U.S. patent application number 11/226596 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-15 for flexible rubber retaining net for light-weight items.
Invention is credited to Sean Moore.
Application Number | 20070056919 11/226596 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37853993 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070056919 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Moore; Sean |
March 15, 2007 |
Flexible rubber retaining net for light-weight items
Abstract
A flexible, rubber-like restraining net (6) comprised of a
plurality of communicating cords (8) spaced to form a plurality of
apertures (10) to allow the passage of water or gas. Said cords (8)
drape over and contact items (14, 16, 18) within a rack (12) so as
to prevent dislocation during the application of force. In
addition, said cords (8) may contain textures (20, 22, 24, 26) that
increase friction with said restrained items (14, 16, 18).
Inventors: |
Moore; Sean; (Somerville,
MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Sean D. Moore
Apt. #3
9 Belknap St.
Somerville
MA
02144
US
|
Family ID: |
37853993 |
Appl. No.: |
11/226596 |
Filed: |
September 15, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/41.9 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 15/505
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/041.9 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/08 20060101
A47G019/08 |
Claims
1. A device for restraining items within a dishwasher comprising a
net of material having a plurality of communicating cords, the
improvement wherein said net requires no attachment to said
dishwasher.
2. The net of claim 1 wherein the apertures formed by said cords
allows the passage of water and gas.
3. The net of claim 1 wherein the apertures formed by said cords
permits the passage of components of said dishwasher.
4. The net of claim 1 wherein said cords are flexible.
5. The net of claim 1 wherein the said cords are composed of
silicone.
6. The net of claim 1 wherein the said cords are composed of a
plurality of materials.
7. The net of claim 1 wherein said cords have surface features that
enhance friction.
8. The net of claim 1 wherein said cords have surface features that
enhance water drainage.
9. A method of restraining items, comprising: (a) providing a net
of communicating cords comprised of a flexible material, having
said cords spaced to allow the passage of water and gas, (b)
placing said items into a rack, (c) placing said net onto said
items so that it drapes over and contacts said items, whereby said
net restrains the vertical displacement of said items upon exposure
to forces imparted from liquid and/or gas.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said cords are composed of
silicone.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the surface of said cords is
textured to enhance friction.
Description
CROSS-REFERNCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not Applicable
SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM
[0003] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION--FIELD OF INVENTION
[0004] This invention relates to retaining devices, specifically to
devices that are used to prevent items in a dishwasher from
inverting or relocating during the wash cycle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Light-weight plastic food containers and dishes are
commonplace in today's kitchens. One significant drawback to
routinely using such light-weight items is the tendency of the
items to invert from the jets of water while being cleaned in
automated dishwashers. Because the inversions usually cause the
items to fill with dirty water, the items have to be rewashed with
no guarantee that they will not invert again. Also, light-weight
lids and accessories for food containers frequently become
dislodged and relocate within the washer, sometimes resting on the
heating element in the washer thus becoming permanently
damaged.
[0006] Several inventions have been previously disclosed that
describe devices intended to restrain loose and light-weight items
during automated dishwashing. Several of the previously-described
inventions describe cages or rigid restraining devices intended to
contain small items such as silverware, baby bottle nipples, or
containers of fixed dimensions (U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,322 to Fiocca,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,051 to Crawford, U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,993 to
Llewellyn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,125 to Insalaco, U.S. Pat. No.
3,935,958 to Frangos, U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,220 to Malmstrom).
Whereas these devices constrain small items or items with specific
dimensions, they are not intended to prevent the inversion of the
myriad of larger light container and lid designs common in most
kitchens and are not of general practical usefulness.
[0007] Another general class of dishwasher restraining devices
involves the use of a net drawn over the items in the washing rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,799 to Murray and U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,126 to
Davis describe complicated devices that allow the mechanical
application and retraction of a net over the items in the racks of
a dishwasher. These multi-component inventions require the
installation and maintenance of rollers or pulley systems into the
dishwasher. In addition to being convoluted, these inventions apply
the net across the top of the dishwasher rack. As will be discussed
further below, a tight net drawn across the top of the items will
not prevent the inversion of items too short to contact the
net.
[0008] A common design element of other simpler net-like
restraining devices for dishwashers is the attachment of the net in
some physical manner to the edges of the dishwasher rack. U.S. Pat.
No. 4,832,206 to Cunningham, U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,806 to Matern,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,019 to Sandbank, U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,843 to
Elder, U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,826 to Zimmermann, D338,750 to Chandler,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,008 to Dunaway, D368,340 to Mussmacher,
D398,091 to Badgett, U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,406 to Leipziger, and
D471,679 to Henzey all describe restraining nets that attach to the
dish rack. In each case, attaching the net to the rack causes the
net to become tightly drawn over the highest items in the rack.
This feature limits the usefulness of the restraining devices to
items as tall as or taller than the dish rack. In addition, if a
tall item is placed under the net, it lifts the restraining net up
and way from any other smaller items in the rack defeating the
purpose. Many of these "tight-net" designs also require custom
fasteners or design elements which may not be suitable for broad
use in the wide variety of dishwasher racks currently in use.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,890 issued to Clark describes a device
that uses a plurality of hinged plastic panels to restrain items in
the dish rack. Whereas this design overcomes the limitations of the
"tight-net" designs described above in that it can conform to the
landscape of the items, it is only able to do so in one of the two
dimensions of the rack. Additionally, this design makes use of
rigid plastic panels that do not grip the items in the rack so it
is possible for smaller items to flip when sufficient force is
imparted from the jets of water.
[0010] U.S. patent D398,090 issued to Busby describes the
ornamental design of a dishwasher net. Whereas this patent
illustrates a dishwasher net of similar overall appearance to the
presented invention described below, it is unclear how the Busby
design is intended to be implemented: what material it is to be
made of, whether or not it is to be attached to the rack, how
flexible it would be, etc. Also, the flat nature of the ribs of the
design presented by Busby would impede proper water circulation
against the surfaces of the restrained items.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION--OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
[0011] The objects and advantages of my submitted invention are as
follows: [0012] (1) to provide a restraining net that uses no
fasteners; [0013] (2) to provide a restraining net comprised of a
single, molded piece; [0014] (3) to provide a restraining net made
of very flexible material (preferably silicone) that loosely drapes
over items of different heights in the dishwasher rack; [0015] (4)
to provide a restraining net made of a soft rubber material
(preferably silicone) that grips the items in the dishwasher;
[0016] (5) to provide a restraining net with cylindrical webbing to
permit access of water against the restrained surfaces; [0017] (6)
to provide a restraining net with openings small enough to restrain
a wide variety of items, yet large enough to permit efficient
passage of water; and, [0018] (7) to provide a restraining net that
will work in a wide variety of dishwasher designs.
SUMMARY
[0019] The presented invention comprises a one-piece silicone
restraining net with cylindrical webbing that loosely drapes over
the items in a dishwasher rack.
DRAWING--FIGURES
[0020] In the drawings, closely related figures have the same
number but different alphabetic suffixes.
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a restraining net with a
square grid lattice of cords.
[0022] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a restraining net
positioned within a dishwasher rack.
[0023] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a retaining net
draped over various items in a dishwasher rack.
[0024] FIG. 4A to 4D show examples of cross-sections of cords that
may be used to alter retention performance. TABLE-US-00001
DRAWINGS-Reference Numerals 6 restraining net 8 cords 10 aperture
12 dishwasher rack 14 restrained tall vessel 16 restrained short
vessel 18 restrained vessel lid 20 smooth surface 22 textured flat
surface 24 moderately-angled edge 26 sharply-angled surface
DETAILED DESCRIPTION--FIGS. 1, 2, and 3--PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0025] A preferred embodiment of the restraining net of the
presented invention is schematically depicted in FIG. 1
(perspective view), FIG. 2 (perspective view within dishwasher
rack), and FIG. 3 (cross-section illustrating sufficient
flexibility to contact items of various dimensions). The
restraining net 6 is composed of series of connected cords 8
composed of a flexible rubber-like material that possesses
sufficient friction against the surfaces of items 14, 16, 18 within
a dishwasher rack 12 so as to prevent the items from relocating
during the wash cycle. In the preferred embodiment, the net is
composed of a material that can withstand repeated exposure to
harsh environments (heat, bleaches, detergents, etc.) imposed by
dishwashers and still retain flexibility and other rubber-like
qualities. The material should also present a relatively smooth
surface to minimize the accumulation of debris. Polymerized
silicone rubber (as is used in high-quality caulks and adhesives)
has demonstrated such preferable qualities in prototypes of the
present invention, although any soft, rubber-like material can be
used as long as it is sufficiently flexible to drape over and
contact said items 14, 16, 18 within said dishwasher rack 12. The
cords 8 of the net may also be composed of composites composed
several different materials, for example, a strong, flexible inner
cord or fiber with an outer rubber-like coating.
[0026] In the preferred embodiment of the restraining net, the
thickness of the cords 8 should be sufficient to provide strength
against breakage, yet thin enough to allow maximum flexibility
(typically 0.4 to 0.8 cm for silicone rubbers). In FIGS. 1 to 3,
the cords 8 of the net presented as having uniform thickness
throughout the net 6; however, there can be any combination of
thicknesses or materials throughout the webbing of the net 6 to
allow for optimized restraining and strength performance.
[0027] The apertures 10 formed by the cords 8 should be small
enough to prevent the passage of commonly-washed items, yet large
enough to allow ample water passage during washing, typically 4 to
7 cm. The number of cords 8 in the net should be sufficient to
provide contact with several of the vertical pins of the dishwasher
rack 12 when the net 6 is moved laterally by a small distance
(approximately 1 to 3 cm). This embodiment allows for greater
retention performance because the vertical forces applied by the
dishwasher are generally only applied to small regions of the rack
12 at any given time. If a region of items in the rack 12 is not
sufficiently weighted or restrained to prevent motion, the items
and the covering net 6 move vertically. The vertical motion
translates to a lateral displacement of the surrounding net 6. As
the surrounding net 6 moves toward the point of vertical
displacement, the cords 8 come into contact with the vertical pins
of the dishwasher rack and prevent further lateral movement, which,
in turn, prevents the items from rising sufficiently so as to
become dislodged.
[0028] Although the net 6 is presented in FIGS. 1 to 3 as a
uniform, square grid (for ease of illustration), the grid design
can be any pattern or combination of patterns that enhance
function. For example, one section of the net can contain a finer
mesh of adjacent rhomboid shapes for very small items or a courser
mesh of concentric circles for very large items. Additionally, some
dishwashers require a larger opening in the center of one or both
of the racks to function properly; therefore, the restraining net 6
may also contain design alterations to accommodate such
features.
[0029] In the preferred embodiment, the overall dimensions of the
restraining net 6 roughly match the dimensions of a typical
household dishwasher rack (45 to 55 cm). This size allows for
complete coverage of the items within the rack and was sufficient
to prevent items from inverting during testing of prototypes.
However, the dimensions of the net 6 may also be substantially
smaller or larger than the rack. A larger design would allow the
user to roll the excess to one side during routine use, or fold the
excess back over the rack for multiple layering and increased
retention.
FIGS. 4A-4D--Alternate Embodiments
[0030] Several design alterations may improve the performance of
the retaining net 6. In FIG. 4A, a cross section of cord is shown
with a smooth surface and a cylindrical shape 20 as described in
the preferred embodiment. Other cross-sectional shapes and surface
designs may improve the performance of the retaining net, some
examples of which are presented in FIGS. 4B to 4D.
[0031] In FIG. 4B, the top and bottom surfaces of the cord contain
a textured surface 22 that serves to increase contact with the
restrained items yet still allows the passage of water for
cleaning, drainage, and drying. In FIG. 4C and 4D, the entire
surface of the cord 24, 26 is angled to promote drainage and
increase friction with the restrained items.
Operation--FIGS. 2 and 3
[0032] The simple operation of the present invention is what sets
it apart from other restraining devices. The restraining net 6 is
simply extended laterally over the items in a rack as in FIG. 3 and
loosely draped over said items so that the net contacts as much
surface area of the items as is reasonably possible. The rack is
then placed into a washer for the cleaning and drying cycles. The
weight of the net, combined with the friction against restrained
items or features of the rack serve to minimize vertical motion
when force is applied from the jets of water or drying air. In
doing so, the utility of the invention is manifest in preventing
the inversion of items that lack sufficient weight. When restraint
is no longer needed, the net 6 is lifted from any portion and
removed. In some instances, peeling the rack up from the edge may
prove easier.
[0033] Between uses the restraining net 6 can be stored by hanging,
rolled and placed in into a drawer, or laid flat on a counter. In
using prototypes, it was discovered that the rubbery gripping
nature of the net makes an excellent friction surface between
cutting boards and counter tops and that feature made the storage
of the device on the counter beneficial between uses.
Advantages
[0034] As mentioned above, the simple construction and use of the
restraining net make the presented design and implementation
unique: [0035] (a) Unlike several previous inventions designed to
restrain items, the current invention is composed of a single,
molded net that greatly simplifies manufacture, eliminates cavities
for debris to settle, and eliminates independent moving parts.
[0036] (b) The highly flexible, rubber-like material allows for the
net to settle along more surface area of the restrained items and
also allows items of differing heights to be restrained
simultaneously without the net "tenting" over the highest items in
the rack. [0037] (c) The use of a material that is impervious to
the harsh environments within a washing machine provides an
advantage over several inventions that use metals, fabrics, or
plastics that can corrode or weaken over time. [0038] (d) The
flexible nature of the netting combined with the lack of physical
connectors allows a single design pattern and size to be used to
restrain items in many different rack designs. This "universal"
applicability greatly expands the utility of the presented
restraining net and allows a manufacturer to market a single
design. It also permits use of the same restraining net if the user
wishes to restrain items in several different racks. [0039] (e) To
function properly, the restraining net requires no modification of
the equipment in which it is to be used.
[0040] The above descriptions of the present invention are not
intended to limit the utility and scope of the invention, but
rather to provide the reader with examples of the current preferred
embodiment. For example, the device may incorporate design changes
to the composition material, the surface topology, the netting
pattern, or size for a particular implementation.
[0041] Therefore, the appended claims (not the examples presented
above) should be used in defining the scope of the invention.
* * * * *