Fold away cutlery rack
Provided herein are cutlery racks, dishwashers, and associated methods for manufacturing and cleaning with the same. The dishwasher may include a cutlery rack having a first engaging portion, a second engaging portion, and a shelf. The first and second engaging portions may be respectively slidably attached to a first wall and a second wall of a dishwasher rack. The shelf may extend between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, may slide in a longitudinal direction with respect to the first wall and the second wall, and may pivot with respect to the dishwasher rack between a working position and a stowed position. In the working position, a receiving surface of the shelf may align with the longitudinal direction, and in the stowed position, the receiving surface shelf may be pivoted out of alignment with the longitudinal direction and positioned adjacent ends of the first and second walls.
1. A dishwasher comprising:
a dishwasher rack disposed in the dishwasher, the dishwasher rack comprising at least a first wall extending in a longitudinal direction and a second wall extending in the longitudinal direction, wherein the first wall is parallel to the second wall and spaced from the second wall in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and wherein each of the first wall and the second wall defines at least one end; and
a cutlery rack comprising:
a first engaging portion slidably attached to the first wall of the dishwasher rack;
a second engaging portion slidably attached to the second wall of the dishwasher rack;
a shelf extending between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion, the shelf defining a receiving surface for receiving cutlery, wherein the shelf is configured to slide in the longitudinal direction with respect to the first wall and the second wall, and wherein the shelf is configured to pivot with respect to the dishwasher rack about an axis that is parallel to the lateral direction between a working position and a stowed position;
wherein in the working position, the receiving surface of the shelf is aligned with the longitudinal direction, wherein in the stowed position, the receiving surface shelf is pivoted out of alignment with the longitudinal direction and positioned adjacent an end of the first wall and an end of the second wall,
wherein the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are disposed on a first side of the cutlery rack, wherein the first engaging portion defines a first pivotal attachment member engaging a first rail on the first wall of the dishwasher rack, and wherein the second engaging portion defines a second pivotal attachment member engaging a second rail on the second wall of the dishwasher rack; and
a second side comprising a third engaging portion configured to be removably and slidably disposed on the first rail in the working position and a fourth engaging portion configured to be removably and slidably disposed on the second rail in the working position,
wherein the cutlery rack is configured to slide along the first rail on the first engaging portion and the third engaging portion and the cutlery rack is configured to slide along the second rail on the second engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion; and
wherein the cutlery rack is configured to be pivoted to the stowed position by lifting the second side of the cutlery rack and rotating the cutlery rack about a first pivotal attachment member of the first engaging portion and a second pivotal attachment member of the second engaging portion.
2. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein in the working position, the receiving surface of the shelf is configured to be disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal direction.
3. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein in the stowed position, the receiving surface of the shelf is configured to be disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
4. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein the first wall further comprises a first rail disposed on an upper edge of the first wall, the first rail at least partially defining a first receiving slot, wherein the first receiving slot extends parallel to the longitudinal direction, and wherein the first engaging portion is configured to engage the first receiving slot.
5. The dishwasher according to claim 4 , wherein the first engaging portion comprises a first leg attached generally perpendicular to the shelf, the first leg defining a respective length, wherein the first receiving slot terminates at a distance from the end of the first wall of the dishwasher rack, and wherein the distance is equal to the respective length of the first leg.
6. The dishwasher according to claim 4 , wherein the second wall further comprises a second rail disposed on an upper edge of the second wall, the second rail at least partially defining a second receiving slot, wherein the second receiving slot extends parallel to the longitudinal direction, and wherein the second engaging portion is configured to engage the second receiving slot.
7. The dishwasher according to claim 6 , wherein the second engaging portion comprises a second leg attached generally perpendicular to the shelf, the second leg defining a respective length that is equal to the respective length of the first leg, wherein the second receiving slot terminates at the distance from the end of the second wall of the dishwasher rack.
8. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein the cutlery rack further comprises a third engaging portion attached to the shelf and a fourth engaging portion attached to the shelf, wherein the third engaging portion is configured to engage the first wall in the working position, and wherein the fourth engaging portion is configured to engage the second wall in the working position.
9. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein the first engaging portion defines a first slot configured to receive at least a portion of the first wall therein, and wherein the first engaging portion further comprises a first attachment member extending across the first slot, such that the first engaging portion at least partially surrounds the portion of the first wall.
10. The dishwasher according to claim 9 , wherein the second engaging portion defines a second slot configured to receive at least a portion of the second wall therein, and wherein the second engaging portion further comprises a second attachment member extending across the second slot, such that the second engaging portion at least partially surrounds the portion of the second wall.
11. The dishwasher according to claim 10 , wherein the axis extends between the first attachment member and the second attachment member.
12. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein in the stowed position, a portion of the shelf is configured to rest on an upper edge of a third wall of the dishwasher rack, and wherein the third wall extends between the end of the first wall and the end of the second wall.
13. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein the shelf, the first engaging portion, and the second engaging portion are fixedly connected to each other, and wherein the axis extends between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion.
14. The dishwasher according to claim 1 , wherein the axis lies in a plane parallel to the lateral direction and extends between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion throughout a range of sliding movement of the cutlery rack in the longitudinal direction.