Collapsible Dish Rack

Abstract

A dish rack convertible between and expanded and collapsed configurations. The dish rack has at least three support surfaces, with a first support surface pivotally connected to a base tray, a second support surface pivotally connected to the first support surface, and a third support surface pivotally connected to the second support surface. In the collapsed configuration, each of the three support surfaces and the base tray are in a generally parallel arrangement.

1 . A dish rack convertible between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, the dish rack comprising:
 a generally rectangular tray having a base and at least three edges extending upwards therefrom;   a generally rectangular first support surface having a lower end pivotally attached to the tray;   a generally rectangular second support surface pivotally attached to the first support surface at a midpoint;   a generally rectangular third support surface having a lower end pivotally attached to the second support surface;   an expanded configuration of the dish rack having the first and second support surface positioned at acute angles relative to the tray and the third support surface positioned at an angle relative to the second support surface; and   a collapsed configuration of the dish rack having the first, second, and third support surfaces and tray generally parallel to each other and nested within an interior section of the tray.   
   
   
       2 . The dish rack according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second support surfaces are pivotally connected to one another to permit pivotal movement about an axis located about midway along the first support surface. 
   
   
       3 . The dish rack according to  claim 1  wherein the third and second support surfaces are pivotally connected to one another to permit pivotal movement about an axis located at a lower region of the second support surface. 
   
   
       4 . The dish rack according to  claim 1  wherein the first support surface is pivotally connected to the tray to permit pivotal movement about an axis located at the lower end of the first support surface. 
   
   
       5 . The dish rack according to  claim 1  wherein the support surfaces are each comprised of frames generally disposed about one or more peripheries of the support surface. 
   
   
       6 . The dish rack according to  claim 1  wherein the width of the third support surface is less than the width of the second support surface, the width of the second support surface is less than the width of the first support surface, and the width of the first support surface is less than the width of the tray to permit nesting of the third support surface relative to the second support surface, the second support surface relative to the first support surface, and the first support surface relative to the interior section of the tray. 
   
   
       7 . The dish rack according to  claim 1  wherein the interior section of the tray contains at least one opening at the base of the tray where the opening in the base is large enough to use as a grip, and where the base is at a slight angle of incline that increases as the distance away from the opening increases. 
   
   
       8 . The dish rack according to  claim 1  wherein the tray has at least one stop that is located on the base of the tray at an end opposite the pivotal attachment of the first support surface relative to the tray, and where a lower end of the second support surface rests against the stop in the expanded configuration to prevent the second support surface from pivoting beyond an angle greater than an acute angle with the tray. 
   
   
       9 . The dish rack according to  claim 1  wherein the tray has at least one locking bracket that is located on the tray at an end opposite the pivotal attachment of the first support surface relative to the tray, and where the locking bracket is positioned along an outer perimeter edge of the tray. 
   
   
       10 . The dish rack according to  claim 9  wherein the locking bracket fixedly holds the first frame in place by snapping around an upper edge of the first support surface in the collapsed configuration. 
   
   
       11 . A dish rack connected to a tray for collecting and draining water used for drying objects, the dish rack comprising:
 a generally rectangular tray having a base and at least three edges extending upwards therefrom;   a generally rectangular first support surface having a lower end pivotally attached to the tray, the first support surface being positioned at an acute angle relative to the tray;   a generally rectangular second support surface pivotally attached to the first support surface at a midpoint, the second support surface being positioned at an acute angle relative to the tray;   a generally rectangular third support surface having a lower end pivotally attached to the second support surface, the third support surface being positioned at an angle relative to the second support surface.   
   
   
       12 . The dish rack according to  claim 11  wherein the first and second support surfaces are pivotally connected to one another to permit pivotal movement about an axis located about midway along the first support surface. 
   
   
       13 . The dish rack according to  claim 11  wherein the third and second support surfaces are pivotally connected to one another to permit pivotal movement about an axis located at a lower region of the second support surface. 
   
   
       14 . The dish rack according to  claim 11  wherein the first support surface is pivotally connected to the tray to permit pivotal movement about an axis located at the lower end of the first support surface. 
   
   
       15 . The dish rack according to  claim 11  wherein the support surfaces are each comprised of frames generally disposed about one or more peripheries of the support surface. 
   
   
       16 . The dish rack according to  claim 11  wherein the width of the third support surface is less than the width of the second support surface, the width of the second support surface is less than the width of the first support surface, and the width of the first support surface is less than the width of the tray to permit nesting of the third support surface relative to the second support surface, the second support surface relative to the first support surface, and the first support surface relative to the interior section of the tray. 
   
   
       17 . The dish rack according to  claim 11  wherein the interior section of the tray contains at least one opening at the base of the tray where the opening in the base is large enough to use as a grip, and where the base is at a slight angle of incline that increases as the distance away from the opening increases. 
   
   
       18 . The dish rack according to  claim 11  wherein the tray has at least one stop that is located on the base of the tray at an end opposite the pivotal attachment of the first support surface relative to the tray, and where a lower end of the second support surface rests against the stop in an expanded configuration to prevent the second support surface from pivoting beyond an angle greater than an acute angle with the tray. 
   
   
       19 . The dish rack according to  claim 11  wherein the tray has at least one locking bracket that is located on the tray at an end opposite the pivotal attachment of the first support surface relative to the tray, and where the locking bracket is positioned along an outer perimeter edge of the tray. 
   
   
       20 . A method of shifting a dish rack between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, the dish rack having first, second and third support surfaces and a base tray being in a generally parallel arrangement in the collapsed configuration, the method comprising:
 folding a third support surface into a generally parallel arrangement relative to a second support surface;   folding the second support surface into a generally parallel arrangement relative to a first support surface;   folding a first support surface into a generally parallel arrangement relative to a base tray.