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US 8,757,743 B2Granted
Support system for use with an appliance
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorMark Wayne Wilson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A support system for use in an appliance includes at least one brace including a locking bar and at least one substantially vertical track configured to support the at least one brace. The at least one track includes a first side wall and a second side wall defining a channel therebetween, and a first series of teeth extending from the first side wall into the channel. The locking bar is configured to be supported at a first end on a tooth of the first series of teeth at a selected height within the appliance.
Claims22
A support system for use in an appliance, said support system comprising:
- at least one brace comprising a locking bar;
- and
- at least one substantially vertical track configured to support said at least one brace at a plurality of user-selectable heights within the appliance, said at least one track comprising:
- a first side wall, a second side wall, and a connecting structure defining a channel therebetween;
- and
- a first series of teeth extending from said first side wall into said channel and a second series of teeth extending from said second side wall into said channel, each tooth of said first series of teeth being associated with a corresponding tooth of said second series of teeth to form a plurality of sets of corresponding teeth facing each other, each set defining one of the plurality of user-selectable heights, wherein one tooth in each set of corresponding teeth is positioned lower along said at least one substantially vertical track relative to said other tooth in each set of corresponding teeth;
- and
- when said locking bar is supported by any set of said plurality of sets corresponding teeth, a first end of said locking bar is supported by one tooth of said set and a second end of said locking bar is supported by said other tooth of said set, wherein one of said first end and said second end of said locking bar is at a height along said at least one vertical track that is lower than a height of the other of said first end and said second end of said locking bar so that said locking bar extends between said first end and said second end at an oblique angle relative to said first side wall and said second side wall.
5 more elements
An appliance, comprising:
- at least one storage compartment including a plurality of interior walls at least partially defining a cavity of said at least one storage compartment and a door at least partially defining said cavity;
- a support structure positioned within said cavity of said at least one storage compartment;
- and
- a support system coupled to at least one interior wall of said plurality of interior walls and said door, said support system comprising:
- at least one brace comprising a locking bar, said at least one brace coupled to said support structure and configured to support said support structure within said at least one storage compartment;
- and
- at least one substantially vertical track configured to support said at least one brace, said at least one track comprising:
- a first side wall, a second side wall, and a connecting structure defining a channel therebetween;
- and
- a first series of teeth extending from said first side wall into said channel and a second series of teeth extending from said second side wall into said channel, each tooth of said first series of teeth being associated with a corresponding tooth of said second series of teeth to form a plurality of sets of corresponding teeth facing each other, each set defining one of a plurality of selectable heights for positioning said support system within said appliance along said at least one substantially vertical track at which, wherein one tooth in each set of corresponding teeth is positioned lower along said at least one substantially vertical track relative to said other tooth in each set of corresponding teeth;
- and
- when said locking bar is supported by any set of said plurality of sets corresponding teeth, a first end of said locking bar is supported by one tooth of said set and a second end of said locking bar is supported by said other tooth of said set, wherein one of said first end and said second end of said locking bar is at a height along said at least one vertical track that is lower than a height of the other of said first end and said second end of said locking bar so that said locking bar extends between said first end and said second end at an oblique angle relative to said first side wall and said second side wall.
9 more elements
A support system for use in an appliance including a plurality of interior walls at least partially defining a cavity of the appliance, said support system comprising:
- a brace comprising a locking bar;
- and
- a substantially vertical track configured to couple within the cavity to support said brace within the cavity of the appliance, said track comprising:
- a first side wall, a second side wall, and a connecting structure defining a channel therebetween;
- and
- a first series of teeth extending from said first side wall into said channel and a second series of teeth extending from said second side wall into said channel, each tooth of said first series of teeth being associated with a corresponding tooth of said second series of teeth to form a plurality of sets of corresponding teeth facing each other, each set defining one of a plurality of selectable heights for positioning said support system within said appliance along said substantially vertical track at which, wherein one tooth in each set of corresponding teeth is positioned lower along said substantially vertical track relative to said other tooth in each set of corresponding teeth;
- and
- when said locking bar is supported by any set of said plurality of sets corresponding teeth, a first end of said locking bar is supported by one tooth of said set and a second end of said locking bar is supported by said other tooth of said set, wherein one of said first end and said second end of said locking bar is at a height along said vertical track that is lower than a height of the other of said first end and said second end of said locking bar so that said locking bar extends between said first end and said second end at an oblique angle relative to said first side wall and said second side wall.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.