EP4205627B1

EP4205627B1 - A support apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP4205627B1
Application number: EP22210256.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ercument ASLAN
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2021-12-31
Filing date: 2022-11-29
Publication date: 2024-09-04
Anticipated expiration: 2042-11-29
Also published as: EP4205627A1

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a dishwasher rack having a support apparatus, and a dishwasher having such a rack.

Prior Art

Dishwashers have racks for placing the items to be washed. The items to be washed are placed in said rack and the washing cycle is started. Generally, water is sprayed on the items in the rack by means of a spraying member, and thus said items are cleaned.
The dishwasher racks have a wire mesh structure so that the water used during washing does not accumulate in the rack. The rack also has wires for placing plates, etc. in an ideal position for washing. However, the wires of the rack do not have the length and spacing to balance the standing of pots and bowls. Therefore, such items can only be positioned with their mouths facing down. This arrangement causes said items to occupy too much space.
Therefore, there is a need for a support apparatus which supports different items and facilitates the placement of such items in the rack.
In the state of the art Patent Document No. US2012306333 , a support apparatus which can attached to an existing rack is disclosed. Although said apparatus provides the dishwasher rack with the ability to support different items, said apparatus cannot be adjusted according to the item to be supported. However, there is a need for a support apparatus which can be adapted to different items to be placed in the rack.
In the state of the art Patent Document No. US2003089672 , a dishwasher rack includes foldable tines adapted to be retained in one or more positions between an upright position and a lowered position. The lower ends of the tines in each set are fixed relative to one another, while the upper ends of the tines can be spaced progressively farther apart from one another as the tines are folded from the upright position to the lowered position. Therefore, a dinner plate or other tall object supported by the tines will be tilted progressively farther from a vertical plane as the tines are folded toward the lowered position.

Brief Description of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a support apparatus especially for dishwasher racks.
Another aim of the present invention is the realization of a support apparatus which can be adapted to different items to be placed in the rack.
Yet another aim of the present invention is the realization of a rack which supports different items and a dishwasher having such a rack.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The support apparatus realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1. is the view of an embodiment of the support apparatus of the present invention.
Figure 2. is the detailed view showing the connection of the lower connection means the neck to each other in an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3. is the view of a position of the tab with respect to the neck in an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4. is the view of an exemplary use of a rack together with a pot in the present invention.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1.: Support apparatus
2.: Lower connection means
21. Wire housing
22. Neck connection opening
23. Adjustment means

3.: Neck
31. Connection protrusion

4.: Upper connection means
41. Tab connection opening
411. Tab adjustment means

5.: Tab
51. Tab connection protrusion

The support apparatus (1) especially for dishwasher racks comprises

at least one lower connection means (2) which is suitable for being connected to the dishwasher rack and which has at least one wire housing (21) suitable for receiving a wire of said dishwasher rack therein and at least one neck connection opening (22) suitable for connecting a neck and comprising at least one adjustment means (23) for adjusting the orientation of said neck,
at least one neck (3) having at least one connection protrusion (31) connected to the adjustment means (23) of the lower connection means (2),
at least one upper connection means (4) which is connected to the neck (3) and which has at least one tab connection opening (41) suitable for connecting a tab and comprising at least one tab adjustment means (411) for adjusting the orientation of said ear; and
at least one tab (5) having at least one tab connection protrusion (51) connected to the tab connection opening (41) of the upper connection means (4).

The support apparatus (1) especially for dishwasher racks comprises at least one lower connection means (2) suitable for being connected to the dishwasher rack. The lower connection means (2) has at least one wire housing (21) suitable for receiving a wire of said dishwasher rack therein.. The wire housing (21) is preferably snap-fitted to said wire. However, it is also possible to fix the wire passing through the wire housing (21) by a different fixing means, for example a clamp.
The lower connection means (2) has at least one neck connection opening (22) suitable for connecting the neck (3). The neck (3) is connected to the connection opening (22) so as to rotate around a rotational axis located in said connection opening (22). The neck (3) can move, for example, in the X-Z plane shown in Figure 1.
The neck connection opening (22) has at least one adjustment means (23) for adjusting the orientation of the neck (3). The adjustment means (23) means, for example, may comprise at least two wide parts where the neck (3) has a stable position and at least one narrow part which connects said wide parts and which allows the movement of the neck (3) between said wide parts as a result of a force applied thereon (Figure 2). By increasing the number of said wide parts and narrow parts, the number of stable positions can be increased. Said adjustment means (23) is preferably located on a circle concentric with the axis of rotation around which the neck (3) rotates.
The neck (3) has at least one connection protrusion (31) on one side. Said connection protrusion (31) is fitted into the adjustment means (23). Thus, the neck (3) can be positioned in the stable positions allowed by the adjustment means (23) and can be moved between said stable positions when desired.
At least one tab connection means (4) is connected to the part of the neck (3) which is far from the lower connection means (2). The tab (5) is connected to the neck (3) by means of the tab connection means (4). The neck (3) and the tab (5) can rotate relative to each other. In case the neck (3) lies on the X-Z plane, the tab (5) can move on a plane perpendicular to both said X-Z plane and the neck (3). The orientation of the tab (5) can be adjusted using at least one tab adjustment means (411). The tab adjustment means (411) means, for example, may comprise at least two wide parts where the tab (5) has a stable position and at least one narrow part which connects said wide parts and which allows the movement of the tab (5) between said wide parts as a result of a force applied thereon. Said tab adjustment means (411) is preferably located on a circle concentric with the axis of rotation around which the neck (3) and the tab (5) rotates with respect to each other.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the tab (5) has a curved shape in one position, some of which move away from the neck (3) and then approach the neck (3) again (Figure 3). Said shape can be, for example, in the form of an R. In other words, the neck (3) and the tab (5) together form an "R" shape in one position. Said curved structure of the tab (5) provides a hollow form to receive the item to be held, thus ensuring that the position of said item is stable.
The tab (5) may also be manufactured from an anti-slip material or at least partially coated with such a material to prevent the placed item from slipping.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support apparatus (1) of the present invention has at least one lower connection means (2) suitable for connecting two necks (3). The necks (3) are connected to said lower connection means (2) so as to rotate independently of each other. Thus, the necks (3) can be moved so as to approach or move away from each other. The necks (3) and the tabs (5) connected to said necks (3) are adjusted according to the dimensions of the item to be placed in the rack. By means of said adjustable structure of the support apparatus (1) of the present invention, items of different sizes can be supported in the rack.
The support apparatus (1) of the present invention can be used with a dishwasher rack. However, it is also possible to use said support apparatus (1) with structures such as a dish rack which is used for placing and drying hand-washed dishes.
The dishwasher rack of the present invention has a support apparatus as described above.
The dishwasher of the present invention has a dishwasher rack as described above.

Claims

A dishwasher rack having a support apparatus (1) comprising
- at least one lower connection means (2) which is suitable for being connected to the dishwasher rack and which has at least one wire housing (21) suitable for receiving a wire of said dishwasher rack therein and which is suitable for connecting a neck,

- the lower connection means (2) having at least one neck connection opening (2) comprising at least one adjustment means (23) for adjusting the orientation of said neck,

- at least one neck (3) having at least one connection protrusion (31) connected to the adjustment means (23) of the lower connection means (2),

- characterized by

- at least one upper connection means (4) which is connected to the neck (3) and which has at least one tab connection opening (41) suitable for connecting a tab and comprising at least one tab adjustment means (411) for adjusting the orientation of said tab; and

- at least one tab (5) having at least one tab connection protrusion (51) connected to the tab connection opening (41) of the upper connection means (4).
A dishwasher rack having a support apparatus (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the wire housing (21) which is snap-fitted to said wire.
A dishwasher rack having a support apparatus (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the wire housing (21) which is connected to said wire by clamps.
A dishwasher rack having a support apparatus (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the adjustment means (23) which comprises at least two wide parts where the neck (3) has a stable position and at least one narrow part which connects said wide parts and which allows the movement of the neck (3) between said wide parts as a result of a force applied thereon.
A dishwasher rack having a support apparatus (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the adjustment means (23) which is located on a circle concentric with the axis of rotation around which the neck (3) rotates.
A dishwasher rack having a support apparatus (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the tab adjustment means (411) means which comprises at least two wide parts where the tab (5) has a stable position and at least one narrow part which connects said wide parts and which allows the movement of the tab (5) between said wide parts as a result of a force applied thereon.
A dishwasher rack having a support apparatus (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the tab adjustment means (411) which is located on a circle concentric with the axis of rotation around which the neck (3) and the tab (5) rotate with respect to each other.
A dishwasher rack having a support apparatus (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the tab (5) which has a curved shape in one position, some of which move away from the neck (3) and then approach the neck (3) again.
A dishwasher rack having a support apparatus (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the tab (5) which is manufactured from an anti-slip material or at least partially coated with such a material to prevent the placed item from slipping.
A dishwasher rack having a support apparatus (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the lower connection means (2) which is suitable for connecting two necks (3) so as to approach and move away from each other, independently of each other, at least two necks (3) which are connected to said lower connection means (2), two upper connection means (4), each connected to each of at least two of said necks (3), and two tabs (5), each connected to each of said upper connection means (4).
A dishwasher having a dishwasher rack as in any one of the Claims 1 to 10.