Patent Publication Number: US-5833075-A

Title: Rack for kitchen ware

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to racks for kitchen ware which is to be washed and dried. More particularly the invention relates to racks which permit kitchen ware such as lids, plates, saucers or other generally like-shaped items to be washed and dried in a dishwasher or sterilized in a pot of hot water. 
     A cleaning and drying device for kitchen ware such as a dishwasher operates most effectively when the items to be washed and dried are held firmly in position. If they are not, the items may not be properly cleaned and dried or they may be damaged during the washing or drying cycle. 
     Racks in conventional dishwashers are designed to firmly secure dishes, glasses and other items commonly used in the preparation and serving of meals. The racks are not designed however to firmly hold many items not so commonly used. For example nipples for baby bottles and small lids such as lids for preserve jars are usually not washed and dried very well in a dishwasher because they are not held securely in a conventional rack. If they are placed in such a rack they will be thrown about the interior of the dishwasher by the force of the washing water or the force of the air used for drying. Many will settle in the bottom of the dishwasher where they will be in contact with dirty water from the washing cycle. 
     Racks which are designed to hold specific items are known. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,200 to Zambano et al. describes a rack which is specifically designed to hold nipples of baby bottles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,029 to Oghia et al. shows a rack which is intended to hold tall items and lids. 
     The racks described in the above-noted patents are not suitable for holding a large number of small lids such as the lids of preserve jars. The rack of the subject invention is suitable for this purpose. The rack is portable and may be placed upon the shelves or racks of a conventional dishwasher. The rack may also be placed in a pot of boiling water in order to sterilize the lids. The dishwasher or pot may therefore be used for this purpose; it is unnecessary to redesign them to make them suitable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The rack of the present invention may be broadly described as including a frame having a plurality of up-standing dividers spaced apart from one another at regular intervals for receipt of objects to be washed. The rack includes a retainer having a pair of lateral supports pivotally mounted to the frame and a plurality of spaced bars attached to the supports and extending therebetween. The retainer swings from a closed position in which the bars are over the objects and prevent them from being removed from between the dividers to an open position in which the bars are beside the objects and allow them to be selectively inserted and removed from between the dividers. The rack also has means for releasably securing the retainer in the closed position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The rack of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the rack; 
     FIG. 2 is an elevation of the side of the rack in smaller scale; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of the rack; 
     FIG. 4 is an elevation, in enlarged scale, on line 4--4 of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is an elevation of a portion of the end of the rack; 
     FIG. 6 is an elevation of the end of the rack showing its retainer in an open position; 
     FIG. 7 is an elevation of the end showing the retainer closed; and 
     FIG. 8 is an elevation of the end showing the retainer closed and locked. 
    
    
     Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of the drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to Figure the rack of the invention, generally 10, has a pair of triangular-shaped legs 12a, b at opposite ends and a frame, generally 14, which extends between and interconnects the two legs. The frame is generally triangular in cross-section and has oppositely facing lower walls 16a, b and a number of up-standing dividers 18 spaced apart from one another at regular intervals along its length. A handle 20 extends upwardly from a point midway between the legs of the rack. 
     With reference to FIGS. 2 and 5 a trunnion 22a, b extends outwardly from the vertex of each pair of legs. Each trunnion is received in an elongated slot 24 formed in the lateral support 26 of a retainer, generally 28. The end of each trunnion is enlarged to prevent the support from being removed from the trunnion. 
     The retainer is made up of a pair of lateral supports 26a, b at each end of the rack and an intermediate framework 30. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 the framework is made up of an elongated bar 32a which runs from one support 26a to the other 26b. Shorter bars 32b, c, d and e extend from each support and terminate at an intermediate member 34. The bars are parallel to one another and are spaced an equal distance apart from adjacent bars. The intermediate member 34 is generally U-shaped and has an opening 36 for receipt of handle 20. 
     With reference to FIG. 4, a stop member 38 extends upwardly from legs 12b and abuts against a boss 40 formed on the inside wall of the support. A groove 42 is formed in the upper wall of the legs for receipt of the boss when the support descends in the direction of the arrow. 
     With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the retainer is an open position where its bars 32 are beside the lids 44 to be washed. In this open position, the lids may be inserted downwardly into the spaces between adjacent dividers and lifted therefrom. The trunnion 22 is within slot 24 and the support may pivot about it. The support may also be moved linearly with respect to the trunnion by causing the trunnion to slide in the slot. 
     In FIG. 7 the retainer has pivoted clockwise about the trunnion to a closed position where the bars are above the lids. The lids cannot be inserted or removed when the bars are above them. Boss 40 abuts against stop member 38 and prevents further clockwise pivoting. The boss is above groove 42 so that the retainer while closed is not locked. 
     In FIG. 8, the support is in a lower position where its boss is within groove 42. In that position, the retainer is locked in the closed position and lids in the rack cannot be removed nor can new lids be added to the rack. 
     Lid 44 is intended to represent a smaller lid used to seal preserving jars. It should be noted however that the rack of the invention is capable of accommodating larger lids. As long as the lids are not so large that the retainer cannot be closed then the rack is capable of holding them. 
     It will be understood of course that modifications can be made in the preferred embodiments illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example trunnions 22a, b may be mounted on lateral supports 26a, b and received in slots formed in legs 12a, b.