Supports: racks – Special article – Platelike
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-09
2003-01-07
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Platelike
C211S041500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06502704
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for supporting objects for drying. More particularly, this invention relates to an adjustable device that is designed to allow plates, pots, kitchen utensils and silverware to dry.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for supporting objects for drying. This device contains a catch basin, for receiving water that drips off of these drying objects. Attached to the catch basin is a first adjustable rack that is positioned in a substantially horizontal manner. This first adjustable rack has a front end and a back end wherein the back end is rotatably supported within the catch basin. In addition, there is also a second adjustable rack that is rotatably attached to the catch basin and extends in a substantially upright or vertical position. Both the first adjustable rack and the second adjustable rack are comprised of a series of parallel extending bars that are spaced apart from each other to receive a plate between these parallel extending bars or to allow pots to rest thereon. The bars are spaced far enough apart so that they allow water to drip down through the bars and into the catch basin.
In addition, there is an adjustable support bar that is rotatably attached to the substantially horizontal adjustable rack. This adjustable support bar is for rotatably adjusting the height of the front end of the substantially horizontal adjustable rack. Furthermore, disposed within the catch basin is a series of support strips wherein the support strips are designed to support the adjustable support bar in a particular position to keep the adjustable support bar from rotating or sliding when the support bar is supporting the substantially horizontal adjustable rack. The support bar is also useful in that when it is positioned flat, it extends out from the substantially horizontal rack to support extra large pots or pans.
This device is also designed to prevent any water or other materials from flowing onto a counter top outside of the catch basin. For example, the catch basin contains a series of substantially vertical walls to trap this water within the catch basin. In this way, the water will not flow outside of the catch basin and onto a counter top. However, there are at least two drainage holes disposed within the substantially vertical walls to allow a user to easily pour the water disposed within the catch basin out into a sink. In a second embodiment of the invention, a back wall on the basin is curved in to provide additional lateral support for the device.
The device also contains an adjustable tray attached to the catch basin for supporting a series of utensils. The adjustable tray also comprises a set of adjustable legs rotatably attached to the catch basin, a top plate attached to the adjustable legs wherein this top plate has holes for supporting the silverware and utensils in an upright manner. The top plate is adjustable from a folded up position to a folded down position so that the tray can be stored easily.
One of the benefits of this invention is that it can be folded down into a storage position wherein the rack can then be stored away. To facilitate this feature, there is also a catch block disposed within the catch basin wherein this catch block is designed to receive a top end spacer bar on the second adjustable rack to lock the top end spacer bar in place on the catch block. The catch block also contains a slot that is angled in so that it restricts the movement of the spacer bar in the second adjustable rack once the second adjustable rack is snapped in. This second adjustable rack snaps into place over the first adjustable rack so that it locks both racks in place within the catch basin.
Essentially, this device is unique because the first rack in conjunction with the adjustable support bar is designed to create both a dish drying rack and a pot drying rack. When the substantially horizontal rack is supported above a horizontal position, with the adjustable support bar being supported by one of the support strips, the device is designed to support dishes and small to medium sized pots. When the first or substantially horizontal support rack is raised above its horizontal position, this rack gains clearance above the catch basin to receive plates through its parallel extending bars. In addition, with the substantially horizontal rack in this raised position, it creates an angled surface which forces plates to also extend through the second, opposite angled substantially vertical rack. While the device in this position is primarily designed to receive plates, small to medium sized pots can also be placed on the first or substantially horizontal rack for drying.
This device can be adjusted to form a pot drying rack. This pot drying rack is formed when the first or substantially horizontal rack is extended out in a substantially horizontal manner, wherein the support bar is extended out to a series of support elements. When the support bar is extended out, it forms an additional drying surface at substantially the same elevation as the first rack. Because of this additional surface area for drying, this first rack along with the support bar is designed to receive many pots or pans, of small, medium or large size. Now pots with a larger diameter than the width of the first rack can be placed on this first rack and extend out to be supported by this support bar resting on the support elements.
In addition, the utensil rack can be folded down into a substantially horizontal position at an elevation similar to the elevation of this substantially horizontal rack. With this design, the utensil rack in its folded down position, forms an additional pot drying surface which can receive pots that are either placed directly onto the folded down utensil rack, or pots placed onto the first drying rack but hang over this first drying rack.
When the device is in this position, it is a pot drying rack because when the first rack is in its substantially horizontal position, it can no longer support dishes. This is because this first rack is far closer to the bottom of the support basin thereby cutting off a region to receive the plates as they slide through the parallel extending bars. In addition, when the first rack is in this position, it no longer supplies lateral support to the dishes. This lateral support is required to support dishes because the lateral support results in the first rack pushing the dishes into the second, substantially vertical rack.
This device is also unique because it can be tilted up on its end and allowed to stand on a base so that this device can be placed out of the way. This feature occurs because this device contains a unique base that allows this device to stand on one end and because this device is uniquely balanced along a latitudinal axis which extends substantially horizontal when the device is in use on a counter top but extends substantially vertical when the device is tilted up for storage.
The base, which is coupled to the device can be made from any desired shape, but is designed to allow the device to stand up on an end for storage. This base is in the form of but not limited to: a series of legs, a flat back face on the basin, a separate plate connected to the basin, or any other shape to create a support surface on a counter top.
In addition, the design of this device creates a weight balanced device once it is in its compact form. This weight balance allows the device to be free standing on its base so that this device does not need any additional fixtures or support from an adjacent wall or counter surface. For example, once, all three racks: the first rack, the second rack and the utensil rack have been folded down to compact the device, this device is balanced along its latitudinal axis. Now the device can be folded up on its base to be stowed away on a counter top as a free standing device without any support from adjacent walls.
REFERENCES:
patent: 378692 (1888-02-01), Latham
patent: 815480 (1906-03-01), Silven
patent: 9904
Kidd R. Christopher
Martorella Rudolph
Collard & Roe P.C.
Novosad Jennifer E.
Rudolph Martorella
Stodola Daniel P.
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