US20130220954A1

US20130220954A1 - Dish Net and Method of Using

Info

Publication number: US20130220954A1
Application number: US13/403,691
Authority: US
Inventors: Carol L. Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-02-23
Filing date: 2012-02-23
Publication date: 2013-08-29

Abstract

A dish net and method of using is presented. The dish net comprises a body being configured to be placed over a rack of a dishwasher. The body comprises a net material being formed to have a top, a rear wall, a front wall and two side walls. An elastic hem is configured to grasp the rack. The elastic hem is joined to bottom ends of the rear wall, front wall and side walls, in which the elastic hem being placed about a perimeter of the rack, secures the body over the rack and the body restrains items placed on the rack during operation of the dishwasher.

Description

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER LISTING APPENDIX

Not applicable.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office, patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

One or more embodiments of the invention generally relate to cleaning products. More particularly, one or more embodiments of the invention relate to an accessory for dishwashers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon. Dishwashers typically provide a desired convenience. However, dishwashers may often produce the opposite result. Since many cups, bowls and glasses are lightweight, these items may be easily overturned and displaced in a dishwasher due to the force of water pressure produced during a typical dishwasher cycle. When a user opens a dishwasher after a cycle, the user may find glasses, bowls, and other small kitchenware, which are generally washed upon the top rack, to be turned right-side-up and full of dirty water and food particles that were meant to be rinsed away by the dishwasher. Items that collect dirty water may not actually be getting clean, and if any of the dirty water falls from these items upon items on the bottom rack, the items on the bottom rack may not be clean either. This may result in the need to wash some or all of these items again. The need to rewash items may result in added expenses of operating a dishwasher and may result in wasting water, detergent and electricity. Also, since the water pressure within a dishwasher may be able to move many of the items in the top rack, some fragile items may be subject to damage from unintentional contact as the items move around the rack. Furthermore, the high temperature of the water generally used in a dishwasher has the potential to burn users, especially if items collect hot water.
In view of the foregoing, it is clear that these traditional techniques are not perfect and leave room for more optimal approaches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIGS. 1A through 1C illustrate an exemplary dishwasher net, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a side perspective view. FIG. 1B is a side perspective view of a corner of the dishwasher net, and FIG. 1C is a front perspective view of the dishwasher net in use on an upper dishwasher rack; and

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for attaching a dish net to and from a dishwasher rack, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention are best understood by reference to the detailed figures and description set forth herein.
Embodiments of the invention are discussed below with reference to the Figures. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes as the invention extends beyond these limited embodiments. For example, it should be appreciated that those skilled in the art will, in light of the teachings of the present invention, recognize a multiplicity of alternate and suitable approaches, depending upon the needs of the particular application, to implement the functionality of any given detail described herein, beyond the particular implementation choices in the following embodiments described and shown. That is, there are numerous modifications and variations of the invention that are too numerous to be listed but that all fit within the scope of the invention. Also, singular words should be read as plural and vice versa and masculine as feminine and vice versa, where appropriate, and alternative embodiments do not necessarily imply that the two are mutually exclusive.
It is to be further understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular methodology, compounds, materials, manufacturing techniques, uses, and applications, described herein, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to “an element” is a reference to one or more elements and includes equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art. Similarly, for another example, a reference to “a step” or “a means” is a reference to one or more steps or means and may include sub-steps and subservient means. All conjunctions used are to be understood in the most inclusive sense possible. Thus, the word “or” should be understood as having the definition of a logical “or” rather than that of a logical “exclusive or” unless the context clearly necessitates otherwise. Structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures. Language that may be construed to express approximation should be so understood unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Preferred methods, techniques, devices, and materials are described, although any methods, techniques, devices, or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of the present invention. Structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
From reading the present disclosure, other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications may involve equivalent and other features which are already known in the art, and which may be used instead of or in addition to features already described herein.
Although Claims have been formulated in this Application to particular combinations of features, it should be understood that the scope of the disclosure of the present invention also includes any novel feature or any novel combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or implicitly or any generalization thereof, whether or not it relates to the same invention as presently claimed in any Claim and whether or not it mitigates any or all of the same technical problems as does the present invention.
Features which are described in the context of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination. The Applicants hereby give notice that new Claims may be formulated to such features and/or combinations of such features during the prosecution of the present Application or of any further Application derived therefrom.
References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” “various embodiments,” etc., may indicate that the embodiment(s) of the invention so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,” or “in an exemplary embodiment,” do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may.
As is well known to those skilled in the art many careful considerations and compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimal manufacture of a commercial implementation any system, and in particular, the embodiments of the present invention. A commercial implementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of the present invention may configured according to the needs of the particular application, whereby any aspect(s), feature(s), function(s), result(s), component(s), approach(es), or step(s) of the teachings related to any described embodiment of the present invention may be suitably omitted, included, adapted, mixed and matched, or improved and/or optimized by those skilled in the art, using their average skills and known techniques, to achieve the desired implementation that addresses the needs of the particular application.
It is to be understood that any exact measurements/dimensions or particular construction materials indicated herein are solely provided as examples of suitable configurations and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Depending on the needs of the particular application, those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in light of the following teachings, a multiplicity of suitable alternative implementation details.
An embodiment of the present invention comprises a sheet of meshed netting material, a protective coating applied upon the meshed netting material, and a durable, elasticized rubber border about the hem of the meshed netting material. Some embodiments can be securely applied upon and over a dishwasher rack to generally prevent the contents of the tray from overturning and collecting water during the washing process and typically maintain cups, bowls, utensils and other dishware in their desired positions within a dishwasher.
FIGS. 1A through 1C illustrate an exemplary dishwasher net 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a side perspective view. FIG. 1B is a side perspective view of a corner of dishwasher net 100, and FIG. 1C is a front perspective view of dishwasher net 100 in use on an upper dishwasher rack 105. In the present embodiment, dish net 100 comprises a body 110 constructed of a one thousand (1,000) dernier, high-tenacity nylon material of one and one-half millimeter (1.5 mm) diameter in a woven format. In some alternate embodiments, the body may be made of various different materials of adequate durability including but not limited to polypropylene (PP) of high-tenacity format, various different types of woven mesh, netting of various different diameters and dernier sizes, plastic cages, metal cages, porous fabrics, etc. In the present embodiment, a coating of polyurethane is applied upon the nylon material of body 110 by spray to generally ensure that body 110 is waterproof and heat resistant to provide resilience to net 100 within the extreme conditions of a dishwasher. This also helps maintain the flexibility and durability of net 100. The nylon material of body 110 is produced as a sheet in webbing format with the mesh openings of the sheet measuring a square three-eighths of one inch (⅜×⅜) in size. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in light of and in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, that the mesh used for the body in some alternate embodiments may be coated with various different substances to generally ensure a waterproof status and heat resistance such as but not limited to acrylic and/or other various polymers/copolymers that contain no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or flammable materials. The waterproof coating generally ensures that dish net 100 does not collect or absorb water so that net 100 may be quickly dried in a dishwasher drying cycle and generally does not drip water upon dishwasher contents, even should the dishwasher be set to bypass the heated dry stage of operation. Moreover, since net 100 typically does not collect or absorb water, net 100 is generally not subject to mildew or collection of bacteria. Some alternate embodiments may be implemented without a coating. Furthermore, the mesh used for the body in some alternate embodiments may have larger or smaller openings so long as the size of the openings generally enables water to easily flow through the mesh to clean the items within the dishwasher and generally ensures that water does not collect on the mesh, which may dry out the mesh or allow water to drip from the mesh when the net is removed from a dishwasher tray. The prevention of dripping can generally ensure that no water drips onto the floor to create a slip risk or a mess. The openings are also small enough to provide sufficient contact with the items within the dishwasher rack to generally prevent the items from falling or turning upside down.
Referring to FIG. 1A, in the present embodiment, body 110 comprises a top plane 115 that measures twenty-one square inches (21″×21″), a rear wall 120 with a height of two inches (2″), a front wall 125 with a height of six inches (6″), and two sidewalls 130 with a height of six inches (6″) for a length of seven inches (7″) which then tapers at an angle of approximately thirty degrees (30°) to meet the two-inch (2″) height of rear wall 115. Body 110 is sized and shaped to cover the top rack of a dishwasher, for example, without limitation, dishwasher rack 105, and its contents. It is contemplated that the sizes of the top plane and the walls of the dish net in some alternate embodiments may vary for individual fitting upon various different dishwasher trays. Some embodiments may be implemented in specific sizes and shapes to fit upon specific makes and models of dishwasher trays. Other alternate embodiments may be made in variations of size and shape to fit upon various different areas of a dishwasher including without limitation, lower racks, a portion of a rack, utensil trays, etc.
In the present embodiment, about the perimeter of each wall, and attached to a hemline of body 110, is an elastic border 135 made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) of a half-inch (½″) height. Elastic border 135 may be knitted or woven. The mesh of body 100 is embedded into elastic border 135 and then reinforced with additional stitching to generally ensure that the mesh does not break away from border 135 during use. Elastic border 135 generally maintains the placement of net 100 on rack 105 and provides tension to net 100 to generally maintain the position of the items within rack 105. In the present embodiment, elastic border 135 is durable and heat resistant and provides a thorough gripping contact to rack 105. In some embodiments, the border may comprise a textured surface to enhance this grip. It is contemplated that the elastic border in some alternate embodiments may use various different materials as a base that are of adequate durability within the interior environment of a dishwasher such as but not limited to thermoplastic olefins (TPO), woven nylon, spandex and other thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). Moreover, the mesh in some alternate embodiments may be secured to the border using various different means including but not limited to adhesive, embedded integration, snaps, rivets, and/or any combination of such methods. In some alternate embodiments, the border of the dish net may be made in variations that include, without limitation, other materials and/or appendages for attachment upon a dishwasher rack, such as but not limited to hooks, snaps, straps, and other means and/or materials.
Referring to FIG. 1C, in typical use of the present embodiment, after filling dishwasher rack 105 with dishware items to be washed, a user may apply dish net 100 over the top plane of dishwasher rack 105. Rear wall 120 is applied about the rear wall of rack 105, while front wall 125, which is longer than rear wall 120, is applied to the front wall of rack 105. The user may then determine that elastic border 135 is in proper contact about the perimeter of dishwasher rack 105. The elastic material of dish net 100 typically has adequate tensile strength to undergo high-stress without deformation of body 100 and elastic border 135. In addition, the flexible design of dish net generally enables dishware of various sizes to be securely positioned and restrained even when upon a dishwasher rack at the same time. The user may then insert rack 105 within the dishwasher and begin the wash cycle with comfort regarding the security and proper washing of the contents of rack 105. After the dishwasher's operating cycle is complete, the user may open the dishwasher, retract rack 105 and remove dish net 100 from rack 105. The user may then remove the formerly-enclosed dishware, which is typically still in the desired position and generally has not collected water or made damaging contact with other items in the dishwasher.
In the present embodiment, dish net 100 typically maintains dishwasher contents in their desired positions during a washing cycle and generally prevents dishwasher contents from being overturned and displaced during a washing cycle. By maintaining dishwasher contents in desired positions, dish net 100 generally prevents these contents from collecting dishwater. This generally ensures that these items remain clean and generally ensures that these items are immediately usable upon completion of a washing cycle with typically no need to wash the contents again. If a user must run their dishwasher more than once to clean a single load, more energy is being used to power the dishwasher. More power usage means a greater demand on power resources and greater utility costs for the user. Also, if the dishes are washed twice, twice as much detergent is being introduced to the environment, which may be detrimental to waterways, etc. By generally eliminating the need to wash dishwasher contents a second time, dish net 100 does not leave its user subject to additional utility costs for the operation of a dishwasher and enables the user to practice environmentally-responsible use of a dishwasher. In addition, dish net 100 generally prevents collected dishwater from spilling upon other items within a dishwasher to generally ensure the full cleanliness of those items. Dish net 100 typically keeps covered items in a restrained position, which may generally prevent these items from being subject to motion when in receipt of the pressure of water during a wash cycle. This can generally prevent covered items from falling and being subject to contact with other items, which is a common cause of breakage and other damage. Furthermore, dish net 100 can typically maintain contents in a flush to surface position upon the dish-hosting rack, which may allow taller items, such as, but not limited to, wine glasses, to be securely placed upon the top rack of a dishwasher with less risk of their rising to make contact upon the top ceiling of a dishwasher. By maintaining its contents in dishwasher rack 105, dish net 100 generally prevents items from falling from rack 105, which may generally prevent damage that might occur to items falling from rack 105, to other items, and to the dishwasher. Dish net 100 may also generally prevent damages and harm to users that may result from contact with water of scalding temperature by typically keeping dishware in the proper position to generally prevent the collection of scalding water. Also, since the risk of dishware breakage is reduced, the risk of being cut by broken dishware is reduced as well. Dish net 100 typically does not interfere with the regular operation of a dishwasher. Dish net 100 is also generally long-lasting and durable.
Many embodiments of the present invention can appeal to residential and commercial consumers. It is believed that it may be difficult for bars and restaurants to generally ensure a full, spotless clean on their dishware as dishware typically must be washed quickly for adequate turn-around and is often washed with other dishware that may have contained a variety of different food items. Furthermore, commercial dishwashers typically use higher water pressure for a faster cleaning time. As a result, the glasses and dishes used in service environments are often more likely to suffer damage than common household dishware. Some embodiments can provide protection to dishes and glasses in commercial dishwashers and may generally ensure that these dishes and glasses remain in the desired position while being washed.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for attaching a dish net to and from a dishwasher rack, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, attachment of the dish net is typically easier and faster than currently available products and generally requires no fine motor skills. The design of the body of the net in which the sidewalls angle up and the rear wall is shorter than the front wall generally enables the net to be easily attached to the dishwasher rack. Reaching to the back of the rack can be difficult even when the rack is fully withdrawn from the dishwasher. Also, there is not a lot of room to maneuver fingers or to see the back of the rack. The process begins in step 200 when a user reaches to the rear of the rack with the short, rear wall of the net in hand. Then the user uses his fingers to stretch the elastic border of the net over the top lip of the rack in step 205. The rear wall only needs to stretch over the top lip so that the elastic border can grip the rack and does not have to reach all the way down the rear face of the rack, which is one reason why the rear wall of the net is only 2″ long. The elastic border typically provides thorough grip to the rack and generally holds the net in place. As the user pulls the net over the rack from rear to front in step 210, it becomes easier to maneuver the net as the user typically has more space in which to move his arms and hands. Therefore, the user can pull the sidewalls and front wall of the net all the way onto the front wall of the rack in step 215. This is one reason why the sidewalls and front wall of the net are longer than the rear wall. In the present embodiment, there are no hooks to connect, no holes to line-up, or no ties to tie, and in general fine motor skills are not required to attach the net. Due to the ease of application and removal of the dish net, it can be utilized by practically anyone including, without limitation, those who may suffer from mobility issues, grip and/or manual dexterity impairments, and those with poor vision.
In some alternate embodiments, the dish net may be made in variations in which the netting is attached upon a cylindrical roll, which may be attached to the rear face of a dishwasher rack. In these embodiments, the netting may be unrolled to cover the rack and retracted back into the cylindrical roll to uncover the rack. These embodiments and other alternate embodiments may be made in variations that are permanently attached upon a dishwasher rack as a regular feature within dishwasher models from an original manufacturer or may be permanently attached to the dishwasher rack by an end user. Alternatively, some of these embodiments may be removable. It is contemplated that some alternate embodiments of the present invention may comprise a multiplicity of suitable additional features such as, but not limited to, hooks, removable panels, clips, storage cases, detergent dispensers, fans, being produced in various different colors, bearing various different images and/or logos, which may or may not be of registered trademark and/or copyright status, etc.
Those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in light of and in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, that any of the foregoing steps may be suitably replaced, reordered, removed and additional steps may be inserted depending upon the needs of the particular application. Moreover, the prescribed method steps of the foregoing embodiments may be implemented using any physical and/or hardware system that those skilled in the art will readily know is suitable in light of the foregoing teachings. For any method steps described in the present application that can be carried out on a computing machine, a typical computer system can, when appropriately configured or designed, serve as a computer system in which those aspects of the invention may be embodied.
All the features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying abstract and drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
Having fully described at least one embodiment of the present invention, other equivalent or alternative methods of providing a net for a dishwasher rack according to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention has been described above by way of illustration, and the specific embodiments disclosed are not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed. For example, the particular implementation of the net may vary depending upon the particular type of material used. The nets described in the foregoing were directed to elastic implementations; however, similar techniques are to provide nets made of inelastic materials such as, but not limited to, rigid plastic. Non-elastic implementations of the present invention are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention. The invention is thus to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
Claim elements and steps herein may have been numbered and/or lettered solely as an aid in readability and understanding. Any such numbering and lettering in itself is not intended to and should not be taken to indicate the ordering of elements and/or steps in the claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A dish net comprising:

a body being configured to be placed over a rack of a dishwasher, said body comprising a net material being formed to have a top, a rear wall, a front wall and two side walls; and

an elastic hem being configured to grasp the rack, said elastic hem being joined to bottom ends of said rear wall, front wall and side walls, in which said elastic hem being placed about a perimeter of the rack, secures said body over the rack and said body restrains items placed on the rack during operation of the dishwasher.

2. The dish net as recited in claim 1, in which a height of said rear wall is shorter than a height of said front wall to facilitate placement over the rack.

3. The dish net as recited in claim 2, in which heights of said side walls taper from said front wall to said rear wall.

4. The dish net as recited in claim 1, further comprising stitching to secure said elastic hem to said body.

5. The dish net as recited in claim 1, in which said net material further comprises a heat and water resistant material.

6. The dish net as recited in claim 1, in which said net material further comprises a nylon material in a woven format.

7. The dish net as recited in claim 1, in which said net material is coated with a polyurethane material.

8. The dish net as recited in claim 1, in which a size of mesh openings in said net material mitigates collection of water on said top.

9. The dish net as recited in claim 1, in which said elastic hem further comprises a rubber material.

10. A dish net comprising:

a body being configured to be placed over a rack of a dishwasher, said body comprising a net material being formed to have a top, a rear wall, a front wall and two side walls in which a height of said rear wall is shorter than a height of said front wall to facilitate placement over the rack, heights of said side walls taper from said front wall to said rear wall and a size of mesh openings in said net material mitigates collection of water on said top, said net material further comprising a heat and water resistant material; and

an elastic hem comprising a rubber material and being configured to grasp the rack, said elastic hem being joined to bottom ends of said rear wall, front wall and side walls, in which said elastic hem being placed about a perimeter of the rack, secures said body over the rack and said body restrains items placed on the rack during operation of the dishwasher; and stitching to secure said elastic hem to said body.

11. The dish net as recited in claim 10, in which said net material comprises a nylon material in a woven format.

12. The dish net as recited in claim 10, in which said net material is coated with a polyurethane material.

13. A method for using a dish net comprising the steps of:

placing a dish net over a rack of a dishwasher in which the dish net comprises a body being configured to be placed over the rack, the body comprising a net material being formed to have a top, a rear wall, a front wall and two side walls, the dish net further comprising an elastic hem being configured to grasp the rack, said elastic hem being joined to bottom ends of said rear wall, front wall and side walls;

stretching the elastic hem at the rear wall over a rear face of the rack;

pulling the body over the rack from the rear to the front of the rack; and

pulling the front wall and the side walls about the front and sides of the rack, in which the elastic hem being placed about a perimeter of the rack, secures the body over the rack and the body restrains items placed on the rack during operation of the dishwasher.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, in which a height of said rear wall is shorter than a height of said front wall to facilitate placement over the rack.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, in which heights of said side walls taper from said front wall to said rear wall.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, in which the dish net further comprising stitching to secure the elastic hem to the body.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, in which the net material further comprises a heat and water resistant material.

18. The method as recited in claim 13, in which said net material further comprises a nylon material in a woven format.

19. The method as recited in claim 13, in which said net material is coated with a polyurethane material.

20. The method as recited in claim 13, in which a size of mesh openings in said net material mitigates collection of water on said top.