Abstract:
The invention relates to a visual monitoring device for use in conjunction with a dishwasher wherein a buoyant and weighted member is maintained in a cup-shaped receptacle and movable by water accumulated in the receptacle during the washing portion of the operating cycle, thereby changing the position of the buoyant member to indicate whether additional items can be accepted for washing.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a monitoring device for use in conjunction with a dishwasher and the operating cycle therefore to ascertain the status of the washing portion of the operating cycle when the door is opened for placing additional items in the dishwasher rack. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE ART 
     In the operation of the usual homestyle type of dishwasher the dishes are loaded into a rack slidably mounted in the washer and extendable for loading when the dishwasher door is opened, the operating cycle usually being initiated with closing of the door. However, there are many instances in which the dishwasher may only be partially loaded and the door closed and then, at some later time, additional dishes may want to be added to the rack before the operating cycle is actually started. In some instances, some sort of an indicator may be associated with the operating cycle to indicate when the dishwashing cycle is completed. However, opening the dishwasher door after the cycle has been completed renders the cycle inoperative, so for the addition of only one or a few more dishes, the cycle must be fully operative. Further, at some earlier time, if the operation of the dishwasher has been commenced and additional dishes may want to be washed in the same cycle, then it may be too late to actually insert the dishes because the washing portion of the cycle has already been completed. It is therefore of help to know if the washing portion of the cycle has not yet been started or has been partially completed, or if the full cycle has been completed so that a decision can be made relative to the status of the washing time that may be left to complete the washing of any dishes to be added. A problem also arises in the event the user intends to remove only one or more dishes from the dishwasher during the operation of the cycle, although a signal may be given upon completion of the operating cycle, this signal is then negated as soon as the door of the dishwasher is opened, even to remove only one dish. This does not tell the user, when there are subsequent openings of the door, whether or not the dishes have been completely washed particularly with reference to the washing portion of the cycle. With the present invention, this device reveals with the opening of the door if the washing cycle has been started, has been partially completed, or has been completed in its entirety, thereby negating any further use of the washing portion of the cycle for washing additional dishes. In other words, the device eliminates any guesswork on the part of the user as to the portion of the operating cycle that may stir be of use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is concerned primarily with a visual monitoring device that is completely independent of the operating cycle for the dishwasher, thereby eliminating any guesswork as to the status of the operating cycle. In other words, the cycle of operation normally consists of washing, rinsing and drying. It may be advantageous to know exactly when one or more additional dishes may be added to the washer once the operating cycle has been initiated. Actually, it is of no benefit to place additional dishes in the washer if the washing portion of the cycle has already been completed. It is to this end that the invention is directed. As will be described hereinafter, it will be evident that such a device is relatively simple, not only in its makeup, but also in the way it may be used and can be set to operate on its own with no connection to the actual electrical circuitry of the operating cycle. 
     The primary object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a visual monitoring device for use in conjunction with a dishwasher for ascertaining partial and complete operation of the washing portion of the operating cycle with the opening of the dishwasher door at any stage of the cycle. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a visual monitoring device which embodies a buoyant member carrying an indicating means for displaying the condition of the washing portion of the operating cycle of the dishwasher at any time with the opening of the dishwasher door. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a device which is completely independent of the operating cycle of the dishwasher for monitoring the washing portion of the operating cycle. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device easily mountable on the rack of the dishwasher and which can be selectively positioned in a position for controlling the flow of water accumulated in the device during the washing portion of the operating cycle and then showing completion of the washing portion of the operating cycle by means of a buoyant member associated with water accumulated during the washing portion of the cycle. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by the description which follows. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     Reference is now made to the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals and characters designate like parts and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical section through the device showing a weighted buoyant member in position for closing the first chamber of the receptacle; 
     FIG. 2 is a vertical section through a cup shaped receptacle showing the manner in which the buoyant monitoring device is mounted on the rack so as to be responsive to water used to wash the dishes during the washing portion of the operating cycle for indicating the status of the cycle when the dishwasher door is opened; 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 are views of a buoyant and weighted member selectively positionable in the receptacle with the showing of the weighting means and indicating means that are on diametrically opposed peripheral surfaces of the buoyant member; 
     FIG. 5 is a top view showing the relation of the receptacle and buoyant member to a portion of the dishholding rack; and 
     FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the receptacle member per se. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The monitoring device  10  comprises a receptacle  11  which is clamped or hooked on the rack  12  of a dishwasher by means of the clamping extension  13 , as shown more clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2. The receptacle  11  comprises a bottom wall  14  and has an extending side wall  15  which at a junction  16  divides the receptacle into a first chamber  17  and a second chamber  18 . The chambers  17  and  18  are coextensive with one another having a cylindrical shape, the first chamber  17  having an inner diameter  19  that is of smaller size than the inner diameter  20  of the second chamber  18 . At the junction  16  the side wall  15  extends inwardly and forms a shelf  21  that may be considered to be integral with the wall  15  per se and also which provides for the first and second chambers  17  and  18  to be coextensive. The clamping means  22 , as shown in FIG. 1, can be formed integral with the side wall of the second chamber  18 . 
     The weighting means  23  is secured to a peripheral surface of a buoyant member  24  to provide a dual function in the operation of the device. Again, as shown in FIG. 1 particularly, the weighting means  23  serves to hold the buoyant monitoring means  24  in position on the shelf  21  to close the first chamber  17 , thereby serving in effect as a floating valve member. 
     The weighting means  23  comprises a metal disc  25  that is fastened to the peripheral surface of the weighting means  23  by means of a screw or a suitable water-proof adhesive. The weight of the disc  25  must be sufficient to provide a rolling action of the ball  34  so upon floating freely in water will present its diametrically opposed surfaces to interchange as set forth hereinafter. 
     With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be noted that in FIG. 3, which is in effect a plan view of the buoyant monitoring means  24  as shown in FIG. 1, a first designating means  30  is provided on the peripheral surface thereof in association with the weighting means  23 . The second designating means  31  is provided on a diametrically opposed area of a peripheral surface of the buoyant monitoring means  24 . Accordingly, the buoyant monitoring means  24  can be selectively positioned manually, or as described hereinafter, maintained in a floating relation and position by the weighting means  23  relative to the inner diameter  19  and the shelf  21 . 
     The buoyant spherical monitoring means  24  comprises a hollow plastic ball  34  with weighting means  23  attached thereto in an area on its peripheral surface. The buoyant means  24 , while shown in this particular instance as the plastic ball  34 , can be of any material that is fairly light in weight and does not necessarily need to be plastic, but can be of a material such as foam plastic or foam rubber. Again, depending on the size and requirements of the dishwasher per se, even a wood member that is spherical in shape but of a light wood, such as balsa, can also be used. 
     The ball  34  carries a first indicating means designated by the numeral  31  on a portion of its peripheral surface for visually showing to the user that the operating cycle is inoperative, that is, has not been rendered operative, or has been partially or fully completed with opening of the washer door. At another portion of the peripheral surface of the ball  34  and diametrically opposed to the first indicating means  30  is a second indicating means  31  that indicates the washing portion or all of the operating cycle has been completed. The ball  34  is selectively positioned when the door is first opened within the second chamber and in peripheral engagement with the shelf  21  to close the first chamber  17  and thereby visually displaying to the user via the first indicating means  30  that additional dishes can be added to the rack. 
     The weighting means  23  associated with the buoyant monitoring means  24  maintains a ball  34  in engagement with the shelf  21  until the dishwasher has been closed and the operating cycle has started. At this point, which is the start of the washing portion of the cycle, water will gradually accumulate in the second chamber  18  and when sufficient water has accumulated will cause the ball  34  to rise into a position free of the shelf  21 . When sufficient water has accumulated in the chamber  18 , not only will the ball  34  float upward and in a direction away from the shelf  21  but will permit the accumulated water to flow into the first chamber  17  as the washing portion of the operating cycle continues, more water will be picked up by the second chamber  18  but the weighting means  23  will prevent the ball from reseating in its initial position because floating free of shelf  21  the ball will turn, due to weighting means  23  into a diametrically opposed position relative to its original position and the shelf  21 . The amount of water in the first chamber  17  plus what is in the second chamber  18  due to ball  34  will hold the ball in position so that cannot be returned to the shelf  21  while the level of water maintains the second chamber  18  in a practically fill condition. When the ball  34  rotates 180 degrees to position the weighting means  23  over and spaced from shelf  21  both indicating means  30  and  31  on the ball  34  will also move therewith so the second indicating means  31  will be visually presented when the washer door is again opened, not necessarily at the time of completion of the washing portion of the operating cycle but at any point in the operating cycle when the door is opened. In this way, the user can always be aware of the condition of the washing portion of the operating cycle so that proper placement of additional items in the rack can be accomplished at the right time to ensure proper washing for all or at least a part of the washing portion of the operating cycle. As set forth and described hereinabove it can be readily appreciated by anyone skilled in the art that the invention disclosed herein provides a novel way of achieving a result that is not dependent on the circuitry of the operating cycle. It should be pointed out at this point that in addition to the ball  34  being made of various types of material, that a relationship between the first and second chambers  17  and  18  to obtain the floating action can be and should be of such a nature that release of the water first accumulated in the second chamber  18  occurs in some proper timed relation to the completion of the washing portion. Consequently it has been found that if a volume ratio is found between the first chamber  17  and the second chamber  18  of about 1:3, that the resulting action due to the water accumulated and flowing from one chamber provides adequate movement of the ball  34  and is sufficient to maintain the ball  34  with the weigh of the weighting means  23  directed towards the shelf  19  in such a relation that there is a flow between the two chambers and at the same time allowing the weighting means  23  to hold the ball  34  in proper position with respect to the second indicating means  31  so as to place it in visual relationship to the door when it is opened. Hence, there are differences in material used for the buoyant monitoring member  24  and the relation of volume size between the first and second chambers  17  and  18  that can be effective without altering the operational function or the purpose of the invention as described and disclosed hereinabove. 
     Accordingly, the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effective within the spirit of the invention.