Drip drying dish rack device

DRIP DRYING DISH RACK DEVICS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates- to kitchen furniture, specifically to dish drying racks, z BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One of the main item of works carried out in a kitchen relates to washing and drying of kitchen utensils, pots, pans, cutlery etc. In the case where dishes are washed manually, work can be reduced and time can be saved by doing away with physically drying the dishes by laying the dishes aside to dry by themselves. Commonly this is achieved by placing the dishes on a shelf or rack which is designed to allow the water to drip off the wet dishes to drain away. In addition to stand alone draining boards which can be placed on any suitable surface, a popular device is used, being a displaceable rack which is suspended above the sink itself, thus permitting the water to drip into the sink. These racks are further provided with rail mechanism allowing the rack to be hidden away within a storage compartment of the kitchen cabinet when not in use. They can be pulled down when required to facilitate placing the dishes on the rack and then pushed back up during the actual drying time, if so desired.

Though the use of the displaceable, cabinet stored racks has the aesthetic advantage of hiding the

- וdrying dishes from view, the rack is more expensive, takes up valuable cabinet storage space, and requires a special installation for its assembly within the cabinet.

On the other hand, drying racks which are free standing or can be fixed to a wall have to be placed in a position other than above the sink thus the water draining from these racks does not drip straight into a sink but must be collected in a special drain tray that must be emptied from time to time.

Furthermore, free standing drying racks take up part of the kitchen work surface.

It is thus the general object of the present invention to provide a dish drying rack device which overcomes the above listed and other deficiencies of conventional devices.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a mobile —as well as collapsible—drip dry dish rack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus provided according to the invention is a dish drip drying raqk device for kitchens and the like comprising at least a first tray configured to receive .kitchen utensils, crockery and the like to be dried, pivot means associated with the tray, enabling the articulation of the tray between an operative, ־ horizontal position and a folded-back vertical position, first arm means coupled at one end thereof to the said pivot means extending diagonally with respect to the tray when in its operative position and provided at the other, free, end thereof with first rolling means by which the device is adapted to, suspended from and travels along horizontal Trail maans mounted to a wall of the kitchen, second arm means coupled at one end thereof to the tray extending parallel to the plane of the tray and provided at the other free end thereof with spacer means adapted to support the device against the said wall.

The device may further comprise a second tray in a partly superimposed position relative to the first tray, a Linkage arm system being provided, coupling the said first and second arm means to each other to affect the combined folding back articulation of the first and second trays in unison.

The spacer means may comprise second rolling means to facilitate the travel of the device along the wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further constructional features and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood in the light of the ensuing description of two preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:Fig. 1 is a three dimensional view of the dish drying rack device in an operative position thereof according to a first embodiment of the invention;

-גFig. 2 is a three dimensional view of the device of Fig. 1 illustrating its non-operative, set aside and folded back position;

Fig. 3 is a three dimensional view illustrating the operative position of the rack according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a three dimensional view of the device of Fig. 3 illustrating the folded back position thereof;

Fig. 5a is a plan view of a double-rail suspension arrangement; and

Fig. 5b is a side view of the rail of Fig. 5a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS'

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a part of kitchen, denoted 10 including a sink 12 and working surface 14 (and lower cabinet 15)extending along a wall 16 of the kitchen, as conventionally known. There maybe existing an additional cabinet (not shown) affixed to wall 16 above the sink 12 and working surface 14 leaving a vacant space between upper and lower cabinet. A horizontal, tubular rail 18 is affixed, by two or more hooks 19 or the like suitable means to the wall 16. The purpose of the rail 18 is to allow, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, for the suspension of the dish drying rack, generally denoted 20.

The rack 20 comprises a frame 22 of rectangular shape, to which is affixed a multi-rib tray 24 of any conventional design which is configured to receive kitchen crockery and utensils (not shown) ana rc allow for the drainage of excess׳ water therefrom. First and second brackets 26a and 26b are suitably affixed to the two shorter sides of the frame 22.

The tray 24 is suspended from the rail 19 by second suspension arms 28a and 28b, which may be preformed plastic bars. One end 30a (and 30b) ◦f the arms 28a (and 28b), is preferably shaped as a circular disc, and is coupled to its corresponding bracket 26a (and 26b) of the tray 24 using bolts 32a (and 32b) or like fastening means.

Rail rolling means, in the form of a roller 34a (and 34b) is provided at the other free end 36a (and 36b) of each arm 28a (and 28b). The portion 36a and 36b are somewhat arcuate as shown so as not to interfere with rolling of the rack over the rail 10.

In order to ensure that the rack 24 maintains a specified distance from the wall 16, spacer arms 38a (and 38b) are provided. One end 40a (and 40b) of the spacer arm 38a (and 38b) is coupled to the tray 24 using the bolts 32a and 32b. Rollers 42a and 42b may be provided at the other free ends 42a and 42b of the spacer bars 38a and 38b respectively, thus supporting the tray 24 against the wall 16 and facilitating the travel of the complete device 10 along the wall 16, after loaded with wet, still dripping dishes.

According to a further advantagous feature of the present invention, the device lends itself to become displaced and folded-back as shown in Fig. 2.

This is achieved by first holding the (emptied) tray 24 by its front edge 44 and pulling it away from the wall 15. Then by exerting a downward push, the tray 24 pivots about its pivot bolts 32a and. 32b, turning it by 90 degrees.

As both the spacer arms 42a and 42b and the suspension arms 28a and 28b are coupled to the tray, they are both affected by this aforesaid pivotal movement. The spacer arms 42a and 42b change position from a horizontal alignment to a vertical alignment. The suspension arms 28a and 28b, which in the operative position extend diagonally from the tray 2.4 to the rail 18, also assume a substantially vertical position.

In order to restrict and limit the rotation of the tray 24 of the spacer when in its horizontal position, suitable stopper means, such as pin-and-slot arrangement is provided, e.g. between the brackets 26a and its counterpart 30a.

In a modified, double-tray embodiment, illustrated in Fig. 3, there is included a second tray 50 which is identical in all respects to tray 24, the location of the latter being lowered by lengthening the suspension arms 54a and 54b.

A parallelogram linkage arm systems denoted 52a and 52b are provided, coupling the first tray 24 to the second tray 50־ so-that they become rotatable-in־ unison. The linkage arm system 52a comprises the extended suspension arm 54a and spacer arm 56a, as well as first linkage arm 58a and second short linkage arms 50a.

A.complementary arrangement exists with respect to the parallelogram. linkage system 52b.

As hereinbefore described with respect to the single tray embodiment, the double tray rack is z displaced and/or articulated in a like manner from its horizontal, operative position to the vertical, folded back position, as shown in Fig. 4.

In a further improved embodiment, illustrated in Figs. 5a and 5b, in order to avoid the accidental falling off of the rack, in particular during its travel aside from over the sink, the single rail 18 is replaced by a double-rail system, denoted 118, comprising a lower rail 118a and an upper rail 118b. The double-rail system comprises for its mounting to the wall 16 a U shaped bracket 120 which is affixed to .the wall 16 by any suitable means. The distance between the rails 118a and 118b is used such that the rollers 34a and 34b, running therebetween are prevented from becoming dismounted, as clearly seen in Fig. 5b.

Those skilled in the art will readily understand that numerous changes, modifications and variations may be applied to the invention without departing from its. scope as defined in and by the appended claims.