Kitchen Utensil Organizer and Utensil Support Rack

Abstract

A kitchen utensil organizer is provided by a block member. The block member includes an elongate base, a rib, an array of intermittently spaced-apart male members and a complementary array of interlocking female members. The rib extends from the base and has an array of spaced apart slots each sized to receive individual utensils. The array of intermittently spaced-apart male members extends laterally from one side of the base. The complementary array of interlocking female members extends laterally from another side of the base, opposite the one side.

1 . A kitchen utensil organizer, comprising:
 a unitary structural body including,
 an elongate base; 
 a rib extending from the base and having an array of spaced apart slots each sized to receive individual utensils; 
 an array of intermittently spaced-apart male members extending laterally from one side of the base; and 
 a complementary array of interlocking female members extending laterally from another side of the base, opposite the one side. 
   
   
   
       2 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 1 , wherein each male member comprises a tab and each female member comprises a complementary, interlocking cavity. 
   
   
       3 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 1 , wherein each male member comprises a head and each female member comprises a complementary receptacle configured to interlock with the head. 
   
   
       4 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 1 , further comprising a first retaining finger extending laterally from one end of the base and a second retaining finger extending laterally from another end of the base. 
   
   
       5 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 4 , wherein each retaining finger includes a bore sized to receive a retaining fastener for securing the base to a horizontal mounting surface. 
   
   
       6 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 1 , wherein each slot comprises a v-shaped slot having an open mouth along a top edge of the rib sized to receive a knife blade. 
   
   
       7 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 1 , wherein each female member is provided within a bottom surface of the base to enable assembly of one block member in interlocking engagement with an adjacent block member such that each female member on one block member is configured to be received in interlocking relation with a respective male member on another block member. 
   
   
       8 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 7 , wherein each male member has a head with an enlarged portion and each female member has a mouth with a complementary ensmalled portion. 
   
   
       9 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 1 , wherein the base is rectangular and the rib is rectangular. 
   
   
       10 . A kitchen utensil organizer, comprising:
 an elongate base including opposed lateral side surfaces, one side surface having a plurality of mating surfaces spaced apart equidistant there along, and another side surface having a plurality of complementary mating surfaces spaced apart equidistant there along and arranged to mate in complementary engagement with a mating surface on one side surface of an adjacent utensil organizer; and   a projection extending from the base and having a plurality of utensil receiving apertures spaced-apart along the projection.   
   
   
       11 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 10 , wherein the projection comprises a rib and the utensil receiving apertures are spaced-apart equidistant along the rib. 
   
   
       12 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 10 , wherein the mating surfaces on the one side surface comprise an array of intermittently spaced-apart tabs extending laterally from the one side surface. 
   
   
       13 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 12 , wherein the mating surfaces on the another side surface comprise an array of interlocking cavities formed within the another side surface. 
   
   
       14 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 13 , wherein the tongues and the grooves are respectively spaced-apart equidistant along the one side surface and the another side surface in complementary relation. 
   
   
       15 . The kitchen utensil organizer of  claim 10 , further comprising a first retaining finger provided on a first longitudinal end of the base and a second retaining finger provided on a second longitudinal end of the base, each retaining finger having a hole for receiving a fastener to secure the base to a mounting surface. 
   
   
       16 . A utensil support rack, comprising:
 a base having parallel and opposed sides, one side having a plurality of equidistant and spaced-apart mating surfaces, and another side having a plurality of complementary, equidistant and spaced-apart mating surfaces configured to mate with the mating surfaces on the one side of an adjacent utensil support rack; and   a projection extending from the base and having a plurality of utensil receiving apertures spaced-apart along the projection.   
   
   
       17 . The utensil support rack of  claim 16 , further comprising a mounting tab provided on each end of the foundation base each configured to receive a fastener to secure the support rack onto a support surface. 
   
   
       18 . The utensil support rack of  claim 16 , wherein the mating surfaces of the one side each comprise a male member and the mating surfaces on the another side each comprise a female member sized to interlock with respective ones of the male members on an adjacent utensil support rack. 
   
   
       19 . The utensil support rack of  claim 16 , wherein the foundation base and the extension are formed from a unitary piece of material. 
   
   
       20 . The utensil support rack of  claim 19 , wherein the foundation base is a rectangular base and the extension is a rectangular wall extending perpendicular to the base.