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
  • A47L15/505—Inserts, e.g. for holding baby bottles, stemware or cups

Definitions

• the present invention relates to household dishwashing machines and has been developed with particular reference paid to accessories for dish racks of these machines.
• Household dishwashing machines usually comprise a washtub, within which at least two dish racks and at least two sprinklers are extractably housed, the sprinklers being usually located one underneath the lower rack and the other underneath the upper rack.
• Some dishwashers also include a third sprinkling member, set above the upper dish rack, for example a shower-type sprinkler, mounted at the upper wall of the tub.
• the racks usually have a load-bearing structure formed by metal rods welded together and coated with plastic material, for example a polyamide-based material.
• Some machines - in particular those provided with the aforesaid third sprinkler - also have a cutlery-tray accessory, set in a position generally comprised between the upper dish rack and the upper wall of the tub.
• the accessory includes a tray with a corresponding supporting frame, which is mounted so that it can be pulled out at the front from the tub like a drawer, in the same way as the dish racks.
• the accessory consists of a tray that is mounted in a removable way directly on the structure of the upper dish rack.
• a solution of the second type referred to is known, for example, from EP2364636 Al, on which the preamble of Claim 1 is based.
• This document describes a tray, suitable for supporting items to be washed, such as cutlery and glasses, the longitudinal ends of which are shaped so as to define respective guides, which enable sliding and removable coupling of the tray to the upper end of two opposite walls of a dish rack.
• the grid-like portion of the tray is divided into two supporting faces, each of which declines laterally as far as the area where it joins to a respective longitudinal side wall of the tray.
• the longitudinal walls of the tray have recesses, at their upper edge, in particular semicircular recesses. In this way, between an inclined part of the bottom and a recess of the corresponding longitudinal wall of the tray there may be positioned a glass, in a generally inclined position.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher rack accessory comprising a tray presenting increased flexibility and ease of use and handling by users.
• a further aim of the invention is to provide such an accessory that is simple and economically advantageous to produce but at the same time guarantees good washing and drying results.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a dishwashing machine comprising a dishwasher accessory according to a possible embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a dish rack of the machine of Figure 1, provided with an accessory according to a possible embodiment the invention
• FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an accessory according to a possible embodiment of the invention.
• Figures 4 and 5 are schematic views, respectively a top plan view and a side elevation, of the accessory of Figure 3;
• FIG. 6 is a schematic view in side elevation of the rack of Figure 2;
• Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view similar to that of Figure 2, with the accessory loaded with some types of items to be washed;
• FIGS. 8 and 9 are schematic perspective views of the accessory of the invention bearing two different types of items to be washed;
• FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a dishwashing machine comprising a dishwasher accessory according to a further possible embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a dish rack of the machine of Figure 1, with a respective part of an accessory according to a variant of the invention. Description of preferred embodiments of the invention
• references to "an embodiment” or “one embodiment” in the framework of the present description is intended to indicate that a particular configuration, structure, or characteristic described in relation to the embodiment is comprised in at least one embodiment.
• terms such as “in an embodiment” or “in one embodiment” and the like that may be present in various points of the present description do not necessarily all refer to one and the same embodiment.
• the particular configurations, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any adequate way in one or more embodiments.
• the references used in what follows are provided merely for convenience and do not define the sphere of protection or the scope of the embodiments.
• the accessory described hereinafter in relation to the invention comprises a tray, defined as "cutlery tray” for simplicity, given that one of its main purposes is just to support items of cutlery that have to be washed.
• the tray possibly with suitable variation of the geometry thereof, can be used for the purpose of supporting or positioning other items to be washed, such as small spirit glasses and the like, as in a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 1 Represented schematically in Figure 1 is a dishwashing machine for household use according to a possible embodiment of the present invention.
• the machine 1 is illustrated limitedly to the parts of immediate interest for an understanding of the present invention. It is assumed that the machine of Figure 1 is a dishwasher with reduced lateral encumbrance, such as a dishwasher of the type commonly defined as "45-cm dishwashers".
• the machine 1 has a structure 2 that comprises a washtub 3, below of which a housing space is defined, located in which are various functional components of the machine 1, amongst which a washing pump 4, a discharge pump 5, a part of a sump 6 for collecting the water, as well as other components (not represented in the figure for reasons of greater clarity of representation).
• the washtub 3, which is of a conception as a whole known, comprises an upper wall, a lower wall and four side walls, one of which - the front wall - is constituted by an internal shell of the door of the machine (here not represented ).
• a lower rack 7 and an upper rack 8, which are to contain respective loads of dishes.
• the racks 7 and 8 are mounted - via guides 7a and 8a in themselves known - so that they can be pulled out and/or removed through the front opening of the tub 3.
• the machine 1 has a sprinkler system, which includes a first sprinkling member 9, for spraying with water from beneath the dishes contained in a corresponding rack (here the lower rack 7).
• the sprinkler system also includes a second sprinkling member 10, for spraying the dishes contained in the upper rack 8 with water from beneath.
• the sprinkler system of the machine 1 further comprises an upper sprinkler 11, set above the upper rack 8 of the machine, for example a substantially shower-type revolving sprinkler, mounted at the upper wall of the tub 3.
• the sprinkler system is supplied by means of the washing pump 4, via a hydraulic circuit (not represented), of any type known in the field.
• the machine 1 comprises a dish-rack accessory according to the invention, comprising a tray a cutlery tray, designated as a whole by 20.
• the tray 20 can be positioned in the tub 3 in a space comprised between the upper rack 8 and the upper wall of the tub 3 : as may be appreciated, in this way, the upper sprinkler 11 can sprinkle water from above also on the tray 20.
• the structure of the rack 8 of the machine 1 is formed starting from a plurality of metal rods or wires 8a, which generally cross one another and are welded together, preferably metal wires coated with a plastic material.
• the rack 8 has a generally quadrilateral shape, with two longitudinal walls S, as well as a front wall F and a rear wall R. In the case exemplified, one of the rods 8a of the front wall F defines a front grip H.
• the structure of the rack 8 then comprises a bottom, designated as a whole by B, the metal wires 8a of which are appropriately shaped so as to define supports for the dishes, according to techniques known in the field.
• guide devices for enabling support and extraction of the rack 8 from the tub of the dishwasher.
• these devices may be of any conception known in the field and comprise, for example, wheels via which the rack 8 is slidably coupled to lateral telescopic guides mounted on the side walls of the tub 3, for example the guides 8a of Figure 1.
• the tray 20 is illustrated in a condition where it is coupled to the rack 8, in particular between the two longitudinal walls S.
• the tray 20 has a generally elongated body, preferably made of plastic material moulded in a single piece.
• the body of the tray 20 has a grid-like bottom 21, preferably formed by a plurality of longitudinal and transverse bottom elements 22-25, set according to a criss-cross configuration.
• the body of the tray 20 then comprises a peripheral wall, designated as a whole by 26, which defines with the bottom 21 a supporting space for items to be washed.
• the aforesaid space is divided into two lateral areas 27 and a central area 28, for the purposes described hereinafter.
• the peripheral wall 26 includes two opposite end walls 26a and two opposite side walls 26b that extend between the end walls 26a and are generally transverse thereto, with the peripheral wall 26 that hence has an approximately quadrangular shape.
• the body of the tray 20 has a shape that is preferably symmetrical at least with respect to a vertical plane passing through the vertical mid-line (M, Figure 5) of the end walls 26a.
• the body of the tray 20 is shaped so as to define a releasable coupling guide 29 in each of two opposite end parts, here the longitudinal ends of the tray, for removable coupling to two opposite walls of the rack 8, here the walls S.
• the guides 29 are shaped for coupling on the upper ends of the walls S, as is clearly visible in Figure 6, in such a way that the tray 20 may also be made to slide thereon.
• the former Via slidable coupling of the tray 20 to the walls S, the former may be made to translate freely on the latter, so that it is possible to displace the tray into the position deemed most convenient, for example so as not to constitute a hindrance to underlying dishes contained in the rack 8.
• the walls F and R of the rack 8 are shaped for limiting the travel of sliding of the tray 20 on the walls S.
• the guides 29 may be made in various ways. However, in a preferred embodiment, the guides 29 comprise end recesses, some designated by 29a, defined at the lower edge or profile of the peripheral wall 26 substantially at respective regions of transition between the walls 26b and the walls 26a, as is clearly visible, for example, in Figures 3 and 5.
• the bottom 21 also has, at its longitudinal ends, a portion 21a for connection to an intermediate area of the corresponding wall 26a. At least one part of these connection portions 21a generally faces a corresponding part of the walls 26a, at a distance therefrom, so as to delimit longitudinally a respective guide 29.
• the body of the tray 20 has a handle 30 defined in each of the two aforesaid opposite end parts - here the longitudinal end portions - for lifting the tray, as may be seen, for example, in Figure 3.
• the body of the tray 20 has lower rests 31, for keeping its bottom 21 in a raised position with respect to a generic resting surface of the tray, when the latter is removed from the rack 8, as may be seen, for example, in Figure 5, where the aforesaid resting surface is designated by S.
• the handles 30 define precise points where the tray 20 can be gripped, facilitating the user when he or she has to position the tray on or remove the tray from the dish rack 8.
• the opposed handles 30, which are at the same height at the two ends of the tray 20, afford a balanced grip that facilitates the user also in carrying the tray, in particular when items to be washed or items already washed are positioned thereon.
• the presence of the lower rests 31 prevents the bottom 21 from coming into contact with the resting surface S when the tray 20 is removed from the rack 8. In this way, the points of contact between the tray and the surface S are minimized.
• the tray may in this way be used also outside the context of the dishwasher, for example for resting thereon items washed or pre-washed manually to remove the coarser residue: in this way, the fact that the bottom 21 is raised with respect to the resting surface S, for example the surface of a sink, in any case guarantees draining of the water and circulation of air, which favours natural drying of the aforesaid items.
• the presence of localized rests, and hence contact between the bottom 21 and an underlying surface also prevents the risk of indirectly wetting the items contained in the tray 20 when the latter is rested on a wet surface S.
• the rests 31 advantageously function also as references for the user for positioning the tray 20 on the rack 8.
• the points of contact between the body of the tray 20 and the resting surface S are limited to the two longitudinal ends of the tray itself, provided with the handles 30.
• this also enables provision of handles 30 sufficiently large in height as to facilitate gripping of the tray 20 also when this rests on the surface S.
• a handle 30 and a lower rest 31 is formed at the lower profile of the peripheral wall 26, preferably at its longitudinal end portions, here corresponding to the walls 26a.
• a handle 30 and a lower rest 31 are formed at the lower profile of one and the same wall portion 26a, to the advantage of simplicity of construction and use of the tray 20.
• each handle 30 comprises an intermediate recess 30a of the lower profile of the corresponding wall 26a.
• the recesses 30a may include a generally arched portion of the lower profile of the walls 26a, as in the case exemplified in the figures.
• each of the rests 31 comprises a pair of resting parts 31a, where each resting part 31a is defined by a respective portion of the wall 26a, which extends between the intermediate recess 30a and the end recess 29a of a guide 29, as is clearly visible, for example, in Figure 3.
• This embodiment further simplifies production of the tray 20.
• the tray 20 is shaped for positioning small objects of a substantially cylindrical shape, such as small glasses, that have to supported in a substantially vertical or upright position.
• the grid-like bottom 21 is substantially flat, so as to define a generally horizontal resting plane for items to be supported - particularly both when the tray is installed on the rack 8 and when it is resting on a generic surface S - and the grid-like bottom 21 comprises, at this portion, two walls shaped so as to define a recurrent pattern that comprises a series of crests and valleys alternating with one another.
• the aforesaid portion of the bottom is the one corresponding to the intermediate area 28, and the aforesaid walls with recurrent pattern - defined hereinafter for simplicity also as "undulated walls" - are designated by 24 in Figures 3 and 4, with some of the corresponding crests and valleys designated by 24a and 24b, respectively.
• the corresponding resting plane is designated by PI in Figure 5.
• the two undulated walls 24 extend facing one another, preferably generally parallel and between two opposite sides of the bottom 21 - here the longitudinal sides - so that the facing valleys 24b of the two undulated walls 24 define between them a plurality of receptacles for positioning items to be washed, as may well be appreciated from Figures 7 and 8, where some of these receptacles are occupied by the mouth portions of spirit glasses designated by 100, set upside down and in an upright position.
• the presence of a horizontal resting plane guarantees vertical positioning of the glasses 100 to the advantage of effectiveness of washing and drying thereof.
• the aforesaid receptacles identify precisely the points where the glasses 100 are to be positioned, contributing to guaranteeing positioning thereof both during operation of the dishwasher and during displacement of the rack 8 with respect to the washtub, as well as during handling of the tray 20.
• the portion of the bottom 21 identified by the undulated walls 24 includes at least one further bottom element, designated by 25, which extends in an intermediate position between the undulated walls 24 and is also preferably set between the two aforesaid opposite sides of the bottom 21 so as to define at least one respective part of the resting plane PI .
• the element 25 has a smaller height than the undulated walls 24, so that the resting plane PI is generally lowered with respect to the upper profile of the undulated walls 24. In this way, the area for positioning the items 100 is clearly identified, with the undulated walls 24 that counter any possible lateral displacements of the glasses 100, without, however, leading to any substantial increase of the encumbrance of the bottom 21 in the vertical direction.
• the walls 24 and the bottom element 25 are not strictly indispensable for the walls 24 and the bottom element 25 to extend completely between two opposite walls of the bottom 21, their length possibly also being less than the distance between the aforesaid opposite walls.
• the undulated walls 24 face one another at a respective major face, whilst the bottom element 25 defines with its major face at least part of the resting plane PI for the items 100.
• the bottom element 25 can be replaced by a number of elements, for example in the form of bars criss-crossing one another (or longitudinal or transverse), like the bottom elements designated by 22 and 23, but of smaller height, or by a perforated wall.
• the intermediate area 28 of the space for containing of the tray 20 includes just one pair of undulated walls 24, but in possible variants there may be provided more than one pair of walls 24, even with one and the same undulated wall exploited for defining two series of receptacles set side by side. It is also possible to provide the entire bottom 21 so as to define parallel series of receptacles of the type referred to above.
• the intermediate area 28 of the tray 20 is delimited by two transverse walls 23a having a greater height than the bottom elements 22 and 23 of the lateral areas 27.
• This arrangement is advantageous in order to prevent items set in the lateral areas 27, for example cutlery, from possibly coming into contact with the items 100.
• the resting plane PI In order to improve the quality of washing and drying, it is preferable for the resting plane PI to have a plurality of through openings.
• the bottom element 25 has a plurality of through openings 25a generally aligned.
• the part of the bottom 21 including the walls 24 and the element 25 also comprises a plurality of further longitudinal bottom elements, one of which designated by 22b in Figure 4, generally set transverse with respect to the element 25, which connect the latter to a respective undulated wall 24.
• Transverse bottom elements, one of which designated by 23b in Figure 4 may also be provided for connecting the element 25 to the walls 26b and/or to the walls 24.
• the elements 22b and/or 23b have a smaller height than the undulated walls 24, in particular a height similar to that of the bottom element 25, in order to provide respective parts of the resting surface PI .
• the bottom element 25 has two generally undulated opposite side edges, each facing a respective undulated wall 24, with the through openings 25a that have a rounded profile in order to improve emptying-out of the washing water and circulation of air.
• the element 25 extends according to a respective axis A between the longitudinal sides of the bottom 21, and the through openings 25a have a substantially elliptical profile, the major axis B of which intersects the axis A to form an angle of other than 90° therewith.
• Such an arrangement is advantageous in order to hang items to be washed that have a handle or other generally elongated part and have a small cross section, at the area 28, for example teaspoons 200, as exemplified in Figures 7 and 9, in particular when the receptacles of the area 28 are not occupied, or not completely occupied, by the items 100.
• the elliptical shape of the openings 25a and their parallel arrangement inclined with respect to the axis A enables a preferential positioning of the items 200 to be obtained, which minimises their lateral encumbrance between the undulated walls 24, at the same time guaranteeing separation between them and increasing the number of items 200 that can be loaded therein.
• the bottom elements 22 and 23 define, in the lateral areas 27, respective portions of the grid-like bottom 21, which are substantially plane in order to define a second resting plane - designated by P2 in Figure 5 - that is generally parallel to the resting plane PI and that extends at a greater height than the latter.
• this is determined by the fact that the bottom elements 22 and 23 substantially have the same height as the undulated walls 24, which is greater than the height of the bottom element 25 and of the elements 22a.
• the tray 20 is designed for being mounted between the side walls S of the rack 8, but of course it may be sized also for being releasably coupled between the front wall F and the rear wall R when these substantially have the same height.
• FIG. 10 Illustrated in Figures 10 is 11 is a variant embodiment, in which an accessory according to the invention comprises a pair of supports that can be releasably coupled to a dish rack.
• an accessory according to the invention comprises a pair of supports that can be releasably coupled to a dish rack.
• the same reference numbers as those adopted in the previous figures are used in order to designate elements that are technically equivalent to the ones already described above. It is assumed that in this case the machine 1 is a dishwasher with normal or standard lateral encumbrance, such as a so-called "60-cm dishwasher".
• the accessory according to the invention comprises, in addition to a tray 20 (here not illustrated), two supports 40, which are preferably the same as one another and are configured for coupling to the rack designated by 8', in positions substantially parallel to one another, in particular at two opposite walls of the rack 8', here represented by the longitudinal walls S.
• the longitudinal walls S of the rack 8' substantially have the same height as the rear wall R.
• Each support 40 has a longitudinally extending structure, with two end portions 40a and an intermediate portion 40b.
• the end portions 40a have members 41 for releasable engagement to the rack 8' : in the case exemplified, the members 40 are configured for engagement at vertical supports or guides 44 of respective drop-down shelves (not illustrated), i.e., small drop-down shelves, which in the condition of normal use project in cantilever fashion towards the inside of the rack 8', according to known technique.
• drop-down shelves are usually provided in upper racks of dishwashers for supporting small dishes, such as coffee cups, or functioning as wine-glass supports.
• the members 41 can be conceived for releasable engagement to rods of the relevant walls of the rack 8' .
• the structure of the supports 40 is preferentially a wire or rod structure, very preferably a structure formed by metal rods coated with plastic material, like the rods that form the structure of the rack 8', whilst the engagement members 41 have a respective body made of plastic material, in particular an injection-mouldable thermoplastic material.
• the guides 29 of the tray 20 of Figures 1-10 can be releasably and slidably coupled to the intermediate portions 40b of the supports 40.
• the structure of the upper rack of the dishwasher is shaped in such a way that a cutlery tray is supported at a certain distance from the bottom of the rack itself in order not to constitute a hindrance for housing dishes in the rack itself.
• at least two opposite side walls of the rack have to be significantly higher than the other two opposite side walls, thereby determining a non-negligible encumbrance in height of the rack as a whole.
• This has as a consequence that also the possibility of varying the operative position of the upper rack between different positions in height within the tub is very limited.
• Use of the supports 40 enables the aforesaid drawbacks to be overcome.
• the user of the dishwasher is free to use or not the accessory including the tray 20 and the supports 40, according to the particular need, it remaining understood that, as has been said, the tray 20 can in any case be used also separately from the dishwasher.
• the walls 24 do not necessarily have to be continuous walls, these possibly presenting interruptions, while at the same time retaining a shape presenting a recurrent pattern such as to define a plurality of positioning receptacles.
• the grid-like bottom 21 can be shaped so as to define a single resting plane for the items to be supported, also in presence of the shaped walls 24, which may in this case also have a greater height with respect to such resting plane

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• Washing And Drying Of Tableware (AREA)
• Table Devices Or Equipment (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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Family

ID=50116110

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

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Family Cites Families (5)

• 2013
  • 2013-12-31 IT IT001096A patent/ITTO20131096A1/it unknown
• 2014
  • 2014-12-17 WO PCT/IB2014/067015 patent/WO2015101877A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2014-12-17 EP EP14841412.1A patent/EP3089648B1/de active Active

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