Abstract:
An indicator for use with a dishwasher for indicating whether the dishes in the dishwasher are clean or dirty includes a housing having a substantially translucent front wall. A graphic image is formed on the inside surface of the front wall so as to form printed areas and unprinted areas. Lying directly behind the front wall within the housing is a face plate having two different graphics formed thereon. The face plate is slideable relative to the front wall. In one position, graphics on the face plate show through the front wall to indicate that the dishes are dirty. In a second position, the graphics on the face plate show through the front wall to indicate that the dishes are clean. The face plate is releasably held in the dirty position against the force of a spring. Upon sensing an elevated temperature indicating that the dishwasher had been run, the releasable holding mechanism releases allowing the spring to move the face plate into the clean position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed toward a dishwasher status indicator and, more particularly, toward a device which is intended to be left inside of a dishwasher and which gives a visual indication to the user as to whether the dishes are clean or dirty. This reduces the possibility of soiling a clean load of dishes by inadvertently placing dirty dishes into a machine that had been run and also reduces the possibility of inadvertently utilizing dirty dishes or utensils that are in the machine waiting to be cleaned. 
     Automatic dishwashers have been popular for many years in most homes and in commercial establishments such as restaurants and the like. Dishwashers are used not only to clean soiled dishes but to also sanitize the dishes and tableware. Substantially all dishwashers operate by the use of an electrical or electronic timer which times the various cycles of operation and advances the machine from one cycle to the next. The average automatic dishwasher may take from one-half hour to an hour to complete a full cycle of operation. 
     Because of the substantial time involved in the operation of an automatic dishwasher, the average user would not normally stand around waiting for the machine to be done so that the same can be immediately unloaded. Rather, the user frequently will go on to other chores or may leave the house for the day intending to empty the machine at a later time upon return. It is not uncommon, however, for the user to forget that he or she had run the dishwasher or for another family member or co-worker to not know whether the machine had been run and, therefore, whether the dishes and utensils therein are clean. 
     Visual inspection of the contents of a dishwasher is not always satisfactory. While the dishes may appear to be clean, this does not guarantee that the machine had been run and that all of the dishes and utensils have been sanitized. As a result, the user may unknowingly remove and utilize a dirty dish or utensil or may place a dirty dish into an unknown clean machine thereby soiling the clean dishes which would necessitate running the entire load a second time. 
     Devices have been previously proposed for indicating to a user whether the dishes in a dishwasher are clean or dirty. U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,954 to Hulteen, for example, is directed toward a sign which bears alternate messages such as DIRTY DISHES and CLEAN DISHES and which is affixed to a support rod removably attached to the rack of the dishwasher. The user must remember, however, to manually move the sign between the two positions. If the user forgets to move the sign from dirty dishes to clean dishes, it will always be in the dirty dishes mode even after the machine has been run. Similarly, the user may forget to move the sign into the dirty dishes mode thereby erroneously suggesting that the dishes are clean. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,872 to Berg, a device is proposed which is intended to provide an automatic indication of whether the dishes within an automatic dishwasher are dirty or clean. The device includes a container or compartment that catches a portion of the liquid utilized by the dishwasher and further includes a release mechanism for releasing the liquid when dishes or other articles are removed from the dishwasher. Thus, if the device contains liquid, this is an indication that the dishes or other articles in the dishwasher are clean. If the device is empty, it indicates that the articles are dirty. However, it may not always be readily apparent to a user as to whether there is liquid remaining in the device. Furthermore, there is the possibility that the liquid could be inadvertently released, thereby giving a false indication that the dishes are dirty. 
     A more complex indicator is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,753 to Berg et al. This patent discloses a warning device which includes a sensor and which provides a visual and/or audible alarm to indicate that the dishes within a dishwasher are clean or dirty. The system described in this patent includes a detector or sensor for sensing whether the racks within the dishwasher hold articles and further includes logic circuits responsive to the detector which indicate that the articles have been cleaned when a predetermined operating state, for example, the end of the wash cycle, of the machine is detected. The electronically-controlled system described in this patent is obviously somewhat complex and is certainly more than may be necessary. Furthermore, the complexity of the described invention would certainly increase the cost of the same. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art described above and is intended to provide a simple, inexpensive and easy to use device. According to the invention, an indicator for use with a dishwasher for indicating whether the dishes in the dishwasher are clean or dirty includes a housing and an integral strap for suspending the device from a shelf within the dishwasher. The housing includes a front wall that is substantially translucent. A graphic image is formed on the inside surface of the front wall so as to form printed areas and unprinted areas. Lying directly behind the front wall and within the housing is a face plate having two different graphics formed thereon. The face plate is slideable or otherwise moveable relative to the front wall between two different predetermined positions. In one position, a portion of the graphics on the face plate show through the front wall to indicate that the dishes are dirty. In a second position, a different portion of the graphics on the face plate show through the front wall to indicate that the dishes are clean. The face plate is releasably held in the dirty position against the force of a spring. Upon sensing an elevated temperature indicating that the dishwasher has been run, the releasable holding mechanism releases allowing the spring to move the face plate into the clean position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawing one form which is presently preferred; it being understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities. 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view showing the dishwasher status indicator of the present invention suspended from the dish rack of a dishwasher; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the dishwasher status indicator shown in FIG.  1  and indicating that the dishes are clean; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 but indicating that the dishes are dirty; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken through the line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view taken through the line  5 — 5  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the attachment strap of the invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a front elevational view showing the details of the front face of the dishwasher status indicator of the invention; 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded view showing the manner in which a face plate within the indicator is mounted for sliding movement; and 
     FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the face plate. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals have been used throughout the various figures to designate like elements, there is shown in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 , a dishwasher status indicator constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and designated generally as  10 . The indicator  10  is shown in FIG. 1 suspended from a rack  12  of a dishwasher  14  through the use of an integrally form strap  16 , the details of which will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 4,  5  and  6 . 
     The dishwasher status indicator  10  is intended to provide a visual indication to the user as to whether the dishes within the dishwasher  14  are clean or dirty. FIG. 2 illustrates the indicator  10  visually indicating that the dishes are dirty. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the entire picture of the tableware and the words DISH SAFE are clearly visible. Furthermore, the button  18  at the middle of the indicator  10  is shown as extending outwardly from the front face thereof. The appearance of the face of the indicator  10  as shown in FIG. 2 with the button  18  extending outwardly would be the normal appearance of the device after the dishwasher  14  has run through an entire cycle with the indicator  10  therein. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the dishwasher status indicator  10  in a first or initial condition intended to indicate that the dishes within the dishwasher are dirty. As can be seen, the international negative symbol  20  appears on the face of the indicator  10  partially obscuring the words DISH SAFE and the graphics of the tableware shown thereon. FIG. 3 also shows the button  18  in its depressed or inward position. In the manner to be described hereinafter, when it is desired to utilize the dishwasher status indicator  10 , the button  18  is manually depressed. This causes the international negative symbol to appear on the face thereof. As the dishwasher  14  is operating and the temperature therein increases during, for example, the drying cycle, the button  18  automatically moves outwardly, the international negative symbol  20  disappears and the face of the dishwasher status indicator  10  appears as it does in FIG.  2 . 
     As shown most clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, the dishwasher status indicator  10  is comprised essentially of a housing  22  which includes a front cover member  24  and a back or main body portion  26 . Extending forwardly from the front surface of the back portion  26  is a peripheral wall forming a snap ring  28 . The peripheral side wall  30  of the front or cover includes an inwardly extending bead  32  which snaps over the snap ring  28  in order to form the housing  22  as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Preferably substantially all of the component parts of the dishwasher status indicator  10  are formed of a molded plastic material thereby allowing the cover  24  to easily snap onto the back portion  26 . 
     Extending upwardly from the top of the back portion  26  is the strap or handle  16  which is preferably integrally molded therewith. The strap  16  is pre-formed with a living hinge  34 , a U-shaped recess  36 , an aperture  36  and a projecting snap  40 . In order to use the strap  16  to support the dishwasher status indicator  10  onto the rack  12  of a dishwasher, the upper portion of the strap  16  is bent or folded downwardly utilizing the living hinge  34  after the same is placed around the rack  12  so that the wire of the rack is within the recess  36 . The aperture  38  then snaps over the projecting snap  40  to close the strap as shown in FIG.  4 . The indicator  10  can be released by simply reversing this procedure. 
     Located within the housing  22  of indicator  10  is a face plate  42  which has a substantially planar front face or surface  44 . The face plate  42  lies immediately behind the front face  46  and is substantially in contact with rear surface thereof as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. 
     The face plate  42  is mounted for limited sliding movement relative to the front face  46 . As shown most clearly in FIG. 8, the rear surface of the face plate  42  has a plurality of elongated recesses  48  formed therein. Preferably, one recess is formed in each corner. Extending forwardly from the back or main body portion  26  of the housing  22  are four guideposts  50 , the forwardmost tips  52  of which are intended to lie within the four recesses  48 . As a result of this arrangement, the face plate is slideably moveable between a first position as shown in FIG. 4 where it is slightly upward with respect to the front face  46  and a second position as shown in FIG. 5 where the face plate  42  is slightly downwardly with respect to the face plate  46 . Although rectilinear sliding movement is presently preferred, it should be readily apparent that a similar result could be accomplished by a slight rotational sliding motion of the face plate. 
     Movement of the face plate  42  is effectuated through the use of the button  18 . As shown most clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, button  18  includes a hollow main body portion of substantially circular cross section which extends through the circular opening  53  in the front face  46 . The opening  54  within the button  18  (see FIG. 8) allows the same to be guided for axial movement on the post  55  that extends forwardly from the back portion  26  toward the interior of the housing  22 . A compression spring  56  surrounding the post  55  biases the button  18  outwardly or to the right as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5. 
     Although the button  18  is normally biased outwardly into the position shown in FIG. 5, it can be temporarily held in the inward position as shown in FIG.  4 . In order to accomplish this, the lower most end of the button  18  includes a radially extended flange  58 . The flange  58  cooperates with the projections  60  and  62  formed on the tabs  64  and  66  that extend forwardly from the inside surface of the back portion  26 . 
     As shown best in FIGS. 4 and 5, the projections  60  and  62  have tapered leading and following edges. As a result, if the button  18  is in the outwardly or extended position as shown in FIG. 5, it can be manually pushed inwardly by simply depressing the button. As the button moves inwardly, the flange  58  pushes on the projections  60  causing the tabs  64  and  66  to flex away from each other until the flange  58  clears the projections and is in the position shown in FIG.  4 . 
     The force of the spring  56  and the dimensions of the tabs  64  and flange  58  as well as the materials from which they are made are selected so that, at ambient temperature, the button  18  will remain in the inward position as shown in FIG. 4 when it is manually moved into this position. However, as the temperature rises, the plastic from which the tabs  64  and  66  are made will soften slightly allowing them to move away from each other as the button  18  is moved outwardly by the force of the spring  56 . That is, the flange  58  on the button  18  cams the tabs  64  and  66  outwardly as the flange  58  engages the projections  60  and  62  until the flange  58  passes the projections and moves into the position shown in FIG.  5 . 
     The elevated temperature that causes the button  18  to automatically move outwardly may be caused, for example, by hot water from the dishwasher contacting the tabs  64  and  66  or by the heat of a drying cycle. To this end, the front cover  24  is preferably provided with a plurality of openings  68  in the peripheral wall  30  thereof as shown most clearly in FIG.  7 . This allows water from the dishwasher and steam or heat to more easily enter the interior of the housing  22  and to come into contact with the tabs  64  and  66  to temporarily soften them. 
     As shown most clearly in FIGS. 8 and 9, the face plate  42  includes an elongated opening or aperture  70  at the center thereof. The aperture  70  is only slightly wider than the diameter of the main body portion of the button  18  but is elongated in the vertical direction so as to allow for limited movement of the face plate  42  up and down relative to the button  18 . Extending out from the rear surface  72  of the face plate  42  is a substantially tubularly shaped boss member  74 . 
     Angled slotted openings  76  and  78  are formed on either side of the boss  74 . These slotted openings  76  and  78  are adapted to engage the sidewardly extending pins  80  and  82  mounted on the button  18 . As a result, when the button  18  is moved inwardly or outwardly, the slotted openings  76  and  78  function as cams with the pins  80  and  82  functioning as cam followers. Thus, movement of the button  18  inwardly causes the face plate  42  to move upwardly as shown in FIG.  4 . Similarly, outward movement of the button  18  causes the face plate to move downwardly as shown in FIG.  5 . 
     The front face of the cover member  24  is preferably transparent or substantially translucent. Printed or otherwise formed on the inside surface thereof so as to be visible from the front is a graphic image  84  substantially as shown in FIG.  7 . The graphic image formed on the inner surface of the front face shows most of the letters forming the words DISH SAFE and most of the picture of the dinnerware and background. However, a number of spaces such as shown at  86  are unprinted so that these areas remain transparent or translucent. In the preferred embodiment as shown in FIG. 7, these unprinted areas  86  together form the outline of the international negative symbol. 
     The face plate  42  has first and second graphics printed or otherwise formed on the front face or surface  44  thereof. As shown in FIG. 9, the first graphics  88  are comprised of a plurality of dark lines which are essentially complimentary to the transparent openings  86  in the front face  46 . The second set of graphics  90  formed on the front surface  44  of the face plate  42  are the complimentary missing portions of the words DISH and SAFE and the tableware and background from the graphics  84  on the front face. 
     Because the face plate  42  lies directly behind the front face  46 , the graphics on the face plate  42  will show through the transparent or translucent portions  86  of the front face  46 . It should be readily apparent, therefore, that when the face plate  42  is in its lowermost position as shown in FIG. 5, the solid lines  88  forming the international negative symbol show through the opening  86  in the face plate and appear from the front thereof as shown in FIG.  3 . Similarly, when the face plate is in its upward position, the missing portions  90  of the graphics  84  on the front face  46  are in alignment with the opening  86  and showed through so as to have the appearance shown in FIG.  2 . 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.