Abstract:
A home appliance having an oven rack including an appliance body having a plurality of oven walls defining an oven cavity; an oven rack for removable disposition in the oven cavity, wherein the oven rack includes two flat side panels and a plurality of straight cross members extending laterally therebetween to define a cooking vessel support surface; and a pair of traveling gliders wherein each glider includes a channel configured for receipt of one of the side panels wherein the oven rack can travel in and out of the oven cavity supported at the side panels by the traveling gliders.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates broadly to home appliances for cooking and, more particularly, to a cooking appliance, such as a range or built-in oven having an oven cavity with an improved oven rack and an improved oven rack assembly. The present invention also relates to steamer compartments in such ranges and ovens having an improved oven rack. 
         [0002]    Ovens, including steam ovens, usually feature a generally planar rack to serve as a support surface for cooking vessels. Such an oven rack can include a wire grid to define a cooking vessel support surface, and may be configured for telescoping movement in and out of an oven cavity. 
         [0003]    Some oven racks engage oven walls directly while others use runners or gliders that engage racks or other supports that are mounted to the oven walls. The present invention is directed to an oven rack using gliders for smooth operation, superior extension and overall enhanced performance. 
         [0004]    An oven rack according to the prior art is illustrated in  FIG. 1  at  74  and includes a continuous perimeter rail  76  including a front lateral rail  78  and a rear lateral rail  80  separated by two side longitudinal rails  84 . The front lateral rail  78 , the rear lateral rail  80  and the side rails  84  are generally fabricated from a single metal rod resulting in bended corners  92  with rod ends being joined at a weld along the rear lateral rail  80  to generally conceal the joint and to thereby define a continuous perimeter rail  76 . 
         [0005]    In order to mount the rack  74  in gliders, additional bends are applied to the side longitudinal rails  84  which include a generally U-shaped downward bend  86  which is formed twice on each of the side rails  84 , with one downward bend  86  being spaced from the other. The lower surface of each downward bend  86  helps to locate and support the rack  74  in the gliders. A flattened area  90  is formed at approximately the center of the downward bend  86  and includes an opening  88  configured to accommodate a bolt whereby the gliders may be attached to each side longitudinal rail  84  with the bolt extending through the hole  88  with an acorn nut or other type of nut threadedly applied thereto. The perimeter rail  76 , four downward bends  86 , four flattened areas  90  and four corners  92  are all are labor-intensive to produce. 
         [0006]    The cooking vessel support surface is formed by a wire grid within the perimeter rail  76 . As with the perimeter rail  76 , all rails that form the cooking vessel support grid are configured as generally cylindrical metal rods. Two lateral rails  102  extend between the side rails  84  and each are fixed thereto at a respective welded junction  104 . A plurality of longitudinal rails  94  extend between the front lateral rail  78  and the rear lateral rail  80  in a generally spaced, parallel relationship with the side rails  84 . The longitudinal rails  94  are each fixed to the rear lateral rail  80  at a respective welded junction  98 . The longitudinal rails  94  are fixed to the front lateral rail  78  using a curved hook  96  formed in the end of portion of the longitudinal rail  94  and joined to the front lateral rail  78 , each being welded at the hook  96 . The hooks  96  act to direct a rough end portion of the longitudinal rail  94  away from user engagement. 
         [0007]    The longitudinal rails  94  are spaced across the opening defined by the perimeter rail  76  at regular intervals. The longitudinal rails  94  are each joined to the lateral rails  102  at welds  106  placed at their junctions. A short forward lateral rail  100  extends between some of the longitudinal rails  94  but does not extend to the side longitudinal rails  84 . A raised lateral rail  82  is attached to the rear lateral rail  80  and extends substantially parallel therewith along the rear of the rack  74  for handling purposes. 
         [0008]    As can be seen from the foregoing, there are numerous bends associated with constructions of the prior rack  74  including the corner bends  92  and the downward bends  86  in the side longitudinal rails  84 , each of which adds to the complexity and difficulty of manufacturing such a rack. The flattened portions  90  also add manufacturing complexity and the use of a continuous perimeter rail  76  adds yet another weld along the rear lateral rail  80  to make the perimeter rail  76  a continuous member. 
         [0009]    Due to the perimeter rail  76  being fabricated from one rail put through numerous bends and joined end-on-end to form the perimeter rail  76 , dimensional stability is an issue because such a perimeter rail may tend to warp and thereby may also put undue strain on the lateral rails  102 , the longitudinal rails  94  and their welded junctions. The lack of dimensional stability can make it difficult to mount the rails to the gliders and subsequently to the oven in an effective and efficient manner and can adversely affect operation of the telescoping rack. 
         [0010]    Accordingly, there exists a need for and oven rack that provides a simplified construction with fewer manufacturing steps and improved dimensional stability. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    It is accordingly an object to the present invention to provide a home appliance having an oven rack, and an oven rack assembly that eliminates the perimeter rail to provide a reduction in manufacturing steps and expense. 
         [0012]    It is another object of the present invention to provide such a home appliance having an oven rack and an oven rack assembly that eliminates bends and flattened areas to also provide a reduction in manufacturing steps and expense. 
         [0013]    It is another object to the present invention to provide such a home appliance having an oven rack and an oven rack assembly that provides enhanced dimensional stability due to the elimination of the perimeter rail the associated repeated bends. 
         [0014]    To those ends, the present invention is directed to a home appliance having an oven rack including an appliance body having a plurality of oven walls defining an oven cavity and an oven rack for removable disposition in the oven cavity. The oven rack includes two planar side panels and a plurality of straight cross members extending laterally therebetween to define a cooking vessel support surface. The present home appliance also includes pair of traveling gliders wherein each glider includes a channel configured for receipt of one of the side panels wherein the oven rack can travel in and out of the oven cavity supported at the side panels by the traveling gliders. 
         [0015]    Preferably, each side panel includes an upstanding body formed as a thin rectangular member having a first side surface and a second side surface separated by a top edge surface, a bottom edge surface, a front end edge surface and a rear end edge surface. It is further preferred that each side panel includes a throughbore in the upstanding body for engagement with a portion of one of the traveling gliders to facilitate mounting the rack to the traveling gliders. 
         [0016]    It is preferred that the plurality of cross members includes a straight front cross member extending between the side panels and being attached thereto in a region spaced from the front edge surface of each side panel. Preferably, the plurality of cross members includes a straight rear cross member extending between the side panels and being attached thereto in a region spaced from the rear edge surface of each side panel. 
         [0017]    Preferentially, the plurality of cross members includes both a straight front cross member extending between the side panels and being attached thereto in a region spaced from the front edge surface of each side panel and a straight rear cross member extending between the side panels and being attached thereto in a region spaced from the rear edge surface of each side panel. 
         [0018]    Preferably, the plurality of cross members includes a plurality of straight intermediate cross members extending between the side panels and being attached thereto in a region intermediate the front cross member and the rear cross member. 
         [0019]    In addition, the present invention preferably includes a plurality of longitudinal support members extending longitudinally between the front cross member and the rear cross member intermediate the side panels and in a generally parallel relationship with the side panels, wherein the plurality of longitudinal support members may be spaced from the side panels. It is further preferred that the plurality of longitudinal support members include curved portions extending around the front cross member for attachment thereto. 
         [0020]    It is preferred that the plurality of cross members includes a cross member extending laterally between two longitudinal support members and having ends spaced from the side panels. 
         [0021]    Preferably, the top edge surface, the bottom edge surface, the front end edge surface and the rear end edge surface are all substantially planar. It is further preferred that each panel body is a substantially planar rectangular sheet of rigid material. It is also preferred that each side panel extends at right angles from each straight cross member. 
         [0022]    The present invention is also embodied in a rack assembly for use in an oven. The present rack assembly includes a rack body having two planar side panels and a plurality of straight cross members extending laterally therebetween to define a cooking vessel support surface. The rack assembly of the present invention also includes a pair of traveling gliders wherein each glider includes a channel configured for receipt of one of the side panels whereby the rack body can travel in and out of the oven supported at the side panels by the traveling gliders. 
         [0023]    Preferably, each side panel includes an upstanding body formed as a thin rectangular member having a first side surface and a second side surface separated by a top edge surface, a bottom edge surface, a front end edge surface and a rear end edge surface. It is further preferred that each side panel includes a throughbore in the upstanding body for engagement with a portion of one of the traveling gliders to facilitate mounting the rack to the traveling gliders. 
         [0024]    It is preferred that the plurality of cross members includes a straight front cross member extending between the side panels and being attached thereto in a region spaced from the front edge surface of each side panel. It is further preferred that the plurality of cross members includes a straight rear cross member extending between the side panels and being attached thereto in a region spaced from the rear edge surface of each side panel. 
         [0025]    Preferably, the plurality of cross members includes both a straight front cross member extending between the side panels and being attached thereto in a region spaced from the front edge surface of each side panel and a straight rear cross member extending between the side panels and being attached thereto in a region spaced from the rear edge surface of each side panel. 
         [0026]    It is also preferred that the plurality of cross members includes a plurality of straight intermediate cross members extending between the side panels and being attached thereto in a region intermediate the front cross member and the rear cross member. 
         [0027]    The present invention further preferably includes a plurality of longitudinal support members extending longitudinally between the front cross member and the rear cross member intermediate and in a generally parallel relationship with the side panels. Preferentially, the plurality of longitudinal support members are spaced from the side panels and the plurality of longitudinal support members may include curved portions extending around the front cross member for attachment thereto. 
         [0028]    Preferably, the plurality of cross members includes a cross member extending laterally between two longitudinal support members and having ends spaced from the side panels. 
         [0029]    It is preferred that the top edge surface, the bottom edge surface, the front end edge surface and the rear end edge surface are all substantially planar. It is further preferred that each panel body is formed from a substantially planar rectangular sheet of rigid material. It is also preferred that each side panel extends at right angles from each straight cross member. 
         [0030]    By the above the present invention provides a home appliance having an improved oven rack and an improved oven rack assembly that is more straightforward to manufacture and is more dimensionally stable, particularly in being resistant to warping, than prior appliances and oven rack assemblies. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  is front perspective view of an oven rack according to the prior art; 
           [0032]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a home appliance in the form of a range having an oven with an improved oven rack according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the oven rack illustrated in  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0034]      FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of an improved oven rack assembly according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0035]    Turning now to the drawings and, more particularly to  FIG. 2 , a home appliance in the form of a range having an oven and an improved oven rack according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated generally at  10 . It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present oven rack assembly finds use in ranges such as the one illustrated in  FIG. 2  and built-in ovens, wherein both ranges and built-in ovens may also include steamers that are essentially ovens configured for cooking with steam. 
         [0036]    The range  10  includes a generally rectangular range body  12  that may be a freestanding range or a built-in range. The body  12  includes a control panel  14  mounted thereto. An oven cavity  16  is defined in the range body  12  by a plurality of oven walls  18 . An oven access opening in the range body  12  is selectively coverable by an oven door  20 . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that heating elements (not shown) are operationally associated with the oven for use in cooking. 
         [0037]    A rack  24  is provided for supporting cooking vessels in the oven cavity  16  and is configured for telescoping movement in and out of the oven cavity  16 . In order to more safely and effectively access any cooking vessels carried on the rack  24 , the rack  24  is mounted to and moves with traveling gliders  26 ,  28  along glider support elements  22  mounted to the oven walls  18 . The rack  24  and the gliders  26 ,  28  form a rack assembly. The rack assembly is also illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0038]    With reference to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 , the gliders  26 ,  28  are formed with channels for receiving the side portions of the rack  24  as seen in  FIG. 2 . The gliders  26 ,  28  facilitate dependable and stable movement of the rack  24  into and out of the oven cavity  16 . The direction of rack  24  movement is indicated by an arrow A in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0039]    In order to provide smooth movement and a rigid surface, the present rack  24  has substantial dimensional stability. A dimensionally stable rack should not warp or otherwise strain to bend which could jeopardize the integrity of its mount or urge the traveling gliders into a bind. During manufacture, such dimensional stability can make certain manufacturing steps more straightforward and efficient. 
         [0040]    The present rack is illustrated in  FIG. 3  without the traveling gliders  26 ,  28 . While the present rack  24  is configured for mating with the same gliders as the prior art rack of  FIG. 1 , it should be understood that there are no particular requirements of the gliders other than to support the rack  24  in a stable and sufficiently strong manner. 
         [0041]    The rack  24  includes a wire grid fabricated from metal rods extending intermediate two planar side panels  50 ,  52 . The wire grid does not include a perimeter rail and includes no significant bends and no wire side rails. Each side panel  50 ,  52  includes a generally planar rectangular slab-like, upstanding side body  54  that is formed as a generally flat, thin planar member having a flat outer surface  56  and a flat inner surface  58 . The side panels  50 ,  52  are devoid of overhangs, flanges and the like and define the forwardmost and rearwardmost extent of the rack  24 . 
         [0042]    Throughbores or holes  60 ,  62  are formed through each side body  54  for accommodating mounting lugs or bolts from the gliders. It should be understood that the holes  60 ,  62  may be formed through the side panels  50 ,  52  in whatever configuration or position required to accommodate the glider of choice. Each side panel  50 ,  52  includes thin edges separating the inner surface  58  and the outer surface  56 . The edges include a top edge  64 , a bottom edge  66 , and two end edges  68 . 
         [0043]    The cooking vessel support surface grid is fabricated from a plurality of lateral rails including a front lateral rail  30  and a rear lateral rail  32  extending as straight cross members between the side panels  50 ,  52 . Both the front later rail  30  and the rear later rail  32  are fixed to the side panels  50 ,  52  at each end thereof and spaced slightly inwardly from the end edges  68 . A raised rear lateral rail  34  extends from one connection point on the rear lateral rail  32  to another intermediate the two side panels  50 ,  52  and is spaced inwardly from the junction of the rear lateral rail  32  and the side panels  50 ,  52 . A pair of intermediate lateral rails  44  extend as straight cross members between the side panels,  50 ,  52 . All of the lateral rails  30 ,  32   44  are fixed to the side panels  50 ,  52  at respective welds  70 . While  FIG. 3  illustrates two intermediate lateral rails, there could be more depending on design factors. 
         [0044]    A plurality of parallelly extending longitudinal rails  36  are mounted to the front lateral rail  30  and the rear lateral rail  32  to extend therebetween as support members and form a portion of the cooking vessel support surface grid. The longitudinal rails  36  are attached by welds  40  at the rear lateral rail  32  and are fixed to the front lateral rail  30  at respective welds  38 . The longitudinal rails  36  are formed with curved hooks to remove any sharp or rough edges from the chance of user contact. 
         [0045]    A short intermediate lateral rail  46  extends as a straight cross member between the longitudinal rails  36  but does not engage either side panel  50 ,  52 . Further, short longitudinal rails  42  extend from the short lateral rail  46  to the rear lateral rail  32 . The short lateral rails  42  are intermediate two groups of four longitudinal rails  36  that together define a handle space  48  to accommodate access by a user to facilitate manually extending the rack from the oven and inserting the rack into the oven cavity. 
         [0046]      FIG. 4  illustrates the rack  24  mounted to the gliders  26 ,  28  with the side panels  50 ,  52  mounted to the channels of each glider  26 ,  28  to form a rack assembly. The mounting is accomplished using the holes in the side panels  50 ,  52  in conjunction with a nut-and-bolt arrangement associated with the gliders  26 ,  28 . Mounting elements  72  are provided that mount to the glider supports  22 , seen in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0047]    By the above, the present invention provides a home appliance and an oven rack assembly that reduces the cost of manufacture and enhances dimensional stability by eliminating repeated bends, welds, flattening steps and the perimeter wire form. The rack assembly of the present invention provides a more simplified construction and effectively enhances manufacturing efficiency while reducing the overall cost of the associated appliance. The rack itself requires less-intensive manufacturing steps and should also provide a lower cost as a spare part. 
         [0048]    It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of a broad utility and application. While the present invention is described in all currently foreseeable embodiments, there may be other, unforeseeable embodiments and adaptations of the present invention, as well as variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, that do not depart from the substance or scope of the present invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.