IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,232,681
Granted Patent B2
US 12,232,681 · App. 18/535,327 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Dishwasher with a dish rack

Inventors: Mark S. Feddema (Kalamazoo, MI); William J. Snell (Elkhart, IN); Sachie Kakehi (St. Joseph, MI)
Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
A47L15/502A47L15/22A47L15/4217A47L15/4221A47L15/4246A47L15/428A47L15/46A47L15/503A47L15/505
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,232,681
App. No.
18/535,327
Granted
Feb 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An automatic dishwasher configured to implement an automatic treating cycle of operation. The automatic dishwasher having a tub and a dish rack located within the dish treating chamber. The dish rack comprising a bottom wall having a first portion defined by a substantially planar portion extending across a first portion of bottom wall and second portion defined by a depression portion extending across a second portion of bottom wall.

Claims (25)

1. An automatic dishwasher configured to implement an automatic treating cycle of operation, comprising:

a tub defining a dish treating chamber; and

a dish rack located within the dish treating chamber and the dish rack comprising a bottom wall from which extends a peripheral wall defining side walls of the dish rack, the bottom wall having a first portion defined by a substantially horizontal-planar portion extending across a first portion of the bottom wall and a second portion of the bottom wall defined by an angled second planar portion relative to the substantially horizontal planar first portion extending across a second portion of the bottom wall; the second portion connected to and extending from the first portion and angled away from the first portion;

the first portion supporting a first set of utensil holders for supporting one or more utensils and the second portion supporting a plurality of spaced pins defining spaced slots for supporting one or more utensils.

2. The automatic dishwasher of claim 1 , wherein the first set of utensil holders comprises loops.

3. The automatic dishwasher of claim 1 , wherein the dish rack is an upper dishrack and located within a top portion of the dish treating chamber.

4. The automatic dishwasher of claim 1 , further comprising a third planar portion angled with respect to the substantially horizontal first planar portion.

5. The automatic dishwasher of claim 4 , wherein a depression portion is defined by the second and the third planar portions.

6. The automatic dishwasher of claim 5 , wherein the third planar portion defines a cup seat.

7. The automatic dishwasher of claim 4 , wherein the third portion at an end opposite a connection to the peripheral wall has a third vertical height, the third vertical height being greater than the first vertical height.

8. The automatic dishwasher of claim 4 , further comprising a sprayer positioned beneath the second portion for spraying liquid at the second portion.

9. The automatic dishwasher of claim 8 , further comprising a second sprayer positioned between the second portion and the third portion for spraying liquid at the second portion and the third portion.

10. The automatic dishwasher of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral wall surrounding the first portion has a first vertical height and the second portion at an end opposite the connection to the first portion has a second vertical height, the second vertical height being greater than the first vertical height.

11. The automatic dishwasher of claim 1 , wherein the first set of utensil holders and the plurality of spaced pins defining spaced slots are defined by a utensil caddy.

12. The automatic dishwasher of claim 11 , wherein the first set of utensil holders are positioned on a first side wall of the utensil caddy and the plurality of spaced pins are positioned on a second side wall of the utensil caddy.

13. The automatic dishwasher of claim 12 , wherein the second side wall is moveable relative to the first side wall.

14. An automatic dishwasher configured to implement an automatic treating cycle of operation, comprising:

a tub defining a dish treating chamber; and

a dish rack located within the dish treating chamber having a first end spaced from a second end and comprising a bottom wall from which extends a peripheral wall defining side walls of the dish rack, at the first end of the dish rack, the bottom wall has a first portion defined by a first substantially horizontal planar portion extending across a first portion of the bottom wall and at the second end of the dishrack, a second portion is angled with respect to the first portion and defining a depression; the depression extending lower than the first portion relative to the peripheral wall;

the first portion supporting a first set of utensil holders for supporting one or more utensils and the second portion defining a cup seat for supporting one of more cups in the depression.

15. The automatic dishwasher of claim 14 , further comprising a third portion of the bottom wall defined by an angled third planar portion relative to the substantially horizontal first portion and extending across a third portion of the bottom wall; the third portion connected to and extending from the first portion and angled away from the first portion.

16. The automatic dishwasher of claim 15 , wherein the second portion supports a plurality of spaced pins defining spaced slots for supporting one or more utensils.

17. The automatic dishwasher of claim 16 , wherein the first set of utensil holders and the plurality of spaced pins defining spaced slots are defined by a utensil caddy; the utensil caddy comprising a first side wall carrying the first set of utensil holders and a second side wall carrying the plurality of spaced pins.

18. The automatic dishwasher of claim 17 , wherein the second side wall is moveable relative to the first side wall.

19. The automatic dishwasher of claim 15 , further comprising a first sprayer positioned beneath the third portion for spraying liquid at the third portion and a second sprayer positioned between the second portion and the third portion for spraying liquid at the second portion and the third portion.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2025
From: BALINSKI, STEVEN B.; BRIGHTBILL, DAVID JASON; RODERICK, FREDERICK THOMAS; FERENCEVICH, JOSEPH T.; ROTH, RYAN KEVIN; NAIK, SUJIT S.
To: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072454/0544 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2023
From: FEDDEMA, MARK S.; SNELL, WILLIAM J.; KAKEHI, SACHIE
To: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065829/0088 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17830947 · Jun 2, 2022
Continuation 16833984 · Mar 30, 2020
Related Publication 20240099551A1 · Mar 28, 2024
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