Expand-a-platter/tray

Abstract

A platter/tray holder consisting of tracks within tracks that expands to the length of the insides of a cabinet. Wires, in the shape of the inverted letter U, are, inserted vertically through holes in the tracks to fix the tracks and serve as separators to the platters, trays, plates, etc. The tracks, supported by legs, are themselves mounted on glides. The glides, attached to the bottom of the cabinet, slide in a perpendicular direction to the tracks and allow the entire platter/tray to be glided in and out of the cabinet for easy viewing and utilization.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0001] An expandable platter/tray that holds dishes, trays, etc. The structure comprises a frame within a frame, with each frame having a pair of parallel tracks. An inner frame tracks slides within the outer frame's tracks. Thus the length of the entire structure can be fixed by inserting holding wires vertically through the holes in the tracks thereby preventing the tracks from moving relative to one another. All of the tracks have precisely spaced holes so that wires, which are in general shape of a “U”, straddles both sides of the tracks and is inserted into the holes of the outer tracks and/or holes of the inner and outer tracks. The “U” shaped wires can hold the platters, plates, dishes, etc. from leaning on each other in the lengthwise direction, as well as fixing the movement of the frames relative to each other. The tracks are supported by legs. The bottom of the legs of the frames rest on glides themselves that glide in the direction perpendicular to the tracks. The tracks on which the glides rest are attached to the bottom of a cabinet. Thus the entire platter/tray structure, whose length has been fixed by the wires, is also free to glide outwards so that the platter tray can easily be seen and handled before being re-glided back into the cabinet. The invention allows an expandable platter tray to expand to within any size cabinet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to a holder of platters, trays, plates, etc. in kitchen cabinets. It is desirable to have such a holder that fits any of the many cabinet sizes. This invention meets that need by being expandable. Once a length has been decided this structure has the means of being fixed in length. It is also desirable for there to be a means of gliding outwards of the cabinet the platters, trays, plates, etc. from the kitchen cabinet so that these items may be inspected, used, washed, and rearranged. This invention meets these needs by being mounted on glides, which have been attached to the bottom of the cabinet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

[0003] PHOTO 1 is a photograph of the tracks partially extended that slide lengthwise within tracks. Legs support both sets of tracks.

[0004] PHOTO 2 is a photograph of the inner tracks more fully extended from the outer tracks.

[0005] PHOTO 3 is a photograph of the tracks mounted on a representation of glides. The glides have screw holes for mounting inside a kitchen cabinet,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Referring to the photographs initially to Photo 1, an Expandable Platter/Tray in accordance with the present invention, comprises an inner set of two tracks 3 within both sides of a frame 2,4,7,8 and an outer set of two tracks 4,7 which is also the frame. The frame and tracks are supported on both sides by legs 1, 2, 8. The inner tracks can be pulled out of the frame to fit the inner length of a cabinet. Both sets of tracks have holes 7 accurately spaced so that wires in the general shape of an inverted letter “U” can be pushed through the holes to stop relative movement between the inner and outer tracks while also serving to separate and hold plate/platter, etc. from movement in the Y direction. The tracks support plates from movement in the X direction.

[0007] Referring to Photo 2, the inner tracks are drawn outward of the frame in the Y direction. The length of extension depends on its desired fit in the kitchen cabinet. The U-shaped inverted wires would be inserted into the holes parallel to the tracks in the X direction to separate platter/trays, etc.

[0008] Referring to Photo 3, the aforementioned legs of the frame are themselves mounted on glides represented by 5 and 6. The glides allow the entire frame holding platters/trays etc. movement in the X direction. This serves as a “pull out” from the kitchen cabinet for easy access. The glides have means of being fastened to the floor of kitchen cabinet, such as holes 11 for screws. The inner rails have a “blocker” 9 to keep the ends of inner tracks from movement in the X direction.

EXAMINATION OF THE REFERENCES

[0009] (1) U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,681 to Chang, discloses an extendable bookshelf. FIGS. 2 and 3, in particular, show the bookshelf in an extended mode (as compared with FIG. 1 that shows the bookshelf in a non-extended mode). As shown in FIG. 2 of Chang, a series of holes 14 are made in a base 10, and a slide 20, which fits within the base 10, also has holes 21 which correspond to the holes in the base. The degree of extension of the bookshelf is based upon placing a stay 40 (which is referred to at column 2, lines 5-6 as being U-shaped), the stay having a pair of legs 40 coupled by an arm 42 on which a cushioning sleeve 43 is placed to provide the user with some degree of comfort and grip when changing positions. When the inner slide 20 is moved out of the channel 12 of base 10 an L-shaped extension comprising a first limb 46 and a second limb 47 can engage in the holes 21 of the slide 20. There are also two stays 30 that are positioned across the shelf so as to provide an area in which the books can be stably secured to the shelf. It is clear from Chang that the stays are of sufficient length so that any of them could be pressed down through the holes of the base portion 10 and the slide.

[0010] (2) U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,063 to Remmers, discloses an organizer glide system, whereby a base frame 12 has a pair of support rails 14 attached thereon, the base frame being attached to the bottom of a wire basket organizer 16 which permits (as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 the basket be slid in and out along the rails.

[0011] (3) U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,016 to Kay, discloses a closet storage system, whereby an extension 20 is extended from a bracket 10 and is held by E-Clip 40 to which a pin 52 (as best shown in FIG. 4) fits through the aligned holes in the E-C lip and those of the bracket and/or extension member 20.

[0012] (4) U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,093 to Chiariello et al., discloses a desk organizer for organizing papers and files having a series base members 12 that have slots 12J in which a plurality of wire dividers 22 are placed therein.

[0013] (5) U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,369 to Eisenberg, discloses an expandable rack which has (as shown in FIG. 1) a shelf means 12 consisting of an inner most section 14 and an outer shelf 16, both of which having flanged edges and receivably arranged within each other so as to permit telescopic extension.

[0014] (6) U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,908 to Mathews, discloses an extendable display shelf, which is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and includes shelves 40 having bracket arms 42, which are individually secured to vertically extending space apart uprights 44, with the bracket arms 42 having outwardly extending teeth 46 to be received in the uprights. The bracket arms 42 include an extension 62 that is telescopingly received within the bracket arm and via a spring detent 64 is urged into engagement with linear holes 66 in the side of the bracket arm 42. The extension arm 62 is adjusted to the desired depth of the shelf by pushing the detent 64 through the hole 66 and moving the extension in or out.

[0015] (7) U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,744 to Cruckshank, discloses an “expansible” shelf addition comprising two telescoping sheet metal members, each member having a plurality of linear equally close spaced perforations, and wire-formed supporting end legs that are attached through the perforations. As shown in FIG. 1, the sheet members can be adjusted to a specific length whereby a generally Ushaped center leg 15, referred to as a unitary wire formed member has upper free ends 44 and 45, which will extend through the perforations as shown in FIG. 1 to lock the members in place.

[0016] (8) U.S. Pat. No. 2,946,458 to P. Du Boff et al., discloses reciprocating tray units, wherein a kitchen cabinet or cupboard 1 has a reciprocating tray unit 4 with rails 8, 10 extending along opposite sides of the cabinet. A tray member 22 is reciprocatively mounted on a base member 6 by a coupling 24 and can be slide and/or moved outwardly to a convenient position from the cabinet secured from a shelf C, and slide outwardly so that the cup B can be removed from the rack.

[0017] (9) U.S. Pat. No. 1,974,983 to H. A. Cook, discloses a cabinet shelf, whereby a shelf 18 can slide along a fixed rack 19 to permit access to items in the back of the cabinet shelf.

[0018] (10) U.S. Pat. No. 1,095,073 to G. B. Bish, discloses a skirt hanger for cabinets, whereby a plurality of resilient garment engaging members 30 are carried by a supporting member 23, wherein when a garment is desired to obtained from the case, a handle 36 is pulled and the slidably mounted garment supporting member drawn up far enough to get the desired garment.

Claims

1. An Expandable Platter/Tray structure comprising the edges of a box-like frame in which there are rails parallel to and above one another on one end, connected together at each end by a leg perpendicular to the flat of the rails; and a like set of opposing parallel rails connected to the former rails by cross bars; and a like set of four rails connected by cross bars slidably contained within the frame of the first set of parallel rails such that the inner sets of rails on each side are directly between and parallel to the rails of the frame; and the inner set of rails having a leg at one end outside of the frame and a control member connected to the other end by which that end may rest on but is contained from lateral movement of the rails;

2. The rails having a plurality of aligned spaced holes such that at certain spacings the holes from the rails, one atop another, are vertically aligned, and with the insertion of wire through the holes, relative movement between the rails is prevented, and the wires may go through two or four rails on each side.

3. The three sets of legs are mounted on slides such that slidable movement of the structure is possible on the same plane as the bottom of the legs but perpendicular to the rails.