Collapsible door for a warewasher

#This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/003,592, filed Sept. 12, 1995.

#The present invention relates to warewashing machines and, particularly, to a novel slidable door for a warewashing machine which permits the warewashing machine to be used for washing conventional wares as well as oversized wares.

#The size of these warewashers has become fairly standardized in the industry. With slight variations, the area of the base of the warewasher, 25 in..times.25 in., has become a standard in the industry. Standard size warewashers can not accommodate oversized wares because the area of access to the washing chamber and the washing chamber, itself, are too small to allow oversized utensils to be fitted into the washing chamber. Typically, a standard warewasher has a washing chamber having an opening with dimensions of about 22 inches wide and about 17 inches high. The size constraints of the washing chamber and access areas to the washing chamber of standard warewashers do not permit items such as utensils, baking pans, cookie sheets and mixing bowls to be washed in the warewasher because these items are larger than the access doors and sometimes larger than the washing chamber itself. As a result of the size limitations in the design of standard warewashers, it is not unusual for a commercial kitchen to employ a separate washer for utensils such as baking pans, cookie sheets and mixing bowls.

#FIG. 1 presents a front view of a warewasher incorporating doors and door handles of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 presents a side view of a warewasher incorporating doors and door handles of the present invention;

#FIG. 3 presents a perspective view of a warewasher door of the present invention in a closed position shown from the inside of the warewasher;

#Currently in the art, two types of warewashers are used, a two door warewasher and a three door warewasher. The two door warewasher is designed to be placed in a corner for use and has doors on two adjacent sides. With this type of warewasher, the wares are loaded into the warewasher through one door and removed through the adjacent door. The three door warewasher is designed for use when placed against a wall so that the back side of the warewasher faces the wall. This model has doors on three adjacent sides. In this model, the dishes are loaded into a door on one side of the warewasher and removed from a door on the opposite side of the warewasher. The third door, on the front of the warewasher, can be opened to inspect the dishes and the washing chamber, or to load or remove items to or from the washing chamber.

#FIG. 1 presents a front view of a three-door warewasher 10 which generally comprises a base 12, a washing chamber 14, a control means 16, a motor and pump assembly 18 and plumbing 20. The washing chamber 14 and the control means 16 are mounted on the base 12. The control means 16 controls the operations of the warewasher 10. The motor and pump assembly 18 is mounted on the base 12 beneath the washing chamber 14. The pump circulates water in the washing chamber 14 and the motor drives the pump. Plumbing 20 is mounted on the rear and top of the washing chamber 14 and extends from the top of the washing chamber 14. A front, "inspection" door 22 of the present invention, is slidably mounted on the front of washing chamber 14 to provide access to a rectangular opening 23 on the front of the washing chamber; and two side doors 30 (See FIG. 2) of the present invention are slidably mounted, one on each side, of the washing chamber 14, to provide access to rectangular openings 31 on the left and right sides of the washing chamber. A front handle 24, for opening and closing the front door 22, is mounted on the outside of the front door 22, and a pivoting side handle 32 for opening the side doors 30 is mounted to the warewasher and to the side doors as will be described in detail below.

#As shown in FIG. 2, the side doors 30 are slidably mounted on each side of washing chamber 14. This is such that dirty wares can be fed into one side of the warewasher, through one side door 30, and such that the cleaned wares can be taken from the opposite side of the warewasher, through the other side door 30. The pivoting handle 32, for opening and closing the side doors 30, is mounted on the warewasher and comprises a pair of arcuate sections 34 (one shown), a pair of straight sections 36 (one shown) and a transverse section 38. As is described in detail below, the handle 32 is pivotally mounted on washing chamber 14 by a pair of pivot mechanisms 40 (see also FIG. 1), and is coupled to the side doors 30 by a pair of flat link bars 42 (one shown). As can also be seen in FIG. 2, a water tank 50 is located beneath the washing chamber 14.