EP1854395A1 - Dishwasher with utensil rack and slides therefor - Google Patents
Dishwasher with utensil rack and slides therefor Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1854395A1 EP1854395A1 EP07251903A EP07251903A EP1854395A1 EP 1854395 A1 EP1854395 A1 EP 1854395A1 EP 07251903 A EP07251903 A EP 07251903A EP 07251903 A EP07251903 A EP 07251903A EP 1854395 A1 EP1854395 A1 EP 1854395A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- raceway
- track
- wheel
- access opening
- automatic dishwasher
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
- A47L15/42—Details
- A47L15/50—Racks ; Baskets
- A47L15/502—Cutlery baskets
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
- A47L15/42—Details
- A47L15/50—Racks ; Baskets
- A47L15/507—Arrangements for extracting racks, e.g. roller supports
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
- A47L15/42—Details
- A47L15/50—Racks ; Baskets
- A47L15/505—Inserts, e.g. for holding baby bottles, stemware or cups
Definitions
- the invention relates generally to a household dishwasher with a utensil rack and a slide for supporting the utensil rack.
- a typical automatic dishwasher comprises a cabinet that defines a washing chamber, which is accessible through a moveable door.
- an upper rack and a lower rack for holding utensils to be cleaned are provided within the washing chamber.
- Both the upper and lower racks are slidably mounted within the washing chamber in such a manner that at least a major portion of the racks can be slid substantially beyond the washing chamber to ease the loading of the racks.
- a problem associated with conventional dishwasher racks relates to the slides that mount the racks to the side walls of the dishwasher cabinet.
- the racks include wheels or similar devices mounted to the sides thereof, and the wheels ride within a slide movably mounted to the cabinet.
- the user pulls the rack out of the wash chamber by sliding the wheel toward the end of the slide and, once the rack reaches the end of the slide, removes the wheels from the slide, usually by slightly lifting the rack to lift the wheel over a detent in the slide while continuing to pull.
- An automatic dishwasher comprises an open-faced cabinet comprising opposing side walls and defining a wash chamber; a door movably mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the wash chamber; a utensil rack comprising opposing sides; at least one track defining an elongated raceway and comprising a stop terminating at a forward end of the raceway and an access opening to the raceway; and a wheel assembly comprising at least one wheel slidably received within the raceway and sized for insertion and removal through the access opening.
- One of the track and wheel assembly is mounted to one of the cabinet and utensil rack and the other of the track and wheel assembly is mounted to the other of the cabinet and utensil rack to slidably mount the utensil rack to the cabinet, and the wheel moves along the raceway to the access opening for removal through the access opening.
- a closure can be provided for closing the access opening.
- Fig. 1 shows a household dishwasher 10 according to one embodiment of the invention comprising a cabinet 12 having spaced upper and lower walls 14, 16 joined by opposing side walls 18, 20 and a rear wall 22 to form an open-faced wash chamber 24.
- a door 26 movably mounted to the cabinet 12 is movable between an open position, as shown in Fig. 1, wherein the user can access the wash chamber 24, and a closed position, wherein the door 26 closes the open face of the wash chamber 24 in a conventional fashion.
- the dishwasher 10 further comprises a lower, first utensil rack 28 and a higher, second utensil rack 30 slidably mounted the side walls 18, 20 of the cabinet 12.
- the first and second utensil racks 28, 30 are preferably conventional utensil racks commonly utilized in present day household dishwashers for holding various utensils, such as plates, bowls, other tableware, and beverage containers.
- the first utensil rack 28 is adapted to hold plates, bowls, and large items, such as pots and pans, and the second utensil rack 30 is spaced a sufficient distance above the first utensil rack 28 to accommodate the items in the first utensil rack 30.
- the second utensil rack 30 commonly holds beverage containers, such as glasses and cups, and other small items.
- the first and second utensil racks 28, 30 can be arranged in the dishwasher 10 in any suitable fashion and can hold any utensils that can be washed in the dishwasher 10.
- the door 26 is in the closed position, and the first and second utensil racks 28, 30 are disposed within the wash chamber 24 and exposed to washing fluid, such as water, and wash aids, such as detergents and rinse aids.
- wash aids such as detergents and rinse aids.
- the dishwasher 10 can further comprise a third utensil rack 40 slidably mounted to the cabinet 12 by a pair of slides 42.
- the third utensil rack 40 can be positioned above the second utensil rack 30 and near the upper wall 14 within the wash chamber 24 and can move relative to the wash chamber 24 in the same manner as described above for the first and second utensil racks 28, 30.
- the third utensil rack 40 comprises a frame 44 that supports a pair of removable basket elements 46A, 46B, which can hold several types of utensils having various sizes and shapes.
- the frame 44 comprises an upper U-shaped wire 48 and a generally rectangular lower peripheral wire 50 joined by a plurality of spaced and generally vertical connecting wires 52.
- the peripheral wires 48, 50 form spaced front and rear ends 54, 56 connected by opposing sides 58, 60.
- the U-shaped wire 48 is oriented such that it opens at the rear end 56, and the lower peripheral wire 50 is formed by a pair of opposed, U-shaped front and rear lower peripheral wires 50A, 50B that join at the opposing sides 58, 60.
- the frame 44 further comprises a front upper support rail 62 and a rear upper support rail 63 that extend between and above the opposing sides 58, 60 of the upper peripheral wire 48 and are parallel to and spaced from the front end 54 and the rear end 56, respectively. Additionally, the frame 44 includes a first pair of opposing lower support rails 64 and a second pair of opposing lower support rails 66 on the opposing sides 58, 60 of the frame 44.
- the first pair of lower support rails 64 is integral with the front upper support rail 62, and, similarly, the second pair of lower support rails 66 is integral with the rear upper support rail 63.
- Each of the lower support rails 64, 66 is elongated and generally U-shaped and depends from the upper peripheral wire 48 such that it extends below the lower peripheral wire 50.
- the upper support rails 62, 63 are vertically spaced from the lower support rails 64, 66.
- the upper and lower peripheral wires 48, 50, the upper support rails 62, 63, and the lower support rails 64, 66 are preferably metal wires coated with polymeric materials that can withstand the environment of the wash chamber 24 and protect the metal wires from corrosion.
- the upper and lower peripheral wires 48, 50, the upper support rails 62, 63, and the lower support rails 64, 66 can be composed entirely of polymeric materials.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B which rest on the frame 44, each comprise an upstanding peripheral wall 70 and a grid formed by a plurality of intersecting ribs 72 that form a bottom wall surrounded by the peripheral wall 70.
- the intersecting ribs 72 are spaced from one another a distance suitable for holding utensils such as silverware, spatulas, and the like.
- the bottom wall optionally includes at least one small item support area 68 comprising intersecting support ribs 86 that are spaced closer than the intersecting ribs 72 to support small items, such as corn cob holders, that can potentially fall between the intersecting ribs 72.
- the small item support areas 68 are preferably located in corners of basket elements 46A, 46B, but they can be located in any suitable region of the bottom wall.
- the peripheral wall 70 comprises parallel and spaced first and second edges 70A, 70B joined by spaced third and fourth edges 70C, 70D.
- Each of the first and second edges 70A, 70B are substantially straight and can include a carry handle 80 formed integrally therewith.
- Each of the handles can comprise a lateral hook or flange 82 sized to receive the upper and lower support rails 62, 63, 64, 66.
- the third edge 70C is generally straight and perpendicular to the first and second edges 70A, 70B, while the fourth edge 70D can comprise an intermediate curve 74 to form a first basket element portion 76 and a second basket element portion 78 that is wider than the first basket element portion 76.
- utensils of different length can be efficiently arranged within the basket elements 46A, 46B.
- relatively short utensils A such as standard forks and spoons
- medium length utensils B such as table knives
- the basket elements 46A, 46B are sized so that relatively long utensils C, such as spatulas, mixing spoons, chef knives, and the like, can be arranged across both the first and second basket element portions 76, 78 in an orientation parallel to the third edge 70C and generally perpendicular to the relatively short utensils A and the medium length utensils B. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the relatively long utensils C are longer than the medium length utensils B, which are longer than the relatively short utensils A.
- the utensils can be placed in any suitable location of the basket elements 46A, 46B.
- the relatively short utensils A can be placed in the second basket element portion 78, if desired.
- Each basket element 46A, 46B can further comprise a plurality of tines 88 projecting upward from the intersecting ribs 72 to support and separate individual utensils.
- the tines 88 can be arranged in groups so that the user can efficiently position utensils of different length in different areas of the basket elements 46A, 46B.
- a first tine group 90 extends along the fourth edge 70D for holding utensils in an orientation parallel to the first and second edges 70A, 70B, and a second tine group 92 is disposed along the second edge 70B for holding utensils in an orientation parallel to the third edge 70C.
- the tines 88 in the first tine group 90 are spaced to hold relatively thin utensils, such as table knives, spoons, and forks (i.e., the relatively short utensils A and the medium length utensils B), while the tines 88 in the second tine group 92 are spaced farther apart to accommodate wider utensils, such as spatulas (i.e., the relatively long utensils C).
- the tines 88 are preferably arranged in pairs of tines to form two parallel rows 88A, 88B of tines 88.
- the utensils positioned between the tines 88 are held by the tines 88 at two locations along the length thereof, and, therefore, the rows 88A, 88B of tines 88 prevent pivotal movement of the utensils and maintain the utensils in the orientation generally parallel to the first and second edges 70A, 70B or parallel to the third edge 70C.
- the second group of tines 92 includes a third row 88C of tines 88 along the first edge 70A for securing both ends of the relatively long utensils C to prevent the pivotal movement thereof.
- the fourth edges 70D of the basket elements 46A, 46B are complementary and matingly abut one another when the basket elements 46A, 46B are seated on the frame 44.
- the first edges 70A, the second edges 70B, and the third edges 70C of both of the basket elements 46A, 46B form a generally rectangular periphery with a minor discontinuation at the interface between the basket elements 46A, 46B.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B are complementary, the basket elements 46A, 46B mate to form a whole, generally rectangular basket.
- the whole basket is defined by the rectangular periphery and has a surface area slightly less than the area defined between the front and rear ends 54, 56 and the opposing sides 58, 60 of the frame 44.
- the whole basket corresponds to a single basket sized to span in one direction between the upper support rails 62, 63 and in the other direction a distance slightly less than the distance between the first and second pairs of opposing lower support rails 64, 66.
- the first basket element portion 76 of the first basket element 46A aligns with the second basket element portion 78 of the second basket element 46B
- the second basket element portion 78 of the first basket element 46A aligns with the first basket element portion 76 of the second basket element 46B to form the whole basket, which has a constant width equal to the sum of the individual widths of the basket element portions 76, 78.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B are identical in shape and size so that each of the basket elements 46A, 46B accounts for about one half of the whole basket. Further, production costs are minimized when the basket elements 46A, 46B are identical because only a single mold design is required for all of the basket elements 46A, 46B.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B are adjustably mounted to the frame 44 to accommodate utensils held by the second utensil rack 30 and utensils held by the basket elements 46A, 46B and to efficiently utilize the limited space in the wash chamber 24.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B can be vertically adjustable on the frame 44 and, therefore, within the wash chamber 24.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B can be mounted in an upper position wherein the flanges 82 on the first and second edges 70A, 70B rest on the upper support rails 62, 63. As shown in Figs.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B can be mounted in a lower position, wherein the flanges 82 on the first and second edges 70A, 70B rest on the first and second pairs of opposing lower support rails 64, 66.
- a comparison of Figs. 5 and 7 shows that the basket elements 46A, 46B are located higher in the wash chamber 24 when in the upper position.
- the bottom walls formed by the intersecting ribs 72 of the basket elements 46A, 46B are spaced from the second utensil rack 30 a greater distance when the basket elements 46A, 46B are in the upper position than when the basket elements 46A, 46B are in the lower position, but clearance between the bottom walls and the upper wall 14 of the cabinet 12 is greater when the basket elements 46A, 46B are in the lower position than when in the upper position. Mounting the basket elements 46A, 46B in the upper and the lower positions is, therefore, a compromise between spacing between the second utensil rack 30 and the third utensil rack 40 and clearance between the third utensil rack 40 and the upper wall 14 of the cabinet 12.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B in the upper position are oriented generally orthogonal to the basket elements 46A, 46B in the lower position because the portions of the frame 44 that support the basket elements 46A, 46B in these two positions are oriented orthogonal to one another.
- Such an arrangement facilitates mounting the basket elements 46A, 46B to the frame 44 since the upper support rails 62, 63 do not interfere with the basket elements 46A, 46B when mounting them on the first and second pairs of opposing lower support rails 64, 66 and vice-versa.
- the slides 42 that slidably mount the third utensil rack 40 to the cabinet 12 each comprise a track 100 having a generally vertical middle wall 102 with an aperture 103 near a front end thereof and pairs of upper and lower L-shaped flanges 104, 106 extending along the middle wall 102 to define an inner raceway 110 on an interior side (i.e., the side closer to the third utensil rack 40) of the middle wall 102 and an outer raceway 110 on an outer side (i.e., the side farther from the third utensil rack 40) of the middle wall 102.
- the raceways 110, 112 terminate at a pair of stops in the form of front flanges 108 at the front end of the track 100.
- the upper flange 104 that partially defines the inner raceway 110 is spaced from the front flange 108 on the interior side of the middle wall 102 to form an access opening 114 therebetween.
- a closure 120 pivotally mounted to the upper and lower flanges 104, 106 of the track 100 selectively blocks the access opening 114.
- the closure 120 comprises parallel upper and lower walls 122, 124 joined by a side wall 126 and a front wall 128 orthogonal to the side wall 126.
- the side wall 126 and the front wall 128 form a grip 130 sized to be grasped between a user's fingers for pivotally moving the closure 120.
- the closure 120 includes a detent 132 that extends from the side wall 126 and is sized to mate with the aperture 103.
- the closure 120 is movable between a closed position, as shown in Fig. 9A, wherein the upper wall 122 blocks the access opening 114, and an opened position, as illustrated in Fig. 9B, wherein the closure 120 is pivoted away from the track 100 so that the upper wall 122 is spaced from the access opening 114.
- a wheel support 140 couples each opposing side 58, 60 of the third utensil rack 40 to its corresponding slide 42.
- Each wheel support 140 is an elongated, generally rectangular member with front and rear wheels 142, 144 rotatably mounted to an outer side thereof.
- the wheels 142, 144 are sized for receipt within the access opening 114 and the inner raceway 110.
- the wheel support 140 further includes a pair of parallel grooves 146 on an interior side thereof for receiving the upper and lower peripheral wires 48, 50 of the frame 44. Snap clamps 150 adjacent the grooves 146 are sized to securely receive at least one of the upper and lower peripheral wires 48, 50 to prevent lateral translation of the wheel support 140 relative to the frame 44.
- the interior side of the wheel support 140 includes sets of vertically aligned U-shaped projections 148 between the grooves 146 sized to receive brackets 152 for sandwiching the frame 44 between the wheel support 140 and the brackets 152 to thereby mount the wheel support 140 to the frame 44.
- the wheel support 140 also comprises an upwardly and outwardly extending overhang 154 to facilitate mounting the wheel support 140 to the track 100.
- Each of the slides 42 is mounted to the dishwasher 10 by attaching the track 100 to a conventional slide mount (not shown) on the corresponding opposing side wall 18, 20.
- the slide mount can be any suitable type of device that couples the track 100 to the corresponding opposing side wall 18, 20.
- the slide mount can comprise one or more wheels mounted to the side walls 18, 20.
- the track 100 receives the slide mount within the outer raceway 112 so that the track 100 can slide relative to the cabinet 12.
- the wheel supports 140 are mounted to the opposing sides 58, 60 of the frame 44 by aligning the upper and lower peripheral wires 48, 50 with the grooves 146, snapping the lower peripheral wire 50 into the snap clamps 150, and inserting the brackets 152 into the projections 148 to clamp the upper and lower peripheral wires 48, 50 between the wheel support 140 and the brackets 150.
- the user pivots the closures 120 on the slides 42 to the opened position so that the rear wheels 144 can be inserted into the inner raceways 110 through the access openings 114.
- the overhangs 154 of the wheel supports 140 rest on the upper flanges 104 of the track 100 to help support the frame 44 on the slides 42.
- the third utensil rack 40 is thereby mounted to the dishwasher 10 and can slide relative to the wash chamber 24.
- the user can mount the basket elements 46A, 46B to the frame 44 in either the upper position or the lower position depending on the desired configuration of the utensil racks 28, 30, 40 in the wash chamber 24, the sizes of the utensils in the second utensil rack 30, and the sizes of the utensils to be held in the third utensil rack 40.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B are placed adjacent one another in the upper position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, with the flanges 82 on the upper support rails 62, 63.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B are positioned with their complementary, fourth edges 70D in abutting contact to form the whole basket.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B are rotated 90-degrees and placed adjacent one another in the lower position, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, with the flanges 82 on the first and second opposing pairs of lower support rails 64, 66.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B are positioned with their complementary, fourth edges 70D in abutting contact to form the whole basket.
- the user can fill the basket elements 46A, 46B with various shapes and sizes of utensils, including the relatively short utensils A, the medium length utensils B, and the relatively long utensils C, as described above.
- the utensils can be arranged in the basket elements 46A, 46B in any suitable fashion to maximize the quantity of utensils held by the third utensil rack 40 without compromising the ability of the dishwasher 10 to clean the utensils.
- the user can place small items, such as corn cob holders, in the small item support areas 68. During operation of a wash cycle, the tines 88 surrounding the small item support areas 68 help retain the small items in the small item support areas 68.
- the user pulls the third utensil rack 40 from the wash chamber to empty the basket elements 46A, 46B.
- the front stop flanges 108 limit the forward movement of the frame 44 relative to the slides 42.
- the user removes the utensils from the third utensil rack 40 in any suitable manner.
- the user can either manually remove each utensil from the basket elements 46A, 46B while the basket elements 46A, 46B are mounted to the frame 44, the user can remove at least one of the basket elements 46A, 46B with the utensils therein and empty the at least one basket element 46A, 46B at a location separate from the dishwasher 10, or the user can remove at least one of the basket elements 46A, 46B with the utensils therein and use the at least one basket element 46A, 46B for utensil storage, such as by placing the at least one basket element 46A, 46B in a drawer.
- the user pivots the closures 120 away from the tracks 100 to the opened position, as shown in Fig. 9B, to unblock the access openings 114.
- the closures 120 in the illustrated embodiment advantageously remain mounted to the tracks 100 during movement between the closed and opened positions and while in the opened position.
- the user aligns the front wheels 142 with the access openings 114 and lifts the frame 44, such as by pivoting the frame 44, to thereby lift the front wheels 142 through the access openings 114, as illustrated in Fig. 11.
- the user pulls the frame 44 further from the wash chamber 24 until the rear wheels 144 are aligned with the access openings 114 and lifts the frame 44, such as by pivoting the frame 44, to thereby lift the rear wheels 144 through the access openings 114 and disconnect the frame 44 from the slides 42.
- FIG. 12 An alternative slide 42' is illustrated in Fig. 12, where components similar to those of the first embodiment slide 42 are identified with the same numeral bearing a prime (') symbol.
- the slide 42' is substantially identical to the first embodiment slide 42, except that the track 100' does not include the front flange stops 108, and the upper and the lower flanges 104', 106' extend all the way to the end of the track 100'.
- the access opening 114' is defined between the ends of the upper and lower flanges 104', 106', and the closure 120' in the closed position functions as the stop while blocking the access opening 114'.
- the access opening 114 can be located elsewhere in the track 100.
- the access opening 114 can be formed between the lower flange 106 and the front flange stop 108 if the lower flange 106 is sufficiently spaced from the front end of the track 100.
- slides 200 An alternative embodiment of slides 200 is illustrated in Fig. 13.
- the slides 200 are shown in Fig. 13 in conjunction with the second utensil rack 30; however, it is within the scope of the invention to utilize the slides 200 with the first utensil rack 28, the third utensil rack 40, or any other utensil rack.
- the remaining description of the slides 200 is presented with respect to one of the slides 200, with it being understood that the description can apply to both of the slides 200.
- a wheel support 202 couples the slide 200 to a side of the second utensil rack 30.
- the wheel support 202 carries a front wheel 204 and a rear wheel 206 on a support plate 208.
- the front wheel 204 and the rear wheel 206 of the illustrated embodiment each include a circumferential groove 210.
- a wheel support bracket 212 attached to the support plate 208 mounts the wheel support 202 to the second utensil rack 30.
- the slide 202 includes a rail 220 and a track 222 slidable relative to the rail 202.
- the rail 220 includes a generally vertical wall 224 having bracket retainers 226 that receive slide brackets 228, which couple the rail 220 to one of the cabinet side walls 18, 20.
- the bracket retainers 226 fixedly couple the slide brackets 228 to the rail 220, and the bracket retainers 226 are fixedly coupled to the one of the cabinet side walls 18, 20; thus, the rail 220 is fixedly mounted to the one of the cabinet side walls 18, 20.
- the rail 220 further includes upper and lower flanges 230, 232 extending along the vertical wall 224 to define a rail raceway 234.
- Each of the upper and lower flanges 230, 232 forms a channel 236.
- the channel 236 in the upper flange 230 extends upward, and the channel 236 formed in the lower flange 232 extends downward; thus, the channels 236 extend away from the rail raceway 234.
- the channels 236 extend along the entire length of the upper and lower flanges 230, 232, except at the ends of the upper and lower flanges 230, 232, where a projection 238 juts downward and upward from the upper and lower flanges 230, 232, respectively, into the rail raceway 234.
- the rail 220 further includes a track stop 239 mounted to the vertical wall 224 and protruding into the rail raceway 234.
- the track 222 includes a generally vertical wall 240 with upper and lower flanges 242, 244 that together define a track raceway 246.
- Each of the upper and lower flanges 242, 244 forms a channel 248.
- the channel 248 in the upper flange 242 extends downward, and the channel 248 formed in the lower flange 232 extends upward; thus, the channels 248 extend towards the track raceway 246.
- the channels 248 extend along the entire length of the upper and lower flanges 242, 244, except at rear ends of the upper and lower flanges 242, 244, where a projection 250 juts upward and downward from the upper and lower flanges 242, 244, respectively, away from the track raceway 246.
- the track raceway 246 terminates at a front stop 252 and a rear stop 254 in the form of flanges at ends of the track 222.
- the front stop 252 in the illustrated embodiment is generally L-shaped.
- the upper flange 242 that partially defines the track raceway 246 is spaced from the front stop 252 to form an access opening 256 therebetween.
- the track 222 further includes a position limiter 258 formed in the vertical wall 240 and extending away from the track raceway 246
- a closure 260 pivotally mounts to the track 222, particularly to the upper and lower flanges 242, 244 of the track 222, and selectively blocks the access opening 256.
- the closure 260 includes parallel upper and lower walls 262, 264 joined by a side wall 266 and a front wall 268 orthogonal to the side wall 266.
- the side wall 266 and the front wall 268 form a grip 270 sized to be grasped between a user's fingers for pivotally moving the closure 260.
- the closure 260 further includes a wheel retainer in the form of a projection 274 depending from the upper wall 262 into the track raceway 246.
- the closure 260 is movable between a closed position (Fig.
- a bearing assembly comprising a bearing cage 280 comprising a plurality of ball bearings 282 slidably couples the track 222 and rail 220 for relative slidable movement.
- the rail raceway 234 receives the track 222 with the bearing assembly positioned between the upper and lower flanges 230, 232 of the rail 220 and the upper and lower flanges 242, 244 of the track 222.
- the bearing cage 280 sits between the channels 236 on the rail 220 and the channels 248 on the track 222.
- the projections 238 at the ends of the channels 236 on the rail 220 retain the bearing cage 280 in the rail raceway 234 (i.e., the projections 238 prevent the bearing cage 280 from sliding forwardly or rearwardly out of the rail raceway 234).
- the track raceway 246 receives the front and rear wheels 204, 206.
- the front and rear wheels 204, 206 are illustrated in phantom in Fig. 15 to show the positioning of the front and rear wheels 204, 206 within the track raceway 246.
- the grooves 210 on the front and rear wheels 204, 206 receive the inwardly extending channels 248 of the track upper and lower flanges 242, 244 such that the front and rear wheels 204, 206 can roll along the channels 248, which act as a guide to facilitate retaining the front and rear wheels 204, 206 in the track raceway 246.
- Fig. 15 illustrates the slide 200 in an initial position with the front and rear wheels 204, 206 located as far rearwardly as possible within the track raceway 246 and with the position limiter 258 on the track 222 abutting the track stop 239 on the rail 220 (not shown).
- This position coincides with the utensil rack 30 being completely received within the chamber 24 of the dishwasher 10.
- the interaction between the position limiter 258 and the track stop 239 prevents further rearward movement of the track 222 relative to the rail 220.
- a front end of the track 222 and the closure 260 are both received within the rail raceway 234.
- the user When the user desires to move the second utensil rack 30 relative to the cabinet 12, the user pulls the second utensil rack 30 forwardly, and the front and rear wheels 204, 206 consequently roll forwardly in the track raceway 246 along the channels 248 until the front wheel 204 abuts the front stop 252, as shown in Fig. 17.
- the front wheel 204 approaches the front stop 252, the groove 210 on the front wheel 204 rolls off of the channel 248 in the upper flange 242 and into engagement with projection 274 on the closure 260.
- the front wheel 204 transfers the forward force to the track 222 via the front stop 252, and the track 222 slides forwardly relative to the bearing cage 280 and the rail 220 until the projections 250 on the track 222 abut a rear end of the bearing cage 280, as illustrated in Fig. 18.
- the track 222 transfers the forward force to the bearing cage 280 via the projections 250, and the bearing cage 280 slides forwardly with the track 222 relative to the rail 220 until the front end of the bearing cage 280 abuts the projections 238 at the forward end of the rail 220, as illustrated in Fig. 19.
- the slide 200 is at its most extended position relative to the cabinet 12 as is the second utility rack 30.
- Fig. 20 which is an enlarged view of the region labeled XX in Fig. 19, best illustrates the mating relationship between the front wheel 204 and the projection 274.
- the relationship between the front wheel 204 and the projection 274 prevents lateral movement of the front wheel 204 relative to the track 222 and the track raceway 246.
- the projection 274 prevents the front wheel 204 from popping out of the track raceway 246 thereby avoiding accidental removal of the second utensil basket 30 from the slide 220.
- the user moves the closure 260 from the closed position of Fig. 20 to the opened position. Before the user can move the closure 260, however, the user must ensure that the front wheel 204 does not mate with the projection 274 on the closure 260. If the front wheel 204 and the projection 274 mate, then the user pushes the second utensil rack 30 rearward until at least the front wheel 204 no longer engages the projection 274, as illustrated in Fig. 21.
- the user can move the closure to the opened position shown in Fig. 21, such as by pivoting the closure 260 relative to the track 222.
- the closure 260 in the illustrated embodiment advantageously remains mounted to the track 222 during movement between the closed and opened positions and while in the opened position. Moving the closure 260 spaces the upper wall 262 of the closure 262 from the access opening 256 such that the user can thereafter pull the second utensil rack 30 forwardly and upwardly through the access opening 256, as indicated by an arrow in Fig. 21.
- the upward movement of the second utensil rack 30 corresponds to lifting, such as by pivoting, the second utensil rack 30 relative to the track 222.
- the user must perform two actions to remove the second utensil rack 30 from the slide 200.
- the user first slides the second utensil rack 30 in a first direction to align the front wheel 204 with the access opening 256 and then lifts the second utensil rack 30 in a second direction, such as by pivoting, to move the front wheel 204 through the access opening 256.
- the two actions can be performed in a sequential fashion wherein the sliding and the lifting are distinct actions or wherein the sliding and the lifting chronologically overlap (i.e., the lifting begins while the sliding is being executed). Requiring movement of the second utility rack 30 in two different directions facilitates accidental removal of the second utility rack 30 from the slide 200.
- the user can continue to pull the second utensil rack 30 forwardly and upwardly to pass the rear wheel 206 through the access opening 256 in the same manner.
- the second utensil rack 30 removed from the slide 200 can be mounted to the slide 200 and pushed rearwardly into the cabinet 12 by repeating the above procedure in a reverse order.
- the alternative embodiment slides 200 can include features described above with respect to the previous embodiment slides 42.
- the access opening 258 can be positioned between the upper and lower flanges 242, 244 of the track 222.
- the closure 260 can form the front stop for the front wheel 204.
- the closure 260 can include a detent that mates with an aperture on the track 222 for retaining the closure 260 in the closed position. Additionally, the closure need not have the projection 274, which would eliminate the need to back up the utensil rack 30 prior to opening the closure 260.
- FIG. 22 Another alternative embodiment slide 200 is illustrated in Fig. 22.
- the slide 200 is identical to the embodiment of the slides 200 shown in Figs. 13-21, except that the slide 200 of Fig. 22 does not include the closure 260, and the access opening 256 in the track upper flange 222 is spaced from the front stop 252.
- the access opening 256 can be spaced from the front stop 252 any suitable distance.
- the access opening 256 can be spaced from the front stop 252 a distance at least equal to a diameter of the front wheel 204, as illustrated in Fig. 22.
- the operation of the slide 200 of Fig. 22 is substantially identical to the operation of the slides 200 of Fig. 13-21, except for the portion related to removal of the front wheel 204 from the track raceway 246.
- the user To remove the front wheel 204 from the track raceway 246, the user first aligns the front wheel 204 with the access opening 256. If the front wheel 204 is positioned adjacent to the front stop 252, the user must slide the front wheel 204 rearward to align the front wheel 204 with the access opening 204.
- the user lifts the front wheel 204, such as by pivoting the second utensil rack 30, through the access opening 256. After the front wheel 204 passes through the access opening 256, the user can pull the second utensil rack 30 forwardly and upwardly to pass the rear wheel 206 through the access opening 256 in the same manner.
- the access opening 256 Spacing the access opening 256 from the front stop 252 requires the user to purposely slide the second utensil rack 30 rearward prior to moving the front wheel 204 through the access opening 256. Requiring the rearward movement helps to prevent accidental removal of the front wheel 204 from the track raceway 246 when the slide 200 does not include the closure 260 for selectively closing the access opening 256.
- the access opening 256 it is within the scope of the invention for the access opening 256 to be located in any suitable position, such as directly adjacent to the front stop 252, as is shown with respect to the embodiments of Figs. 11 and 21.
- the track raceway 246 of the illustrated embodiment and the other embodiments of the slides can be substantially unobstructed such that the front wheel 204 can freely slide along the track raceway 246 to the access opening 256.
- the positioning of the access opening 256 and the employment of the closure 260, either alone or in combination with one another, are sufficient to control the movement of the front wheel 204 and the removal of the front wheel 204 from the slide 200, thereby negating a need for detents or other structures.
- the complementary basket elements 46A, 46B have been described with respect to the number, shape, and size shown in the figures. However, it is within the scope of the invention for the whole basket to be formed by more than two basket elements and for the basket elements to be shaped and sized in any suitable manner as long as they are complementary and together form the whole basket.
- the whole basket can be formed by two or more rectangular basket elements having straight edges, a first L-shaped basket element and a second square or rectangular basket element, two triangular basket elements, or basket elements similar to the basket elements 46A, 46B but having a fourth edge 70D with a different contour.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B are not limited to use with the frame 44; the basket elements 46A, 46B can be utilized with any suitable frame or utensil rack and are not required to be vertically adjustable within the wash chamber 24.
- the frame 44 can mount a unitary whole basket rather than separate basket elements so that the unitary whole basket is vertically adjustable within the wash chamber 24.
- the third utensil rack 40 has been shown and described as being located near the upper wall 14 of the cabinet 12 and in conjunction with the first and the second utensil racks 28, 30, it is within the scope of the invention to utilize the third utensil rack 40 in any location within the wash chamber 24, such as adjacent the lower wall 16 or in the middle of the wash chamber 24, and with or without other utensil racks.
- the slides 42 are not limited for use with the third utensil rack 40; rather, the slides 42 can be used with the first utensil rack 28, the second utensil rack 30, or any other suitable utensil rack.
- the grid of the basket elements 46A, 46B has been described as being formed by the plurality of intersecting ribs 72; however, it is within the scope of the invention for the grid to be formed by other structures having apertures or gaps that allow wash liquid to pass through the bottom wall of the basket elements 46A, 46B.
- the grid can be a molded panel with circular, rectangular, or other shaped apertures formed therein.
- the dishwasher 10 can be any type of appliance for washing dishes and is not limited to the dishwasher 10 shown in the figures.
- the dishwasher can be a drawer-type dishwasher, wherein the wash chamber is formed in an open-top drawer that is slidably mounted to a cabinet.
- the slides 42 can be used to slidably mount the drawer to the cabinet, if desired.
- the third utensil rack 40 accommodates various shapes and sizes of utensils for effective cleaning thereof without dramatically sacrificing capacity of the first and second utensil racks 28, 30. Because the basket elements 46A, 46B are vertically adjustable, the third utensil rack 40 can be arranged to accommodate the sizes of utensils in the second utensil rack 30.
- various portions of the frame 44 such as the upper support rails 62, 63 and the lower support rails 64, 66, function as height adjusters for adjustably mounting the basket elements 46A, 46B to the frame 44.
- the height adjusters can also be located on the basket elements 46A, 46B.
- the basket elements 46A, 46B can include multiple hooks vertically spaced on the peripheral wall 70 such that the basket elements 46A, 46B can be mounted to a portion of the frame 44 in different vertical orientations depending on which hooks mate with the portion of the frame 44.
Landscapes
- Washing And Drying Of Tableware (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The invention relates generally to a household dishwasher with a utensil rack and a slide for supporting the utensil rack.
- Automatic dishwashers are well known, especially those for use in household environments. A typical automatic dishwasher comprises a cabinet that defines a washing chamber, which is accessible through a moveable door. Typically, an upper rack and a lower rack for holding utensils to be cleaned are provided within the washing chamber. Both the upper and lower racks are slidably mounted within the washing chamber in such a manner that at least a major portion of the racks can be slid substantially beyond the washing chamber to ease the loading of the racks.
- A problem associated with conventional dishwasher racks relates to the slides that mount the racks to the side walls of the dishwasher cabinet. Usually, the racks include wheels or similar devices mounted to the sides thereof, and the wheels ride within a slide movably mounted to the cabinet. To remove the rack from the dishwasher, the user pulls the rack out of the wash chamber by sliding the wheel toward the end of the slide and, once the rack reaches the end of the slide, removes the wheels from the slide, usually by slightly lifting the rack to lift the wheel over a detent in the slide while continuing to pull. However, with such a configuration, it is easy for the user to accidentally pull the wheel over the detent while pulling the rack out of the wash chamber in a normal fashion and thereby unintentionally remove the rack from the slide. It is therefore desirable to have an automatic dishwasher with a slide that prevents undesired removal of the rack.
- An automatic dishwasher according to another embodiment of the invention comprises an open-faced cabinet comprising opposing side walls and defining a wash chamber; a door movably mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the wash chamber; a utensil rack comprising opposing sides; at least one track defining an elongated raceway and comprising a stop terminating at a forward end of the raceway and an access opening to the raceway; and a wheel assembly comprising at least one wheel slidably received within the raceway and sized for insertion and removal through the access opening. One of the track and wheel assembly is mounted to one of the cabinet and utensil rack and the other of the track and wheel assembly is mounted to the other of the cabinet and utensil rack to slidably mount the utensil rack to the cabinet, and the wheel moves along the raceway to the access opening for removal through the access opening. A closure can be provided for closing the access opening.
- The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a household dishwasher according to one embodiment of the invention comprising two conventional utensil racks and a third utensil rack positioned within a wash chamber of the dishwasher, wherein the third utensil rack is mounted to the dishwasher by a pair of slides and comprises a frame that supports a pair of basket elements, which are shown in an upper position on the frame.
- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the dishwasher of Fig. 1 with the third utensil rack according to one embodiment of the invention slid exteriorly from the wash chamber.
- Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the slides and the third utensil rack of Fig. 2 according to one embodiment of the invention.
- Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the basket elements of Fig. 2 according to one embodiment of the invention.
- Fig. 5 is a front view of the dishwasher of Fig. 1, with a traditional upper rack shown in phantom for clarity, and the third utensil rack according to one embodiment of the invention shown in an upper position.
- Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the dishwasher similar to Fig. 2, except that the basket elements are shown in a lower position on the frame.
- Fig. 7 is a front view of the dishwasher similar to Fig. 5, except that the basket elements are in the lower position on the frame.
- Fig. 8 is an enlarged exploded view of a track and closure of the slides of Fig. 3 according to one embodiment of the invention.
- Fig. 9A is enlarged view of the region labeled 9A in Fig. 6 with the closure on the slide shown in a closed position.
- Fig. 9B is enlarged view similar to Fig. 9A, except that the closure on the slide is shown in an opened position and a wheel on the third rack is aligned with an access opening in the top of the slide.
- Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of a wheel support from the third utensil rack of Fig. 3 according to one embodiment of the invention.
- Fig. 11 is an enlarged perspective view similar to Fig. 9B with the wheel being removed from the slide through the access opening according to one embodiment of the invention.
- Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of an alternative slide according to one embodiment of the invention having an access opening at the end of the slide.
- Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a utensil rack with an alternative embodiment pair of slides according to one embodiment of the invention.
- Fig. 14 is an exploded view of the slide and a wheel support of Fig. 13 according to one embodiment of the invention.
- Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the slide of Fig. 13, wherein the slide is shown in an initial position.
- Fig. 16 is an exploded view of the slide of Fig. 14.
- Figs. 17-19 are perspective views similar to Fig. 15 showing an exemplary operation of the slide as it moves from the initial position of Fig. 15.
- Fig. 20 is an enlarged view of the region labeled XX of Fig. 19 showing a closure on the slide in a closed position.
- Fig. 21 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 20 showing the closure on the slide in an opened position.
- Fig. 22 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 20 of an alternative embodiment slide.
- Referring now to the figures, Fig. 1 shows a
household dishwasher 10 according to one embodiment of the invention comprising acabinet 12 having spaced upper andlower walls opposing side walls rear wall 22 to form an open-faced wash chamber 24. Adoor 26 movably mounted to thecabinet 12 is movable between an open position, as shown in Fig. 1, wherein the user can access thewash chamber 24, and a closed position, wherein thedoor 26 closes the open face of thewash chamber 24 in a conventional fashion. Thedishwasher 10 further comprises a lower,first utensil rack 28 and a higher,second utensil rack 30 slidably mounted theside walls cabinet 12. The first and second utensil racks 28, 30 are preferably conventional utensil racks commonly utilized in present day household dishwashers for holding various utensils, such as plates, bowls, other tableware, and beverage containers. Usually, thefirst utensil rack 28 is adapted to hold plates, bowls, and large items, such as pots and pans, and thesecond utensil rack 30 is spaced a sufficient distance above thefirst utensil rack 28 to accommodate the items in thefirst utensil rack 30. Thesecond utensil rack 30 commonly holds beverage containers, such as glasses and cups, and other small items. However, the first and second utensil racks 28, 30 can be arranged in thedishwasher 10 in any suitable fashion and can hold any utensils that can be washed in thedishwasher 10. During operation of a wash cycle of thedishwasher 10, thedoor 26 is in the closed position, and the first and second utensil racks 28, 30 are disposed within thewash chamber 24 and exposed to washing fluid, such as water, and wash aids, such as detergents and rinse aids. Whendishwasher 10 is not operating, the user can move thedoor 26 to the open position and slide the first and second utensil racks 28, 30 from the wash chamber to empty or fill the first and the second utensil racks 28, 30. - As shown in Fig. 2, according to one embodiment of the invention, the
dishwasher 10 can further comprise athird utensil rack 40 slidably mounted to thecabinet 12 by a pair ofslides 42. Thethird utensil rack 40 can be positioned above thesecond utensil rack 30 and near theupper wall 14 within thewash chamber 24 and can move relative to thewash chamber 24 in the same manner as described above for the first and second utensil racks 28, 30. Thethird utensil rack 40 comprises aframe 44 that supports a pair ofremovable basket elements - Referring now to Fig. 3, the
frame 44 comprises anupper U-shaped wire 48 and a generally rectangular lowerperipheral wire 50 joined by a plurality of spaced and generally vertical connectingwires 52. Theperipheral wires rear ends opposing sides wire 48 is oriented such that it opens at therear end 56, and the lowerperipheral wire 50 is formed by a pair of opposed, U-shaped front and rear lowerperipheral wires opposing sides frame 44 further comprises a frontupper support rail 62 and a rearupper support rail 63 that extend between and above theopposing sides peripheral wire 48 and are parallel to and spaced from thefront end 54 and therear end 56, respectively. Additionally, theframe 44 includes a first pair of opposinglower support rails 64 and a second pair of opposinglower support rails 66 on theopposing sides frame 44. The first pair oflower support rails 64 is integral with the frontupper support rail 62, and, similarly, the second pair oflower support rails 66 is integral with the rearupper support rail 63. Each of thelower support rails peripheral wire 48 such that it extends below the lowerperipheral wire 50. Thus, theupper support rails lower support rails peripheral wires upper support rails lower support rails wash chamber 24 and protect the metal wires from corrosion. Alternatively, the upper and lowerperipheral wires upper support rails lower support rails - Referring now to Fig. 4, according to one embodiment of the invention, the
basket elements frame 44, each comprise an upstandingperipheral wall 70 and a grid formed by a plurality of intersectingribs 72 that form a bottom wall surrounded by theperipheral wall 70. The intersectingribs 72 are spaced from one another a distance suitable for holding utensils such as silverware, spatulas, and the like. Further, the bottom wall optionally includes at least one smallitem support area 68 comprising intersectingsupport ribs 86 that are spaced closer than the intersectingribs 72 to support small items, such as corn cob holders, that can potentially fall between the intersectingribs 72. As shown in Fig. 4, the smallitem support areas 68 are preferably located in corners ofbasket elements - The
peripheral wall 70 comprises parallel and spaced first andsecond edges fourth edges second edges carry handle 80 formed integrally therewith. Each of the handles can comprise a lateral hook orflange 82 sized to receive the upper and lower support rails 62, 63, 64, 66. Thethird edge 70C is generally straight and perpendicular to the first andsecond edges fourth edge 70D can comprise anintermediate curve 74 to form a firstbasket element portion 76 and a secondbasket element portion 78 that is wider than the firstbasket element portion 76. As a result of this configuration, utensils of different length can be efficiently arranged within thebasket elements basket element portion 76 in an orientation parallel to the first andsecond edges basket element portion 78 also in an orientation generally parallel to the first andsecond edges basket elements basket element portions third edge 70C and generally perpendicular to the relatively short utensils A and the medium length utensils B. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the relatively long utensils C are longer than the medium length utensils B, which are longer than the relatively short utensils A. However, the utensils can be placed in any suitable location of thebasket elements basket element portion 78, if desired. - Each
basket element tines 88 projecting upward from the intersectingribs 72 to support and separate individual utensils. Thetines 88 can be arranged in groups so that the user can efficiently position utensils of different length in different areas of thebasket elements first tine group 90 extends along thefourth edge 70D for holding utensils in an orientation parallel to the first andsecond edges second tine group 92 is disposed along thesecond edge 70B for holding utensils in an orientation parallel to thethird edge 70C. Preferably, thetines 88 in thefirst tine group 90 are spaced to hold relatively thin utensils, such as table knives, spoons, and forks (i.e., the relatively short utensils A and the medium length utensils B), while thetines 88 in thesecond tine group 92 are spaced farther apart to accommodate wider utensils, such as spatulas (i.e., the relatively long utensils C). Further, thetines 88 are preferably arranged in pairs of tines to form twoparallel rows tines 88. As a result of this configuration, the utensils positioned between thetines 88 are held by thetines 88 at two locations along the length thereof, and, therefore, therows tines 88 prevent pivotal movement of the utensils and maintain the utensils in the orientation generally parallel to the first andsecond edges third edge 70C. Additionally, the second group oftines 92 includes athird row 88C oftines 88 along thefirst edge 70A for securing both ends of the relatively long utensils C to prevent the pivotal movement thereof. - Referring back to Fig. 2, according to one embodiment of the invention, the
fourth edges 70D of thebasket elements basket elements frame 44. As a result, thefirst edges 70A, thesecond edges 70B, and thethird edges 70C of both of thebasket elements basket elements basket elements basket elements rear ends sides frame 44. In particular, the whole basket corresponds to a single basket sized to span in one direction between the upper support rails 62, 63 and in the other direction a distance slightly less than the distance between the first and second pairs of opposing lower support rails 64, 66. In the illustrated embodiment, the firstbasket element portion 76 of thefirst basket element 46A aligns with the secondbasket element portion 78 of thesecond basket element 46B, and the secondbasket element portion 78 of thefirst basket element 46A aligns with the firstbasket element portion 76 of thesecond basket element 46B to form the whole basket, which has a constant width equal to the sum of the individual widths of thebasket element portions basket elements basket elements basket elements basket elements - The
basket elements frame 44 to accommodate utensils held by thesecond utensil rack 30 and utensils held by thebasket elements wash chamber 24. In particular, thebasket elements frame 44 and, therefore, within thewash chamber 24. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, according to one embodiment of the invention, thebasket elements flanges 82 on the first andsecond edges basket elements flanges 82 on the first andsecond edges basket elements wash chamber 24 when in the upper position. Further, the bottom walls formed by the intersectingribs 72 of thebasket elements basket elements basket elements upper wall 14 of thecabinet 12 is greater when thebasket elements basket elements second utensil rack 30 and thethird utensil rack 40 and clearance between thethird utensil rack 40 and theupper wall 14 of thecabinet 12. Additionally, thebasket elements basket elements frame 44 that support thebasket elements basket elements frame 44 since the upper support rails 62, 63 do not interfere with thebasket elements - Referring particularly to Fig. 8 and generally to Fig. 3, the
slides 42 that slidably mount thethird utensil rack 40 to thecabinet 12 each comprise atrack 100 having a generally verticalmiddle wall 102 with anaperture 103 near a front end thereof and pairs of upper and lower L-shapedflanges middle wall 102 to define aninner raceway 110 on an interior side (i.e., the side closer to the third utensil rack 40) of themiddle wall 102 and anouter raceway 110 on an outer side (i.e., the side farther from the third utensil rack 40) of themiddle wall 102. Theraceways front flanges 108 at the front end of thetrack 100. Theupper flange 104 that partially defines theinner raceway 110 is spaced from thefront flange 108 on the interior side of themiddle wall 102 to form an access opening 114 therebetween. Aclosure 120 pivotally mounted to the upper andlower flanges track 100 selectively blocks theaccess opening 114. Theclosure 120 comprises parallel upper andlower walls side wall 126 and afront wall 128 orthogonal to theside wall 126. Theside wall 126 and thefront wall 128 form agrip 130 sized to be grasped between a user's fingers for pivotally moving theclosure 120. Additionally, theclosure 120 includes adetent 132 that extends from theside wall 126 and is sized to mate with theaperture 103. Theclosure 120 is movable between a closed position, as shown in Fig. 9A, wherein theupper wall 122 blocks the access opening 114, and an opened position, as illustrated in Fig. 9B, wherein theclosure 120 is pivoted away from thetrack 100 so that theupper wall 122 is spaced from theaccess opening 114. - Referring particularly to Fig. 10 and generally to Fig. 3, a
wheel support 140 couples each opposingside third utensil rack 40 to itscorresponding slide 42. Eachwheel support 140 is an elongated, generally rectangular member with front andrear wheels wheels inner raceway 110. Thewheel support 140 further includes a pair ofparallel grooves 146 on an interior side thereof for receiving the upper and lowerperipheral wires frame 44. Snap clamps 150 adjacent thegrooves 146 are sized to securely receive at least one of the upper and lowerperipheral wires wheel support 140 relative to theframe 44. Additionally, the interior side of thewheel support 140 includes sets of vertically alignedU-shaped projections 148 between thegrooves 146 sized to receivebrackets 152 for sandwiching theframe 44 between thewheel support 140 and thebrackets 152 to thereby mount thewheel support 140 to theframe 44. Thewheel support 140 also comprises an upwardly and outwardly extendingoverhang 154 to facilitate mounting thewheel support 140 to thetrack 100. - An exemplary description of the assembly and operation of the
third utensil rack 40 and theslides 42 follows. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill that the assembly and operation can proceed in any logical order and is not limited to the sequence presented below. The following description is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention in any way. - Each of the
slides 42 is mounted to thedishwasher 10 by attaching thetrack 100 to a conventional slide mount (not shown) on the corresponding opposingside wall track 100 to the corresponding opposingside wall side walls track 100 receives the slide mount within theouter raceway 112 so that thetrack 100 can slide relative to thecabinet 12. Next, the wheel supports 140 are mounted to the opposingsides frame 44 by aligning the upper and lowerperipheral wires grooves 146, snapping the lowerperipheral wire 50 into the snap clamps 150, and inserting thebrackets 152 into theprojections 148 to clamp the upper and lowerperipheral wires wheel support 140 and thebrackets 150. After the wheel supports 140 are secured to theframe 44, the user pivots theclosures 120 on theslides 42 to the opened position so that therear wheels 144 can be inserted into theinner raceways 110 through theaccess openings 114. The user then pushes theframe 44 towards thewash chamber 24 so that therear wheels 144 travel along theinner raceway 110 until thefront wheels 142 are aligned with theaccess openings 114, as shown in Fig. 11. After the user inserts thefront wheels 142 into theinner raceway 110 through theaccess openings 114, the user pivots theclosures 120 toward thetrack 100 to the closed position, wherein thedetents 132 mate with theapertures 103, and theupper walls 122 block theaccess openings 114 to prevent inadvertent removal of thefront wheels 142 from theinner raceways 110, as shown in Fig. 9A. In this position, theoverhangs 154 of the wheel supports 140 rest on theupper flanges 104 of thetrack 100 to help support theframe 44 on theslides 42. When theslides 42 are mounted to thecabinet 12 and theframe 44 is mounted to theslides 42, thethird utensil rack 40 is thereby mounted to thedishwasher 10 and can slide relative to thewash chamber 24. - The user can mount the
basket elements frame 44 in either the upper position or the lower position depending on the desired configuration of the utensil racks 28, 30, 40 in thewash chamber 24, the sizes of the utensils in thesecond utensil rack 30, and the sizes of the utensils to be held in thethird utensil rack 40. To maximize the space between thesecond utensil rack 30 and thebasket elements basket elements flanges 82 on the upper support rails 62, 63. Further, thebasket elements fourth edges 70D in abutting contact to form the whole basket. However, if the user desires to maximize the clearance between thebasket elements upper wall 14 of thecabinet 12 to fit larger utensils in thethird utensil rack 40, thebasket elements flanges 82 on the first and second opposing pairs of lower support rails 64, 66. As in the upper position, thebasket elements fourth edges 70D in abutting contact to form the whole basket. - With the
basket elements basket elements basket elements third utensil rack 40 without compromising the ability of thedishwasher 10 to clean the utensils. Additionally, the user can place small items, such as corn cob holders, in the smallitem support areas 68. During operation of a wash cycle, thetines 88 surrounding the smallitem support areas 68 help retain the small items in the smallitem support areas 68. - After the wash cycle is complete, the user pulls the
third utensil rack 40 from the wash chamber to empty thebasket elements front stop flanges 108 limit the forward movement of theframe 44 relative to theslides 42. Next, the user removes the utensils from thethird utensil rack 40 in any suitable manner. For example, the user can either manually remove each utensil from thebasket elements basket elements frame 44, the user can remove at least one of thebasket elements basket element dishwasher 10, or the user can remove at least one of thebasket elements basket element basket element - If the user desires to remove the
entire frame 44 from the dishwasher, the user pivots theclosures 120 away from thetracks 100 to the opened position, as shown in Fig. 9B, to unblock theaccess openings 114. Theclosures 120 in the illustrated embodiment advantageously remain mounted to thetracks 100 during movement between the closed and opened positions and while in the opened position. Next, the user aligns thefront wheels 142 with theaccess openings 114 and lifts theframe 44, such as by pivoting theframe 44, to thereby lift thefront wheels 142 through theaccess openings 114, as illustrated in Fig. 11. Thereafter, the user pulls theframe 44 further from thewash chamber 24 until therear wheels 144 are aligned with theaccess openings 114 and lifts theframe 44, such as by pivoting theframe 44, to thereby lift therear wheels 144 through theaccess openings 114 and disconnect theframe 44 from theslides 42. - An alternative slide 42' is illustrated in Fig. 12, where components similar to those of the
first embodiment slide 42 are identified with the same numeral bearing a prime (') symbol. The slide 42' is substantially identical to thefirst embodiment slide 42, except that the track 100' does not include the front flange stops 108, and the upper and the lower flanges 104', 106' extend all the way to the end of the track 100'. As a result, the access opening 114' is defined between the ends of the upper and lower flanges 104', 106', and the closure 120' in the closed position functions as the stop while blocking the access opening 114'. - Alternatively, the access opening 114 can be located elsewhere in the
track 100. For example, the access opening 114 can be formed between thelower flange 106 and thefront flange stop 108 if thelower flange 106 is sufficiently spaced from the front end of thetrack 100. - An alternative embodiment of
slides 200 is illustrated in Fig. 13. Theslides 200 are shown in Fig. 13 in conjunction with thesecond utensil rack 30; however, it is within the scope of the invention to utilize theslides 200 with thefirst utensil rack 28, thethird utensil rack 40, or any other utensil rack. The remaining description of theslides 200 is presented with respect to one of theslides 200, with it being understood that the description can apply to both of theslides 200. Awheel support 202 couples theslide 200 to a side of thesecond utensil rack 30. - Referring to Fig. 14, which is an exploded view of the
slide 200 and thewheel support 202, thewheel support 202 carries afront wheel 204 and arear wheel 206 on asupport plate 208. Thefront wheel 204 and therear wheel 206 of the illustrated embodiment each include acircumferential groove 210. Awheel support bracket 212 attached to thesupport plate 208 mounts thewheel support 202 to thesecond utensil rack 30. - The
slide 202 includes arail 220 and atrack 222 slidable relative to therail 202. Therail 220 includes a generallyvertical wall 224 havingbracket retainers 226 that receiveslide brackets 228, which couple therail 220 to one of thecabinet side walls bracket retainers 226 fixedly couple theslide brackets 228 to therail 220, and thebracket retainers 226 are fixedly coupled to the one of thecabinet side walls rail 220 is fixedly mounted to the one of thecabinet side walls - Referring now to Fig. 16, which is a perspective view of the
slide 200 therail 220 further includes upper andlower flanges vertical wall 224 to define arail raceway 234. Each of the upper andlower flanges channel 236. Thechannel 236 in theupper flange 230 extends upward, and thechannel 236 formed in thelower flange 232 extends downward; thus, thechannels 236 extend away from therail raceway 234. Further, thechannels 236 extend along the entire length of the upper andlower flanges lower flanges projection 238 juts downward and upward from the upper andlower flanges rail raceway 234. Therail 220 further includes atrack stop 239 mounted to thevertical wall 224 and protruding into therail raceway 234. - The
track 222 includes a generallyvertical wall 240 with upper andlower flanges track raceway 246. Each of the upper andlower flanges channel 248. Thechannel 248 in theupper flange 242 extends downward, and thechannel 248 formed in thelower flange 232 extends upward; thus, thechannels 248 extend towards thetrack raceway 246. Thechannels 248 extend along the entire length of the upper andlower flanges lower flanges projection 250 juts upward and downward from the upper andlower flanges track raceway 246. Thetrack raceway 246 terminates at afront stop 252 and arear stop 254 in the form of flanges at ends of thetrack 222. Thefront stop 252 in the illustrated embodiment is generally L-shaped. Theupper flange 242 that partially defines thetrack raceway 246 is spaced from thefront stop 252 to form an access opening 256 therebetween. Thetrack 222 further includes aposition limiter 258 formed in thevertical wall 240 and extending away from thetrack raceway 246 - A
closure 260 pivotally mounts to thetrack 222, particularly to the upper andlower flanges track 222, and selectively blocks theaccess opening 256. Theclosure 260 includes parallel upper andlower walls side wall 266 and afront wall 268 orthogonal to theside wall 266. Theside wall 266 and thefront wall 268 form agrip 270 sized to be grasped between a user's fingers for pivotally moving theclosure 260. Theclosure 260 further includes a wheel retainer in the form of aprojection 274 depending from theupper wall 262 into thetrack raceway 246. Theclosure 260 is movable between a closed position (Fig. 20), where theupper wall 262 blocks the access opening 256, and an opened position (Fig. 21), where theclosure 260 is pivoted relative to thetrack 222 so that theupper wall 262 is spaced from theaccess opening 256. The closed and opened positions will be described in more detail below. When theclosure 260 is in the closed position, theprojection 274 linearly aligns with thechannel 248 in the trackupper flange 242. - A bearing assembly comprising a bearing
cage 280 comprising a plurality ofball bearings 282 slidably couples thetrack 222 andrail 220 for relative slidable movement. - Referring to Fig. 15, when the
slide 200 is assembled, therail raceway 234 receives thetrack 222 with the bearing assembly positioned between the upper andlower flanges rail 220 and the upper andlower flanges track 222. In particular, the bearingcage 280 sits between thechannels 236 on therail 220 and thechannels 248 on thetrack 222. Theprojections 238 at the ends of thechannels 236 on therail 220 retain the bearingcage 280 in the rail raceway 234 (i.e., theprojections 238 prevent thebearing cage 280 from sliding forwardly or rearwardly out of the rail raceway 234). When thetrack 222 is coupled to thewheel support 202 to couple theslide 200 to thesecond utensil rack 30, thetrack raceway 246 receives the front andrear wheels rear wheels rear wheels track raceway 246. Thegrooves 210 on the front andrear wheels channels 248 of the track upper andlower flanges rear wheels channels 248, which act as a guide to facilitate retaining the front andrear wheels track raceway 246. - An exemplary operation of the
slide 200 will be described with respect to Figs. 15 and 17-21. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill that the operation can proceed in any logical order and is not limited to the sequence presented below. The following description is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention in any way. - Fig. 15 illustrates the
slide 200 in an initial position with the front andrear wheels track raceway 246 and with theposition limiter 258 on thetrack 222 abutting thetrack stop 239 on the rail 220 (not shown). This position coincides with theutensil rack 30 being completely received within thechamber 24 of thedishwasher 10. The interaction between theposition limiter 258 and thetrack stop 239 prevents further rearward movement of thetrack 222 relative to therail 220. In this position, a front end of thetrack 222 and theclosure 260 are both received within therail raceway 234. When the user desires to move thesecond utensil rack 30 relative to thecabinet 12, the user pulls thesecond utensil rack 30 forwardly, and the front andrear wheels track raceway 246 along thechannels 248 until thefront wheel 204 abuts thefront stop 252, as shown in Fig. 17. When thefront wheel 204 approaches thefront stop 252, thegroove 210 on thefront wheel 204 rolls off of thechannel 248 in theupper flange 242 and into engagement withprojection 274 on theclosure 260. As the user continues to pull thesecond utensil rack 30, thefront wheel 204 transfers the forward force to thetrack 222 via thefront stop 252, and thetrack 222 slides forwardly relative to the bearingcage 280 and therail 220 until theprojections 250 on thetrack 222 abut a rear end of the bearingcage 280, as illustrated in Fig. 18. As the user continues to pull thesecond utensil rack 30, thetrack 222 transfers the forward force to the bearingcage 280 via theprojections 250, and the bearingcage 280 slides forwardly with thetrack 222 relative to therail 220 until the front end of the bearingcage 280 abuts theprojections 238 at the forward end of therail 220, as illustrated in Fig. 19. At this point, theslide 200 is at its most extended position relative to thecabinet 12 as is thesecond utility rack 30. - When the
slide 200 fully extends from thecabinet 12, as shown in Fig. 19, or when theslide 200 is in any other position where thefront wheel 204 abuts or nearly abuts thefront stop 252, and theclosure 260 is in the closed position blocking the access opening 256, thegroove 210 on thefront wheel 204 receives theprojection 274 on theclosure 260. Fig. 20, which is an enlarged view of the region labeled XX in Fig. 19, best illustrates the mating relationship between thefront wheel 204 and theprojection 274. The relationship between thefront wheel 204 and theprojection 274 prevents lateral movement of thefront wheel 204 relative to thetrack 222 and thetrack raceway 246. Thus, theprojection 274 prevents thefront wheel 204 from popping out of thetrack raceway 246 thereby avoiding accidental removal of thesecond utensil basket 30 from theslide 220. - If the user desires to remove the
second utensil rack 30 from theslide 200, the user moves theclosure 260 from the closed position of Fig. 20 to the opened position. Before the user can move theclosure 260, however, the user must ensure that thefront wheel 204 does not mate with theprojection 274 on theclosure 260. If thefront wheel 204 and theprojection 274 mate, then the user pushes thesecond utensil rack 30 rearward until at least thefront wheel 204 no longer engages theprojection 274, as illustrated in Fig. 21. - Once the
front wheel 204 and theprojection 274 no longer mate, the user can move the closure to the opened position shown in Fig. 21, such as by pivoting theclosure 260 relative to thetrack 222. Theclosure 260 in the illustrated embodiment advantageously remains mounted to thetrack 222 during movement between the closed and opened positions and while in the opened position. Moving theclosure 260 spaces theupper wall 262 of theclosure 262 from the access opening 256 such that the user can thereafter pull thesecond utensil rack 30 forwardly and upwardly through the access opening 256, as indicated by an arrow in Fig. 21. The upward movement of thesecond utensil rack 30 corresponds to lifting, such as by pivoting, thesecond utensil rack 30 relative to thetrack 222. As a result of this configuration, the user must perform two actions to remove thesecond utensil rack 30 from theslide 200. The user first slides thesecond utensil rack 30 in a first direction to align thefront wheel 204 with the access opening 256 and then lifts thesecond utensil rack 30 in a second direction, such as by pivoting, to move thefront wheel 204 through theaccess opening 256. The two actions can be performed in a sequential fashion wherein the sliding and the lifting are distinct actions or wherein the sliding and the lifting chronologically overlap (i.e., the lifting begins while the sliding is being executed). Requiring movement of thesecond utility rack 30 in two different directions facilitates accidental removal of thesecond utility rack 30 from theslide 200. - After the
front wheel 204 passes through the access opening 256, the user can continue to pull thesecond utensil rack 30 forwardly and upwardly to pass therear wheel 206 through the access opening 256 in the same manner. Thesecond utensil rack 30 removed from theslide 200 can be mounted to theslide 200 and pushed rearwardly into thecabinet 12 by repeating the above procedure in a reverse order. - The alternative embodiment slides 200 can include features described above with respect to the previous embodiment slides 42. For example, the access opening 258 can be positioned between the upper and
lower flanges track 222. When the access opening 258 is located between the upper andlower flanges closure 260 can form the front stop for thefront wheel 204. Furthermore, theclosure 260 can include a detent that mates with an aperture on thetrack 222 for retaining theclosure 260 in the closed position. Additionally, the closure need not have theprojection 274, which would eliminate the need to back up theutensil rack 30 prior to opening theclosure 260. - Another
alternative embodiment slide 200 is illustrated in Fig. 22. Theslide 200 is identical to the embodiment of theslides 200 shown in Figs. 13-21, except that theslide 200 of Fig. 22 does not include theclosure 260, and the access opening 256 in the trackupper flange 222 is spaced from thefront stop 252. The access opening 256 can be spaced from thefront stop 252 any suitable distance. For example, the access opening 256 can be spaced from the front stop 252 a distance at least equal to a diameter of thefront wheel 204, as illustrated in Fig. 22. - The operation of the
slide 200 of Fig. 22 is substantially identical to the operation of theslides 200 of Fig. 13-21, except for the portion related to removal of thefront wheel 204 from thetrack raceway 246. To remove thefront wheel 204 from thetrack raceway 246, the user first aligns thefront wheel 204 with theaccess opening 256. If thefront wheel 204 is positioned adjacent to thefront stop 252, the user must slide thefront wheel 204 rearward to align thefront wheel 204 with theaccess opening 204. Next, the user lifts thefront wheel 204, such as by pivoting thesecond utensil rack 30, through theaccess opening 256. After thefront wheel 204 passes through the access opening 256, the user can pull thesecond utensil rack 30 forwardly and upwardly to pass therear wheel 206 through the access opening 256 in the same manner. - Spacing the access opening 256 from the
front stop 252 requires the user to purposely slide thesecond utensil rack 30 rearward prior to moving thefront wheel 204 through theaccess opening 256. Requiring the rearward movement helps to prevent accidental removal of thefront wheel 204 from thetrack raceway 246 when theslide 200 does not include theclosure 260 for selectively closing theaccess opening 256. However, it is within the scope of the invention for the access opening 256 to be located in any suitable position, such as directly adjacent to thefront stop 252, as is shown with respect to the embodiments of Figs. 11 and 21. - Furthermore, the
track raceway 246 of the illustrated embodiment and the other embodiments of the slides can be substantially unobstructed such that thefront wheel 204 can freely slide along thetrack raceway 246 to theaccess opening 256. In other words, there are no detents or other structures to impede movement of thefront wheel 204 within thetrack raceway 246. The positioning of the access opening 256 and the employment of theclosure 260, either alone or in combination with one another, are sufficient to control the movement of thefront wheel 204 and the removal of thefront wheel 204 from theslide 200, thereby negating a need for detents or other structures. - The
complementary basket elements basket elements fourth edge 70D with a different contour. Additionally, thebasket elements frame 44; thebasket elements wash chamber 24. Similarly, theframe 44 can mount a unitary whole basket rather than separate basket elements so that the unitary whole basket is vertically adjustable within thewash chamber 24. - While the
third utensil rack 40 has been shown and described as being located near theupper wall 14 of thecabinet 12 and in conjunction with the first and the second utensil racks 28, 30, it is within the scope of the invention to utilize thethird utensil rack 40 in any location within thewash chamber 24, such as adjacent thelower wall 16 or in the middle of thewash chamber 24, and with or without other utensil racks. Furthermore, theslides 42 are not limited for use with thethird utensil rack 40; rather, theslides 42 can be used with thefirst utensil rack 28, thesecond utensil rack 30, or any other suitable utensil rack. - The grid of the
basket elements ribs 72; however, it is within the scope of the invention for the grid to be formed by other structures having apertures or gaps that allow wash liquid to pass through the bottom wall of thebasket elements - While the
third utensil rack 40 and theslides 42 have been described and shown as for use in thedishwasher 10 comprising thecabinet 12 and thedoor 26 movably mounted to thecabinet 12, thedishwasher 10 can be any type of appliance for washing dishes and is not limited to thedishwasher 10 shown in the figures. For example, the dishwasher can be a drawer-type dishwasher, wherein the wash chamber is formed in an open-top drawer that is slidably mounted to a cabinet. Further, theslides 42 can be used to slidably mount the drawer to the cabinet, if desired. - The
third utensil rack 40 accommodates various shapes and sizes of utensils for effective cleaning thereof without dramatically sacrificing capacity of the first and second utensil racks 28, 30. Because thebasket elements third utensil rack 40 can be arranged to accommodate the sizes of utensils in thesecond utensil rack 30. In the preferred embodiment, various portions of theframe 44, such as the upper support rails 62, 63 and the lower support rails 64, 66, function as height adjusters for adjustably mounting thebasket elements frame 44. However, the height adjusters can also be located on thebasket elements basket elements peripheral wall 70 such that thebasket elements frame 44 in different vertical orientations depending on which hooks mate with the portion of theframe 44. - While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.
-
- 10
- dishwasher
- 12
- cabinet
- 14
- upper wall
- 16
- lower wall
- 18
- side wall
- 20
- side wall
- 22
- rear wall
- 24
- wash chamber
- 26
- door
- 28
- first utensil rack
- 30
- second utensil rack
- 32
- 34
- 36
- 38
- 40
- third utensil rack
- 42
- slides
- 44
- frame
- 46A/B
- basket elements
- 48
- upper peripheral wire
- 50
- lower peripheral wire
- 50A
- front lower peripheral wire
- 50B
- rear lower peripheral wire
- 52
- connecting wires
- 54
- front end
- 56
- rear end
- 58
- side
- 60
- side
- 62
- front upper support rail
- 63
- lower upper support rail
- 64
- first pair of lower support rails
- 66
- second pair of lower support rails
- 68
- small item support area
- 70
- peripheral wall
- 70A/B/C/D
- 1 st/2nd/3rd/4th side edges
- 72
- intersecting ribs
- 74
- intermediate curve
- 76
- first basket element portion
- 78
- second basket element portion
- 80
- handle
- 82
- hook or flange
- 84
- 86
- intersecting support ribs
- 88
- tines
- 88A/88B
- rows of tines
- 90
- first tine group
- 92
- second tine group
- 94
- 96
- 98
- 100
- track
- 102
- middle wall
- 103
- aperture
- 104
- upper L-shaped flanges
- 106
- lower L-shaped flanges
- 108
- front flanges (stops)
- 110
- inner raceway
- 112
- outer raceway
- 114
- access opening
- 116
- 118
- 120
- closure
- 122
- upper wall
- 124
- lower wall
- 126
- side wall
- 128
- front wall
- 130
- grip
- 132
- detent
- 134
- 136
- 138
- 140
- wheel support
- 142
- front wheel
- 144
- rear wheel
- 146
- grooves
- 148
- U-shaped projections
- 150
- snap clamps
- 152
- brackets
- 154
- overhang
- 156
- 158
- 160
- 162
- 164
- 166
- 168
- 170
- 172
- 174
- 176
- 180
- 182
- 184
- 186
- 188
- 190
- 192
- 194
- 196
- 198
- 200
- slides
- 202
- wheel support
- 204
- front wheel
- 206
- rear wheel
- 208
- support plate
- 210
- groove
- 212
- wheel support bracket
- 214
- 216
- 218
- 220
- rail
- 222
- track
- 224
- vertical wall
- 226
- bracket retainers
- 228
- slide brackets
- 230
- upper flange
- 232
- lower flange
- 234
- rail raceway
- 236
- channel
- 238
- projections
- 239
- track stop
- 240
- vertical wall
- 242
- upper flange
- 244
- lower flange
- 246
- track raceway
- 248
- channel
- 250
- projection
- 252
- front stop
- 254
- rear stop
- 256
- access opening
- 258
- position limiter
- 260
- closure
- 262
- upper wall
- 264
- lower wall
- 266
- side wall
- 268
- front wall
- 270
- grip
- 272
- 274
- projection
- 276
- 278
- 280
- bearing cage
- 282
- ball bearings
- 284
- 286
- 288
- 290
- 292
- 294
- 296
- 298
- 300
- A
- relatively short utensils
- B
- medium length utensils
- C
- relatively long utensils
Claims (29)
- An automatic dishwasher comprising:an open-faced cabinet comprising opposing side walls and defining a wash chamber;a door movably mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the wash chamber;a utensil rack comprising opposing sides and a wheel mounted to at least one the sides; andat least one slide slidably coupling the utensil rack to the cabinet for movement of the utensil rack relative to the cabinet and comprising:a track coupled to one of the side walls of the cabinet and defining an elongated raceway for receiving the wheel of the utensil rack and comprising an access opening to the raceway for insertion or removal of the wheel from the raceway; anda closure mounted to the track for movement between an opened position and a closed position to selectively open and close the access opening, wherein the closure remains attached to the track during movement between the opened and closed positions.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein the closure is pivotally mounted to the track.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the closure comprises a detent for locking the closure in a closed position blocking the access opening to prevent the removal of the wheel from the raceway.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 3 wherein the detent mates with the track to secure the closure in the closed position.
- The automatic dishwasher according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the track comprises upper and lower flanges that partially define the raceway, and the access opening is located in at least one of the lower flange, upper flange, and between the lower flange and upper flange.
- The automatic dishwasher according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the track further comprises a stop to limit movement of the utensil rack along the raceway.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 6 wherein the track further comprises a flange at an end of the raceway to form the stop.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 6 wherein the closure forms the stop.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 8 wherein the track comprises upper and lower flanges that partially define the raceway, and the access opening is located between the lower and upper flanges.
- The automatic dishwasher according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the slide further comprises a rail coupled to one of the side walls of the cabinet and defining a rail raceway, and the track is slidably received within the rail raceway.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 10 wherein the slide further comprises a bearing assembly that slidably couples the track to the rail in the rail raceway.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 10 or 11 wherein the track is fixedly mounted to the one of the side walls of the cabinet.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 10, 11 or 12 wherein the closure is mounted to the track and configured to be received within the rail raceway.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein the track further defines a second elongated raceway for slidably receiving a slide mount coupling the track to the at least one of the side walls of the cabinet.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 14 wherein the track is configured to slide relative to the slide mount.
- The automatic dishwasher according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the closure comprises a wheel retainer configured to prevent the wheel from exiting the raceway.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 16 wherein the wheel retainer is configured to prevent lateral movement of the wheel relative to the raceway.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 16 or 17 wherein the wheel retainer comprises a projection that extends into the raceway.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 18 wherein the wheel comprises a groove that receives the projection.
- An automatic dishwasher comprising:an open-faced cabinet comprising opposing side walls and defining a wash chamber;a door movably mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the wash chamber;a utensil rack comprising opposing sides;at least one track defining an unobstructed elongated raceway and comprising a stop terminating a forward end of the raceway and an upwardly facing access opening to the raceway; anda wheel assembly comprising at least one wheel slidably received within the raceway and sized for insertion and removal through the access opening;wherein one of the track and wheel assembly is mounted to one of the cabinet and utensil rack and the other of the track and wheel assembly is mounted to the other of the cabinet and utensil rack to slidably mount the utensil rack to the cabinet, and the wheel is free to move unobstructed along the raceway to the access opening for removal through the access opening.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 20 wherein the access opening is spaced from the forward end of the raceway.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 21 wherein the access opening is spaced from the forward end of the raceway a distance at least equal to a diameter of the wheel.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 20, 21 or 22 wherein the track comprises an upper flange, and the access opening is formed in the upper flange.
- The automatic dishwasher according to claim 20, 21, 22 or 23 wherein the wheel assembly comprises at least a pair of wheels.
- A method of removing a utensil rack from a dishwasher comprising a cabinet and at least one slide coupling the utensil rack to the cabinet and having a track with a raceway and an access opening to the raceway and a wheel mounted in the raceway, the method comprising:sliding the utensil rack in a first direction to align the wheel with the access opening; andlifting the utensil rack in a second direction to move the wheel through the access opening.
- The method according to claim 25 wherein the first direction is different from the second direction.
- The method according to claim 26 wherein the second direction corresponds to pivoting the utensil rack.
- The method according to claim 25, 26 or 27, further comprising moving a second wheel through the access opening.
- The method according to claim 25, 26, 27 or 28 wherein the sliding the utensil rack in the first direction comprises freely sliding the utensil rack to the access opening.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/382,400 US20060250058A1 (en) | 2005-03-29 | 2006-05-09 | Dishwasher with Utensil Rack and Slides Therefor |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1854395A1 true EP1854395A1 (en) | 2007-11-14 |
Family
ID=38314138
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP07251903A Withdrawn EP1854395A1 (en) | 2006-05-09 | 2007-05-08 | Dishwasher with utensil rack and slides therefor |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20060250058A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1854395A1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2587999A1 (en) |
MX (1) | MX2007005552A (en) |
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- 2007-05-08 CA CA002587999A patent/CA2587999A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Cited By (17)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2008077713A1 (en) * | 2006-12-22 | 2008-07-03 | BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH | Rack guide rail for a dishwasher |
US9226644B2 (en) | 2009-05-22 | 2016-01-05 | Arcelik Anonim Sirketi | Dishwasher comprising a drawer |
WO2010133505A1 (en) * | 2009-05-22 | 2010-11-25 | Arcelik Anonim Sirketi | A dishwasher comprising a drawer |
ITTO20090576A1 (en) * | 2009-07-28 | 2011-01-29 | Indesit Co Spa | DISHWASHER MACHINE INCLUDING A REFINED BASKET GUIDE. |
WO2011013057A1 (en) * | 2009-07-28 | 2011-02-03 | Indesit Company S.P.A. | Dishwasher |
EP2368479A1 (en) * | 2010-03-24 | 2011-09-28 | Candy S.p.A. | Dishwasher with additional basket |
EP2371261A1 (en) | 2010-03-30 | 2011-10-05 | FagorBrandt SAS | Dishwasher machine provided with a telescopic device for translation of a basket |
FR2958147A1 (en) * | 2010-03-30 | 2011-10-07 | Fagorbrandt Sas | WASHING MACHINE DISHWASHER EQUIPPED WITH TELESCOPIC DEVICE FOR TRANSLATION OF BASKET |
US10149596B2 (en) * | 2012-12-21 | 2018-12-11 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Cutlery tray module for a dishwasher and dishwasher comprising at least one cutlery tray module |
US20150320290A1 (en) * | 2012-12-21 | 2015-11-12 | Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. | Cutlery tray module for a dishwasher and dishwasher comprising at least one cutlery tray module |
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DE102013210015A1 (en) * | 2013-05-29 | 2014-12-04 | BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH | Guide rail for a dishwasher |
CN104739353A (en) * | 2013-12-25 | 2015-07-01 | 海尔集团公司 | Dish washing machine |
CN104739353B (en) * | 2013-12-25 | 2019-04-09 | 海尔集团公司 | A kind of dish-washing machine |
US10174785B1 (en) | 2017-11-15 | 2019-01-08 | Electrolux Home Products, Inc. | Wheel bushing |
US11826005B2 (en) | 2022-03-29 | 2023-11-28 | Midea Group Co., Ltd. | Exhibiting a dishwasher rack to the user |
US11969132B2 (en) | 2022-03-29 | 2024-04-30 | Midea Group Co., Ltd. | Exhibiting a dishwasher rack to the user |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
MX2007005552A (en) | 2008-11-26 |
US20060250058A1 (en) | 2006-11-09 |
CA2587999A1 (en) | 2007-11-09 |
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