Rail and slider system

• US 7,798,339 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Funnel Fits, LLC
• Original Assignee: Funnel Fits, LLC
• Inventors: Wirtel, Gregory A., Brooks, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilkens; Janet M
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROHRHOFF, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US11/668,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20080180847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 211/103, 211/190, 211/207, 211/208, 211/187, 211/189, 108106-108, 108/147.17, 312/408, 312/306, 312/312, 248/161, 248/407, 248/408, 248/354.6, 248/354.7
• US Class Current: 211/103
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/02 Cabinets; Cases; Stands; Disposition of apparatus therein or thereon

Abstract

In general, this invention is directed to a rail and slider system having residential and commercial organizational applications. In one aspect, the system comprises at least one rail and a slider mounted on the rail for sliding movement along the rail. The rail and slider have teeth which releasably engage with one another for locking the slider at selected positions along the rail. A spring device on the slider urges the slider toward a locked position. The slider is manually movable against the urging of the spring device from its locked position to an unlocked position in which the teeth on the arms and the tracks are disengaged to permit sliding movement of the slider along the rail to a different selected position. Various items can be attached to the slider, e.g., a funnel-shaped holder and shelf bracket. In other aspects, the slider is configured for snap-mounting on the rail, and a kit is provided including at least two rails and sliders, and a template for mounting the rails on a surface such that the rails are in proper position relative to one another.

Claims

1. A rail and slider system comprising

at least one rail having a longitudinal axis, a front, a back, opposite sides extending longitudinally of the rail, a top and a bottom, said rail being adapted to be mounted on a wall or other mounting surface with the back of the rail facing the wall,

a pair of generally parallel spaced-apart tracks extending longitudinally of the rail adjacent opposite sides of the rail, said tracks having teeth spaced at intervals along the tracks, and

a slider mounted on the rail for sliding movement along the rail, said slider comprising

a body positioned on the front of the rail,

at least a first pair of arms at opposite sides of the body having teeth thereon engaging selected teeth on respective tracks of the rail, the teeth on the arms being fixed and immovable with respect to the arms and the teeth on the tracks of the rail being fixed and immovable with respect to the rail, and

a spring device on the body contacting the rail for urging the body and arms of the slider to move relative to the rail toward a locked position in which the fixed and immovable teeth on the arms are in engagement with respective fixed and immovable teeth on the tracks to lock the slider in a selected position along said rail,

said body being manually movable against the urging of said spring device from said locked position to an unlocked position in which the fixed and immovable teeth on the arms and the fixed and immovable teeth on the tracks are disengaged to permit sliding movement of the slider along the rail to a different selected position whereupon the spring device, upon release of the body, causes the body and arms of the slider to move relative to the rail back to said locked position thereby to lock the slider to the rail in said different selected position.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said teeth on the tracks face in a rearward direction and said teeth on said arms face in a forward direction.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said arms extend in a rearward direction from said slider body beyond said tracks, said arms having laterally projecting end portions formed with said teeth.

4. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a level on said rail for orienting said rail when mounting it on said wall.

5. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rail is a first rail and said system includes at least a second rail substantially identical to the first rail, said first and second rails having ends configured for a telescoping fit with one another to provide a rail system of greater length.

6. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising caps for capping the ends of said rail.

7. A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an implement holder, said slider and implement holder having mating fastening components for fastening said holder to the slider.

8. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rail is a first rail adapted to be mounted in a generally vertical position on said wall, and wherein said slider is a first slider, said system further comprising a second rail substantially identical to said first rail adapted to be mounted generally parallel to said first rail, a second slider substantially identical to said first slider adapted to slide along said second rail, a shelf, and a pair of brackets on said sliders for supporting said shelf at a selected vertical elevation.

9. A rail and slider system comprising

at least one rail having a longitudinal axis, a front, a back, opposite sides extending longitudinally of the rail, a top and a bottom, said rail being adapted to be mounted on a wall or other mounting surface with the back of the rail facing the wall,

a pair of generally parallel spaced-apart tracks extending longitudinally of the rail adjacent opposite sides of the rail, said tracks having teeth spaced at intervals along the tracks, and

a slider mounted on the rail for sliding movement along the rail, said slider comprising

a body positioned on the front of the rail,

at least a first pair of arms at opposite sides of the body having teeth thereon engaging selected teeth on respective tracks of the rail, the teeth on the arms being fixed and immovable with respect to the arms and the teeth on the tracks of the rail being fixed and immovable with respect to the rail, and

a spring device on the body contacting the rail for urging the body and arms of the slider to move relative to the rail toward a locked position in which the fixed and immovable teeth on the arms are in engagement with respective fixed and immovable teeth on the tracks to lock the slider in a selected position along said rail,

said body being manually movable against the urging of said spring device from said locked position to an unlocked position in which the fixed and immovable teeth on the arms and the fixed and immovable teeth on the tracks are disengaged to permit sliding movement of the slider along the rail to a different selected position whereupon the spring device, upon release of the body, causes the body and arms of the slider to move relative to the rail back to said locked position thereby to lock the slider to the rail in said different selected position,

wherein said slider body comprises a pivot formation contacting said front of the rail to permit pivoting of the body and arms of the slider between said locked and unlocked positions.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said spring device comprises a resilient spring member formed as one piece with said body on a rear surface of the body, said spring member contacting the front of the rail and for urging said body away from said front of the rail.

11. A rail and slider system comprising

at least one rail having a longitudinal axis, a front, a back, opposite sides extending longitudinally of the rail, a top and a bottom, said rail being adapted to be mounted on a wall or other mounting surface with the back of the rail facing the wall,

a pair of generally parallel spaced-apart tracks extending longitudinally of the rail adjacent opposite sides of the rail, said tracks having teeth spaced at intervals along the tracks, and

a slider mounted on the rail for sliding movement along the rail, said slider comprising

a body positioned on the front of the rail,

at least a first pair of arms at opposite sides of the body having teeth thereon engaging selected teeth on respective tracks of the rail, the teeth on the arms being fixed and immovable with respect to the arms and the teeth on the tracks of the rail being fixed and immovable with respect to the rail, and

a spring device on the body contacting the rail for urging the body and arms of the slider to move relative to the rail toward a locked position in which the fixed and immovable teeth on the arms are in engagement with respective fixed and immovable teeth on the tracks to lock the slider in a selected position along said rail,

said body being manually movable against the urging of said spring device from said locked position to an unlocked position in which the fixed and immovable teeth on the arms and the fixed and immovable teeth on the tracks are disengaged to permit sliding movement of the slider along the rail to a different selected position whereupon the spring device, upon release of the body, causes the body and arms of the slider to move relative to the rail back to said locked position thereby to lock the slider to the rail in said different selected position,

wherein said teeth on the tracks face in a rearward direction and said teeth on said arms face in a forward direction,

wherein said arms extend in a rearward direction from said slider body beyond said tracks, said arms having laterally projecting end portions formed with said teeth, and

a second pair of arms on said body extending in a rearward direction from said slider body beyond said tracks, said second pair of arms having laterally projecting end portions engaging said tracks but having no teeth thereon.

12. A rail and slider system comprising

at least one rail having a longitudinal axis, a front, a back, opposite sides extending longitudinally of the rail, a top and a bottom, said rail being adapted to be mounted on a wall or other mounting surface with the back of the rail facing the wall,

a pair of generally parallel spaced-apart tracks extending longitudinally of the rail on the back of the rail, said tracks having teeth spaced at intervals along the tracks, and

a slider adapted to be mounted on the rail for sliding movement along the rail, said slider comprising

a body positioned on the front of the rail, and

at least a first pair of arms at opposite sides of the body having teeth thereon engaging selected teeth on respective tracks of the rail,

said arms being flexibly resilient for snap-mounting the slider on the rail,

wherein said arms have laterally projecting end portions with said teeth thereon, said arms being adapted to resiliently snap from a flexed condition in which the arms are spaced apart a distance sufficient to permit the laterally projecting end portions of the arms to move rearward past the front of the rail, to a more relaxed condition in which the teeth on the arms underlie respective tracks for engagement with the teeth on the tracks.

13. A system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said laterally projecting end portions of the arms are in-turned toward one another.

14. A system as set forth in claim 12 further comprising a second pair of arms on said body having laterally projecting end portions engaging said tracks but having no teeth thereon.

15. A system as set forth in claim 12 wherein said rail is a first rail adapted to be mounted in a generally vertical position on said wall, and wherein said slider is a first slider, said system further comprising a second rail substantially identical to said first rail adapted to be mounted generally parallel to said first rail, a second slider substantially identical to said first slider adapted to slide along said second rail, a shelf, and a pair of brackets on said sliders for supporting said shelf at a selected vertical elevation.

16. A rail and slider system comprising

at least one rail having a longitudinal axis, a front, a back, opposite sides extending longitudinally of the rail, a top and a bottom, said rail being adapted to be mounted on a wall or other mounting surface with the back of the rail facing the wall,

a pair of generally parallel spaced-apart tracks extending longitudinally of the rail on the back of the rail, said tracks having teeth spaced at intervals along the tracks, and

a slider adapted to be mounted on the rail for sliding movement along the rail, said slider comprising

a body positioned on the front of the rail, and

at least a first pair of arms at opposite sides of the body having teeth thereon engaging selected teeth on respective tracks of the rail,

said arms being flexibly resilient for snap-mounting the slider on the rail,

wherein said slider is spring biased away from the front of the rail for urging the body and arms of the slider to move toward a locked position in which the teeth on the arms are in engagement with respective teeth on the tracks to lock the slider in a selected position along said rail, said body being manually movable against the urging of said spring bias from said locked position to an unlocked position in which the teeth on the arms and the tracks are disengaged to permit sliding movement of the slider along the rail to a different selected position whereupon the spring bias is adapted, upon release of the body, to move said slider back to said locking position thereby to lock the slider to the rail in said different selected position, the teeth on the arms being fixed and immovable with respect to the arms and the teeth on the tracks of the rail being fixed and immovable with respect to the rail.