Dishwasher having rack assembly with movable shelves

Abstract

A dishwasher is disclosed which includes a rack disposed inside a washing cabinet, a rack and at least one shelf which is rotatably connected to the rack so as to be rotated to a raised upright position and then to a lowered upright position and held, and which is rotatable to the raised upright position and then rotated to a substantially laid down position. Space utilization is increased as a height of the shelf extending above the shelf is reduced and a size of another rack assembly which may be positioned above the rack assembly may be increased.

1 . A dishwasher, comprising:
 at least one rack configured to be disposed inside a washing cabinet; and   at least one shelf rotatably attached to the at least one rack so as to be rotated from a substantially laid down position to a raised upright position with respect to the at least one rack and then moved to a lowered upright position and held thereat, and which is thereafter raisable to the raised upright position and then rotated back to the substantially laid down position.   
   
   
       2 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one rack comprises a plurality of horizontal bar portions vertically spaced apart from each other and a plurality of vertical bar portions attached thereto. 
   
   
       3 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one shelf comprises at least one guide configured to be moved or rotated along one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions. 
   
   
       4 . The dishwasher of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one shelf further comprises at least one support portion configured to be stopped at one of the plurality of vertical bar portions when the at least one shelf is in the substantially laid down and when the at least one shelf is in the lowered upright position. 
   
   
       5 . The dishwasher of  claim 4 , wherein a surface of the at least one support portion contacting the one of the plurality of vertical bar portions is sloped with respect to a central widthwise axis of the at least one shelf. 
   
   
       6 . The dishwasher of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one support portion is formed on the at least one shelf spaced apart from the at least one guide. 
   
   
       7 . The dishwasher of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one support portion comprises a plurality of support portions spaced apart from each other in a lengthwise direction of the at least one shelf. 
   
   
       8 . The dishwasher of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one guide comprises a guide portion opened and configured to be guided along an upper horizontal bar portion of the plurality of horizontal bar portions. 
   
   
       9 . The dishwasher of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one guide comprises a plurality of guides spaced apart from each other in a lengthwise direction of the at least one shelf. 
   
   
       10 . The dishwasher of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one guide includes an upper guide projected from the at least one shelf, a linear portion that extends from the upper guide, and a lower guide that extends from the linear portion so as to face the upper guide. 
   
   
       11 . The dishwasher of  claim 10 , wherein the upper guide decreases in thickness as it extends away from the at least one shelf. 
   
   
       12 . The dishwasher of  claim 10 , wherein the lower guide has a protrusion configured to be stopped at the upper horizontal bar portion in a vertical direction when the shelf is in the substantially laid down position and in a horizontal direction when the shelf is in the raised upright position. 
   
   
       13 . The dishwasher of  claim 10 , wherein a portion of the lower guide contacting the one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions is formed of a curved surface portion. 
   
   
       14 . The dishwasher of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one guide further comprises a hanger configured to be stopped at another one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions when the at least one shelf is moved to the lowered upright position. 
   
   
       15 . The dishwasher of  claim 14 , wherein the hanger projects from the at least one guide so as to be disposed next to the another one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and stopped when the at least one shelf is moved to the lowered upright position. 
   
   
       16 . The dishwasher of  claim 14 , wherein the hanger is shorter than a width between the one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and the another one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions. 
   
   
       17 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one shelf comprises a plurality of shelves. 
   
   
       18 . The dishwasher of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of shelves are provided on one side of the rack in succession. 
   
   
       19 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one shelf comprises at least one dish orienting protrusion. 
   
   
       20 . A dishwasher, comprising:
 at least one rack configured to be disposed inside a washing cabinet and comprising a plurality of horizontal bar portions spaced apart from each other and a plurality of vertical bar portions attached thereto; and   at least one shelf having at least one guide movable with respect to and rotatable along one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and at least one hanger configured to be stopped at another of the plurality of horizontal bar portions.   
   
   
       21 . The dishwasher of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one guide comprises an upper guide projected from the at least one shelf, a linear portion that extends from the upper guide, and a lower guide that extends from the linear portion so as to face the upper guide. 
   
   
       22 . The dishwasher of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one hanger projects from the at least one guide and is shorter than a width between the one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and the another of the plurality of horizontal bar portions. 
   
   
       23 . A dishwasher, comprising:
 at least one rack configured to be disposed inside a washing cabinet; and   at least one shelf configured to be movable between a hold mode in which it is rotated from a substantially laid down position to a raised upright position with respect to the at least one rack and then moved to a lowered upright position with respect to the at least one rack and held thereat, and a use mode in which it is returned to the raised upright position and is then rotated to the substantially laid down position.   
   
   
       24 . The dishwasher of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one shelf comprises:
 at least one guide configured to move or rotated along one of a plurality of horizontal bar portions formed on the at least one rack;   at least one support portion configured to be stopped at another of the plurality of horizontal bar portions when the shelf is in the use mode and the hold mode; and   at least one hanger configured to be stopped at the another one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions when the shelf is in the hold mode.   
   
   
       25 . The dishwasher of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one hanger projects from the at least one guide and is shorter than a width between the one of the plurality of horizontal bar portions and the another of the plurality of horizontal bar portions.