Apparatus for mounting a rack in a dishwasher

Abstract

A dishwasher includes a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber, a rack for holding utensils for treatment within the treating chamber, a first wheel coupled with the tub, a second wheel coupled with the rack, and a track. The track can have first and second channels in a back-to-back relationship for respectively receiving the first and second wheels to slidably mount the rack to the tub.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dishwasher comprising:
 a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber and having at least one side;   a rack for holding utensils for treatment within the treating chamber;   a first wheel mounted to the at least one side of the tub;   a second wheel mounted to the rack; and   a track having a first C-shaped channel receiving the first wheel and a second C-shaped channel receiving the second wheel to slidably mount the rack to the tub, with the first and second C-shaped channels in a back-to-back relationship.   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , further comprising a partition between the first and second C-shaped channels. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , wherein the partition comprises at least one port to provide for the passage of liquid through the partition. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher of  claim 3 , wherein the partition comprises multiple ports extending along the length of the track. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher of  claim 4 , wherein the partition comprises at least one first glide rib at least partially defining the first C-shaped channel and at least one second glide rib at least partially defining the second C-shaped channel. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher of  claim 2 , wherein the partition comprises a first wall at least partially defining the first C-shaped channel and a second wall at least partially defining the second C-shaped channel. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher of  claim 6 , wherein the first wall comprises at least one first port and the second wall comprises at least one second port at least partially overlapping the first port to provide for the passage of liquid through the partition. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher of  claim 6 , wherein the first wall comprises at least one first glide rib and the second wall comprises at least one second glide rib. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the track comprises a first C-shaped rail defining the first C-shaped channel and a second C-shaped rail defining the second C-shaped channel. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwasher of  claim 9 , wherein the first C-shaped rail comprises a first opening for receiving the first wheel and the second C-shaped rail comprises a second opening for receiving the second wheel, wherein the first and second openings face opposite directions. 
     
     
         11 . The dishwasher of  claim 10 , wherein the first C-shaped rail comprises a first elongated wall opposite the first opening and the second C-shaped rail comprises a second elongated wall opposite the second opening, and the first and second walls are adjacent to each other to form a partition between the first and second C-shaped channels. 
     
     
         12 . The dishwasher of  claim 11 , wherein the partition comprises at least one port formed in each of the first and second walls to provide for the passage of liquid through the partition. 
     
     
         13 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the track comprises at least one first glide rib at least partially defining the first C-shaped channel and at least one second glide rib at least partially defining the second C-shaped channel. 
     
     
         14 . The dishwasher of  claim 13 , wherein the track comprises two spaced first glide ribs within the first C-shaped channel and two spaced second glide ribs within the second C-shaped channel. 
     
     
         15 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second wheels each comprise an axle and a wheel hub coupled with the axle, wherein the material for the axle and wheel hub is selected to have a coefficient of friction less than 0.25. 
     
     
         16 . The dishwasher of  claim 15 , wherein the axle is made from metal and the wheel hub is made from plastic. 
     
     
         17 . The dishwasher of  claim 16 , wherein the axle is made from stainless steel and the wheel hub is made from an acetal plastic. 
     
     
         18 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second wheels each comprise an axle and a wheel hub coupled with the axle, wherein the axle comprises a metal rivet. 
     
     
         19 . The dishwasher of  claim 18 , wherein the wheel hub is made from plastic. 
     
     
         20 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket coupled to the at least one side of the tub, wherein the first wheel is fixedly mounted to the bracket to mount the first wheel to the at least one side of the tub. 
     
     
         21 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , further comprising a height adjuster coupled to the rack, wherein the second wheel is fixedly mounted to the height adjuster to mount the second wheel to the rack. 
     
     
         22 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , further comprising a stationary mount coupled to the rack, wherein the second wheel is fixedly mounted to the stationary mount to mount the second wheel to the rack. 
     
     
         23 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible rack mount coupled to the rack, wherein the second wheel is fixedly mounted to the flexible rack mount to mount the second wheel to the rack. 
     
     
         24 . The dishwasher of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one side is flexible.