Dishwasher with adjustable rack

• US 20030042825A1
• Filed: 08/30/2001
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Shellabarger, Tiffany H., Welch, Rodney M., VanLandingham, Wayne M., Phifer, Robin K.
• Granted Patent: US 6,755,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/228.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/504 Arrangements for changing the height of racks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20402 Flexible transmitter [e.g., Bowden cable]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2048 Gear, drum, and cable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20486 Drum and cable

Abstract

A dishwasher is provided with an adjustable rack that can be moved upwardly and downwardly within the washing chamber to accommodate different sized objects to be washed. The lift mechanism for the rack is housed within the sidewalls of the dishwasher. The lift mechanism employs a cable system to raise both sides of the rack simultaneously, with the rack positioned within or outside the washing chamber and with the rack either loaded or unloaded. In one embodiment, the lift mechanism is manually actuated by turning a handle. In another embodiment, the lift mechanism includes an electric motor with a switch on the control panel for raising and lowering the rack.

Claims

1. A dishwasher comprising:

opposite left and right sidewalls, a top wall, a bottom wall, and a rear wall defining a washing chamber;

a rack for holding objects to be washed and being horizontally movable between a first position within the chamber and a second position substantially out of the chamber;

a lift mechanism mounted within the opposite sidewalls and connected to the rack so as to raise and lower the rack; and

an actuator for controlling operation of the lift mechanism.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the lift mechanism includes left and right guide tracks extending vertically in the left and right sidewalls, respectively, and left and right guide blocks movably mounted in the left and right guide tracks, respectively.

3. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the lift mechanism further includes a cable system interconnecting the guide blocks for simultaneous movement of the blocks in the tracks.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3 wherein the actuator includes a drum gear about which the cable system is wrapped, and a handle for turning the drum gear in a first direction to raise the rack and in a second direction to lower the rack.

5. The dishwasher of claim 4 wherein the drum gear includes teeth and the handle includes a shaft slidably extending through a worm gear in mesh with the teeth of the drum gear.

6. The dishwasher of claim 3 wherein the cable system includes first and second cables extending between the actuator and the left and right guide blocks, respectively.

7. The dishwasher of claim 6 wherein the cable system further includes a third cable extending between the left and right guide blocks.

8. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the rack includes rollers for moving the rack out of the chamber for loading and unloading, the rollers being operatively connected to the guide blocks such that the rack can be raised when it is either in or out of the chamber.

9. The dishwasher of claim 2 wherein the rack includes rollers for moving the rack out of the chamber for loading and unloading, the rollers being operatively connected to the guide blocks such that the rack can be raised when it is being loaded or unloaded.

10. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the lift mechanism can be actuated by the actuator when the rack is either in or out of the chamber.

11. The dishwasher of claim 1 wherein the lift mechanism can be actuated by the actuator when the rack is either loaded or unloaded.

12. A dishwasher comprising:

opposite left and right sidewalls, a top wall, a bottom wall, and a rear wall defining a washing chamber;

a rack for holding objects to be washed and being horizontally movable between a first position within the chamber and a second position substantially out of the chamber;

a lift mechanism connected to the rack to simultaneously move both sides of the rack in a vertical direction; and

an actuator for controlling operation of the lift mechanism.

13. The dishwasher of claim 12 wherein the lift mechanism includes left and right guide tracks extending vertically in the left and right sidewalls, respectively, and left and right guide blocks movably mounted in the left and right guide tracks, respectively.

14. The dishwasher of claim 13 wherein the lift mechanism further includes a cable system interconnecting the guide blocks for simultaneous movement of the blocks in the guide tracks.

15. The dishwasher of claim 14 wherein the actuator includes a drum gear about which the cable system is wrapped, and a handle for turning the drum gear in a first direction to raise the rack and in a second direction to lower the rack.

16. The dishwasher of claim 15 wherein the drum gear includes teeth and the handle includes a shaft slidably extending through a worm gear in mesh with the teeth of the drum gear.

17. The dishwasher of claim 14 wherein the cable system includes first and second cables extending between the actuator and the left and right guide blocks, respectively.

18. The dishwasher of claim 17 wherein the cable system further includes a third cable extending between the left and right guide blocks.

19. The dishwasher of claim 13 wherein the rack includes rollers for moving the rack out of the chamber for loading and unloading, the rollers being operatively connected to the guide blocks such that the rack can be raised when it is either in or out of the chamber.

20. The dishwasher of claim 13 wherein the rack includes rollers for moving the rack out of the chamber for loading and unloading, the rollers being operatively connected to the guide blocks such that the rack can be raised when it is loaded or unloaded.

21. The dishwasher of claim 12 wherein the lift mechanism can be actuated by the actuator when the rack is in or out of the chamber.

22. The dishwasher of claim 12 wherein the lift mechanism can be actuated by the actuator when the rack is loaded or unloaded.