Cutlery basket for a dishwasher and dishwasher

Abstract

A dishwasher including a washing compartment, and at least one cutlery basket arranged in the washing compartment, wherein the at least one cutlery basket holds items of cutlery horizontally, wherein at least some sections of the cutlery basket have different clearance heights.

Claims

1. A dishwasher comprising: a washing compartment including side walls; and at least one cutlery basket arranged in the washing compartment, the cutlery basket including a floor area to support cutlery items thereon, the floor area having a first part area and a second part area wherein a surface of an underside of the first part area and a surface of an underside of the second part area converge from a first side edge and a second side edge, respectively, to a straight linearly extending first connecting edge at about the centerline of the cutlery basket, wherein the first connecting edge is spaced a first predetermined descending distance from a horizontal plane extending from the first side edge to the second side edge, and wherein a surface of a topside of the first part area and a surface of a topside of the second part area converge at a straight linearly extending second connecting edge which is spaced a second predetermined descending distance from the horizontal plane, thereby defining a floor area having a continuously variable depth forming a downwardly directed arrow-shaped portion wherein the centerline is at a greater distance from the horizontal plane than the side edges, thus forming a storage area having a clearance height with respect to an upper edge of the cutlery basket that gradually increases continuously from the first and second side edges, respectively, to about the centerline of the cutlery basket, wherein the cutlery basket is configured as a slide-in unit to slide into the washing compartment such that when the cutlery basket is inserted into the washing compartment the first side edge and the second side edge of the cutlery basket are opposed to respective side walls of the washing compartment.

2. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: an upper crockery basket in the washing compartment, wherein the cutlery basket is arranged above the upper crockery basket in the washing compartment of the dishwasher.

3. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least some sections of the upper crockery basket have different clearance heights in relation to the cutlery basket.

4. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper edge of the cutlery basket directly adjoins a compartment roof of the washing compartment of the dishwasher.

5. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a spray device that applies washing liquor to the items of cutlery in the cutlery basket.

6. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 5, wherein the spray device is arranged above of the cutlery basket.

7. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cutlery basket includes at least one circle segment-shaped section that accommodates items of cutlery.

8. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plane of each of the first part area and the second part area is arranged at an oblique angle to the other plane.

9. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floor area includes a wide-mesh grid having grid bars.

10. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dishwasher is a domestic dishwasher.

11. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 8, wherein a first upper clearance height between a side edge of the first part area of the cutlery basket and the roof of the washing compartment is different than a center upper clearance height between the connecting edge of the cutlery basket and the roof of the washing compartment.

12. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first upper clearance height is less than the center upper clearance height.

13. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 11, comprising: an upper crockery basket in the washing compartment, wherein the cutlery basket is arranged above the upper crockery basket in the washing compartment of the dishwasher, and wherein a first lower clearance height between the side edge of the first part area of the cutlery basket and the upper crockery basket of the washing compartment is different than a center lower clearance height between the connecting edge of the cutlery basket and the upper crockery basket of the washing compartment.

14. The dishwasher as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first lower clearance height is greater than the center lower clearance height.

15. A dishwasher comprising: a washing compartment having a roof, a floor, and a plurality of sides; and at least one cutlery basket arranged in the washing compartment, the cutlery basket including a floor area to support cutlery items thereon, the floor area comprising a first part area and a second part area with a surface of an underside of the first part area and a surface of an underside of the second part area converging from a first side edge and a second side edge, respectively, to a straight linearly extending first connecting edge at about the centerline of the cutlery basket, wherein the first connecting edge is spaced a first predetermined descending distance from a horizontal plane extending from the first side edge to the second side edge, and wherein a surface of a topside of the first part area and a surface of a topside of the second part area converge at a straight linearly extending second connecting edge which is spaced a second predetermined descending distance from the horizontal plane, thereby defining a floor area having a continuously variable depth forming a downwardly directed arrow-shaped portion wherein the centerline is at a greater distance from the horizontal plane than the side edges, thus forming a storage area of the cutlery basket having a clearance height with respect to an upper edge of the cutlery basket that gradually increases continuously from the first and second side edges, respectively, to about the centerline of the cutlery basket, an upper crockery basket in the washing compartment, wherein the cutlery basket is arranged above the upper crockery basket in the washing compartment of the dishwasher, and wherein a storage area of the upper crockery basket has a clearance height with respect to the underside of the first part area and the underside of the second part area that gradually increases continuously from about the centerline of the cutlery basket to, respectively, the first and second side edges.

16. A cutlery basket for a dishwasher for disposition in a washing compartment thereof, the cutlery basket comprising a floor area to support cutlery items thereon, the floor area including a first part area and a second part area with the first part area and the second part area being arranged at an oblique angle to each other, wherein a surface of an underside of the first part area and a surface of an underside of the second part area converge from a first side edge and a second side edge, respectively, to a straight linearly extending first connecting edge at about the centerline of the cutlery basket, wherein the first connecting edge is spaced a first predetermined descending distance from a horizontal plane extending from the first side edge to the second side edge, and wherein a surface of a topside of the first part area and a surface of a topside of the second part area converge at a straight linearly extending second connecting edge which is spaced a second predetermined descending distance from the horizontal plane, thereby defining a floor area having a continuously variable depth forming a downwardly directed arrow-shaped portion wherein the centerline is at a greater distance from the horizontal plane than the side edges, thus forming a storage area having a clearance height with respect to a roof of the washing compartment that gradually increases continuously from the first and second side edges, respectively, to about the centerline of the cutlery basket.

17. The cutlery basket of claim 16, wherein a plane of each of the first part area and the second part area is arranged at an oblique angle to the other plane.

18. The cutlery basket of claim 16, wherein the floor area includes a wide-mesh grid having grid bars.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown below with reference to drawings. The single FIGURE shows a front view in a dishwasher with an inventive cutlery basket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

(2) The arrangement shows a front-loading dishwasher 1 which, in a washing compartment 2 in a known manner, has a lower crockery basket 3, an upper crockery basket 4 and also spray arms 5 and 6 assigned to these crockery baskets. Above the upper crockery basket 4 is arranged an inventive cutlery basket 7, which in the exemplary embodiment has a floor area consisting of a first part area 11 and a second part area 12. The first and the second part area 11, 12 adjoin each other at an oblique angle. This forms a connecting edge 13 approximately in the center between a first and a second side edge 8, 9 which is located below a horizontal level 10, in which the first and the second side edge 8, 9 of the floor area running in parallel thereto are arranged. This produces an arrow-shaped design of the cutlery basket 7 with sections with continuously varying clearance heights. The narrowing of the cutlery basket can be both from the center outwards towards the first and second side edge (see exemplary embodiment) and also in the reverse direction in towards the center.

(3) The cutlery basket is embodied to hold items of cutlery in a horizontal position, with for example an item of cutlery 18 in the form of a spoon or a ladle being shown in a preferred arrangement. The arrow-shaped design of the cutlery basket 7 and placing the bowl of the spoon in the direction of the lowered center means that the spoon does not extend over the upper edge of the cutlery basket 14. Because of the shape narrowing from the connecting edge 13 outwards (in the direction of the side edges 8, 9), an increased amount of space is available for the crockery basket 4 arranged below the cutlery basket 7 as a result of the increased clearance height. Items of crockery 17 in the form of a plate and a tall glass are depicted as examples in the crockery basket 4, which exploit the additional space. Furthermore the cutlery basket 7, since no items of cutlery extend beyond the upper edge of the cutlery basket 14, can be placed immediately adjacent to a compartment roof 15 of the dishwasher 1 unless there is provision for a spray arm 16.

(4) In the exemplary embodiment an optional spray arm 16 is assigned to the cutlery basket 7 above an upper edge of the cutlery basket 14 of the inventive cutlery basket 7, which applies washing liquor from above to the items of cutlery lying in a horizontal position in the cutlery basket 7. Since projection of the items of cutlery above the upper edge of the cutlery basket 14 is avoided, this arm can rotate unhindered to apply washing liquor to the items of cutlery/crockery in the cutlery basket 7.

(5) As well as the gain in space obtained by the upper crockery basket 4 the floor area running essentially fully sloping or curved by comparison with a horizontal plane has the advantage that washing liquor can better drain off the items of cutlery held at an angle. This gives an improved drying result or a lower energy requirement for drying the items of cutlery. The arrow-shape or also a possible circle segment shape of the cutlery basket 7 further increases the form stability of the cutlery basket. Because of the lack of reinforcement which might otherwise be necessary the costs of production are reduced.

(6) The cutlery basket 7 can be embodied in the floor area as a wide-mesh grid with grid bars, with plastic preferably being used as the material the cutlery basket 7. It is also conceivable for the cutlery basket to be made of metal. At least some of the grid bars can be arranged at an angle, especially an acute angle, to the horizontal, facilitating the passage of water where a separate spray arm is assigned to the cutlery basket 7.

(7) The cutlery basket 7 can be embodied as a flat slide-in unit which is supported to allow its removal from the washing compartment of the dishwasher 1 in the manner of a drawer. For this reason the cutlery basket can consist of a frame (not shown) as well as one or more frame inserts which can be taken out of the frame.

(8) With the present invention a cutlery basket as well as a dishwasher are provided which allow a maximum utilization of space for the cutlery basket and for a crockery basket arranged below it. The cutlery basket can also accept items of crockery with larger dimensions, with the angled storage of the crockery items improving the draining of the washing liquor thus providing an improved drying result.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(9) 1 Dishwasher 2 Dishwasher compartment 3 Crockery basket 4 Crockery basket 5 Spray arm 6 Spray arm 7 Cutlery basket 8 Side edge 9 Side edge 10 Horizontal plane 11 Part area 12 Part area 13 Connecting edge 14 Upper edge of cutlery basket 15 Compartment roof 16 Spray arm 17 Dishes 18 Cutlery item (spoon) a Cutlery basket clearance height b Cutlery basket clearance height c Crockery basket clearance height d Crockery basket clearance height