Dish rack

Abstract

A deformable and foldable dish rack system for drying items is disclosed. In one embodiment, a dish rack system includes a deformable dish rack and an underlying portion. The deformable dish rack may be of a flexible material that may be deformed from a first planar shape used when storing the dish rack system to a second non-planar shape that may support and maintain the position of items for drying. An underlying portion may underlie the dish rack and may be of a material that may absorb liquids from drying items positioned on the dish rack. The dish rack, once deformed into a second shape used for drying items, may be connected to the underlying portion such that the connection between the dish rack and the underlying portion maintains the deformation of the dish rack in the second shape.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A dish rack system comprising:
 a dish rack, the dish rack a planar member configured to deform from a planar first shape for storage to a non-planar second shape for supporting and maintain the drying position of item, the dish rack comprising: a top surface; a bottom surface; a longitudinal axis; a transverse axis; a first long edge; a second long edge; and at least one aperture extending through the top surface to the bottom surface; and   an underlying portion, the underlying portion a planar member comprising: an upper surface configured to underlie the dish rack; a bottom surface configured to contact a work surface supporting the dish rack system; and a connection hardware positioned on the upper surface configured to secure the dish rack to the underlying portion;   wherein a compressive force applied to the long edges and toward the longitudinal axis deforms the dish rack from the first shape to the second shape such that the bottom surface of the dish rack does not contact the upper surface of the underlying portion when deformed to the second shape so as to define an air gap between the bottom surface of the dish rack and the upper surface of the underlying portion; and   wherein the connection hardware on the on the upper surface of the underlying portion is configured to maintain the compressive force applied to the long edges to maintain the second shape when the dish rack is connected to the connection hardware on the underlying portion.   
     
     
         2 . The dish rack system of  claim 1 , wherein the dish rack is comprised of a flexible material configured to flex to deform the dish rack from the first shape to the second shape when the compressive force is applied to the long edges, and wherein the flexible material is configured to return the dish rack from the second shape to the first shape when the compressive force is removed from the long edges. 
     
     
         3 . The dish rack system of  claim 1 , wherein the dish rack further comprises a connection strip extending longitudinally along the first long edge and the second long edge, the connection strip comprising a connection hardware on the top surface, and a hinged connection to connect the connection strip to the dish rack, wherein the connection hardware on the connection strip is configured to engage with the connection hardware on the upper surface of the underlying portion, and wherein the hinged connection is configured to translate the connection strip relative to the dish rack to position and engage the connection hardware on the connection strip to the connection hardware on the upper surface of the underlying portion. 
     
     
         4 . The dish rack system of  claim 3 , wherein the hinged connection is a living hinge. 
     
     
         5 . The dish rack system of  claim 3 , wherein the connection hardware on the connection strip comprises a raised tab connector, the raised tab connector comprising a vertical portion to offset a tab portion from the top surface of the dish rack, the tab portion extending normal to the vertical portion and in a direction toward the longitudinal axis, and wherein the connection hardware on the upper surface of the underlying portion comprises a slot connector configured to engage the raised tab connector, the loop connector comprising a material with a distal edge, a proximal edge, and two short edges, the material secured to the upper surface of the underlying portion at the two short edges, and wherein the raised tab connector is configured to be inserted into the loop at the proximal edge. 
     
     
         6 . The dish rack system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one aperture further comprises an aperture edge, and wherein the at least one aperture is configured to receive an insertion of an item external to the top surface, through the aperture, and further into the air gap, and wherein the item is further supported and maintained in a drying position relative to the dish rack by a first contact between the item and the aperture edge, and by a second contact between the item and the upper surface of the underlying portion. 
     
     
         7 . The dish rack system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one aperture is of an elliptical shape, the at least one elliptical-shaped aperture configured to receive the item and maintain the drying position of the item, wherein the item is a utensil. 
     
     
         8 . The dish rack system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one aperture comprises two or more apertures of a capsule shape, the two or more capsule-shaped apertures extending laterally in a direction parallel to the transverse axis and toward the long edges, wherein the two or more capsule-shaped apertures are configured to receive the item and maintain the drying position of the item, wherein the item is a flat dishware. 
     
     
         9 . The dish rack system of  claim 8 , wherein the two or more capsule-shaped apertures are separated from another capsule-shaped aperture by a rib, the rib extending laterally in the direction parallel to the transverse axis from around the first long edge to around the second long edge, the rib configured to compensate for a force generated by the contact between the flat dishware and the aperture edge to maintain a structural integrity of the dish rack. 
     
     
         10 . The dish rack system of  claim 6 , wherein the upper surface of the underlying portion further comprises a surface treatment configured to limit a movement of the item in a direction substantially parallel relative to the upper surface by a third contact between the item and the surface treatment. 
     
     
         11 . The dish rack system of  claim 1 , wherein the first shape is deformed into a semicylinder-shaped second shape, the semicylinder-shaped second shape comprising an arch-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         12 . The dish rack system of  claim 1 , wherein the planar member of the underlying portion is of a material configured to resist an absorption of a liquid runoff on the upper surface of the underlying portion. 
     
     
         13 . The dish rack system of  claim 1 , wherein the planar member of the underlying portion is of a fabric material configured to absorb a liquid runoff. 
     
     
         14 . The dish rack system of  claim 1 , wherein the planar member of the underlying portion is comprised of one or more materials, each of the one or more materials comprising a different level of absorption. 
     
     
         15 . The dish rack system of  claim 1 , wherein the planar member of the underlying portion further comprises a first half and a second half, the first half joined to the second half by a fold, and wherein the connection hardware is positioned on only one of the halves such that the dish rack overlies one of the halves when connected to the connection hardware; and wherein one half is configured to fold about the fold and onto the other half when the dish rack is in the first shape for storage, such that the dish rack in the first shape is configured to be positioned between the upper surfaces of the two halves for storage. 
     
     
         16 . The dish rack system of  claim 15 , wherein a combined thickness of the dish rack in the first shape for storage and positioned between the two halves is in the range of about ⅛ of an inch (0.125″) to about ¾ of an inch (0.750″). 
     
     
         17 . The dish rack system of  claim 1 , wherein the dish rack further comprises: a first half, a second half, and a hinged attachment extending along the transverse axis and configured to fold the first half onto the second half when the dish rack is in the first shape for storage. 
     
     
         18 . The dish rack system of  claim 17 , wherein the hinged attachment is a living hinge. 
     
     
         19 . A dish rack system for drying items and operable to deform from a first shape used for storage to a second shape used to support an item and maintain an item in a drying position, the dish rack system comprising:
 a dish rack, the dish rack a planar member comprised of a flexible material and configured to deform from a planar first shape used for storage to a semicylindrical second shape used to support and maintain the items in a drying position, the dish rack comprising: a top surface; a bottom surface; a longitudinal axis; a transverse axis; a first long edge; a second long edge; a connection strip comprising a raised tab connector on the top surface, the connection strip extending along each of the first long edge and the second long edge; and two or more apertures extending through the top surface to the bottom surface;   an underlying portion, the underlying portion a planar member comprising: an upper surface configured to underlie the dish rack; a bottom surface configured to contact a work surface supporting the dish rack system; and a slot connector attached to the upper surface of the underlying portion, the slot connector configured to engage the raised tab connector to secure the dish rack to the upper surface of the underlying portion;   wherein the connection strip further comprises a flexible connection between the connection strip and the dish rack, the flexible connection configured to translate the connection strip relative to the dish rack to position and engage the raised tab connector to the slot connector; and   wherein a compressive force applied to the long edges and toward the longitudinal axis deforms the dish rack from the first shape to the second shape such that the bottom surface of the dish rack while in the second shape does not contact the upper surface of the underlying portion so as to define an air gap between the bottom surface of the dish rack and the upper surface of the underlying portion; and   wherein the raised tab connector engaging the slot connector is configured to maintain the compressive force applied to the long edges of the dish rack to maintain the second shape of the dish rack when the dish rack is connected to the underlying portion; and   wherein each of the two or more apertures comprises an aperture edge configured to contact an item inserted into the aperture, the two or more apertures configured to receive an insertion of an item external to the top surface through the aperture and further into the air gap when the dish rack is in the second shape, and wherein the item is further supported and maintained in the drying position relative to the dish rack by a contact between the item and the aperture edge, and by a contact between the item and the upper surface of the underlying portion; and   wherein the two or more apertures are of a capsule shape, the two or more capsule-shaped apertures extending laterally in a direction parallel to the transverse axis and toward the long edges, the two or more capsule-shaped apertures configured to receive an item and maintain the item in a drying position, each capsuled-shaped aperture separated from another by a rib, the rib extending laterally in the direction parallel to the transverse axis from around the first long edge to around the second long edge, the rib configured to compensate for a force generated by the contact between the item and the aperture edge; and   wherein the underlying portion is comprised of an absorbent material configured to absorb a liquid runoff contacting the underlying portion.   
     
     
         20 . A dish rack system for drying items and operable to deform from a first shape used for storage to a second shape used to support an item and maintain an item in a drying position, the dish rack system comprising:
 a dish rack, the dish rack a planar member comprised of a flexible material and configured to deform from a planar first shape used for storage to a semicylindrical second shape used to support and maintain the items in a drying position, the dish rack comprising: a top surface; a bottom surface; a longitudinal axis; a transverse axis; a first long edge; a second long edge; a connection strip comprising a raised tab connector on the top surface, the connection strip extending along each of the first long edge and the second long edge; and two or more apertures extending through the top surface to the bottom surface;   an underlying portion, the underlying portion a planar member comprising: an upper surface configured to underlie the dish rack; a bottom surface configured to contact a work surface supporting the dish rack system; and a slot connector attached to the upper surface of the underlying portion, the slot connector configured to engage the raised tab connector to secure the dish rack to the upper surface of the underlying portion;   wherein the connection strip further comprises a flexible connection between the connection strip and the dish rack, the flexible connection configured to translate the connection strip relative to the dish rack to position and engage the raised tab connector to the slot connector; and   wherein a compressive force applied to the long edges and toward the longitudinal axis deforms the dish rack from the first shape to the second shape such that the bottom surface of the dish rack while in the second shape does not contact the upper surface of the underlying portion so as to define an air gap between the bottom surface of the dish rack and the upper surface of the underlying portion; and   wherein the raised tab connector engaging the slot connector is configured to maintain the compressive force applied to the long edges of the dish rack to maintain the second shape of the dish rack when the dish rack is connected to the underlying portion; and   wherein each of the two or more apertures comprises an aperture edge configured to contact an item inserted into the aperture, the two or more apertures configured to receive an insertion of an item external to the top surface through the aperture and further into the air gap when the dish rack is in the second shape, and wherein the item is further supported and maintained in the drying position relative to the dish rack by a contact between the item and the aperture edge, and by a contact between the item and the upper surface of the underlying portion; and   wherein the two or more apertures are of a capsule shape, the two or more capsule-shaped apertures extending laterally in a direction parallel to the transverse axis and toward the long edges, the two or more capsule-shaped apertures configured to receive an item and maintain the item in a drying position, each capsuled-shaped aperture separated from another by a rib, the rib extending laterally in the direction parallel to the transverse axis from around the first long edge to around the second long edge, the rib configured to compensate for a force generated by the contact between the item and the aperture edge; and   wherein the underlying portion is comprised of an absorbent material configured to absorb a liquid runoff contacting the underlying portion; and   wherein the dish rack further comprises a first half, a second half, and a living hinge extending along the transverse axis and configured to fold the first half onto the second half when the dish rack is in the first shape for storage.