[0001] The present invention relates to dishwasher baskets, and in particular to a basket
provided with a mobile front drop-tray.
[0002] It is known that in conventional dishwashers with front door the latter is hinged
along the bottom side and also acts as a support for the lower basket when the latter
is pulled out of the washing tank.
[0003] It is also known that during the dish loading operation it is probable that drops
or food rests fall on the underlying door, and it is therefore necessary that the
basket does not project from any side of the door to prevent soiling of the floor.
Still better is having the basket not project from the area that, when the door is
closed, is reached by the washing jets in order to achieve also the cleaning of the
internal surface of the door.
[0004] However this known solution has drawbacks in the case when the door is not sufficiently
high to completely include the vertical projection of the basket when the latter is
completely pulled out.
[0005] In fact there are cases of reduced height dishwashers, usually provided with a single
basket, in which the door height is smaller than or equal to the length of the washing
tank, and therefore of the basket length. It is thus necessary to limit the extraction
of the latter to prevent soiling outside the door, in the dish loading phase, but
this implies greater difficulty in placing the dishes in the rear portion of the basket
which remains inside the washing tank.
[0006] Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide a basket which overcomes
the above-mentioned drawbacks.
[0007] This object is achieved by means of a basket provided with a front drop-tray which
is mobile between a substantially horizontal position, when the basket is in the extracted
position, and a substantially vertical position, when the basket is closed inside
the washing tank. Other advantageous features are disclosed in the dependent claims.
[0008] The main advantage of the dishwasher basket according to the present invention is
that of being able to be pulled out even beyond the top edge of the door, to have
the greatest ease of loading yet without risks of floor soiling or of creating dirt
build-up areas on the door internal surface.
[0009] A second advantage of this dishwasher basket is that of providing the automatic movement
of the drop-tray without requiring an intervention by the user.
[0010] A further advantage of the present basket stems from the mobility of the drop-tray
which is not an obstacle to the washing jets in the washing phase.
[0011] Still another advantage of this basket is given by its simple, cheap and reliable
structure which does not require any change to the dishwasher, whereby it can be applied
as replacement basket to an existing dishwasher.
[0012] These and other advantages and characteristics of the dishwasher basket according
to the present invention will be clear to those skilled in the art from the following
detailed description of an embodiment thereof, with reference to the annexed drawings
wherein:
Fig.1 is a perspective top view showing the basket with the drop-tray in the vertical position,
as if it were in the washing tank;
Fig.2 is a side view similar to the preceding one;
Fig.3 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional view of a dishwasher with a completely pulled
out conventional basket;
Fig.4 is a view same as the preceding one of a dishwasher with a basket according to the
invention; and
Fig.5 is a view similar to the preceding one of the dishwasher of fig.4 during the washing
cycle, with the basket having the drop-tray in the vertical position.
[0013] With reference to figures 1 and 2, there is seen that a dishwasher basket according
to the invention conventionally includes a structure C of metallic wire, provided
with wheels W for a smooth sliding along the guides formed in the washing tank and
on the door.
[0014] The novel aspect of the present basket is given by the presence of a front drop-tray
D, extending below the front portion of the basket with a width substantially equal
to the width of structure C. The drop-tray D is mobile along lateral arcuate guides
G, secured to structure C, extending over an arc of about 90° so that it can move
between a substantially vertical position (figs.1, 2, 5) and a substantially horizontal
position (fig.4).
[0015] In this second position, the concave profile of the drop-tray D is capable of properly
retaining the drops and rests falling from the dishes loaded in the front portion
of the basket. Therefore even if this portion is located beyond the top edge of the
door there is no risk of soiling the floor or the door in the area not reached by
the washing jets.
[0016] In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the means which provide
the automatic movement of the drop-tray D are a central longitudinal rod R and a return
spring S. The rod R, a little shorter than the basket, is pivoted on the drop-tray
D and slidably mounted on suitable supports H secured to the basket structure C, while
spring S is secured between the drop-tray D (or rod R) and structure C.
[0017] In the light of the description above, and with reference also to figures 3 to 5,
the simple and effective operation of the dishwasher basket is readily understood.
In particular, the comparison between figs.3 and 4 clearly shows the advantage provided
by the drop-tray D in the dish loading phase.
[0018] A conventional basket introduced into a dishwasher having an internal height Y of
door K which is significantly smaller than the basket length L can not be pulled out
beyond limit E. In this position the basket remains for a significant length LI inside
the washing tank T, while only the external length LE is easily accessible for the
user (fig.3).
[0019] A basket according to the invention introduced in the same dishwasher can on the
contrary be pulled out beyond limit E up to a new limit E', well beyond the edge of
door K, thanks to the drop-tray D which covers the underlying area. As a consequence,
the increase F of the pull-out length which is added to the external length leads
to a new external length LE' greater than the previous one, while the internal length
LI' is correspondingly reduced. This results in a greater accessibility to the rear
portion of the basket and therefore a greater ease of loading for the user (fig.4).
[0020] It should be noted that in this condition rod R projects from the rear of the basket
in that spring S has pulled the drop-tray D into abutment against the rear end of
guides G, so that it is arranged horizontally below the front portion of the basket
to cover the area between limits E and E'.
[0021] When the basket loaded with the dishes is pushed back in the washing tank T, the
rear end of rod R abuts against the rear wall of the tank and therefore slides forward
on supports H with respect to structure C. As a consequence, rod R pushes forward
the drop-tray D, overcoming the resistance of spring S, so that it is arranged almost
vertically in the front portion of guides G (fig.5).
[0022] In this condition the washing jets J properly reach the dishes located in the front
portion of the basket, and they also provide the cleaning of the drop-tray D.
[0023] It is clear that the above-described and illustrated embodiment of the dishwasher
basket according to the invention is just an example susceptible of various modifications.
In particular, the exact shape of the drop-tray D and of the relevant guides G can
be somewhat changed, and also the driving means consisting of rod R and spring S can
be replaced by other mechanically equivalent means, for example by using a torsion
spring rather than the coil spring S or elastic members located in the guides G.
[0024] Similarly, the driving means could also carry out the function of supporting the
drop-tray D so that the lateral guides G can be dispensed with. For example, there
could be provided two rods R symmetrically arranged with respect to the basket midplane
and pivoted on the drop-tray D so as to make it rotate in the vertical or horizontal
position according to the position of said rods R, or the guide elements could be
formed directly in the basket structure C.
[0025] Finally, it is obvious that it would also be possible to dispense with the driving
means and leave up to the user the task of manually moving the drop-tray D, but this
would clearly imply a loss of practicality of the present basket.
1. A dishwasher basket including a metallic wire structure (C), characterized in that it further includes a front drop-tray (D) extending below the front portion of the
basket with a width substantially equal to the width of said structure (C), said drop-tray
(D) being mobile between a substantially vertical position when it is introduced into
the washing tank (T) and a substantially horizontal position when it is pulled out
of the washing tank (T).
2. A dishwasher basket according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes driving means to automatically move the drop-tray (D) between the two
positions.
3. A dishwasher basket according to claim 2, characterized in that the drop-tray (D) is introduced into lateral guides (G) secured to the basket structure
(C), the driving means of the drop-tray (D) consisting of a longitudinal rod (R) pivoted
on the drop-tray (D) and slidably mounted on suitable supports (H) secured to the
basket structure (C), and of at least an elastic member suitable to push the drop-tray
(D) to the horizontal position.
4. A dishwasher basket according to claim 3, characterized in that said elastic member is a return spring (S) secured between the structure (C) and
the drop-tray (D) or said rod (R).
5. A dishwasher basket according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that it includes an elastic member in each guide (G).
6. A dishwasher basket according to claim 2, characterized in that the driving means of the drop-tray (D) consist of at least two rods (R) slidably
mounted on suitable supports (H) secured to the basket structure (C) and pivoted on
the drop-tray (D) so as to rotate it to the vertical or horizontal position according
to the position of said rods (R), as well as of at least an elastic member suitable
to push the drop-tray (D) to the horizontal position.
7. A dishwasher basket according to claim 6, characterized in that it includes at each rod (R) a return spring (S) secured between the structure (C)
and the drop-tray (D) or said rod (R).
8. A dishwasher basket according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes guide elements for the drop-tray (D) which are directly formed in the
metallic wire structure (C).
9. A dishwasher according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drop-tray (D) has a concave profile.