Glide rail system for supporting sliding extension

Abstract

A glide rail system includes a roll-formed tubular track, a pair of cabinet-attached and tray-attached glides each slidingly engaging the track, and plugs in ends of the track limiting extension of the tray. The components can be quickly telescopingly assembled to each other and are configured for quick-attachment to the cabinet and tray in order to provide a low-cost, high-strength system of relatively few components. The present system is designed especially for supporting a dishwasher for extension, and provides for smooth extension of the tray as well as sanitary and non-rusting sliding support for the tray.

1 . A glide rail system for slideably mounting an extendable component to a stationary support, comprising:
 a tubular extension member defining a track;   a pair of first glides including a first mount section adapted for attachment to the stationary support and including a first slide section slideably engaging the tubular extension member; and   a tray carrier with pair of second glides having a second mount section adapted for attachment to the extendable component and including a second slide section slideably engaging the tubular extension.   
   
   
       2 . The glide rail system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the extension member comprises an elongated roll-formed member with a constant cross-sectional shape. 
   
   
       3 . The glide rail system defined in  claim 2 , wherein the cross-sectional shape includes an outer side wall that is vertically oriented and planar in shape. 
   
   
       4 . The glide rail system defined in  claim 3 , wherein the cross-sectional shape includes a top wall that defines an arc. 
   
   
       5 . The glide rail system defined in  claim 2 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the extension member is symmetrical about a longitudinally-extending vertical plane extending through a center of the extension member. 
   
   
       6 . The glide rail system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the mount section of the first slide sections includes an outwardly-extending hook shaped to securely engage a mating wall structure on a dishwasher cabinet and further the first slide section includes an inwardly-extending set of L-shaped flanges for slideably engaging top and bottom surfaces of the extension member. 
   
   
       7 . The glide rail system defined in  claim 6 , wherein a shape of the second slide section includes an outwardly-extending set of L-shaped flanges for slideably engaging top and bottom surfaces of the extension member. 
   
   
       8 . The glide rail system defined in  claim 1 , including at least one plug extending into an end of the extension member, and wherein a first end of the extension member is at least about ¼ inch above a second end of the extension member to facilitate draining water from a cavity defined within the extension member. 
   
   
       9 . The glide rail system defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the pair of first glides and the pair of second glides are interconnected by a bridge extending therebetween. 
   
   
       10 . The glide rail system defined in  claim 9 , wherein the bridge is integrally formed with the one pair of glides. 
   
   
       11 . A method comprising steps of:
 roll-forming a tubular track from a sheet of material;   attaching stationary glides to a cabinet wall and slideably engaging the stationary glides with the track;   attaching second glides to a carrier and slideably engaging the second glides with the track; and   placing end stops on the track to limit telescoping movement of the stationary and second glides.