Abstract:
A storage rack for storing pots, pans, skillets and lids comprising an adjustable storage rack constructed with a stand and a base member mounted to the stand. A plurality of wire members are mounted on clamp members which are mounted on rails secured to the base member. The clamp member can be sidably positioned on the rails prior to the securing of them in a fixed position on the rails and extending upward from the base member. A plurality of wire members have sleeve assemblies forming the upright supports, the sleeve assemblies providing height adjustment of the wire member. A spring biased handle is mounted to the base member and is biased to return to its original position after the handle is released.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/194,283, filed Jul. 15, 2002 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/156,657 filed Mar. 6, 2002 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/309,098, filed Dec. 4, 2002 which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/170,482 filed Nov. 7, 2002. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to a storage rack and more specifically is directed toward an adjustable storage rack with horizontally and vertically moveable upright wire members for holding cooking pots, pans, skillets and their respective lids.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART  
         [0003]    Most cooks have accumulated a collection of covered cookware that range over many sizes of pots and pans and containers with lids. Even those householders who do not consider themselves as real cooks have an assortment of covered containers in which to cook food both on top of a stove and in an oven. Thus almost all kitchens contain significant numbers of pots, pans and other cooking containers and lids for same. The cooking containers and their respective lids must be stored when they are not in use and this problem, may be compounded by the lack of storage space in many kitchens.  
           [0004]    Where and how these cooking containers are stored may vary substantially from kitchen to kitchen. In some instances, pots and cooking containers are stacked in a nested fashion with the largest diameter pot on the bottom and successively smaller pots on top. While this might be a relatively efficient way to store pots, pans and other cooking vessels such as casseroles, the lids and covers usually cannot be stored effectively in a nested stack. Most kitchens which use this nesting stack storage method for pots also have a disorganized pile of lids and covers. The cook then must rummage through the pile to locate the correct lid for the container he or she wants to use and move stacks of containers. In a home kitchen this exercise is very frustrating and can be quite chaotic when people and children gather in the kitchen during cooking of the meal.  
           [0005]    Some cooks simply cover their pots and pans with the lids and store them side-by-side, on cabinet shelves. Although this method allows the cook to locate the correct lid quickly, it requires significantly more storage space than stacking or nesting the containers. Many home kitchens simply do not have the storage space to store the numbers of cooking containers required by large families or serious cooks.  
           [0006]    A storage rack is useful for holding pots, pans, skillets and lids for same. In the prior art, shaped wire stands have been used to elevate an appliance or cooking container or to provide open storage for related use utensils, splatter screens and similar items.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,516,088 issued Jul. 18, 1950 is directed toward a folding dish drying rack formed from round wire stock which has a protective coating of rubber or synthetic resin. A plurality of elements are pivotally supported between an adjacent pair of longitudinal rods. Each element is mounted with a crank portion positioned outwardly and a lug portion positioned inwardly for attachment to and manipulation by a push bar. The push bar is slidably mounted in slots formed in a pair of mounting plates secured to the ends of a base.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,284 issued Aug. 26, 1997 is directed toward a storage rack for holding and storing cooking container lids and like shaped objects. The rack has a base with a pair of feet allowing it to be placed in a vertical or horizontal position. A plurality of adjustable crosspieces forming rests or steps are positioned at desired locations along the edges of the bracket members to hold the container lids at a storage angle.  
           [0009]    Other commonly used types of stands are a wire rack with legs and supports such as that shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,190,065, 2, 891,676, 3,013,670, 3,164,108, 4,592,471, 4,756,582 and 4,943,029.  
           [0010]    The prior art, therefore, has failed to provide a storage rack or holder for cooking containers and their lids and covers that may be easily assembled by the purchaser or by a consumer, that may be positioned in convenient orientations both horizontally and vertically and which can be easily adjusted as needed to hold and store a number of containers and lids of varying and different dimensions. Consequently, there is a need for such a rack in the home kitchen to allow storage areas to be organized effectively and efficiently to reduce clutter and provide the time savings which result when storage spaces are organized.  
           [0011]    Accordingly, the novel storage rack has been developed to hold pots, pans, skillets and lids which resolves the problems of counter and cabinet space, cluttered storage, mislaid lids, matching lids to containers, allowing containers and lids to be consolidated and hidden from sight in a cabinet or enclosed area, as well as being easily cleaned.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    The present invention is directed toward an adjustable plastic coated wire storage rack comprising a stand which can be affixed to a planar surface, a base member moveably mounted to the stand and a plurality of horizontally moveable wire members mounted on tubular rails secured to the base member extending upward from the tubular rails. The plurality of wire members include “U” shaped wire members of varying fixed heights and at least one wire member which is adjustable in height with an offset lid seating assembly. The lid seating assembly has a notch on each side and a rearwardly directed curved retaining member constructed to hold lids. The height adjustable wire members have parallel side posts provided with a threaded portion and an adjustment member which is rotatable on the post and angularly extending feet which are mounted in tubular clamps which are in turn secured to a rail mounted on the base member. A spring mounted handle is rotatably mounted on one end of the base member and is biased to return to an upright position after use.  
           [0013]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage rack for cooking containers and their covers and lids which can be custom assembled by the purchaser or consumer to accommodate a specific collection of cooking containers and lids without the need of tools, fasteners or adhesives.  
           [0014]    It is an additional object of the present invention to provide for a storage rack which can have individual members horizontally adjusted and vertically adjusted.  
           [0015]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adjustable storage rack for cooking containers and lids that can be sized to hold all of the containers and/or lids for a selected set or brand of cookware.  
           [0016]    It is yet another object of the invention to provide a storage rack which can be easily assembled with a minimum of instructions and general lack of mechanical skill by the consumer.  
           [0017]    It is yet another object of the invention to provide the user with storage rack for storage of cooking utensils allowing for easy access of same for use as well as reducing the amount of counter space and cabinet space needed for such storage.  
           [0018]    It is a further object of the invention to provide an adjustable storage rack which may be easily and inexpensively fabricated from round wire stock or other suitable materials having strength and durability.  
           [0019]    In the accompanying drawings, there is shown illustrative embodiments of the invention from which these and other objectives, novel features and advantages will be readily apparent. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the adjustable storage rack for pots, pans and lids;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the storage rack of FIG. 1;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the storage rack of FIG. 1;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the storage rack of FIG. 1;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4A is a partial enlarged view of base and support mounting in FIG. 4;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the storage rack shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the storage rack shown in FIG. 1; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the offset lid holding assembly holding a skillet and lid shown in phantom. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]    The cooking container and lid storage rack of the present invention is ideally suited for use in the home as it provides a compact storage rack for cooking skillets, containers and their respective lids and covers that allows easy access to the same. The capability to vary the height of the wire support members and the distance between same allows the consumer to customize the rack as needed to hold a varied assortment of containers and lids. The preferred embodiment of the storage rack of the present invention is designed to be assembled by the user and is fully adjustable to hold a number of cooking containers and their respective lids of different heights and diameters at an optimum storage angle.  
         [0029]    The preferred embodiment and best mode of the adjustable storage rack invention is shown in FIGS.  1 - 7 . The adjustable pot, pan and lid storage rack assembly  10  is constructed with a support member  12  as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and  6  which can be mounted to a planar surface and a base member  14  moveably mounted on the support member  12  as will later be described. The support member  12  is substantially shaped with a bottom planar surface  13  into which a number of aligned holes  16  are cut allowing the support member  12  to be mounted by screws or bolts to a planar surface such as a shelf. Each side of the support member  12  is angled upward at  18  away from the planar section  13  and bent to form a top groove  20  and a outer edge  22  which is bent downward to form a bottom groove  24  as seen in FIGS. 4 and 4A. The base member  14  has side portions  26  which are bent into a U” shape to fit over outer edge  22 . The front of the base member has a downwardly extending flange  28  having holes  29  in which a handle yoke  42  is mounted as can be seen in FIG. 3. A coil spring  44  is mounted in yoke  42  with one end of the spring  44  forming an arm  46  which extends upward and is curved back to form an angular “C” shaped end  48 . The “C” shaped end  48  engages a post  50  of the handle  40  biasing it rearward so that when the handle is pulled, it rotates forward away from the front of the storage rack and upon release of the pulling force, is biased backward toward the front of the storage rack. The handle  40  has two posts  50 , each of which has a yoke mounting bar  54  secured to its lower end. The posts are connected at their upper end by an outwardly curved cross member  51 . One end (not shown) of the yoke mounting bar  54  extends inwardly and is mounted in the cylindrical housing  43  of the yoke and the other end  58  extends outwardly and has a right angled section  60  which acts as a stop on the top planar surface of the base. The yoke  42  also has a separated bent arm  45  having an inside edge positioned outside of a post  50 , limiting outward movement keeping the handle mounted in the yoke. As seen in FIG.  4 A, the base  14  has holes cut in its side portion  26  to hold a screw  30  and nut  31 . The nut  31  is seated in bottom groove  24  of the support member  12  and serves a guide and retainer together with a screw and nut assembly  32  mounted in a hole cut through the top of the planar base  14  above the top groove  20  of the support member  12  to project therein to form a guide and retainer.  
         [0030]    Two parallel support rails  62  which are substantially tubular in construction, have a semicircular upper surface or alternatively, a planar upper surface are secured to the top planar surface  15  of the base  14  by screwing or bolting th same to the planar surface. The support rails  62  are adapted to receive and hold clamps  80  which are mounted thereto and other pot or pan holding assemblies by holding the legs of the wire support members. The support rails  62  as noted have a circular cross section although a rectangular cross section or angular cross sections could be used. “U” shaped wire end assembly  70  constructed with posts  72  and a top cross member  74  are secured to each end of the support rails  62 . The free ends  76  of posts  72  are flared at  78  and have a throughgoing hole which is adapted to receive a screw  82  which is inserted through the hole into a threaded bore formed in the end of the support rail  62 . The threaded bore is preferably cut in the center axis of support trail  62  via a plug insert or if the rail is solid, into the end of the rail.  
         [0031]    A plurality of spring steel clamp member  80  are mounted on the support rails  62 . Each clamp member  80  is constructed with a small tube section  82  with an open slit bottom, on either side of which is an intermediate planar section  84  which in turn is curved to form an arcuate larger open sided rail engaging section  86 . The two sides form opposing arcuate wall portions. The tube section  82  has a diameter which will receive the legs of the wire support members and has bottom open wall ends which lead into integrally formed spaced planar walls forming the intermediate section  84 . The spaced apart arcuate spaced portions  86  are outwardly biased away from each other forming a partial tube or sectioned “C” portion of a larger diameter allowing the same to be mounted on the rails  62 . It is envisioned that any form of support can hold tube section  86  on the support rails  62 . The spaced arcuate section  86  fits around an exterior surface portion of the support rail  62  allowing the clamp member  80  to be slid along the support rail  62 . The intermediate walls  84  define a plurality of aligned throughgoing holes through which a threaded fastener  90  such a nut and bolt are inserted. When the nut is tightened the intermediate walls  84  are forced together against the spring bias of the spring steel causing the arcuate or semicircular portions  86  to abut and engage against the exterior surface of the rail  62  holding the clamp assembly  80  securely against the rail  62  and securing the leg of the wire support member in the tube section  82 .  
         [0032]    A plurality of “U” shaped wire support members  100  are mounted in the clamp member  80  in the rear section of the base  14  with the legs  102  of the wire support members being mounted in the respective tube aperture of tube section  82  of the clamp assembly  80 . The wire support members can be constructed with two parallel side posts  104  and an upper cross member  106  connecting the upper ends of the side posts  104 . The legs  102  extend transversely outward from the axis of each side post  104  so that the same can be inserted into the tube section  82  of the clamp assembly  80 .  
         [0033]    These support members can be modified as shown by support member  120  which uses threaded posts  122  which are identical to those noted below. A modified cross piece  124  with transverse legs  126  is mounted into the threaded rotatable nut  123  on the respective post  122 .  
         [0034]    The wire storage rack also contains a plurality of adjustable storage assemblies  200  as more clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. Each assembly is constructed with two standards or posts  214 , each having a mounting leg  262  transversely extending therefrom and a rotatable adjustment nut  265  on the distal end. A lid holding assembly  110 , having a lower threaded section  216  and a coated unthreaded offset section  218  is mounted to the posts  214 . The threaded section  216  is threaded into a threaded nut  265  which is rotatably mounted on the “L” shaped coated post  214  mounted in clamp assembly  80 . Thus by rotating the nut  265 , the threaded section can be raised or lowered. Each post  214  has a leg member  262  which extends transversely from the post for insertion in the tube section  82  of clamp member  80 . Immediately above the leg member  262  is a cross support  263  (most clearly shown in FIG. 1) which connects and supports each post. The center of the cross support  263  with formed in an open downwardly projecting “C” shaped support and stop structure  264  which limits bending and distortion of posts and offset assembly when heavy pans and lids are placed therein. The offset section  218  has an upright segment  220  which has the same axis as the lower threaded section  216 , an angled segment  222  which is angled at an angle ranging from 3° to 15°, preferably 5°, from the axis of the threaded section  216  and an upper segment  224  which is parallel to the axis of the threaded section  216 . The end  225  of each upper segment  224  is rounded to prevent scratching of the lids and possible injury to the user. Upright segment  220  preferably has a length of one inch, angled segment  222  a length of {fraction (3/4)} inches and upper segment  224  a length of two inches.  
         [0035]    A curved lid retainer member  230  is mounted to each of the standards  214  on the upright segment  220  above the threaded section  216 . The curved lid holder member  230  has two legs  232 , each of which extend transversely outward from the upright segment  220 . Each leg  232  extends transverse to the standard and has a downward curved seating recess or configuration  234  which leads to upright straight leg section  238 . Leg  232  preferably has a straight segment length of one inch heading to the recess  234  which has a diameter of {fraction (3/4)} inch, totaling 1¾ inches. The curved lid holder section  230  has straight legs  238  which are parallel to segments  220  and  224  of the offset section  218 . The curved top retainer or crosspiece  230  is curved or bent backwards approximately 1 inch from the axis of legs  238  toward the offset section  218  and post at least a portion of recess  234  to hold a lid  300  as shown in FIG. 7 when the lid  300  is placed into the recess seat  234 . A containment area for the lid  300  is formed by the offset standard section  218 , legs  232  with recesses  234  and curved crosspiece  230 . The backwardly curved crosspiece  230  is curved backwards from 20° to 40° from a vertical formed by a plane drawn between legs  238 .  
         [0036]    Each of the angled offset upright standard sections is formed with a blunt or rounded end  225  to preclude scratching of the cooking container and lids. In addition, each wire component, excepting the threaded section  216 , is preferably coated with a rubber, a rubberized material or plastic coating such as PVC to prevent scratching of the cooking utensils and to protect the wires against rusting.  
         [0037]    The principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. However, the invention should not be construed as limited to the particular embodiments which have been described above. Instead, the embodiments described here should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by others without departing from the scope of the present inventions defined by the following claims.