Space-efficient, movable, bottle racks

Abstract

A rack for storing bottles includes a frame member and a plurality of support arms sized and positioned to support a plurality of bottles extending on each side of the frame member. The rack further includes at least one movable member operably engaged to the frame member to permit the frame member and each of the bottles supported by the support arms extending from each side of the frame member to move from a stowed position into a deployed position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rack, comprising:
 a frame member having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a top and a bottom, and a height between the top and the bottom;   a plurality of support arms extending from each of the first and second sides of the frame member, the plurality of support arms being sized and positioned to support a plurality of bottles thereon;   at least one slide member operably engaged to the frame member, the at least one slide member being configured to permit the frame member and each of the bottles supported by the support arms extending from each of the first and second sides of the frame member to linearly slide from a stowed position into a deployed position.   
     
     
         2 . The rack of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second sides of the frame member includes at least three pairs of the support arms positioned in one horizontal plane, each pair of the at least three pairs of the support arms forming a part of one of three vertical columns of support arms, each of the three vertical columns of support arms being adapted to support a respective column of the bottles. 
     
     
         3 . The rack of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the three vertical columns of the bottles include a front column, a middle column, and a rear column; and   wherein when the frame member and each of the bottles slides from the stowed position toward the deployed position, the rear column slides forward past a position occupied by the front column in the stowed position.   
     
     
         4 . The rack of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one slide member includes a first slide member operably attached to the frame member at the top and a second slide member operably attached to the frame member at the bottom. 
     
     
         5 . The rack of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the at least one slide member telescopes outwardly in a linear direction perpendicular to the height of the frame member when the frame member slides from the stowed position into the deployed position. 
     
     
         6 . A rack, comprising:
 a frame member having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a top and a bottom, and a height between the top and the bottom;   a plurality of support arms extending from each of the first and second sides of the frame member, the plurality of support arms being sized and positioned to support a plurality of bottles thereon;   at least one rotating member operably engaged to the frame member, the at least one rotating member being configured to permit the frame member and each of the bottles supported by the support arms to rotate about a rotational axis parallel to the height of the frame member from a stowed position into a deployed position.   
     
     
         7 . The rack of  claim 6 , wherein each pair of the at least three pairs of the support arms forms a part of one of three vertical columns of support arms, each of the three vertical columns of support arms being adapted to support a respective column of the bottles. 
     
     
         8 . The rack of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one rotating member includes a first rotating member operably attached to the frame member at the top and a second rotating member operably attached to the frame member at the bottom. 
     
     
         9 . The rack of  claim 6 , wherein the rotating member permits the frame member to rotate at least 90 degrees about the rotational axis as the frame member and each of the bottles supported by the support arms rotate about the rotational axis from the stowed position toward the deployed position. 
     
     
         10 . The rack of  claim 6 , wherein the rotating member simultaneously permits the plurality of support arms extending from the first side of the frame member to rotate 90 degrees about the rotational axis such that tips of the bottles supported by the support arms extending from the first side of the frame member face toward a user while the plurality of support arms extending from the second side of the frame member rotate 90 degrees about the rotational axis such that tips of the bottles supported by the support arms extending from the second side of the frame member face away from the user. 
     
     
         11 . A rack comprising:
 a frame member having a first panel and a second panel, the first and second panels being movably engaged relative to each other, a top and a bottom, and a height between the top and the bottom;   a plurality of support arms extending from each of the first and second panels, the plurality of support arms being sized and positioned to support a plurality of bottles thereon;   at least one pivot member operably engaged to the first and second panels, the at least one pivot member configured to permit at least one of the first and second panels to pivot in a direction away from another of the first and second panels from a stowed position into a deployed position.   
     
     
         12 . The rack of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one pivot member includes a first hinge operably engaged to at least one of the first and second panels proximate the top of the frame member and a second hinge operably engaged to at least one of the first and second panels proximate the bottom of the frame member. 
     
     
         13 . The rack of  claim 11 , wherein the pivot member permits the first panel to pivot 90 degrees relative to the second panel such that the first panel is perpendicular to the second panel when the first panel pivots into the deployed position. 
     
     
         14 . The rack of  claim 11 , wherein the pivot member permits the first panel to pivot 180 degrees relative to the second panel such that the first panel and the second panels are in one plane when the first panel pivots into the deployed position. 
     
     
         15 . The rack of  claim 11 , wherein the pivot member permits each of the first and second panels to simultaneously pivot 90 degrees when the first and second panels pivot from the stowed position into the deployed position such that the first and second panels are positioned in one plane when the first and second panels are in the deployed position. 
     
     
         16 . A kit for assembling at least one rack including a plurality of trays for supporting bottles, the kit comprising:
 a vertical frame member having a first including a plurality of mounting location, each mounting location including at least one slot passing through the vertical frame member and at least one clip member located in part in an interior of the vertical frame and in part protruding through the at least one slot;   a top mounting member adapted to be fixed to one of a wall and a ceiling and including at least one opening for receiving a top portion of the vertical frame member; and   at least one tray including an opening for receiving at least a portion of the vertical frame member therethrough, the opening including at least one sleeve movably coupled to the vertical frame member and adapted to permit the at least one tray to independently rotate relative to the vertical frame member about a rotational axis parallel to the vertical frame member, the at least one tray including a plurality of support arms extending therefrom, the plurality of support arms being sized and positioned to support a plurality of bottles thereon.   
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one sleeve is movably coupled to the vertical frame member such that the at least one tray is permitted to slide upwardly and downwardly on the vertical frame member. 
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein the clip member is adapted to resiliently flex in response to being contacted by at least a portion of the at least one tray during movement of the at least one tray one the slcontacted such that the clip member is entirely located within the interior of the vertical frame. 
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 16 , further comprising a bottom mounting member adapted to be fixed to a floor and including at least one opening for receiving a bottom portion of the vertical frame member. 
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein the top mounting member is mounted on a vertical wall and includes an intermediate mounting member, the vertical frame member being coupled to the intermediate mounting member.