EP2106236B1 - Rack guide rail for a dishwasher - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a rack guide rail (1) for attaching a receptacle which can be withdrawn from a container, in particular a dish rack which can be withdrawn from an interior of a dishwasher, comprising a rail body (2) which can be connected to the receptacle, and the rail body (2) can engage with at least one running roller (20), in particular with a running roller (20) which is arranged in a washing area of a dishwasher. The invention is characterized in that the rail body (2) has at least one cutout (12) which extends transverse to the direction of movement of the withdrawable receptacle and is designed to engage with the at least one running roller (20). The invention also covers a dishwasher comprising at least one rack guide rail according to the invention.

Description

The invention relates to a basket guide rail according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and a dishwasher with such a basket guide rail.

From the EP 1 584 283 A2 For example, a dishwasher is known which has a dish rack which can be pulled out by means of guide rails and various rollers, namely cabinet rollers and basket rollers. Other dishwashers with extendable, roll-stored basket are for example from the US 3,096,125 as well as from the WO 03/039323 A1 known.

Dish racks, e.g. an upper basket or a cutlery drawer of a dishwasher are, for example, mounted extendable over basket guide rails from a washing container of the dishwasher. The basket guide rails are needed in a right and a left version. At a front end of the two basket guide rails is usually a horn-shaped front end element which is positively and permanently connected to the rail body. This end element forms a stop for the casters connected to the crockery basket. At the rear ends of the rail body formed in the form of securing clips rear end elements are attached.

The basket guide rails are each hung in a fixed to the washing container roller assembly. Because of this, the rear, designed as securing brackets, termination elements may not be firmly connected to the rail body. Rather, the connection between the rear end members and the rail body must be releasable in nature to allow the installation of the basket guide rail on the roller assembly in the dishwasher.

This structural design requires that the assembly, ie the assembly, the basket guide rail, for example, must be done inside the washing container of the dishwasher.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a basket guide slide rail, which does not have this disadvantage.

This object is achieved by a basket guide rail with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments will be apparent from the dependent claims.

The object of the invention is achieved by a basket guide rail for fastening a container which can be pulled out of a container, in particular a dish rack which can be pulled out of an interior of a dishwasher, with a rail body which can be connected to the container, and the rail body with at least one roller, in particular with a arranged in a washing compartment of a dishwasher roller can be engaged. The invention is characterized in that the rail body has recesses extending transversely to the direction of movement, which is designed to engage with the at least one roller. An assembly of the basket guide rail inside the container is therefore no longer necessary. The provision of recesses also makes it possible to significantly reduce the number of components of the basket guide rail.

Preferably, it is provided that the recesses are spaced from a first end and a second end of the rail body, i. in a central portion of the basket guide rail. By this arrangement it is achieved that prevents unintentional release of the basket guide rail, especially in the end positions of a basket pullout. Furthermore, a flushing out of impurities and dirt from the rail body is made possible by the recesses.

Preferably, recesses are the recesses formed such that they can be brought into the at least one roller without tools.

For this purpose, it is preferably provided that the recesses are formed such that they can be brought into engagement with the at least one roller by means of a pivoting movement. Thus, it becomes possible to provide ready-assembled basket guide rails, which can be connected by a simple Einklinkvorgang with a respective roller assembly in the container.

The rail body has a C-shaped profile. It is preferably provided that the rail body comprises the recesses in a direction of gravity lower half of the C-shaped rail body, when the rail body is installed in the dishwasher in its operating position. As a result, on the one hand a simple assembly and disassembly of the basket guide rail is ensured by a roller assembly. On the other hand, unintentional release of the basket guide rail is prevented by the roller assembly due to the prevailing force and weight distribution in operation. Next, the flushing of dirt is also facilitated.

At least one of the edges has recesses as latching, through which the at least one roller can be introduced into the rail body. Preferably, the at least one latching in cross section is formed in a circular segment. As a result, a low-friction relative movement of the rollers and the basket guide rail is ensured.

The radius of a latching corresponds in one embodiment approximately to the radius of the at least one roller. As a result, a simple assembly or disassembly of the basket guide rail on or from the roller assembly is made possible and on the other hand prevents unintentional detachment of the arrangement from each other. In a preferred embodiment, the distance between a vertex of an upper half of the C-shaped rail body and a vertex of the latching is at least equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the roller.

It can be provided that the rail body has a first number of notches, which corresponds to a second number of leading in the rail body rollers. This allows a particularly simple mounting or dismounting of the basket guide rail. The number of notches are then preferably arranged at a predetermined distance from each other, wherein the distance corresponds to the distance to leading rollers.

The recesses may be formed in another variant as a drain opening in a curved portion of the lower half of the C-shaped rail body. As a result, impurities and during a flushing process flushed out of the basket guide rail conveyed water in the basket guide rail, whereby the evaporation energy required for drying the rail can be saved.

Here, a plurality of drain holes may be provided, which are arranged in the extension direction of the rail body over the length of the rail body at the apex of the lower half. Although the drain holes are thus in a "run over" by the rollers section. With a suitable dimensioning of the drainage openings and due to the prevailing force or weight ratios in operation, the concentricity is not impaired.

In another embodiment, the drain opening may be arranged in a staking portion of the rail body, which covers the at least one roller neither in a rest position nor during a relative movement to the rail body. This ensures that no impairment, e.g. Jerking the terminals, while the operation of the dish rack, is noticeable.

The basket guide rail has first and second ends between which the rail body extends, the first end of the rail body being connectable to a first end member and the second end of the rail body to a second end member, the first and second end members being identically formed are. As a result, only one variant of the basket guide rail and the end element is required, so that in contrast to the prior art no different left and right version of the basket guide rail needs to be provided.

In one embodiment, the first and the second closing element are horn-shaped, so that they represent a limitation for this when operating the crockery basket.

The connection between the first end element and the first end of the rail body and the connection between the second end element and the second end of the rail body can each be designed to be either detachable or non-detachable.

While the rail body is preferably made of a metallic material, the first and the second end element may be formed from a plastic.

Furthermore, the invention also includes a dishwasher with at least one basket guide according to the invention.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Korbführungsschiene in Verbindung mit einer Rollenanordnung, mit der die Korbführungsschiene in Wirkverbindung gebracht werden soll,

Fig. 2a u. 2b

Darstellungen des Verbindungsvorganges von Korbführungsschiene und Laufrolle,

Fig. 3

ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel, das einen Ausschnitt der Korbführungsschiene mit einer Ablauföffnung zeigt,

Fig. 4

ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel, in dem ein Ausschnitt der Korbführungsschiene mit einer Ablauföffnung dargestellt ist.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment in the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a basket guide rail according to the invention in conjunction with a roller assembly with which the basket guide rail is to be brought into operative connection,

Fig. 2a u. 2 B

Representations of the connection process of the basket guide rail and roller,

Fig. 3

A first embodiment, which shows a section of the basket guide rail with a drain opening,

Fig. 4

a second embodiment, in which a section of the basket guide rail is shown with a drain opening.

Fig. 1 shows a basket guide rail 1 according to the invention in a perspective view. The basket guide rail 1 comprises a rail body 2 having a first end 3 and a second end 4. At the first end 3, a first end element 18 is arranged. In a corresponding manner, a second closing element 19 is arranged at the second end 4. While the rail body 2 is preferably made of a metallic material, the first and the second closing element 18, 19 are made of a plastic material. The first and the second closing element 18, 19 have a horn-shaped form and are otherwise identical. That is, the first and second end members 18, 19 may be reversed at the first and second ends 3, 4 of the rail body can be arranged without resulting in a modified basket guide rail 1 as a result.

The connection of the first and second end element 18, 19 with the rail body 2 can be done, for example, by a latching connection, a clamping or the like. The connection can be made detachable or non-detachable. In the case of a releasable connection, it merely has to be ensured that unintentional release of the first and second closure element 18, 19 from the rail body 2 is not possible. Those in the upper half of the Fig. 1 shown and fully assembled basket guide rail can be applied to a left or right roller assembly in a washing compartment of a dishwasher.

The rail body 2 has a cross-sectionally C-shaped cross-sectional profile. This is better from the FIGS. 2a and 2b show, in which the rail body 2 is shown in each case in a sectional view. The rail body 2 has an upper half 5 and a lower half 8 (see. Fig. 2a, 2b ). The terms "top" and "bottom" are in each case to refer to an installation situation of the basket guide rail in the washing of the dishwasher when the basket guide rail is installed in the dishwasher in its operating position. The rail body 2 has in cross-section two mutually facing, and spaced-apart edges 7 and 10. The edge 7 is the upper half 5, the edge 10 of the lower half 8 assigned.

The rail body 2 is provided according to the invention with a number of recesses 12. The recesses 12 form according to Fig. 1 so-called notches. In the exemplary embodiment, a total of four notches 13, 14, 15, 16 are shown, which are each arranged in the lower half 8 of the rail body 2. The notches 13, 14, 15, 16 have a circular segment-shaped shape and extend from the edge 10 in the direction of a vertex 9 of the lower half 8 of the rail body 2. In principle, a different number of notches can be provided by the embodiment. Even with a plurality of rollers, it is possible to attach the basket guide rail 1 to the roller arrangement with a single latching. Preferably, the number of notches and rollers of a roller assembly is consistent.

The Einklinkungen 13 and 14 are, as from the lower half of Fig. 1 shows, arranged at a distance x to each other. In a corresponding manner, the notches 15 and 16 are also arranged at a distance x from one another by way of example. The distance x is measured according to a distance y, in which two rollers 20 are formed in the dishwasher. Only exemplary are in Fig. 1 shown two rollers 20 which are mounted on a holder 24, which is fixed for example inside the washing container of the dishwasher. Such a design allows to easily attach the basket guide rail 1 to the roller assembly. In particular, it is possible, in contrast to the prior art, to connect the basket guide rail 1 already attached thereto end members 18 and 19 with the roller assembly.

This process will be better from the Fig. 2a and 2b clear. Shown in each case in a cross-sectional arrangement, the roller assembly, comprising a roller 20 which is attached via an axis 21 to a wall 22 or the holder 24. The rail body 2 is slipped over the roller 20 with a curved portion of its upper half 5. By a rotational movement of the basket guide rail in the direction of the arrow indicated by the reference numeral A in the region in the Fig. 2a unrecognizable latching it is possible to insert the roller in the Fig. 2b pivoted position shown, in which the roller 20 is completely disposed in the interior of the C-shaped rail body 2 and is displaceable relative thereto in an extension direction of the rail body.

From the assembly process, the dimensioning of Einklinkungen 13, 14, 15, 16 is readily apparent. The distance between a vertex 6 of the upper half 5 of the C-shaped rail body 2 and a vertex 23 of the notches 13, 14, 15, 16 must be at least equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the roller 20. It is preferred if the circular segment-shaped notch in cross-section has a radius which corresponds approximately to the radius of the rollers.

Due to the weight loading of the basket guide rail, when a crockery basket or a cutlery drawer is in operative connection with the outside of the upper half 5 of the rail body 2, is in a relative movement of the Ensured basket guide rail to the rollers that a detachment of the rail body 2 from the roller does not take place.

The attachment of the end elements 18, 19 can be carried out fully automatically. Due to the same design end elements 18, 19 and the rail body 2 for the left and right basket guide rail can be made identical. In contrast to the prior art, this allows a simpler and more cost-effective design, in particular, a basket guide rail can be supplied finalmontierte to the manufacture of the dishwasher.

The notches should not be in the respective end position to avoid accidental jamming or dismantling. As an end position those positions of the basket guide rail relative to the roller assembly or the dishwasher are referred to, in which the basket guide rail is fully inserted in the dishwasher or fully pulled out of this. The notches are thus preferably arranged in such places, which are run over during use when entering and removing a dish rack. In such a design, no operating errors will be caused by jerking or jamming, since the substantially round shape of the upper or lower half ensures that the basket guide rail pressed in the lower area on the weight of a befindlicher with the basket guide rail 1 dish rack outward and thus the notches are not affected.

In order to assist the self-cleaning of the basket guide rails, in one embodiment, in regions in which the rollers do not roll off within the rail body, the function of recesses 12 may be provided by drain openings 17. These drain holes 17 allow washing out of contaminants from the rail profile. Embodiments of this are in the 3 and 4 shown.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 3 the drain opening 17 is arranged in the form of a merely exemplary circular segment-shaped recess in the lower half 10 of the rail body 2 near the second end 4 of the rail body 2. The vertex of the drain opening 17 remains below the edge 10 of the lower Half 8. In the embodiment according to Fig. 4 the drain opening 17 is immediately adjacent to the second end 4 of the rail body 2. The drain openings 17 are arranged on the rail body 2, that they can not be run over by the rollers 20.

In a variant, not shown, the function of a drain opening, recesses 12 may be distributed over the length of the rail body 2 in the lower half. The recesses 12 are then arranged substantially in the region of the apex 9 of the lower half 8 and have a smaller diameter compared to the width of the roller.

The invention has the advantage that only one variant of a rail body is required to provide a basket guide rail, which can be provided with identically shaped end elements. Thus, it is unnecessary, as before, to provide a left and a right version of basket guide rails. This results in a cost saving, since the storage of a variant can be omitted and only one type of rail body and end elements must be provided in each case. The assembly of the basket guide rail according to the invention is simplified because the known from the prior art and usual clip assembly no longer needs to be done on the device, but can be done in advance automated. It is further ensured that during installation of the basket guide rails in the dishwasher, the basket guide rails can not be installed upside down, since only a single variant is available, which is used on both sides. The provision of drainage holes ensures that impurities and dirt are washed out of the basket guide rail. As a result, additional evaporation energy to dry the rails is no longer needed, so that there is an energy reduction.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Basket guide rail

2

rail body

3

first end

4

second end

5

upper half

6

vertex

7

Edge of the upper half

8th

bottom half

9

vertex

10

Edge of the lower half

12

recess

13

snap-fastening

14

snap-fastening

15

snap-fastening

16

snap-fastening

17

drain hole

18

first end element

19

second end element

20

caster

21

axis

22

wall

23

Vertex of the notches

24

holder

x

Distance between the notches

y

Distance between the rollers

A

pan direction

Claims (19)

1. Basket guide rail (1) for the fastening of a container withdrawable from a receptacle, particularly a dishes basket withdrawable from an interior space of a dishwasher, with a rail body (2) which has a C-shaped cross-sectional profile with two mutually facing and spaced-apart edges (7, 10) and which can be connected with the container, and the rail body (2) can be brought into an engagement with at least one guide roller (20), particularly with a guide roller (20) arranged in a rinsing chamber of the dishwasher, characterised in that the rail body (2) has cut-outs (12) which extend tranversely to the direction of movement of the withdrawable container and which are constructed for being brought into engagement with the at least one guide roller (20), wherein the cut-outs (12) are constructed as notches (13, 14, 15, 16) through which the at least one guide roller (20) can be introduced into the rail body (2).
2. Basket guide rail according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one cut-out (12) is arranged at a spacing from a first end (3) and a second end (4) of the rail body (2).
3. Basket guide rail according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the cut-out (12) is so constructed that the cut-out (12) can be brought into engagement with the at least one guide roller (20) without a tool.
4. Basket guide rail according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the cut-out (12) is so constructed that the cut-out (12) can brought into engagement with the at least one guide roller (20) by means of pivot movement.
5. Basket guide rail according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that in its mounting position the at least one cut-out (12) of the rail body (2) is arranged in a half (8), which is lower in the direction of gravitational force, of the rail body (2).
6. Basket guide rail according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the at least one notch (13, 14, 15, 16) has the shape of a segment of a circle in cross-section.
7. Basket guide rail according to claim 6, characterised in that the radius of the at least one notch (13, 14, 15, 16) approximately corresponds with the radius of the at least one guide roller (20).
8. Basket guide rail according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the spacing between a crest point (6) of an upper half (5) of the rail body (2) and a crest point (23) of the notch (13, 14, 15, 16) is at least equal to or is larger than the diameter of the guide roller (20).
9. Basket guide rail according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the rail body (2) has a first number of notches (13, 14, 15, 16), which number corresponds with a second number of the guide rollers (20) to be guided into the rail body (2).
10. Basket guide rail according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the notches (13, 14, 15, 16) of the number thereof are arranged at a predetermined spacing (x) from one another, wherein the spacing (x) corresponds with the spacing (y) of the guide rollers (20) to be guided.
11. Basket guide rail according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least one cut-out (12) is formed as a run-out opening (17) in a curved section of the lower half of the rail body (2).
12. Basket guide rail according to claim 11, characterised in that a plurality of run-out openings (17) is provided, which run-out openings are in length direction of the rail body (2) arranged over the length of the rail body (2) at the crest point (9) of the lower half.
13. Basket guide rail according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the run-out opening (17) is arranged in a length section of the rail body (2) which does not cover the at least one guide roller (20) either in a rest setting or in the case of movement relative to the rail body (2).
14. Basket guide rail according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that this has a first end (3) and a second end (4), between which the rail body (2) extends, wherein the first end (3) of the rail body (2) is connectible with a first terminating element (18) and the second end (4) of the rail body (2) is connectible with a second terminating element (19), wherein the first and second terminating elements (18, 19) are of identical construction.
15. Basket guide rail according to claim 14, characterised in that the first and second terminating elements (18, 19) are of horn-shaped construction.
16. Basket guide rail according to claim 14 or 15, characterised in that the connection between the first terminating element and the first end of the rail body (2) and the connection between the second terminating element and the second end of the rail body (2) are detachable.
17. Basket guide rail according to claim 14 or 15, characterised in that the connection between the first terminating element (18) and the first end (3) of the rail body (2) and the connection between the second terminating element (19) and the second end (4) of the rail body (2) are non-detachable.
18. Basket guide rail according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterised in that the first and second terminating elements (18, 19) are formed from a plastics material.
19. Dishwasher, at least comprising a basket guide rail according to any one of the preceding claims.

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