Dishwasher status indicator

Abstract

A dishwasher status indicator (1; 100; 200; 300; 400; 500; 600; 700) comprising a buoyant element (2; 102; 202; 302; 402; 502; 602; 702) comprising a first surface, and a second surface, said buoyant element being arranged such that the buoyant element's centre of mass is located closer to the second surface than the first surface, and a tub (4; 104; 204; 304; 404; 504; 604; 704) having a bottom surface (6; 106; 206; 306; 406; 506; 606; 706) and side surfaces (8; 108; 208; 308; 408; 508; 608; 708) surrounding the bottom surface. Said buoyant element being arranged in said tub and arranged to float when water is filled into the tub. Said buoyant element having a first state and a second state wherein in said first state the first surface of the buoyant element (2; 102; 202; 302; 402; 502; 602; 702) is engaging the bottom surface (6; 106; 206; 306; 406; 506; 606; 706) of the tub, and in said second state, the buoyant element has been rotated with respect to the first state such that the second surface is engaging the bottom surface of the tub and such that the centre of mass of the buoyant element is located closer to the bottom surface of the tub when compared to the first state. The first surface and the bottom surface are arranged such that for the buoyant element to be able to rotate from the first state to the second state the buoyant element must be displaced away from the bottom surface a distance of at least 5% of the vertical distance between the upper and lower most points of the buoyant element in the first state. In this way a simple indicator is provided which is easy to manufacture and is stable in in both states.

Description

[0001] Dishwasher status indicator

[0002] The current invention relates to an indicator which is used in dishwashers to indicate the status of the dishwasher in regards to whether the dishes / utensils are clean or dirty so that different users of the dishwasher know whether to put more dirty dishes in the dishwasher or if the dishes are clean.

[0003] More particularly, the current invention relates to a dishwasher status indicator comprising a buoyant element comprising a first surface, and a second surface, said buoyant element being arranged such that the buoyant element’s centre of mass is located closer to the second surface than the first surface, and a tub having a bottom surface and side surfaces surrounding the bottom surface, said buoyant element being arranged in said tub and arranged to float when water is filled into the tub, said buoyant element having a first state and a second state: in said first state the distance from the first surface of the buoyant element to the bottom surface of the tub is less than the distance from the second surface of the buoyant element to the bottom surface of the tub and in said second state, the buoyant element has been rotated with respect to the first state such that the distance between the second surface and the bottom of the tub is less than the distance between the first surface and the bottom of the tub and such that the centre of mass of the buoyant element is located closer to the bottom surface of the tub when compared to the first state.

[0004] Description of related art

[0005] Modem dishwashers typically indicate their status during a washing cycle. When the dishwasher is washing, it is clear that the dishwasher is in operation and should not be disturbed. Also, when finished, the dishwasher will indicate that the washing operation is completed. However, once the dishwasher door has been opened; it is no longer clear what the status of the dishwasher is. When using a dishwasher as a single person, this is not such a problem since the user will be aware of the status of the dishes / utensils. However, when multiple people use the dishwasher, it is not that easy to be sure of what has happened with the dishwasher and what its’ current status is. For example, if a first user comes after a washing operation has been completed and opens the door and removes one item and recloses the door, then the next user who comes to the dishwasher is not sure if the dishes are clean or dirty. This is often a problem in office environments and in family homes.

[0006] Multiple approaches have been previously disclosed in order to attempt to solve this problem. For example, US11663931 B2 discloses a simple approach with a label outside the dishwasher with an indication of clean / dirty. However, people will often forget to turn the indicator and therefore the indication is often not accurate. This means that people end up ignoring the indicator and testing or asking what the status of the dishwasher is. Sometimes they end up mixing dirty dishes in with the clean dishes.

[0007] Other more automated approaches have also been introduced in the past which are based on the operation of the dishwasher. These systems are typically based on using the water of the dishwashing operation as an indicator. For example, US20120060866A1 discloses a reservoir which fills up with water during the cleaning process. If the reservoir is full of water, then the user knows that the dishwasher is finished. However, such systems have some disadvantages. Many dishwashers have strong drying processes so the water that is accumulated could dry out making the indication not valid. Also, in order to reset the process the user needs to empty the dirty water inside the indicator. This often ends up dripping water on clean dishes, the floor etc. Furthermore, the process of detaching and reattaching the indicator is irritating and requires extra work. Another approach which takes advantage of the water of the cleaning process is to use a buoyant element. US4653423 discloses a system where water enters a vessel / pocket and lifts an indicator which shows that the cleaning process has taken place. Again, in such an approach, there is the same problem with drying out whereby the indication is no longer valid. To overcome this problem US20150305591 A1 discloses a system with the same operating principle but where magnets hold the indicator in place once the indicator reaches the upper point. Before starting the next washing operation, the user needs to push the indicator down to reset the device. Although, this overcomes the issues related to drying, the structure is complex with many parts and is hard and expensive to manufacture.

[0008] Lastly, a different approach was disclosed in US6427708B1 where a spherical buoyant element with a weight on top is arranged in a tub. When a cleaning process takes place, the tub is filled with water, causing the spherical buoyant member to float. The weight on the top of the member causes the sphere to rotate downwards which indicates that the cleaning operation has been done. Although, this solution appears to be the most relevant to the current invention, it has some major differences and disadvantages. It is heavily dependent on the drying process in order to keep the round member facing down. Furthermore, opening and closing the door of the washing machine can displace the round member and the indication will not be valid anymore.

[0009] Summary of the invention

[0010] A first aspect of the current invention is therefore to provide a novel device which is more reliable and can withstand movements of the dishwasher and / or the dishwasher doorZtray(s). A second aspect of the current invention is to provide a device with a simple structure which is easy to operate with a single hand and having a simple resetting operation.

[0011] A third aspect of the current invention is to provide a device which is easy to manufacture, easy to maintain and economically affordable with sustainable materials.

[0012] These aspects are solved by a device as mentioned in the introductory paragraph further characterized in that said first surface and said bottom surface are arranged such that for the buoyant element to be able to rotate from the first state to the second state, the buoyant element must be displaced away from the bottom surface a distance of at least 5% of the vertical distance between the uppermost and lowermost points of the buoyant element in the first state. In this way, a simple device is provided which is easy to operate, easy to manufacture and is very stable before and after the dishwashing cycle.

[0013] In some embodiments, the buoyant element is arranged to rotate at least 45 degrees between the first and second state. In some embodiments, the buoyant element is arranged to rotate at least 60 degrees, at least 75 degrees or 90 degrees between the first and second state. In some embodiments, a cross section through the elongated element on a plane which is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the buoyant element is a rectangle. In some embodiments, the cross section is a square. In some embodiments, the first surface and the second surface are arranged as flat surfaces having a dimension of at least 10% of the height of the buoyant element.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first surface of the buoyant element is engaged with the bottom surface of the tub in the first state. In some embodiments, the second surface of the buoyant element is engaged with the bottom surface of the tub in the second state.

[0015] In some embodiments, the buoyant element comprises a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being lighter than said second portion, said first portion being arranged closer to the first surface than the second surface and said second portion being arranged closer to the second surface than the first surface. In some embodiments, the second portion is detachable from the first portion. In some embodiments, the second portion is made from a different material than the first portion. In some embodiments, the second portion is made from the same material but with an increased density. In some embodiments, the buoyant element comprises a hollow portion inside the buoyant element, said hollow portion being arranged closer to the first surface than the second surface.

[0016] In some embodiments, the buoyant element further comprises at least one magnetic element arranged close to the first surface and said tub comprises at least one magnetic element located near the bottom surface of the tub, said magnetic element of the buoyant element and the magnetic element of the tub interacting with each other more in the first state of the buoyant element than in the second state of the buoyant element.

[0017] In some embodiments, the buoyant element comprises a third surface arranged opposite to the first surface and a fourth surface arranged opposite to the second surface, said third surface and said fourth surface comprising different features, so that the user can differentiate between the third and fourth surfaces. In this way, the user can differentiate between the first and second states.

[0018] In some embodiments, the different features comprise different visual features so that the user can differentiate between the third and fourth surfaces by looking at the buoyant element. In some embodiments, the third and fourth surfaces are provided with different colours.

[0019] In some embodiments, the different features comprise structural features whereby the user can differentiate between the third and fourth surfaces by touching the buoyant element.

[0020] In some embodiments, the buoyant element is elongated. In some embodiments, the buoyant element has a length, a width and a height, said length being greater than said width and height. In some embodiments the length is at least 1 ,5 times the width and the height of the buoyant element. In some embodiments, the tub has a length, a width and a depth, said length being greater than said width and depth. In some embodiments, the length is at least 1 ,5 times the width and height of the tub. In some embodiments, the length of the buoyant element is greater than the width and depth of the tub. In some embodiments, the buoyant element rotates about a longitudinal axis between the first and second states. In some embodiments, the longitudinal axis of the buoyant element is arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tub.

[0021] In some embodiments, the tub further comprises a drain hole. In this way, when water is filled into the tub during the dishwasher operation, the water can drain out again so that the tub is dry when the dishwasher is finished with its cleaning cycle.

[0022] In some embodiments, the buoyant element is arranged to block the drain hole in the first state. In this way, the tub will fill up faster in the first state.

[0023] In some embodiments, the buoyant element is arranged to not block the drain hole in the second state. In this way, the tub will be drained faster. In some embodiments the buoyant element comprises a channel or recess on the second surface which is arranged to allow water to reach the drain hole, even if the buoyant element is arranged on top of the drain hole. In some embodiments, the tub comprises more than one drain hole. In some embodiments, the drain hole or the drain holes is / are arranged such that at least one drain hole is not blocked in the first and second states of the buoyant element.

[0024] In some embodiments, the tub further comprises one or more attachment element(s) for attaching the dishwasher status indicator to a basket of a dishwasher. In some embodiments, the one or more attachment elements comprise a plurality of hooks which are arranged to hook over wire portions of a basket of a dishwasher. In some embodiments, the attachment elements comprises at least three hooks, said at least three hooks being arranged in at least two separate levels.

[0025] It should be noted that the current specification also discloses a second independent invention which could form the basis of a divisional application at some point of time in the future. The second independent invention is related to a dishwasher status indicator as mentioned in the introductory paragraph further characterized in that a. said elongated element is arranged such that its length is at least 1 ,5 times greater than its width and height, b. in that said tub has a length which is at least 1 ,5 times greater than its width and depth, and c. in that the length of the elongated element is greater than the width and depth of the tub.

[0026] Embodiments which are covered by the second invention are illustrated in figures 1 to 4 and figures 10 to 13. The current specification also discloses a third independent invention which could also form the basis of a divisional application. The third independent invention is related to a dishwasher status indicator as mentioned in the introductory paragraph further characterized in that said buoyant element comprises a first magnetic element arranged closer to the first surface than the second surface and in that said tub comprises a second magnetic element close to the bottom surface, whereby the first and second magnetic elements magnetically engage in the first state providing a resistance against rotation of the buoyant element from the first state to the second state.

[0027] It should be noted that according to this specification the term “magnetic element” should be understood as an element which is either magnetic itself, or is attracted to a magnet. For example, a permanent magnet is a magnetic element and a metal plate to which a magnet is attracted to is also a magnetic element according to the understanding in this specification.

[0028] In some embodiments, the first magnetic element is a magnet and the second magnetic element is a magnet. In some embodiments the first magnetic element is a magnet and the second magnetic element is made from a material which is attracted to a magnet, for example an iron plate. In some embodiments, the first magnetic element is a made from a material which is attracted to a magnet, for example a metal plate and the second magnet element is a magnet.

[0029] The current specification also discloses a fourth independent invention which could also form the basis of a divisional application. The fourth independent invention is related to a dishwasher status indicator as mentioned in the introductory paragraph further characterized in that said tub comprises a drain hole. In some embodiments, the drain hole is arranged in the bottom surface. In some embodiments, the buoyant element is arranged to block the drain hole in the first state of the buoyant element.

[0030] In some embodiments, the buoyant element is arranged such that the buoyant element does not block the drain hole in the second state of the buoyant element. In some embodiments, the second surface of the buoyant element is provided with a channel or recess which leads water past the buoyant element and to the drain hole in the second state of the buoyant element.

[0031] In some embodiments, the tub comprises more than one drain hole. In some embodiments, the drain hole or the drain holes is / are arranged such that at least one drain hole is not blocked in the first and second states of the buoyant element.

[0032] In some embodiments, the drain hole is sized such that when the tub is filled to the max with water, then it will take at least 30 seconds, at least 1 minute or at least 1 ,5 minutes to drain the tub.

[0033] It should be emphasized that the term "comprises / comprising / comprised of" when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

[0034] Brief description of the drawings

[0035] Fig.1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a dishwasher status indicator illustrating an elongated rectangular buoyant element. Fig. 2 is a section view of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 1 in a first state, indicating a not completed cleaning cycle, i.e. dirty dishes.

[0036] Fig. 3 is a section view of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 1 during operation of the dishwasher where water has accumulated in the tub of the indicator causing the buoyant element to float and rotate towards a second state.

[0037] Fig. 4 is a section view of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 1 in a second state after the dishwasher has completed its washing cycle.

[0038] Fig.5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a dishwasher status indicator illustrating a cubic buoyant element variation.

[0039] Fig.6 is a perspective view of the cubical buoyant element of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 5.

[0040] Fig. 7 is a section view of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 5 in a first state indicating dirty dishes.

[0041] Fig. 8 is a section view of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 5 while the dishwasher is operating and where water has accumulated in the tub of the indicator causing the buoyant element to float and rotate towards a second state.

[0042] Fig. 9 is a section view of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 5 in a second state after the operation of the dishwasher has finished and the water has drained out.

[0043] Fig.10 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a dishwasher status indicator illustrating an elongated cylindrical buoyant element. Fig. 11 is a section view of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 10 while being in a first state.

[0044] Fig. 12 is a section view of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 10 while the dishwasher is operating, and water has accumulated in the tub causing the buoyant element to float and rotate towards a second state.

[0045] Fig. 13 is a section view of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 10 in a second state with the heavier side facing downwards after the operation of the dishwasher has finished.

[0046] Fig.14 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a dishwasher status indicator illustrating a spherical buoyant element.

[0047] Fig. 15 is a section view of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 14 in a first state.

[0048] Fig. 16 is a section view of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 14 while the dishwasher is operating, and water has accumulated in the tub of the indicator causing the buoyant element to float and rotate towards a second state.

[0049] Fig. 17 is a section view of the dishwasher status indicator of figure 14 in a second state with the heavier side facing downwards and placed in the specially adapted recessed bottom after the operation of the dishwasher has finished and the water has been drained out.

[0050] Figure 18 is a section view of a fourth embodiment of a dishwasher status indicator with the buoyant element in a first state. Figure 19 is a section view of a fifth embodiment of a dishwasher status indicator with the buoyant element in a first state.

[0051] Figure 20 is a section view of a sixth embodiment of a buoyant element in a first state according to the invention.

[0052] Figure 21 is a section view of a seventh embodiment of a buoyant element in a first state according to the invention.

[0053] In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to embodiments shown by the enclosed figures. It should be emphasized that the embodiments shown are used for example purposes only and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention.

[0054] Detailed description of the embodiments

[0055] FIG.1 shows a first embodiment of a dishwasher status indicator 1 according to the invention. The indicator comprises a buoyant element 2, in this case an elongated rectangular element, which is arranged in a tub 4. The tub has a bottom surface 6 and four side walls 8 with an open top. On the one side of the tub, which is referred to as a back side, it comprises an extended wall 10 extending down past the bottom surface of the tub. This extended back side wall 10 further comprises attachment elements 12 to attach the indicator to a tray of a dishwasher. Sometimes the tray is called a basket or rack. In this embodiment the attachment elements comprise four 90-degree angled brackets 12, or hook like elements, which engage with the tray of the dishwasher to keep the dishwasher indicator mounted on the tray during use. The group of brackets depends on the tray and on the application, so the scope of the current invention shouldn’t be limited to four elements as shown in this embodiment. Due to the current geometry of this embodiment, the buoyant element 2 is meant to be placed so that its long side is parallel to the long side of the tub 4. More particularly the long side of the buoyant element is placed along an axis A. Any reference to the top, left, right and bottom sides should be understood to be in the vertical view in relation to the axis A. In this embodiment, the length of the buoyant element is along the axis A, the width of the elongated element is perpendicular to the rear side and the height is perpendicular to the bottom surface.

[0056] As shown in FIGs.2-4, in this embodiment, the buoyant element is formed as a hollow shell with a hollow portion 16. This allows the buoyant element to float when in water. The hollow portion 16 is located towards the top side 15 of the buoyant element. The bottom portion 18 of the buoyant element is therefore heavier than the other sides due to more material being left since the hollow portion is located near the top side 15 and equally spaced from the left side 17 and the right side 19.

[0057] All the sides of the buoyant element are marked to more clearly show the status of the dishwasher. The bottom 20, left 17 and right 19 surfaces of the buoyant element have a red colour indicating a first state (dirty) and the top surface 15 has a green colour indicating a second state (clean). In this way, users can easily view the current status when opening the door of the dishwasher. The colouring is not limited to green and red, and can be any combination of colours. Also, on the top surface 15 of the current embodiment, there is a tactile indication 14, in this example three small bumps, as best seen in figure 1 . This allows the indicator to be used in a dark environment and for visually impaired users, so that the current status can easily be checked even if it cannot be seen.

[0058] It should be noted that in the terminology of the claims, the bottom surface 20 would be the second surface, the left surface 17 would be the first surface, the right surface 19 would be the third surface as it is opposite the first surface and the top surface 15 would be the fourth surface as it is opposite to the second surface.

[0059] FIG.2-4 describe the operation of the dishwasher indicator in more detail. The dishwasher indicator has a first state and a second state. The first state is when the dishwasher is being loaded and indicates that the dishes are dirty. The second state is when the dishwasher has completed a cleaning cycle, so the indication is that the dishes are clean and ready to be unloaded. FIG.2 shows a potential first status where a right 19, left 17 or top 15 surface of the buoyant element is engaging with the bottom surface 6 of the tub. After the dishwasher is loaded and starts it’s cleaning operation, water is introduced into the tub due to the splashing of the water inside the dishwasher. The water 22 lifts the buoyant element which then rotates 90 degrees about the axis A. The element rotates due to gravity since the heavier side will always try to rotate the buoyant element so that the bottom portion 18 is facing downwards. When the water leaves the tub, the bottom surface 20 will be facing downwards and engaging with the bottom surface 6 of the tub. FIG.4 shows the second state where the buoyant element’s top surface 15 is facing upwards and the bottom surface 20 is facing downwards which indicates that the dishes are cleaned. After the dishwasher has been unloaded, the user manually resets the buoyant element to the first state by rotating it 90 degrees in the tub.

[0060] In this embodiment, the first and second surfaces of the elongated buoyant element are formed as flat surfaces and the bottom 6 of the tub is also formed as a flat surface. In this way, in both the first and second states of the buoyant element, the buoyant element is stable and is prevented from rotating due to the stable interface between the buoyant element and the tub. In general, in this embodiment, the buoyant element needs to be lifted up a distance which is greater than the difference between the distance from the center of the buoyant element to the bottom surface and the distance from the center of the buoyant element to one corner of the buoyant element. In order to lift the element, force needs to be applied to the buoyant element in a vertical direction. Forces in the horizontal direction will be very unlikely to lift the buoyant element enough to allow it to rotate. Hence, even when closing the door or the tray of the dishwasher aggressively, the indicator will not switch states unintentionally.

[0061] FIG.5 shows a second embodiment 100 of a dishwasher indicator according to the invention. In this embodiment, the dishwasher indicator 100 comprises a buoyant element 102, which in this variation is in the form of a cube. The buoyant element is again arranged in a tub 104. As before, the tub in this embodiment comprises a bottom surface 106 and four side walls 108. It also comprises a back elongated wall 110 with the 90-degree angled brackets 112 to be attached to a dishwasher tray. It also comprises a draining hole 122 on the bottom surface 106 for water to exit the tub during or after the operation of the dishwasher. Due to the smaller size of this embodiment, this embodiment is suitable for smaller dishwashers where space is more restricted. However, the larger elongated version could also be used in smaller dishwashers, as could the smaller indicator be used in larger dishwashers.

[0062] FIG.6 shows the buoyant element in more detail. The buoyant element 102 has four side surfaces 117, a top surface 115 and a bottom surface 118. Each surface, as in the previous embodiment, has a colour indication which is the same for the side surfaces and the bottom surface 118 but different for the top surface 115 e.g. red on the side and bottom surfaces and green on the top surface. Also, on the top surface 115, there is a tactile indication 114 in the form of a small bump while the side surfaces are flat. On the bottom surface of the buoyant element 102, there are some recesses / channels 120 in the bottom surface that extend from one side to the other side. In this way, when there is water in the tub 104, and the buoyant element is in the second state, the water can flow through these recesses 120 to reach the draining hole 122. However, when the buoyant element is in the first state, the side surface does not have any channels and the draining hole will therefore be blocked. In this way, in the first state, the tub will fill quickly with water, while in the second state, the tub will continuously drain. As a further detail, as shown in figures 7-9, the bottom surface 118 (second surface) of the buoyant element in the second state is curved 124 and the water can therefore pass through and out of the draining hole 122 even if the channels are not properly aligned with the drain hole.

[0063] Internally, as seen in FIG.7, the buoyant element again comprises a hollow portion 116 which is arranged near the top surface 115 and equally spaced from the side surfaces so that most of the material of the buoyant element is near the bottom surface 118. In this way, when the buoyant element is floated in water, it will rotate such that the bottom surface (second surface) is facing downwardly.

[0064] FIG.7 to 9 show the operation of the dishwasher indicator. A first state is shown in FIG.7 where the buoyant element 102 is placed so that a side surface is engaged with the bottom surface of the tub 104. Since the side surfaces are flat, while they are engaging, they are blocking the draining hole 122. FIG.8 shows the dishwasher operating where water is inserted into the tub 104 thereby lifting the buoyant element so that it can rotate. Again, due to gravity, the buoyant element will rotate so that the heavier bottom surface 118 is facing downwards and towards the bottom surface 106 of the tub 104. In FIG.9 is shown a second state where the water has been drained out through the channel that is formed either from the recesses 120 or from the curve 124 on the bottom side 118 and then through draining hole 122. After the dishwasher has been unloaded the user manually resets the buoyant element to the first state by rotating it 90 degrees. FIG.10 shows a third embodiment of a dishwasher status indicator 200, in this case, according to the second and third inventions. The dishwasher indicator 200 has a buoyant element 202, which in this variation is in the form of a cylinder with a circular cross section. The buoyant element is housed in a tub 204. Also, in this embodiment the tub 204 comprises a bottom surface 206 and four side walls 208. It also comprises a back elongated wall 210 with the 90-degree angled brackets 212 to be attached to a dishwasher rack. It also comprises a metal plate 230 on the bottom surface 206 of the tub. The buoyant element comprises a magnet 214 which is arranged to be engaged with the metal plate of the tub when the buoyant element is in its’ first state. Due to the current geometry of this embodiment, the buoyant element 202 is meant to be placed so that the long cylindrical side is parallel to the long side of the tub 204. More particularly the long side of the buoyant element is arranged along an axis B.

[0065] As seen in FIG.11 which is a section view of the buoyant element 202, the cylindrical buoyant element is also provided with an embedded internal weight 216 which is placed near one edge. The specific edge point where the weight 216 is located, is heavier than any other edge point of the cylinder. The magnet 214 embedded in the buoyant element is placed approximately on the opposite edge point of the cylinder to where the weight 216 is located. The magnet is significantly lighter than the weight 216. The magnet 214 is meant to be attracted to the metal plate 230 which is located on the bottom surface 206 of the tub 204 during a first state and keeps the buoyant element in place during loading of the dishwasher. In case of aggressive door closing or tray movement, the magnet ensures that the buoyant element does not switch states. A colour indication is also provided, so that the first half of the cylindrical side which is separated as a cross line between the weight 216 and the magnet 214 and facing towards the weight 216 is a different colour than the opposite side facing towards the magnet 214. In FIG.11 to 13 the operation of the dishwasher indicator is shown. FIG.11 shows the indicator with the magnet 214 engaged with the plate 230 in a first state while the dishwasher is being loaded. In FIG.12 illustrates that when water is filled into the tub 204, the water lifts the buoyant element 202 up which surpasses the magnet’s 214 force. Once the element lifts up and reduces the magnetic force, then the buoyant element will rotate 180 degrees about the axis B due to gravity. The edge where the weight 216 is placed, will force the cylinder to rotate until the weight 216 is facing towards the bottom surface 206 of the tub 204, thereby putting the indicator into its second state where the weighted edge engages the bottom surface of the tub 206. After the dishwasher has been unloaded the user manually resets the buoyant element to the first state by rotating the element 180 degrees. It should be noted that while the magnet 214 will still have some attraction to the metal plate 230 in the second state, it will be the force due to the weight which is stronger and holds the buoyant element in the second position.

[0066] It should be noted that no drain holes are shown in this embodiment, however a plurality of drain holes could be provided as well. For example, in one embodiment, the drain holes could be placed at the intersection between the bottom surface of the tub and the rear side surface of the tub. In this way, in any position of the elongated element, the drain holes would remain unblocked. Likewise, by providing multiple drain holes, the risk of all the drain holes being plugged by debris in the washing machine is significantly reduced.

[0067] FIG.14 shows a fourth embodiment 300 of a dishwasher status indicator, in this case according to the third and fourth inventions. The dishwasher indicator 300 comprises a buoyant element 302, which in this variation is in the form of a sphere, which is housed in a tub 304. Also, this embodiment’s tub 304 comprises a bottom surface 306 and four side walls 308. It also comprises a back elongated wall 310 with the 90-degree angled brackets 312 to be attached to a dishwasher rack. It also comprises a drain hole 322 on the bottom surface 306 for water to exit the tub during the operation of the dishwasher.

[0068] As seen in FIG.15 which is a section view of the buoyant element 302, the spherical buoyant element is provided with an embedded internal weight 314 which is placed near a point on a first half of the sphere. On the exact opposite second half of the sphere, a magnet 316 is embedded similarly to the weight 314. The magnet is significantly lighter than the weight 314. Accordingly, the bottom surface 306 of the tub is specially formed with a curved surface 319 in such manner that it can accommodate the spherical shape of the buoyant element during each state. The curved surface 319 further comprises a metallic coating so that the magnet 316 can be attracted to hold the sphere in place in its’ first state.

[0069] Accordingly, in FIG.15 to 17 the operation of the dishwasher indicator is shown. In a first state the magnet 316 holds the buoyant element 302 in place preventing any undesired movement. In FIG.16 is illustrated the operation when water is inserted into the tub 304. The water lifts the buoyant element 302 surpassing the magnet’s 316 force and then the buoyant element rotates freely. Due to gravity, the point where the weight 314 is located, forces the sphere to rotate so that it is facing downwards and towards the bottom surface 306 of the tub 304. After the dishwasher has been unloaded the user manually resets the buoyant element to the first state by rotating the sphere 180 degrees.

[0070] Figure 18 shows an alternative embodiment 400 of the first and fourth inventions. In this embodiment, the first state is shown in the figure. In this case, the buoyant element 402 is also arranged in a tub 404. However, in this embodiment, the first surface 406 of the buoyant element is arranged in the form of a triangular edge which engages with a triangular bottom surface 408 in the form of an elongated triangular recess 410 in the bottom of the tub. Due to this arrangement, the buoyant element needs to be lifted a distance which is greater than the “depth” of the triangular recess before it can rotate. In the example shown, this distance is indicated by D2. For the sake of clarity, the distance D1 is also shown which shows the vertical distance between the upper and lowermost points of the buoyant element. In the understanding of the claims, the buoyant element needs to be lifted at least D2 / D1*100% of the distance D1 before it is able to rotate to the second state. If the buoyant element lifts a distance less than D2, then the buoyant element will be held in place. In this example, the buoyant element will rotate clockwise due to the presence of a weight element 412 located close to the second surface 414. In this example, the second surface 414 is also formed with a triangular form so that it also engages with the triangular recess of the bottom surface. In the claims, a distance of at least 5% is mentioned. Increasing the % which needs to be lifted will increase the stability. A sphere, like the one shown in figures 14-17 has a distance of 0%, since even small amounts of lifting will remove the friction between the sphere and the tub and the sphere will rotate. Hence, in embodiments with spherical or circular buoyant elements, a magnetic element is of interest to increase the stability. It should be noted that the buoyant element 402 of figure 18 has a third surface 416 opposite to the first surface 406 and a fourth surface 418 opposite to the second surface 414. The third surface is facing upwards in the first state of the buoyant element. When the buoyant element floats, it will rotate and the fourth surface will be facing upwards. The third surface could be painted red and the fourth surface could be painted green for example.

[0071] The embodiment of a dishwasher status indicator 500 shown in figure 19 shows a slightly different arrangement. In this case, instead of a projection on the buoyant element which engages with a recess in the bottom surface of the tub (like the embodiment of figure 18), in this embodiment a projection 502 on the bottom of the tub 504 engages with a first recess 506 in the buoyant element 508 in the first state of the buoyant element and a second recess 510 in the buoyant element in the second state of the buoyant element. The first and second recesses can be considered first and second surfaces in the language of the claims and the projection on the bottom of the tub can be considered a bottom surface. As with the other embodiments, an embedded weight 512 close to the second recess, causes the buoyant element to rotate counter-clockwise in this figure when it is floated. As the principle of operation is essentially the same as the other embodiments, it will not be described in more detail here.

[0072] Figure 20 shows a different embodiment of a buoyant element 600. In this case, the buoyant element comprises a first portion 602 and a second portion 604 which are connected together at an interface 606. This could for example be via a welding operation, a glueing operation or it could be formed with a snap connection. In this way, the buoyant element could be made via an injection moulding operation in two parts and then joined together to provide an element with a hollow portion 608. Instead of providing a hollow portion, the hollow portion 608 could be filled with a “light” material. In this way, if the interface between the two elements was not completely water tight, then water would not enter the hollow portion and change its center of mass.

[0073] Figure 21 shows another embodiment 700 of a buoyant element. In this case, the buoyant element is made of three separate elements. The bottom element 702 is made of a metal plate (or other heavy material), the middle element 704 and top element 706 are made of light injection moulded plastic. In effect, the middle and top elements could be provided as a single element, however, by providing three separate elements, it is possible to arrange the bottom and middle elements in one colour and the top element in another colour. The different elements could be joined by gluing, welding, snap connections, etc. This provides for a simple manufacture of the buoyant element having a center of mass which is closer to the second surface than the first surface. As a side note, the buoyant element shown in figures 1-9 with the hollow portion, could be manufactured via a 3D printing operation. Likewise, it would also be possible to 3D print a buoyant element having different densities in different locations. For example, the layers on the “bottom” of the element could be denser than the layers on the top of the element.

[0074] It is to be noted that the figures and the above description have shown the example embodiments in a simple and schematic manner. Many of the specific mechanical details have not been shown since the person skilled in the art should be familiar with these details and they would just unnecessarily complicate this description. For example, the specific materials used and the specific manufacturing procedures have not been described in detail since it is maintained that the person skilled in the art would be able to find suitable materials and suitable processes to manufacture the device according to the current invention.

Claims

Claims1 . A dishwasher status indicator comprising: a. a buoyant element comprising: i. a first surface, and ii. a second surface, iii. said buoyant element being arranged such that the buoyant element’s centre of mass is located closer to the second surface than the first surface, b. a tub having a bottom surface and side surfaces surrounding the bottom surface, c. said buoyant element being arranged in said tub and arranged to float when water is filled into the tub, d. said buoyant element having a first state and a second state: i. in said first state the distance from the first surface of the buoyant element to the bottom surface of the tub is less than the distance from the second surface of the buoyant element to the bottom surface of the tub, and ii. in said second state, the buoyant element has been rotated with respect to the first state such that the distance between the second surface and the bottom of the tub is less than the distance between the first surface and the bottom of the tub and such that the centre of mass of the buoyant element is located closer to the bottom surface of the tub when compared to the first state, e. characterized in that said first surface and said bottom surface are arranged such that for the buoyant element to be able to rotate from the first state to the second state the buoyant element must be displaced away from the bottom surface a distance of at least 5% of the vertical distance between theuppermost and lowermost points of the buoyant element in the first state.

2. A dishwasher status indicator according to claim 1 , characterized in that the buoyant element comprises a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being lighter than said second portion, said first portion being arranged closer to the first surface than the second surface and said second portion being arranged closer to the second surface than the first surface.

3. A dishwasher status indicator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the buoyant element further comprises at least one magnetic element arranged close to the first surface and said tub comprises at least one magnetic element located near the bottom surface of the tub, said magnetic element of the buoyant element and the magnetic element of the tub interacting with each other more in the first state of the buoyant element than in the second state of the buoyant element.

4. A dishwasher status indicator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said buoyant element comprises a third surface arranged opposite to the first surface and a fourth surface arranged opposite to the second surface, said third surface and said fourth surface comprising different features, so that the user can differentiate between the third and fourth surfaces.

5. A dishwasher status indicator according to claim 4, characterized in that the different features comprise different visual features so that the user can differentiate between the third and fourth surfaces by looking at the buoyant element.

6. A dishwasher status indicator according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the different features comprise structural features whereby the user can differentiate between the third and fourth surfaces by touching the buoyant element.

7. A dishwasher status indicator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the buoyant element is elongated.

8. A dishwasher status indicator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the tub further comprises a drain hole.

9. A dishwasher status indicator according to claim 8, characterized in that the buoyant element is arranged to block the drain hole in the first state.

10. A dishwasher status indicator according to claim 9, characterized in that the buoyant element is arranged to not block the drain hole in the second state.

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