Dish-Washing Apparatus

Abstract

The invention provides a dish-washing apparatus that includes a washing basin in which juxtaposed, upwardly extending, rotating cleaning members are disposed. Dishes are inserted between and contact the juxtaposed cleaning members for cleaning.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A motorized dish-washing apparatus, comprising:
 (a) a lower a drive unit main body comprising:
 a housing, and 
 at least one drive motor; 
   (b) an upper cleaning unit main body comprising a peripherally continuous side wall forming a basin with a top opening;   (c) a first vertically oriented elongate rotary member having a top and bottom and central longitudinal axis, the bottom portion of the first vertically oriented elongate member operably linked to a drive motor to rotate said member on its central longitudinal axis, said member extending upward from the drive unit main body into the cleaning unit main body; and   (d) a second vertically oriented elongate rotary member having a top and bottom and central longitudinal axis, the bottom portion of the second vertically oriented elongate member operably linked to a drive motor to rotate said member on its central longitudinal axis, said member extending upward from the drive unit main body into the cleaning unit main body;   wherein the first and second vertically oriented elongate members are laterally adjacent.   
     
     
         2 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (e) a third vertically oriented elongate rotary member having a top and bottom and central longitudinal axis, the bottom portion of the third vertically oriented elongate member operably linked to a drive motor to rotate said member on its central longitudinal axis, said member extending upward from the drive unit main body into the cleaning unit main body; and   (f) a fourth vertically oriented elongate rotary member having a top and bottom and central longitudinal axis, the bottom portion of the forth vertically oriented elongate member operably linked to a drive motor to rotate said member on its central longitudinal axis, said member extending upward from the drive unit main body into the cleaning unit main body;   wherein the third and fourth vertically oriented elongate rotary members are laterally adjacent.   
     
     
         3 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of the vertically oriented elongate rotary members has a top cleaning rod portion that has a larger average diameter than the bottom portion operably linked to a drive motor.   
     
     
         4 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first vertically oriented elongate rotary member is fixedly positioned in the horizontal plane,   wherein a horizontal slot is formed in the base of the top main cleaning unit body in which the second vertically oriented elongate rotary member is horizontally movable, and   wherein the dish-washing apparatus further comprises an elastic member displaceable in a horizontal direction, the elastic member attached to the second vertically oriented elongate rotary member and the second vertically oriented elongate rotary member is movable in the horizontal direction away from the first vertically oriented elongate rotary member by displacing the elastic member.   
     
     
         5 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 an extendable waterproof member that sealingly covers the second vertically oriented elongate rotary member and the slot through which the second vertically oriented elongate rotary member moves.   
     
     
         6 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the third vertically oriented elongate rotary member is fixedly positioned in the horizontal plane,   wherein a horizontal slot is formed in the base of the top main cleaning unit body in which the fourth vertically oriented elongate rotary member is horizontally movable, and   wherein the dish-washing apparatus further comprises an elastic member displaceable in a horizontal direction, the elastic member attached to the fourth vertically oriented elongate rotary member and the fourth vertically oriented elongate rotary member is movable in the horizontal direction away from the third vertically oriented elongate rotary member by displacing the elastic member.   
     
     
         7 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an extendable waterproof member that sealingly covers the fourth vertically oriented elongate rotary member and the slot through which the fourth vertically oriented elongate rotary member moves.   
     
     
         8 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the cleaning unit main body further comprises a rigid horizontally extending dish-seating member above the extendable waterproof member in the lower portion of the cleaning main unit body in order to prevent damage due to hitting of the extendable waterproof member against edges of dishes pushed between the first and second vertically oriented elongate rotary members.   
     
     
         9 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein elongate cleaning members are provided on the outer peripheral surface of at least one of one of the vertically oriented elongate rotary members for the portion thereof disposed with the main cleaning unit body.   
     
     
         10 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least one of the one of the vertically oriented elongate rotary members is an integral member comprising a lower rotary shaft portion and an upper cleaning rod portion having an average diameter larger than the rotary shaft portion.   
     
     
         11 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claims 1 ,
 wherein at least one of the vertically oriented elongate rotary members comprises an inner rotary shaft portion and an outer cleaning rod portion disposed thereabout wherein the height of the cleaning rod portion is adjustable.   
     
     
         12 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the vertically oriented elongate rotary members are each configured to have different gear reduction ratios, such that the cleaning rod portions thereof are rotated at different torques.   
     
     
         13 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the bottom of the cleaning unit main body and the side wall portion of the cleaning unit main body are reversibly detachable from each other, a watertight seal being formed when they are attached.   
     
     
         14 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein protrusions are formed on the outer peripheral surface of cleaning rod portions of each vertically oriented elongate rotary member sized and configured to engage mutually sized and configured grooves of an elongate cleaning member disposed over the vertically oriented elongate rotary member.   
     
     
         15 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 one of said cleaning members disposed around each of the vertically oriented elongate rotary members.   
     
     
         16 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least one of the vertically oriented elongate rotary members comprises an elastic shaft.   
     
     
         17 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a reversibly closable drainage port is formed in a lower part of the peripherally continuous wall of the cleaning unit main body.   
     
     
         18 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rechargeable battery disposed within the drive unit main body, the rechargeable battery operably linked to the drive motor to power rotation of the rotating shafts.   
     
     
         19 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the basin wall tapers outwardly in the upward direction. 
     
     
         20 . The motorized dish-washing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to rotate laterally adjacent vertically oriented elongate rotary member in opposite directions.