This invention relates to a multi-purpose racks used in dish washing machines, with the height thereof being adjustable.

A variety of racks and baskets are used in dish washing machines for the purpose of washing various dining set utensils. The most common are the baskets for forks-spoons-knives and racks for glasses-cups. Forks-spoons-knives having large bodies are usually placed in the spaces found within the upper plate rack. However, finding space to place items such as ladles that are both large and difficult to place is especially a problem. The case is similar for large and sharp items such as bread knives. Placing items of this sort is also difficult, and the sharp edges of such items damage the coating of the lower and upper baskets. Different rack mechanisms, therefore, have been developed in order to properly place kitchen utensils that are both large and difficult to place.

A dish washing machine rack such as the one disclosed in the published patent application EP1275336 belonging to the prior art may be provided as an example of such an apparatus. The rack disclosed herein is structured to be fixed to the upper basket and can rotate on a single axis. This rack, the height of which cannot be adjusted, is designed for placing various kitchen utensils on it.

As the height of the rack disclosed in the published patent application EP1275336 cannot be adjusted, this presents an obstacle for the items underneath. Furthermore, parts which extend toward the basket lead to a decrease in usable capacity even when closed in a rotary motion, due to its structure, which embodies protrusions and grooves. In addition, owing to its numerous parts, assembling the rack is time consuming and leads to an increase in costs.

Document WO-A- 01 87133 describes a rack mechanism attachable to a dish washing machine basket having a connection wire, a rack whose height can be adjusted, at least one connection slot and at least one resting surface.

The rack mechanism provided by this invention, however, is one that takes up little space (compact) and which can be assembled with ease. This apparatus includes a wire used for assembly and a rack that is fixed to the said wire. The wire is designed to be easily detached when necessary and has the feature of being attachable to many current dish washing machines. In other words, the rack of the present invention is quite easily applicable to current dish washing machines.

The height of the rack that is attached to the connection wire is adjustable to at least two positions. It is closed when not in use, and the flexible hooked fastening elements found herein prevent it from deviating from this position by gripping onto the connection wire.

Between single rows on the rack may be placed large kitchen utensils such as forks-spoons-knives in a horizontal alignment. The mechanism provides a structure allowing for the safe placement and retraction of knives having a sharp edge without endangering the user. In addition, it may also be used as a cup-glass rack. The rack mechanism is made yet more convenient, as the connection wire may be attached and detached from the upper-lower baskets.

This mechanism, the use of which allows for an additional placement area within the machine, makes available a relatively large space, especially as used next to the plate rows in the lower basket. That the rack may be aligned in an open position provides for a more thorough washing of the cups-glasses placed within it.

A further important feature of the invention is that it can be assembled in a very quick manner. Fewer numbers of parts and the simple geometric structure thereof allow for easy assembly while also saving time. Furthermore, this makes the parts safer and more durable. The assembly process is completed easily and swiftly since additional parts and connection tools are no longer necessary.

The objective of the present invention is to provide an mechanism comprising a single piece rack which can be opened and closed and is height adjustable to allow for the placement in washing machines of large kitchen utensils such as forks-spoons-knives.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a rack mechanism that can also be attached to and detached from the present dish washing machine basket afterwards.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a rack mechanism that can remain in a closed position and does not, even in such a position, obstruct the available areas inside the dish washing machine.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a rack mechanism whose height can be adjusted to at least two positions.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a rack mechanism which increases the usable space through placement in different areas on the dish washing machine basket.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a rack mechanism that makes a more thorough washing of utensils such as cups-glasses possible by allowing for the rack to remain in an open position.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a rack mechanism, wherein the assembly processes may be easily carried out even by the user without having to resort to additional parts and connection tools.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a rack mechanism, wherein different kitchen utensils can also be placed.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a rack mechanism, wherein especially sharp edged knives may safely be placed and retracted without endangering the user.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a rack mechanism of which assembly is quick, safe and cheap.

An example of the rack mechanism which is the subject of this invention is shown by illustration in the attached drawings, wherein;

• Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of the rack mechanism as assembled on a dish washing machine basket.
• Figure 2 is a perspective view from above of the rack mechanism.
• Figure 3 is a side view of the rack mechanism in an open position.
• Figure 4 is a side view of the rack mechanism in an open position.
• Figure 5 is a side view of the rack mechanism in a closed position.
• Figure 6 is perspective view of the rack.
• Figure 7 is another perspective view of the rack.
• Figure 8 is a side view of the rack mechanism as assembled on a dish washing machine basket.
• Figure 9 is a side view of the rack mechanism as assembled on a dish washing machine basket.
• Figure 10 is a side view of the rack mechanism in an open position.
• Figure 11 is a perspective view from above of the rack mechanism as assembled on a dish washing machine basket.

Each part in the drawings is numbered. The parts corresponding to the numbers are as follows:

• Washing machine basket (1)
• Connection wire (2)
• Rack (3)
• Plate (4)
• Plate (5)
• Knife (6)
• Spoon (7)
• Glass-Cup (8)
• Notch (21)
• Vertical wire (22)
• Upper section (23)
• Upper section (30)
• Connection slot (31)
• Separator (32)
• Placement slot (33)
• Hooked fastener (34)
• Lower section (35)
• Placement slot (36)
• Resting surface (37)
• Resting surface (38)
• Rear surface (39)
• Front surface (39')
• Feeder (40)
• Angle (A)

• Figure 1 shows a perspective view from above of the rack mechanism of the present invention as fixed to the dish washing machine basket (1). The said mechanism comprises at least one connection wire (2) that is assembled to the horizontal and vertical wires of the basket (1) and at least one single piece rack (3) which can be opened and closed in a rotary motion and whose vertical position can be adjusted on the said connection wire (2).
• Figures 2-4 shows the rack (3) in an open position in order to increase the dish receiving capacity of the basket (1), while figure 5 illustrates the closed position. The open position is the position wherein the rack (3) has been placed to receive dishes by laying it down. The closed position is the position wherein the rack (3) has been placed vertically.

The connection wire (2) shown in: figures 1-5 is a part placed in such a way on the horizontal and vertical wires of the basket (1) so as to be flexibly attachable and detachable, and can remain, without slippage, in position on the basket (1) as placed, via notches on the horizontal and vertical wires.

Figures 6-7; wherein the rack(3) whose perspective view is provided; there is at least one connection slot (31), that is situated on the rear surface (39) and extends from the rear surface (39) so as to allow the rack (3) to be at a slanted angle in the open position, used for the upward and downward motion of the rack (3) on the vertical wires (22) found on the connection wire (2).

When the rack (3) is in the open position, on the rear surface (39) of the rack and beneath each connection slot (31) is a resting surface (37) in the form of a channel, on the inner surface of which rests the vertical wire (22). Apart from the said surfaces (37), there is at least one separate resting surface (38) that is linear so as to be able to rest against at least one vertical wire (22), or that has a channel form which can receive the wire (22). (In an alternative embodiment of the invention, at the said rear surface (39), there is provided at least one double-hooked fastener (not shown in the drawings) for firmly gripping the vertical wires to provide a stronger bond to the vertical wires (22) when the rack is in an open position.)

When the rack (3) is in the closed position, at least one double-hooked fastener (34) extends upwards from the upper part (30) of the rack (3) to the vertical wires (22) to prevent it from opening on its own (or to prevent a change in any present connection). The body of the rack (3) is in the form of a grill, with the parts connecting the front and rear surfaces (39', 39), the side edges, having on them aligned at certain intervals, at least one row of separators (32) that extend upward from the upper section (30). By placing kitchen utensils such as forks-spoons-knives between the separators (32), it is possible to keep them apart from each other while washing them more thoroughly.

On the upper edges of the rear and front surfaces (39, 39') of the rack (3), there is at least one placement slot (33, 36) into which the vertical wire (22) can be fastened. It becomes possible for the rack (3) to take up less space in the closed position as the wires (22) are inserted into these slots (33, 36) when the rack (3) is brought to the closed position.

In order to adjust the height of the rack (3) without completely disengaging from the connection wire (1) and to make the rack's (3) movements from the open to the closed position easier; the connection slot (31) is provided as "C" shaped and allows for a vertical wire (22) to pass into the channel (31') on the inside through an opening to the outside (31") that is located on its side. As the vertical wire (22) is inserted into the said channel (31'), the extended form of the channel allows the rack (3) to move in a rotary motion relative to the vertical wire (22). On the other hand, the relative left and right motion of the rack (3) to the wire (2) is prevented by maintaining the width of the said channel (31') at a measure close to the width of the wire (22) inside.

As can be seen in Figure 10, in order for the rack (3) to remain steady in an open position on the vertical wire (22), each connection slot (31) must be in a resting position on the upper section (23) of the notches (21) situated on the vertical wire (22). In this position, each resting surface (37) is in a resting position on its corresponding vertical wire (22). Because a force is inflicted on the notch (21) by the connection slot (31) (resting on the upper section (23) of the notch (21) in the attached drawings) and by the resting surface (37) on the vertical wire (22), upon a load being placed on the rack (3), the rack (3) can easily be suspended in this position. Each notch (21) is formed as a protrusion in a given direction on certain points of a vertical wire (22). The number of notches (21) on a vertical wire (22) defines the number of different heights at which the rack (3) will be positioned.

Figure 3 illustrates a side view of the rack (3) as attached to the connection wire (2) in the lower position, while figure 4 shows a side view of the rack (3) as attached to the connection wire (2) in the upper position. The rack (3) is brought to the desired height by moving the connection slots (31) up and down on the vertical wires (22), and is then attached to the notches (21) by being brought to a fully open position at the desired height.

In order to prevent water accumulation on the dishes placed in the rack (3) and to allow the water to more easily reach inside of the items such as glasses-cups during washing; the rack (3) is formed to remain at a slanted angle (angle (A) is shown in figure 4) in the open position as shown in figure 4.

With the present invention, it is possible to adjust the height of the rack (3) attached to the connection wire of the dishwashing machine basket (1) in accordance with the size of the dishes to be placed underneath, without having to disengage the rack (3) from the basket (1) during the said adjustment process. Figure 8 shows the rack (3) with a large plate (5) placed under it, while figure 9 shows the rack (3) with a small plate (4) placed under it.

Furthermore, the resting surfaces (37), which rest against the vertical wires (22), being formed as channels, along with the width of the channel (31') inside the connection slot (31) being of a width similar to that of the wire (22), prevents the rack (3) from moving right or left in its attached position, which decreases the shakiness of the rack (3) and allows it to remain stable.

Figure 11 provides a perspective view from above of an example embodiment of the invention. This illustrates the knife (6) and fork (7) placed between the separators (32). In addition, it is possible, as illustrated in this figure, to place items such as glasses-cups (8) on the rack (3).

In another alternative embodiment of the invention, materials of high friction coefficient are used for areas that come in contact with the rack's (3) connection wire (2). This way, the possibility of the rack (3) slipping off the wire (2) in areas in between where notches (21) are not used is decreased.

In another alternative embodiment of the invention, more than one rack (3) (Figure 11 illustrates two racks) may be used side by side. In instances where kitchen utensils that are too long to fit on a single rack are used (as illustrated in figure 11), the facing edges of two racks (3) aligned next to each other are formed without a difference in their height adjustment. This way, it becomes possible to place long kitchen utensils on more than one rack at a time.

In addition, at least one feeder (40) (shown in figure 7) providing an elevation is provided on at least one side of the rack (3) of the invention in order to prevent the kitchen utensils from spilling out of the rack (3).