Roller retainer for dishwashers

Abstract

A dishwasher appliance roller retainer and a method for producing the roller retainer for a dishwashing appliance. The roller retainer for the dishwashing appliance includes a central element permanently fastened to the dishwasher tub. The invention includes a roller element on the central element for receiving rail elements.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a roller retainer for dishwashing machines for receiving rail elements, which are suited to bear dish racks, comprising a central element, suitable for being permanently attached to a rinse container, and a roller element, which is arranged on the central element and designed such that it is suitable for receiving rail elements.

[0002] Roller retainers for dishwashing machines of the abovementioned type are known, in which at least two roller retainers are pre-mounted on a metal band, and this metal band is fastened to the inner surface of the rinse container during final installation of the dishwashing machine by means of joining methods, for example spot welding.

[0003] To manufacture these known roller retainers it is necessary to employ tools and equipment in order to fix at least both roller retainers to the metal band in pre-installation, to finally fasten the metal band with the roller retainers attached thereto in the rinse container of the dishwashing machine.

[0004] It has proven a disadvantage with these roller retainers that a relatively large number of individual components is required to provide the roller retainers or the pre-mounted metal bands, and the fastening method is both time-intensive and cost-intensive, because welding plants and adjusting devices have to be readied to arrange the pre-fabricated roller retainer components precisely in the rinse container of the dishwashing machine.

[0005] The object of the present invention therefore is to provide roller retainers, which can be manufactured in few production steps and then installed in the dishwashing machine likewise with few installation steps.

[0006] The inventive roller retainer having the features according to Claim 1 solves this task. Advantageous further developments are characterised in the dependent claims 2 to 8.

[0007] With the inventive roller retainer for dishwashing machines for receiving rail elements, which are suited to bear dish racks, a central element is provided, which is suited to be fastened permanently on a rinse container; furthermore, a roller element is provided, which is designed to be arranged on the central element such that it is suited for receiving rail elements, whereby the central element is attached directly on the rinse container.

[0008] A connecting area, which is suited for direct (i.e. without intermediate element) connection to the rinse container, is provided advantageously on the central element. The connecting area is designed appropriately as an area substantially tapering relative to the central element and suitable to be lead through a corresponding bore in the rinse container to thus be fastened on the outside of the rinse container, optionally by means of fastening means, for example a screw or rivet.

[0009] The rinse container is sealed appropriately with corresponding sealing means opposite the rinsing liquor, whereby these sealing means are arranged according to different embodiments of the inventive roller retainer.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the inventive roller retainer sealing means are reverse-drawn in the form of a sealing ring (e.g. O-ring) via the connecting area, so that any possible leakage in the rinse container interior is sealed. To obtain a reliable and permanent sealing surface between the central element and the inner surface of the rinse container, it is effective to provide corresponding surface quality on the central element for one and on the rinse container for another.

[0011] In another preferred embodiment corresponding sealing means, for example a sealing ring, is reverse-drawn via the connecting area, whereby the sealing region lies on the outside of the rinse container. Here, corresponding sealing surfaces are to be provided equally effectively.

[0012] In yet another preferred embodiment of the present roller retainer the entire joint between the central element connecting area and the inside of the rinse container is filled with a sealing compound, whereby this sealing means can particularly effectively also fulfil an adhesive function, and thus further fastening means, such as for example screws or rivets would not be required.

[0013] In an embodiment of the inventive roller retainer, which requires fastening means for fastening the roller retainer on the rinse container, these fastening means may comprise screws, rivets or other suitable fastening means, whereby in particular a corresponding inner thread is to be provided in the connecting area of the central element when a screw is utilised.

[0014] Four embodiments of the present invention will now be explained in greater detail hereinbelow by means of diagrams, in which:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a sectional representation of an inventive roller retainer with sealing means on the outside of the rinse container;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a sectional representation of an inventive roller retainer with a sealing ring in the interior of the rinse container;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a sectional representation of an inventive roller retainer with a sealing compound between central element and interior of the rinse container;

[0018] FIG. 4 is a sectional representation of an inventive roller retainer with a non-adhesive sealing compound between central element and rinse container interior, as well as fastening means on the outside of the rinse container.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a roller retainer with a central element 1 and a roller element 3 arranged peripherally thereon, which is held on by a shoulder 5 extending concentrically about the axis of rotation of the central element 1. For sealing opposite the rinsing liquor the inventive roller retainer has, according to FIG. 1, means for sealing 6a, held on the outside of the rinse container by means of a fastening element 10, for example a screw, whereby preferably, as illustrated, a plain washer 9 applies corresponding distribution of pressure on the means for sealing 6a and the outside of the rinse container.

[0020] For sealing the rinsing liquor the embodiment of the inventive roller retainer illustrated in FIG. 2 has a sealing ring 6b, arranged between the central element 1 and the rinse container interior 4, and thus effectively seals any possible leakage area along the break in the rinse container 4. Fastening is done by fastening means 10, which are screwed in via a plain washer 9 from the outside of the rinse container 4 into the connecting area 2 of the inventive roller retainer.

[0021] The inventive roller retainer according to FIG. 3 is fastened by a sealing and adhesive layer 6c, applied between the central element 1 and the rinse container 4, whereby it is positioned precisely via the connecting area 2, and the gap around the connecting area 2 is likewise filled with adhesive. In an embodiment (not illustrated) of the inventive roller retainer the connecting area 2 can also be omitted, if corresponding means are ready with an adhesive effect.

[0022] In the inventive roller retainer according to FIG. 4 sealing means 6c are arranged in the interstice to be sealed between central element 1 and rinse container 4, which means is painted on for example as a paste around the connecting area 2 during assembly, but the retention force id realised by fastening means 10, arranged on the outside of the rinse container 4.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A roller retainer for dishwashing machines for receiving rail elements which are suitable to bear dish racks, comprising:

a rinse container;

a central element suited to be attached at least substantially permanently to said rinse container;

roller element arranged on said central element and designed to be suitable for receiving the rail elements; and

said central element is fastened directly onto said rinse container.

11. The roller retainer according to claim 10, including said central element having a connecting area suited for direct connection with said rinse container.

12. The roller retainer according to claim 11, including said connecting area designed substantially tapered relative to said central element.

13. The roller retainer according to claim 11, including said connecting area includes means for sealing said central element onto said rinse container on said connecting area.

14. The roller retainer according to claim 11, including means for sealing said central element onto said rinse container arranged between said central element and said rinse container.

15. The roller retainer according to claim 11, including said connecting area having threaded means for fastening said connecting area to said rinse container.

16. The roller retainer according to claim 15, including said threaded fastening means include one of a screw or a rivet to fasten said connecting area to said rinse container.

17. The roller retainer according to claim 11, including said central element having a shoulder on the side of said central element opposite a rinse container wall to which said central element is fastened, said shoulder preventing said roller element from detaching from said central element.

18. A dishwashing machine, comprising:

a rinse container;

a roller retainer for receiving rail elements which are suitable to bear dish racks;

said roller retainer including a central element suited to be attached at least substantially permanently to said rinse container;

said roller retainer including a roller element arranged on said central element and designed to be suitable for receiving the rail elements; and

said central element is fastened directly onto said rinse container.

19. The dishwashing machine according to claim 18, including said central element having a connecting area suited for direct connection with said rinse container.

20. The dishwashing machine according to claim 19, including said connecting area designed substantially tapered relative to said central element.

21. The dishwashing machine according to claim 19, including said connecting area includes means for sealing said central element onto said rinse container on said connecting area.

22. The dishwashing machine according to claim 19, including means for sealing said central element onto said rinse container arranged between said central element and said rinse container.

23. The dishwashing machine according to claim 11, including said connecting area having threaded means for fastening said connecting area to said rinse container.

24. The dishwashing machine according to claim 23, including said threaded fastening means include one of a screw or a rivet to fasten said connecting area to said rinse container.

25. The dishwashing machine according to claim 18, including said central element having a shoulder on the side of said central element opposite a rinse container wall to which said central element is fastened, said shoulder preventing said roller element from detaching from said central element.