Dishwasher appliance

Abstract

A dishwasher appliance is provided. The dishwasher appliance includes a tub that defines a wash chamber and a rack assembly disposed within the wash chamber. The rack assembly includes a frame, a first tray and a second tray. The first and second trays are removably mounted to the frame. The first tray is sized and configured for supporting a plurality of flatware therein. The second tray is sized and configured for supporting a plurality of cooking utensils therein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dishwasher appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the dishwasher appliance comprising:
 a tub defining a wash chamber;   a rack assembly disposed within the wash chamber, the rack assembly comprising
 a frame; 
 a first tray removably mounted to the frame, the first tray sized and configured for supporting a plurality of flatware therein; and 
 a second tray removably mounted to the frame, the second tray sized and configured for supporting a plurality of cooking utensils therein. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first tray defines a width along the lateral direction and the second tray defines a width along the lateral direction, the width of the second tray being different than the width of the first tray. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the first tray defines a length along the transverse direction and the second tray defines a length along the transverse direction, the length of the second tray being about equal to the length of the first tray. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first tray defines an interior volume, the first tray having a plurality of vertical projections positioned within the interior volume of the first tray, the plurality of vertical projections spaced apart from each other along the transverse direction at a middle portion of the first tray. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the first tray has a first plurality of vertical supports and a second plurality of vertical supports positioned within the interior volume of the first tray, the first and second pluralities of vertical supports positioned opposite each other relative to the plurality of vertical projections. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 4 , wherein each of the first and second pluralities of vertical supports define a height along the vertical direction and each of the plurality of vertical projections define a height along the vertical direction, the height of each of the first and second pluralities of vertical supports being less than the height of each of the plurality of vertical projections. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the second tray extends between a first side portion and a second side portion along the lateral direction, the second tray has a first bottom wall positioned at the first side portion of the second tray and a second bottom wall positioned at the second side portion of the second tray, the first and second bottom walls spaced apart from each other along the vertical direction. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the second tray includes a plurality of vertical tines mounted to the first bottom wall, the plurality of vertical tines spaced apart from each other along the lateral direction. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the rack assembly includes a support bracket mounted to the first tray at a bottom wall of the first tray or the second tray at a bottom wall of the second tray, the support bracket extending between opposite sides of the frame, the support bracket limiting movement of the bottom wall of the first tray or the bottom wall of the second tray along the vertical direction. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the frame extends between a first side portion and a second side portion along the lateral direction, the first and second trays selectively mountable to the frame at either of the first side portion of the frame or the second side portion of the frame. 
     
     
         11 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the first tray is positioned at the first side portion of the frame and the second tray is positioned at the second side portion of the frame when the rack assembly is in a first configuration, the first tray positioned at the second side portion of the frame and the second tray is positioned at the first side portion of the frame when the rack assembly is in a second configuration, the rack assembly selectively adjustable between the first and second configurations. 
     
     
         12 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first tray or the second tray includes a sloped bottom wall. 
     
     
         13 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the rack assembly comprises a pair of slide rails, the pair of slide rails mounted to the tub and the frame such that a position of the frame along the transverse is selectively adjustable. 
     
     
         14 . A dishwasher appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the dishwasher appliance comprising:
 a tub defining a wash chamber, the wash chamber extending between a top portion and a bottom portion along the vertical direction;   a bottom rack assembly disposed within the wash chamber at the bottom portion of the wash chamber;   a top rack assembly disposed within the wash chamber at the top portion of the wash chamber, the top rack assembly comprising
 a frame; 
 a first tray removably mounted to the frame, the first tray sized and configured for supporting a plurality of flatware therein; 
 a second tray removably mounted to the frame, the second tray sized and configured for supporting a plurality of cooking utensils therein; and 
   a middle rack assembly disposed within the wash chamber between the top and bottom rack assemblies along the vertical direction.   
     
     
         15 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the first tray defines a width along the lateral direction and the second tray defines a width along the lateral direction, the width of the second tray being different than the width of the first tray. 
     
     
         16 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the first tray defines a length along the transverse direction and the second tray defines a length along the transverse direction, the length of the second tray being about equal to the length of the first tray. 
     
     
         17 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the first tray defines an interior volume, the first tray having a plurality of vertical projections positioned within the interior volume of the first tray, the plurality of vertical projections spaced apart from each other along the transverse direction at a middle portion of the first tray, the first tray also having a first plurality of vertical supports and a second plurality of vertical supports positioned within the interior volume of the first tray, the first and second pluralities of vertical supports positioned opposite each other relative to the plurality of vertical projections. 
     
     
         18 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 17 , wherein each of the first and second pluralities of vertical supports define a height along the vertical direction and each of the plurality of vertical projections define a height along the vertical direction, the height of each of the first and second pluralities of vertical supports being less than the height of each of the plurality of vertical projections. 
     
     
         19 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the second tray extends between a first side portion and a second side portion along the lateral direction, the second tray has a first bottom wall positioned at the first side portion of the second tray and a second bottom wall positioned at the second side portion of the second tray, the first and second bottom walls spaced apart from each other along the vertical direction. 
     
     
         20 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the top rack assembly includes a support bracket mounted to the first tray at a bottom wall of the first tray or the second tray at a bottom wall of the second tray, the support bracket extending between opposite sides of the frame, the support bracket limiting movement of the bottom wall of the first tray or the bottom wall of the second tray along the vertical direction.