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US 2014/0261552 A1Published application
Dishwasher-Dining table Having Rotatable Tabletop
AssigneeStephen R. Ellebracht
InventorStephen Robert Ellebracht
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Abstract
The invention is directed to a novel dishwasher-dining table combination appliance having a rotatable, invertible top dining insert panel that allows for cleaning dining utensils and the like without having to remove them from a table. The invention provides for a compact, self-contained, system useful in a variety of locations and applications where reductions in the length of time required for cleaning, storing and replacing dining utensils on a table are advantageous
Claims18
A dishwasher-dining table housing having inside and outside surfaces, comprising:
- (a.) a first vertical housing portion having a rectangular, circular or ellipsoidal cross-section, having upper and lower end, the lower end adapted for contacting a floor, support or additional base portion;
- (b.) a second housing portion having an inverted frustum shape with smaller and larger cross section ends, the smaller cross section end connected to the lower housing upper end;
- (c.) a third housing portion having a substantially vertical wall with upper and lower ends, the lower end connected to the larger frustum end and having the same cross section shape as the larger frustum end housing portion;
- (d.) a table top housing portion, having a lower surface connected to the third housing portion upper end, an upper surface defining a table top, the top housing portion further defined by an opening with the top housing portion terminating in a flange at the opening with an interference seal mounted on the flange;
- (e.) an dining panel insert having two parallel, opposite surfaces, fitted within and substantially flush to the table top surface with at least one utensil retaining device mounted on at least one panel surface;
- (f.) at least one hinge to connect the dining panel insert to the top portion, wherein, the dining panel insert is rotatable around the hinge to invert and reversibly seal the panel within the top portion opening to prevent washing fluid leakage when washing dishes;
- and
- (g.) at least one internal bulkhead mounted inside the housing, the bulkhead further defined by at least one opening, the bulkhead further adapted for mounting and connecting a dishwashing mechanism to an external utility.
5 more elements
The housing of claim one, further comprising:
- a frustum-shaped lower base portion having a larger lower cross section for contact with a supporting surface, and a smaller upper end cross section connecting with the first vertical housing portion lower end.
The housing of claim one wherein the lower housing portion has a rectangular cross-section, circular or oval cross-section.
A dishwasher-dining table, comprising:
- a housing having inside and outside surfaces, the housing comprising:
- (a.) a frustum-shaped lower base portion having a larger lower cross section for contact with a support surface or floor, a smaller upper end cross section;
- (b.) a first vertical housing portion having a rectangular, circular or ellipsoidal cross-section, having upper and lower ends, the lower end connected to the lower base portion upper end;
- (c.) a second housing portion having an inverted frustum shape with lower smaller and larger upper cross section ends, the smaller cross section end connected to the first vertical housing portion upper end;
- (d.) a third housing portion having a substantially vertical wall with upper and lower ends, the lower end connected to the larger frustum end, having the same cross section shape as the larger frustum end;
- (e.) a table top housing portion, having a lower surface connected to and covering the third housing portion upper end, having an upper surface defining a table top, the top housing portion further defined by an opening with the top housing portion terminating in a flange at the opening with an interference seal mounted on the flange;
- (f.) a dining panel insert having two parallel and opposite surfaces, fitted within and substantially flush with the table top portion surface, having at least one utensil retaining device mounted thereon;
- (g.) at least one hinge to connect the dining panel insert to the top portion, wherein, the panel can be rotated around the hinge axis to expose and reversibly seal the opposite parallel side of the dining panel insert to prevent washing fluid leakage when washing dishes or utensils;
- (h.) at least one internal bulkhead mounted inside the housing, the bulkhead further defined by having at least one opening suitable for mounting and connecting a dishwashing mechanism to an external utility;
- (i.) at least one hinged sealable access door defined by an opening in at least one portion of the inverted frustum portion, a dishwasher control module mounted on the door and a detergent dispenser mounted on the door inside surface;
- and
- (j.) the dishwasher mechanism, mounted to the bulkhead, in dishwashing relationship to the top insert panel inverted portion.
9 more elements
A method for constructing a dishwasher-dining table comprising:
- (a.) constructing a substantially rectangular or circular cross-section shaped lower housing portion, the housing having an upper end and lower end, the lower end adapted to contact a support surface;
- (b.) constructing a frustum shaped, walled housing portion having a smaller frustum cross section lower end and a larger frustum cross section upper end, the lower end adapted to connect to the lower housing upper end;
- (c.) constructing an upper raised wall housing portion shaped to connect to the upper cross section larger end of the frustum,
- (d.) constructing a table top portion shaped to cover and connect the upper raised walled housing portion, the top portion further defined by an interior shaped opening, the top portion terminating in a flanged portion at the opening, wherein the dimensions defining the opening in the table top portion are less than the dimensions of the upper raised wall portion;
- (e.) mounting an interference seal on the flange;
- (f.) constructing a shaped dining panel insert, the panel having two parallel, opposite surfaces and dimensioned to fit with a reversible interference fit against the seal within the shaped top opening, the panel further comprising at least one utensil retaining device mounted thereon;
- (g.) connecting the outer top portion flange to the dining panel insert by at least one hinge, wherein, the panel when placed in the opening adjacent the seal, is rotatable by 180 degrees around the hinge thereby allowing either parallel dining panel surface to form a substantially flat, reversible interference fit sealed surface top portion assembly;
- (h.) assembling the lower walled housing portion onto the smaller end of the frustum shaped portion, assembling the lower end of the upper walled housing portion onto the larger, upper end of the frustum portion thereby forming an inverted frustum housing portion, mounting the top portion assembly onto the upper end of the upper walled housing portion, and
- (i.) constructing and mounting at least one bulkhead inside the assembled housing portions to provide a dishwasher-dining table housing, and,
- (j.) mounting a dishwashing mechanism to the bulkhead in dishwashing relationship to the inverted dining insert panel, thereby providing a rotatable top dishwasher-dining table.
7 more elements
A method for washing dining utensils in a rotatable top dishwasher-dining table, comprising the steps of:
- placing at least one utensil on the table top into a utensil retaining device mounted on at least one panel surface;
- rotating and inverting the insert panel and reversibly sealing the insert panel into the washing position, starting a utensil cleaning sequence in the dishwashing mechanism thereby washing the utensils, reversing the insert panel position to provide cleaned utensils ready for using after termination of the washing sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.