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US 9,982,937 B2Granted
Appliance with geared drawer assembly
AssigneeDometic Sweden AB
InventorsJames Tierney, Craig Reske, James Gregory Bowers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An appliance is provided having a cabinet with at least one compartment for positioning of a drawer. The drawer may be moved into and out of the at least one compartment and the drawer comprises a food container. The drawer includes a geared assembly having a gear rack and pinion gear which inhibit wobble of the drawer when the drawer is pulled from the at least one compartment or is pushed into the at least one compartment.
Claims31
A geared drawer assembly for a cooling appliance, comprising:
- a cabinet having a drawer compartment therein;
- a drawer which is movable into and out of said drawer compartment;
- a first rack gear and a second rack gear disposed within said drawer compartment;
- a first pinion gear and a second pinion gear pivotally mounted to said drawer and engaging said rack gear;
- each of said first and second rack gears having a first row and a second row of gear teeth;
- said first row of gear teeth and said second row of gear teeth being offset in a longitudinal direction;
- a space between the gear teeth on each of said rack gears being angled toward lateral edges to drain fluid from said gear racks.
4 more elements
A geared drawer assembly for a cooling appliance, comprising:
- an appliance housing having a drawer compartment therein;
- a food container movable within said drawer compartment;
- a first pinion gear and a second pinion gear rotatably connected to said food container;
- a first rack gear and a second rack gear disposed within said drawer compartment engaging said first pinion gear and second pinion gear, respectively, said first and second rack gears having an upper surface from which rack teeth extend, said upper surface being flat or angled;
- said first and second pinion gears each having a first row and a second row of gear teeth, said gear teeth of said first row and said second row being offset in a circumferential direction of said pinion gears;
- one of a longitudinal rib or a longitudinal depression extending along said rack;
- an axle extending from said first mount to said second mount, said first mount and said second mount each having a force tab which engages said axle and inhibits disengagement of said first and second gear pinions from said first and second gear racks, respectively.
4 more elements
A geared drawer assembly, comprising:
- an appliance having a compartment and a drawer, said drawer being movable into and out of the compartment;
- a first rack gear and a second rack gear fixed within said compartment relative to a floor within said compartment;
- a first pinion gear and a second pinion gear, said first pinion gear disposed above said first rack gear and said second rack gear, respectively, and engaging said rack gears;
- each of said pinion gears has a first row and a second row of circumferentially arranged gear teeth, said gear teeth of said first row and said gear teeth of said second row being misaligned in an axial direction;
- said first rack gear and said second rack gear each having a first row and a second row of gear teeth, said gear teeth of said first row and said gear teeth of said second row being misaligned so that said gear teeth of said pinion gears engage said gear teeth of said rack gears;
- a force tab extending from said drawer and applying a force to said first and second pinion gears to maintain engagement with said first and second rack gears.
3 more elements
A geared drawer assembly, comprising:
- a drawer including a cover connected to a food container;
- a rack gear positioned on said drawer;
- a pinion gear located on a wall of an appliance compartment positioned for engagement of said rack gear;
- said pinion gear having first and second rows of gear teeth, said gear teeth of said first row offset in a circumferential direction from said second row of gear teeth;
- said rack gear having a first row of rack gear teeth and a second row of rack gear teeth, said first row offset in a longitudinal direction from said second row of rack gear teeth;
- wherein said gear teeth on said pinion are a same size and said gear teeth of said rack gear are a same size;
- said rack gear including one of a rib and a depression, said pinion gear including the other of said rib and said depression.
4 more elements
A geared drawer assembly, comprising:
- a drawer having a food container which is slidable relative to a drawer compartment;
- a first mount and a second mount removable disposed on said drawer;
- an axle disposed through said mounts, said axle having first and second pinion gears disposed near ends thereof, respectively;
- and,
- first and second rack gears disposed in said drawer compartment and being engaged by said first and second pinion gears;
- a force tab extending from said first mount and said second mount which inhibits disengagement of said rack gears from said pinion gears.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.