Under cabinet/shelf storage rack
11255598 ยท 2022-02-22
Inventors
Cpc classification
A47B46/005
HUMAN NECESSITIES
F25D2325/021
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
A47B96/025
HUMAN NECESSITIES
F25D2331/809
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F25D2331/803
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
A47B73/008
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A47B43/003
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A47B96/024
HUMAN NECESSITIES
International classification
F25D25/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
A47B43/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A47B96/06
HUMAN NECESSITIES
Abstract
Rack systems, devices, and methods for attaching and providing foldable storage racks underneath refrigerator shelves or cabinets or other shelves for suspending, storing and separating wine bottles and beverage cans and plates. The storage racks can include a plurality of bail cradles each having ends pivotally attached to brackets. The bail cradles can have concave support surfaces for supporting and separating bottles and cans.
Claims
1. A foldable rack system, comprising: a first elongated bracket having a front end and a rear end; a second elongated bracket parallel to the first elongated bracket having a front end and a rear end; a front pair of hooks for attaching the front end of the first and the second elongated brackets to front edges of a shelf; a rear pair of hooks for attaching the rear end of the first and the second elongated brackets to rear edges of the shelf, the front pair of hooks and the rear pair of hooks suspend the first and the second elongated brackets underneath the shelf, wherein each of the front pair of hooks are horizontally length adjustable by a screw to allow the rack system to attach about the front edges of different shelf depths; and a plurality of parallel cradle members, each having a left end and a right end, the left end of each cradle member being pivotally attached to the first elongated bracket, and the right end of each cradle member being pivotally attached to the second elongated bracket, each of the parallel cradle members having a plurality of side by side upper surface facing indentations, wherein the plurality of cradle members are pivotally moveable from a folded down position with the cradle members extending downward from the first and the second elongated brackets, to a folded up position with the cradle members both folded adjacent to the first and the second elongated brackets.
2. The foldable rack system of claim 1, wherein the side by side upper surface facing indentations include: concave curved upper surfaces.
3. The foldable rack system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cradle members include: upper surface facing raised portions between the side by side upper facing indentations.
4. The foldable rack system of claim 3, wherein the side by side upper surface facing indentations include: concave curved upper surfaces.
5. The foldable rack system of claim 1, wherein each of the cradle members includes: left vertical end portions having upper ends that are pivotally attached to the first elongated bracket; and right vertical end portions having upper ends that are pivotally attached to the second elongated bracket.
6. The foldable rack system of claim 5, further comprising: a left link arm having a rear end and a front end, the rear end being pivotally attached to the left end of a rear cradle member, the front end of the left link arm being pivotally attached to the left end of a front first cradle member; and a right link arm having a rear end and a front end, the rear end of the right link arm being pivotally attached to the right end of the rear cradle member, the front end of the right link arm being pivotally attached to the right end of the front cradle member.
7. The foldable rack system of claim 1, further comprising: a left link arm having a rear end and a front end, the rear end being pivotally attached to a left vertical end portion of a rear cradle member, the front end of the left link arm being pivotally attached to a left vertical end portion of a front first cradle member; and a right link arm having a rear end and a front end, the rear end of the right link arm being pivotally attached to a right vertical portion of the rear cradle member, the front end of the right link arm being pivotally attached to a right vertical portion of the front first cradle member.
8. The foldable rack system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of cradle members includes: upper surface facing raised portions between the side by side upper facing indentations.
9. A foldable rack system, comprising: a left elongated bracket having a front end and a rear end; a right elongated bracket parallel to the left elongated bracket having a front end and a rear end, the right elongated bracket being parallel to and spaced apart from the left elongated bracket; front hooks for attaching the front end of the left and the right elongated brackets to front edges of a shelf; a rear pair of hooks for attaching the rear end of the left and the right elongated brackets to rear edges of a shelf, wherein the front hooks and the rear pair of hooks allow the left and the right elongated brackets to be underneath the shelf, wherein each of the rear pair of hooks is horizontally length adjustable by a screw to attach about the rear edges of different shelf depths; and a plurality of parallel cradle members, each having a left end and a right end, the left end of each cradle member being pivotally attached to the left elongated bracket, and the right end of each cradle member being pivotally attached to the right elongated bracket, each of the parallel cradle members having a plurality of side by side upper surface facing indentations, wherein the plurality of cradle members are pivotally moveable from a folded down position with the cradle members extending downward from the left and the right elongated brackets, to a folded up position with the cradle members both folded adjacent to the left and the right elongated brackets.
10. The foldable rack system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of the parallel cradle members includes: a front cradle member having a left end and a right end; a rear cradle member having a left end and a right end; and a middle cradle member having a left end and a right end.
11. The foldable rack system of claim 9, wherein the side by side upper surface facing indentations include: concave curved upper surfaces.
12. The foldable rack system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of cradle members includes: upper surface facing raised portions between the side by side upper facing indentations.
13. The foldable rack system of claim 12, wherein the side by side upper surface facing indentations include: concave curved upper surfaces.
14. The foldable rack system of claim 13, wherein the side by side upper facing raised portions include convex curved upper surfaces.
15. The foldable rack system of claim 9, wherein each of the cradle members includes: left vertical end portions having upper ends that are pivotally attached to the left elongated bracket; and right vertical end portions having upper ends that are pivotally attached to the right elongated bracket.
16. The foldable rack system of claim 15, further comprising: a left link arm having a rear end and a front end, the rear end being pivotally attached to the left end of a rear cradle member, the front end of the left link arm being pivotally attached to the left end of a front first cradle member; and a right link arm having a rear end and a front end, the rear end of the right link arm being pivotally attached to the right end of the rear cradle member, the front end of the right link arm being pivotally attached to the right end of the front cradle member.
17. The foldable rack system of claim 9, further comprising: a left link arm having a rear end and a front end, the rear end being pivotally attached to a left vertical end portion of a rear cradle member, the front end of the left link arm being pivotally attached to a left vertical end portion of a front first cradle member; and a right link arm having a rear end and a front end, the rear end of the right link arm being pivotally attached to a right vertical portion of the rear cradle member, the front end of the right link arm being pivotally attached to a right vertical portion of the front first cradle member.
18. A foldable rack system for suspending items under shelves, comprising: a first elongated bracket having a front end and a rear end; a second elongated bracket parallel to the first elongated bracket having a front end and a rear end; a front pair of hooks, each having a longitudinal member and a hook end, the longitudinal member being horizontally length adjustable by a screw to each of front end of the first elongated bracket and the second elongated bracket, each hook end for hooking about front edges of a shelf; rear hooks for attaching the rear end of the first and the second elongated brackets to rear edges of the shelf, the front pair of hooks and the rear pair hooks suspend the first and the second elongated bracket are underneath the shelf, wherein each of the front pair of hooks are horizontally length adjustable by the screw to allow the rack system to attach about the front edges of different shelf depths; and a plurality of parallel cradle members, each having a left end and a right end, the left end of each cradle member being pivotally attached to the first elongated bracket, and the right end of each cradle member being pivotally attached to the second elongated bracket, each of the parallel cradle members having a plurality of side by side upper surface facing indentations, wherein the plurality of cradle members are pivotally moveable from a folded down position with the cradle members extending downward from the first and the second elongated brackets, to a folded up position with the cradle members both folded adjacent to the first and the second elongated brackets.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
(1) The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present concepts, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.
(2) First Embodiment
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(68) Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
(69) In the Summary above and in the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features (including method steps) of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification does not include all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.
(70) In this section, some embodiments of the invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notation is used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments.
(71) A list of components will now be described. 10 Fold-down wine bottle storage assembly. 20 Left hand mount bracket for two bail cradles which can be strapped, clamped, or screwed to an existing shelf in a refrigerator or cabinet. 25 Right hand mount bracket has same features as the left hand bracket. 30 Swing-down bail cradles wine bottles. 40 Bar link ties two bails together for coordinated movement and strength. 50 Strap with buckle threads through the mount brackets and wraps around shelf. Adjustable buckle secures assembly to the shelf. 55 free ends of straps 60 Refrigerator shelf. 70 Adjustable strap buckle. 80 Captive pin used to assemble pivoting parts. 90 Captive nut used to secure pin. 100 Wine bottle. 110 Locking finger engages indents on bail locking the bails up or down. 120 Back stop tabs located on the inside of the mount bracket prevent over-travel of the bails when they are in the down position. 130 Slots in the mount brackets for screw-mount of the brackets to a shelf. 132 upper protrusions on brackets 20, 25 140 Slots in the mount brackets enable a strap or cable to be threaded through for shelf mounting. 150 Stop ear on the bail engages the stop tab on the inside of the mount bracket for over-travel prevention. 160 detents on the bail engage the locking fingers of the mount brackets to lock the bail down or up. 170 Protrusion on the locking finger fits into the indent on the mount bracket to create the bail locking feature. 190 Cabinet shelf. 200 Shelf mounting screw. 210 Alternate screw clamping mount assembly for mounting bracket. 220 Alternate spring clamping mount assembly for mounting bracket. 230 Threaded screw clamp mount hook. 232 hook end 240 Washer. 250 Hex nut. 260 Spring clamp mount hook. 262 hook end 265 Compression spring provides clamping force. 270 Fold-down multi-use storage assembly. 280 Swing-down multi-use bail incorporates free rotating balls to ease the loading and unloading of the accessory shelf or pre-packaged beverages. 290 Rotating ball is retained in a cavity in the multi-use bail. 300 Anti-tip tabs protrudes from the inside of the multi-use bail to keep the accessory shelf from pitching forward or backward if it is unevenly loaded. 310 Bar link ties three bails together for coordinated movement and strength. 320 Left hand mount bracket for three bails has the same mounting options as the two-bail bracket. 325 Right hand mount bracket has the same features as the left hand bracket. 330 Accessory shelf. The shelf has ribs on one side to help locate different beverage packages and ribs on the other side to support a plate or serving tray. 340 Ball track on accessory shelf. 350 ribs on accessory shelf. 360 Compartment on accessory shelf for a can, bottle, or wine opening tool. 370 This side of the accessory shelf has ribs to support a plate or serving tray. 380 This side of the tray has ribs to separate different beverage packages. 410 Multiple detents along the edges of the ball tracks to provide cavities that the rolling ball in the bails can occupy in order to provide locating stops to the accessory tray in its travel. 420 Cavity in multi-use bail for free rotating ball. 430 Beverage can 24 pack. 440 Beverage can 12 pack. 450 Wine screw. Prior art. 460 Beverage can. 470 Beverage bottle. 472 Swing-down bail with long roller to ease loading and unloading of the accessory shelf and or other cargo. 475 Roller. 480 Swing-down bail with raised ribs to ease loading. 490 Raised ribs on swing-down bail. 500 Fold-down storage assembly with attached, slide-out, shelf. 510 Slide-out shelf/tray attached to drawer slides that are attached to swing-down legs. 520 Swing-down legs attach mounting brackets to drawer slides. 530 Drawer slide assembly. 540 Outer race of drawer slide. 550 Inner race of drawer slide. 570 Screws that attach the outer race of the drawer slide to the swing-down legs. 580 Screws that attach the inner race of the drawer slide to the 590 Nut attached to shelf for attachment screw.
First Embodiment
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(81) Bar link ties (arms) 40 can each have L shaped ends with through holes that can be pivotally attached to end leg portions of the bail cradles 30 by additional captive pins 80 that also pass into holes in brackets 20, 25 and pivotally held in place by captive nuts 90. The bar arms 40 allow for the bail cradles 30 to remain continuously parallel to one another and to pivot from a downward position extending below the brackets 20, 25 to a folded up position and back.
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Second Embodiment
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(89) The bail cradles 280 can have rolling balls 290 spaced underneath anti-tip tabs 300 at the extreme ends of the bottom member of each bail cradle 280 that engage with ball tracks 340 on the accessory shelf 330. The anti-tip tabs 300 protrude from the inside of the multi-use bail cradles 280 to keep the accessory shelf 330 from pitching forward or backward if it is unevenly loaded.
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(108) A portable drawer/organizer with front wall (that can have a drawer pull handle), closed side walls, and backwall and open top can be incorporated with the slide out shelf/tray 510.
(109) The invention can be used with slide out trays/shelves that support computer keyboards, and other computer accessories and the like. The novel assemblies can be used with attaching underneath tables, underneath desks, conference tables, under chairs, and under any other type of horizontal surface.
(110) While the invention has been shown and described as being attachable and likewise detachable from refrigerator shelves, cabinets, other shelves and the like, the invention can be pre-attached to refrigerator shelves, and on cabinets, and other shelves, and the like.
(111) Although the embodiments refer to using a flexible finger/tab with detents to lock the folded up or folded down position of the cradles, other techniques can be used such as but not limited to magnets, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, removable through pins and friction fit parts, and the like
(112) While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.