Supports: racks – Special article – Platelike
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-09
2001-01-09
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Special article
Platelike
C211S041300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170676
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of dish drainers and the like.
More particularly, this invention relates to dish drainers which are foldable.
In a further and more specific aspect, the present invention concerns novel apparatus for dish draining and the like.
2. Prior Art
It is common in most kitchens today for a person washing dishes and other kitchen utensils to wash and rinse the dishes and then place them in dish draining apparatus to partially or completely air dry. Even in kitchens having automatic dish washers there are generally some dishes and/or kitchen utensils which need to be hand washed and drained. Also, even if some or all of the dishes and kitchen utensils are dried with a towel, rather than complete air drying, it is common to place them in a dish drainer to allow the major portion of the water to drain off before hand drying.
Generally dish drainers include a frame of hard plastic or plastic coated metal that is placed on a cupboard surface adjacent to the kitchen sink and into which dishes can be placed in an upstanding position. In some instances the frame includes a lower surface for receiving water drained from the dishes and directing it toward the kitchen sink. In some instances the frame must be placed on a plastic base which receives water drained from the dishes and directs it toward the kitchen sink. In either case the dish drainer is a relatively cumbersome article that is rather unsightly if left in the drainage position on the cupboard surface. The major problem is that the dish drainer must be quite large to receive all of the dishes and takes up a large amount of storage space when it is placed out of sight in a storage area. Further, the storage area must be relatively conveniently located so that the dish drainer can be quickly and easily removed from storage and used several times a day.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved foldable dish drainer.
It is another object of the instant invention to provide a new and improved foldable dish drainer that can be easily used in a normal fashion.
It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a new and improved dish drainer that can be easily used in a normal fashion and easily folded into a convenient storage form.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, to achieve the desired objects of the instant invention in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, a foldable dish drainer includes a base with first and second sections hingedly joined at adjacent parallel edges to form a dish draining surface and movable into a parallel overlying position in a folded mode. The dish drainer further includes a first dish support member having one edge hingedly attached to a surface of the first base section, a second dish support member having one edge hingedly attached to a surface of the second base section, and opposed edges of the first and the second dish support members movably attached together such that when the first and second base sections are in the open mode the first and second dish support members are in an upstanding position for receiving and holding dishes in a draining position and when the first and second base sections are in the folded mode the first and second dish support members are in a folded position.
In a preferred embodiment, a third base section is movably attached to one of the first and second base sections to extend the dish draining area. The third base section is foldable with the first and second base sections into a folded mode wherein the three sections are in overlying relationship with the first and second dish support members folded therebetween.
REFERENCES:
patent: 395393 (1889-01-01), Holzmark
patent: 946977 (1910-01-01), Muller
patent: 1714628 (1929-05-01), Rodin
patent: 1835232 (1931-12-01), Lord
patent: 2936898 (1960-05-01), Miguez
patent: 3800957 (1974-04-01), Krause
patent: 4169638 (1979-10-01), Cirasuolo et al.
patent: 4221299 (1980-09-01), Taylor
patent: 4480343 (1984-11-01), Drach
patent: 4531641 (1985-07-01), Archambault
patent: 2042147 (1980-09-01), None
Patadia Sona
Velasquez Joseph Pepe
Cohen Curtis A.
Goltry Michael W.
Parsons Robert A.
Parsons & Goltry
Stodola Daniel P.
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