Handle rack

Abstract

A handle rack ( 100 ) includes an oven rack ( 102 ) moveable between extended and retracted positions within an oven cavity. In one embodiment, a handle ( 116 ) has a rear handle brace ( 118 ) interconnected to support members ( 110 ) of the oven rack ( 102 ). A pair of handle sides ( 122 ) are interconnected to or otherwise integral with the rear handle brace ( 118 ), and extend perpendicularly to the support members ( 110 ). The handle ( 116 ) also includes a front handle brace ( 120 ), being elongated and substantially parallel to the rear handle brace ( 118 ). The handle sides ( 122 ) are integral with or otherwise interconnected to the front handle brace ( 120 ). The handle ( 116 ) is provided for purposes of manual manipulation in extending and retracting the oven rack ( 102 ) relative to the oven cavity.

1 . An oven rack adapted for use with a handle, so as to form, in combination, a handle rack for use in an oven cavity, said oven cavity having an oven door and said handle rack comprising: 
 means for supporting said handle rack within said oven cavity;    means for supporting items to be cooked or otherwise heated within said oven cavity;    said handle being secured to said oven rack at a front portion of said oven rack positioned adjacent said oven door;    said handle being sized and configured so that an opening is formed between a front portion of said handle and a front portion of said oven rack, said opening being of a size sufficient so that a user can readily grip said front portion of said handle, with at least a part of said user's hand extending through said opening; and    said handle being positioned so that said user can exert forces on said handle, so that said oven rack can be extended from or retracted into said oven cavity, as desired.    
   
   
       2 . A handle in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said handle comprises: 
 a rear handle brace having an elongated configuration, which is positioned intermediate sides of the oven rack and extends partially across said front portion of said oven rack;    a pair of handle sides, each handle side extending forward of said rear handle brace, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said elongated rear handle brace;    a front handle brace having an elongated configuration with a length substantially corresponding to a length of said rear handle brace, with said front handle brace positioned substantially parallel to said rear handle brace; and    when said user wishes to exert forces on said handle rack so as to extend or retract said handle rack from said oven cavity, said user manually grips said front handle brace and exerts forces in a direction corresponding to a perpendicular direction between said rear handle brace and said front handle brace.    
   
   
       3 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said handle comprises: 
 a front brace of said oven rack, which acts as a rear brace of said handle, said rear brace of said handle having an elongated configuration and extending the entirety of the length between opposing sides of said oven rack;    a pair of opposing side portions, positioned adjacent opposing ends of said rear brace of said handle, and extending forwardly toward said oven door relative to said rear brace of said handle;    a front handle brace having an elongated configuration and extending between said opposing side portions forwardly of said rear brace of said handle, said front handle brace having a curved and elongated configuration;    said front handle brace and said rear handle brace forming a single and substantially horizontal plane when said handle rack is positioned within said oven cavity; and    when said user wishes to manually extend or retract said handle rack relative to said oven cavity, said user may grip said front handle brace and exert forces thereon so as to extend or retract said handle rack relative to said oven cavity.    
   
   
       4 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said handle comprises: 
 a rear handle brace having an elongated configuration and positioned intermediate opposing sides of said oven rack at a front portion thereof, and extending at least partially across the width of said oven rack;    a pair of opposing side portions extending forwardly of said rear handle brace, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the elongated length of said rear handle brace;    a front handle brace having an elongated and curved configuration, and extending between said side portions of said handle, said front handle brace being angled downwardly relative to; and    when said user wishes to extend or retract said oven rack relative to said oven cavity, said user may grip said front handle brace and exert pulling or pushing forces thereon so as to extend or retract said oven rack relative to said oven cavity.    
   
   
       5 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said handle comprises: 
 a rear handle brace which forms a front brace for said oven rack, said rear handle brace of said handle extending across the entirety of the width of said oven rack;    a pair of opposing side portions, located adjacent opposing sides of said oven rack;    a front handle brace positioned forwardly of said rear handle brace, and having an elongated and curved configuration extending between said opposing side portions of said handle;    said side portions and said front handle brace are angled downwardly relative to said rear handle brace of said handle; and    when said user wishes to extend or retract said oven rack relative to said oven cavity, said user may manually grip said front handle brace and exert pulling or pushing forces thereon so as to extend or retract said oven rack relative to said oven cavity.    
   
   
       6 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said oven rack further comprises: 
 an elongated rear brace positioned adjacent the rear of said oven cavity when said oven rack is in a retracted position within said oven cavity;    a right brace extending perpendicular to said rear brace, and extending between forward and rear sections of said oven rack, and essentially acting as a support brace for other elements of said oven rack, whereby when said oven rack is placed within said oven cavity, said right brace will rest or otherwise be releasably secured on a rib or other supporting element of said oven cavity;    a left brace parallel to said right brace and interconnected or otherwise integral with said rear brace, and extending between rear and front portions of said oven rack.    
   
   
       7 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 6 , characterized in that said oven rack further comprises: 
 a series of parallel and longitudinally extending elongated support members, acting as the principal support members of said oven rack for supporting items to be heated or otherwise cooked within said oven cavity;    rear ends of said support members being connected to said rear brace by rigid securing means;    said right brace, said left brace and said support members having a series of intermediate forms located near rear portions of said braces and said support members, with said intermediate forms being connected to or otherwise integral with angled forms, said angled configuration of said angled forms assisting in preventing items placed on said support members from falling off of said oven rack over said rear brace.    
   
   
       8 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 7 , characterized in that said oven rack further comprises: 
 a central brace, extending perpendicular to said right brace and said left brace, and positioned substantially intermediate from said rear brace and said front brace.    
   
   
       9 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 8 , characterized in that said oven rack further comprises a front brace having a left portion and a right portion, providing a forward bracing means for said oven rack, with certain of said support members being interconnected to said left portion of said front brace, and certain others of said support members being interconnected to said right portion of said front brace.  
   
   
       10 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 9 , characterized in that said handle comprises: 
 a rear handle brace having an elongated configuration, and extending parallel to said rear brace and to said central brace, with certain of said support members having one end of each of the same interconnected to said rear handle brace;    a pair of handle sides interconnected to or otherwise integral with said rear handle brace, and extending substantially parallel to said support members, said right brace and said left brace; and    a front handle brace, having an elongated configuration and positioned substantially parallel to said rear handle brace, with said handle sides being integral with or otherwise connected to said front handle brace.    
   
   
       11 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 10 , characterized in that said front handle brace is integral with said front brace comprising said left portion and said right portion.  
   
   
       12 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said oven rack further comprises: 
 an elongated rear brace positioned adjacent the rear of said oven cavity when said oven rack is in a retracted position within said oven cavity;    a right brace extending perpendicular to said rear brace, and extending between forward and rear sections of said oven rack, and acting as a support brace for other elements of said oven rack;    a left brace parallel to said right brace and interconnected or otherwise integral with said rear brace, said left brace extending between rear and front portions of said oven rack;    a plurality of parallel and longitudinally extending elongated support members, acting as the principal support members of said oven rack for supporting items to be heated or otherwise cooked within said oven cavity, rear ends of said support members being connected to said rear brace;    a plurality of intermediate forms located near rear portions of said braces and said support members, and connected to or otherwise integral with angled forms, said angled forms assisting in preventing items placed on said support members from falling off of said oven rack over said rear brace;    a central brace extending perpendicular to said right brace and said left brace, and positioned substantially intermediate said rear brace and said front brace, said central brace being connected to said support members, said right brace and said left brace;    a front brace providing a further bracing means for said oven rack, with each of said support members being interconnected at ends thereof to said front brace;    said handle comprising a curved front portion extending across the entirety of a front portion of said oven rack, and comprising a single element having a rounded and elongated configuration, providing a means for a user to manually grip a portion of said handle rack, for purposes of extending and retracting said oven rack; and    said handle further comprises a pair of opposing side portions connected to a front portion of said oven rack, said side portions being integral with said right brace and said left brace, as well as said front section.    
   
   
       13 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 6 , characterized in that said handle further comprises: 
 a rear handle brace having elongated configuration, and extending parallel to said rear brace and said central brace;    said intermediate support members having one end of each of the same interconnected to said rear handle brace;    each opposing end of said rear handle brace being interconnected to one of said support members;    a front brace, having a left portion and a right portion, forming a forward bracing means for said oven rack;    certain of said support members being interconnected to said left portion of said front handle brace, and certain of said support members being interconnected to said right portion of said front handle brace; and    said front handle brace having an elongated configuration and positioned in a manner so as to have a curved configuration.    
   
   
       14 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 13 , characterized in that said front handle brace is integral with said front brace comprising said left portion and said right portion.  
   
   
       15 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 6 , characterized in that said handle comprises: 
 a curved front handle brace having a pair of opposing side portions, with said front handle brace having a curved configuration extending across an entirety of a width of said interconnected oven rack;    said side portions being interconnected to or otherwise integral with said front handle brace and/or left and right side braces of said interconnected oven rack;    said side portions and said front handle brace being angled downwardly; and    a front brace positioned rearwardly of said front handle brace, said front brace providing a bracing and supporting means for interconnected support members of said oven rack.    
   
   
       16 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that: 
 said means for supporting items to be cooked or otherwise heated within said oven cavity comprises a series of elongated support members extending from a rear portion of said oven rack to a front portion of said oven rack;    said handle comprises a rear handle brace having an elongated configuration, positioned intermediate sides of said oven rack and extending partially across said front portion of said oven rack;    said handle further comprises a front handle brace having an elongated configuration with a length substantially corresponding to a length of said rear handle brace, and with said front handle brace positioned substantially parallel to said rear handle brace;    an opening is formed in said handle rack between said rear handle brace and said front handle brace, and opposing sides of said opening are formed by sections of said elongated support members extending from ends of said rear handle brace to ends of said front handle brace; and    when said user wishes to extend or retract said oven rack relative to said oven cavity, said user may grip said front brace portion and exert pulling or pushing forces thereon so as to extend or retract said oven rack relative to said oven cavity.    
   
   
       17 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 16 , characterized in that said sections of said elongated supporting members are attached to opposing ends of said rear handle brace.  
   
   
       18 . A handle rack in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said handle comprises: 
 a rear handle brace having an elongated configuration and positioned intermediate opposing sides of said oven rack at a front portion thereof, and extending at least partially across the width of said oven rack;    a pair of opposing side portions extending forwardly of said rear handle brace, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the elongated length of said rear handle brace;    a front handle brace having an elongated and curved configuration, and extending between said side portions of said handle, said front handle brace and said rear handle brace forming a single and substantially horizontal plane when said handle rack is positioned within said oven cavity; and    when said user wishes to extend or retract said oven rack relative to said oven cavity, said user may grip said front handle brace and exert pulling or pushing forces thereon so as to extend or retract said oven rack relative to said oven cavity.