Dishwasher with adjustable straw carrier

Abstract

A carrier for one or more straws of an appliance such as a dish washing appliance. The carrier and/or rack may be in fluid communication with one or more spray elements when in a stowed position within a dishwasher tub. The one or more carriers may route fluid from the one or more spray elements to wash an interior and/or an exterior of at least one straw. The carrier may include one or more bridges projecting inwardly towards the one or more straws defining one or more pathways for received fluid. The body of the carrier may include a lid and/or latch. The carrier may be adjustable to engage one or more straws of varying lengths. The carrier may include an adjustable end and a fixed end. The carrier may include a biasing mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of releasably engaging one or more straws of varying lengths with an adjustable straw carrier within a dish washing appliance comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one adjustable straw carrier within a dishwasher tub, wherein the carrier includes a fixed end and an adjustable end, and wherein the adjustable end moves relative to the fixed end;   varying a distance between at least one adjustable member of the adjustable end and the fixed end; and   releasably engaging opposing ends of one or more straws of a variety of lengths.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of biasing the at least one adjustable member of the adjustable end towards the fixed end. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of engaging one end of the opposing ends of the one or more straws with the adjustable end or the fixed end and then the other end of the opposing ends of the one or more straws with the other one of the adjustable end or fixed end. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of inserting a nozzle of at least one of the adjustable end and the fixed end into at least one of the opposing ends of the one or more straws. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of spraying a fluid into the at least one of the opposing ends of the one or more straws from the at least one nozzle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of increasing the distance between the at least one adjustable member of the adjustable end and the fixed end to at least one of load or unload the one or more straws from the at least one adjustable straw carrier. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of fluidly coupling the fixed end of the at least one adjustable straw carrier with a fluid supply when stowing a dish washing rack of the dish washing appliance. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of decreasing the distance between the at least one adjustable member of the adjustable end and the fixed end to releasably engage the opposing ends of the one or more straws. 
     
     
         9 . A method of releasably engaging one or more straws of varying lengths with an adjustable straw carrier within a dish washing appliance comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one adjustable straw carrier within a dishwasher tub, wherein the at least one adjustable straw carrier includes a fixed end and an adjustable end, and wherein the adjustable end moves relative to the fixed end;   varying a distance between at least one adjustable member of the adjustable end and the fixed end;   linearly sliding the at least one adjustable member between a first position along a longitudinal axis and a second position along the longitudinal axis different from the first position; and   releasably engaging opposing ends of one or more straws of a variety of lengths.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of biasing the at least one adjustable member of the adjustable end linearly towards the fixed end along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the step of linearly sliding includes sliding a pin relative to a body of the adjustable end. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the step of releasably engaging opposing ends of one or more straws further comprises limiting linear travel along the longitudinal axis of the adjustable end into at least one opposing end of the opposing ends of one or more straws. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the fixed end includes at least one sprayer, and further comprising spraying fluid towards at least one opposing end of the opposing ends of the one or more straws. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising positioning the one or more straws horizontally in a rack of the dish washing appliance. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising a rack, and wherein the fixed portion and the adjustable portion is attached to the rack and the longitudinal axis is in a direction of travel of the rack between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to the dishwasher tub. 
     
     
         16 . A method of releasably engaging one or more straws of varying lengths with an adjustable straw carrier within a dish washing appliance comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one adjustable straw carrier within a dishwasher tub, wherein the at least one adjustable straw carrier includes a fixed end and an adjustable end, and wherein the adjustable end moves relative to the fixed end;   varying a distance between at least one adjustable member of the adjustable end and the fixed end; and   linearly biasing the at least one adjustable member between a first position along a longitudinal axis and a second position along the longitudinal axis different from the first position.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising compressing a straw between the at least one adjustable member and the fixed end. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising sliding the at least one adjustable member relative to a remaining portion of the adjustable end. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  fluidily engaging the fixed end to a docking station of the dish washing appliance in a stowed position and fluidily disengaging the fixed end from the docketing station of the dishwashing appliance in a deployed position. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the at least one adjustable straw carrier is positioned within a rack, and wherein the at least one adjustable straw carrier includes one or more biasing mechanisms and/or one or more pin and slot engagements.