RACK FOR DISHES IN A DISHWASHER

Abstract: A rack for dishes in a dishwasher comprises a grid (17) for supporting the dishes, and an element (27) which is mounted to the grid for pivoting towards and away from the grid. This element has elastic cords mounted therein which by pivotal movement of the element can be engaged with dishes supported by the grid under elastic yielding of the cords. Means (31) are provided for arresting the element in different pivoted positions with the cords stretched against the dishes.

Description: Rack for dishes in a dish washer The invention relates to a rack for dishes in a dishwasher, comprising a grid for supporting the dishes. One or more such racks are provided in any dishwasher the grid wires then being bent in such a way that the dishes, such as plates, cups, and glasses can be supported on the grid in an upright position or in a more or less inclined position. As far as a common dishwasher is con- cerned the pressure at which water during the cleansing is ejected towards the dishes is not higher than the dishes will remain standing in the intended position thereof, possibly except smaller and lighter objects of metal sheet or plastics. In heavy-duty dishwashers for restaurants and large kitchens the pressure of the water is considerably higher, particularly in case of dishwashers operating with granules, wherein the water with plastic granules entrained therein is ejected towards the dishes during the cleansing, and it is therefore necessary that the dishes which in case of heavy-duty dishwashers generally comprise larger vessels are kept in a fixed position during the cleansing. In heavy-duty dishwashers there are therefore provided special, mostly exchangeable holders for standardized vessels (Gastronorm) . However, the problem is that these holders must be shaped and dimensioned for different ranges of the size of the vessels and must be exchanged when changing from cleansing of vessels in one size region to cleansing of vessels in another size region, and that it may be difficult to place the vessels in the holders and to remove them therefrom because some accurate fit between vessel and holder is required in order that the vessels shall not shake in the holders and cause noise during the cleansing. Moreover, the holders are expensive in manufacture. Additionally, special inserts are required for such dishes which are not of a standardized embodiment, for example pots, saucepans, large beaters, etc. US-A-5 294 008 discloses a dishwasher rack having a net of elastic cords, which is hooked to the dishwasher rack and is stretched over the dishes supported on the rack so that dishes of different shapes and sizes placed in the rack will be retained in such position that there is no risk that the dishes will capsize under the influence of the liquid pressure acting on the dishes. The drawback of this prior art device is that the mounting of the net on the dishwasher rack is a relatively time consuming piece of work which comprises hooking the net to the rack at different positions. US-A-4 732 291 relates to a dishwasher rack for dishes comprising small objects such as baby nipples and parts of baby bottles, and this dishwasher rack comprises pivoted wire grids for enclosing the objects in a wire basket in a cage-like manner by the wire grids closing the wire basket as lids at the top and bottom thereof. As far as the dishes include objects which need to be retained this is effected by retaining the object in the dishwasher rack itself. According to US-A-3 752 322 the dishes are retained in a dishwasher rack by the rack including pivotable wire grids on which the dishes are placed and which are shaped such that they can be engaged with the dishes by pivoting in order to retain the dishes on the dishwasher rack. This method of retaining the dishes is not suitable for delicate dishes and cannot be applied to objects of any size and shape . The dishwasher rack according to the invention com- prises in a known manner a grid for supporting the dishes and an element which is mounted to the grid for pivoting towards and away from the grid, and in order to provide a simple and easy to handle device for allowing dishes including objects of different kinds to be rapidly and safely retained in order to be maintained in the intended position under the influence of pressure exerted against the dishes during cleansing the liquid at the same time being able to work upon inside surfaces in for example cooking vessels, which is of greatest importance particu- larly as far as cleansing in granule dishwashers is concerned, the dishwasher rack according to the invention has been given the characterizing features according to claim 1. In order to explain the invention in more detail an illustrative embodiment thereof will be described below reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of the dishwasher rack located in a dishwasher, FIG. 2 is a front view of the dishwasher rack in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a side view along line III-III in FIG. 2 of pivoted elements forming part of the dishwasher rack with elastic strings attached to said elements, FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and illustrates the location of dishes in the dishwasher rack, FIG. 5 is a plan view of a grid forming part of the rack, FIG. 6 is an enlarged broken end view of the grid, and FIG. 7 is a side view of elements for supporting the elastic cords. The dishwasher rack disclosed in the drawings comprises a rectangular frame 10 of tubing which on the lower side thereof is provided with a longitudinally extending round bar 11 having bevelled ends, along two opposite sides 10A, FIGS. 3 and 4. On the inside surface of two opposite walls of a dishwasher cabinet 12 of metal sheet fragmentar- ily disclosed in FIGS. 1 to 3 there is attached with intermediate rubber dampers 13 a metal sheet rail 14 extending horizontally along the inside surface and having three grooved rollers 15 fixedly mounted to the rail said rollers preferably being made of plastics, for example acetal resin. Frame 10 can be pushed into the dishwasher on these rollers. Then, the frame slides on the rollers which thus do not rotate, and the round rods 11 are guidingly received in the roller grooves. Mounted on each rail 14 is a roller 16 which is also fixedly attached and after the frame having been pushed into the dishwasher over an initial distance will engage the upper side of the frame at said oppo- site sides 10A of the frame in order to prevent the frame from being lifted from rollers 15. Also rollers 16 preferably consist of acetal resin. Two grids 17, FIGS. 5 and 6, are provided on frame 10 and each comprise two round rods 18 and 19 extending paral- lelly and transverse round rods 20, eight in the number, which are attached to rods 18 and 19 and extend parallelly mutually spaced and perpendicularly to rods 18 and 19. On rod 18 there are welded to this rod at the positions where rods 20 - except the two outermost rods thereof - are attached to rod 18, pins 21 extending perpendicularly to rods 20 which at the end surface thereof are welded to rod 18. At the other end rods 20 extend below rod 19 and are welded to this rod at the lower side thereof . A downwardly bent end portion 22 extends beyond rod 19. A hook 23 is welded to the rods 20 which are next to the outermost of rods 20 slightly spaced from rod 18, and this hook is facing away from rod 19 and is located in the same plane as the downwardly bent end portion 22. Rods 18 and 19 project from the outermost rods 20 at both ends thereof. Each grid is pivotally mounted to frame 10 by the projecting end portions of rod 19 being inserted into lugs 24 attached to the frame, and projecting from the upper side thereof on the other two opposite sides 10B of the rectangular frame 10. Each grid has a folded down horizontal position wherein the grid at the projecting end portions of bar 18 rests against i fi <D -fi 4-J CD X 0 . CD A rH CD cn 1 03 φ > CD -fi 4-> 4-J CQ fi ■ ri rt 0i rt o ro CQ Ti ti 0 υ ti Φ A A ti ti CD -fi 4-J MH 0 system of the dishwasher. The rubber cords can be replaced by helical springs which have the drawback, however, that granules can get stuck between the winding turns. In a preferred embodiment the helical springs therefore are enclosed by a protecting hose of plastics or rubber.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Rack for dishes in a dishwasher comprising a grid (17) for supporting the dishes and an element (27) mounted to the grid pivoting towards and away from the grid, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that elastic cords (30) are mounted in said element to be engaged under elastic yielding against dishes supported on the rack by pivotal movement of the element towards the grid (17) , and that means (31) are provided for arresting the element in different pivoted positions with the cords stretched against the dishes. 2. Rack as in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said means for arresting said element (27) comprise a rail (31) pivotally mounted to the grid (17) and having a number of notches distributed along the rail for locking engagement with the element . 3. Rack as in claim 1 or 2 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the elastic cords (30) are stretched between said element (27) and the grid (17) . 4. Rack as in any of claims 1 to 3 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the elastic cords (10) comprise rubber straps or strings. 5. Rack as in any of claims 1 to 3 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the elastic cords (30) comprise O-rings. 6. Rack as in any of claims 1 to 3 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the elastic cords (30) comprise helical springs. 7. Rack as in claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the helical springs are enclosed by an elastic hose. 8. Rack as in any of claims 1 to 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the grid (17) is pivotally mounted and can be arrested in one or more inclined positions .

Inventors: MALMSTROEM NIKLAS, MALMSTROEM, NIKLAS
Applicants: GS DEV AB, MALMSTROEM NIKLAS, GS DEVELOPMENT AB, MALMSTROEM, NIKLAS
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A47L15
IPC codes: A47L15