Support assembly for an appliance

An appliance, comprising:

• a support surface configured to selectively transition between a stowed position, a deployed position, and an intermediate position, where the intermediate position is between the stowed position and the deployed position;
• a retaining space defined by an inner liner of the appliance, wherein the retaining space receives the support surface;
• a bracket coupled to the support surface, wherein the bracket is disposed along a length of the support surface, and wherein the bracket is configured to distribute a load along the length of the support surface when the support surface is in the intermediate position and the deployed position;
• a first retention feature operably coupled to the bracket at a first end of the support surface;
• a second retention feature operably coupled to the bracket at a second end of the support surface, wherein the second end of the support surface is an opposing end from the first end;
• and
• a coupling feature positioned within the retaining space, wherein the coupling feature receives at least one component chosen from the first retention feature and the second retention feature such that the support surface is retained in the stowed position, and wherein the coupling feature releases the at least one component chosen from the first retention feature and the second retention feature in response to a compressive force being applied to an edge of the support surface.

A cabinet, comprising:

• an inner liner defining a retaining space, wherein the inner liner defines grooves within the retaining space;
• and
• a support assembly operably coupled to the inner liner, the support assembly including:
• a support surface operable between a stowed position and a deployed position;
• a first retention feature and a second retention feature rotatably coupled to opposing ends of the support surface, the first retention feature and the second retention feature each including a projection operably coupled to the support surface, and wherein the projections of the first and second retention features define an axis about which the support surface is configured to rotate;
• and
• a bracket coupled to each of the first and second retention features, wherein the bracket is coupled to the support surface, the bracket including flanges selectively coupled to the inner liner and configured to brace the support surface in the deployed position of the support surface, wherein the flanges are received within the grooves when the support surface is in the stowed position.