Dishwasher rack assembly having positionable support members

Abstract

A dishwasher rack assembly including a bottom wall formed of a first set of wire rods in parallel, uniform spaced relation to each other perpendicular a second set of wire rods in parallel, uniform spaced relation to each other, the first and second sets of wire members defining open, square lattice areas. One or more support members are coupled intermediate opposing wire rods of the first or second set within a selected lattice area. Each support member comprises an upwardly directed, support frame for optimally positioning the objects to be washed, the opposed ends thereof extending into mounting receivers that are adapted to be positionally coupled between opposed wire rods of the bottom wall of the dishwasher rack.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A dishwasher rack assembly, comprising:
 a dishwasher rack having a bottom wall formed of a plurality of spaced apart lateral rods crossed by longitudinal rods to define substantially open lattice areas, the rack further comprising side walls; and   at least one support member adapted to be removably coupled to the bottom wall of the rack within the lattice area, the support member comprising:   a support frame having a first and a second support legs in spaced relation to each other, each having top and bottom ends, the top ends of the support legs being coupled to each other the support member having a longitudinal plane;   a first and second mounting receivers coupled to the bottom end of the first and second support legs respectively, the mounting receiver each having an engaging end dimensioned to engage a rod within the lattice area, at least one of the engaging ends comprises an upper support bar and a lower support bar at a vertical distance from the upper support bar, the vertical distance selected to allow engagement of a bottom wall rod between the support bar and the support pin the support bars being disposed outwardly from the respective support leg, and extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal plane of the support member; and   the support legs being resiliently deflectable towards each other, for selectably engaging and disengaging of the engaging ends with respective bottom wall rods , for coupling and de-coupling of the support member to the rack bottom wall.   
     
     
         2 . A dishwasher rack as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a portion of at least one of the support bars extends forwardly from its respective support leg, and another portion of the at least one of the support bar extends rearwardly therefrom. 
     
     
         3 . A dishwasher rack as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the support bars extends forwardly from its respective support leg. 
     
     
         4 . A dishwasher rack as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the support bars extends rearwardly from its respective support leg. 
     
     
         5 . A dishwasher rack as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the support bar having a length at least three times greater than the thickness of at least one of the longitudinal rods. 
     
     
         6 . A dishwasher rack assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plane of the support frame is angularly deflected from the lateral plane.