UTILITY RACK

Abstract

A dish rack having first and second side walls, each having one or more vertical sections for supporting one or more items to be held vertically on the dish rack, first and second end members, each having terminal portions for pivotably engaging the first and second sidewalls to maintain a variable fixed distance between the first and second sidewalls, where the pivotal engagement of the end members and the side walls permits the dish rack to be adapted from a use configuration, where the side walls are spaced apart in the form of a frame, to a storage configuration, where the side walls are adjacent one another and the dish rack is flat.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to utility racks, and more specifically to a collapsible dish rack for holding plates, bowls, servers, chargers, cutting boards, cookware and the like during drying and/or for storage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dish racks are often used as kitchen organizers, designed for holding kitchen items, such as plates, bowls, servers, chargers, cutting boards, cookware and the like for drying after they have been washed and/or for storage. However, dish racks are generally bulky and difficult to store and, therefore, can take up a significant portion of kitchen countertop, cabinet, drawer or shelf space relative to their size.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a collapsible dish rack that holds kitchen articles and is compact for ease of storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a collapsible dish rack comprising two or more sectioned side walls having openings between one or more vertical sections for receiving one or more kitchen items to be held vertically and at two end members engaging the sectioned side walls with a pivotable connection to maintain a variable fixed distance between the side walls. The pivotable connection provides that the side walls can be adapted from a separated orientation where the side walls and end members form a frame, when in the use configuration, to an adjacent orientation where the side walls and end members lie flat, when in a storage configuration.

The end members preferably have cylindrical terminal portions for engaging cylindrical openings in the side walls to fix the end members to the side walls. Of course, the entire end member, including the terminal portions and a central portion may be formed of a cylindrical wire, for ease of manufacture. Notwithstanding, the central portion, between the terminal portions, may have any form or corresponding member that does not interfere with the pivotal connection of the end members to the side walls, so the dish rack can be collapsed from the use configuration to the storage configuration, with the side walls maintained a relative fixed distance from one another.

Preferably, the vertical height of the central portions of the end members is substantially the same as the height of the vertical sections of the sectioned side walls, to permit a kitchen item to be supported against the central portion of the end members. Alternatively, one or both of the end members can have a height that does not exceed the height of the side walls between the vertical sections of the side walls, so as only to facilitate pivoting of the side walls between the use and storage configurations but not support the kitchen items placed on the dish rack.

The engagement of the end members at each end of the sectioned side walls with a pivotal connection completes the frame of the dish rack and maintains the shape of the dish rack, allowing the sectioned side walls to support kitchen articles of suitable shape and size. The engagement of the end members to the sectioned side walls with a pivotable connection forms hinges at each end of the sectioned side walls, which allows the dish rack to convert from the use configuration to the storage configuration.

In a preferred embodiment, the end members each comprise terminal sections that are inserted into openings at the ends of the sectioned side walls. In a most preferred embodiment, molded inserts and molded endcaps cooperate with the terminal portions of the end members to retain the end members on the side walls.

The molded inserts are positioned at the terminal sections of the end members above the terminal ends and above the upper surface of the ends of the side walls, and the endcaps are adapted to receive the terminal ends of the terminal portions of the end members, locking the side walls between the inserts and endcaps. In a preferred embodiment, the inserts not only fix the terminal sections to the top of the side wall, but include a sleeve portion that fits within the opening of the side walls to facilitate smooth pivoting of the end members within the openings of the side walls.

Although the collapsible dish rack can have feet on the bottom surface of the side walls, the preferred embodiment using molded inserts and endcaps contemplates that the molded endcaps serve as feet on which the dish rack rests. In such an embodiment, at least the bottom surface of the endcaps comprises a non-slip material that stabilizes and prevents the dish rack from slipping on a surface on which it is placed while in use. Also preferred is the removable attachment of the endcaps from the terminal ends of the end members, such that the end members may be removed from the side walls to allow for disassembly of the dish rack for cleaning and storage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 6A is a side elevation view of a sectioned side wall with vertical sections in an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 6B is a bottom plan view of a sectioned side wall in an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 6C is a front elevation view of a sectioned side wall with vertical sections in an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 6D is a rear perspective view of a sectioned side wall with vertical sections in an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 7A is a front elevation view of an end member in an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 7B is a side cross sectional elevation view of an end member in an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 7C is a partial cross-sectional side view of an insert attached to the terminal portion of an end member in an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 8A is a side elevation view of an endcap in an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional side view of an endcap in an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 8C is top plan view of an endcap in an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 8D is a perspective view of an endcap in an embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of another embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view of another embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a front elevation view of another embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 14A is a side elevation view of a side wall with a vertical section in another embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 14B is a bottom plan view of a side wall in another embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 14C is a front elevation view of a side wall with a vertical section in another embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 14D is a cross-sectional side view of a side wall with a vertical section in another embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

FIG. 14E is a rear perspective view of a side wall with a vertical section in another embodiment of the dish rack of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is now described with reference to the appended figures, which reference identical or functionally similar elements with like reference characters. While specific configurations and arrangements are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustrative purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other configurations and arrangements can be used without departing form the spirit and scope of the invention.

In a preferred embodiment, shown in accompanying FIGS. 1-5, the dish rack 10 is formed with two sectioned side walls 18 having openings 26 between vertical sections 14 for supporting one or more kitchen items to be held vertically, an end member 12 at each end of the side walls 18 engaging the sectioned side walls 18 with a pivotal connection to maintain a variable fixed distance between the side walls 18.

The side walls 18 of the dish rack 10 may be composed of any suitable substantially rigid and durable material such as wood, glass, metal, and/or plastic. A preferred material for the side walls 18 is plastic, and more preferably an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Moreover, the side walls 18 may be solid or hollow, preferably including a support structure for maintaining the structural integrity of the side walls 18 when hollow.

As best seen in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the end members 12 of the preferred embodiment have terminal portions that are received within openings within chambers 28 at each end of the side walls 18. The end members 12 preferably have a central portion between the terminal portions, the central portion preferably having a height that is substantially the same as the height of the vertical sections 14 of the side walls 18.

In another preferred embodiment, shown in accompanying FIGS. 9-14E, a more compact dish rack 10′ has two side walls 18′ with a single vertical section 14 to provide a shorter dish rack. As seen in FIGS. 10, 11 and 13, the end members 12 of this embodiment may also have terminal portions that are received within openings within chambers 28 at each end of the side walls 18′. The end members 12 of this embodiment also preferably have a central portion between the terminal portions, the central portion preferably having a height that is substantially the same as the height of the vertical sections 14 of the side walls 18′.

The end members 12 may be composed of any substantially rigid and durable material such as a wood, metal, plastic, and/or similarly suitable material. A preferred material for the end members 12 is steel, and more preferably stainless steel, in a cylindrical wire shape.

The end members 12 and the side walls 18 or 18′ may be connected with any suitable style pivotal connection including, but not limited to, fasteners, clamps, clasps, snaps, clips, pins, pivots, flanges, mounts or the like. The end members 12, when engaged with the side walls 18 or 18′, complete the frame and maintain the shape of the dish rack 10 or 10′, allowing the side walls 18 or 18′, and the end members 12 to cooperate to support kitchen articles of suitable shape and size. The pivotal connection for engagement of the end members 12 and the side walls 18 or 18′ forms hinges at each corner, which allows the dish rack 10 or 10′ to collapse from a use configuration, where the side walls 18 or 18′ are spaced apart from one another (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10), to a storage configuration, where the side walls are adjacent one another and the dish rack is folded flat (not shown).

In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the terminal portions of the end members 12 are inserted into openings 24 in chambers 28 at the ends of the side walls 18 or 18′ and secured by inserts 16 and endcaps 20 attached at the terminal portions. As shown in

FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7A-7C, the inserts 16 are attached around the terminal portion of the end members 12 at a fixed distance from its terminal ends, for positioning above the chambers 28 of the side walls 18 or 18′ at the ends of the side walls 18 or 18′. The inserts 16 can be made of any suitable material, such as rubber, neoprene, polyurethane, vinyl, silicone, plastic, Teflon, or like materials, and preferably silicone. The inserts 16 not only provide a surface for pivotable movement of the end members 12 within the side walls 18 or 18′, but also a stop to properly position the end members 12 on the side walls 18 or 18′.

Although the terminal ends of the end members 12 can be received directly in the chambers 28 of the side walls 18 or 18′, the preferred embodiment of the drawings include endcaps 20 for receiving the terminal ends of the terminal portions of the end members 12 extending through openings extending through the chambers 28 at the ends of the side walls 18.

The endcaps 20 of the dish rack 10, as illustrated in FIGS. 8A-8D, preferably comprise a non-slip material 22 on at least the bottom surface that stabilizes and prevents the dish rack 10 from moving while in use. The non-slip material can be any suitable material, such as rubber, neoprene, polyurethane, vinyl, silicone or like materials, and is preferably silicone. The endcaps 20 may be removable from the end members 12 to permit disassembly of the dish rack 10 as desired for cleaning and/or storage.

While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive of the current invention, and that this invention is not restricted to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described since modification can occur to those of ordinarily skilled in the art.

Variations, modifications, and alterations to the above detailed description will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All such variations, modifications and/or alternatives are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention.

The term “comprising” as used in the following claims is an open-ended transitional term that is intended to include additional elements not specifically recited in the claims.

It is also noted that any feature or element that is positively identified in this document may also be specifically excluded as a feature or element of an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A dish rack comprising:

a. a first sidewall and a second side wall, each side wall having one or more vertical sections for supporting one or more items to be held vertically on the dish rack;

b. a first end member and a second end member each having terminal portions for pivotably engaging the first and second sidewalls to maintain a variable fixed distance between the first and second sidewalls;

wherein the pivotal engagement of the end members and the side walls permits the dish rack to be adapted from a use configuration, where the side walls are spaced apart and the dish rack forms a frame, to a storage configuration, where the side walls are adjacent one another and the dish rack is flat.

2. The dish rack of claim 1 wherein the one or more vertical sections have a height and at least one of the first and second end members has a central section with a height that is substantially the same as the height of the one or more vertical sections.

3. The dish rack of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second end members is formed of a wire.

4. The dish rack of claim 1 wherein the terminal portions of the end members comprise a cylindrical section.

5. The dish rack of claim 4 wherein the cylindrical section of the terminal portions of the end members are received by cylindrical openings in ends of the side walls.

6. The dish rack of claim 1 wherein the terminal portions of the end members further comprise an insert for holding the terminal portion on the side walls.

7. The dish rack of claim 1 wherein the terminal portions comprise terminal ends and endcaps, wherein the endcaps engage the terminal ends.

8. The dish rack of claim 7 wherein the endcaps are removably attached to the terminal ends.

9. The dish rack of claim 7 wherein the endcaps comprise a non-slip material on a bottom surface.

10. The dish rack of claim 1 wherein the terminal portions comprise inserts, terminal ends and endcaps, wherein the inserts are attached to the terminal portions above the terminal ends and the endcaps engage the terminal ends.

11. The dish rack of claim 10 wherein the endcaps are removably attached to the terminal ends.

12. The dish rack of claim 10 wherein the endcaps comprise a non-slip material on a bottom surface.

13. The dish rack of claim 1 wherein the side walls are substantially rigid, and are formed of a material taken from the group consisting of wood, glass, metal, plastic, and combinations thereof.

14. The dishrack of claim 1 wherein the side walls are substantially rigid, and are formed of plastic.

15. The dishrack of claim 1 wherein the side walls are substantially rigid, formed of a hollow plastic with a support structure.

16. The dishrack of claim 1 wherein the first and second side walls each comprise an equal number of vertical sections.

17. The dishrack of claim 1 wherein the first and second side walls each comprise a plurality of vertical sections.

18. The dishrack of claim 17 wherein the first and second side walls each comprise an equal number of vertical sections.