Patent ID: 7445128

Claim:
A cutlery basket for use in a dishwasher, the dishwasher having a bottom, a wash container lid opposite the bottom, a pair of opposed sidewalls, a back wall, and a front access opening opposite the back wall all collectively delimiting a dishwashing cavity, the cutlery basket comprising: a base area for supporting cutlery items, the base area having a pivot axis, a first surface section extending transversely to one side of the pivot axis to terminate at a distal portion, and a second partial section extending transversely to another side of the pivot axis to terminate at a distal portion; and a pivoting articulation, the pivoting articulation being connected to the first and second surface sections of the base area such that the first surface section of the base area is pivotable relative to the second surface section of the base area about the pivot axis, the base area being supportable within the dishwashing cavity of the dishwasher below the wash container lid of the dishwasher with the pivot axis extending through the back wall and the front access opening of the dishwasher, the distal portion of first surface section of the base area being toward one respective side wall of the dishwasher, and the distal portion of the second lateral portion of the base area being toward the other respective side wall of the dishwasher, and the pivoting articulation permitting the first surface section of the base area to pivot relative to the second surface section of the base area between a first disposition and a second disposition with the first surface section and the second surface section of the base area together forming a surface upon which items to be handled by the dishwasher can be placed in each of the first and second dispositions, the first surface section and the second surface section of the base area, in the first disposition, defining a first included angle therebetween and both the distal portion of the first surface section and the distal portion of the second surface section of the base area being at respective spacings below the wash container lid of the dishwasher, and the first surface section and the second surface section of the base area, in the second disposition, defining a second included angle therebetween smaller than the first included angle and the distal portion of the first surface section being at a closer spacing to the wash container lid of the dishwasher than in the first disposition.