b) is provided in the support plate (10), which lug ensures fixing of the folding prong rows (4a, 4b) in a first pivot position in which the prongs of each folding prong row (4a, 4b) are oriented substantially vertically.
11. Dishes basket (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the prongs (2) of a folding prong row (4a, 4b) have a crank (16) so that the prongs of all folding prong rows (4a, 4b) in the first position come to lie along the axis of rotation in one line and orientation.
12. Dishes basket (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the prongs (3a, 3b) of each of the folding prong rows (4a, 4b) are regularly spaced apart from one another and the prongs (3a, 3b) of the respective folding prong rows are arranged in alternation with the same spacing from one another.
13. Dishes basket (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that associated with each holding device (2) is a mounting plate (10) in order to hold the folding prong rows (4a, 4b) of the holding device (2) and to limit the pivot angle.
14. Dishes basket (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the holding device (2) is formed over the inner length of the dishes basket (1).
15. Dishes basket (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that the holding device (2) is divided over the inner length into a first holding device (2) and a second holding device (2) each with at least two folding prong rows (4a, 4b), which are pivotably independently of one another between the different pivot positions.
16. Dishes basket (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the dishes basket (1) is arranged as a lower basket in a dishwasher.
17. Dishes basket (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the dishes basket (1) is arranged as a upper basket in a dishwasher.
18. Dishwasher, particularly domestic dishwasher with a dishes basket (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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