Cutlery rack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9763556-B2
Application number	US-201214653181-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2012
Priority date	Dec 21, 2012
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cutlery rack ( 21; 41 ) for a dishwasher ( 10 ). The cutlery rack comprises: a support frame ( 23; 43 ) surrounding a storage area for the cutleries; a rack bottom ( 25; 45 ) with a first and a second side; a first support arrangement ( 29; 48 ) for cutleries arranged on said first side of the rack bottom; and a second support ( 49 ) arrangement for cutleries arranged on said second side of the rack bottom, wherein the cutlery rack is arranged with either the first or second side of the rack bottom facing upwards. The invention furthermore relates to a dishwasher ( 10 ) comprising at least one cutlery rack ( 21; 41 ) as defined above.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cutlery rack for a dishwasher, said cutlery rack comprising:
a support frame surrounding a storage area;
a rack bottom with a first side and a second side, wherein the first side is defined on a reverse side of the rack bottom from the second side, such that the first side faces an opposite direction from the second side, and wherein only one of the first side and the second side is configured to face upwardly at a time;
a first support arrangement for cutleries arranged on the rack bottom, wherein the first support arrangement is configured to extend from the first side of the rack bottom; and
a second support arrangement for cutleries arranged on the rack bottom; wherein the second support arrangement is configured to extend from the second side of the rack bottom,
wherein the rack bottom is reconfigurable between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein in the first configuration the first side is configured to face upwardly while the second side faces downwardly, and wherein in the second configuration the second side is configured to face upwardly while the first side faces downwardly;
wherein the rack bottom is movably arranged along a vertical direction within the support frame between a first position and a second position, wherein the first configuration of the rack bottom is configured to define the first position, wherein the second configuration of the rack bottom is configured to define the second position, and wherein the first position is different than the second position, such that when the rack bottom is reconfigured between the first configuration and the second configuration the vertical position of the rack bottom is changed.

2. The cutlery rack according to claim 1 , wherein the support frame has a vertical centre and the rack bottom is arranged in the support frame offset to the vertical centre.

3. The cutlery rack according to claim 1 , wherein the rack bottom is attached in the support frame by at least one guide and positioned in the lower position by gravity.

4. The cutlery rack according to claim 3 , wherein each of the at least one guide comprises an elongated guiding slot and a corresponding protrusion that is able to slide within the slot, said slot is arranged in one of the support frame or the rack bottom and said protrusion is arranged in an opposite one of the support frame or the rack bottom.

5. The cutlery rack according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second support arrangements are retractably arranged in the support frame or rack bottom and movable between a protruding position and a retracted position.

6. The cutlery rack according to claim 5 , wherein the first and second support arrangements are extending from an elongated member turnable around a longitudinal axis of the elongate member substantially parallel to the rack bottom.

7. The cutlery rack according to claim 6 , wherein the first support arrangement is configured to turn to an upright position when the first side is facing upwards, wherein the first support arrangement is configured to turn to a first retracted position aligned with the rack bottom when the first side is facing downwards, wherein the second support arrangement is configured to turn to an upright position when the second side is facing upwards, and wherein the second support arrangement is configured to turn to a second retracted position aligned with the rack bottom when the second side is facing downwards.

8. The cutlery rack according to claim 6 , wherein turning means are arranged in at least one end of the elongated member, said turning means comprising an arc-shaped slot arranged in the support frame and a turning member connected to the elongated member, said turning member is sliding within the arc-shaped slot such that the elongated member is forced to turn when the cutlery rack is turned upside down.

9. The cutlery rack according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second support arrangement have different configurations to support different types and sizes of cutleries.

10. The cutlery rack according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first support arrangement or the second support arrangement comprises support elements arranged at a predetermined distance from each other and extending in a substantially vertical direction from the rack bottom.

11. The cutlery rack according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first support arrangement or the second support arrangement comprises support elements arranged at a predetermined distance from each other and extending in a substantially vertical direction when in the protruding position.

12. The cutlery rack according to claim 10 , wherein selected support elements are formed of an elastic material.

13. The cutlery rack according to claim 1 , wherein the support frame comprises an inside and an outside, said rack bottom is arranged on the inside surface of the frame and a number of protruding support devices extending from the outside surface of the support frame.

14. Dishwasher comprising at least one cutlery rack according to claim 1 arranged in a rack support extractably arranged in the dishwasher.

15. The cutlery rack according to claim 11 , wherein selected support elements are formed of an elastic material.

16. The cutlery rack according to claim 2 , wherein in the first configuration, the rack bottom is disposed at a first height, wherein in the second configuration, the rack bottom is disposed at a second height, and wherein the first height is different than the second height.

17. The cutlery rack according to claim 6 , wherein the first support arrangement is perpendicular to the second support arrangement.

18. The cutlery rack according to claim 8 , wherein the rack bottom is configured to cause the turning member to slide in the arc-shaped slot when reconfigured between the first configuration and the second configuration, and the turning member is configured to cause the elongated member to rotate the first support arrangement and the second support arrangement when slid in the arc-shaped slot.

19. The cutlery rack according to claim 1 , wherein the rack bottom is configured to be flipped relative to the support frame between the first configuration and the second configuration.

20. A cutlery rack for a dishwasher, said cutlery rack comprising:
a support frame surrounding a storage area;
a rack bottom with a first side and a second side, wherein the first side is defined on a reverse side of the rack bottom from the second side, such that the first side faces an opposite direction from the second side, and wherein only one of the first side and the second side is configured to face upwardly at a time;
a first support arrangement for cutleries arranged on the rack bottom, wherein the first support arrangement is configured to extend from the first side of the rack bottom; and
a second support arrangement for cutleries arranged on the rack bottom; wherein the second support arrangement is configured to extend from the second side of the rack bottom,
wherein the rack bottom is reconfigurable between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein in the first configuration the first side is configured to face upwardly while the second side faces downwardly, and wherein in the second configuration the second side is configured to face upwardly while the first side faces downwardly,
wherein the rack bottom is movably arranged along a vertical direction within the support frame between a first and a second position,
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Assignees

• Electrolux Home Products Corp Nv
• Electrolux Home Products Corp Nv

Inventors

• Kåberg Pontus
• Hederstierna Rickard
• Mesa Daniel

Classifications

• A47L15/504

  Arrangements for changing the height of racks · CPC title

• A47L15/503

  with foldable parts · CPC title

• A47L15/505

  Inserts, e.g. for holding baby bottles, stemware or cups · CPC title

• A47L15/502 Primary

  Cutlery baskets · CPC title