Patent Publication Number: US-9408462-B1

Title: Support rack locking apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0062291, filed on May 1, 2015, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a support rack locking apparatus, and more particularly, to a support rack locking apparatus wherein a support rack is not drawn out when a shelf rack is drawn out from the inside a machine body. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Generally, a home appliance, such as an electric or gas oven, a dish washer, etc., includes a shelf rack on which items, such as prepared food or dishes, are easily put inside the body of a machine and from which the items are easily taken out. 
     In many examples, shelf racks are installed at support racks so as to move in a forward or backward direction and the support racks are installed so as to be attached to or detached from the body of the machine. 
     That is, a rack assembly in which the shelf rack is installed at the support rack so as to forwardly or backwardly move is usually installed to be attached to or detached from the body of the machine. In this case, the support rack of the rack assembly is insertedly installed at mounting rails provided on both sides within a cavity forming a cooking space or washing space. A number of pairs of the mounting rails are provided in a vertical direction, to adjust the cooking height or washing height. 
     When the aforementioned rack assembly is used, the use is easy by sliding only the shelf rack from the body of the machine to put items on or take them out while the support shelf is supported by the body of the machine during the process of cooking or washing. 
     In addition, when the rack assembly is separated from the body of the machine, it is possible to easily clean the inside of the body of the machine or the rack assembly. 
     The present invention relates to a support rack locking apparatus to prevent a support rack from being drawn together when a shelf rack is drawn from the support rack attachably and detachably installed in the body of the machine. 
     Patent Document 1 cited below discloses a rack assembly and an oven including the same. 
     The rack assembly of Patent Document 1 comprises: a mounting rack to be mounted inside an oven chamber; a slidable rack to be pulled out and pushed into the oven chamber by a sliding motion to the mounting rack; a rail unit enabling the sliding motion of the slidable rack to the mounting rack; holding ribs provided at both ends of the mounting rack, to position the mounting rack at a predetermined height in the oven chamber; and motion preventing ribs provided at the both end of the mounting rack, to prevent the mounting rack from forwardly moving in the oven chamber at least when the slidable rack is slid out. 
     The rack assembly of Patent Document 1 makes it possible to draw out the slidable rack on which items are put relative to the mounting rack supported by the oven chamber and to prevent the mounting rack from being drawn out together with the slidable rack by using the motion preventing ribs. 
     Patent Document 2 cited below discloses an extension rack assembly. 
     In the extension rack assembly of Patent Document 2, a supporting member and a locking member are provided to a fixed rail member which is fixedly installed at a support rack, an operating member is provided to a moving rail member which is fixedly installed at a shelf rack and connected to the fixed rail member so as to be forwardly or backwardly movable by a sliding motion. 
     In the extension rack assembly of Patent Document 2, when the shelf rack and the moving rail member are slid from the support rack and the fixed rail member supported to a mounting rail inside the body of a machine, the locking member elastically supported through a coil spring is bent towards the side of the cavity, to be stopped in the mounting rail. Accordingly, the support rack and the fixed rail member are not drawn to the outside of the body of the machine, together with the shelf rack and the moving rail member. 
     RELATED ART DOCUMENT 
     Patent Document 
     (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Published Application No. 10-2010-0084384 (laid-open on Jul. 26, 2010) 
     (Patent Document 2) US Patent Published Application No. US 2012/0097147 A1 (published on Apr. 26, 2012) 
     However, in a support rack locking apparatus of the extension rack assembly according to Patent Document 2, the coil spring elastically supporting the locking member is likely to be damaged by high heat, etc. in the cavity during use. Further, the coil spring loosens or protrudes so that the machine cannot operate smoothly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems and to provide a support rack locking apparatus which can be more easily manufactured and is capable of more smoothly locking a support rack without any concern of operational problems. 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a support rack locking apparatus, comprising: a support rack attachably or detachably installed at mounting rails provided at both sides in a cavity of a machine body; a shelf rack installed at the support rack, to move in a forward or backward direction; fixed rail members fixedly installed at both sides of the support rack; movable rail members fixedly installed at both sides of the shelf rack and connected to the fixed rail members to be forwardly or backwardly movable; a supporting member fixedly installed at the outside of each of the fixed rail members; a locking member pivotally connected with the supporting member by using a hinge connecting pin; and an operating member fixedly installed at each of the movable rail members, to operate the locking member, wherein the supporting member comprises: an elastic supporting piece positioned at the middle of the supporting member and having a front end outwardly protruding; and hinge connecting pieces provided above and under the elastic supporting piece. 
     The locking member includes a locking section positioned at a front lower section of the locking member; hinge connecting pieces provided at upper and lower positions of an inside rear section of the locking member; and a contact section formed at a top of the inside rear section of the locking member. 
     The upper one of the hinge connecting pieces of the locking member includes: an outer rim surface to be in contact with the elastic supporting piece of the supporting member; a circular arc being concentric to a hinge connecting aperture in front of the upper hinge connecting piece; and a cam incline in rear of the upper hinge connecting piece. 
     The contact section of the locking member includes: a triangular protrusion in front of the contact section. 
     The operating member includes: a fixed section to be fixed to the movable rail member; and a contact protrusion outwardly protruding from the top of the fixed section. 
     The contact protrusion of the operating member includes: a contact incline formed at the front and rear of the contact protrusion. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by describing in detail the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a support rack locking apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of main parts of the support rack locking apparatus; 
         FIG. 3 a    is a perspective view of the main parts of the support rack locking apparatus according to the present invention when a shelf rack is positioned inside a cavity of a machine body; 
         FIG. 3 b    is a perspective view of the main parts of the support rack locking apparatus when the shelf rack is drawn out; 
         FIG. 4 a    is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the support rack locking apparatus when the shelf rack is positioned inside; 
         FIG. 4 b    is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the support rack locking apparatus when the shelf rack is drawn out; 
         FIG. 5 a    is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the support rack locking apparatus when the shelf rack is going to be positioned inside after it has been drawn out; and 
         FIG. 5 b    is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the support rack locking apparatus when the shelf rack having been drawn out is now positioned inside. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF NUMBERS FOR CONSTITUENTS IN DRAWINGS 
     
         
           100 : support rack locking apparatus 
           110 : support rack 
           120 : shelf rack 
           130 : fixed rail member 
           140 : movable rail member 
           150 : supporting member 
           160 : locking member 
           170 : operating member 
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiment(s) of the invention is shown so that those of ordinary skill in the art can easily carry out the present invention. 
     It should be understood that, the terms of directional natures, “upward”, “downward”, “forward”, “backward”, etc., are defined based on the states illustrated in the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a support rack locking apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is an exploded view of main parts of the support rack locking apparatus. 
     A support rack locking apparatus  100  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises: a support rack  110 , a shelf rack  120 , a fixed rail member  130 , a movable rail member  140 , a supporting member  150 , a locking member  160  and an operating member  170 . 
     The support rack  110  is to support the shelf rack  120  and is attachably or detachably installed in mounting rails provided both sides in a cavity  210  of a machine body  200 . 
     The shelf rack  120  is used to receive items within the machine body  200  or to take out the items from the machine body  200 . The shelf rack  120  is installed on the support rack  110  such that the shelf rack  120  is slidable in a forward or backward direction. 
     The fixed rail members  130  support the movable rail members  140  and the shelf rack  120  for receiving and taking out the items placed on the self rack  120 . The fixed rail members  130  are fixedly installed at both sides of the support rack  110 . 
     The movable rail members  140  are fixedly installed at both sides of the shelf rack  120  and slidably in the forward or backward direction connected to the fixed rail members  130 . 
     The supporting member  150  is to support the pivot of the locking member  160 . The supporting member  150  is fixedly installed at the outside of each of the fixed rail member  130 . 
     The supporting member  150  is in a flat shape. The supporting member  150  comprises: an elastic supporting piece  151  and hinge connecting pieces  152 . The elastic supporting piece  151  is positioned in the middle of the supporting member  150  and has a front end protruding outwardly. The hinge connecting pieces  152  are positioned above and under the elastic supporting piece  151 . 
     The locking member  160  is to lock the support rack  110  so that the support rack  110  is prevented from being drawn out to the outside of the machine body  200  when the shelf rack  120  is drawn out. The locking member  160  is pivotally connected to the supporting member  150  by a hinge connection pin H. 
     The locking member  160  comprises: a locking section  161 ; hinge connecting pieces  162 ; and a contact section  163 . The locking section  161  is a front lower section of the locking member  160 . The hinge connecting pieces  162  are positioned at upper and lower positions of an inside rear section of the locking member  160 . The contact section  163  is formed at a top of the inside rear section of the locking member  160 . 
     The outer rim surface of the upper one of the hinge connecting pieces  162  is in contact with the elastic supporting piece  151  of the supporting member  150 . 
     A circular arc  162   a  which is concentric to a hinge connecting aperture is provided in the front of the upper hinge connecting piece  162  of the locking member  160  and a cam incline  162   b  is provided in the back thereof. 
     A triangular protrusion  163   a  is provided in the front of the contact section  163  of the locking member  160 . 
     The operating member  170  to operate the pivot of the locking member  160  is fixedly installed to the movable rail member  140 . 
     The operating member  170  comprises a fixed section  171  to be fixed to the movable rail member  140 ; and a contact protrusion  172  outwardly protruding from the top of the fixed section  171 . 
     A contact incline  172   a  is formed at an outside front and rear of the contact protrusion  172  of the operating member  170 . 
     A stopping protrusion  221  is provided in the mounting rail  220  described below. 
     The support rack locking apparatus  100  according to the embodiment of the present invention prevents the support rack  110  from being drawn out together with the shelf rack  120  by locking the support rack  110  when the shelf rack  120  is drawn out from the cavity  210  of the machine body  200 . 
       FIG. 3 a    is a perspective view of the main parts of the support rack locking apparatus according to the present invention when the shelf rack is positioned inside showing the movement of the support locking apparatus when the shelf rack moves to the outside; and  FIG. 3 b    is a perspective view of the main parts of the support rack locking apparatus when the shelf rack is now in position for being drawn out after positioned inside. 
       FIG. 4 a    is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the support rack locking apparatus of  FIG. 3 a   ; and  FIG. 4 b    is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the support rack locking apparatus of  FIG. 3   b.    
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 a , 3 b , 4 a  and 4 b   , when the movable rail member  140  fixedly installed at the shelf rack  120  is positioned in the fixed rail member  130  fixedly installed at the support rack  110 , the contact protrusion  172  of the operating member  170  installed at the movable rail member  140  is positioned at the rear of the triangular protrusion  163   a  of the contact section  163  of the locking member  160 , so that the locking section  161  of the locking member  160  cannot pivot to the outside of the locking section  161 . 
     The outside of the locking section  161  means the inner wall of the cavity  210 . 
     In the state that where the shelf rack  120  is positioned inside, the support rack  110  and the shelf rack  120  together enter into the cavity  210  of the machine body  200  to be positioned in the mounting rails  220 , or the support rack  110  is separated from the mounting rails  220  to be drawn out of the machine body  200 . 
     In the state that where the support rack  110  and the shelf rack  120  are positioned inside the cavity  210  of the machine body  200 , when the shelf rack  120  is pulled forward to load items on the shelf rack  120 , it drawn out of the machine body  200 , together with the movable rail members  140 . 
     When the shelf rack  120  and the movable rail members  140  are drawn out from the cavity  210 , the contact protrusion  172  of the operating member  170  fixedly installed at the movable rail member  140  pushes the triangular protrusion  163   a  of the contact section  163  of the locking member  160  and therefore the locking section  161  of the locking member  160  elastically supported by the elastic supporting piece  151  of the supporting member  150  pivots towards the inner wall of the cavity  210 . Accordingly, as shown in  FIG. 4 b   , the front end of the locking section  161  of the locking member  160  is stopped by the stopping protrusion  221  of the mounting rail  220  of the cavity  210 . 
     In this manner, when the shelf rack  120  is drawn out from the cavity  210 , together with the movable rail members  140 , the support rack  110  and the fixed rail members  130  are not drawn out from the cavity  210 . 
       FIG. 5 a    is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the support rack locking apparatus when the shelf rack is going to be positioned inside showing the movement of the support rack locking apparatus when the shelf rack moves to the inside; and  FIG. 5 b    is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the support rack locking apparatus when the shelf rack having been drawn out is now positioned inside. 
     In the process of pushing the shelf rack  120  back into the cavity  210  after loading items on the shelf rack  120  which has been drawn out from the cavity  210 , as shown in  FIG. 5 a   , the contact protrusion  172  of the operating member  170  which moves backward together with the movable rail member  140  pushes the contact section  163  of the locking member  160 . Accordingly, the locking section  161  of the locking member  160  pivots inward, to be out of the stopping protrusion  221  of the mounting rail  220  of the cavity  210 . 
     When the shelf rack  120  which has been drawn out is positioned inside, as shown in  FIG. 5 b   , the contact protrusion  172  of the operating member  170  is positioned at the rear of the triangular protrusion  163   a  of the contact section  163  of the locking member  160  and therefore the locking section  161  of the locking member  160  cannot pivot outwardly. 
     According to the support rack locking apparatus  100  of the present invention as described above, since the support rack  110  is locked when the shelf rack  120  is drawn from the cavity  210  of the machine body  200 , it is possible to safely put items on the shelf rack  120  or to safely take out the items from the shelf rack  120 . 
     Furthermore, according to the support rack locking apparatus  100  of the present invention, when the shelf rack  120  which has been drawn is positioned inside the cavity  210  of the machine body  200 , the locking state of the support rack  110  is released and the support rack  110  can be drawn out of the cavity  210  of the machine body  200 , together with the shelf rack  120 . 
     The invention has been described using preferred exemplary embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the scope of the invention is intended to include various modifications and alternative arrangements within the capabilities of persons skilled in the art using presently known or future technologies and equivalents. The scope of the claims, therefore, should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.