Twist-preventing apparatus for mounting a rack in a dishwasher

• US 8,915,560 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2012
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Cox, Rayburn L., Wilcox, Christopher C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROHRHOFF, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US13/685,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20140145573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 312/228, 312/228.1, 312309-311, 312/321, 3123341-3342, 312/334.7, 312/334.8
• US Class Current: 312/228
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/504 Arrangements for changing the height of racks
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/507 Arrangements for extracting racks, e.g. roller supports

Abstract

A disclosed example dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber, a rack for holding utensils for treatment within the treating chamber, a first wheel coupled with the tub, a second wheel coupled with the rack at an angle other than perpendicular, and a track. The track can have first and second channels in a back-to-back relationship for respectively receiving the first and second wheels to slidably mount the rack to the tub.

Claims

1. A dishwasher comprising:

a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and having a side;

a rack for holding utensils for treatment within the treating chamber;

a first wheel mounted to the side of the tub;

a second wheel mounted to the rack at a fixed non-perpendicular angle relative to the rack, wherein the fixed non-perpendicular angle cambers the second wheel so that a top of the second wheel is further away from the rack than a bottom of the second wheel; and

a track having a first C-shaped channel receiving the first wheel, and a second C-shaped channel receiving the second wheel to slidably mount the rack to the tub, with the first and second C-shaped channels in a back-to-back relationship.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the fixed non-perpendicular angle is selected to substantially eliminate slop between the second C-shaped channel and the second wheel.

3. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a partition between the first and second C-shaped channels.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the partition comprises at least one port to provide for the passage of liquid through the partition.

5. The dishwasher of claim 3, wherein the partition comprises a first wall at least partially defining the first C-shaped channel, and a second wall at least partially defining the second C-shaped channel.

6. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the track comprises a first C-shaped rail defining the first C-shaped channel, and a second C-shaped rail defining the second C-shaped channel.

7. The dishwasher of claim 6, wherein the first C-shaped rail comprises a first opening for receiving the first wheel, and the second C-shaped rail comprises a second opening for receiving the second wheel, wherein the first and second openings face opposite directions.

8. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the track comprises at least one first glide rib at least partially defining the first C-shaped channel, and at least one second glide rib at least partially defining the second C-shaped channel.

9. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a bracket coupled to the side of the tub, wherein the first wheel is fixedly mounted to the bracket to mount the first wheel to the side of the tub.

10. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a height adjuster coupled to the rack, wherein the second wheel is fixedly mounted to the height adjuster to mount the second wheel to the rack.

11. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a stationary mount coupled to the rack, wherein the second wheel is fixedly mounted to the stationary mount to mount the second wheel to the rack.

12. The dishwasher of claim 1, further comprising a flexible rack mount coupled to the rack, wherein the second wheel is fixedly mounted to the flexible rack mount to mount the second wheel to the rack.

13. The dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the fixed angle is non-perpendicular when no utensils are in the rack and when utensils are in the rack.