Adjustable angle tines for rack

Abstract

A dual tine system includes a gear hub including a hub body, right teeth and left teeth, a right gear tooth device mounted to the hub body to rotate the right gear tooth device relative to the gear hub, a left gear tooth device mounted to the hub body to rotate the left gear tooth device relative to the gear hub, a right tine arm, right tines, a left tine arm, and left tines. The right gear tooth device includes a right gear tooth body and a right gear tooth extending from the right gear tooth body to fit within a right valley defined between a pair of the right teeth. The left gear tooth device includes a left gear tooth body and a left gear tooth extending from the left gear tooth body to fit within a left valley defined between a pair of the left teeth.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dual tine system for a rack comprising:
 a gear hub configured to mount to a rack frame, the gear hub comprising
 a hub body; 
 right teeth that extend from the hub body; and 
 left teeth that extend from the hub body to the left of the right teeth; 
   a right gear tooth device mounted to the hub body to support rotation of the right gear tooth device relative to the gear hub, the right gear tooth device comprising
 a right gear tooth body; and 
 a right gear tooth that extends from the right gear tooth body, wherein the right gear tooth is configured to fit within a right valley defined between a pair of teeth of the right teeth; 
   a left gear tooth device mounted to the hub body adjacent a left side of the right gear tooth device to support rotation of the left gear tooth device relative to the gear hub, the left gear tooth device comprising
 a left gear tooth body; and 
 a left gear tooth that extends from the left gear tooth body, wherein the left gear tooth is configured to fit within a left valley defined between a pair of teeth of the left teeth; 
   a right tine arm mounted to the right gear tooth device and configured to mount to the rack frame to rotate with the right gear tooth device and to extend horizontally from the right gear tooth device;   a plurality of right tines mounted to the right tine arm, wherein each tine of the plurality of right tines extends from the right tine arm at a first angle;   a left tine arm mounted to the left gear tooth device and configured to mount to the rack frame to rotate with the left gear tooth device and to extend horizontally from the left gear tooth device; and   a plurality of left tines mounted to the left tine arm, wherein each tine of the plurality of left tines extends from the left tine arm at a second angle.   
     
     
         2 . The dual tine system of  claim 1 , wherein the first angle is equal to the second angle. 
     
     
         3 . The dual tine system of  claim 1 , wherein the first angle is defined relative to a first vector defined parallel to the horizontally extending right tine arm, and wherein the second angle is defined relative to a second vector defined parallel to the horizontally extending left tine arm. 
     
     
         4 . The dual tine system of  claim 1 , wherein the right gear tooth device further comprises a right gear tooth head that extends outward from the right gear tooth body, wherein the left gear tooth device further comprises a left gear tooth head that extends outward from the left gear tooth body, wherein the plurality of right tines and the plurality of left tines align between the right gear tooth head and the left gear tooth head when the plurality of right tines and the plurality of left tines are both in a first position. 
     
     
         5 . The dual tine system of  claim 4 , wherein each tine of the plurality of left tines comprises a connector body that is mounted to the left tine arm, a transition body, and an extension body, wherein the transition body is mounted between the connector body and the extension body to change a first distance of the extension body relative to a second distance of the connector body, wherein the first distance and the second distance are defined relative to a plane defined parallel to and including a center of the horizontally extending left tine arm. 
     
     
         6 . The dual tine system of  claim 4 , wherein the right gear tooth head has a concave contact face that faces away from the right tine arm. 
     
     
         7 . The dual tine system of  claim 1 , wherein successive tines of the plurality of right tines are separated by a first distance, wherein successive tines of the plurality of left tines are separated by a second distance, wherein the first distance is equal to the second distance. 
     
     
         8 . The dual tine system of  claim 7 , wherein a first right tine distance is different from a first left tine distance, wherein the first right tine distance is defined as a distance between a first tine of the right plurality of tines that is closest to a first end of the right tine arm that is mounted to the right gear tooth device, wherein the first left tine distance is defined as a distance between a first tine of the left plurality of tines that is closest to a first end of the left tine arm that is mounted to the left gear tooth device. 
     
     
         9 . The dual tine system of  claim 8 , wherein a difference between the first right tine distance and the first left tine distance is half the first distance. 
     
     
         10 . The dual tine system of  claim 1 , wherein the right gear tooth device further comprises a gear tooth tine aperture wall formed in the left gear tooth body, wherein the right tine arm includes a mounting head, wherein the mounting head is inserted in the gear tooth tine aperture wall to mount the right tine arm to the right gear tooth device. 
     
     
         11 . The dual tine system of  claim 1 , wherein the right gear tooth device further comprises a gear tooth connector body mounted to a bottom of the right gear tooth body. 
     
     
         12 . The dual tine system of  claim 11 , wherein the right gear tooth device further comprises a gear tooth tine aperture wall formed in the gear tooth connector body, wherein the right tine arm includes a mounting head, wherein the mounting head is inserted in the gear tooth tine aperture wall to mount the right tine arm to the right gear tooth device. 
     
     
         13 . The dual tine system of  claim 12 , wherein the right gear tooth device further comprises a mounting prong that extends from the gear tooth connector body in a direction opposite the right tine arm. 
     
     
         14 . The dual tine system of  claim 13 , wherein the gear hub further comprises an aperture wall formed in the hub body, wherein the mounting prong is inserted in the aperture wall to mount the right gear tooth device to the gear hub. 
     
     
         15 . The dual tine system of  claim 14 , wherein the right teeth are arranged to have an approximately equal distance from a vector through a center of the aperture wall and parallel to an insertion direction of the mounting prong into the aperture wall. 
     
     
         16 . The dual tine system of  claim 11 , wherein the right gear tooth body is configured to be deflectable in a direction away from the right teeth relative to the gear tooth connector body to release the right gear tooth from the right valley defined between the pair of teeth of the right teeth. 
     
     
         17 . The dual tine system of  claim 16 , wherein the right gear tooth device further comprises a gear tooth stop that extends upward from the gear tooth connector body, wherein the gear tooth stop is configured to stop a deflection of the right gear tooth body when a maximum deflection in the direction away from the right teeth is reached. 
     
     
         18 . The dual tine system of  claim 1 , wherein a number of teeth of the right teeth is equal to a number of teeth of the left teeth and is greater than two. 
     
     
         19 . A rack comprising:
 a rack frame;   a gear hub mounted to the rack frame, the gear hub comprising
 a hub body; 
 right teeth that extend from the hub body; and 
 left teeth that extend from the hub body to the left of the right teeth; 
   a right gear tooth device mounted to the hub body to support rotation of the right gear tooth device relative to the gear hub, the right gear tooth device comprising
 a right gear tooth body; and 
 a right gear tooth that extends from the right gear tooth body, wherein the right gear tooth is configured to fit within a right valley defined between a pair of teeth of the right teeth; 
   a left gear tooth device mounted to the hub body adjacent a left side of the right gear tooth device to support rotation of the left gear tooth device relative to the gear hub, the left gear tooth device comprising
 a left gear tooth body; and 
 a left gear tooth that extends from the left gear tooth body, wherein the left gear tooth is configured to fit within a left valley defined between a pair of teeth of the left teeth; 
   a right tine arm mounted to the right gear tooth device and to the rack frame to rotate with the right gear tooth device and to extend horizontally from the right gear tooth device;   a plurality of right tines mounted to the right tine arm, wherein each tine of the plurality of right tines extends from the right tine arm at a first angle;   a left tine arm mounted to the left gear tooth device and to the rack frame to rotate with the left gear tooth device and to extend horizontally from the left gear tooth device; and   a plurality of left tines mounted to the left tine arm, wherein each tine of the plurality of left tines extends from the left tine arm at a second angle.   
     
     
         20 . A dishwasher comprising:
 a body;   a tub bottom wall mounted within the body;   a door;   a hinge pivotally mounting the door to the body;   a rack mounted within the body above the tub bottom wall and configured to hold dishware, the rack comprising
 a rack frame; and 
 a sliding mechanism mounted to the rack frame and configured to provide movement of the rack relative to the body; 
   a fluid supply system mounted to the body and comprising
 a wash pump; 
 a conduit mounted to the wash pump; and 
 a spray arm configured to mount to the conduit to receive liquid from the wash pump, the spray arm comprising a hole through which the liquid received from the wash pump is sprayed when the dishwasher is used; and 
   a gear hub mounted to the rack frame, the gear hub comprising
 a hub body; 
 right teeth that extend from the hub body; and 
 left teeth that extend from the hub body to the left of the right teeth; 
   a right gear tooth device mounted to the hub body to support rotation of the right gear tooth device relative to the gear hub, the right gear tooth device comprising
 a right gear tooth body; and 
 a right gear tooth that extends from the right gear tooth body, wherein the right gear tooth is configured to fit within a right valley defined between a pair of teeth of the right teeth; 
   a left gear tooth device mounted to the hub body adjacent a left side of the right gear tooth device to support rotation of the left gear tooth device relative to the gear hub, the left gear tooth device comprising
 a left gear tooth body; and 
 a left gear tooth that extends from the left gear tooth body, wherein the left gear tooth is configured to fit within a left valley defined between a pair of teeth of the left teeth; 
   a right tine arm mounted to the right gear tooth device and to the rack frame to rotate with the right gear tooth device and to extend horizontally from the right gear tooth device;   a plurality of right tines mounted to the right tine arm, wherein each tine of the plurality of right tines extends from the right tine arm at a first angle;   a left tine arm mounted to the left gear tooth device and to the rack frame to rotate with the left gear tooth device and to extend horizontally from the left gear tooth device; and   a plurality of left tines mounted to the left tine arm, wherein each tine of the plurality of left tines extends from the left tine arm at a second angle.