Assemblies to determine the state of cleanliness of dishes in a dishwasher

• US 5,467,545 A
• Filed: 05/02/1994
• Issued: 11/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jospeh W. Zillner
• Original Assignee: Jospeh W. Zillner
• Inventors: Zillner, Jospeh W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US08/236,187
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 40/597, 40/617, 40/907, 248/205.2, 248/205.3, 248/239, 248/206.2, 248/304, 248/303, 248/301, D20/42
• US Class Current: 40/597
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2007/122 by suction
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/12 the elements being secured or adapted to be secured by self-adhesion, moisture, suction, slow-drying adhesive or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 40/907 Out-to-lunch

Abstract

An assembly to determine the state of conditions comprising a sign having a lower portion, an essentially triangular upper portion, a hole through the center of the triangular portion, and writing on one side of the sign with a first word and writing on another side of the sign with a second word; a suction cup having an inboard segment and an outboard segment, the inboard segment being generally hemispheric in configuration with a periphery adapted to contact a recipient surface and when pressed thereagainst to be held by suction thereto, the outboard segment having a cylindrical exterior cross-section with a central cylindrical recess; and a wire eyelet having an interior portion and an exterior portion, the interior portion being generally linear in extent with a prong at its inboard end positionable within the recess of the suction cup, the exterior portion of the eyelet being formed in a generally circular loop extended within the hole on the sign and positioned in a vertical plane, whereby the sign may depend in another vertical plane to display one side of the sign and whereby the eyelet may be turned 180 degrees within the suction cup to display the other side of the sign.

Claims

1. A new and improved assembly to determine the state of cleanliness of dishes in a dishwasher comprising, in combination:

a planar sign formed of a rigid material in a pentagon configuration and having a lower edge, and opposed second and third side edges extending 90 degrees from opposite ends of the lower edge, with the length of the lower edge being essentially four times greater than the second and third side edges, and fourth and fifth side edges extending upwardly from the end of the second and third opposite side edges of the lower first edge and intersecting at an upper center point the sign having a hole near the upper center point, the sign having the word DIRTY printed on one side thereof and having the word CLEAN printed on the other side thereof;

a suction cup formed of an elastomeric material having an inboard segment and an outboard segment, the inboard segment being generally hemispheric in configuration with a periphery adapted to contact an exterior surface of a dishwasher and when pressed thereagainst to be held by suction thereto, the outboard segment having a cylindrical exterior cross-section with a central cylindrical recess, the recess having an interior component of a predetermined length and a predetermined diameter and an exterior component having a length shorter than the length of the interior component and large diameter larger than the diameter of the interior component to thereby form an exterior bearing surface between the interior and exterior components;

a wire eyelet having an interior portion and an exterior portion, the interior portion being generally linear in extent with a cone-shaped prong at one end positioned within the interior component of the suction cup and with an enlarged flange having an interior bearing surface positioned in the exterior component of the suction cup with its interior bearing surface in contact with the exterior bearing surface of the suction cup, the exterior portion of the eyelet being formed in a circular loop with a small opening at the other end adjacent to a central extent of the eyelet, and with the hole on the sign being of sufficient size to allow the loop of the eyelet to be moved therethrough whereby when the prong of the eyelet is positioned in the suction cup with the loop of the eyelet extended within the hole on the sign and positioned in a vertical plane, the sign may depend therefrom in another vertical plane to display one side of the sign and whereby the eyelet may be turned 180 degrees within the suction cup to display the other side of the sign; and

supplemental devices for attaching kitchen related implements to the sign when in use, such devices including a first bracket having an upper end adapted to grasp one of the second or third side edges of the sign and a lower end adapted to support a measuring cup, a supplemental bracket having an upper end to grasp the lower edge of the sign and a lower end to support a notepad and an additional aperture in the sign with a string having a loop at an upper end supported by the additional aperture and having a lower end for supporting a pen for writing on the notepad.

2. An assembly to determine the state of conditions comprising:

a planar sign formed of a rigid material in a pentagon configuration and having a lower edge and opposed second and third side edges extending 90 degrees from opposite ends of the lower edge therefrom, and having fourth and fifth side edges extending upwardly from the ends of the second and third opposed side edges of the lower edge to a center point, the sign having a hole near the center point, the sign having writing on one side with a first word and having writing on the other side with a second word;

a suction cup formed of an elastomeric material having an inboard segment and an outboard segment, the inboard segment being generally hemispheric in configuration with a periphery adapted to contact a recipient surface and when pressed thereagainst to be held by suction thereto, the outboard segment having a cylindrical exterior cross-section with a central cylindrical recess; and

a wire eyelet having an interior portion and an exterior portion, the interior portion being generally linear in extent with a prong at one end positioned within the recess of the suction cup, the exterior portion of the eyelet being formed in a generally circular loop with a small opening at the other end adjacent to a central extent of the eyelet, and with the hole on the sign being of sufficient size to allow the loop of the eyelet to be moved therethrough whereby when the prong of the eyelet is positioned in the suction cup with the loop of the eyelet is extended within the hole on the sign and positioned in a vertical plane, the sign may depend therefrom in another vertical plane to display one side of the sign and whereby the eyelet may be turned 180 degrees within the suction cup to display the other side of the sign; and

supplemental devices for attaching kitchen related implements to the sign when in use, such devices including a bracket having an upper end adapted to grasp one of the second or third side edges of the sign and a lower edge adapted to support a measuring cup, a supplemental bracket having an upper end to grasp the lower edge of the sign and a lower end to support a notepad and an additional aperture in the sign with a string having a loop at an upper end supported by the additional aperture and having a lower end for supporting a pen for writing on the notepad.