Dishwasher tine extender
There is provided in one embodiment of the device a removable, adjustable-height dishwasher tine extender for holding objects in an automatic dishwasher rack, the rack having a plurality of upstanding tines, the extender comprising an elongated tube with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a securement means adapted to receive a dishwasher tine, so that the extender is securely mounted on the dishwasher tine, and wherein the elongated tube is adjustable in height via an adjusting means. In another embodiment of the device there is provided a removable dishwasher tine extender for holding objects in an automatic dishwasher rack, the rack having a plurality of upstanding tines, the extender comprising an elongated tube with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a securement means adapted to receive a dishwasher tine, so that the extender is securely mounted on the dishwasher tine. The embodiments of the dishwasher tine extender protect and support a variety of dishware, glassware, servingware, plasticware, and stemware.
Embodiments of a dishwasher tine extender for an automatic dishwasher are provided. More particularly, an adjustable-height dishwasher tine extender and a fixed height dishwasher tine extender for protecting and supporting a variety of dishware, glassware, servingware, plasticware, and stemware within an automatic dishwasher are provided.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONAutomatic dishwashers, particularly those designed for home use, accomplish the washing and rinsing of dishware, glassware, servingware, plasticware, stemware, and the like, by spraying pressurized streams of water mixed with a detergent over the dishware, glassware, servingware, plasticware, and stemware. Such streams of water are often powerful, so as to forcefully spray dishware, glassware, servingware, plasticware, and stemware to dislodge encrusted food and beverage particles. However, the powerful water pressure can upset light items, such as crystal glassware or plasticware, and especially items with a high center of gravity, like stemware, where a large portion of the weight of the item may be in its base and its stem rather than in the liquid retaining bowl. Thus, these items may get dislodged from the dishwasher rack and may break. Ordinary glassware may be broken by collision, causing inconvenience to the user. Moreover, when fine china or crystal is subjected to pressurized water, often irreplaceable dishware of greater personal value may be ruined. In addition, if stemware or glassware is lying on its side, the cup of the stemware or glassware may collect a pool of dirty dishwasher water that would then require that the stemware be hand washed. These occurrences decrease the utility of the dishwasher.
Dishware and stemware protectors for automatic dishwashers are known. Such known dishware and stemware protectors include a separating device with longitudinal slots and perforated web sheets, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,799. However, this separating device is limited in where it can be positioned and attached to the dishwasher rack due to its size and shape. In addition, a known dishwasher rack clip for mounting in a dishwasher rack to hold objects to be washed is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,225. However, this known clip is not designed to attach over a dishwasher tine to extend the dishwasher tine. In addition, a known dishwasher accessory for securing and supporting stemware in a dishwasher rack is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,285. However, this known accessory has an elongated member that is not designed to protect and support plateware, dishware or plasticware due to its fixed horizontal position. Thus, known dishware and stemware protector devices have not proven practical in application or are widely adaptable to different shapes of dishware and designs of dishwasher racks.
Accordingly, there is a need for a new and improved dishwasher tine extender that does not have the problems associated with known dishware and stemware protector devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe need for a new and improved dishwasher tine extender is satisfied. None of the known devices provide all of the numerous advantages discussed herein. Embodiments of the improved dishwasher tine extender may provide one or more of the following advantages: it is simple and economical to manufacture, use and maintain; it is durable and provides a long service life; in an embodiment it is easily attached to and removed from a standard dishwasher tine; it provides for the use of a variety of interchangeable dishwasher tine extender designs, such as adjustable-height, hinged, flexible, rigid, flexible double-sided, center mounted, side grip, side cap, suction cup ended, and other designs; it holds dishware, glassware, servingware, plasticware, and stemware securely in an upright position; it is securely mounted on a dishwasher tine to provide stability and lateral support for dishware, glassware, servingware, plasticware, and stemware; it is quick and easy to install; it prevents or minimizes stemware and glassware from tipping, cracking, and breaking, or ending up on their side full of dirty dishwasher water; it occupies minimal space inside a dishwasher; in an embodiment it is removable from the dishwasher when not in use; it provides in an embodiment a one piece, unitary design; it provides in an embodiment a stemware grip portion for added securement to stemware; and in an embodiment it may be easily stored within an automatic dishwasher or removable from the automatic dishwasher when not in use. Thus, it is the object of the invention to provide a new device which has many of the advantages of prior art devices and many novel features which result in a new device that is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art devices, either alone or in any combination.
In one embodiment of the device there is provided a removable, adjustable-height dishwasher tine extender for holding objects in an automatic dishwasher rack, the rack having a plurality of upstanding tines, the extender comprising: an elongated tube with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a securement means adapted to receive a dishwasher tine, so that the extender is securely mounted on the dishwasher tine, and wherein the elongated tube is adjustable in height via an adjusting means.
In another embodiment of the device there is provided a removable dishwasher tine extender for holding objects in an automatic dishwasher rack, the rack having a plurality of upstanding tines, the extender comprising: an elongated tube with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a securement means adapted to receive a dishwasher tine, so that the extender is securely mounted on the dishwasher tine.
In another embodiment of the device there is provided a fixed, adjustable-height dishwasher tine extender for holding objects in an automatic dishwasher rack, the rack having a plurality of upstanding tines, the extender comprising: an elongated tube with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a securement means adapted to receive a dishwasher tine, so that the extender is securely and fixedly mounted on the dishwasher tine, and wherein the elongated tube is adjustable in height via an adjusting means.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become better understood from the following description and appended claims and accompanying drawings.
Exemplary embodiments or versions of the present invention are shown in the drawings, in which:
The invention is directed to a unique, novel, and nonobvious dishwasher tine extender. In one embodiment, a dishwasher tine extender for holding objects in an automatic dishwasher rack is provided. Preferably, the rack has a plurality of upstanding tines. With reference now to the drawings,
Another embodiment of the dishwasher tine extender is shown in
Another embodiment of the invention is shown in
Another embodiment of the invention is shown in
In another embodiment, there is provided a fixed, adjustable-height dishwasher tine extender for holding objects in an automatic dishwasher rack, the rack having a plurality of upstanding tines similar to the extender shown in
With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Although the invention has been described with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions of the invention are possible. In compliance with the statute, the invention described herein has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein or to specific features shown, since the means and construction shown, is comprised only of the preferred embodiments for putting the invention into effect. It is also understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
Claims
1. A removable, adjustable-height dishwasher tine extender for holding objects in an automatic dishwasher rack, the rack having a plurality of upstanding tines, the extender comprising:
- an elongated tube with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a securement means adapted to receive a dishwasher tine, so that the extender is securely mounted on the dishwasher tine, and wherein the elongated tube is adjustable in height via an adjusting means.
2. The extender of claim 1 wherein the objects comprise any one of the group of dishware, glassware, servingware, plasticware, and stemware.
3. The extender of claim 1 wherein the elongated tube is rigid and securely mounted on the dishwasher tine in an upright position.
4. The extender of claim 1 wherein the elongated tube is flexible and securely mounted on the dishwasher tine.
5. The extender of claim 1 wherein the elongated tube is flexible, and wherein the second end has a securement means, such that the second end is adapted to receive a dishwasher tine.
6. The extender of claim 1 wherein the elongated tube has a center mounting portion for securely mounting the extender to the dishwasher tine.
7. The extender of claim 1 wherein the securement means comprises a side gripping means attached to a side of the first end of the tube.
8. The extender of claim 1 wherein the securement means comprises a side cap attachment means attached to a side of the first end of the tube.
9. The extender of claim 1 wherein the adjusting means comprises any one of the group of thread and screw portions, resistance ridges, twist lock portions, clamp lock portions, and spring lock portions.
10. The extender of claim 1 wherein the second end has a gripping means for gripping a portion of the object.
11. The extender of claim 10 wherein the gripping means is a suction cup.
12. The extender of claim 10 wherein the gripping means is a plurality of suction cups.
13. The extender of claim 1 wherein the elongated tube is hinged in positions comprising vertical, horizontal, and angled.
14. The extender of claim 1 wherein the elongated tube is hinged in positions comprising vertical, horizontal, and angled, and the second end has a stemware grip portion.
15. The extender of claim 1 further comprising additional elongated tubes and a flexible sheet connected between the elongated tubes.
16. A removable dishwasher tine extender for holding objects in an automatic dishwasher rack, the rack having a plurality of upstanding tines, the extender comprising:
- an elongated tube with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a securement means adapted to receive a dishwasher tine, so that the extender is securely mounted on the dishwasher tine.
17. The extender of claim 16 wherein the objects comprise any one of the group of dishware, glassware, servingware, plasticware, and stemware.
18. The extender of claim 16 wherein the elongated tube is rigid and securely mounted on the dishwasher tine in an upright position.
19. The extender of claim 16 wherein the elongated tube is flexible and securely mounted on the dishwasher tine.
20. The extender of claim 16 wherein the elongated tube is flexible, and wherein the second end has a securement means, such that the second end is adapted to receive a dishwasher tine.
21. The extender of claim 16 wherein the elongated tube has a center mounting portion for securely mounting the extender to the dishwasher tine.
22. The extender of claim 16 wherein the securement means comprises a side gripping means attached to a side of the first end of the tube.
23. The extender of claim 16 wherein the securement means comprises a side cap attachment means attached to a side of the first end of the tube.
24. The extender of claim 16 wherein the adjusting means comprises any one of the group of thread and screw portions, resistance ridges, twist lock portions, clamp lock portions, and spring lock portions.
25. The extender of claim 16 wherein the second end has a gripping means for gripping a portion of the object.
26. The extender of claim 25 wherein the gripping means is a suction cup.
27. The extender of claim 25 wherein the gripping means is a plurality of suction cups.
28. The extender of claim 16 wherein the elongated tube is hinged in positions comprising vertical, horizontal, and angled.
29. The extender of claim 16 wherein the elongated tube is hinged in positions comprising vertical, horizontal, and angled, and the second end has a stemware grip portion.
30. The extender of claim 16 further comprising additional elongated tubes and a flexible sheet connected between the elongated tubes.
31. A fixed, adjustable-height dishwasher tine extender for holding objects in an automatic dishwasher rack, the rack having a plurality of upstanding tines, the extender comprising:
- an elongated tube with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a securement means adapted to receive a dishwasher tine, so that the extender is securely and fixedly mounted on the dishwasher tine, and wherein the elongated tube is adjustable in height via an adjusting means.
32. The extender of claim 31 wherein the adjusting means comprises any one of the group of thread and screw portions, resistance ridges, twist lock portions, clamp lock portions, and spring lock portions.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 28, 2006
Publication Date: Jul 3, 2008
Inventor: Margaret A. Richardson (Los Angeles, CA)
Application Number: 11/646,788