U.S. patent application number 13/466873 was filed with the patent office on 2012-11-22 for glassware rack for dish washing machines.
Invention is credited to ELAINE MCNAMARA.
Application Number | 20120292273 13/466873 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47174159 |
Filed Date | 2012-11-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120292273 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MCNAMARA; ELAINE |
November 22, 2012 |
GLASSWARE RACK FOR DISH WASHING MACHINES
Abstract
The glassware rack for dishwashing machines includes an outer
frame adapted to be slidably mounted inside a dishwasher. A
plurality of wire-frame, glassware mounting bars are disposed
between two sides of the outer frame. Each glassware mounting bar
includes spaced loops for mounting the stems of the glassware. A
mesh cover is pivotally attached to each glassware mounting bar and
locks onto the bar by a latching mechanism. The cover overlies the
bases of the mounted glassware and prevents the same from
undesirable movement during subsequent washing and cleaning cycles
of the dishwasher. Alternatively, the bars may be configured to
hold the glassware at an angle.
Inventors: |
MCNAMARA; ELAINE; (Belmont,
MA) |
Family ID: |
47174159 |
Appl. No.: |
13/466873 |
Filed: |
May 8, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61487479 |
May 18, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
211/79 ;
211/71.01; 211/85.31 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 15/503 20130101;
A47L 15/505 20130101; A47F 5/01 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/79 ;
211/71.01; 211/85.31 |
International
Class: |
A47L 15/50 20060101
A47L015/50 |
Claims
1. A glassware rack for dishwashing machines, comprising: an outer
frame adapted to be slidably mounted in a dishwasher, the outer
frame having a front, a back and lateral sides; a plurality of
parallel mounting bars extending between the front and back sides
of the outer frame; a plurality of mounting loops formed on each of
the mounting bars, each of the mounting loops being adapted to hold
a stem and base of glassware in a downward, hanging position; at
least one cover pivotally attached to the outer frame, the at least
one cover pivoting between an open position permitting access to
the mounting loops and a closed position overlying the mounting
loops; and a latching mechanism extending from the at least one
cover for latching the at least one cover to the mounting bar;
wherein the at least one cover is adapted for pressing the base of
the glassware against the mounting bar to thereby prevent movement
of and resulting damage to the glassware during handling and
cleaning.
2. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
1, wherein said plurality of parallel mounting bars comprises at
least one pair of adjacent mounting bars, each of said plurality of
mounting loops on one of the mounting bars of said at least one
pair of mounting bars having an opening for insertion of glassware
facing in one direction, and each of said plurality of mounting
loops on the other of the mounting bars of said at least one pair
of mounting bars having an opening facing an opposite direction,
the plurality of mounting loops on said mounting bars being
staggered.
3. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
1, wherein each said mounting bar comprises an elongate wire having
said plurality of mounting loops formed thereon, said mounting
loops being spaced along said mounting bar to safely accommodate
glassware of varying sizes.
4. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
3, wherein said elongate wire is covered with material for
protection from wear and environment.
5. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
3, wherein each said at least one cover comprises an elongate,
rectangular wire frame and a flexible, porous mesh supported on the
wire frame, said porous mesh resiliently pressing the base of the
glassware against said mounting bar and permitting passage of
washing liquid during a dishwashing cycle.
6. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
3, wherein each said plurality of mounting loops on each mounting
bar is disposed at an angle with respect to the horizontal in order
to mount said glassware at said angle.
7. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
6, wherein said angle is about 5-10 degrees from vertical.
8. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
6, wherein each said at least one cover comprises an elongate, wire
frame and a plurality of spaced flexible, porous meshes supported
thereon, the spacing between adjacent porous meshes defining a gap
adapted for passage of a portion of the base of the glassware
hanging on said mounting bar, the remainder of the base of the
glassware being covered and pressed by an adjacent porous mesh when
said at least one cover is in the closed position.
9. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
1, further comprising at least one access bridge extending between
an adjacent pair of said mounting bars, the at least one access
bridge permitting glassware to be threaded through towards a
user-selected one of said mounting loops.
10. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
1, wherein said outer frame comprises; a box frame having a top; a
handle disposed on the front of the box frame, the handle extending
above the top of the box frame; and at least one roller connected
to each of the lateral sides of the box frame, the at least one
roller being adapted to ride along bottom rails of a dishwashing
machine.
11. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
10, further comprising at least one resilient bumper attached to
the front and the back of said box frame.
12. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
10, wherein said box frame is a covered wire frame.
13. A glassware rack for dishwashing machines, comprising: a box
frame adapted for slidable mounting in a bottom shelf of a
dishwasher, the box frame having a front, a back, a top, and
lateral sides; a plurality of parallel mounting bars extending
between the front side and the back side of the box frame; a
plurality of mounting loops formed on each of the mounting bars,
each of the mounting loops being adapted to hold a stem and base of
glassware; at least one cover pivotally attached to the box frame,
the at least one cover pivoting between an open position permitting
access to the mounting loops and a closed position overlying the
mounting loops; a latching mechanism extending from the at least
one cover for latching the at least one cover to the mounting bar;
a handle disposed on the front of the box frame, the handle
extending above the top of the box frame; and at least one roller
connected to each of the lateral sides of the box frame, the at
least one roller being adapted to ride along bottom rails of the
dishwasher; wherein the at least one cover is adapted for pressing
the base of the glassware against the mounting bar to thereby
prevent movement of and resulting damage to the glassware during
handling and cleaning.
14. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
13, further comprising at least one resilient bumper attached to
the front and the back of said box frame.
15. The glassware rack for dish washing machines according to claim
13, wherein said box frame is a covered wire frame.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 61/487,479, filed May 18, 2011.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to glassware racks and
holders, and particularly to a glassware rack for dishwashing
machines configured to securely hold the glassware and prevent
damage throughout the washing process.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Connoisseurs of fine wines and other spirits often collect
fine glassware to complement the beverage. The variety of glassware
available to the connoisseur can range widely in styles, shapes,
stem lengths and price. In a fine restaurant, a sommelier would
often serve wine in a specific wine glass or stemware that is
designed to extract the best essence and bouquet for enjoyment by
the diners and complementary with the food. Such an experience can
be reproduced at home with the appropriate glassware. However, some
care must be exercised when handling and cleaning the stemware or
glassware due to their delicate nature. This is especially evident
with the more expensive crystal glassware because accidental
breakage of such glassware can be a significant financial and/or
sentimental loss.
[0006] In most households, the user typically employs a dishwasher
to clean the glassware since the dishwasher is a very convenient
appliance for such tasks. Unfortunately, most dishwashers do not
have a rack that can safely hold the glassware in a manner that
will prevent damage while maintaining satisfactory cleaning of the
glassware. The standard racks in most dishwashers are usually not
specifically designed to stably hold stemware. Instead, they are
designed to be generic and capable of holding glassware of various
types, e.g., mugs, tumblers, etc. Of course, hand washing the
glassware is another method of cleaning, but that can be a time
consuming chore. Moreover, there is a greater chance that the
glassware may accidentally slip from one's hands and break during
the process of washing if one is not careful. Due to the above, it
would be a benefit in the art of glassware care to provide a
dishwashing rack capable of holding stemmed glassware in a manner
that substantially reduces risks or prevents breakage during the
washing process.
[0007] Thus, a glassware rack for dishwashing machines solving the
aforementioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The glassware rack for dishwashing machines includes an
outer frame adapted to be slidably mounted inside a dishwasher. A
plurality of wire-frame glassware mounting bars are disposed
between two sides of the outer frame. Each glassware mounting bar
includes spaced loops for mounting the stems of the glassware. A
mesh cover is pivotally attached to each glassware mounting bar and
locks onto the bar by a latching mechanism. The cover overlies the
bases of the mounted glassware and prevents the glassware from
undesirable movement during subsequent washing and cleaning cycles
of the dishwasher. Alternatively, the bars may be configured to
hold the glassware at an angle.
[0009] These and other features of the present invention will
become readily apparent upon further review of the following
specification and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a glassware
rack for dishwashing machines according to the present
invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the glassware rack of FIG.
1.
[0012] FIG. 3 is an environmental perspective view of an
alternative glassware rack for dishwashing machines according to
the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 4 is an environmental side view of the glassware rack
of FIG. 3.
[0014] FIG. 5 is an environmental perspective view of an
alternative embodiment of a glassware rack for dishwashing machines
according to the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the glassware rack shown in
FIG. 5.
[0016] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] The present invention relates to a glassware rack for
dishwashing machines, a first embodiment of which is generally
referred to in the drawings by reference number 10, that is
configured to hold stemmed glassware in a secure and stable manner
in order to prevent inadvertent breakage thereof. As shown in FIGS.
1 and 2, the glassware rack 10 includes an outer frame 12 enclosing
a plurality of elongate, glassware mounting beams or bars 20. The
outer frame 12 is preferably square or rectangular, and is
dimensioned and configured to fit inside the dishwasher. The outer
frame 12 may be formed with covered or coated wire (e.g., vinyl or
other polymer coatings) that is lightweight yet sturdy for
extensive use. However, other materials such as sturdy plastic,
steel, wood, and composites may be used as alternatives. The outer
frame 12 is adapted to be slidably mounted in one of the pairs of
mounting rails inside a dishwasher D via a slider mechanism similar
to those on a typical dishwasher rack. Thus, the glassware rack 10
can be preinstalled in a typical dishwasher or an accessory rack,
replacing an existing one.
[0018] The plurality of glassware mounting bars 20 span between two
sides, i.e., front and back sides, of the outer frame 12. Each
mounting bar 20 is preferably made from an elongate, covered or
coated wire having a plurality of spaced loops or notches 22 formed
thereon. Each loop 22 is configured to permit the stem S of a glass
G to be placed and held therein. The loop 22 holds the glass G in a
hanging position and supports the glass G on one side of the base B
of the glass G. The spacing between adjacent loops 22 on the
mounting bar 20 should be wide enough to accommodate stemmed
glasses G of various sizes without danger of the glasses G breaking
against each other or preventing the desired cleaning action of the
water in the dishwasher D.
[0019] To prevent undesirable breakage, the glassware rack 10
includes a cover 30 for each mounting bar 20. Each cover 30 is
pivotally attached to the front and back sides of the outer frame
12. In operation, the cover 30 overlies the bottom side of the
glass base B and is secured in place by a latching mechanism 34,
e.g., hooks extending from opposite ends of the cover 30 that
engage the mounting bar 20. In this manner, the glass bases B of
the row of mounted glasses G are stably supported between the
respective loops 22 and the cover 30. Thus, any jostling that
occurs during handling of the glasses G on the glassware rack 10
will be minimized.
[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each cover 30 includes an
elongate, rectangular wire frame supporting a porous mesh 32. The
mesh 32 may be made from plastic, steel, composites, or any
flexible sheet with holes. In addition to providing support, the
holes in the mesh 32 permit the water circulating inside the
dishwasher to reach and clean the base of the glass G. In the
preferred embodiment, the cover 30 exhibits some flex in order to
conform to and accommodate the shape of the glass base B as the
cover 30 presses against the base B. During operation, the cover 30
is pivoted in the direction indicated by arrow 31, and the latching
mechanism 34, in the form of a hook, is latched onto the mounting
bar 20. Other fasteners, such as hook loop fasteners or snap fit
fasteners, may be used in lieu of hooks.
[0021] The arrangement of the mounting bars 20 is configured to
provide easy and quick access to the loops 22. Initially, it is
noted that while only a pair of mounting bars 20 are shown in the
drawings, it is to be understood that the glassware rack 10
includes a plurality of mounting bars 20 along the width thereof.
To facilitate quick mounting of the glasses G, the loops 22 in each
adjacent bar are staggered, and the openings of the loops 22 face
each other. In this manner, the user can utilize the space between
adjacent mounting bars 20 to quickly and easily mount the glasses G
onto the respective loops 22. To further ease access, the front
and/or back sides of the outer frame 12 may include an access
bridge or loop 14 between adjacent mounting bars. The access bridge
14 provides space for the user to thread the glass base B towards
the loops 22.
[0022] An alternative embodiment of a glassware rack for
dishwashing machines is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this embodiment,
the glassware rack, generally referred to in the drawings by
reference number 40, is configured to hold the glasses G at a
predetermined angle .alpha.. The angle .alpha. is about 5 to 10
degrees from vertical. The angular disposition of the mounted
glasses G provides enhanced cleaning because the streams of water
inside the dishwasher D can reach more surfaces of the glasses G.
Moreover, the angled glasses G will dry with minimal to no soap
spots thereon.
[0023] As shown, the glassware rack 40 includes an outer frame 12
enclosing a plurality of elongate, glassware mounting beams or bars
50 and a cover 60 for each of the mounting bars 50. The glassware
rack 40 is made and functions substantially the same as the
previously described glassware rack 10, with the exception of the
mounting bar 50 and the cover 60 that facilitate disposing the
glasses G at the angle .alpha..
[0024] Each mounting bar 50 includes a plurality of spaced mounting
loops or notches 52 formed thereon. Each loop 52 is configured to
hold the stem S and glass base B at the angle .alpha.. In this
example, the loop 52 may be formed by twisting the loop so that one
leg of the loop has a portion that extends downward to form a
small, shallow notch or loop coplanar to the loop 52 that retains
the base B of the glass G, the smaller notch being dimensioned and
configured to support the stem S of the glass G.
[0025] The cover 60 is configured to ensure that the glasses G are
held in the angled position. The cover 60 is a wireframe having
spaced porous meshes 62 defining gaps or spaces 66 therebetween.
When held at an angle, the bases B of the glasses G will
correspondingly extend at an angle from the horizontal. The gaps 66
permits a portion of the base B to extend past the cover 60 while
the meshes 62 press against the remaining portion to insure the
glasses G are maintained at the desired angle .alpha.. A latching
mechanism 64 secures the cover 60 against the mounting bar 50.
[0026] Another alternative embodiment of the glassware rack 100 is
shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In this embodiment, the glassware rack 100
includes convenience features for washing glasses G on the bottom
shelf of the typical dishwasher. As shown, the glassware rack 100
includes a box-shaped frame 112 supporting a plurality of elongate,
glassware mounting beams or bars 120 attached to the top of the box
frame 112. A cover 130 for each of the mounting bars 120 is
pivotally connected to the box frame 112. The mounting bar 120 and
the cover 130 may be of similar construction to the mounting bars
20, 50 and covers 30, 60 described previously. The box shape of the
frame 112 places the mounting bars 120 at an elevation above the
floor of the dishwasher D so that the glasses G may hang without
interfering with the operation of the dishwasher D. A plurality of
horizontal wires, bars or beams 111 and a plurality of vertical
wires, bars or beams 113 form the box frame 112. The cross-hatch
configuration of the horizontal bars 111 and the vertical bars 113
provide structural stability. The box frame 112 may also be formed
with different wireframe construction patterns, such as diagonal
bars defining a diamond pattern. Moreover, perforated panels may be
used to form the box frame 112, so long as the perforations do not
compromise the cleaning operation of the dishwasher.
[0027] To ease handling of the glassware rack 100, the box frame
112 includes a pair of rollers or wheels 110 on either side of the
box frame 112 and a handle 118 at the front. The rollers 110 are
adapted to ride on or in the rails R of the dishwasher D. The
handle 118 extends above the top of the box frame 112 to dispose
the handle at a more comfortable elevation for the user to push or
pull the glassware rack 100 in and out of the dishwasher 100 along
the rails R or guide tracks. As an alternative, the box frame 112
may be collapsible to provide additional storage and handling
options.
[0028] In all other aspects, the glassware rack 100 functions
substantially the same as the previously described glassware rack
10, 40. The spacing between adjacent mounting bars 120 and the
access bridge 114 provide different options for mounting the
glasses G. In addition, resilient bumpers 116 may be disposed on
select vertical or horizontal bars on the box frame 112. The
bumpers 116 cushion the glassware rack 100 inside the dishwasher
and add another layer of protection that prevents jarring the
glasses G mounted thereon.
[0029] It is to be understood that the glassware rack 10, 40, 100
encompasses a variety of alternatives. For example, the glassware
rack 10, 40, 100 may include a variety of shapes apart from the
straight beams shown in the drawings. Similarly, the box frame 112
includes any box-like shape that can support the mounting bar 120,
the cover 130 and the glasses G. Moreover, the glassware rack 10,
40, 100 may be used to store glassware in various environs
including cabinets or as part of a bar layout. The wireframe,
glassware mounting bar 20, 50 may also be made with other
materials, such as plastic, metal, wood, and/or composites.
Existing racks can also be retrofitted with or include the
configuration of, inter alia, the loops 22, 52 and the cover 30, 60
to securely store and hold glassware. Furthermore, the glassware
rack 10, 40, 100 may include various forms of indicia and
color.
[0030] It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and
all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *