Dishwasher with Utensil Rack and Slides Therefor

Abstract

A dishwasher comprises a cabinet defining a wash chamber and a utensil rack mounted within the wash chamber by at least one slide. The slide comprises a track that slidably receives a wheel and includes an access opening for insertion or removal of the wheel from the track. A closure for selectively closing the access opening can prevent undesired removal of the wheel from the track. A method of removing the utensil rack comprises sliding the utensil rack to align the wheel with the access opening and lifting the utensil rack to move the wheel through the access opening.

1 . An automatic dishwasher comprising: 
 an open-faced cabinet comprising opposing side walls and defining a wash chamber;    a door movably mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the wash chamber;    a utensil rack comprising opposing sides and a wheel mounted to at least one the sides; and    at least one slide slidably coupling the utensil rack to the cabinet for movement of the utensil rack relative to the cabinet and comprising: 
 a track coupled to one of the side walls of the cabinet and defining an elongated raceway for receiving the wheel of the utensil rack and comprising an access opening to the raceway for insertion or removal of the wheel from the raceway; and  
 a closure mounted to the track for movement between an opened position and a closed position to selectively open and close the access opening, wherein the closure remains attached to the track during movement between the opened and closed positions.  
   
   
   
       2 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein the closure is pivotally mounted to the track.  
   
   
       3 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein the closure comprises a detent for locking the closure in a closed position blocking the access opening to prevent the removal of the wheel from the raceway.  
   
   
       4 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 3  wherein the detent mates with the track to secure the closure in the closed position.  
   
   
       5 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein the track comprises upper and lower flanges that partially define the raceway, and the access opening is located in at least one of the lower flange, upper flange, and between the lower flange and upper flange.  
   
   
       6 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein the track further comprises a stop to limit movement of the utensil rack along the raceway.  
   
   
       7 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 6  wherein the track further comprises a flange at an end of the raceway to form the stop.  
   
   
       8 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 6  wherein the closure forms the stop.  
   
   
       9 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 8  wherein the track comprises upper and lower flanges that partially define the raceway, and the access opening is located between the lower and upper flanges.  
   
   
       10 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein the slide further comprises a rail coupled to one of the side walls of the cabinet and defining a rail raceway, and the track is slidably received within the rail raceway.  
   
   
       11 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 10  wherein the slide further comprises a bearing assembly that slidably couples the track to the rail in the rail raceway.  
   
   
       12 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 10  wherein the track is fixedly mounted to the one of the side walls of the cabinet.  
   
   
       13 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 10  wherein the closure is mounted to the track and configured to be received within the rail raceway.  
   
   
       14 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein the track further defines a second elongated raceway for slidably receiving a slide mount coupling the track to the at least one of the side walls of the cabinet.  
   
   
       15 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 14  wherein the track is configured to slide relative to the slide mount.  
   
   
       16 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 1  wherein the closure comprises a wheel retainer configured to prevent the wheel from exiting the raceway.  
   
   
       17 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 16  wherein the wheel retainer is configured to prevent lateral movement of the wheel relative to the raceway.  
   
   
       18 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 16  wherein the wheel retainer comprises a projection that extends into the raceway.  
   
   
       19 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 18  wherein the wheel comprises a groove that receives the projection.  
   
   
       20 . An automatic dishwasher comprising: 
 an open-faced cabinet comprising opposing side walls and defining a wash chamber;    a door movably mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the wash chamber;    a utensil rack comprising opposing sides;    at least one track defining an unobstructed elongated raceway and comprising a stop terminating a forward end of the raceway and an upwardly facing access opening to the raceway; and    a wheel assembly comprising at least one wheel slidably received within the raceway and sized for insertion and removal through the access opening;    wherein one of the track and wheel assembly is mounted to one of the cabinet and utensil rack and the other of the track and wheel assembly is mounted to the other of the cabinet and utensil rack to slidably mount the utensil rack to the cabinet, and the wheel is free to move unobstructed along the raceway to the access opening for removal through the access opening.    
   
   
       21 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 20  wherein the access opening is spaced from the forward end of the raceway.  
   
   
       22 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 21  wherein the access opening is spaced from the forward end of the raceway a distance at least equal to a diameter of the wheel.  
   
   
       23 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 20  wherein the track comprises an upper flange, and the access opening is formed in the upper flange.  
   
   
       24 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 22  wherein the access opening is spaced from the forward end of the raceway.  
   
   
       25 . The automatic dishwasher according to  claim 20  wherein the wheel assembly comprises at least a pair of wheels.  
   
   
       26 . A method of removing a utensil rack from a dishwasher comprising a cabinet and at least one slide coupling the utensil rack to the cabinet and having a track with a raceway and an access opening to the raceway and a wheel mounted in the raceway, the method comprising: 
 sliding the utensil rack in a first direction to align the wheel with the access opening; and    lifting the utensil rack in a second direction to move the wheel through the access opening.    
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 26  wherein the first direction is different from the second direction.  
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 27  wherein the second direction corresponds to pivoting the utensil rack.  
   
   
       29 . The method according to  claim 26 , further comprising moving a second wheel through the access opening.  
   
   
       30 . The method according to  claim 26  wherein the sliding the utensil rack in the first direction comprises freely sliding the utensil rack to the access opening.