Abstract:
A vessel holder and a dish washing machine having the same, in which, when vessels are put into and washed in the dish washing machine, the vessels can be stably washed by improving a fixed state of each thereof. The dish washing machine includes a washing space, a vessel basket installed in the washing space, and includes wires, at least one vessel holder detachably installed to the vessel basket, and allowing a vessel to be inserted thereinto and supported therein. The vessel holder includes a plurality of supports elastically supporting the vessel, and an inserting part provided between the supports and allowing the vessel to be inserted thereinto.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0132875, filed on Dec. 22, 2006, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a vessel holder and a dish washing machine having the same. More particularly, to a vessel holder and a dish washing machine having the same, in which, when vessels (i.e., cups, dishes, etc.) are disposed and washed in the dish washing machine, the vessel are more stably washed by improving a supported state of each vessel. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    As disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0136461, a conventional dish washing machine includes a main body having a washing space, a vessel basket provided to be slidable in the main body and having a plurality of wires intersecting with each other, injection nozzle assemblies provided at upper and lower portions of the vessel basket and spraying washing water, and a sump connected with the injection nozzle assemblies by means of guide pipes and pumping the washing water toward the injection nozzle assemblies. 
         [0006]    Various vessels, for example, cups including utensils such as dishes and platter are put and washed in the vessel basket. The vessel basket is adapted to fix the dishes and bowls, but not the cups. Hence, when high-pressure washing water is sprayed toward the cups, the cups move around to collide with its surrounding vessels. 
         [0007]    Further, an attempt is made to provide a structure for independently fixing the cups themselves, but there is a limitation to the fabrication of such a fixing structure because the diversity of the cups. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a vessel holder and a dish washing machine having the same, in which, when a variety of vessels, particularly cups, are put into and washed in the dish washing machine, the vessels such as cups can be stably washed by providing a structure of fixing the cups. 
         [0009]    Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
         [0010]    The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention are achieved by providing a dish washing machine, which includes a washing space, a vessel basket installed in the washing space, and including wires, at least one vessel holder detachably installed to the vessel basket, and allowing a vessel to be inserted thereinto and supported therein. According to an aspect of the present invention, the vessel holder includes a plurality of supports elastically supporting the vessel, and an inserting part provided between the supports and allowing the vessel to be inserted thereinto. 
         [0011]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the vessel basket includes first wires and second wires intersecting with the first wires, and the vessel holder is installed at an intersection of each first wire and each second wire. 
         [0012]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the vessel holder further includes a coupler, which is provided under the supports and the inserting part, and is coupled with the vessel basket. 
         [0013]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the supports includes a first support extending upwards from the coupler and a second support disposed adjacent to the first support, and each of the first and second supports includes a bent part at an end thereof such that the vessel is easily inserted. 
         [0014]    Further, according to an aspect of the present invention, the coupler includes a first seat seated on each first wire, and second seats seated on each second wire, and the first and second seats intersect with each other so as to correspond to an arrangement in which the first and second wires intersect with each other. 
         [0015]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the first wires are disposed on the second wires, the first seat includes an upper surface higher than that of each of the second seats so as to correspond to the arrangement of the first and second wires. The vessel holder is inclinedly installed by rotating about each of the second wires and the second seats in a state in which the first and second seats are seated on the first and second wires such that the vessel can be smoothly washed according to a shape of the vessel inserted into the vessel holder. 
         [0016]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the first seat is provided so as to have a lower portion thereof opened and to accommodate each of the first wires, and the second seats are provided on opposite sides of the first seat so as to accommodate each of the second wires. Each of the second seats includes a vertical inner height greater than a diameter of each of the second wires such that the vessel holder can be rotated. 
         [0017]    According to an aspect of the present invention, each of the second seats includes a claw that surrounds each of the second wires and prevents escape from each of the second wires. 
         [0018]    It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a vessel holder which includes a coupler coupled with a basket including wires, a plurality of supports extending from the coupler and elastically fixing a vessel in the basket, and an inserting part provided between the supports and inserted by the vessel. 
         [0019]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the wires include first wires and second wires intersecting with the first wires. The coupler includes a first seat on which each of the first wire is seated and second seats on which each of the second wire is seated, and be coupled with an intersection of each of the first wires and each of the second wires. 
         [0020]    According to an aspect of the present invention, each of the first wires is in contact with each of the second wires and be located on each of the second wires. The first seat includes an upper surface higher than that of each of the second seats so as to correspond to an arrangement of the first and second wires. 
         [0021]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the first seat is provided so as to have a lower portion thereof opened and to accommodate each of the first wires, and the second seats are provided on opposite sides of the first seat so as to accommodate each of the second wires. Each of the second seats includes a claw that surrounds each of the second wires and prevents the coupler from escaping from each of the second wires. 
         [0022]    According to an aspect of the present invention, each of the second seats includes a vertical inner height greater than a diameter of each of the second wires such that the vessel holder is inclinedly installed by rotating about each of the second wires according to a shape of the vessel inserted into the vessel holder. 
         [0023]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the supports includes the first support extending upwards from the coupler and the second support disposed adjacent to the first support, and the vessel is inserted between the first and second supports and be fixedly supported by elastically supporting action of the first and second supports. 
         [0024]    According to an aspect of the present invention, each of the first and second supports includes a smoothly bent part at an end thereof so as to prevent a mouth of the vessel from colliding with the ends of the first and second supports when the vessel is inserted. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a dish washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are front and rear perspective views of a vessel holder according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is a side view illustrating a vessel holder according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating a method of mounting a vessel holder according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating a method of inserting a cup into a vessel holder according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  are side views illustrating how a cup and a vessel holder are installed according to a shape of the cup in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  illustrates an operation of a dish washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures. 
         [0034]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a dish washing machine comprises a main body  1 , a control panel  2  provided at a front upper portion of the main body  1 , a washing space  3  formed in the main body  1 , and a door  5  hinged to a lower portion of the main body  1 , in order to open and close the washing space  3 . 
         [0035]    The washing space  3  comprises a vessel basket  7 , which accommodates vessels such as dishes to be washed. The vessel basket  7  comprises handles  13  on opposite sides thereof, providing easy installation and grasping of the vessel basket  7 , and roller sets  17  sliding the vessel basket  7 . The washing space  3  further comprises rail sets  15  on inner sides thereof, which guide sliding movement of the roller sets  17 . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, the vessel basket  7  comprises crisscrossed wires. For convenience, the wires  9  arranged along a width direction of the dish washing machine are referred to as “first wires,” and the wires  11  arranged perpendicular to the first wires  9  are referred to as “second wires.” 
         [0037]    In the vessel basket  7 , the first and second wires  9  and  11  intersect to form intersections. Vessel holders  20  having the shape of a clip are installed to the intersections. Each vessel holder  20  allows a utensil such as a cup, which is difficult to fix to the vessel basket  7 , to be inserted thereinto and supported therein. Hereinafter, an example in which the cup is inserted into the vessel holder  20  will be described. However, the present invention is not limited any particular type of vessel and may vary as necessary. 
         [0038]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , each vessel holder  20  comprises a coupler  30  coupled to the intersection of the first and second wires  9  and  11  (see  FIG. 1 ), and supports  22  and  24  extending upwards from the coupler  30 . 
         [0039]    One of the supports  22  and  24  is referred to as first support  22 , and the other is referred to as second support  24 . Each of the first and second supports  22  and  24  is provided, at an upper end thereof, with a bent part  26 , which is smoothly bent. An inserting part  28  is defined by the first and second supports  22  and  24  such that the first and second supports  22  and  24  are separated from each other at upper portions thereof, and thus allow the cup to be inserted therebetween. The inserting part  28  comprises a triangular shape in such a manner that an interval between the first and second supports  22  and  24  is reduced in proportion to a distance from the coupler  30 . An interval between the bent parts  26  is increased in inverse proportion to a distance from the coupler  30 . 
         [0040]    The bent parts  26  are provided to guide smooth insertion of the cup. The reason the inserting part  28  has the triangular shape is so aimed that the cup is caught between the first and second supports  22  and  24 , and simultaneously inner and outer circumferences of the cup are contacted and supported at a portion where the interval between the first and second supports  22  and  24  is smallest. 
         [0041]    The coupler  30  under the first and second supports  22  and  24  comprises a first tunnel-like seat  32  into and on which the first wire  9  (see  FIG. 1 ) is inserted and seated, and second seats  34  into and on which the second wire  11  (see  FIG. 1 ) is inserted and seated and that intersect with the first seat  32 . Each of the second seats  34  is provided, at an end thereof, with a claws  36  on which the second wire  11  is caught. 
         [0042]    Here, the second seats  34  are located on left and right sides of the first seat  32 . That is, the second seats  34  are positioned at opposite sides of the first seat  32 . Thus, the first seat  32  allows the vessel holder  20  to be seated on the first wire  9  (see  FIG. 1 ) in a vertical direction. In this state, the second seats  34  allow the vessel holder  20  to be guided toward and seated on the second wire  11  (see  FIG. 1 ) in a horizontal direction. 
         [0043]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the vessel holder  20  is adapted to be elastically deformed to some extent in backward and forward directions when an external force is applied to the first and second supports  22  and  24 . Thus, when the external force is released from the first and second supports  22  and  24 , the first and second supports  22  and  24  are restored to their original positions. 
         [0044]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, the vessel holder  20  is formed of resin material having high elasticity. The high elasticity of the vessel holder  20  allows any kind of cup to be inserted into and supported on the vessel holder  20 . Further, since the inserting part  28  has a triangular space that gradually increases from top to bottom, a mouth of the cup can be prevented from being damaged although the mouth of the cup swings to some extent after the cup is inserted into the inserting part  28 . 
         [0045]    In the coupler  30  which constitutes the lower portion of the vessel holder  20 , the first seat  32  comprises an upper surface higher than those of the second seats  34 , this corresponds to the arrangement of the first and second wires  9  and  11  because the first wire  9  is located on the second wire  11 . 
         [0046]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, a vertical inner height of each of the second seats  34  is greater than a diameter of the second wire  11 . This is for allowing the vessel holder  20  to be rotated about the second wire  11  by a predetermined angle in backward and forward directions. This rotation and its necessity will be described in detail below. 
         [0047]    The present invention is not limited to the arrangement of these wires as described above, and may vary as necessary. For example, the first and second seats  32  and  34  can be changed in position in a vertical direction. 
         [0048]    Hereinafter, both the sequence of mounting each vessel holder  20  according to the present invention and the state in which the cup is supported by each vessel holder  20  will be described. 
         [0049]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the vessel holder  20  is located above the vessel basket  7  at a predetermined distance. In this state, the vessel holder  20  moves toward the vessel basket  7  such that the first seat  32  of the vessel holder  20  is seated on the first wire  9  of the vessel basket  7 . 
         [0050]    Then, the vessel holder  20  is moved toward an intersection ‘A’ where the first wire  9  intersects with the second wire  11 . In this case, the vessel holder  20  is guided by the first wire  9 , and is moved toward the intersection ‘A’. 
         [0051]    When the vessel holder  20  arrives at the intersection ‘A’, the second wire  11  is inserted into the second seats  34  through front openings of the second seats  34 . Thereby, the mounting of the vessel holder  20  is completed. 
         [0052]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , as for the method of inserting the cup C into the vessel holder  20 , the cup ‘C’ is located above the vessel holder  20 , and then is moved downwards such that the mouth of the cup ‘C’ is inserted between the first and second supports  22  and  24 . 
         [0053]    At this time, the first and second supports  22  and  24  are gradually spread outwards from each other. The inner and outer circumferences of the cup are elastically supported by the elasticity of the first and second supports  22  and  24  themselves. 
         [0054]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate how the vessel holder  20  is mounted depending on the shape of a cup, wherein  FIG. 6A  is for the case in which a cup ‘B’, such as a wine glass, having a relatively great mouth is inserted into the vessel holder  20 , and  FIG. 6B  is for the case in which a cup ‘C’ having a relatively small mouth is inserted into the vessel holder  20 . 
         [0055]    Washing water is sprayed in the washing space  3  by means of injection nozzle assemblies  40   a,    40   b  and  40   c  (see  FIG. 7 ) in an oblique direction rather than a linear direction. As illustrated in  FIG. 6A , in the case of the cup ‘B’ having a relatively great mouth, when the washing water ‘D’ is sprayed in an oblique direction, the washing water ‘D’ has no difficulty in entering into and washing the cup ‘B’ although the cup ‘B’ is disposed in a vertical direction because the mouth of the cup ‘B’ is great. As such, the vessel holder  20  is installed to the vessel basket  7  in a vertical direction, for example. 
         [0056]    At this time, the second wire  11  is in contact with the upper surfaces of the second seats  34 , and is spaced apart from lower surfaces of the second seats  34  by a predetermined interval. 
         [0057]    In contrast, as in  FIG. 6B , in the case of the cup ‘C’ having a relatively small mouth, when the cup ‘C’ stands in a vertical direction, and when the washing water ‘D’ is sprayed in an oblique direction, the washing water ‘D’ has difficulty in entering into and washing the cup ‘C’. 
         [0058]    For this reason, it is necessary to lean the cup ‘C’ by a predetermined angle θ such that the washing water ‘D’ easily enters into the cup ‘C’. When the cup ‘C’ and the vessel holder  20  are pushed in a certain direction after the cup ‘C’ is inserted into the vessel holder  20 , they are inclined in the pushed direction by the predetermined angle θ. 
         [0059]    The center of gravity of the cup ‘C’ is located near a bottom of the cup ‘C’, and the gravity acts in a direction in which the inclined state is maintained with no change at present. Hence, this inclined state is stably maintained. 
         [0060]    At this time, a rear end of the first seat  32  is separated from the first wire  9 . Thus, an inclined angle, which is formed by an upper surface of the first seat  32  and an outer surface of the first wire  9 , corresponds to the currently inclined angle θ. 
         [0061]    The second wire  11  is in contact with the lower surfaces of the second seats  34 , and particularly is fitted between the claws  36  and rear inner walls of the second seats  34 . Thus, the currently inclined state can be maintained with no change. 
         [0062]    Now, the overall operation of the dish washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
         [0063]    As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , a user seats vessels such as bowls ‘E’ and cups ‘C’ on the vessel basket  7  having the vessel holders  20 , and then the vessel basket  7  is pushed into the washing space  3 . Then, the door  5  is closed, and the dish washing machine is operated. Thereby, the washing water is introduced into the washing space  3 . 
         [0064]    The introduced washing water is heated by a heater  54  installed under the washing space  3 . The heated washing water is introduced into a sump  51  again, and then is pumped upwards by means of a pump  52  mounted to the sump  51 . 
         [0065]    The pumped washing water is guided to the injection nozzle assemblies  40   a,    40   b  and  40   c  through guide pipes  41   a  and  41   b,  and is sprayed into the washing space  3 . The sprayed washing water collides with and washes the bowls ‘E’ and the cups ‘C’. 
         [0066]    At this time, each cup ‘C’ is disposed in an inclined or vertical state according its shape such that the washing water sprayed therebelow is smoothly introduced. Thereby, the washing of the cups ‘C’ can be performed in a more reliable manner. 
         [0067]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, a separate structure capable of fixing the vessels, particularly the cups is provided, so that the vessels can be more stably disposed during washing, and thus be prevented from being damaged. 
         [0068]    Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, each vessel can be disposed in an inclined or vertical posture according to its shape, so that the washing water can be more smoothly introduced into the vessels. Thus, the washing performance of the vessels can be improved. 
         [0069]    Although few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.