Combined dish rack and drying mat

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to organizational devices for dishwashing environments. The disclosed technology includes a combined sink caddy and counter mat. The combined sink caddy and counter mat can include a sink caddy and a counter mat. The sink caddy can include a frame, a plurality of ridges, and a basket. The plurality of ridges can extend from the frame in a first direction perpendicular to the flat face. The basket can include a plurality of walls and a flat bottom forming therethrough a plurality of draining apertures. The counter mat can be attachable to the sink caddy along a first long side of the frame. The counter mat can include panels hingedly connected in series such that the panels can be folded such that a first panel lies flat-faced against a second panel. Each panel can have a profile similar in dimension to that of the frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A combined sink caddy and counter mat, comprising:
 a sink caddy comprising:
 a frame comprising a flat face and a substantially rectangular profile; 
 a plurality of ridges extending from the frame in a first direction perpendicular to the flat face; and 
 a basket comprising a plurality of walls and a flat bottom forming therethrough a plurality of draining apertures; and 
   a counter mat removably and hingedly attachable to the sink caddy along a first long side of the frame and comprising:
 a plurality of panels hingedly connected in series such that the panels can be folded such that a first panel lies flat-faced against a second panel, each panel having a profile similar in dimension to that of the frame. 
   
     
     
         2 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 1 , wherein the combined sink caddy and counter mat is convertible between:
 a countertop configuration in which at least one panel of the counter mat is configured to be placed on a countertop with the ridges extending in a first direction away from the countertop;   a sink configuration in which at least one panel of the counter mat is configured to be placed on the countertop and the sink caddy is at least partially disposed in a sink with the ridges extending in a second direction opposite the first direction;   a storage configuration in which the counter mat is folded and collapsed against the frame.   
     
     
         3 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 2 , wherein the basket is a collapsible basket, and
 wherein the plurality of walls comprises a plurality of tiered collapsible wall sections such that the collapsible basket can collapse between an expanded configuration in which the flat bottom is farther from the frame in the first direction than the plurality of ridges and a collapsed configuration in which the flat bottom is substantially coplanar with the ridges.   
     
     
         4 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 3 , wherein the frame further comprises a support arm slidably stowable in the frame and selectively movable from a stowed configuration in which the support arm is stowed in the frame and an extended configuration in which the support arm extends out from the frame such that the sink caddy can be suspended in a sink with the support arms resting on a counter. 
     
     
         5 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 4 , wherein the support arm is a first support arm, and the frame further comprises a second support arm slidably stowable in the frame and opposite the first and configured to slide out of the frame to maintain the flat face of the frame coplanar with the counter mat when the counter mat is at least partially unfolded. 
     
     
         6 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 5 , wherein the ridges are spaced apart such that a dish can rest substantially vertically therebetween when the combined sink caddy and counter mat is in the countertop configuration in which the flat face of the frame lies flat-faced against the first panel. 
     
     
         7 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 6 , wherein the ridges are perforated such that fluid and debris can pass therethrough. 
     
     
         8 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of draining apertures in the collapsible basket are sized such that a piece of silverware can rest substantially vertically therein when the combined sink caddy and counter mat is in the countertop configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 8 , wherein each ridge comprises a plurality of perforations sized such that a piece of silverware can rest substantially vertically therein when the combined sink caddy and counter mat is in the countertop configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 9 , wherein each panel of the counter mat comprises a first side with a first texture and second side with a second texture. 
     
     
         11 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of panels are connected via living hinges. 
     
     
         12 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 11 , wherein each living hinge connecting at least one panel to another is configured to allow each first side of one panel to touch the first side of each adjacent panel and further to allow each second side of one panel to touch the second side of each adjacent panel. 
     
     
         13 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 12 , wherein in the countertop configuration the flat face of the frame lies against the second side of the counter mat and the first side of the counter mat lies against a countertop. 
     
     
         14 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 13 , wherein the first texture comprises a plurality of raised polygons. 
     
     
         15 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 14 , wherein the second texture comprises a plurality of raised ridges. 
     
     
         16 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat  claim 15 , wherein the countertop mat comprises a flexible antimicrobial material. 
     
     
         17 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 16 , wherein the collapsible basket comprises a flexible antimicrobial material. 
     
     
         18 . A combined sink caddy and counter mat, comprising:
 a sink caddy comprising:
 a frame comprising a flat face and a substantially rectangular profile; 
 a plurality of ridges extending from the frame in a first direction perpendicular to the flat face; and 
 a basket comprising a plurality of walls and a flat bottom forming therethrough a plurality of draining apertures; and 
   a counter mat removably and hingedly attachable to the sink caddy along a first long side of the frame and comprising:
 a plurality of panels hingedly connected, wherein the plurality of panels can be selectively moved from a first configuration in which the panels lie flat-faced next to each other and a second configuration in which the panels are stacked on top of each other, each panel having a profile similar in dimension to that of the frame. 
   
     
     
         19 . A combined sink caddy and counter mat, comprising:
 a sink caddy comprising:
 a frame comprising a flat face and a substantially rectangular profile; 
 a plurality of perforated ridges extending from the substantially rectangular frame in a first direction perpendicular to the flat face and spaced apart such that a dish can rest substantially vertically between the ridges; and 
 a collapsible basket comprising a plurality of walls and a flat bottom comprising a plurality of openings configured to allow fluid and debris to pass therethrough; and 
   a counter mat removably and hingedly attachable to the sink caddy along a first long side of the frame and comprising:
 a plurality of textured panels each having a rectangular profile similar in dimension to that of the frame and connected to at least one other textured panel via a living hinge such that the panels can be folded such that a first textured panel lies flat-faced against a second textured panel. 
   
     
     
         20 . The combined sink caddy and counter mat of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of walls comprises a plurality of tiered collapsible wall sections such that the collapsible basket can collapse between an expanded configuration in which the flat bottom is further from the frame in the first direction than the plurality of ridges and a collapsed configuration in which the flat bottom is substantially coplanar with the ridges, and
 wherein the frame further comprises a first support arm and a second support arm, each slidably stowable in the frame and selectively movable from a stowed configuration in which each support arm is stowed in the frame and an extended configuration in which each support arm extends out from the frame such that the sink caddy can be suspended in a sink with the support arms resting on a counter.