TITLE
DISH BASKET SYSTEM FOR DISHWASHERS
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a basket system for dishwashers, according to the preamble to the following claim 1.
BACKGROUND ART
It has long been known, for dishwashers, to provide detachable, transferable basket inserts in larger-sized baskets. Through EP 0 898 929, for example, it is known to provide movable modules of basket inserts of different types for different kinds of wash items. These are dimensioned such that they can together fill a whole basket. The baskets are uniform without fittings and have a conventional wire structure with sides and a bottom which support the basket inserts with wash items and hold them in place. The total utilization of the space in the dishwasher is limited, of course, by the bottom of the baskets, nor is any height adjustment facility specified for the baskets. Through EP 1 385 412, it is known to provide a basket with a height adjustment mechanism, with which different height positions of the top basket can be chosen for adaptation to different heights of the wash items. Since these baskets, too, are in principle conventionally constructed, the flexibility is limited.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The object of the invention is, with a basket system, to increase flexibility as regards the utilization of the washing chamber in a dishwasher.
The object is achieved by means of a basket system according to the invention, the characteristics of which emerge from claim 1.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a basket system according to the invention with a basket frame and two uplifted basket inserts,
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the system according to Fig. 1 , in which the basket inserts are inserted,
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bottom side of one of the basket inserts,
Fig. 4 is a partially broken perspective view, showing a docking part on the spray feed pipe, and
Fig. 5 shows with a perspective view how the basket system can provide great flexibility when two dishwashers are used in tandem.
MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
As can be seen from Fig. 1 and 2, the basket system for dishwashers consists of one or more basket units, of which at least one is made up of basket frame 1 and a number of baskets or basket inserts 2, 3, of which two different ones are shown for different types of wash items, such as cups, glasses, dishes, but also larger plates, trays, etc. in one basket insert 2, depending on the space available in the washing chamber, and, above all, cutlery, but also glasses or other wash items, in the other basket insert. Each basket frame 1 with inserted attachments 2, 3 can be said to form a basket unit, which can be moved into and out of the washing chamber and can possibly also be adjusted in the vertical direction.
The basket frame 1 is realized as a frame structure which is closed all the way round, having two opposite, substantially parallel-running side portions 4, 5, on which a part of a guide system is placed, in the example two rollers 6, 7, 8, 9 per side, for interaction with guides 10, 11 running horizontally along two opposite side walls 12, 13 in the washing chamber 14, see Fig. 5. By means of the guide system, each basket unit can be moved between the loading or emptying position, pulled out from the washing chamber, and the operating or storage position in the washing chamber with the lid closed.
Extending between the two side portions are a front frame portion 15 and a rear frame portion 16, which both have a somewhat raised extent in relation to the side portions and, in the inner position of the basket frame in the washing chamber, are intended to be located close to its front wall, i.e. the inner side of the lid 63, and rear wall respectively. The frame structure is a wire structure, which has high rigidity, especially along the side portions, by virtue of a structure comprising two or more horizontal parallel wires 17, 18. The raised extent of the front and the rear frame portion 15, 16 is arranged by virtue of the fact that they are configured as wire brackets, for example created by bending, so that in each portion there are formed two short upright end parts 20, 21 , 22, 23, which are fixedly connected to the side portions and each support an elongated, raised intermediate part 24, 25. The rear intermediate part 25 is provided with two positioning brackets 26, 27.
By virtue of the structure of the basket frame 1 , this is fully open inside the four portions, i.e. a rectangular "empty" space 28 is formed, which leaves room for either basket inserts 2, 3 or upwardly projecting wash items from a basket below in the washing chamber.
In the example, one basket insert 2 is a wire basket insert, which is relatively shallow with side portions 29, 30, a front and rear portion 31 , 32 and a bottom portion 33, which bottom portion can be angled to form a rack for dishes, etc. In the example, the other basket insert 3 is a plastic basket,
which likewise has two side portions 34, 35, a front and a rear portion 36, 37, and a bottom portion 38. This is provided with upwardly projecting pins 39, which provide support for the wash items, for example cutlery. The plastic basket insert is reinforced with a wire frame 40, which runs around the plastic insert.
According to the invention, the basket inserts 2, 3 are provided with suspension members 41-48, which are designed to interact with bearing members in the basket frame, so that the inserts can be supported in the basket frame and removed therefrom. In this example, the bearing members are constituted by the wire brackets 15, 16, more precisely the horizontal part 24, 25 thereof, from which the suspension members, constituted in the example by downwardly open wire hooks, can be hung. These are situated here such that they are suitable for hooking over the wire brackets. Furthermore, the basket inserts are dimensioned to fit in the basket frame, i.e. to have a length measurement which is somewhat smaller than the interspace between the front and the rear frame portion 15, 16 and a combined width which is less than the distance between the side portions 4, 5. The suspension members 41 , 42 can also serve as counterstays for stops against the inner side of the dishwasher lid 63, so as to ensure the docking position for the spray pipe by virtue of the insert being held positioned against outward displacement.
In the illustrated example, the basket system, more precisely one basket insert 2, which is shown in fig. 3, is provided with a spraying part 49 forming part of the spraying system of the dishwasher. The spraying part 49 is supported in or under the basket insert and is constituted in the example by spray pipes 50, 51 , which emanate from a transverse feed pipe 52. The spray pipes 50, 51 have a plurality of spraying nozzles, which can be directed upwards towards the wash items in the basket insert, but can also be directed downwards towards wash items in the basket below. The feed pipe 52 has a rearward facing connecting portion 53, having an opening
which constitutes a docking part, movable with the basket insert and the basket frame, for connection to a fixed docking part 54. The latter is seated on a fixed spray feed pipe 66, which is situated by the rear wall 65 of the washing chamber and forms part of the spraying system for feeding spray liquid also to spraying arms (not shown here). When the basket frame 1 and the basket insert 2 are slid into their pushed-in position, i.e. operating position for washing operations, the docking parts 53, 54 are docked with each other, i.e. are coupled together for pressurization of the spray pipes 50, 51 and squirting of washing liquid through the nozzles. When the basket unit 55 is pulled outward into the uncoupled position, the docking parts 53, 54 are separated from each other, the fixed docking part being switched over to the closed position, e.g. by means of a non-return valve (not shown) which is switchable by the docking motion or the liquid pressure. Alternatively, a cap portion can be fitted onto the fixed docking part. Its nozzle, though, has such a small opening that the spraying arm, even if the fitting of the cap part were to be forgotten, would receive a sufficient flow of spray liquid still to be driven.
In fig. 5, the basket system according to the invention is shown in place in the washing chamber 14 for, in the illustrated example, two dishwashers 56, 57 installed in tandem, wherein the advantages of the basket system can be maximally utilized, even though the system also yields great advantages when applied to a single machine. In this example, there is room for three basket units 55, 58, 59, 60, 61 on three machine storeys of the machine, in addition to a smaller knife basket 62 at the top of the machine. One of the baskets is therefore a top basket 58, 60, arranged uppermost, one can be arranged as an intermediate basket 55, and one is arranged as a bottom basket 60, 61 in each machine.
The basket system according to the invention can be applied to one or more of the basket units in one or both of the dishwashers. More precisely, at least the intermediate basket 55 is constructed according to the invention, i.e. with
a wire-structured basket frame and basket inserts which can be detachably hung in the basket frame. In the example shown in fig. 5, the intermediate basket 55 in one machine 56 is designed according to this basket system. In the other machine 57, the intermediate basket has been withdrawn and fully lifted out, which is a part of the system concept and affords an opportunity to place large objects, for example boxes, trays, large pots, etc. in the bottom basket, as shown in fig. 5. It is also conceivable for just one or both of the basket inserts to be removed, while the basket frame remains fully open to leave space for upwardly projecting wash items from the bottom basket.
In both machines, one or more of the baskets can be adjustable in the vertical direction by means of a height adjustment mechanism, which can be of a known design and can consist of a mechanism close to each basket frame side, in which the basket frame is adjustable between at least two locked, but manually releasable height positions relative to the guide system. The mechanism can be, for example, of the type shown in EP 0 848 930, or another known type. For example, the top basket 58, 60 can be height adjustable for adaptation to, on the one hand, wash items in the top basket and, on the other hand, wash items in the basket below. The intermediate basket 55, i.e. the basket unit according to the invention, can advantageously be height adjustable for adaptation to the wash items in the basket inserts or to the wash items in the bottom basket 59. For loading and unloading, the basket inserts can advantageously be lifted out of their basket frame 1 and placed on a bench. The basket system advantageously includes a plurality of different basket inserts which can be hung in the basket frame as required. If a large height clearance is required under a part of the basket unit, the basket frame can be partially open by virtue of, for example, only one basket insert being hung in the frame. In certain cases, the inserts can be lifted out and only the basket frame be left, and, by virtue of its free space within the frame and its raised portions, can provide room and unrestricted mobility for tall wash items below. The basket unit 55 can be easily moved between dishwashers when two or more are installed.
The invention is not limited to the example described above and shown in the drawings, but can be varied within the scope of the following patent claims. For example, two or more, even all the baskets, can be units with a basket frame which supports basket inserts. The number of basket storeys can differ from the example, for example one machine or both can have four basket storeys and, in this case, two intermediate baskets, which expediently both have a frame structure with basket inserts according to the invention. According to one example, the other machine can have fewer, for example two, basket storeys. In addition, one or more other baskets can be height adjustable, for example, the top basket. The number of storeys can always be reduced by the removal of baskets, either just the inserts or basket frames also.