Laundry appliance attachment

• US 6,386,378 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1999
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Martin Scharing
• Original Assignee: Martin Scharing
• Inventors: Scharing, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, KHOA H
• Application Number:
  US09/449,051
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 219/88.01, 219/133.6, 219/86.01, 108/90, 108/42, 108/47, 108/152, 312/140.4
• US Class Current: 211/86.01
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/12 Casings; Tubs

Abstract

An attachment for a laundry appliance includes a shelf, a first contact surface, and a second contact surface. The first contact surface and the second contact surface are secured to the shelf. The first contact surface engages an appliance front side and a control panel while the second contact surface engages an appliance rear side, below the control panel. Preferably, the attachment includes a third contact surface for engaging an appliance top side and the control panel. The shelf is sized and shaped to substantially fit between the laundry appliance and a wall. The shelf can be used to store laundry supplies and/or wet clothes. Importantly, the shelf inhibits clothes, such as socks from falling between the laundry appliance and the wall.

Claims

1. A shelf system for attaching to a laundry appliance defined by a first, second and third surface, comprising:

a shelf defining a bottom side; and

at least one bracket supporting said bottom side, said bracket comprising;

a first unitary bar defined by a horizontal section, said first bar ether terminating in a substantially vertically-downwardly-turned, smooth-tipped front edge end and a rear edge end, said front edge end for engaging said laundry appliance first surface, and said horizontal section for engaging said laundry appliance second surface; and

a unitary support arm defined by a downwardly-sloped section rigidly extending from said rear edge end and terminating in a substantially vertically-downwardly-extending opposing distal end, said distal end for engaging said third surface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said support arm is flexible.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second contact surfaces are substantially perpendicular.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said third contact surface is substantially perpendicular to said second contact surface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third contact surfaces further comprise an elastic pad.

6. A laundry appliance combination, comprising:

a laundry appliance having a substantially vertical appliance front side, a substantially vertical appliance rear side, a substantially horizontal appliance top side, a control panel; and

an attachment comprising a shelf and at least one bracket for selectively securing the attachment to the laundry appliance, each said bracket comprising;

a horizontal section defined by first and second opposing ends, said first end terminating in a smooth-surfaced, downwardly-turned lip, said lip further defining a first contact surface, and said second end terminating in a rear edge;

a downwardly-sloped support arm defined by upper and lower opposing ends, said upper end rigidly extending from said rear edge and said lower end terminating in a substantially vertical downwardly-turned distal end, said distal end further defining a second contact surface; and

a third contact surface defined on said horizontal section, said three contact surfaces cooperating together to detachably retain the attachment to the laundry appliance, said first contact surface engaging a portion of the front side and a portion of the control panel, said first contact surface consisting of a substantially flat surface, said second contact surface engaging a portion of the appliance rear side below the control panel, said third contact surface engaging a portion of the appliance top side and the control panel.

7. A shelf assembly for laundry appliances defined by first, second and third surfaces, the assembly comprising:

a bracket member defining;

a unitary horizontal section, said horizontal section having by a pair of opposing ends and a top surface, one said horizontal section end terminating in a substantially vertically and downwardly turned smooth-tipped lip for engaging said laundry appliance first surface and the other said horizontal section end terminating in a rear edge for engaging said laundry appliance second surface; and

a unitary support arm having by a pair of opposing top and bottom ends, said top end rigidly extending from said rear edge and slanted downwardly and inwardly from the rear edge to said bottom end, said bottom end terminating in a distal end, said distal end extending vertically downwardly for engaging said third surface; and

a shelf attached to said top surface of said horizontal section.

8. The shelf assembly of claim 7, therein said bracket member is formed from a unitary piece of piece of material.

9. The shelf assembly of claim 7, comprising a pair of said bracket members.

10. The shelf assembly of claim 7, wherein said horizontal member and said support arm meet at said rear edge for forming a “

V”

shape terminating in said lip and said distal end.

11. The shelf assembly of claim 7, wherein said bracket member consists of said horizontal member meeting said support arm at said rear edge to form a “

V”

shape terminating in said lip defined by said first contact surface and said distal end terminating in said third contact surface, respectively.