Expandable dish rack assembly

Abstract

An expandable dish rack assembly includes upstream and downstream racks that are in sliding nesting relationship to one another. The downstream rack has upstream and downstream legs projecting down from the bottom wall of the downstream rack for supporting the downstream rack on a horizontal surface. The downstream legs are shorter than the upstream legs of the downstream rack so that the bottom wall of the upstream rack slopes downwardly from the upstream end to the downstream end. Upstream legs project down from the bottom wall of the upstream rack. Thus, the upstream rack can be supported on the upstream legs thereof and on the bottom wall of the downstream rack.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Appl. No. 60 / 729,961, filed Oct. 25, 2005.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The subject invention relates to a dish rack for placement on a countertop so that dishes, glassware and silverware can drain. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Dish racks are in employed in many kitchens to permit dishes, glasses and silverware to drain after washing and prior to a more permanent storage. A typical dish rack includes a bottom wall with a top surface, a bottom surface and plurality of openings extending through the bottom wall between the top and bottom surfaces. Legs typically extend down from the bottom surface of the bottom wall so that the dish rack can be supported in spaced relationship to the countertop or a drain board sold with the dish rack. A plurality of supports extend up from the top surface of the bottom wall and are configured to permit dishes, glasses and silver...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] The downstream end of the upstream rack is configured to nest with and telescope into the upstream end of the downstream rack. More particularly, the bottom surface of the bottom wall of the upstream rack is dimensioned to rest on the top surface of the bottom wall of the downstream rack. Additionally, outer surfaces of the side walls of the upstream rack are dimensioned to slidably engage inner surfaces of the side walls of the downstream rack. The curved upper ends of the side wall of the upstream rack are dimensioned to nest over the curved upper ends of the side walls of the downstream rack. With this construction, the dish rack assembly can be telescoped together so that the downstream end of the upstream rack is near the downstream end wall of the downstream rack. This smaller telescoped configuration is convenient for storage of the dish rack assembly and for drainage of a relatively small number of dishes. Alternatively, the dish rack assembly can be expanded so that the downstream end of the upstream rack is supported near the upstream end of the downstream rack. This expanded orientation of the dish rack assembly is suitable for the drainage of a relatively large number of dishes. In all possible orientations of the dish rack assembly, drainage water will flow in an upstream to downstream direction along the top surface of the bottom wall of the upstream rack. The drainage water then will continue onto the upper surface of the downstream rack and will merge into drainage water that may be accumulated from dishes on the downstream rack. This combined flow of drainage water will continue to the downstream end of the downstream rack and can be deposited into the sink. The absence of openings in the bottom walls can eliminate the need for a separate drain board.

Problems solved by technology

The drain board adds to the cost of a dish rack and complicates packaging and shipment prior to sale and further complicates storage between uses.

However, water then will accumulate directly on the countertop and can damage or discolor the countertop.

However, dish racks are generally unattractive and detract from and otherwise aesthetically appealing kitchen.

As a result, many homeowners store dish racks in a cabinet or closet between uses, and considerable space must be allocated in a cabinet or closet near the sink to accommodate the aesthetically unattractive dish rack between uses.

Accordingly, a homeowner often will have an excessively large unsightly dish rack supported in an obtrusive position on a countertop and will require a large amount of storage space in a cabinet or closet to accommodate the excessively larger dish rack between uses.

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