U.S. patent application number 14/620688 was filed with the patent office on 2015-09-03 for glasses rack for dishwasher.
The applicant listed for this patent is Whirlpool Corporation. Invention is credited to BARRY E. TULLER.
Application Number | 20150245762 14/620688 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52577732 |
Filed Date | 2015-09-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150245762 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TULLER; BARRY E. |
September 3, 2015 |
GLASSES RACK FOR DISHWASHER
Abstract
A glasses rack for a dishwasher may be configured to hold
glasses in an inclined position. The glasses may be inclined at a
predetermined angle relative to horizontal to allow draining of
treating liquid from the glasses yet achieve a reduced overall
height of the dish rack relative to a conventional dish rack. A
bottom wall of the dish rack may be inclined at an angle that
matches an effective inclination angle of an upper, tiered dish
rack, and the bottom wall inclination angle may correspond to the
glasses inclination angle. A sprayer may be mounted to the dish
rack and arranged to spray treating liquid into the interior of the
glasses.
Inventors: |
TULLER; BARRY E.;
(STEVENSVILLE, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Whirlpool Corporation |
Benton Harbor |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
52577732 |
Appl. No.: |
14/620688 |
Filed: |
February 12, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61946101 |
Feb 28, 2014 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
134/170 ;
134/200; 312/228.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 15/508 20130101;
A47L 15/4285 20130101; A47L 15/14 20130101; A47L 15/0065 20130101;
A47L 15/50 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47L 15/50 20060101
A47L015/50; A47L 15/14 20060101 A47L015/14 |
Claims
1. A dishwasher comprising: a tub defining a treating chamber
receiving dishes for treatment; a spray system providing treating
liquid to the treating chamber; a first dish rack located in the
tub and having a bottom wall tiered to form multiple levels
defining an effective inclination angle for the bottom wall; and a
second dish rack located below the first dish rack and having a
bottom wall inclined at an angle matching the effective inclination
angle for the first dish rack bottom wall.
2. The dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein the second dish rack
is configured to hold glasses at an incline angled less than about
45 degrees relative to horizontal.
3. The dishwasher according to claim 2 wherein the spray system
comprises a sprayer mounted to the second dish rack and positioned
to spray treating liquid into the interior of the glasses.
4. The dishwasher according to claim 3 wherein the second dish rack
is slidably mounted to the tub, the spray system further comprises
a supply conduit located in the tub, and the sprayer selectively
docks with the supply conduit during sliding movement of the second
dish rack.
5. The dishwasher according to claim 2 wherein the inclined angle
of the glasses is about 15 degrees.
6. A dish rack for a dishwasher having a tub defining a treating
chamber receiving dishes for treatment and a spray system providing
treating liquid to the treating chamber, the dish rack comprising:
first and second opposing side walls; a front wall; a rear wall;
and a bottom wall joining lower ends of the first and second side
walls, the front wall, and the rear wall to define an open-top dish
holding compartment; wherein the bottom wall is generally planar
and inclined from the first side wall to the second side wall at an
angle less than about 45 degrees relative to horizontal.
7. The dish rack according to claim 6 wherein the inclination angle
of the bottom wall is in the range of about 10 to 40 degrees.
8. The dish rack according to claim 7 wherein the inclination angle
of the bottom wall is about 15 degrees.
9. The dish rack according to claim 6, further comprising a sprayer
mounted to the dish rack.
10. The dish rack according to claim 1 wherein the dish rack
comprises a bottom wall with first and second portions inclined at
an angle less than about 45 degrees to define a support on which a
container may be supported.
11. The dish rack according to claim 10 wherein the first and
second portions confront each other.
12. The dish rack according to claim 11 wherein the spray system
comprises a first sprayer located between the confronting first and
second portions and emits a spray toward at least one of the first
and second portions.
13. The dish rack according to claim 12 further comprises first and
second sprayers, with the first sprayer emitting a spray toward the
first portion and the second sprayer emitting a spray toward the
second portion.
14. The dish rack according to claim 13 wherein the bottom wall
further comprises at least one recess for receipt of at least one
of the first and second sprayers.
15. A dishwasher comprising: a tub defining a treating chamber
receiving dishes for treatment; a spray system providing treating
liquid to the treating chamber; and a dish rack located in the tub
and comprising: first and second opposing side walls; a front wall;
a rear wall; a generally horizontal bottom wall joining lower ends
of the first and second side walls, the front wall, and the rear
wall to define an open-top dish holding compartment with a flat
bottom; and glass supports located within the dish holding
compartment and configured to support glasses at an inclination
angle less than about 45 degrees relative to the flat bottom.
16. The dishwasher according to claim 15 wherein the glass supports
extend upwardly from the bottom wall.
17. The dishwasher according to claim 15 wherein the spray system
comprises a sprayer mounted to the dish rack and positioned to
spray treating liquid into the interior of the glasses.
18. The dishwasher according to claim 17 wherein the dish rack is
slidably mounted to the tub, the spray system further comprises a
supply conduit located in the tub, and the sprayer selectively
docks with the supply conduit during sliding movement of the second
dish rack.
19. The dishwasher according to claim 15 wherein the inclination
angle of the glasses is about 15 degrees.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 61/946,101, filed Feb. 28, 2014,
which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Household dishwashers typically include one or more dish
racks for holding various types of dishes in the dishwasher tub.
Traditionally, a dishwasher includes an upper rack that holds
glassware and small dishes, and a lower rack that holds larger
dishes, such as plates. These two dish racks usually consume most
of the space inside the dishwasher tub. Some dishwashers may also
include a third dish rack, often for silverware and other low
profile utensils.
SUMMARY
[0003] A glasses dish rack may be configured to hold glasses in an
inclined orientation. The inclination angle may be selected to
allow sufficient draining of treating liquid from the glasses yet
achieve a reduction in overall height of the dish rack and glasses
held thereby. Thus, the inclination angle may be selected to be as
close as possible to zero (i.e., the glasses positioned
horizontally) with sufficient draining. Optionally, a bottom wall
of the glasses dish rack may be inclined at an angle corresponding
to a desired glasses inclination angle. Such a glasses dish rack
may be positioned in a dishwasher beneath a tiered dish rack having
a bottom wall with an effective inclination angle that matches the
glasses dish rack inclination angle.
[0004] Optionally, a sprayer may be configured to spray treating
liquid into the glasses. The sprayer may be mounted to the glasses
dish rack for movement with the glasses dish rack in a dishwasher
tub and may dock with a liquid conduit in the dishwasher tub for
fluid communication with a liquid supply and/or recirculation
system. Alternatively, the sprayer may be mounted to the tub rather
than the glasses dish rack. Any type of sprayer may be employed,
including a spray tube, which may be stationary or moveable, such
as rotating. Multiple sprayers may be employed, and the sprayers
may be operated in various manners, including simultaneously,
sequentially, intermittently, and/or continuously. Optionally, an
air supply system may be configured to supply air, heated or
non-heated, to facilitate drying and/or cooling of the glasses.
[0005] The glasses dish rack may be located at any suitable
position in the dishwasher. Optionally, a plurality of the glasses
dish rack may be arranged in a stacked configuration in the
dishwasher. The glasses dish racks may be employed alone or in
combination with conventional dish racks.
[0006] The glasses dish rack may be configured to hold particular
types of glasses or multiple types of glasses. Additionally, the
glasses dish rack may be adapted to hold utensils and other types
of dishes in combination with the inclined glasses.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] In the drawings:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a dishwasher with a
glasses dish rack according to one embodiment.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a control system for the
dishwasher of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the glasses dish rack of
FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the glasses dish rack of
FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of a glasses dish rack
according to another embodiment.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of a glasses dish rack
according to another embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a schematic front view of a dishwasher tub with a
glasses dish rack according to another embodiment for use below a
tiered dish rack.
[0015] FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of a dish rack according to
another embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 9 is a schematic top view of the dish rack of FIG.
8.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary
automated dishwasher 10 according to a first embodiment. The
dishwasher 10 shares many features of a conventional automated
dishwasher, which will not be described in detail herein except as
necessary for a complete understanding of the invention. A chassis
12 may define an interior of the dishwasher 10 and may include a
frame, with or without panels mounted to the frame. For built-in
dishwashers, outer panels are typically not needed. For dishwashers
that are not built into existing cabinetry, the chassis 12 may
include the panels mounted to the frame to form a cabinet for the
dishwasher 10. An open-faced tub 14 may be provided within the
chassis 12 and may at least partially define a treating chamber 16
for washing or otherwise treating dishes. The open face of the tub
14 defines an access opening for the treating chamber 16.
[0018] A closure element, such as a door assembly 18, may be
movably mounted to the dishwasher 10 for movement between opened
and closed positions to selectively open and close the treating
chamber access opening defined by the open face of the tub 14.
Thus, the door assembly 18 provides accessibility to the treating
chamber 16 for the loading and unloading of dishes or other
washable items. It should be appreciated that the door assembly 18
may be secured to the lower front edge of the chassis 12 or to the
lower front edge of the tub 14 via a hinge assembly (not shown)
configured to pivot the door assembly 18. When the door assembly 18
is closed, user access to the treating chamber 16 may be prevented,
whereas user access to the treating chamber 16 may be permitted
when the door assembly 18 is open. Alternatively, the closure
element may be slidable relative to the chassis 12, such as in a
drawer-type dishwasher, wherein the access opening for the treating
chamber 16 is formed by an open-top tub. Other configurations of
the closure element relative to the chassis 12 and the tub 14 are
also within the scope of the invention.
[0019] Dish holders, illustrated in the form of upper, middle, and
lower dish racks 20, 22, 24, may be located within the treating
chamber 16 and receive dishes for treatment, such as washing. The
upper, middle, and lower racks 20, 22, 24 are typically mounted for
slidable movement in and out of the treating chamber 16 for ease of
loading and unloading. Other dish holders may be provided, such as
a silverware basket, separate from or combined with the upper,
middle, and lower racks 20, 22, 24. As used in this description,
the term "dish(es)" is intended to be generic to any item, single
or plural, that may be treated in the dishwasher 10, including,
without limitation, dishes, plates, pots, bowls, pans, glassware,
and silverware.
[0020] A spray system may be provided for spraying liquid in the
treating chamber 16 and may be provided in the form of, for
example, an upper spray assembly 26, a middle spray assembly 28,
and a lower spray assembly 30. The upper spray assembly 26, the
middle spray assembly 28, and the lower spray assembly 30 are
located, respectively, above the upper rack assembly 20, beneath
the middle rack assembly 22, and beneath the lower rack assembly 24
and are illustrated as rotating spray arms by example but are not
limited to such positions and sprayer type. The spray system may
further include a rack spray assembly 32 coupled to the upper dish
rack 20; the rack spray assembly 32 will be discussed in further
detail below. Furthermore, the spray system may include additional
and/or alternative spray assemblies. For example, a distribution
header or spray manifold may be located at the rear of the tub 14
at any vertical position. An exemplary spray manifold is set forth
in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,594,513, issued Sep. 29, 2009, and
titled "Multiple Wash Zone Dishwasher," which is incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety.
[0021] A recirculation system may be provided for recirculating
liquid from the treating chamber 16 to the spray system. The
recirculation system may include a sump 34 and a pump assembly 36.
The sump 34 collects the liquid sprayed in the treating chamber 16
and may be formed by a sloped or recess portion of a bottom wall of
the tub 14. The pump assembly 36 may include both a drain pump 38
and a recirculation pump 40. The drain pump 38 may draw liquid from
the sump 34 and pump the liquid out of the dishwasher 10 to a
household drain line (not shown). The recirculation pump 40 may
draw liquid from the sump 34, and the liquid may be simultaneously
or selectively pumped through a supply conduit or tube 42 to each
of the spray assemblies 26, 28, 30, 32 for selective spraying.
While not shown, a liquid supply system may include a water supply
conduit coupled with a household water supply for supplying water
to the treating chamber 16.
[0022] A heating system including a heater 44 may be located, for
example, within the sump 34 for heating the liquid contained in the
sump 34.
[0023] A control system including a controller 46 may also be
included in the dishwasher 10, which may be operably coupled with
various components of the dishwasher 10 to implement a cycle of
operation. The controller 46 may be located within the door
assembly 18 as illustrated, or it may alternatively be located
somewhere within the chassis 12. The controller 46 may also be
operably coupled with a control panel or user interface 48 for
receiving user-selected inputs and communicating information to the
user. The user interface 48 may include operational controls such
as dials, lights, switches, and displays enabling a user to input
commands, such as a cycle of operation, to the controller 46 and
receive information.
[0024] As illustrated schematically in FIG. 2, the controller 46
may be coupled with the heater 44 for heating the wash liquid
during a cycle of operation, the drain pump 38 for draining liquid
from the treating chamber 16, and the recirculation pump 40 for
recirculating the wash liquid during the cycle of operation. The
controller 46 may be provided with a memory 50 and a central
processing unit (CPU) 52. The memory 50 may be used for storing
control software that may be executed by the CPU 52 in completing a
cycle of operation using the dishwasher 10 and any additional
software. For example, the memory 50 may store one or more
pre-programmed cycles of operation that may be selected by a user
and completed by the dishwasher 10. The controller 46 may also
receive input from one or more sensors 54. Non-limiting examples of
sensors that may be communicably coupled with the controller 46
include a temperature sensor and turbidity sensor to determine the
soil load associated with a selected grouping of dishes, such as
the dishes associated with a particular area of the treating
chamber 16.
[0025] The dishwasher 10 may include all of the above exemplary
systems, a selection of the above exemplary systems, and/or other
systems not listed above as desired. Further, some of the systems
may be combined with other systems and/or may share components with
other systems. Examples of other systems that the dishwasher may
further include are a dispensing system that supplies one or more
treating agents or chemistries to the treating chamber 16 and an
air supply system that may provide air, which may be heated or not
heated, to the treating chamber 16, such as for drying and/or
cooling the dishes. An exemplary air supply system is set forth in
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/959,673, filed Dec. 3, 2010 and
published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0138106
on Jun. 7, 2012, both of which are incorporated herein by reference
in their entireties.
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 3, the upper dish rack 20 may be
particularly configured to hold drinking vessels, such as, for
example, tall and short tumblers, including old fashioned glasses,
rocks glasses, and highballs, stemware, such as wine glasses,
martini glasses, and tulip and saucer champagne glasses, snifters,
goblets, bottles, mugs, and the like, which are hereinafter
referred to as "glasses" with it being understand that "glasses"
includes those exemplary drinking dishes listed above in addition
to others not listed herein. The glasses may be made of any
suitable material, including glass, ceramics, plastic, and metals
and are not limited to glass materials. While the glasses dish rack
20 may be located near the top of the tub 14, the glasses dish rack
20 need not be the uppermost dish rack in the tub 14 and is only
heretofore referred to as "upper" for convenience.
[0027] The glasses dish rack 20 may be constructed of a wire frame
effectively forming opposing side walls 60, a front wall 62 (FIG.
4), a rear wall 64 (FIG. 4), and a bottom wall 66 that together
define an open-top glasses holding compartment 68. The bottom wall
66 may be completely flat, as illustrated by example, to form a
flat bottom dish rack or may have a varied configuration comprising
a plurality of inclined and, possibly, flat walls that effectively
forms an overall horizontal bottom or an inclined bottom as will be
described in more detail below. Additionally, a plurality of glass
supports 70, such as a panel, tines, or other structures, may
extend upwardly from the bottom wall 66 and/or the side walls 60,
the front wall 62, and the rear wall 64 to support various glasses,
such as, for example, a wine glass 72 and a tall tumbler 74. If
panels are used for forming the glass supports 70, the panels may
have through openings for the easy passing of liquid. The glass
supports 70 may be configured to position the glasses 72, 74 at
angles A, B less than about 45 degrees relative to the horizontal.
In this embodiment, the horizontal is about coincident with the
bottom wall 66 of the dish rack 20. The angle A, B may be defined
as the angle between the side wall of the glass and horizontal. If
the side wall of the glass is curved, then the angle may be defined
as the angle between a line tangent to the glass side wall and the
horizontal. The particular angles A, B at which the glasses 72, 74
are inclined, which may be equal or not equal, are a compromise
between (1) the overall height of the dish rack 20 and the portion
of the glasses 72, 74 extending above the dish rack 20 and (2)
suitable draining of liquid from the interior and exterior surfaces
of the glasses 72, 74. As the angles A, B increase to improve
draining, the overall height increases, thereby consuming more
valuable space within the tub 14. On the other hand, as the angles
A, B decrease to reduce height and minimize the space required
within the tub 14, draining performance may decrease. Exemplary
preferred glass inclination angles range from about 5 to 45
degrees, with a preferred angle being about 15 degrees. The
preferred inclination angle may vary for different types of glasses
as the draining behavior may differ due to inherent structural
differences, such as the contour and inclination of the side wall
of the glasses.
[0028] To accomplish the inclined positioning in the illustrated
exemplary embodiment, the wine glass 72 is supported by a first row
of glass supports 76 shorter than a second row of glass supports
78, and the tall tumbler 74 is supported by a third row of glass
supports 80 shorter than a fourth row of glass supports 82.
Optionally, the glass supports 70 may form a cradle or notch for
each of the glasses 72, 74 to retain the glasses 72, 74 in a
particular location and prevent the glasses 72, 74 from rolling
within the dish rack 20. As seen in FIG. 4, the dish rack 20 may be
configured to hold multiple rows of glasses 72, 74, and the
illustrated embodiment includes a first row of multiple wine
glasses 72 supported by the first and second rows of glass supports
76, 78 and a second row of multiple tall tumblers 74 and multiple
wine glasses 72 supported by the third and fourth rows of glass
supports 80, 82. The glass supports 70 may be configured to best
hold a specific type of glass, such as the wine glasses 72 in the
first row, or may be configured to more generically hold multiple
types of glasses, such as the wine glasses 72 and the tall tumblers
74 in the second row. The glass supports may be adjustable, which
would allow the user to individually place different sized glasses
and ensure that the minimum angle needed to drain water from the
item is achieved. The glass rack 20 may further be configured to
automatically pivot each glass to a desired position.
[0029] Optionally, the glasses dish rack 20 may be equipped with
the rack spray assembly 32 adapted to provide treating liquid to
the interior of the glasses 72, 74. While the glasses 72, 74 may be
subjected to the treating liquid provided by the other spray
assemblies, such as the upper spray assembly 26 (FIG. 1), the
inclined orientation of the glasses 72, 74 faces the openings for
the glasses 72, 74 generally downward (i.e., relative to the
horizontal) such that the other spray assemblies, such as the upper
spray assembly 26 (FIG. 1), may provide an insufficient amount of
liquid into the glasses 72, 74 to properly treat the interior of
the glasses 72, 74. The rack spray assembly 32 may include any
suitable type of sprayer and is shown by example as a stationary
spray tube 90 with a first row of spray nozzles 92 facing the first
row of glasses and a second row of spray nozzles 94 facing the
second row of glasses. The spray nozzles 92, 94 may be positioned
to spray treating liquid into the interior of the glasses 72, 74,
and the volume and velocity of the treating liquid emitted from the
spray nozzles 92, 94 may be set based on the type of glasses, may
be generic for all types of glasses, and/or may be variable from
one treating cycle of operation to another and/or within a single
treating cycle of operation. Additionally, the spray nozzles 92, 94
may spray liquid alternately (e.g., between rows--one row at a time
wherein the rows are sequenced on and off, within rows--sets of
nozzles within a row sequenced on and off), continuously, and/or
intermittently.
[0030] The rack spray assembly 32 may be fixedly mounted to the
glasses dish rack 20 for movement therewith when the dish rack 20
is slid relative to the tub 14, as illustrated, or the rack spray
assembly may be fixedly mounted to the tub 14 so as to retain its
position relative to the tub 14 upon movement of the dish rack 20.
In the former case, the rack spray assembly 32 may dock with the
supply tube 42 (FIG. 1) or other structure of the liquid supply
and/or recirculation systems when the glasses dish rack 20 is slid
to its most rearward position in the tub 14 to establish fluid
communication with the liquid supply and/or recirculation systems.
By example, the illustrated rack spray assembly 32 includes a
connector 96 located at the rear end of the spray tube 90 and
adapted to mate or dock with a receiver 98 in the tub 14. The
receiver 98 may be mounted at the rear of the tub 14, such as to
the supply tube 42 (FIG. 1), or in any other suitable location.
[0031] The glasses dish rack 20 may be modified to accommodate any
type or arrangement of glasses. Such modifications may include, for
example, employing multiple sprayers of the same type or different
types and rearranging the glass supports and/or the sprayer(s).
While numerous variations of the glasses dish rack 20 are feasible,
exemplary alternative embodiments of the glasses dish rack are
illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. In the following description of the
alternative embodiments, elements similar to those of previous
embodiments are identified with the same reference numeral bearing
a letter, e.g., 20A, 20B, etc.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 5, the glasses dish rack 20A has been
modified to hold a greater number of shorter glasses, shown by
example as short tumblers 100 and mugs 102. The glasses 100, 102
are arranged in four rows, with each row supported by a
corresponding one of the first, second, third, or fourth rows of
glass supports 76A, 78A, 80A, 82A. The glass supports 70A are
arranged to orient the glasses 100, 102 in an inclined position
less than about 45 degrees relative to the horizontal, as in the
previous embodiment. To accommodate the increased number of
glasses, the rack spray assembly 32A of the dish rack 20A includes
a second spray tube 104 in addition to the first spray tube 90A.
The first spray tube 90A is located between the first and second
rows of glasses to spray treating liquid into the glasses 100, 102
in these two rows, while the second spray tube 104 is positioned
between the third and fourth rows of glasses to spray treating
liquid into the glasses 100, 102 in these two rows. Each of the
spray tubes 90A, 104 includes a single row of spray nozzles 92A,
106, and the spray tubes 90A, 104 may rotate about their respective
longitudinal axes such that the spray nozzles 92A, 106 spray
treating liquid into their adjacent rows of glasses alternately. By
rotating the spray tubes 90A, 104, the treating fluid may be
sprayed in multiple spray angles and trajectories. Optionally, the
spray tubes 90A, 104 may include a plurality of rows of the spray
nozzles 92A, 106, or the spray nozzles 92A, 106 may have an
arrangement other than in rows. Alternatively, the spray tubes 90A,
104 may be stationary with multiple sets of spray nozzles, as in
the previous embodiment, or another type of sprayer. The spray
tubes 90A, 104 may be fluidly coupled by a manifold 108 that
includes the connector 96A for docking with the receiver 98 in the
tub 14. Alternatively, each of the spray tubes 90A, 104 may
independently dock with a corresponding receiver in the tub.
[0033] Referring now to FIG. 6, the glasses dish rack 20B is a
hybrid of the glasses dish rack 20 of FIG. 4 and the glasses dish
rack 20A of FIG. 5. The left side of the glasses dish rack 20B is
essentially identical to the left side of the glasses dish rack 20A
in that it has two rows of the shorter glasses, i.e., the short
tumblers 100 and the mugs 102, with the rotating spray tube 90B
therebetween. The right side of the glasses dish rack 20B is
essentially identical to the right side of the glasses dish rack
20, with a single row of the taller glasses, i.e., the wine glasses
72 and the tall tumblers 74, and the stationary spray tube 104
oriented to spray treating liquid into that row. The spray tubes
90B, 104B may be fluidly coupled by the manifold 108B that includes
the connector 96B for docking with the receiver 98 in the tub.
Alternatively, each of the spray tubes 90B, 104B may independently
dock with a corresponding receiver in the tub.
[0034] The glasses dish rack may also be modified for use below a
tiered dish rack. As shown in the alternative embodiment in FIG. 7,
a tiered dish rack 22C may be positioned as the uppermost rack in
the tub 14C. FIG. 7 schematically shows the bottom wall of the
tiered dish rack 22C as a diagonal line, while in reality, the
bottom wall may include multiple tiers, each having a generally
horizontal bottom wall, at differing vertical heights, as in a
stepped configuration. An exemplary tiered dish rack is set forth
in U.S. Pat. No. 8,287,660, issued Oct. 16, 2012, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Nonetheless, the
multiple steps of the tiered bottom wall define an effective
inclination with an angle C relative to the horizontal for the
tiered dish rack 22C, which is represented by the diagonal line at
the bottom of the tiered dish rack 22C in the schematic FIG. 7.
[0035] The glasses dish rack 20C located below the tiered dish rack
22C, particularly the bottom wall 66C, may be inclined at an angle
D relative to the horizontal from one of the side walls 60C to the
opposite side wall 60C, and the angle D of the inclination may be
near to or match the inclination angle C of the tiered dish rack
22C. Exemplary inclination angles for the angle D may be less than
about 45 degrees, such as within a range of about 10 to 40 degrees.
In one embodiment the angle D may be about 15 degrees.
Additionally, the inclination angle of the glasses dish rack 22C
may advantageously correspond to a desired inclination of the
glasses, such as the exemplary illustrated glasses 72, 74, 100 in
FIG. 7, such that glass supports or other structures may not be
needed to support the glasses in the desired position; the glasses
may rest on the bottom wall 66C of the dish rack 20C. Because the
glasses can be positioned closer to and possibly even flat with the
bottom wall 66C when the bottom wall 66C itself is inclined, the
overall height of the glasses dish rack 20C and any portion of the
glasses that may extend above the glasses dish rack 20C, of which
there is none in the illustrated embodiment, may be reduced. Glass
supports or other structures may still be employed to prevent the
glasses from rolling and/or sliding in the glasses dish rack 20C,
if desired. Further, while any suitable configuration of the rack
spray assembly 32C may be employed, because the glasses must be
facing the same direction, i.e., downward, so that the treating
liquid will flow out of the glasses, each row of the glasses may
have its own dedicated spray tube. For example, a first row of the
glasses, represented by the tall tumbler 74, may receive liquid
from the spray nozzles 92C on the spray tube 90C, a second row of
the glasses, represented by the wine glass 72, may receive liquid
from the spray nozzles 106C on the spray tube 104C, and a third row
of the glasses, represented by the short tumbler 100, may receive
liquid from spray nozzles 110 on a spray tube 112.
[0036] Referring now to FIG. 8, the dish rack 20D is a modified
hybrid version of the glasses dish rack 20 of FIGS. 3 and 4 and the
glasses dish rack 20A of FIG. 5. The dish rack 20D has been
modified to include a contoured bottom wall 66D. The dish rack 20D
is constructed of a wire frame effectively forming an upper
perimeter wall having opposing side walls 60D, a front wall 62D
(FIG. 9), a rear wall 64D (FIG. 9), and a plurality of bottom walls
66D that together define an open-top glasses holding compartment
68D. The bottom walls 66D may be contoured, as illustrated by
example, to form a curved spray tube mounting portions 63, flat
central portions 65, opposing inclined portions 67 and opposing
upstanding portions 69. The opposing upstanding portions 69 attach
to the opposing side walls 60D to rigidly support the upper
perimeter wall. Additionally, a plurality of upstanding wire
supports 75, 79, may extend upwardly from the bottom walls 66D and
attach to the front wall 62D (FIG. 9) and rear wall 64D (FIG. 9).
Furthermore, lateral wire supports 73, 77 (FIG. 9) may extend
between corresponding upstanding wire supports 75, 79, transverse
to the bottom walls 66D and attach to the bottom walls 66D to
provide additional rigidity to the wire frame of the dish rack
20D.
[0037] The opposing inclined portions 67 may be configured to
position the glasses 74 at angles E, F less than about 45 degrees
relative to the horizontal. In this embodiment, the horizontal is
about coincident with the lateral wire supports 73, 77 of the dish
rack 20D. The angle E, F may be defined as the angle between the
inclined portions 67 and horizontal or the side wall of the glass
and horizontal. If the side wall of the glass is curved, then the
angle may be defined as the angle between a line tangent to the
glass side wall and the horizontal. The particular angles E, F at
which the glasses 74 are inclined, which may be equal or not equal,
are a compromise between (1) the overall height of the dish rack
20D and the portion of the glasses 74 extending above the dish rack
20D and (2) suitable draining of liquid from the interior and
exterior surfaces of the glasses 74. As the angles E, F increase to
improve draining, the overall height increases, thereby consuming
more valuable space within the tub. On the other hand, as the
angles E, F decrease to reduce height and minimize the space
required within the tub, draining performance may decrease.
Exemplary preferred glass inclination angles range from about 5 to
45 degrees, with a preferred angle being about 15 degrees. The
preferred inclination angle may vary for different types of glasses
as the draining behavior may differ due to inherent structural
differences, such as the contour and inclination of the side wall
of the glasses.
[0038] The opposing inclined portions 67 may form a cradle for each
of the glasses 74 to retain the glasses 74 in a particular location
and prevent the glasses 74 from rolling within the dish rack 20D,
as seen in FIG. 9, where the plurality of opposing inclined
portions 67 are spaced apart to allow the glasses 74 to rest on two
adjacent inclined portions 67 in order to prevent the glasses 74
from rolling. Furthermore, the glasses 74 may abut the curved spray
tube mount portions 63 (FIG. 8) to prevent the glasses 74 from
sliding down the inclined portions 67. The dish rack 20D may be
configured to hold multiple rows of glasses 74, and the illustrated
embodiment includes a first row of multiple glasses 74 supported by
the plurality of one side of the opposing inclined portions 67 and
a second row of multiple glasses 74 supported by the plurality of
the other side of the opposing inclined portions 67. The inclined
portions 67 may be configured to best hold a specific type of
glass, such as the wine glasses in the first row, or may be
configured to more generically hold multiple types of glasses, such
as the wine glasses and the tall tumblers in the second row. The
glass rack 20D may further be configured to automatically pivot
each glass to a desired position.
[0039] The flat central portions 65 provide an area between the
first and second rows defined by the inclined portions 67 to define
a third row to provide a location to place additional items to be
cleaned such as glasses, cutlery, cooking utensils, dishes, plates,
pots, bowls, pans, lids, containers, glassware, and silverware. The
items to be cleaned in the third row are supported by the adjacent
flat central portions 65 of the bottom walls 66D. The rack can also
be used to wash items other than glasses by placing the items on
surfaces 67.
[0040] Optionally, the dish rack 20D may be equipped with the rack
spray assembly 32D adapted to provide treating liquid to the
interior of the glasses 74. The rack spray assembly 32D may include
a first spray tube 90D and a second spray tube 104D similar to the
spray assembly 32A illustrated in FIG. 5. The first and second
spray tubes 90D, 104D are located under the curved spray tube
mounting portion 63 (FIG. 8) on opposing sides of the flat central
portions 65 between first and second rows of glasses to spray
treating liquid into the glasses 74 in these two rows. Each of the
spray tubes 90D, 104D includes a single row of spray nozzles 92A,
106D, and the spray tubes 90D, 104D may rotate about their
respective longitudinal axes such that the spray nozzles 92D, 104D
may spray treating liquid in the direction of the flat central
portions 65. By rotating the spray tubes 90D, 104D, the treating
fluid may be sprayed in multiple spray angles and trajectories.
Optionally, the spray tubes 90D, 104D may include a plurality of
rows of the spray nozzles 92D, 106D, or the spray nozzles 92D, 106D
may have an arrangement other than in rows. Alternatively, the
spray tubes 90D, 104D may be stationary with multiple sets of spray
nozzles, as in the previous embodiment, or another type of sprayer.
The spray tubes 90D, 104D may be fluidly coupled by a manifold 108D
that includes the connector 96D for docking with the receiver 98 in
the tub. Alternatively, each of the spray tubes 90D, 104D may
independently dock with a corresponding receiver in the tub.
[0041] The dish rack 20 according to the different embodiments of
the invention may be modified to accommodate any type or
arrangement of glasses. Such modifications may include, for
example, employing multiple sprayers of the same type or different
types and rearranging the glass supports and/or the sprayer(s).
While numerous variations of the glasses dish rack 20 are feasible,
exemplary alternative embodiments of the glasses dish rack are
illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6, 8 and 9. In the following description of
the alternative embodiments, elements similar to those of previous
embodiments are identified with the same reference numeral bearing
a letter, e.g., 20A, 20B, etc.
[0042] Other modifications may be made to the glasses dish rack and
to the arrangement of the glasses dish rack 20 in the dishwasher
10. For example, the glasses dish rack 20 may be arranged at the
uppermost position in the dishwasher tub 14, as shown in FIG. 1, or
in other positions, examples of which include below the uppermost
dish rack (i.e., as a middle dish rack) and as the lowermost dish
rack. Additionally, more than one of the glasses dish rack 20 may
be arranged in the tub 14. For example, one or more of the
conventional dish racks 22, 24 may be removed and replaced with
multiple glasses dish racks 20 in a stacked configuration. The
dishwasher 10 may be equipped with the appropriate structure (e.g.,
multiple receivers 98) to allow a user to swap one or more of the
conventional dish racks 22, 24 for multiple glasses dish racks 20
when desired, such as when the user has a large amount of glasses
to treat compared to other dishes commonly placed in the
conventional dish racks 22, 24. In such a construction, the
receivers that are not used when the conventional dish racks 22, 24
are employed can be configured to selectively close when not
coupled with the rack spray assembly 32. When multiple glasses
racks 20 are used with one of the conventional dish racks 22, 24 at
the same time, the multiple glasses racks 20 may be stacked above
or below the one of the conventional dish racks 22, 24. If the
dishwasher is sufficiently tall, multiple glasses racks 20 may be
used in combination with multiple conventional dish racks, and
numerous configurations of the dish racks are feasible.
[0043] In another embodiment, the glasses dish rack 20 may include
an air dispenser operably coupled with the air supply system so as
to deliver heated or non-heated air to the glasses for drying
and/or cooling the glasses. The air dispenser may be a tube with
nozzles, similar to the exemplary rack spray assemblies described
above, or may have any other suitable configuration. Optionally,
air may be supplied through the spray system, either through the
same conduits and nozzles that supply liquid or through additional
conduits and nozzles integrated with the spray system. Further, the
air dispenser may be mounted to the glasses dish rack 20 for
movement therewith and dock with appropriate components of the air
supply system when the glasses dish rack 20 is in its most rearward
position in the tub 14, or the air dispenser may be mounted to tub
14. If the glasses dish rack 20 includes the air dispenser, then
the glasses 72, 74 may be oriented at an angle closer to the
horizontal, at the horizontal, or possibly even below the
horizontal because gravity flow of the liquid from the glasses 72,
74 is no longer required or at least would not be the only
mechanism for drying the glasses 72, 74.
[0044] The rack spray assembly 32 has been shown and described as
having stationary and rotating spray tubes with spray nozzles, and
other numbers of spray tubes, such as up to five spray tubes, or
other types of sprayers are acceptable for use with the rack spray
assembly 32. Examples of other types of sprayers include, but are
not limited to, rotating spray arms, individual spray nozzles,
stationary spray heads with multiple spray nozzles, spray discs,
flexible spray tubes, translating front to back sprayers, etc.
[0045] The glasses dish rack 20 may also be modified to hold other
types of dishes, such as utensils. As an example, the glasses dish
rack 20 may be configured by the user, depending on the user's
needs, to hold glasses only, glasses and utensils or other types of
dishes, or only utensils and other types of dishes. Further, the
glass supports 70 and/or other supporting structure may be modular
and/or replaceable such that the user can configure the glasses
dish rack 20 to hold a particular type of glasses, if desired. The
glass supports 70 and/or other supporting structure may be
removable and replaced with alternative glass supports and/or other
supporting structure, and the glass supports 70 and/or other
supporting structure may be converted to an alternative
configuration.
[0046] While the invention has been specifically described in
connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be
understood that this is by way of illustration and not of
limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be
construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.
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