WO2013036468A1

WO2013036468A1 - Dish rack for dishwashers

Info

Publication number: WO2013036468A1
Application number: PCT/US2012/053617
Authority: WO
Inventors: Adrian Boldt; Bjorn Brodowski
Original assignee: Premark Feg L.L.C.
Priority date: 2011-09-05
Filing date: 2012-09-04
Publication date: 2013-03-14
Also published as: EP2753227A1

Abstract

A dish rack has a rack frame with rack struts which are arranged in the form of a grid. In order to improve the drying result on the washware (10), the rack frame (20) also has a supporting strut arrangement for supporting washware, wherein the supporting strut arrangement has at least one pair of supporting struts including a first and a second supporting strut (3a, 3b) for centering an item (10) of washware in relation to a centering axis (Z) between the first and the second supporting strut (3a, 3b), and wherein a first drainage element (4) which is associated with the pair of supporting struts is provided, it being possible to bring the drainage element into contact with the item (10) of washware, and the drainage element lying in the vertical plane in which the centering axis (Z) also lies.

Description

DISH RACK FOR DISHWASHERS Description

The invention accordingly relates, in particular, to a dish rack for dishwashers, wherein the dish rack has a rack frame with rack struts which are arranged in the form of a grid, it being possible for washware to be held in said rack frame.

The dish rack according to the invention is suitable, in particular, for a commercial dishwasher which is in the form of a box-type dishwasher or in the form of a rack-conveyor dishwasher .

Box-type dishwashers are dishwashers which can be manually loaded and unloaded. Box-type dishwashers of this type ("box- type warewashers " , also called "batch dishwashers") may be hood-type dishwashers ("hood-type warewashers") or front- loader dishwashers ("front- loader warewashers"). Front- loader dishwashers may be under-counter machines, top-counter machines or free- standing front-loader dishwashers.

A dishwasher which is in the form of a box-type dishwasher usually has a treatment chamber for cleaning washware. The treatment chamber generally has arranged beneath it a wash tank in which liquid from the treatment chamber can flow back due to the force of gravity. The wash tank contains wash liquid which is usually water to which detergent may be added if required.

A dishwasher which is in the form of a box-type dishwasher also has a wash system with a wash pump, and a line system which is connected to the wash pump, and with a large number of spray nozzles which are formed in at least one wash arm. The wash liquid contained in the wash tank can be conveyed from the wash pump to the spray nozzles via the line system and can be sprayed onto the washware to be cleaned through the spray nozzles in the treatment chamber. The sprayed wash liquid then flows back into the wash tank.

The conveyor dishwashers ("conveyor warewashers " ) under consideration in this document are, in particular, rack- conveyor dishwashers ("rack-conveyor warewashers") which are usually used in the commercial field. In contrast to box-type dishwashers, in which the washware to be cleaned remains stationary in the machine during the cleaning process, the washware is transported through various treatment zones of the conveyor dishwasher in the case of conveyor dishwashers.

A conveyor dishwasher usually has at least one prewash zone and at least one main-wash zone which is arranged downstream of the prewash zone or zones as seen in the transportation direction of the washware. As seen in the transportation direction, at least one post-wash zone and at least one final-rinse zone, which is downstream of the post-wash zone, are generally arranged downstream of the main-wash zone or zones. As seen in the transportation direction, the washware, which is retained by racks in the case of rack-conveyor dishwashers, usually runs, in the transportation direction, through an inlet tunnel, the following prewash zone or zones, main-wash zone or zones, post-wash zone or zones, final-rinse zone or zones and a drying zone, into an outlet section.

The abovementioned wash zones of the conveyor dishwasher each have an associated wash system which has a wash pump and a line system which is connected to the wash pump, via which liquid is supplied to the spray nozzles of the wash zone. The wash liquid which is supplied to the spray nozzles is sprayed onto the washware, which is transported through the respective wash zones by a transportation apparatus of the conveyor dishwasher, in the respective wash zone. Each wash zone has an associated tank in which sprayed liquid is accommodated and/or in which liquid for the spray nozzles of the relevant zone is provided. In the case of the conveyor dishwashers which are usually known from the prior art, final-rinse liquid in the form of fresh water, which may be pure or mixed with further additives, for example rinse aid, is sprayed onto the washware via the spray nozzles of the final-rinse zone. At least some of the final-rinse liquid sprayed is transported from zone to zone, counter to the transportation direction of the washware, via a cascade system.

The sprayed final-rinse liquid is collected in a tank (post- wash tank) of the post-wash zone, from which it is conveyed to the spray nozzles (post-wash nozzle) of the post-wash zone via the wash pump of the wash system which is part of the post-wash zone. In the post-wash zone, wash liquid is rinsed off from the washware. The liquid which accumulates in the process flows into the wash tank of the at least one main- wash zone which is arranged upstream of the post-wash zone as seen in the transportation direction of the washware. Here, the liquid is usually provided with a detergent and is sprayed onto the washware by a pump system (wash pump) , which is part of the wash system of the main-wash zone, via the nozzles (wash nozzles) of the main-wash zone. If no further main-wash zones are provided, the liquid then flows from the wash tank of the main-wash zone into the storage tank of the prewash zone. The liquid in the prewash tank is sprayed onto the washware via a pump system, which is part of the wash system of the prewash zone, via the prewash nozzle of the prewash zone in order to remove coarse dirt from the washware .

Irrespective of whether the dishwasher is in the form of a box-type dishwasher or a rack-conveyor dishwasher, the washware to be cleaned is usually placed in a dish rack which is then supplied to the wash chamber (in the case of box-type dishwashers) or to the treatment zones (in the case of rack- conveyor dishwashers) . In the dish racks known from the prior art, the items of washware, in particular glasses, cups and plates, are each placed in stacking lanes in the rack frame in an ordered manner, wherein a supporting strut arrangement is provided in order to prevent the washware from toppling over if the dish rack shakes.

In the case of dish racks, it is also known that, in particular for glasses or cups, the placement surfaces are designed to run obliquely relative to the horizontal plane in order to assist rapid draining of the final-rinse liquid, which was previously sprayed, from the washware after the end of the final-rinse process, and to reduce the accumulation of drops of water on the washware.

It is also known to add a final-rinse chemical to the fresh water used for the final-rinse process, said final-rinse chemical having the task of reducing the surface tension of the final-rinse liquid, this being a prerequisite for an optimum run-off behavior and drying result.

It is also known to provide additional drying fans or similar measures for assisting drying in the wash chamber (in the case of box-type dishwashers) or in the drying zone (in the case of rack-conveyor dishwashers) . On account of this measure, it is possible, for example in the case of commercially used glasswashers , to reduce the total moisture remaining on a glass which is held in a dish rack (glass rack) after the final-rinse process by up to 50%. Experiments have shown, for example, that the remaining total moisture of 0.5 g per glass after a normal dishwashing cycle without a drying assistant can be reduced to approximately 0.25 g per glass in the case of a dishwashing cycle with a drying assistant, given the same design of dish rack and depending on the shape of the glass.

Nevertheless, this small amount of moisture still remaining on the glass is also often subjectively considered to not be dry or to be wet by the customer. In this context, it was found within the scope of this invention that, after the end of the final-rinse process and during the drying process, drops of water accumulate, in particular at the contact points between the dish rack and the item of washware (for example drinking glass) and in recesses in the item of washware, for example in the bases of the glasses. When the item of washware is removed from the dishwasher or from the dish rack, the drops of water which have accumulated at the contact points between the dish rack and the item of washware drip. The contact point between the edge of the glass and the dish rack is of primary importance in the case of glasses which are usually placed upside-down in a dish rack. The drops of water which accumulate at this contact point run from the edge of the glass into the interior of the glass when the glass is removed from the dish rack, and therefore the drop of water is visible to the customer. The customer may subjectively perceive this to be a wet glass.

Increased hygiene requirements, which are defined in DIN standard 10511, are particularly applicable in the case of commercial glasswashing using glasswashers . In line with these requirements, the glasses do not only have to be visually clean after treatment but the glasses also have to be dry to the touch two minutes after the dish rack (glass rack) is removed from the dishwasher, with only a small amount of the residual moisture being tolerated at the contact points due to remaining drops and in the interior of the glass.

The invention is based on the object of specifying a dish rack, in particular a dish rack for holding glasses for glasswashers (glass rack) , with which the drying result on the washware is improved.

According to one aspect, a dish rack for dishwashers, in particular commercial dishwashers, which are in the form of box-type dishwashers or in the form of rack-conveyor dishwashers is specified, wherein the dish rack has a rack frame with rack struts which are arranged in the form of a grid. In order to optimize the drying result on the washware, provision is made for the rack frame to have a supporting strut arrangement for supporting washware which is held in the rack frame. The supporting strut arrangement has at least one pair of supporting struts comprising a first and a second supporting strut which serve to center an item of washware, which is placed on the placement surface, in relation to a centering axis which is situated between the first and the second supporting strut. Finally, a (first) drainage element which is associated with the pair of supporting struts is also provided in line with the solution according to the invention, it being possible to bring said drainage element into contact with an item of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut of the pair of supporting struts. Provision is particularly made for this (first) drainage element which is associated with the pair of supporting struts to lie in the vertical plane in which the centering axis of the item of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut of the pair of supporting struts also lies.

The solution according to the invention is based on the knowledge that, in the case of conventional dish racks, in particular glass racks, in which glasses are placed in corresponding placement rows with their openings facing downward, relatively large amounts of accumulated water form at the lowest points of the glass at the base of the glass and at the upper edge of the glass after the final-rinse cycle. Specifically, it has been found that - depending on the shape of the glass - between 70% and 75% of the total moisture still present on a glass after the final-rinse process is present at the base of the glass and approximately 10% to 15% of the total moisture is present at the upper edge of the glass. These amounts of accumulated residual moisture cannot be prevented by the metered addition of a final-rinse chemical to the final-rinse liquid in the case of standard dish racks. It is not possible for these amounts of accumulated residual moisture, in particular at the base of the glass and at the edge of the glass, to dry in the period of two minutes in room air prespecified in DIN standard 10511 either .

Since, according to the invention, the pair of supporting struts, which serves to support and center an item of washware which is placed in the rack frame, has an associated (first) drainage element which can be brought into contact with the item of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut of the pair of supporting struts, the residual water which has accumulated at the lowest points of the base of the glass can be at least partly drained off or can drip off via the drainage element in a manner which is simple to implement yet effective. It is particularly advantageous here when the (first) drainage element which is associated with the pair of supporting struts lies in a vertical plane in which the centering axis, which is defined by the pair of supporting struts, of the item of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut also lies. This ensures that the first drainage element can be brought into contact with the item of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut of the pair of supporting struts always in a region in which the residual water has accumulated at the base of the glass.

In a preferred implementation of the dish rack according to the invention, provision is made for the upper end region of the first supporting strut to be connected to the upper end region of the second supporting strut by means of a connecting strut which runs in the longitudinal direction. In this case, the first drainage element should be connected in an articulated manner to the connecting strut, preferably by means of a bearing, in particular a fixed bearing, such that it can pivot in the vertical plane. By way of this measure it is possible for items of washware, in particular glasses, of different heights to be held in the dish rack, wherein it is always ensured that the first drainage element can be brought into contact with the lowest point of the base of the glass.

As an alternative or in addition to the last-mentioned embodiment, provision is made in a development of the dish rack according to the invention for the first drainage element to be flexible and to be connected to the connecting strut by way of an end region. In this case, it is feasible, in particular, for the first drainage element to be vertically oriented but at the same time to exhibit a sufficient degree of flexibility in order to be able to give way when an item of washware, in particular a glass, is placed in the dish rack between the first and the second supporting strut of the pair of supporting struts.

In principle, it is advantageous for the first drainage element to be connected to the connecting strut or to be connected in an articulated manner to the connecting strut in a central region of the connecting strut which is provided between the first and the second supporting strut of the pair of supporting struts, in order to ensure that the first drainage element can be brought into contact always with the lowest point of the edge of the glass largely independently of the size and shape of the item of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut, and therefore the water which has accumulated there after the final-rinse process can be drained off.

The solution according to the invention is distinguished in that amounts of accumulated residual moisture on an item of washware which is centered between the supporting struts can be actively drained, and therefore eliminated, by virtue of the provision of a first drainage element. In the case of glasses which are placed on the placement surface of the dish rack between corresponding supporting struts with their opening facing downward, the first drainage element can be brought into contact, in particular, with the base of the glass, specifically always at the lowest point of the base of the glass where the majority of the drops of water which remain on the item of washware after the final-rinse process accumulate due to the force of gravity. This proportion of water can be at least partially effectively drained off by means of the first drainage element.

In a preferred implementation of the dish rack according to the invention, each pair of supporting struts is provided with more than just one first drainage element. Rather, further measures are provided in order to improve the achievable drying result still further.

According to a first embodiment, provision is made for the rack struts of the rack frame to be designed as longitudinal and transverse struts which define a placement surface for washware. In this case, the placement surface is preferably inclined with respect to the horizontal. In this embodiment of the dish rack according to the invention, it is feasible for the transverse struts of the rack frame to rest on the longitudinal struts of the rack frame and to be connected to at least some of the longitudinal struts at least at points or in regions. The at the lowest point of the item of washware which is arranged between the supporting struts can then be drained off by means of these transverse struts. In the case of glasses which are placed on the placement surface of the dish rack between corresponding supporting struts with their opening facing downward, the amounts of accumulated water at the base of the glass can therefore be eliminated by means of the first drainage element, while amounts of accumulated water at the edge of the glass can also additionally be drained off by means of the transverse struts which rest on the longitudinal struts of the rack frame. However, a second drainage element which is associated with the pair of supporting struts is preferably provided, said second drainage element being in the form of a transverse strut or running parallel to the transverse struts of the rack frame, and it being possible to bring said second drainage element into contact with the item of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut. The contact point between the second drainage element and the item of washware therefore lies in a region of the item of washware which directly adjoins the placement surface of the dish rack. In the case of glasses which are placed on the placement surface with their opening facing downward, the second drainage element therefore serves to effectively drain off the residual moisture which has accumulated at the edge of the glass after the final-rinse process.

In particular, the second drainage element, which is in the form of a transverse strut or runs parallel to the transverse struts of the rack frame, should lie in the vertical plane in which firstly the centering axis of an item of washware which is arranged and centered between the first and the second supporting strut of the pair of supporting struts and secondly the first drainage element, which is associated with the pair of supporting struts, also lie. This ensures that not only the first drainage element for, for example, the base of the glass, but also the second drainage element for, for example, the edge of the glass comes into contact with the item of washware always at the lowest point of the base of the glass or edge of the glass, and therefore that the water which has accumulated there can be effectively drained off.

In a preferred implementation of the last-mentioned embodiment in which a second drainage element is used, provision is made for said second drainage element to rest on the longitudinal struts of the rack frame and to be connected to at least some of the longitudinal struts at least at points or in regions.

As an alternative or in addition to this, it is feasible for the second drainage element to be elastic or for it to be possible for said second drainage element to be pushed down by an item of washware which is placed on the placement surface, in order to ensure that the second drainage element can always be brought into contact with the placement surface of the item of washware, for example with the upper edge of a drinking glass which is arranged between the first and the second supporting strut.

In a preferred implementation of the last-mentioned embodiment, it is feasible for the second drainage element to be provided with an elastic bearing surface which is situated higher than the transverse struts of the rack frame in an unloaded state and can be pushed down to the level of the transverse struts in a loaded state. However, it goes without saying that other embodiments of the second drainage element could also be employed here.

In a preferred implementation of the solution according to the invention, the first and the second supporting strut of the pair of supporting struts are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the rack frame and are designed so as to run substantially parallel to one another, wherein the vertical plane, in which the centering axis of an item of washware which is arranged between the first and the second supporting strut lies, extends between the first and the second supporting strut. In this implementation, the dish rack is a dish rack which is particularly easy to implement yet provides an optimum drying performance of the washware. It goes without saying that it is not absolutely necessary for the supporting struts of the pair of supporting struts to be designed to run substantially parallel to one another; rather, a V- or X-shaped arrangement, for example, could also be employed here.

In order to simplify the design of the dish rack and therefore to reduce manufacturing costs, it is particularly advantageous for a pair of transverse struts comprising a first and a second transverse strut to be associated with each pair of supporting struts, wherein the first supporting strut of the pair of supporting struts is connected to the first transverse strut of the pair of transverse struts, and the second supporting strut of the pair of supporting struts is connected to the second transverse strut of the pair of transverse struts. In this case, it is particularly feasible for the corresponding transverse struts and supporting struts to be formed from a correspondingly bent wire strut. However, it goes without saying that other embodiments could also be employed here.

In order to be able to ensure an optimized drip behavior, the placement surface, which is formed from the transverse and longitudinal struts of the rack frame, is inclined through an angle of 15° to 35°, preferably through an angle of 20° to 30°, and with further preference through an angle of 24° to 26°, with respect to the horizontal.

The rack frame according to the invention is preferably formed from plastic at least in regions. As an alternative or in addition to this, it is feasible for the transverse, longitudinal and/or supporting struts of the rack frame to be formed at least partially from wire struts which are sheathed in plastic. This also applies to the first and the second drainage element. According to a second embodiment of the dish rack according to the invention, a second drainage element, as was described above, is not used. Rather, the task and function of the second drainage element is taken over by a cup holder in this case. Specifically, provision is made in the second embodiment of the dish rack according to the invention for each pair of supporting struts to have an associated cup holder. Said cup holder holds the cup of a drinking glass when the dish rack is in use. In this case, the glass is placed upside-down on the cup holder. In this case, the supporting struts which form part of the cup holder serve to support and center the glass which is held by the cup holder.

As also in the first embodiment of the dish rack according to the invention described above, a (first) drainage element which is associated with the pair of supporting struts is provided in the second embodiment, it being possible to bring said drainage element into contact with the item of washware (drinking glass) which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut and is held by the cup holder and for said drainage element to lie in the vertical plane in which the centering axis of the item of washware which is centered with the aid of the first and the second supporting strut and with the aid of the cup holder also lies. Specifically, it is advantageous for the centering axis of the item of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut to run centrally through the cup holder.

In the second embodiment of the dish rack according to the invention, the cup of a drinking glass is held by means of the cup holder which is preferably in the form of a cone or a truncated cone. Designing the cup holder in the form of a cone or truncated cone provides the advantage that drinking glasses with different cup diameters can always be positioned and centered in an optimum manner.

In a preferred development of the last-mentioned embodiment of the dish rack according to the invention in which one cup holder with which a glass which is placed upside-down in the dish rack is held and supported is used for each pair of supporting struts, provision is made for the cup holder to be designed in such a way that a glass which is supported by the cup holder is inclined with respect to the vertical in order to be able to ensure an optimum drip behavior.

In order to simplify the design of the dish rack according to the second embodiment and therefore to reduce manufacturing costs, provision is made for the cup holder to be formed from at least some of the rack struts of the rack frame. In this connection, it is possible to form the cup holder from a total of three rack strut sections of the rack frame, said rack strut sections being connected to one another, and therefore for the upside-down glass to be supported by the cup holder at three points.

It goes without saying that other embodiments could also be employed here.

Preferred embodiments of the solution according to the invention will be described in greater detail in the text which follows by way of drawings, in which: fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a region of a supporting strut arrangement of a dish rack according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; fig. 2 shows a front view of the supporting strut arrangement according to fig. 1 ; shows a side view of the supporting strut arrangement according to fig. 1 ; fig. 4 shows a sectional side view through line A-A in fig. 2 ; fig . 5 shows a perspective view of a dish rack according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention; fig. 6 shows a plan view of the dish rack according to fig. 5; fig. 7 shows a front view of the dish rack according to fig. 6; and fig. 8 shows a sectional side view through line A-A in fig . 7.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a region of a rack frame of a first exemplary embodiment of the dish rack according to the invention. In the first exemplary embodiment, the dish rack is, in particular, in the form of a glass rack in which glasses 10 are placed with their opening facing downward, that is to say upside-down.

The rack frame of the dish rack which is illustrated as an example has longitudinal struts la, lb, lc, Id and transverse struts 2a, 2b which are arranged in the form of a grid and which define a placement surface A for the washware (here: drinking glass 10) which is intended to be held in the dish rack .

Specifically, and in particular as can be seen in the illustration in fig. 3 which shows a side view of the rack frame region according to fig. 1, the placement surface A is inclined with respect to the horizontal H, wherein an angle of inclination of 24° has been set here. An angle of inclination of between 15° and 35° is generally preferred, and an angle of inclination of between 20° and 30° is further preferred .

The rack frame also has a supporting strut arrangement for supporting the washware (drinking glass 10) which is placed on the inclined placement surface A. Specifically, the supporting strut arrangement according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment has a pair of supporting struts comprising a first supporting strut 3a and a second supporting strut 3b. The supporting struts 3a, 3b serve to center an item 10 of washware, which is placed on the placement surface A, with respect to a centering axis Z between the first and the second supporting strut 3a, 3b. The centering axis Z is shown in figures 2 to 4 and, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, corresponds to the rotation axis of the item 10 of washware which is rotationally symmetrical in this exemplary embodiment.

As can be seen in the illustration in fig. 1, the supporting strut arrangement is designed in such a way that items of washware of different geometries and different sizes can be centered with respect to the centering axis Z, which runs between the two supporting struts 3a, 3b, with the aid of the first and the second supporting strut 3a, 3b. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, an item of washware (drinking glass 10) which is arranged and centered between the supporting struts 3a, 3b is firstly supported on the placement surface A by way of its edge 12 at the upper end region and by way of its base region 11 on the two supporting struts 3a, 3b. Specifically, the first supporting strut 3a is in contact with the base region 11 of the item 10 of washware at point 3a' and the second supporting strut 3b is in contact with the item 10 of washware with the base region 11 of the item 10 of washware at point 3b' .

Since a relatively large amount of water has accumulated at the base region of the item 10 of washware after the final- rinse cycle, this water having to be drained off in order to achieve an optimum drying effect, the dish rack according to the invention has a first drainage element 4 which is associated with the pair of supporting struts. This first drainage element 4 can be brought into contact with the item 10 of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut 3a, 3b, and allows the water which has accumulated at the base region 11 of the item 10 of washware to drain off or drip off.

Specifically, and as can be seen in the illustration in fig. 2 or in fig. 3 for example, the first drainage element 4 is the form of a rod-like element in the exemplary embodiment, said rod-like element lying in a vertical plane in which the centering axis Z also lies and with respect to which the item 10 of washware which is held between the supporting struts 3a, 3b is centered. This arrangement of the first drainage element 4 always ensures that the first drainage element 4 can be brought into contact with the item 10 of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut 3a, 3b, and in particular with the base part 11 of the item 10 of washware, at a point 4' at which the water has accumulated after the final-rinse process.

The first drainage element 4 which is used in the first embodiment illustrated by way of example in the drawings is - as already discussed - in the form of a rod-like element which is connected in an articulated manner such that it can pivot to a connecting strut 7 which runs in the longitudinal direction L and which connects the upper end region of the first supporting strut 3a to the upper end region of the second supporting strut 3b. In this case, the first drainage element 4 is preferably connected in an articulated manner to the connecting strut 7 by means of a bearing 6, in particular a fixed bearing, such that it can pivot in the vertical plane .

However, as an alternative to this, it is also feasible for the upper end region of the first supporting strut 3a to be connected to the upper end region of the second supporting strut 3b by means of a connecting strut 7 which runs in the longitudinal direction L, wherein the first drainage element 4 is correspondingly flexible and is fixedly connected to the connecting strut 7 by way of one of its end regions. - IS

In principle, it is advantageous for the first drainage element 4 to be connected to the connecting strut 7 in a central region of the connecting strut 7 or to be connected in an articulated manner to the connecting strut 7, in order thus to be able to ensure that the first drainage element 4 always lies in the vertical plane in which the centering axis Z of the item 10 of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut 3a, 3b also lies. This ensures, in particular, that the contact region 4' between the first drainage element 4 and the base region 11 of the item 10 of washware lies in a region in which the majority of the residual water remaining after the final-rinse process accumulates .

As indicated in fig. 1, in the first exemplary embodiment of the solution according to the invention, the transverse struts 2a, 2b of the rack frame lie on the longitudinal struts la, lb, lc, Id of the rack frame and are connected to at least some of the longitudinal struts la, lb, lc, Id at least at points or in regions. Accordingly, the transverse struts 2a, 2b always lie in a plane which lies above the plane of the corresponding longitudinal struts la, lb, lc, Id. This ensures that the edge region 12 of the item 10 of washware always comes into contact with the transverse struts 2a, 2b. Since these transverse struts are arranged parallel to the preferred run-off direction of residual water remaining on the item 10 of washware, this arrangement allows for efficient draining of residual water from the edge region 12 of the item 10 of washware.

In the case of the first exemplary embodiment of the dish rack according to the invention, a second drainage element 5 which is likewise associated with the pair of supporting struts is particularly preferably used in addition to the abovementioned first drainage element 4, said second drainage element itself being in the form of a transverse strut or running at least parallel to the transverse struts 2a, 2b of the rack frame. This second drainage element 5 can be brought into contact with the item 10 of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut 3a, 3b, wherein the contact regions lie in the vertical plane in which the centering axis Z of the item 10 of washware which is arranged and centered between the first and the second supporting strut 3a, 3b also lies. This again ensures that the second drainage element 5 is in contact with the item 10 of washware, specifically at the lowest point of the item 10 of washware in which the residual water still remaining after the final-rinse phase has accumulated. This residual water can therefore be at least partially discharged by means of the second drainage element 5.

The illustration in fig. 2 in particular shows that, in the case of the first exemplary embodiment of the solution according to the invention, the second drainage element 5 lies in the plane in which the centering axis Z of the item 10 of washware which is arranged between the supporting struts 3a, 3b also lies, wherein the second drainage element 5 rests on the longitudinal struts la, lb, lc, Id of the rack frame and is connected to at least some of the longitudinal struts la, lb, lc, Id at least at points or in regions.

The illustration in fig. 1 shows, in particular, that, in the case of the illustrated embodiment of the solution according to the invention, the first and the second supporting strut 3a, 3b of the pair of supporting struts are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction L of the rack frame and are designed so as to run substantially parallel to one another. In this case, the vertical plane, in which the centering axis Z lies and with respect to which the item 10 of washware which is arranged between the first and the second supporting strut 3a, 3b is centered, extends between the first and the second supporting strut 3a, 3b. Specifically, provision is made, in the case of the exemplary embodiment, for a pair of transverse struts comprising a first and a second transverse strut 2a, 2b to be associated with each pair of supporting struts, wherein the first supporting strut 3a of the pair of supporting struts is connected to the first transverse strut 2a of the pair of transverse struts, and the second supporting strut 3b of the pair of supporting struts and the second transverse strut 2b of the pair of transverse struts are connected.

A further (second) exemplary embodiment of the dish rack according to the invention will be described below with reference to the illustrations in figures 5 to 8.

Similarly to the (first) embodiment of the dish rack according to the invention described above with reference to the illustrations in figures 1 to 4, provision is made in the case of the second embodiment according to figures 5 to 8 for the dish rack to have a rack frame 20 which is formed from rack struts which are arranged in a grid. The rack frame 20 is designed to hold the individual items of washware (in this case drinking glasses 10) with their openings facing downward, that is to say upside-down.

In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment of the dish rack according to the invention, no placement surface which is formed from longitudinal and transverse struts which are arranged in a grid is provided for the washware which is to be held in the dish rack in the case of the second embodiment according to the illustrations in figures 5 to 8. Rather, cup holders 21 which are in the form of a cone or truncated cone are used in the case of the second exemplary embodiment. Each cup holder 21 is designed to hold the cup of a drinking glass 10 when said glass is placed upside-down in the rack frame of the dish rack. Particular reference is made to the sectional side view of the dish rack according to the second exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig. 8 in this respect. The illustration in fig. 8 also shows that the respective cup holders 21 which are in the form of a cone or truncated cone are designed in such a way that a drinking glass which is held by a cup holder 21 is inclined with respect to the vertical V. In the case of the illustrated embodiment, the angle of inclination is 24°. An angle of inclination of between 15° and 35° is generally preferred, and an angle of inclination of between 20° and 30° is further preferred.

The cup holder 21 therefore serves to hold the cup of a drinking glass 10 and to orient the drinking glass along a centering axis Z which is inclined with respect to the vertical and runs parallel to the supporting struts 3a, 3b.

Similarly to the first embodiment of the dish rack according to the invention, each pair of supporting struts comprising a first supporting strut 3a and a second supporting strut 3b serves to center and support a drinking glass 10 which is held by the associated cup holder 21. In this case, the centering axis Z of the drinking glass 10 corresponds to the rotation axis of the item of washware (drinking glass 10) which is rotationally symmetrical in this exemplary embodiment .

Since a cup holder 21 which is in the form of a cone or truncated cone is used for each pair of supporting struts 3a, 3b in the case of the second preferred embodiment of the solution according to the invention, glasses 10 with different cup diameters can always be positioned in the rack frame in an optimum manner. This ensures that a drinking glass 10 which is held by the cup holder 21 is oriented along the centering axis Z which is prespecified by the inclination of the cup holder 21 with respect to the horizontal.

The sectional side view of the dish rack according to the invention illustrated in fig. 8 in line with the second exemplary embodiment shows, in particular, that each cup holder 21 is formed from a plurality of (here: three) rack strut sections 2 of the rack frame 20 which are connected to one another. In this case, it is advantageous for that rack strut section which is situated closest to the pair of supporting struts to lie in a vertical plane in which the centering axis Z also runs. This ensures that a drinking glass 10 which is arranged between the supporting struts 3a, 3b and is centered by the corresponding cup holder 21 is in contact with said rack strut section at its lowest point, in order to allow water which has accumulated at the base region 11 of the drinking glass 10 to drain off or drip off.

Similarly to the first exemplary of the dish rack according to the invention, a first drainage element 4 is used in the case of the second embodiment, which drainage element is in the form of a rod-like element and is connected in an articulated manner such that it can pivot to a connecting strut 7 which runs in the longitudinal direction L. This connecting strut 7 connects the upper end region of the first supporting strut 3a to the upper end region of the second supporting strut 3b. In this case, it is feasible for the first drainage element 4 to be connected in an articulated manner to the connecting strut 7 by means of a bearing 6, in particular a fixed bearing, such that it can pivot in the vertical plane.

However, as an alternative to this, it is also feasible for the upper end region of the first supporting strut 3a to be connected to the upper end region of the second supporting strut 3b by means of a connecting strut 7 which runs in the longitudinal direction L, wherein the first drainage element 4 is correspondingly flexible and is fixedly connected to the connecting strut 7 by way of one of its end regions.

In principle, it is advantageous for the first drainage element 4 to be connected to the connecting strut 7 in a central region of the connecting strut 7 or to be connected in an articulated manner to the connecting strut 7, in order thus to be able to ensure that the first drainage element 4 always lies in the vertical plane in which the centering axis Z of the drinking glass 10 which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut 3a, 3b also lies. This ensures, in particular, that the contact region 4' between the first drainage element 4 and the base region 11 of the item 10 of washware lies in a region in which the majority of the residual water remaining after the final-rinse process accumulates .

The dish rack according to the invention is preferably an injection-molded plastic rack or a wire rack which is coated with plastic. However, on the other hand, it would also be feasible for the rack frame to be formed from stainless steel without any coating. A plastic-coated wire rack allows a greater amount of water to penetrate, this resulting in a better cleaning and drying result being achieved, and consequently plastic-coated wire racks of this kind are preferably used in under-counter dishwashers. On the contrary, plastic racks can be stacked and stored more easily and are used predominantly in relatively large sculleries, wherein in this case rack-conveyor or flight-type dishwashers ensure the required dishwashing result due to relatively high performance data.

The solution according to the invention is not restricted to the embodiment illustrated above with reference to the drawings, but rather can be found by taking into consideration all the features disclosed in this document.

It is feasible, in particular, for the dish rack to have a supporting strut arrangement with a large number of pairs of supporting struts, wherein the individual supporting struts 3a, 3b of the large number of pairs of supporting struts are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction L of the rack frame for the purpose of forming a stacking lane for washware. A plurality of stacking lanes, preferably four stacking lanes which run in parallel, are preferably used rather than just one single stacking lane.

Furthermore, the invention is not restricted to a dish rack which - as shown in the drawings - has a rack frame with exactly four longitudinal struts la, lb, lc, Id. A rack frame with, for example, only two longitudinal struts is likewise feasible .

The invention is suitable, in particular, as a glass rack for holding drinking and/or eating vessels made of glass or a glass-like material.

Claims

DISH RACK FOR DISHWASHERS Patent claims

1. A dish rack for dishwashers, in particular commercial dishwashers, which are in the form of box-type dishwashers or in the form of rack-conveyor dishwashers, wherein the dish rack has a rack frame (20) with rack struts which are arranged in the form of a grid,

characterized in that

the rack frame (20) also has a supporting strut arrangement for supporting washware which is held in the rack frame (20), wherein the supporting strut arrangement has at least one pair of supporting struts comprising a first and a second supporting strut (3a, 3b) for centering an item (10) of washware in relation to a centering axis (Z) between the first and the second supporting strut (3a, 3b) , and wherein a first drainage element (4) which is associated with the pair of supporting struts is provided, it being possible to bring said drainage element into contact with the item (10) of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut (3a, 3b) , and said drainage element lying in the vertical plane in which the centering axis (Z) also lies.

2. The dish rack as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the upper end region of the first supporting strut (3a) is connected to the upper end region of the second supporting strut (3b) by means of a connecting strut (7) which runs in the longitudinal direction (L) , and wherein the first drainage element (4) is connected in an articulated manner to the connecting strut (7), preferably by means of a bearing (6), in particular a fixed bearing, such that it can pivot in the vertical plane.

3. The dish rack as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper end region of the first supporting strut (3a) is connected to the upper end region of the second supporting strut (3b) by means of a connecting strut (7) which runs in the longitudinal direction (L) , and wherein the first drainage element (4) is flexible and is connected to the connecting strut (7) by way of an end region.

4. The dish rack as claimed in claim 2 or 3,

wherein the first drainage element (4) is connected to the connecting strut (7) or is connected in an articulated manner to the connecting strut (7) in a central region of the connecting strut (7).

5. The dish rack as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rack struts of the rack frame are designed as longitudinal and transverse struts (la, lb, lc, Id; 2a, 2b) which define a placement surface (A) for washware, wherein the placement surface (A) is inclined with respect to the horizontal .

6. The dish rack as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the transverse struts (2a, 2b) of the rack frame rest on the longitudinal struts (la, lb, lc, Id) of the rack frame and are connected to at least some of the longitudinal struts (la, lb, lc, Id) at least at points or in regions.

7. The dish rack as claimed in claim 5 or 6,

wherein a second drainage element (5) which is associated with the pair of supporting struts is provided, said second drainage element being in the form of a transverse strut or running parallel to the transverse struts (2a, 2b) , and it being possible to bring said second drainage element into contact with the item (10) of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut, wherein the second drainage element (5) lies in the vertical plane in which the centering axis (Z) and the first drainage element (4), which is associated with the pair of supporting struts, also lie.

8. The dish rack as claimed in claim 7,

wherein the second drainage element (5) which is associated with the pair of supporting struts rests on the longitudinal struts (la, lb, lc, Id) of the rack frame and is connected to at least some of the longitudinal struts (la, lb, lc, Id) at least at points or in regions.

9. The dish rack as claimed in claim 7 or 8,

wherein the second drainage element (5) is elastic or can be pushed down by an item (10) of washware which is placed on the placement surface (A) .

10. The dish rack as claimed in one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the second drainage element (5) is provided with an elastic bearing surface which is situated higher than the transverse struts (2a, 2b) of the rack frame in the unloaded state and can be pushed down to the level of the transverse struts (2a, 2b) in a loaded state.

11. The dish rack as claimed in one of claims 5 to 10, wherein the first and the second supporting strut (3a, 3b) of the pair of supporting struts are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction (L) of the rack frame and are designed so as to run substantially parallel to one another, wherein the vertical plane, in which the centering axis (Z) of an item (10) of washware which is centered between the first and the second supporting strut (3a, 3b) lies, extends between the first and the second supporting strut (3a, 3b) .

12. The dish rack as claimed in one of claims 5 to 11, wherein a pair of transverse struts comprising a first and a second transverse strut (2a, 2b) is associated with each pair of supporting struts, wherein the first supporting strut (3a) of the pair of supporting struts is connected to the first transverse strut (2a) of the pair of transverse struts, and the second supporting strut (3b) of the pair of supporting struts is connected to the second transverse strut (2b) of the pair of transverse struts.

13. The dish rack as claimed in one of claims 5 to 12, wherein the placement surface (A) is inclined through 15° to 35°, preferably through 20° to 30°, and with further preference through 24° to 26°, with respect to the horizontal (H) .

14. The dish rack as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each pair of supporting struts (3a, 3b) has an associated cup holder (21) for holding a glass cup.

15. The dish rack as claimed in claim 14,

wherein the cup holder (21) is in the form of a cone or a truncated cone.

16. The dish rack as claimed in claim 14 or 15,

wherein the cup holder (21) is inclined with respect to the horizontal .

17. The dish rack as claimed in one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the cup holder (21) is formed from at least some of the rack struts of the rack frame (20) .

18. The dish rack as claimed in one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the cup holder (21) is formed from a total of three rack strut sections (2) of the rack frame (20), said rack strut sections being connected to one another.

19. The dish rack as claimed in one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the cup holder (21) is formed from plastic or from plastic-coated wire struts.

20. The dish rack as claimed in one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the rack frame (20) is formed from plastic at least in regions, and/or

wherein the transverse, longitudinal and/or supporting struts are/is wire struts which are at least partially sheathed in plastic .

21. The dish rack as claimed in one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the supporting strut arrangement has a large number of pairs of supporting struts, wherein the individual supporting struts (3a, 3b) of the large number of pairs of supporting struts are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction (L) of the rack frame (20) for the purpose of forming a stacking lane for washware.

22. The dish rack as claimed in claim 21,

wherein at least two stacking lanes which run in parallel are formed .

23. The use of a dish rack as claimed in one of claims 1 to 22 as a glass rack for holding drinking and/or eating vessels made of glass or a glass-like material.