DISHES BASKET FOR DISHWASHING MACHINES

[0001] The present invention refers to a dishes basket, in particular to a dishes basket for dishwashing machines.

[0002] Nowadays a dishwashing machine of known type, in particular a household dishwasher, comprises a movable door that gives access to a washing chamber in which dishes to be washed are placed. Such dishes are generally disposed on racks slidably mounted within said chamber and capable to be moved outward and inward relative to the chamber. Even if it is possible to remove the racks from the dishwasher, such operation is not easy to be accomplished because the racks are always bound to the washing chamber by hooking means or other arrangements not easily operable by the user. Therefore, since the dishwasher sits on the floor, the user is forced to stoop many times for loading and/or unloading the machine. The user can also get down on his knees while he performs the machine loading/unloading operations but this is even less pleasant.

[0003] A partial solution to this problem is disclosed in the British Patent

Application GB 2 349 330 in which a dishwasher is provided with a pair of frames capable of sliding horizontally to be extracted from the washing compartment when a loading door is opened. At least one basket for supporting dishes is laterally supported by each frame at a position corresponding to a shaped base portion thereof.

[0004] A drawback of the solution disclosed in GB 2 349 330 consists in that the dishwasher frames have to be specifically designed for receiving the baskets and the latter cannot be used for dishwasher models other than that for which they have been designed for. Therefore a specific production line must be arranged for different dishwasher models which causes a disadvantageous increasing of the production plant complexity.

[0005] In addition, when both baskets are placed on the frame, two walls of them face each other in the middle of the frame causing a loss of space that reduces the overall storage capacity of the dishwashing machine. As further drawback, said facing walls are provided each with a handle that can be very difficult to hold when a basket has to be removed from the

frame. Such precarious hold can cause the user to lose the handle and the basket to fall.

[0006] Furthermore, each basket disclosed in the cited Patent Application has two handles and this requires the user to place the basket on a supporting surface when he wants to load/unload it. Since such surface cannot be available, specially in small kitchen environment, the user can experience difficulty in performing dishes loading/unloading and he will be forced to leave the baskets on the frame losing the opportunity to take advantage of the basket removability.

[0007] The aim of the present invention is therefore to solve the noted problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited known art and thus providing a dishes basket that allows a plurality of dishes to be loaded/unloaded at the same time.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a dishes basket that can be used with any kind of dishwashing machines and that can give a protected and safe place for items to be washed.

[0009] Still another purpose of the present invention is to provide a dishes basket that can be carried with a single hand by a user.

[0010] Advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realised and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

[0011] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and is incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate a possible embodiment of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0012] In the drawings:

[0013] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a dishes basket according to the invention with a handle in a working position;

[0014] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the dishes basket of Fig. 1 with the handle in a resting position;

[0015] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a dishes basket without the handle and provided with a plurality of arms for accommodating tableware;

[0016] Referring to figures, the dishes basket 1 , in particular for dishwashing machines, comprises a network structure 2 shaped so as to form a plurality of dish accommodating places 3 where dishes can be placed parallel one another. The network structure 2 substantially forms a receptacle opened upwards having a base 4 from which pairs of opposing walls 5, 6, 7, 8 raises.

[0017] According to the invention, a movable handle 9 is pivotally associated to a pair 5, 6 of said walls. The handle 9 is movable between a resting position (figure 2) in which it is disposed towards one of said pair 7, 8 of walls allowing the dishes to be unloaded from the basket 1 and a working position (figure 1) in which the handle 9 lies over the dish accommodating places 3 and allows the user to carry the basket with a single hand.

[0018] The handle 9 is pivotally associated to walls 5, 6 in a region 14 adjacent to the wall 8 extending therebetween. If desired, the pivotal association can be made on the wall 7 opposed to wall 8. In order to stop the handle 9 in a resting position and in a working position over the dish accommodating places 3, the handle 9 is provided with stopping means 10 formed on a surface of the handle facing the walls 5, 6. Said stopping means 10 are preferably in the form of ribs 11.

[0019] In figure 3 it is shown a dishes basket according to the invention wherein the handle 9 has been removed. A plurality of arms 12 substantially raising from the base 4 are provided in correspondence of the dish accommodating places 3 in order to displace other kinds of tableware, like glasses. Said arms 12 can be grouped in strips 13 removably attached to the network structure 2.

[0020] If the dishes basket is used in combination with racks of a dishwashing machine which are made of ferromagnetic steel wires, the base 4 of the basket can be provided with a magnetic tray 15. Such tray 15 not only prevents that dirtiness from dirty dishes to drop on the floor during the

loading of the basket but it also improves stability of the basket when placed on the ferromagnetic dishwashing rack.

[0021] The basket 1 is made of materials suitable for being inserted in a washing chamber of a dishwasher, like for example plastic materials and stainless steel.

[0022] Conclusively it can be stated that a dishes basket according to the present invention can be advantageously used for displacing a plurality of dishes to be washed in a dishwasher with a single operation preventing the user to stoop many times. Furthermore the proposed basket allows the user to perform loading/unloading operation with a single hand.