DISH-SHAPED OBJECT WITH A DISHCLOTH FOR PLACEMENT IN A DISHWASHER

Abstract

An object substantially extending in one plane, but possibly being cup or dish-shaped, which object can be placed in a dishwasher. The object includes a circumferential edge including one or more openings and a holding mechanism arranged for holding textile material. Once the textile material is fixed therein, it is spread over the surface of the object. The wash water circulates in the dishwasher and subsequently the relatively cleaner rinse water can wash one flat side of the material to be cleaned via the openings in the object, while the water directly reaches the other flat side. Via the openings, moisture can evaporate from the damp material, so that the material can dry more easily.

Description

The present invention relates to a flat object substantially extending in one plane, but generally being curved or cup or dish-shaped in practice, which is suitable for being placed in a dishwasher.

The invention further relates to a system comprising such an object to be placed in a dishwasher and to a dishcloth or a kitchen textile product stretched on the object.

A universal device for stretching dishcloths and kitchen textile products and placing the same more or less upright in a dishwasher is described in NL-1035197.

An object having the distinctive features to be defined hereinafter is not known therefrom. Nor are the various alternative ways of holding the dishcloths enumerated below known therefrom.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an object which is optimally geared to the task that is set and a corresponding system comprising both the object and, in general, cloth material.

In order to accomplish that objective, the object according to the invention is characterised in that the object comprises a circumferential edge provided with one or more openings and with holding means arranged for holding textile material.

The advantage of the object according to the invention is that the holding means which are present in the circumferential edge or are permanently fixed thereto are arranged at positions such that when the textile material is secured therein, said material is automatically spread over the surface area of the object. The wash water circulating in the dishwasher and subsequently the relatively cleaner rinse water can reach the one spread-out side of the material to be cleaned via the openings in the object and wash said side, whilst the opposite side is directly washed by said water. Via the openings, moisture can evaporate from at least said one side of the wet textile material, so that the material will dry. The object with the textile material held thereon is preferably placed upright in a dish rack or between the kitchenware that is normally present in a dishwasher.

The invention is characterised in that the system comprises an object as referred to above and one or more textile products capable of being washed in a dishwasher, which preferably comprise between 50 and 60% polyester, between 20 and 30% polyamide and between 15 and 25% urethane, in particular in a proportion of 55:25:20.

This composition of the synthetic textile material has the advantage that the material on the one hand readily absorbs moisture and dirt, whilst on the other hand the dirt will easily come loose from the material when said material is being washed, so that the material also has optimum washing properties and will come out of the dishwasher properly cleaned, in particular microbiologically. The composition of the textile material furthermore makes the material excellently suitable for being washed in a dishwasher, because said material is hardly affected, if at all, by the relatively aggressive detergents. Furthermore, the extent of wear during the washing process in the dishwasher is minimal, so that a long life is ensured.

Further variants, in particular as regards the design and technical construction of the object according to the invention, as well as the concomitant advantages thereof, will be set forth in the description below.

The object and the system according to the present invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the figures below, in which like parts are indicated by the same numerals. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a currently preferred (for commercial reasons) first embodiment of the object, which is provided with a textile material;

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the object according to the invention, which is configured as a grate or wire model;

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the object according to the invention, which is pivotable;

FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the object according to the invention, which comprises two, possibly pivotable, rings to be clamped together; and

FIG. 5 shows a fifth embodiment of the object according to the invention, which is configured as a kind of rack having pointed ends.

FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 each show possible forms and embodiments of an object 1 extending substantially in one plane, which can be placed in a generally upright position in a dishwasher (not shown). The object, which preferably has the standardised size and shape of a dinner plate in a particular country, is adapted for holding a textile material 2—illustrated in dotted lines—thereon, in order for said material to be washed clean while going through wash and rinse cycles in the dishwasher. Said washing will be most effective, and no dirt will remain behind on the textile, if the textile material 2 being held by the object 1 is positioned upright in the dishwasher. In practice a (usually damp) piece of textile used in a living space or a kitchen, such as a dust cloth, a dishcloth or a floor cloth, need not be taken separately to a laundry basket or directly to a washing machine in that case, so that less handling is involved. The object 1 of FIG. 1 has a circumferential edge 3 which is at least partially cup of dish-shaped and which may be entirely made of plastic material. As a result, the object can simply take up a position already reserved and suitable for plates in the dishwasher, without taking up any additional space. The object 1 is provided with one or more openings 4 formed at least in the circumferential edge 3. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, holding means 5 are present in a number of said openings 4, which holding means are arranged for holding the textile material 2 that can be folded over the edge 3. Apart from saving weight and plastic material, the other openings 4, which may be designed to have a creative, attractive shape, if desired, further function to admit rinse water to the flat side facing the circumferential edge 3 of the textile material 2 while going through the dishwashing cycle and subsequently discharge said water. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the holding means 5 are fully integrated in the circumferential edge 3 and form a permanent part of the object 1. The shape thus obtained closely conforms to that of a plate, and the object 1 does not have any inconvenient projections or loose parts in that case. The holding means 5 of FIG. 1 have loose elastically resilient lips 6, for example of plastic material injection-moulded along with the holding means, which move out in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the object 1 when textile material 2 is manually pressed therebetween, and which spring back when the pressure is released. At rest, the lips 6 tend to close, thereby generating a holding force which holds the material 2, until the material 2, washed clean after the washing cycle, is retracted therefrom. In the case of FIG. 1, the lips 6, and in general the holding means 5, are usually arranged at diametrically opposite positions on the object 1, being fixed to or on the circumferential edge. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the object 1 has a central opening 7 located within the circumferential edge 3, saving plastic material, for the supply and discharge of water.

By way of possible alternative, the holding means 5 are configured as clamping means (not explicitly shown in figures) which may or may not be spring-loaded, for example more or less in radial direction, which clamping means are suitable for fixing and holding material in a simple manner therewith and releasing it therefrom.

In the embodiment in which the object 1 is configured as a plate, the object 1 has an upright, usually thickened edge at the location of the transition area to the central opening 7, which edge, like the edge of a common plate, is stably supported against the supports present in a dishwasher's dish rack.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the object 1 in the form of a lattice or a wire netting made of metal wire or plastic material, which is provided with openings 9 formed between bars or wires 8. Metal has a greater thermal capacity than plastic, so that the textile material being held on the metal object will dry more rapidly. The holding means 5 are in this case formed by the wires 8 which bound the wires 8 of a same grate opening 9, which bend aside slightly when textile material is pressed into the opening. A number of said openings 9 might be formed with the holding means 5 in the form of the lips 6. By way of alternative (not shown), it would be possible to use two such nettings to be clampingly pressed together with the textile material 2 therebetween.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which the object 1 is made up of two, generally more, if desired, legs 11 which can pivot out about a common pivot point 10. In this case the holding means 5 are fixed to the ends of the legs 11 in a partially virtual descriptive circumferential edge 3 (illustrated in dotted lines), as it were.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the object in the form of two, possibly mutually pivotable, rings 12 to be clampingly pressed together, between which the textile material 2 (not shown) is held at the circumference thereof.

FIG. 5 shows the object 1 as a wire model, which in this embodiment has a circumferential edge 3 provided with one or more, possibly spring-loaded projecting points 13, which form the holding means 5 for folding the textile material there around and thus holding said material. The points 13 may be at least partially pivotable and/or spring-loaded, if desired, so as to achieve an improved holding action.

In another alternative embodiment of the holding means 5, said holding means may be configured with magnetic means (not shown) at least partially integrated in the object 1, with the edge of the textile material 2 or one or more of the corner points thereof being held between the magnets or between the magnets on the one hand and a metal netting on the other hand.

In another alternative embodiment, the combination of the object 1 and the textile material 2, which is referred to as system herein and which is suitable for sale, may comprise holding means 5 in the form of well-known press-studs. Male or female press-studs are provided on the object 1, with corresponding press-studs being provided along the circumference and/or at the corner points of the textile material.

An optimum composition of the textile material 2 that can be washed in a dishwasher comprises between 50 and 60% polyester, between 20 and 30% polyamide and between 15 and 25% urethane. The most optimum composition, which can be used and washed several times, contains the aforesaid plastics in a proportion of 55:25:20.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An object substantially extending in one plane, or being cup or dish-shaped, which object can be placed in a dishwasher, wherein the object comprises:

a circumferential edge including one or more openings; and

holding means arranged for holding textile material.

17. An object according to claim 16, wherein the holding means is integrated in the circumferential edge, or in openings formed therein.

18. An object according to claim 16, wherein the holding means is fixedly provided in or on the circumferential edge, or are arranged at diametrically opposite positions on the object.

19. An object according to claim 16, wherein the holding means includes clamping means that may or may not be spring-loaded, or in a radial direction.

20. An object according to claim 16, wherein the object further comprises an opening centrally disposed within the circumferential edge.

21. An object according to claim 16, wherein the circumferential edge includes with one or more openings.

22. An object according to claim 16, wherein the object further comprises two or more legs that can pivot out about a pivot point, forming a partially virtual circumferential edge, whose holding means are fixed to the projecting leg portions.

23. An object according to claim 16, wherein the object consists of wires or bars.

24. An object according to claim 23, wherein the object includes two wire or bar models to be clampingly pressed together, which are configured to hold the textile material therebetween.

25. An object according to claim 23, wherein the object includes the circumferential edge including one or more projecting points, or spring-loaded projecting points, which form the holding means for holding the textile material.

26. An object according to claim 25, wherein the points are pivotable and/or spring-loaded.

27. An object according to claim 16, wherein the holding means is at least partially magnetic.

28. A system comprising:

an object according to claim 16; and

one or more textile products capable of being washed in a dishwasher.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein the object comprises holding means and the textile material comprises corresponding holding means provided along the circumference and/or near the corner points thereof, or male and female holding means, respectively, or press-studs.

30. A system according to claim 27, wherein the textile material capable of being washed in a dishwasher comprises between 50 and 60% polyester, between 20 and 30% polyamide, and between 15 and 25% urethane, in a proportion of 55:25:20.