Rack and tray device

• US 20100326936A1
• Filed: 06/24/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dejana Truck & Utility Equipment Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dejana Cargo and Van Interiors Incorporated
• Inventors: Hanley, Charles L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,763,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/86.01
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 46/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, having one or more surfaces adapted to be brought into position for use by extending or pivoting A47B63/04, A47B77/10 take precedence; writing tables with extensible leaves A47B17/03; with extensible garment holders A47B61/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/00 Cabinets or racks specially adapted for other particular purposes, e.g. for storing guns or skis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/417 Profiled cabinet walls with grooves or protuberances for supporting drawers
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0093 movable in a substantially horizontal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/14 the object being a workshop for servicing, for maintenance, or for carrying workmen during work lifting devices for movable platforms or cabins for workmen B66F11/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/06 for tools or spare parts for vehicle roof parts B60J7/20; for spare wheels B62D
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0052 using screws, bolts, rivets or the like

Abstract

A rack and tray device formed from a pair of side panels mountable on the floor of an area and attached to the sides of the area, such as the inside of a van.Guide members are on the side panels and include a channel shape extending inward to accept a tray member carried by the channel shape and maintained in a substantially horizontal orientation when objects are placed on the at least one tray member. The guide members are slidably mounted to further support the tray and prevent it from tipping.

Claims

1. A rack and tray device for use with an area having a floor and side walls, the device comprising:

a pair of side panels having a front to back width and a bottom to top height sized to fit in the area, with each of the pair of side panels being sized to engage the side walls of the area;

bottom mounting means on the bottom of at least one side panel for mounting the device on the floor of the area;

top mounting means on the rack for mounting the side panels on the side walls of the area;

at least one pair of guide members, one being mounted on each of the side panels and facing away from the side walls of the area, the guide members including a channel shape extending inward;

at least one tray member sized to fit between the pair of guide members, whereby the at least one tray member is located within the channel shape of the guide member such that the at least one tray member is carried by the channel shape and is maintained in a substantially horizontal orientation when objects are placed on the at least one tray member.

2. The device of claim 1, where the pair of side panels are rectangular in shape and the top means is an “

L”

shaped member attached to the top of the rectangle with the vertical portion of the “

L”

shaped member proximate the outer edge of the rectangle and positioned to be attached to the side walls of the area.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the bottom means extends along the bottom of the rectangular shape and is in contact with the floor of the area.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the guide member channel shape comprises a “

U”

shape mounted with the bottom of the “

U”

shape vertically mounted on the side panels such that one side of the “

U”

shape supports a tray and the other side is above the tray and positioned to prevent the tray from movement toward the vertical.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the area is a vehicle having at least one door at its back and the device is mounted on the floor of the vehicle and the inside walls at a location in the vehicle proximate the door.

6. The device of claim 5, which includes a plurality of guide members supporting a plurality of trays, each tray having a handle means for inserting and removing the tray.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein each of the pair of side panels includes a cross member and the channel shape of the guide members is slidably mounted on the cross member so that the guide member extends out as the tray is being moved out to further support the tray and prevent it from tipping or rotating to the vertical.

14. The device of claim 2, wherein the side panel means includes a cross member and the channel shape of the guide member means is slidably mounted on the cross member so that the guide member means extends out as the tray is being moved out to further support the tray and prevent it from tipping or rotating to the vertical.

8. A rack and tray device for use with an area having a floor and side walls, the device comprising:

side panels means having a front to back width and a bottom to top height for mounting in the area, with the side panel means being sized to engage the side walls of the area;

bottom mounting means on the bottom of at least one side panel for mounting the device on the floor of the area;

top mounting means on the rack for mounting the side panels on the side walls of the area;

guide member means for holding a tray, the guide member means being mounted on the side panel means, the guide member means including a channel shape extending inward;

at least one tray member sized to fit in the guide member means, whereby the at least one tray member is located within the channel shape of the guide member means such that the at least one tray member is carried by the channel shape and is maintained in a substantially horizontal orientation when objects are placed on the at least one tray member.

9. The device of claim 8, where the side panel means are rectangular in shape and the top means is an “

L”

shaped member attached to the top of the rectangle with the vertical portion of the “

L”

shaped member proximate the outer edge of the rectangle and positioned to be attached to the side walls of the area.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the bottom means extends along the bottom of the rectangular shape and is in contact with the floor of the area.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the guide member means channel shape comprises a “

U”

shape mounted with the bottom of the “

U”

shape vertically mounted on the side panels such that one side of the “

U”

shape supports a tray and the other side is above the tray and positioned to prevent the tray from movement toward the vertical.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the area is a vehicle having at least one door at its back and the device is mounted on the floor of the vehicle and the inside walls at a location in the vehicle proximate the door.

13. The device of claim 12, which includes a plurality of guide member means supporting a plurality of trays, each tray having a handle means for inserting and removing the tray.

15. A rack and tray device for use with vehicle having at least one door at its back, a floor and inside walls at a location in the vehicle proximate the door, the device comprising:

a pair of rectangular side panels having a front to back width and a bottom to top height sized to fit in the vehicle;

a bottom on the pair of side panels for mounting the device on the floor of the vehicle;

at least one pair of guide members, one being mounted on each of the side panels and facing away from the side walls of the area, the guide members including a channel shape extending inward, wherein the guide member channel shape comprises a “

U”

shape mounted with the bottom of the “

U”

shape vertically mounted on the side panels such that one side of the “

U”

shape supports a tray and the other side is above the tray and positioned to prevent the tray from movement toward the vertical;

at least one tray member sized to fit between the pair of guide members, whereby the at least one tray member is located within the channel shape of the guide member such that the at least one tray member is carried by the channel shape and is maintained in a substantially horizontal orientation when objects are placed on the at least one tray member.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the bottom of the pair of side panels extends along the bottom of the rectangular shape and is in contact with the floor of the area.

17. The device of claim 15, which includes a plurality of guide members supporting a plurality of trays, each tray having a handle means for inserting and removing the tray.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein each of the pair of side panels includes a cross member and the channel shape of the guide members is slidably mounted on the cross member so that the guide member extends out as the tray is being moved out to further support the tray and prevent it from tipping or rotating to the vertical.