[0001] The present invention relates to a dishwasher with increased loading capacity for
the items to be washed, particularly with regard to cutlery.
[0002] The dishwasher to which the present invention relates is of the type comprising a
parallelepipedal washing chamber accessible from the front through a door pivotable
about a horizontal articulation axis disposed in the vicinity of the bottom of the
chamber, the dishwasher also comprising a plurality of crockery compartments slidable
horizontally like drawers in the chamber on respective sliding guides carried by the
internal vertical side walls of the chamber.
[0003] In dishwashers of the type indicated above, the cutlery is generally housed for washing
in a vertical position in baskets with walls and bases which are perforated to allow
the water to pass through them. These baskets are placed in one of the crockery compartments
of the machine, usually in the lower one, and can be removed manually.
[0004] The number of baskets varies according to the amount of cutlery to be washed.
[0005] Although, on the one hand, these baskets are convenient to use since they can easily
be removed from the machine manually, on the other hand, they cause a series of problems.
[0006] First of all, when they are placed in the crockery compartment, they reduce the crockery
space which is reduced to a greater extent the more cutlery there is to be washed
and hence the greater the number of baskets used.
[0007] Moreover, when the baskets are not used during a washing operation, they take up
space whether they are kept outside the dishwasher or are left inside where they occupy
space which could more appropriately be used for crockery.
[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher having a cutlery container
which does not interfere with the space intended for the loading of the crockery but
which nevertheless permits the use of conventional cutlery baskets if it is considered
necessary.
[0009] The object is achieved by the dishwasher the characteristics of which are given in
appended Claim 1.
[0010] The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to some preferred
embodiments thereof, illustrated in the appended drawings provided purely by way of
non-limiting example, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic, perspective view of a dishwasher with the door in the open
position and with a cutlery container formed in accordance with a first embodiment
of the invention,
Figure 2 shows, in partial vertical section, a dishwasher with the door in the closed
position and with with a cutlery container formed in accordance with a second embodiment,
Figure 3 is a schematic side view of the dishwasher of Figure 1, with the door partially
open,
Figure 4 is a schematic view of a dishwasher with the door in the open position, and
with a cutlery container formed in accordance with the embodiment of Figure 2, with
the lid open.
[0011] With reference to the above-mentioned drawings and, in particular, to Figure 1, the
dishwasher 1 has a front door 2 pivotable about a horizontal axis 3 by means of conventional
hinges, not shown in detail.
[0012] The machine 1 has a washing chamber 4 inside which there are crockery compartments
5 and 6 slidable like drawers on conventional guides 7 and 8 carried by the vertical
side walls 9 and 10 of the chamber 4.
[0013] In addition to the conventional compartments 12 and 13 for detergent and rinse aid,
the internal face 11 of the door 2 has a container, generally indicated 14, for holding
cutlery.
[0014] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the container 14 is formed as a basket anchored
firmly to the face 11 of the door 2 and comprises a perforated end 15, the depth A
of which is no greater than the distance X between the face 11 of the door 2, when
it is closed, and the front walls 5a and 6a of the compartments 5 and 6 when they
are fully inserted in the chamber 4.
[0015] The width L of the container 14 may take up the entire free width of the face 11
up to the region of the detergent and rinse-aid compartments 12 and 13.
[0016] The width L, like the length P, is in any case no less than the length of an item
of table cutlery.
[0017] At the opposite end to the end 15, the container 14 has a pivotable lid 16 for preventing
the cutlery from coming out of the container after the cutlery has been inserted manually
and the door 2 has been closed for washing cycles to be performed.
[0018] The formation of the container 14 as a perforated basket allows the washing water
to penetrate between the items of cutlery.
[0019] The cutlery can also be loaded into the container 14 through the end opposite the
end wall 15 with the door 2 in an inclined or semi-open position, as shown in Figure
3.
[0020] With reference to Figure 2, the cutlery container is indicated 140 and is connected
to the internal face 11 of the door 2 by mechanical snap couplings constituted by
recesses 141 formed in the face 11 of the door 2 and by pins 142 fixed to the container
140.
[0021] In this embodiment, the depth A of the end wall 150 is also no greater than the distance
X between the front walls 5a and 6a of the drawer-like compartments 5 and 6 and the
face 11 of the door 2 although, in the intermediate portion of the container 140 corresponding
to the vertical space between the compartments 5 and 6, the depth of the container
140 may exceed this distance, extending up to a distance Y such as to enable it to
house the rounded portions of spoons, even those larger than conventional spoons,
for example, so-called serving spoons.
[0022] The cutlery is loaded into the container 140, after the lid 240 has been raised,
with the door 2 in an inclined position, as shown in Figure 3, or fully open, as shown
in Figure 1.
[0023] Alternatively, the container 140 may be completely removed from the door 2 to enable
the cutlery also to be loaded at a distance from the dishwasher.
[0024] With reference to Figure 4, it can be seen that the cutlery container 140 with perforated
or grid-like walls has a lid 240 hinged on an axis 241 extending along the edge 242
of a base 243 which in turn is anchored to the face 11 of the door 2.
[0025] In this embodiment, the lid 240 of the container 140 can adopt a position for the
loading of the cutlery, shown in Figure 4, in which it is arranged perpendicular to
the face 11 of the door 2 and a washing position in which, after pivoting about the
axis 241, it lies on the container parallel to the face 11 of the door 2.
[0026] The lid 240 has a convex central portion 244 for receiving and housing the rounded
portions even of large serving spoons.
[0027] It is clear from the foregoing that the dishwasher according to the invention can
house and hence wash a large amount of cutlery, for example, a complete service, without
affecting the space in the chamber conventionally intended for crockery, although
the possibility of the additional use of conventional baskets to be placed in the
crockery compartments is not excluded.
[0028] Naturally, the grid-like configurations of the cutlery containers may vary according
to requirements, for example, to facilitate the positioning of items of cutlery individually
or in groups or to permit adequate and efficient circulation of the washing water,
without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.
1. A dishwasher of the type comprising a parallelepipedal washing chamber (4) accessible
from the front through a door (2) pivotable about a horizontal articulation axis (3)
disposed in the vicinity of the bottom of the chamber, the dishwasher also comprising
a plurality of crockery compartments (5, 6) slidable horizontally like drawers in
the chamber (4) on respective sliding guides (7, 8) carried by the internal vertical
side walls (9, 10) of the chamber, characterized in that the face (11) of the door
(2) facing the interior of the chamber (4) is provided with a container (14, 140)
for housing cutlery.
2. A dishwasher according to Claim 1, characterized in that the cutlery container (14,
140) carried by the door (2) is in the form of a basket with perforated walls.
3. A dishwasher according to Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the end wall (15)
of the cutlery container (14, 140) carried by the door (2) extends in a direction
perpendicular to the face (11) of the door 20 for a distance (A) no greater than the
distance (X) between the front walls (5a, 6a) of the crockery compartments (5, 6)
when they are in the inserted position in the chamber (4) and the internal face (11)
of the door (2).
4. A dishwasher according to Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the central region
of the cutlery container (14, 140) carried by the door (2) extends in a direction
perpendicular to the face (11) of the door (2) for a distance (Y) greater than the
distance (X) between the front walls (5a, 6a) of the crockery compartments (5, 6)
when they are in the inserted position in the chamber (4) and the internal face (11)
of the door (2), so as to be able to house the rounded portions of spoons.
5. A dishwasher according to Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the cutlery container
(14, 140) carried by the door (2) extends in directions parallel to the face (11)
of the door, at least for distances (P, L) no shorter than the length of an item of
table cutlery.
6. A dishwasher according to Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cutlery container
(14) has a folding lid (16) on its open end opposite the end (15).
7. A dishwasher according to Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cutlery container
(14) is fixed firmly to the internal face (11) of the door (2) for closing the chamber
(4).
8. A dishwasher according to Claims 1 to 6,, characterized in that the cutlery container
(140) is fixed removably to the internal face (11) of the door (2).
9. A dishwasher according to Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cutlery container
(140) has a lid (240) articulated by one of its edges (242) to the internal face (11)
of the door (2) by means of a hinge the axis of rotation (241) of which extends parallel
to the face (11) of the door so that the lid adopts an open position for the loading
of the cutlery, in which it is perpendicular to the face (11) of the door, and a closed
position for washing, in which it is parallel to the face (11).
10. A dishwasher according to Claim 9, characterized in that the lid (240) has a central
convex portion (244) for housing the rounded portions of large serving spoons.