Storage rack for pot and pan lids

Abstract

A rack for holding kitchen items including pot and pan lids, trays, cutting boards and cake pans may be mounted on a glide mechanism to slide in and out of a cabinet. The rack includes a wire construction base and bent wire partitions defining fore-to-aft pockets in which lids may be stored with bottom arcs of the lids placed on cross wires of the base to prevent the lids from rolling when the rack is moved in or out of the cabinet. Handles and knobs on the lids fit in spaces provided by U-shaped loops of the partitions. The partitions and base are initially detached from each other, and from the glide mechanism, for compact packaging. The partitions have legs provided with flanges to seat flatly on plates of the base, with special nuts securing the partition legs and providing large surfaces against the undersides of the plates for secure and stable connection of the partitions.

1 . A rack adapted to hold kitchen items including lids having curved edges and projecting handles, said rack comprising:
 a base having a plurality of cross members arranged in pairs spaced apart to receive an arc of the edge of a lid between each pair of cross members; and   a plurality of generally upright partitions connected with said base to extend generally front to back substantially perpendicular to said cross members and spaced apart to present pockets between each adjacent pair of partitions for accommodating lids applied to said cross members.   
   
   
       2 . A rack as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each of the said partitions presents a space for accepting extension of the handle of a lid therethrough when the lid is applied to a pair of said cross members. 
   
   
       3 . A rack as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each of said partitions compromises a wire element arranged to provide a plurality of generally U-shaped loops located to accept extension of the handle of a lid therethrough when the lid is applied to a pair of said cross members. 
   
   
       4 . A rack as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein each of said partitions has front and back legs connected with said base and a bottom wire extending between said front and back legs. 
   
   
       5 . A rack as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein each of said loops is connected to said bottom wire. 
   
   
       6 . A rack as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein each of said loops has a curved lower end connected to said bottom wire. 
   
   
       7 . A rack as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein each of said wire elements provides a plurality of generally inverted U-shaped loops each having a curved upper end. 
   
   
       8 . A rack as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said loops have upper ends located at a plurality of different heights. 
   
   
       9 . A rack as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said partitions have detachable connections with said base. 
   
   
       10 . A rack as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of said partitions has front and back legs; and   each of said front and back legs is connected with said base by a detachable fastener.   
   
   
       11 . A rack as set forth in  claim 10 , including a flange on each of said front and back legs arranged to seat flatly against a selected portion of said base. 
   
   
       12 . A rack as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said flanges have threaded connections with said front and back legs. 
   
   
       13 . A rack as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said base provides a substantially flat surface against which said flanges seat. 
   
   
       14 . A rack as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein each of said detachable fasteners comprises:
 an internally threaded body for threaded application to said front and back legs, said bodies having substantially flat upper edges for seating flatly against undersides of said flat surface; and   a tool receiving recess in a lower end of each body.   
   
   
       15 . A rack as set forth in  claim 14 , including an exterior surface on each of said fasteners providing an enhanced grip to facilitate turning of the fastener by hand. 
   
   
       16 . A rack as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said substantially flat surface is provided by a generally horizontal plate on said base. 
   
   
       17 . A rack as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said base includes a plurality of lateral wires to which edges of said plate are secured. 
   
   
       18 . A rack as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein each of said detachable fasteners comprises:
 an internally threaded body for threaded application to said front and back legs, each of said bodies having an exterior surface and opposite ends presenting substantially flat edge surfaces for seating against said flat surface of said base; and   a tool receiving surface on each end of each of said bodies.   
   
   
       19 . A rack as set forth in  claim 18 , including an enhanced grip surface occupying substantially the entirety of said exterior surface of each of said bodies. 
   
   
       20 . A rack as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said base has a periphery formed by wire elements; and   said cross members comprise wire members connected with said wire elements on opposite sides of said periphery.   
   
   
       21 . A rack as set forth in  claim 1 , including a glide mechanism having a track for installation in a cabinet and a glide on which said base is mounted, said glide being connected with said track for extension and retraction out of and into the cabinet. 
   
   
       22 . A rack adapted to hold kitchen items including lids having curved edges and projecting handles, said rack comprising:
 a base constructed of interconnected wires including opposite side wires and a plurality of cross wires extending transversely between said side wires and arranged in pairs wherein the cross wires in each pair are spaced apart to receive an arc of the edge of a lid place thereon; and   a plurality of generally upright partitions each constructed of a wire element having front and back legs attached to said base to secure said partitions to extend generally front to back substantially perpendicular to said cross wires with spaces between adjacent partitions providing pockets for accepting lids placed on said cross wires, each of said wire elements including a plurality of generally inverted U-shaped loops alternating with generally U-shaped loops with said loops located to accept the handles of lids placed on said cross wires.   
   
   
       23 . A rack as set forth in  claim 22 , including a glide mechanism having a track for installation in a cabinet and a glide on which said base is mounted, said glide being connected with said track for sliding extension and retraction out of and into the cabinet. 
   
   
       24 . A slide out rack for installation in a cabinet to hold kitchen items including lids having curved edges and projecting handles, said rack comprising:
 a glide mechanism having a track for installation in the cabinet and a runner connected with said track for extension and retraction relative thereto;   a base adapted for connection to said runner to extend and retract therewith, said base having opposite sides and a plurality of cross members extending transversely between said sides and arranged in pairs spaced apart to receive an arc of the edge of a lid between said pairs of cross members; and   a plurality of partitions arranged to be connected with said base to extend generally front to back substantially perpendicular to said cross members and spaced apart to present pockets between adjacent partitions for receiving lids applied to said cross members.   
   
   
       25 . A rack as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein each of said partitions presents a plurality of spaces therein for accepting the handles of lids applied to said cross members.