Rack with protrusion device for kitchen appliance

Abstract

A rack for supporting objects within a kitchen appliance has a first side with a first front end and a second side opposing the first side with a second front end. The rack also has a front side extending from the first front end to the second front end and opposing a door of the appliance. The rack further has at least one protrusion member supported on the front side of the rack. The at least one protrusion member is positioned so that the door of the appliance contacts the at least one protrusion member instead of the front side of the rack.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rack for supporting objects within a kitchen appliance, the rack comprising:
 a first side having a first front end;   a second side opposing the first side and having a second front end;   a front side extending from the first front end to the second front end and opposing a door of the appliance; and   at least one protrusion member supported on the front side of the rack, the at least one protrusion member being positioned and adapted to engage a door of the kitchen appliance without becoming caught on a portion of the door.   
     
     
         2 . The rack of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is permanently attached to the front side. 
     
     
         3 . The rack of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is one piece with the front side. 
     
     
         4 . The rack of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is removably attached to the front side. 
     
     
         5 . The rack of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one protrusion member includes a slot configured to receive a portion of the rack. 
     
     
         6 . The rack of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is rotatably attached to the front face. 
     
     
         7 . The rack of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is a wheel. 
     
     
         8 . The rack of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is formed from a low-friction material. 
     
     
         9 . The rack of  claim 8 , wherein a frontward-facing surface of the at least one protrusion member has a semi-spherical shape. 
     
     
         10 . The rack of  claim 8 , wherein a frontward-facing surface of the at least one protrusion member has a flat shape. 
     
     
         11 . The rack of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one protrusion member does not support the rack. 
     
     
         12 . The rack of  claim 1 , wherein the door has at least one engagement region aligned with the at least one protrusion device. 
     
     
         13 . The rack of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one engagement region is a recess configured to receive the corresponding at least one protrusion device. 
     
     
         14 . The rack of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one engagement region has a shape corresponding to a shape of the corresponding at least on protrusion device. 
     
     
         15 . A kitchen appliance comprising:
 a compartment;   a door to selectively provide access to the compartment;   at least one rack having a front side opposing the door, the at least one rack being positioned within the compartment; and   at least one protrusion member supported on the front side of the at least one rack, the at least one protrusion member being positioned so that the door contacts the at least one protrusion member instead of or in addition to the front side of the at least one rack,   wherein, when the at least one rack is fully extended, the at least one protrusion member initially engages the door when the door is at an angle of about 40-60 degrees without snagging.   
     
     
         16 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is shaped and positioned so that when the door and the at least one protrusion member are in contact, a closing movement of the door moves the at least one rack in a substantially horizontal direction. 
     
     
         17 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one protrusion member maintains contact with the door up to about 90 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one protrusion member maintains contact with the door up to about 80 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one protrusion member maintains contact with the door up to about 70 degrees. 
     
     
         20 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is permanently attached to the front side. 
     
     
         21 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is formed in one piece with the front side. 
     
     
         22 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is removably attached to the front side. 
     
     
         23 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is rotatably attached to the front face. 
     
     
         24 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is a wheel. 
     
     
         25 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is formed from a low-friction material. 
     
     
         26 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 25 , wherein a frontward-facing surface of the at least one protrusion member has a semi-spherical shape. 
     
     
         27 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one rack is above another rack. 
     
     
         28 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one rack and the door are independently movable when the door and the at least one protrusion member are not in contact. 
     
     
         29 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the kitchen appliance is a dishwasher. 
     
     
         30 . A kitchen appliance comprising:
 a compartment;   a door to selectively provide access to the compartment;   at least one rack having a front side opposing the door, the at least one rack being positioned within the compartment; and   at least one engagement region positioned on the door, the at least one engagement region being positioned so that when the at least one rack is fully extended, the at least one engagement region initially engages the at least one rack without snagging at an angle of about 40-60 degrees.   
     
     
         31 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one engagement region is formed in one piece with the door. 
     
     
         32 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one engagement region is formed separately from the door. 
     
     
         33 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one engagement region is formed from a low-friction material. 
     
     
         34 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one engagement region includes a plurality of wheels. 
     
     
         35 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one engagement region is flat. 
     
     
         36 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 30 , wherein the kitchen appliance is a dishwasher. 
     
     
         37 . The kitchen appliance of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one rack is above another rack. 
     
     
         38 . A method for moving a rack that supports objects within a kitchen appliance, the method comprising:
 pivoting a door of the kitchen appliance from an open position toward a closed position until the door contacts at least one protruding member of the rack, the at least one protruding member being positioned on the rack at a location closest to the door; and   moving the rack in a substantially horizontal direction by continuing to pivot the door toward the closed position after the at least one protruding member and the door contact each other,   wherein the rack and the door are independently movable when the at least one protruding member and the door are not in contact with each other.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein while the rack is being moved in the substantially horizontal direction, the at least one protruding member and the door slide against each other. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is formed from a low-friction material. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein while the rack is being moved in the substantially horizontal direction, the at least one protruding member rotates. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the at least one protrusion member is a wheel. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one protrusion member initially engages the door without snagging when the rack is fully extended and the door is at an angle of about 40-60 degrees. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the at least one protrusion member maintains contact with the door up to about 90 degrees. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the at least one protrusion member maintains contact with the door up to about 80 degrees. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the at least one protrusion member maintains contact with the door up to about 70 degrees.