WO2009112481A1

WO2009112481A1 - Drying device for supporting and drying kitchenware

Info

Publication number: WO2009112481A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/052770
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giuseppe Molinari
Original assignee: Gruppo Zernike S.R.L.
Priority date: 2008-03-10
Filing date: 2009-03-10
Publication date: 2009-09-17
Also published as: ITRN20080008U1

Abstract

A drying device for supporting and drying kitchenware, such as glasses, crockery, cups, plates, cutlery in general, and the like, or even different tools used in the kitchen, comprises supporting means (2,7) for said kitchenware provided with at least a matrix (3) of holes (3) connected with air blowing unit (8).

Description

DRYING DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING AND DRYING KITCHENWARE

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a device for supporting and immediate drying of glasses, plates, cutlery and kitchenware in general.

In particular, the invention is advantageously used to obtain an optimal drying, as well as a saving of time, of kitchenware such as glasses, crockery, cups, plates, cutlery in general, and the like, or even different tools used in the kitchen, after that they were machine-washed in appropriate containment baskets or racks, to which specification expressly refers as kitchenware without thereby restricting the scope of the invention.

Preferably, but not limited, the present invention finds optimal and effective using in the drying of kitchenware placed in the appropriate containment baskets, after that they were washed and processed by professional dishwashing machines, and for their immediate use in bars, restaurants, pubs, hotels, canteens and public places in general.

Generally, the kitchenware washed and extracted from professional dishwashing machines leave out having already undergone a normal rinse and drying cycle added with a rinse adjuvant detergent for drying. However, such a drying cycle is not able to guarantee a complete elimination of traces of water droplets and / or humidity created inside the dishwashing machines especially onto glasses, cutlery and crockery.

Therefore, unsightly streaks-calcareous and halos are formed on the kitchenware, very difficult to remove even with vigorous manual action. This leads to a slowing of the drying times to be made outside the dishwasher and to a slowdown in productivity of the machine itself.

SCOPE OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to provide a device for supporting and drying kitchenware, in order to eliminate the drawbacks mentioned above.

Especially, a purpose of the present invention is to realize a drying device that can dry effectively and efficiently the kitchenware such as glasses, dishes and cutlery, eliminating the possibility that the same remain unsightly streaks of limestone formations or halos.

Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain an effective drying with a reduction of blemishes on glasses and cutlery and with a reduction of time so as to allow immediate using of the glasses to pubs, bars, restaurants and public places in general.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention is realized a drying device for supporting and drying kitchenware, characterized in that it comprises supporting means for said kitchenware provided with at least a matrix of holes connected with air blowing unit.

The technical characteristics of the invention, in accordance with the cited purposes and aims, are clearly seen from the content of the claims below, and the advantages thereof will be more evident in the detailed description which follows, made with reference to the attached drawings, which represent three preferred forms of realization purely illustrative and not limitative of drying device in object of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACHED DRAWINGS

- Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a first preferred embodiment of the drying device;

- Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the drying device of Figure 1 , with parts removed for clarity; - Figures 3 and 3a are respectively a schematic view in plan and a perspective view on enlarged scale of a second preferred embodiment of the drying device;

- Figure 4 shows in perspective view the drying device of Figures 3 and 3a, fully mounted integrated on a professional dishwashing machine.

With particular reference to the attached Figures 1 to 4, with the reference number 1 is generally illustrated a drying device adapted to support kitchenware such as glasses, cups, dishes, cutlery and crockery in general, or the like, or even several tools used in the kitchen (known and not illustrated). According to the preferred embodiment shown on Figures 1 and 2, the device 1 includes a support floor plate 2, preferably but not exclusively made of stainless steel, with a matrix 3 of holes 4 with variable diameter, uniformly distributed and with a default size, preferably circular with variable diameter.

As shown on Figure 2, the floor plate 2 has side walls 5 and is provided with vertical uprights 6 with screw-type height regulating means 6a, to form a table 7 provided with the matrix 3 of holes 4 on the own top. The table 7 is adapted to be mounted coupled to a common work plan of a bar, restaurant, kitchen, etc., preferably very close to a dishwashing machine (not shown on figures 1 and 2) for receiving and supporting, over the top with the array 3 of the 4 holes, the containment baskets or racks (known and not illustrated) extracted from the cited dishwashing machine and containing washed kitchenware to be dry. Alternately, the kitchenware can be also manually and individually extracted from the dishwashing machine and put on the plate 2 of the table 7. As illustrated in Figure 1 , the matrix 3 with holes 4 of the floor 2 is connected in known manner, e.g. through pipes below the floor plate 2 and communicating with the holes 4 of the matrix 3, with a ventilation air blowing unit 8 (shown only on Figures 1 and 3 with block 8 and with arrow F indicating the air flowing direction) through further an heating element 9 placed at the air outlet of the unit 8, in order to determine quickly and effectively the complete drying of kitchenware prepared over the holes 4 of the plate 2, by the heated air escaping upward through the same holes 4. Preferably, the unit 8 includes tangential ventilating means.

In this way, it's avoided the possibility of unsightly veins of limestone on the kitchenware, and moreover the drying time is accelerated. According to the preferred embodiment shown on Figures 3, 3a and 4, the plate 2 provided with matrix 3 of holes 4 has a size such that it can be mounted fully integrated on top of a dishwashing machine 10, from which it is then possible to easy and rapidly extract the kitchenware available immediately on its upper portion. From the description above, it is therefore easy to see that the device 1 is advantageously used to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art, thanks to a constant, uniform and quickly drying action.

It is to be noted that any changes and any variants are possible, all falling under protection according to the solution as described above and claimed below.

Claims

1. Drying device for supporting and drying kitchenware, characterized in that it comprises supporting means (2,7) for said kitchenware provided with at least a matrix (3) of holes (3) connected with air blowing unit (8).

2. Drying device according to claim 1 , characterized in that said supporting means (2,7) is made of stainless steel.

3. Drying device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said supporting means (2,7) comprise a table (7) provided on its top part with said matrix (3) of holes (4).

4. Drying device according to claim 3, characterized in that said table (7) is adapted to be mounted coupled to a common work plan of a bar, restaurant, pubs for immediate drying and using of said kitchenware.

5. Drying device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said supporting means (2) are mounted fully integrated on top of a dishwashing machine (10).

6. Drying device according to any claim 1 to 5, characterized in that said air blowing unit (8) comprises one or more tangential ventilating means connected to heating means (9). 7. Drying device according to any claim 1 to 6, characterized in that said supporting means (2,

7) is adapted to support said kitchenware arranged on a basket or rack of a dishwashing machine.

8. Dishwashing machine comprises the drying device (1 ) according to claim 1 or 2 or 6 or 7, mounted on its top part.