IP Library Granted Patent US 11,534,047
Granted Patent B2
US 11,534,047 · App. 16/686,862 · Granted Dec 27, 2022

Glasses rack for dishwasher

Inventors: Barry E. Tuller (Stevensville, MI); Steven B. Balinski (Saint Joseph, MI); David Jason Brightbill (Benton Harbor, MI); Frederick Thomas Roderick (Coloma, MI); Joseph T. Ferencevich (Saint Joseph, MI); Ryan Kevin Roth (Benton Harbor, MI); William J. Snell (Elkhart, IN)
Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
A47L15/0065A47L15/14A47L15/4285A47L15/50A47L15/508
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,534,047
App. No.
16/686,862
Granted
Dec 27, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A dishwasher can include 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 with inclined portions configured to cradle a glass therebetween and prevent the glass from rolling.

Claims (28)

1. A dishwasher, comprising:

a tub defining a treating chamber adapted for receiving dishes for treatment;

a spray system providing treating liquid to the treating chamber and including multiple spray tubes; and

a wire dish rack selectively moveable into and out of the tub, the wire dish rack having a bottom wall, a side wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall and terminating in an upper edge, with an upwardly angled portion formed in the bottom wall comprising at least two spaced apart inclined portions forming a portion of the bottom wall and terminating at the side wall, wherein the at least two spaced apart inclined portions are configured to cradle a glass at an inclined angle and prevent the glass from rolling, and a central portion formed in the bottom wall configured to prevent the glass from sliding down the inclined angle;

wherein the multiple spray tubes are located adjacent the central portion.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the bottom wall further comprises a series of spaced apart inclined portions, the series of spaced apart inclined portions forming a set of cradles extending from a front to a rear of the wire dish rack.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the series of spaced apart inclined portions are configured to hold glasses at a first incline angle less than about 45 degrees relative to horizontal.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3 wherein the multiple spray tubes are mounted to the wire dish rack and positioned to spray treating liquid into an interior of the glasses.

5. The dishwasher of claim 4 wherein the first incline angle of the glasses is in a range of 5 degrees to 15 degrees.

6. The dishwasher of claim 5 wherein the bottom wall further comprises a second series of spaced apart inclined portions along a second side of the wire dish rack, the second series of spaced apart inclined portions forming a second set of cradles extending from the front to the rear of the wire dish rack.

7. The dishwasher of claim 6 wherein the second series of spaced apart inclined portions are configured to hold glasses at a second incline angle equal to the first incline angle.

8. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the bottom wall further comprises a second series of spaced apart inclined portions along a second side of the wire dish rack, the second series of spaced apart inclined portions forming a second set of cradles extending from the front to the rear of the wire dish rack.

9. The dishwasher according to claim 1 wherein the upper edge of the wire dish rack is horizontal.

10. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two spaced apart inclined portions are adjacent to the central portion the glass can abut to prevent the glass from sliding down the inclined angle, the central portion located at a lower portion of the at least two spaced apart inclined portions.

11. A dishwasher, comprising:

a tub defining a treating chamber adapted for receiving dishes for treatment;

a spray system configured to provide treating liquid to the treating chamber and including multiple spray tubes; and

a dish rack including a wire frame defining a perimeter wall having opposing side walls, a front wall, a rear wall, and a plurality of bottom walls that extend at least between the opposing side walls and are spaced apart, wherein each of the plurality of bottom walls defines a set of spaced apart first inclined portions terminating at one of the opposing side walls and two sequential of the first inclined portions of the plurality of bottom walls are configured to cradle a glass therebetween and prevent the glass from rolling, and a central portion formed in the plurality of bottom walls provided between the sets of spaced apart inclined portions of the plurality of bottom walls and configured to prevent the glass from sliding down the inclined portions;

wherein the multiple spray tubes are located adjacent the central portion.

12. The dishwasher of claim 11 wherein the two sequential of the inclined portions of the plurality of bottom walls retain the glass at an angle of 45 degrees or less relative to horizontal.

13. The dishwasher of claim 12 wherein the two sequential of the inclined portions of the plurality of bottom walls retain the glass at an angle between 5 degrees and 15 degrees relative to horizontal.

14. The dishwasher of claim 11 wherein the set of spaced apart inclined portions defined by one bottom wall of the plurality of bottom walls comprises a first set of spaced apart first inclined portions terminating at a first of the opposing side walls and adapted to retain a first row of glasses.

15. The dishwasher of claim 14 wherein the set of spaced apart inclined portions defined by an other bottom wall of the plurality of bottom walls comprises a second set of spaced apart second inclined portions terminating at a second of the opposing side walls, the second set of spaced apart second inclined portions adapted to retain a second row of glasses.

16. The dishwasher of claim 15 wherein the central portion included in the plurality of bottom walls is a flat central portion provided between the first set of spaced apart first inclined portions and the second set of spaced apart second inclined portions.

17. The dishwasher of claim 16 wherein the multiple spray tubes are located adjacent the flat central portion.

18. The dishwasher of claim 15 wherein a first glass inclination angle created by the first set of spaced apart first inclined portions and a second glass inclination angle created by the second set of spaced apart second inclined portions are equal.

19. The dishwasher of claim 15 wherein the first set of spaced apart first inclined portions are configured to hold a first type of glass and the second set of spaced apart second inclined portions are configured to hold a second type of glass, different from the first type of glass.

20. The dishwasher of claim 11 wherein the central portion is located at a lower portion of the first inclined portions.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2019
From: TULLER, BARRY E.; BALINSKI, STEVEN B.; BRIGHTBILL, DAVID JASON; RODERICK, FREDERICK THOMAS; FERENCEVICH, JOSEPH T.; ROTH, RYAN KEVIN; SNELL, WILLIAM J.
To: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051039/0417 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 15941761 · Mar 30, 2018
Continuation 15416687 · Jan 26, 2017
Continuation 14620688 · Feb 12, 2015
Provisional Application 61946101 · Feb 28, 2014
Related Publication 20200077865A1 · Mar 12, 2020