Oven rack assembly

Abstract

A rack assembly for use in an oven includes a rack, a rack frame having a left bar, a right bar, and a rear bar, with the rack coupled to the left bar and the right bar. Each left bar and right bar has a front vertical section, a front horizontal section coupled to the front vertical section, a rear horizontal section coupled to the rear of the front horizontal section, and a rear vertical section that is coupled to the rear of the rear horizontal section. The front vertical section extends downwardly from the front of the front horizontal section, the rear vertical section extends upwardly from the rear of the rear horizontal section, the front horizontal section is disposed at a higher vertical level than the rear horizontal section, and the rear bar has opposite ends that are coupled to the rear vertical section of each of the left and right bars.

1 . A rack assembly for use in an oven, comprising:
 a rack;   a rack frame having a left bar, a right bar, and a rear bar, with the rack coupled to the left bar and the right bar; and   wherein each left bar and right bar has a front vertical section, a front horizontal section coupled to the front vertical section, a rear horizontal section coupled to the rear of the front horizontal section, and a rear vertical section that is coupled to the rear of the rear horizontal section, and wherein:
 the front vertical section extends downwardly from the front of the front horizontal section; 
 the rear vertical section extends upwardly from the rear of the rear horizontal section; 
 the front horizontal section is disposed at a higher vertical level than the rear horizontal section; and 
 the rear bar has opposite ends that are coupled to the rear vertical section of each of the left and right bars. 
   
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each left and right bar further includes a central horizontal section that is positioned between the front and rear horizontal sections, with the central horizontal section aligned at the same vertical level as the front horizontal section. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further including a slide assembly that couples the rack to the rack frame, the slide assembly having a slide member that carries the rack forward from the rack frame. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the front, central and rear horizontal sections are all aligned in the same plane. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the front, central and rear horizontal sections are all aligned in the same plane and define outer horizontal sections, each of the left and right bars further including a first inner horizontal section coupled between the front and central horizontal sections, and a second inner horizontal section coupled between the central and rear horizontal sections, with the first and second inner horizontal sections being aligned in the same plane, but different from the plane of the outer horizontal sections. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein each inner horizontal section is coupled to two adjacent outer horizontal sections via a transverse section. 
   
   
       7 . An oven assembly, comprising:
 an oven having interior side walls, with a plurality of ledges provided in aligned fashion on the side walls, each ledge having a top edge, a bottom edge, a front edge and a rear edge;   rack assembly for use in an oven, comprising:
 a rack; 
 a rack frame having a left bar, a right bar, and a rear bar attached to rear ends of the left bar and the right bar; and 
 wherein each left bar and right bar has a front vertical section, a front horizontal section coupled to the front vertical section, a rear horizontal section coupled to the rear of the front horizontal section, and a rear vertical section that is coupled to the rear of the rear horizontal section, and wherein: 
 the front vertical section extends downwardly from the front of the front horizontal section; 
 the rear vertical section extends upwardly from the rear of the rear horizontal section; 
 the front horizontal section is disposed at a higher vertical level than the rear horizontal section; and 
 the rear bar has opposite ends that are coupled to the rear vertical section of each of the left and right bars; 
   wherein the left and right bars of the rack frame are seated on pairs of aligned ledges in a manner where the front vertical section and the front horizontal section of the left and right bars abut the front edge and the top edge of the ledges, and the rear vertical section and the rear horizontal section of the left and right bars abut the rear edge and the bottom edge of the ledges.   
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein each left and right bar further includes a central horizontal section that is positioned between the front and rear horizontal sections, with the central horizontal section aligned at the same vertical level as the front horizontal section, and with the central horizontal section of each left and right bar resting on the top edge of a corresponding ledge. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 7 , further including a slide assembly that couples the rack to the rack frame, the slide assembly having a slide member that carries the rack forward from the rack frame. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the front, central and rear horizontal sections are all aligned in the same plane. 
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the front, central and rear horizontal sections are all aligned in the same plane and define outer horizontal sections, each of the left and right bars further including a first inner horizontal section coupled between the front and central horizontal sections, and a second inner horizontal section coupled between the central and rear horizontal sections, with the first and second inner horizontal sections being aligned in the same plane, but different from the plane of the outer horizontal sections, and with the inner horizontal sections being coupled to the rack. 
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each inner horizontal section is coupled to two adjacent outer horizontal sections via a transverse section. 
   
   
       13 . A method of inserting a rack assembly into an oven, comprising:
 providing an oven having interior side walls, with a plurality of ledges provided in aligned fashion on the side walls, each ledge having a top edge, a bottom edge, a front edge and a rear edge;   providing rack assembly for use in an oven, comprising:
 a rack; 
 a rack frame having a left bar, a right bar, and a rear bar attached to rear ends of the left bar and the right bar; and 
 wherein each left bar and right bar has a front vertical section, a front horizontal section coupled to the front vertical section, a rear horizontal section coupled to the rear of the front horizontal section, and a rear vertical section that is coupled to the rear of the rear horizontal section, and wherein: 
 the front vertical section extends downwardly from the front of the front horizontal section; 
 the rear vertical section extends upwardly from the rear of the rear horizontal section; 
 the front horizontal section is disposed at a higher vertical level than the rear horizontal section; and 
 the rear bar has opposite ends that are coupled to the rear vertical section of each of the left and right bars; 
   inserting the rack assembly into the oven at angle such that the rear vertical section and the rear horizontal section are below a target ledge and the front vertical section and the front horizontal section are above the target ledge; and   pivoting the rack assembly such that the rear vertical section hooks on to the rear edge of the target ledge in an upward motion, and the front vertical section hooks on to the front edge of the target ledge in a downward motion.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of pivoting the rack assembly includes pivoting the rack assembly about a central portion of the rack assembly.