1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to kitchenware holders for drying purposes and more particularly to a new and improved device for draining and drying kitchenware devices such as dishes, cups, pans, silverware, etc., and which is constructed and arranged for attachment to a wall adjacent to a sink for operation.
2. Description of Prior Art
There are numerous devices in the prior art for dish draining devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,582 discloses a vertically disposed article support for dishes, glasses, cups and other eating utensils and includes vertically spaced article support portions from which articles to be gravity drained of rinse water and to be air dried may be supported. The lower portion of the article support defines an upwardly opening catch basin or trough for receiving rinse water drained from articles supported from the support and the catch basin includes a gravity drain outlet equipped with a flexible drain tube whereby the article support may be positioned adjacent a kitchen sink and drain water collected thereby directly into the sink, the article support occupying a relatively small counter plan area adjacent the sink.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,990 discloses a kitchenware drying rack comprising a central frame which has outwardly extending arms for holding kitchenware mounted on a base adapted to rest on a flat surface adjacent a sink basin and a platform that connects with the base lower end and extends downwardly into the sink basin to stabilize the rack and prevent its tipping.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,934 discloses a drainer for drying kitchen and other utensils which has two spaced supports and a horizontally extending shelf for supporting kitchen utensils to be dried. The shelf has longitudinal grooves in its top surface to collect water dripping from kitchen utensils. The top surface of the shelf slopes downwardly lengthwise between a point located intermediate the ends of the shelf and its ends. The longitudinal grooves terminate over a pair of troughs which are provided adjacent to, and below each respective line of intersection of the opposite ends of the shelf and a respective pair of partition walls. The troughs have downwardly inclines bottoms for channeling water to sink. A pair of slits are adjacent the opposite ends of the shelf and the partition walls to establish communication of the top surface of the shelf with the troughs whereby water is steadily and smoothly removed from the shelf without splashing. The drainer is placed over and straddles the rear of the sink and the faucet so as to leave the faucet and space above the sink free.
The foregoing patents as well and the following U.S. patents are believed to exemplify the present state of the art with respect to such kitchenware drying devices:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,030 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,538,233 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,733,907 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,037,073
While such prior art devices provide improvement in the areas intended, there still exists a need for a draining and drying device for utensils which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art devices while providing utility features which provide new and useful advantages and improvements not heretofore disclosed.
Accordingly, a principle desirable object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved draining and drying device which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art devices.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide a kitchenware draining and drying device which is of a compact construction and which is attachable to and operates from a kitchen wall adjacent to the sink.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide a kitchenware draining and drying device which when the upper portion is released from the wall to contact the sink, the forward portion contacts only a minimum upper portion of the sink.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide a draining and drying device for washed dishes as well as kitchen utensils which includes an inner device for holding the washed dishes and utensils and an outer device for holding the inner device and gravity means for drainage of rinse water preparatory to air drying.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide a draining and drying device for washed dishes and utensils which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.
These and other desirable objects of the present invention will in part appear hereinafter and will in part become apparent after consideration of the specification with reference to the drawings and the claims.