EP0432281A1

EP0432281A1 - Loading system of a dishwashing machine

Info

Publication number: EP0432281A1
Application number: EP89122646A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dino Ing. Bongini; Giuseppe Salvucci; Aurelio Boninsegni
Original assignee: Merloni Elettrodomestici SpA
Current assignee: Whirlpool EMEA SpA
Priority date: 1989-12-08
Filing date: 1989-12-08
Publication date: 1991-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 2009-12-08
Also published as: DE68918700D1; EP0432281B1; DE68918700T2

Abstract

Present invention refers to a dishwashing machine of reduced overall dimensions; the main characteristic of the machine is that there are provided means to allow an easy loading of the pottery to be washed, yet avoiding any dripping possibility outside the machine itself.

Description

Present invention refers to a dishwashing machine of small overall dimensions.
It is well known that besides normal dishwashing machines, of considerable weight and dimensions, also dishwashing machines have been proposed having reduced dimensions, with obvious advantages in modern kitchens, where there is often lack of available room.
Such reduced dimensions dishwashing machines, however, show some inconveniences; one of them consists in that, owing to the fact that often the height of the machine is less than depth, the access to the inside is not easy without fully extracting the basket; if the basket is fully extracted, however, it exceeds the door length, hence during loading or unloading of dishes, an annoying dripping may take place on the floor or on the underlying cabinets.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to indicate a dishwashing machine which does dot show the described disadvantage of the known small dimensions dishwashing machines and that, more precisely, allow an easy loading and unloading of dishes, yet avoiding any dripping possibility outside the machine itself.
According to the invention the said object is attained by means of the fact that the door has a L shape, reversed when closed, whose foot constitutes a projecting plate which, when the door is closed, corresponds to the upper horizontal wall of the cabinet.
According to a further characteristic of the invention, the projecting plate closes, when the door is closed, an horizontal access opening, carried out at the front end of the upper cabinet plane. Said plate may be an integral part of the door closing the whole opening of the cabinet. When the door is open, the plate allows the access to the inside of the dishwashing machine also from the top.
According to a variation of the invention, the door projecting plate constitutes a tray, horizontally hinged to said door and apt to represent, when the door is horizontal and open, an horizontal extension of the door itself. Such tray is apt to collect drops when the basket is fully extracted.
Advantageously, the projecting plate may be brought, extracting the basket, against the action of a contrasting spring, in its horizontal position.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be clear from the detailed description which follows and from the attached drawings, which are supplied only as an explanatory and not limiting example, wherein:

- figure 1 shows a side view of a dishwashing machine according to the invention;
- figure 2 shows a partial front view of a variation of the invention.

In figure 1, which shows a side view of a dishwashing machine according to the invention, reference numeral 1 indicates the dishwasher cabinet; door 2 is shown in an open condition. Reference numeral 3 indicates a basket for the pottery, in a fully extracted position. Reference numerals 6 and 7 indicate pottery.
According to invention, to door 2 there is hinged an horizontal plate 4 in form of a tray, attached to door 2 by means of a returning spring 8. When the basket is in, spring 8 holds the tray at a right angle with the door (position 4A). Extracting basket 3, the tray is brought by the basket itself in an horizontal position, so that it avoids dripping from pottery 6, 7 directly on the floor or on an underlying cabinet. When the door 2 is closed plate 4 is inside the dishwasher.
In figure 2, which shows a side view of a second dishwashing machine according to the invention, door 2 has the shape of an inverted L, whose foot constitutes a plate 5, projecting at a right angle. When door 2 is closed, plate 5 closes an horizontal opening 9 carried out in the top plane 10 of the machine. When the door is open, plate 5 allows the access to the inside of the machine also from the top plane 10 of the diswasher; in this way it is not necessary to extract fully basket 3 in order to load it without difficulty. Full extraction of basket 3 is in any case hindered by the L shape of door 2, plate 5 constituting the L foot and being an integral part thereof.
From the above description the advantages of the subject of the present invention are clear. In particular they are represented by the fact that it is possible to load easily the machine without the inconvenience of a dripping outside the machine itself.

Claims

1. Dishwashing machine of reduced overall dimensions, wherein the height is smaller then the depth and the cabinet has a door hinged to an horizontal axis located at the bottom edge of the door, characterized in that the door (2) has the shape of an inverted L when closed, whose foot constitutes a projecting plate (4,5) which, when the door (2) is closed, corresponds to the top horizontal plane (10) of the cabinet.

2. Dishwashing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the projecting plate (5) of door (2) closes, when door (2) is closed, an horizontal access opening, carried out at the front end of the top plane (10) of the cabinet.

3. Dishwashing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the projecting plate (4) of door (2) constitutes a tray, horizontally hinged to said door (2) and apt to represent, in the horizontal position when the door (2) is open, an horizontal extension of the door itself.

4. Dishwashing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the projecting plate (4) is apt to be brought, by means of the extraction of a basket (3) and against the action of a returning spring (8), in its horizontal position.