Abstract:
A dish organizing device for organizing, soaking, washing, and drying dirty or used dishware. The dish organizing device includes a container having a base, one or more sidewalls, and an open upper end, defining an interior volume. The base comprises a plurality of ridges used to support and organize dishes and an opening to allow liquid to drain from the container. The device further includes one or more removable utensil holders that can be attached to the sidewalls of the container by means of a U-shaped lip disposed on the upper end of the removable utensil holder. One or more hooks can be removably attached to the sidewalls so that drinkware may be held thereon. The device prevents dishware from being haphazardly piled on top of one another and subsequently causing dishware to break. The device further provides additional dishware washing capacity when a user&#39;s sink is already occupied.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/047,734 filed on Sep. 9, 2014. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to dish organizing devices. More specifically, the present invention provides a dish organizing device that allows a user to organize and clean dishware, such as dishes, drinkware, and utensils. The device includes a container having a base, one or more sidewalls, and an open upper end, defining an interior volume. The base comprises a plurality of ridges adapted to support and organize dishes. One or more hooks are removably attached to the sidewalls for holding drinkware by the handle thereof. Further, one or more utensil holders are removably secured to the sidewalls of the container. 
         [0003]    Dirty dishes are generally placed in a sink or on a counter adjacent to the sink until the time when they are cleaned. Dishes are piled on top of one another in an unorganized manner and create a messy appearance. Further, it may be difficult to fit all of the dishes in the sink, and the dishes may break if haphazardly piled on top of one another. 
         [0004]    Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to dish washing and dish drying devices. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. Some of these devices generally relate to sink inserts that are used to hold water for soaking or washing dishes. Such devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,736 to Bishop and U.S. Pat. No. 8,468,618 to Alexander. These devices, however, fail to provide a ridged base for supporting and organizing dishes. Furthermore, these devices fail to provide a dish organizer further comprising one or more removably attached hooks adapted to organize drinkware, such as cups and glasses. Additionally, these devices fail to include a removable utensil holder for storing and organizing utensils. 
         [0005]    Other devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,407,059 to Sullivan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,631,948 to Yang et al., and U.S. Publication Number 2009/0152218 to Yang et al., generally relate to drying dishes and utensils on a rack, further including a shallow basin that allows excess water to drain in to a sink. These devices, however, fail to provide a container having a base, one or more sidewalls, and an open upper end, defining an interior volume, wherein the base comprises a plurality of ridges adapted to support and organize dishes. 
         [0006]    In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing dish organizing devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of dish organizing devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new dish organizing device wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when organizing dishware for cleaning. 
         [0008]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved dish organizing device that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
         [0009]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a dish organizing device comprising a container having a base, sidewalls, and an open upper end, wherein the base includes a plurality of ridges adapted to support and organize dishes and an opening in the base adapted to allow liquid to drain from the container. 
         [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a dish organizing device wherein one or more hooks are removably attached to the sidewalls of the container, wherein the hooks are adapted to hold dishes or drinkware thereon. 
         [0011]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dish organizing device wherein the opening on the base of the container is removably covered by a plug, whereby the plug is secured to the base by means of a strap. 
         [0012]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dish organizing device comprising one or more removable utensil holders having a U-shaped upper lip adapted to be disposed over one or more sidewalls of the container. 
         [0013]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a dish organizing device that may be readily fabricated from materials that permit relative economy and are commensurate with durability. 
         [0014]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the dish organizing device. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the plug, strap, and opening in the base of the container of the dish organizing device. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  shows a top down view of the dish organizing device. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  shows a side cross sectional view of the dish organizing device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the dish organizing device. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for cleaning and organizing dishware. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the dish organizing device and a perspective view of the plug, strap, and opening in the base of the container of the device. The dish organizing device  11  comprises a container  25  having a base  24 , one or more sidewalls  18 , and an open upper end, defining an interior volume. The container  25  is preferably substantially rectangular in configuration and can be made of rubber, plastic, or other suitable material. The base  24  comprises a plurality of ridges  17  adapted to support and organize dishes. Each ridge  17  in the base  24  forms a horizontal line by the juncture of two planes angled towards one another. Each ridge  17  may extend from a first sidewall  18  to a second sidewall  18 . The ridges  17  preferably extend the entire length of one or more sidewalls  18 . In this way, the edge of a dish can be placed between two ridges  17  such that the dish can be supported in an upright or vertical orientation. The outer surface or inner surface of a plate can rest on one of the planes that form a ridge, thereby allowing the plate to be supported. The plate can further be supported by resting the inner surface or outer surface of the plate against one or more sidewalls  18  or against one or more removable utensil holders  14 . In some embodiments, the base  24  of the container  25  can be a flat, planar surface and an insert comprising a plurality of ridges may be disposed on the surface of the base  24 . The insert can perform the same function as the ridged  17  base  24 , but the user can remove the insert if he or she prefers a non-ridged surface. 
         [0022]    The base  24  further comprises an opening  23  adapted to allow liquid to drain from the container  25 . The opening  23  is preferably circular in configuration. The placement of the opening  23  can be near a corner of the container  25 , so as to not interfere with the organization of dishes or drinkware that can be held in the dish organizing device  11 . The opening  23  is removably covered by a plug  15  so liquid can remain in the container  25  to allow the dishware to soak. The plug  15  is preferably substantially the same diameter as the opening  23  so as to fit within the opening  23  and create a watertight seal. The plug  15  is secured to the base  24  of the container  25  by means of a strap  16 . The strap  16  prevents the separation of the plug  15  from the container  25 . The strap  16  has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the strap  16  includes the plug  15  thereon. The second end of the strap  16  is connected to the base adjacent to the opening  23 . In some embodiments, the second end of the strap  16  can be connected to other elements of the device, such as the upper surface of a sidewall  18  so the user does not have to put his or her hand in the liquid in order to uncover the opening  23 . 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , there is shown a top down view of the dish organizing device and a cross sectional view of the device. The dish organizing device  11  further comprises one or more removable utensil holders  14  adapted to be attached to one or more sidewalls  18  of the container  25 . The utensil holders  14  include a bottom wall, a plurality of sidewalls that define an interior volume, and an open upper end, wherein the upper end includes a U-shaped lip  20  thereon. The utensil holder  14  can be removably secured to a sidewall  18  of the container  25  and rests flush against the sidewall  18  when secured thereon. 
         [0024]    The U-shaped lip  20  includes a first section that extends perpendicular to a sidewall of the utensil holder  14  and a second section that turns downward and is parallel to a sidewall of the utensil holder  14 . The U-shaped lip  20  is adapted to be positioned over the upper edge of a sidewall  18  of the container  25 . In this way, the removable utensil holder  14  can be removably secured to one or more sidewalls  18  of the container  25 . One or more removable utensil holders  14  can be suspended above the base of the container  25  and can extend the entire length of one or more sidewalls  18 . 
         [0025]    The interior volume of one or more removable utensil holders  14  can be further divided into separate sections by disposing one or more dividing walls  19  therein. The separate sections created by one or more dividing walls  19  are adapted for additional organization of a user&#39;s utensils by permitting him or her to divide utensils into groups, such as groups of forks, groups of knives, or groups of spoons. One or more removable utensil holders  14  and one or more dividing walls  19  can be made of rubber, plastic, or other suitable material. In some embodiments, other holders, such as wine glass holders or a sponge holder, may be removably affixed to the container  25 . The holders may be removably affixed to one or more sidewalls  18  in a similar manner as the removable utensil holders  14 . The U-shaped lip  20  may be attached to the upper edge of a sidewalls  18  of the container so that the utensils, wine glasses, or a sponge may be held within the area of the container  25  or can be suspended on the outside of the container  25 . 
         [0026]    The dish organizing device  11  further includes one or more hooks  26  attached to one or more sidewalls  18 . Each hook  26  comprises a hook end  21 , a curved fastener end  22 , and a center section. The curved fastener end  22  is adapted to secure one or more hooks  26  to the sidewalls  18  of the container  25 . The hook end  21  is adapted to hold dishes and drinkware thereon. Dishware with a handle can be placed on the hook end  21  by placing the handle thereon. One or more hooks  26  can be coated with rubber or plastic adapted to protect dishes or drinkware from falling therefrom. 
         [0027]    The curved fastener end  22  is disposed on the upper end of a sidewall  18  and the hook end  21  is disposed on the inner surface of one or more sidewalls  18 , whereby the hook end  21  and curved fastener end  22  are parallel to one or more of the sidewalls  18  disposed thereto. The center section of the hook  26  is perpendicular to one or more sidewalls  18  and is preferably substantially of similar width to the width of one or more sidewalls  18 . In this way, the hook end  21  and the curved fastener  22  end can be engaged with one or more sidewalls  18 , thereby keeping one or more hooks  26  in place when dishware is disposed thereon. The hooks  26  can be composed of metal, plastic, or any suitable material. In some embodiments, the hook end  21  may be replaced by a clip end adapted to hold items such as dishtowels or bibs. In some embodiments, the hook  26  can be reversed on one or more sidewalls  18  so to permit dishware to hang on the outside perimeter of the container  25 . 
         [0028]    In operation, a user can utilize the dish organizing device  11  to organize dishes for cleaning. The container can be filled with water once the user seals the with the opening  23  in the base  24  with the plug  15 . Plates can be placed between the ridges  17  in the base and such that the outer surface of the plate rests against the outer surface of one or more sidewalls  18 . Plates are added until there are no more spaces between the ridges  17  or the user has no more plates to soak. The plates are placed in an organized manner allowing for maximum usage of the interior container  25  space, while still allowing the liquid to penetrate all surfaces of each plate. 
         [0029]    The removable utensil holder  14  can also be filled with utensils and similar objects. Forks can be placed in one section and knives in a separate section, whereby the dividing walls  19  define multiple sections. If the user does not have utensils to soak or organize, he or she may remove the removable utensil holder  14  by disengaging the U-shaped lip  20  with one or more sidewalls  18 . Similarly, drinkware can be secured onto the hook end  21  of one or more hooks  26  removably positioned on the upper end of a sidewall  18  of the container  25 . 
         [0030]    Once the dish organizing device  11  is filled with dishes, the user can fill the container  25  with water to allow the dishes to soak. The user can pull the strap  16  to disengage the plug  15  from the opening  23  in the base  24 , allowing liquid to drain from the opening  21 . The placement of the plates, glassware, and utensils in the dish organizing device  11  prevents damage from occurring during the loading, soaking, or removing process. 
         [0031]    It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
         [0032]    Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.