Under cabinet/shelf storage rack

• US 10,408,531 B1
• Filed: 02/21/2019
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronald Beck
• Original Assignee: Ronald Beck
• Inventors: Beck, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Tefera, Hiwot E
• Application Number:
  US16/281,772
• Time in Patent Office: 201 Days
• Field of Search: 312408, 312323-325, 312245-248, 312266, 312310, 312322, 312204, 211 74, 211113, 211117, 211115, 211116, 211118
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 43/003 Suspended shelves, e.g. by means of supple elements
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 46/005 by displacement in a vertical plane; by rotating about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 73/008 with attachment means for fixing in another cupboard or rack
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/024 characterised by support bracket location means, e.g. fixing means between support bracket and shelf A47B96/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/025 Shelves with moving elements, e.g. movable extensions or link elements cabinets, racks or shelf units enabling enlargement in height, length or depth A47B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/062 for glass shelves
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2325/021 Shelves with several possible configurations
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/803 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/809 Holders
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/024 Slidable shelves

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. The bail cradles can have ribbed upper surfaces for allowing a shelf/tray to slide thereon. The racks can have pivotal vertical legs with a slide out drawer on lower ends of the legs. The racks can be used for storing other items such as computer keyboards and the like, used with desks, tables, and the like.

Claims

1. A foldable rack system for being mounted under a shelf, comprising:

a first elongated bracket having a front end and a rear end;

a second elongated bracket having a front end and a rear end, the first elongated bracket being spaced from and in parallel to the second elongated bracket, and separated by a space distance therebetween;

a slide out drawer assembly having a left side and a right side with width distance therebetween, the space distance between the first and the second elongated brackets being greater than the width distance between the left side and right side of the slide out drawer assembly;

a drawer for sliding from a rest position within the drawer assembly to an extended position extending outward from the drawer assembly;

a first plurality of parallel vertical legs having upper ends pivotally attached to the first elongated bracket, and having lower ends pivotally attached to the left side of the slide out drawer assembly; and

a second plurality of parallel vertical legs having upper ends pivotally attached to the second elongated bracket, and having lower ends pivotally attached to the right side of the slide out drawer assembly, wherein upper spacing distance between the upper ends of the first plurality of vertical legs and the upper ends of the second plurality of vertical legs is greater than lower spacing distance between the lower ends of the first plurality of vertical legs and the lower ends of the second plurality of vertical legs.

2. The foldable rack system of claim 1, further comprising:

screw fasteners for attaching each of the first and the second elongated brackets to an under surface of the shelf.

3. The foldable rack system of claim 1, further comprising:

an accessory shelf having an upper surface with spaced apart ribs for separating beverage containers stored thereon, the accessory shelf for being positioned on the drawer.

4. The foldable rack system of claim 1, wherein the slide out drawer assembly includes

a left track for allowing a left side of the drawer to slide out thereon;

and

a right track for allowing a right side of the drawer to slide out thereon.

5. The foldable rack system of claim 1, wherein the slide out drawer assembly includes

a left inner race and a left outer race for allowing a left side of the drawer to slide out thereon;

and

a right inner race and a right outer race for allowing a right side of the drawer to slide out thereon.

6. The folded rack system of claim 1, wherein

each of the upper ends of the first plurality of parallel vertical legs and each of the upper ends of the second plurality of parallel vertical legs includes an upper step portion that steps inward from the first elongated bracket and the second elongated bracket, and

each of the lower ends of the first plurality of parallel vertical legs and each of the lower ends of the second plurality of parallel vertical legs includes a lower step portion that steps inward to the left side and the right side of the drawer assembly.

7. The folded rack system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first hook on the front end of the first elongated bracket;

a second hook on the rear end of the first elongated bracket;

a third hook on the front end of the second elongated bracket; and

a fourth hook on the rear end of the second elongated bracket, wherein the first hook, the second hook, the third hook and the fourth hook, attach the foldable rack system about front and rear outer edges of a shelf so that the rack system is suspended underneath the shelf.

8. The foldable rack system of claim 7, wherein the first hook and the third hook are a front set of hooks, the second hook and fourth hook are a rear set of hooks, wherein at least one of the front set of hooks and the rear set of hooks include:

an elongated leg having an end with threads and an opposite end having a C shaped hook, the end with threads slidable;

an upper protrusion located on both an upper portion of the first elongated bracket and the upper portion of the second elongated bracket, and

a nut for rotating about a portion of the threaded end of the elongated end, for holding each hook onto the upper protrusion on the upper portion of the first elongated bracket and onto the upper protrusion of the second elongated bracket.

9. A foldable rack system comprising:

a left elongated bracket having a front end and a rear end;

a right elongated bracket having a front end and a rear end, the left elongated bracket being spaced from and in parallel to the right elongated bracket, and separated by a space distance therebetween;

a plurality of left vertical leg members having upper ends spaced apart from one another and pivotally attached to the left elongated bracket and lower ends;

a plurality of right vertical leg members having upper ends spaced apart from one another and pivotally attached to the right elongated bracket and lower ends; and

a slide out shelf assembly having a left side, a right side, a front side and a rear side, the slide out shelf assembly having a width distance between the left side and the right side, the space distance between the left elongated bracket and the right elongated bracket being greater than the width distance between the left side and the right side of the shelf assembly, the lower ends of the plurality of left vertical leg members are pivotally attached to the left side of the shelf assembly, and the lower ends of the plurality of the right vertical leg members are pivotally attached to the right side of the shelf assembly; and

a shelf for sliding from a rest position within the shelf assembly to an extended position extending outward from the shelf assembly, wherein the shelf assembly has a folded down position with the plurality of the left vertical leg members and the plurality of the right vertical leg members in a down position, and a folded up position with the plurality of the left vertical leg members and the plurality of the right vertical leg members in a folded position;

wherein upper spacing distance between the upper ends of the plurality of left vertical leg members and the upper ends of the plurality of right vertical leg members is greater than lower spacing distance between the lower ends of the plurality of left vertical leg members and the lower ends of the plurality of right vertical leg members.

10. The folded rack system of claim 9, wherein the slide out shelf assembly includes

a left inner race pivotally attached to the lower ends of the plurality of the left vertical leg members;

a left outer race slidingly attached to the left inner race, the left outer race being attached to a left side of the shelf;

a right inner race pivotally attached to lower ends of the plurality of the right vertical leg members; and

a right outer race slidingly attached to the right inner race, the right outer race being attached to a right side of the shelf.

11. The folded rack system of claim 9, wherein the slide out shelf assembly includes

a left track for allowing a left side of the shelf to slide thereon;

and

a right track for allowing a right side of the shelf to slide thereon.

12. The folded rack system of claim 9, further comprising:

screw fasteners for attaching each of the left and the right elongated brackets to an under surface of an existing shelf.

13. The folded rack system of claim 9, an accessory shelf having an upper surface with spaced apart ribs for separating beverage containers stored thereon, the accessory shelf for being positioned on the shelf.

14. The folded rack system of claim 9, wherein each of the upper ends of the plurality of left vertical leg members and each of the upper ends of the plurality of right vertical leg members includes an upper step portion that steps inward from the left elongated bracket and the right elongated bracket, and

each of the lower ends of plurality of left vertical leg members and each of the lower ends of the plurality of right vertical leg members includes a lower step portion that steps inward to the left side and the right side of the shelf assembly.

15. The folded rack system of claim 9, further comprising:

a first hook on the front end of the left elongated bracket;

a second hook on the rear end of the left elongated bracket;

a third hook on the front end of the right elongated bracket; and

a fourth hook on the rear end of the right elongated bracket, wherein the first hook, the second hook, the third hook and the fourth hook, attach the foldable rack system about front and rear outer edges of an existing shelf so that the rack system is suspended underneath the existing shelf.

16. The foldable rack system of claim 15, wherein the first hook and the third hook are a front set of hooks, the second hook and fourth hook are a rear set of hooks, wherein at least one of the front set of hooks and the rear set of hooks include:

an elongated leg having an end with threads and an opposite end having a C shaped hook, the end with threads slidable;

an upper protrusion located on both an upper portion of the left elongated bracket and the upper portion of the right elongated bracket, and

a nut for rotating about a portion of the threaded end of the elongated end, for holding each hook onto the upper protrusion on the upper portion of the left elongated bracket and onto the upper protrusion of the right elongated bracket.