U.S. patent application number 12/901124 was filed with the patent office on 2011-02-03 for glide mechanism for roll out drawers and other items.
This patent application is currently assigned to Lynk, Inc.. Invention is credited to Mark A. Etter, Richard B. Klein.
Application Number | 20110025182 12/901124 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39302476 |
Filed Date | 2011-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110025182 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Klein; Richard B. ; et
al. |
February 3, 2011 |
GLIDE MECHANISM FOR ROLL OUT DRAWERS AND OTHER ITEMS
Abstract
A slide frame mechanism for a rollout accessory such as a wire
drawer has two or more ball-bearing glides in a vertical
orientation. Each of the glides includes a glide mount with a
threaded aperture and cross-bars attached to extend between the
glides. The accessory has a plurality of mounting tabs. Shoulder
screws with partial threads pass through the accessory mounting
tabs and threadably engage the threads of the slide mount apertures
to secure the accessory to the glides. A compressible pad is
positioned between the accessory mounting tabs and the glide mounts
to provide a floating suspension which reduces binding of the
glides when the accessory is rolled in and out. The screws fit
loosely through oversized openings in the mounting tabs to allow
limited movement of the accessory relative to the glides in a
horizontal plane for further reduction of binding. Drawer dividers
are constructed to detachably fit on drawers to provide separate
compartments.
Inventors: |
Klein; Richard B.; (Overland
Park, KS) ; Etter; Mark A.; (Independence,
MO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Hovey Williams LLP
10801 Mastin Blvd., Suite 1000
Overland Park
KS
66210
US
|
Assignee: |
Lynk, Inc.
Shawnee Mission
KS
|
Family ID: |
39302476 |
Appl. No.: |
12/901124 |
Filed: |
October 8, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11549485 |
Oct 13, 2006 |
7810890 |
|
|
12901124 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/334.33 ;
312/334.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 88/994 20170101;
A47B 88/483 20170101; A47B 88/975 20170101; A47B 88/90
20170101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/334.33 ;
312/334.1 |
International
Class: |
A47B 88/14 20060101
A47B088/14 |
Claims
1. A rollout accessory apparatus comprising: an accessory; a glide
frame having a pair of glides, each including a track and a runner
connected with said track so as to allow the runner to extend and
retract relative to said track, said tracks being substantially
parallel; at least one glide mount on each glide; at least two
mounting surfaces associated with said accessory and arranged to
substantially align with said glide mounts, each said mounting
surface including a horizontally-oriented aperture therethrough
that presents an elongated length along a side-to-side dimension
and an oversized width along a front-to-back dimension, such that
each aperture is longer in its side-to-side dimension than in its
front-to-back dimension; and a screw connecting each said mounting
surface to said respective glide mount, said screw having a shank,
and said shank having a diameter that is smaller than the length of
the aperture so as to allow movement of each respective mounting
surface relative to the respective glide along the side-to-side
dimension, and further wherein the shank's diameter is smaller than
the oversized width of the aperture so as to allow movement of the
respective mounting surface relative to the respective glide mount
along the front-to-back dimension, wherein said movement along the
side-to-side and front-to-back dimensions occurs during retraction
and extension of the runner with respect to the track.
2. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 1, each
said glide mount presenting an angle bracket having an upper plate
projecting inwardly from the glide, and a lower plate secured to an
inside face of the respective runner associated with the glide to
which the glide mount is mounted.
3. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein
the upper plate of the glide mount is positioned above the
respective track associated with the glide to which the glide mount
is mounted.
4. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein
said upper plate of the glide mount includes a generally circular
aperture for at least partial receipt of the shank of the
screw.
5. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein
said shank of the screw is at least partially threaded and said
generally circular aperture of the glide mount is threaded for
receipt of the threaded shank of the screw.
6. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein
said shank of the screw presents a top portion and a lower portion,
each of said portions having a diameter, wherein at least a section
of the lower portion is threaded, wherein at least a section of the
upper portion is not threaded, and wherein said diameter of the
upper portion is larger than said diameter of the lower portion so
as to present a shoulder.
7. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein
a vertical travel of the screw is limited by the shoulder bottoming
out on the upper plate of the glide mount.
8. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein
the horizontally-oriented aperture of the mounting surface is
generally oblong.
9. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 8,
wherein: said accessory presents a bottom surface on which items
are held; and said screw is recessed in its entirety at a location
not to project above said bottom surface.
10. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 2,
wherein said upper plate of the glide mount and said mounting
surface present substantially flat surfaces facing one another.
11. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 1,
wherein said glide frame further includes a pair of cross bars
extending between and connected to said pair of glides and
maintaining said glides substantially parallel.
12. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 11,
wherein said glides are vertically oriented.
13. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 12,
wherein said accessory comprises a drawer.
14. The rollout accessory apparatus as set forth in claim 13,
wherein said drawer is constructed of interconnected wires.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation, and claims priority
benefit with regard to all common subject matter, of earlier-filed
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/549,485, filed Oct. 13, 2006,
and entitled "GLIDE MECHANISM FOR ROLL OUT DRAWERS AND OTHER
ITEMS," which is now U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,890, issued Oct. 12, 2010.
The identified earlier-filed patent application is hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety into the present
application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Ball-bearing glides used in connection with drawers and
other accessories are encumbered by a number of shortcomings, many
of which can result in premature product failure. One such
shortcoming involves glide alignment. Ball-bearing glides are
difficult for ordinary consumers to install properly and often
require professional installation which is not practical for a
consumer product. Even when installed skillfully, the glides are
usually out of exact alignment in some direction. Humidity changes
and other external factors can cause misalignment or exacerbate
already existing misalignment of ball-bearing glides. If an
accessory such as a drawer is installed onto glides that are not
exactly aligned in all directions, the drawer will not operate
properly due to the glides binding.
[0003] Ball-bearing drawer glides are sometimes installed with the
glides oriented horizontally. Because of the horizontal
orientation, there is little structural resistance to vertical
deflection and the glides bend when the accessory is extended to
the open position, particularly if under heavy loads. Once the
glides become bent, the accessory will inevitably bind
thereafter.
[0004] Ball-bearing glides have in some applications been installed
in a vertical configuration. Unfortunately, just installing the
glides in a vertical arrangement does not by itself solve the
binding problem. While vertically oriented glides tend to suffer
less deflection than horizontally mounted glides, even glides that
are installed in a vertical orientation are susceptible to binding
for the reasons previously given. If one or more of the fasteners
used to fasten the glides to the accessory are tighter than others
or installed at an angle or an imprecise location, the fasteners
cause misalignment of the glides. Again, even a small amount of
bending, skewing or other misalignment of the glides creates
binding.
[0005] Ball-bearing glides with full extension, even when
professionally installed in a rigid manner, experience a high rate
of product failure. When an accessory equipped with a full
extension glide is fully or nearly fully extended, the leverage
exerted on the glides by the fully extended weight can create
bending of the glides or even cause detachment of the fasteners
attaching the glides to the cabinet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The foregoing problems are successfully addressed, to a
great extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect, a
glide frame mechanism for rollout accessories may be provided with
a pad preferably interposed between the accessory and the glide
mount. The pad provides a floating suspension which largely
eliminates the binding that has plagued prior rollout
accessories.
[0007] The invention also contemplates, in another aspect, mounting
of the accessory to the glide in a manner to accommodate relative
movement or "play" of the accessory in a generally horizontal plane
to reduce or eliminate binding. This can be accomplished in various
ways, including the provision of an oversized opening for receiving
a fastener used to connect the accessory with the glide.
[0008] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
a glide frame mechanism for rollout accessories is provided with
two or more glides in a vertical orientation and a cross connector
such as a bar which maintains the glides parallel to one
another.
[0009] In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, a
glide frame mechanism for rollout accessories may be provided with
pads which are strategically mounted at locations to assure smooth
and repeatable movement of the accessory in and out.
[0010] In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a
rollout accessory glide mechanism may make use of special fasteners
that prevent over-tightening which could unduly compress the pads
and detract from their ability to provide a floating suspension
that maintains smooth gliding motion of the accessory.
[0011] In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, a
divider for partitioning a drawer may take the form of a wire frame
that is provided on its opposite ends with a hook or saddle-like
profile arranged to hook onto edges of a drawer to hold the divider
in place. This construction adequately secures the divider in place
and yet allows it to be adjusted in position on the drawer without
the need for tools, fasteners or other complications.
[0012] In accordance with still another aspect of the invention,
the hook or saddle areas of the divider may be provided with a
friction coating to enhance the frictional holding force of the
hook or saddle areas.
[0013] One embodiment of the invention may take the form of a
ball-bearing glide system with vertical glides and cross connectors
such as cross bars which maintain a parallel relationship of the
glides as is necessary for smooth gliding. An important feature of
this embodiment is the use of cushions or pads preferably located
between the glides and the drawer or other accessory, providing a
floating type suspension that resists binding. Special fasteners,
such as shoulder screws that may be used to connect the parts, are
only partially threaded and provide a limit when the threads bottom
out to prevent the pads from becoming overly compressed such they
would not be able to function properly. Other fasteners that
provide the same functionality may be used as well.
[0014] Another feature is that the glide frame may be first mounted
to the cabinet and the accessory may thereafter be connected with
the glides. This prevents the accessory from being in the way and
interfering with access during installation of the glides in the
cabinet which is often a small space.
[0015] Another feature of the invention is a drawer divider which
can be installed in any number and at any position within the
drawer to provide separate, selectively sized and positioned
compartments within a drawer. The divider also may prevent taller
items from tipping when the drawer is being closed or opened.
[0016] Certain embodiments of the invention are outlined above in
order that the detailed description thereof may be better
understood, and in order that the present contributions to the art
may be better appreciated. In this respect, it is to be understood
that the invention is not limited in its application to the details
of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth
in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The
invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described
and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is
to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed
herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description
and should not be regarded as limiting.
[0017] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be
utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods
and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present
invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded
as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not
depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Though
some features of the invention may be claimed in dependency, each
feature has merit when used independently.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Further features of the present invention will become
apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention
relates from reading the following description with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drawer and glide frame
mechanism for rollout drawers according to a preferred embodiment
of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged
scale of a bottom corner portion of the drawer of FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged
scale of a portion of the glide frame of FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged
scale of a corner portion of the drawer and glide frame mechanism
for rollout drawers of FIG. 1;
[0023] FIGS. 5A & 5B show a shoulder screw fastener according
to an embodiment of the present invention in top and side
elevational views, respectively;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the fastener of FIGS. 5A
& 5B;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a glide frame and
drawer according to an embodiment of the present invention, with
the broken lines showing how the glide frame can be attached inside
of the drawer for packaging;
[0026] FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the glide frame and drawer
connected for packaging;
[0027] FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of the glide frame and
drawer connected for packaging;
[0028] FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the glide frame of FIG. 1
without the drawer attached;
[0029] FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the glide frame of
FIG. 10;
[0030] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the glide frame of FIG.
10;
[0031] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the glide frame of FIGS. 1
and 10-12 installed inside of a cabinet, with the glide runner
partially extended;
[0032] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a drawer attached to the
glide frame of FIG. 13;
[0033] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a two compartment drawer
divider according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 16 is a bottom plan view of the two compartment drawer
divider of FIG. 15;
[0035] FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of the two compartment
drawer divider of FIG. 15;
[0036] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a two compartment drawer
divider attached in accordance with one embodiment of the invention
to a drawer shown in broken lines; and
[0037] FIG. 19 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged
scale showing the manner in which the two compartment drawer
divider may be attached to a drawer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] The invention will now be described with reference to the
drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like
parts throughout. For purposes of clarity in illustrating the
characteristics of the present invention, proportional
relationships of the elements have not necessarily been maintained
in the Figures. Instead, the sizes of certain small components have
been exaggerated for illustration.
[0039] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drawer and glide frame
mechanism for a rollout drawer 100 according to one embodiment of
the present invention. A glide frame 10 includes one or more
vertically oriented glides 12 connected to one or more cross-bars
14. Each glide 12 includes a track 16 which houses a runner 18 that
is slideably connected to the track 16 and can extend out of and
retract into the track using a ball-bearing system (not shown) of
the type commonly used for drawer glides. The tracks 16 of the
glides 12 are rigidly attached to one or more of the cross-bars 14
in a generally perpendicular arrangement to the cross-bars 14 which
gives the glide frame 10 a generally rectangular arrangement. The
cross-bars 14 keep the glides 12 generally parallel to each other.
The glide frame 10 may be connected to a drawer 20. It will be
appreciated by one skilled in the art that while the glide frame 10
is illustrated with a drawer 20, the glide frame 10 may be used
with any number of accessories or other objects including but not
limited to bins, shelving, racks, platforms, containers, and the
like.
[0040] The drawer 20 may have a wire construction including a
bottom formed by lateral wires 20a and larger longitudinal wires
20b. Wires 20a extend across and are connected to opposite sides of
a bottom rim 20c. Wires 20b extend between and are connected to
front and back parts of the bottom rim 20c. The drawer 20 includes
upright posts 20d which extend upwardly from the front and back
parts of bottom rim 20c. A wire top rim 20e is connected with the
upper ends of upright posts 20d and extends around the top edge of
the drawer 20 to provide an open top. The front portion of the top
rim 20e is curved downwardly as indicated at 20f with a short post
20g connecting to the center of the portion 20f. A center wire 20h
is connected with the posts 20d between the bottom rim 20c and the
top rim 20e and extends horizontally along the sides and back of
the drawer 20 and partially along the front of the drawer on the
drawer periphery to help retain items placed on the bottom of the
drawer 20.
[0041] The bottom of the drawer 20 includes a drawer tab 22 (see
FIG. 2) which is connected to one or more wires on the bottom of
the drawer 20. According to one embodiment of the present
invention, the drawer tab 22 is attached to the bottom of the
drawer 20 by welding the drawer tab 22 to a pair of adjacent
lateral wires 20a at a location adjacent to one of the longitudinal
wires 20b. The tab 22 is preferably secured to the lower surfaces
of the wires 20a so that it is on the underside of the drawer
bottom where it does not interfere with items held in the
drawer.
[0042] The drawer tab 22 includes an aperture 24. The drawer tab
aperture 24 may be elongated such that it is longer in its
side-to-side dimension than in its front-to-back dimension. A pad
26 may be attached to drawer tab 22 so that the pad 26 is located
on the underside of the drawer 20 and tab 22 when the drawer is
upright. The pad 26 includes an aperture 28 that may be elongated
side-to-side and is generally aligned with the drawer tab aperture
24. The pad 26 may be attached to the drawer tab 22 using
conventional techniques such as those making use of adhesive, or
the pad may be loose and attached by various means, including a
fastener as will be explained. The pad 26 is preferably
compressible and may be comprised of foam, cork, sponge, rubber or
other compressible or semi-compressible material.
[0043] As best shown in FIG. 3, the runner 18 is provided with a
glide mount 30 which may take the form of an angle bracket. The
upper plate 30a of the glide mount 30 projects inwardly from the
glide 12. The glide mount 30 may be attached to the runner 18 in
any number of ways including screws, bolts, rivets, welding, or
other means. As shown in FIG. 3, screws 31 may be used to connect
the lower plate 30b of the glide mount 30 to the inside face of
runner 18. The upper plate 30a of the glide mount 30 is positioned
slightly above the track 16 and is generally parallel to the top
face of the cross-bar 14. The glide mount 30 is provided with an
aperture 32 in plate 30a that may be threaded. Each cross-bar 14
includes one or more apertures 34 which may be used to secure the
glide frame 10 in a desired location, such as the interior of a
cabinet.
[0044] As best shown in FIG. 4, the drawer 20 is preferably
connected to the glide frame 10 using a special fastener such as a
shoulder screw 36 that connects the drawer tab 22 to the glide
mount 30. The pad 26 may be positioned between the drawer tab 22
and the glide mount plate 30a so the drawer tab 22 is physically
separated from the glide mount 30 when connected by the screw 36.
The pad 26 between the drawer tab 22 and the glide mount 30, being
compressible, provides a floating suspension between the drawer 20
and the glide frame 10. The benefit of a glide frame mechanism with
a floating suspension is that the pad 26 has enough "give" or
"play" that it prevents binding of the glides when the drawer 20 is
moved along the glides 12. In this way, the pad 26 compensates for
any slight misalignments or other imperfections that might
otherwise cause binding.
[0045] Problems causing binding of the glides can arise from at
least five different sources. First, if the fasteners such as
screws which fasten the glide frame to the cabinet or other support
are tightened unevenly, installed at a slight angle, or otherwise
applied incorrectly, the glides are misaligned enough to cause
binding. Second, there is inevitably misalignment of the glide
frame in one or more directions no matter how carefully or
skillfully the glide frame is installed to a cabinet or other
mounting surface, due to factors such as a warped or otherwise
uneven mounting surface, swelling of the mounting surface due to
humidity changes, or a wide variety of additional imperfections
that are inevitably present. Third, the drawer or other accessory
can be connected improperly to the glides, causing the glides to be
skewed, bent, curved or otherwise displaced from a precisely
aligned arrangement. Fourth, manufacturing tolerances can vary
enough that they create binding. Fifth, the weight and location of
stored items in the drawer or other accessory can create binding.
By using the pad 26 to provide a floating suspension, any binding
that might otherwise occur for any of these reasons is avoided due
to the "play" or "give" in the floating suspension.
[0046] FIGS. 5A, 5B and 6 shows a shoulder screw 36 that may be
used according to one embodiment of the present invention. The
screw 36 may have a (Phillips) cross drive head 38, but it will be
appreciated by those of skill in the art that the fastener may
include other drive configuration interfaces. As best shown in FIG.
5B, the screw 36 is preferably only partially threaded on its shank
41. A substantially flat screw head 40 sits above a shoulder 42
which is not threaded and is of a greater diameter than the portion
of the screw with threads 44.
[0047] Applying the shoulder screws 36 involves extending the
shanks 41 through the aperture 24 and 28 and threading the threaded
tips of the screws into the threaded apertures 32 of the glide
mounts 30, with the pads 26 sandwiched between tab 22 at the top
and plate 30a at the bottom. The travel of the screws 36 is limited
by the shoulders 42 bottoming out on the plate 30a. Consequently,
the pads 26 may be compressed no more than they are when the
shoulders 42 bottom out, and the compression of each pad is
controlled and limited in this way. The length of the bare screw
shank 41 is selected to effect the desired compression of the pads.
Fasteners and other means that differ from the shoulder screws, yet
limit the compression of pads 26, can also be used.
[0048] As best shown in FIG. 4, the screw heads 36 are recessed
such that they do not project or protrude above the upper surfaces
of the wires 20a on which items rest when stored in the drawer 20.
By attaching the tabs 22 to the lower surfaces of wires 20a and
providing a flat, low-profile screw head 36, the entirety of the
fastening system is recessed below the upper surfaces of wires 20a
so that items stored in the drawer are not scratched, marred or
otherwise damaged or impeded by the fastening system, and fingers
cannot be gouged by protruding fasteners or sharp edges.
[0049] In addition to the floating connection provided by the pad
26, the drawer or other accessory is also mounted in a manner
allowing it to move to a limited extent relative to the glide frame
in a generally horizontal plane. This can be accomplished in
various ways. For example, the aperture 24 can be elongated or
otherwise oversized relative to the shank 41 of screw 36.
Preferably, aperture 24 is elongated in a side-to-side direction as
best shown in FIG. 2. This allows tab 22 and the drawer or other
accessory to move from side to side relative to the glide mount 30
and the glide frame, limited by the travel of the screw shank 41
between the ends of the elongated aperture 24. The front-to-back
dimension of aperture 24 is also preferably oversized relative to
the screw shank so that tab 22 and the drawer or other accessory
can move in the front to back direction relative to the glide mount
30 and the glide frame.
[0050] While aperture 24 may be elongated in its side-to-side
dimension and oversized in its front-to-back dimension as
described, other means and techniques can be used to allow the
drawer or other accessory to move in a generally horizontal plane
relative to the runner 18 on which it is mounted. By allowing
limited relative vertical movement of the accessory as a result of
the spacing between the tab 22 and glide mount 30 (with or without
pad 26 interposed therebetween), and limited relative horizontal
movement of the accessory as a result of the loose fit of screw 36
in aperture 24, the accessory can move relative to the glide frame
in any direction (along two horizontal axes and one vertical axes
and at any angle between any of these axes), thereby accommodating
for misalignment of the glide which inevitably occurs. The three
dimensional "play" provided by this invention avoids a rigid
connection and overcomes all of the binding problems previously
mentioned. At the same time, the "play" is limited in all
directions and the pad preferably provides a floating suspension
that prevents rattling or other noise and gives the assembly a
smooth feel as well as a smooth sliding action as the accessory is
moved in and out.
[0051] As best shown in FIG. 9, there may be four of the tabs 22
located generally near the four corner areas of the bottom of
drawer 20. Likewise, as FIG. 12 best shows, the glide frame has
four glide mounts 30, located near the front and back ends of each
of the runners 18 and situated such that the tabs 22 align with the
glide mounts 30. As will be described, the arrangement is
symmetrical so that the glide mounts 30 align with the tabs 22 when
the drawer is assembled, and also if the glide frame is inverted
and placed in the drawer 20 for packaging.
[0052] FIGS. 7-9 best illustrate how the glide frame 10 fits inside
of the drawer 20 for packaging and shipping. When configured for
packaging, the glide frame 10 is inverted and positioned inside of
the drawer 20 with the glide mount plates 30a of mounts 30
immediately overlying tabs 22, and the glide frame is secured to
the drawer by connecting the glide mounts 30 to the drawer tabs 22
using screws 36. The pads 26 may be sandwiched between the tabs 22
and glide mounts 30. The major benefit of this shipping
configuration is that packaging the glide frame 10 in the drawer 20
provides a more compact arrangement than would be the case if the
drawer 20 were attached to the top of the glide frame 10 in the
final installed configuration or packaged separately. An advantage
of the compact arrangement is reduced shipping costs. Another
advantage is that the compact arrangement makes efficient use of
limited shelf space that is available in the case of retail sales
and/or storage of the product.
[0053] With particular reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, the rigidity
of the cross-bars 14 and their connections to tracks 16 is enhanced
by upturned flanges 14a on the ends of cross-bars 14 which extend
upwardly along the outer surfaces of tracks 16 and are secured to
the tracks by rivets 14b (FIG. 11) or any other suitable manner.
The glide frame 10 is installed by extending screws 48 through
apertures 34 (see FIG. 13) in the cross-bars 14 and threading the
screws 48 into the base 46 of a cabinet or other mounting surface.
The cross-bars 14 may be ribbed for enhanced rigidity, and the
apertures 34 may be provided in any suitable number and
configuration.
[0054] The cross-bars 14 may be marked to indicate which way the
glide frame 10 should be oriented in a cabinet. An advantage of
providing a fully assembled glide frame 10 in accordance with the
present invention is that the fully assembled glide frame can be
pre-aligned and set at the factory which eliminates the need for
installation templates of the type commonly required to install
other glide mechanisms. Another advantage is that the fully
assembled glide frame 10 allows the end user to handle and install
one glide assembly as opposed to having to navigate the
installation and alignment of two separate glides. Also, the glide
frame is installed independently before installation of the drawer.
This eliminates the problem of the drawer hindering access to the
limited space typically available for installation inside a
cabinet.
[0055] While it is preferable for the pads 26 to be located between
the drawer and glides as shown and described, an installation
wherein the pads are located and compressed between the glides and
the cabinet or other mounting support is also advantageous, in that
the floating suspension of the glides on the support provides
similar "give" or "play" allowing the assembly to overcome any
tendency for the glides to bind. In such an installation, the
drawer or other accessory may be rigidly connected, may be
connected using a floating-type suspension, or another type of
connection may be employed.
[0056] Another embodiment of the invention is identical to what has
been previously described, except that the pads 26 are eliminated.
The tabs 22 can move up and down relative to the glide mounts 30
due to the use of the shoulder screws 36. In this embodiment, the
universal relative movement described previously for the accessory
is provided, compensating for the inevitable misalignment problems
that have been mentioned. Although this embodiment is satisfactory
in some applications, the inclusion of the pads is generally
preferred to provide a better "feel" in most applications and
prevent rattling and other noise.
[0057] FIG. 15 depicts a two compartment drawer divider 50 which is
exemplary of another aspect of the present invention. The divider
50 has a generally rectangular shaped wire frame which may be made
from one continuous piece of wire. This frame may be comprised of
two parallel lateral sections 52 having on their ends curved
corners or hooks 54 that are bent downwardly to provide saddle
configurations. Extending downwardly from and merged with each
curved corner or hook is a short vertical leg 55. The bottoms of
the legs 55 are bent approximately 90 degrees to form outer saddle
wires 56 extending longitudinally and generally parallel to one
another at both ends of the lateral sections 52.
[0058] The lateral sections 52 are of a length that the divider 50
may span the top opening of drawer 20 (side-to-side or
front-to-back) with the hooks 54 hooking onto the sides of the top
rim 20e, as shown in FIG. 18 (or the front and back of the top rim
20e). Adjacently inward of each hook 54, an inner saddle wire 58
spans the lateral sections 52. The inner saddle wires 58 are
generally parallel to the outer wires 56 and fit against the inner
edge of drawer rim 20e when the divider 50 is applied to the
drawer.
[0059] The divider 50 further includes an interior central
partition 60 which spans the lateral sections 52 in an orientation
that is substantially parallel to the inner saddle wires 58 and the
outer saddle wires 56 at the approximate centers of the lateral
sections 52. The partition 60 compartmentalizes the divider 50 into
two areas located between the inner saddle wires 58. The divider
may be provided with a plurality of interior partitions which
compartmentalize the divider into several smaller areas. The
divider 50 may lack a partition and form a single compartment that
is bounded by the inner saddle wires 58 and the lateral sections
52.
[0060] The divider 50 can be installed at any position to extend
crossways or lengthwise (or another direction) on a drawer to
provide one or more separate compartments and to prevent items from
tipping or moving. The divider also serves as an organizer to
separate different items. Another advantage of the dividers of the
present invention is that they can be installed at any position
fore and aft along a drawer or similar roll out accessory (or
side-to-side if the divider is installed to extend front-to-back on
the drawer). One or more dividers can be installed on a drawer at
any desired location, and each divider can have one or more
compartments.
[0061] FIG. 18 shows the two compartment drawer divider 50
installed on a drawer 20 (shown in broken lines). When the divider
is installed on the drawer, the curved hooks 54 fit closely on the
opposite sides of the upper drawer rim 20e to secure the divider in
place. The inner saddle wires 58 and the vertical legs 55 are
positioned on either side of the top rim 20e of the drawer to
assist in holding the divider on the drawer.
[0062] As shown best in FIG. 19, any or all of the inner saddle
wires 58, the hooks 54, the legs 55 and the outer saddle wires 56
may be covered with a coating 64. The wires may be coated with a
frictional coating (such as a rubbery vinyl plastic, for example)
to enhance the frictional holding power and the grip of the saddle
structure on the sides of the rim 20e (or other portion of the
drawer). The combination of the saddle configuration provided by
the hooks 54, the legs 55 and the inner and outer saddle wires 58
and 56, together with the friction coating 64, provides a secure
connection of the divider 50 on the drawer while accommodating easy
re-positioning of the dividers, all without the need for fasteners
or tools.
[0063] The coating 64 may be a material that is tacky, such as
vinyl, where the material has a high coefficient of friction, or it
may be any other suitable friction-enhancing material. It will also
be appreciated that it is possible to vary the degree of friction
which is used to hold the divider in place along the top edge or
another portion of a drawer by adjusting the degree to which the
hooks are bent downward, by adjusting the distance between the
inner saddle wires and the legs 55, by adjusting the lengths of the
wires, or by varying the thickness and type of coating.
[0064] An advantage of the saddle or hook design of the present
invention, in conjunction with the grip-like coating, is that a
divider can capture and hold its position on a roll-out drawer 100
or other accessory without any need for clamps, fasteners or tools.
At the same time, the divider can be quickly and easily removed
and/or repositioned. The dividers may be used to secure/organize
dish soap bottles, kitchen cleaning containers, narrow food
containers, cooking containers, spice containers, and many other
items. Additionally, one or more dividers can be used per drawer or
other roll-out accessory. Use of the dividers of the present
invention provides the advantage of being easily repositioned at
will into an infinite number of positions to allow for changing
storage needs.
[0065] While the divider 50 shown and described functions well,
other configurations are possible. For example, the inner saddle
wires 58 can be eliminated, as can the outer saddle wires 56. Such
an arrangement relies on the hooks 54 and the integral legs 55 to
hold the dividers in place, with or without a friction coating. In
some applications, a divider formed by a single lateral wire
section 52 with hooks 54 and legs 55 on its opposite ends (with or
without a friction coating) may be used to form separate
compartments on opposite sides of the lateral section.
[0066] Likewise, in some application there is no need for curved
hooks, and the divider can take the form of one or more lateral
sections 52 with legs turned downwardly at a right angle or other
angle from the opposite ends of the lateral section such that the
legs apply an inward force against the outside surfaces of the
wires of rim 20e to hold the divider in place on the drawer, with
or without a friction coating. In this arrangement, the legs may be
equipped with short cross members (not shown) fitting partly
beneath the rim 20e, or with other means for assisting in holding
the divider in place on the drawer, again with or without a
friction coating. Instead of engaging the rim 20e, the divider may
be attached to wire 20h or another part of the drawer 20 or other
accessory.
[0067] The many features and advantages of the invention are
apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended
by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of
the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations
will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation
illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable
modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within
the scope of the invention.
* * * * *