Spring loaded shelf for an oven appliance

Abstract

A shelf assembly is provided with a spring-assisted shelf for an oven appliance. A spring is placed into tension as the oven door is closed and the oven shelf is slid towards the rear of the oven cavity. As the door is opened, the spring retracts so as to cause the oven shelf to slide forward at least partially out of the oven cavity. The shelf assembly is vertically adjustable and can be removed from the oven cavity for repositioning at another height therein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A removable shelf support assembly for an oven appliance, the oven appliance including a door for access to a cavity having a pair of opposing side walls, the oven defining vertical, lateral, and transverse directions that are orthogonal to each other, the removable shelf support assembly comprising:
 a shelf having a pair of opposing sides for positioning near the opposing side walls;   a pair of slide assemblies, at least one slide assembly comprising
 a base assembly that is removably supported on one of the opposing side walls of the oven appliance, the base assembly removable from the oven appliance by sliding along the transverse direction; 
 a slide that is supported by the base assembly and is attached to one of the opposing sides of the shelf, the slide movable along the transverse direction relative to the base assembly whereby the shelf can be selectively moved along the transverse direction in and out of the appliance; and 
 a tension spring having a first end connected with the shelf and a second end connected with the base assembly, the first and second end positioned so that the spring is in tension when the door is shut and causes the shelf to slide at least partially out of the oven cavity as the door is opening. 
   
     
     
         2 . The removable shelf support assembly for an oven appliance as in  claim 1 , wherein the base assembly further comprises a tab to which the second end of the tension spring is attached. 
     
     
         3 . The removable shelf support assembly for an oven appliance as in  claim 2 , wherein the first end and the second end of the tension spring are spaced apart along the transverse direction and are configured move away from each other along the transverse direction as the shelf is pushed into the oven cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The removable shelf support assembly for an oven appliance as in  claim 3 , wherein the base assembly defines a front near the door of the oven appliance and a back spaced apart along the transverse direction from the door, and wherein the second end of the spring is connected to the base assembly at a position near the front and the first end is connected to the shelf at a position near the back when the door is closed. 
     
     
         5 . The removable shelf support assembly for an oven appliance as in  claim 1 , wherein the base assembly further comprises
 a base element to which the slide is attached;   a bracket to which the base element is attached, the bracket defining a tab to which the second end of the tension spring is attached.   
     
     
         6 . The removable shelf support assembly for an oven appliance as in  claim 5 , wherein the bracket is configured such that the tab is positioned under the base element. 
     
     
         7 . The removable shelf support assembly for an oven appliance as in  claim 5 , wherein the shelf defines a pair of stops, each stop positioned on one of the opposing sides of the shelf, at least one stop configured to contact the bracket to limit the movement of the shelf along the transverse direction when the door is opened. 
     
     
         8 . The removable shelf support assembly for an oven appliance as in  claim 7 , wherein the tab is positioned near a front portion of the bracket, and wherein the stop is configured to contact a rear portion of the bracket. 
     
     
         9 . The removable shelf support assembly for an oven appliance as in  claim 1 , wherein the base assembly defines a flange positioned laterally inside the slide and extending along the vertical direction, the base assembly further comprising a tab extending from the flange and to which the second end of the tension spring is attached. 
     
     
         10 . The removable shelf support assembly for an oven appliance as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a support frame extending along the transverse direction between the opposing side walls of the cavity, the support frame removably positioned upon the opposing side walls; and   wherein the slide assemblies are mounted upon the support frame.   
     
     
         11 . An oven appliance defining vertical, lateral, and transverse directions that are orthogonal to each other, the oven appliance comprising:
 an oven body defining an oven cavity for the receipt of food items for cooking operations, the cavity having a pair of opposing side walls, the cavity having an opening positioned near a front of the oven body;   a door for selectively closing the opening to the cavity of the oven body;   a removable shelf having a pair of opposing sides that are separated along the lateral direction, the shelf slidable in and out of the cavity;   a pair of slide assemblies, each slide assembly comprising
 a base assembly that is removably supported on one of the opposing side walls, the base assembly removable from the appliance by sliding along the transverse direction; 
 a slide that is supported by the base assembly and is attached to one of the opposing sides of the shelf, the slide movable along the transverse direction relative to the base assembly whereby the shelf can be selectively moved along the transverse direction in and out of the appliance; and 
 a tension spring having a first end connected with the shelf and a second end connected with the base assembly, the first and second ends positioned so that the spring is stretched as the door is closed and retracts as the door is opened so as to cause the shelf to contact the door and slide at least partially out of the oven cavity. 
   
     
     
         12 . The oven appliance of  claim 11 , wherein each base assembly further comprises a tab to which the second end of the tension spring is attached. 
     
     
         13 . The oven appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the first end and the second end of the tension spring are spaced apart along the transverse direction and are configured move away from each other along the transverse direction as the shelf is pushed into the oven cavity. 
     
     
         14 . The oven appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the base assembly defines a front near the door of the oven appliance and a back spaced apart along the transverse direction from the door, and wherein the second end of the spring is connected to the base assembly at a position near the front and the first end is connected to the shelf at a position near the back when the door is closed. 
     
     
         15 . The oven appliance of  claim 11 , wherein each base assembly further comprises
 a base element to which the slide is attached;   a bracket to which the base element is attached, the bracket defining a tab to which the second end of the tension spring is attached.   
     
     
         16 . The oven appliance of  claim 15 , wherein for each base assembly the bracket is configured such that the tab is positioned under the base element. 
     
     
         17 . The oven appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the shelf defines a pair of stops, each stop positioned on one of the opposing sides of the shelf, each stop configured to contact the bracket to limit the movement of the shelf along the transverse direction when the door is opened. 
     
     
         18 . The oven appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the tab is positioned near a front portion of the bracket, and wherein the stop is configured to contact a rear portion of the bracket. 
     
     
         19 . The oven appliance of  claim 11 , wherein each base assembly defines a flange positioned laterally inside the slide and extending along the vertical direction, each base assembly further comprising a tab extending from the flange and to which the second end of the tension spring is attached. 
     
     
         20 . The oven appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a support frame extending along the transverse direction between the opposing side walls of the cavity, the support frame removably positioned upon the opposing side walls; and   wherein the slide assemblies are mounted upon the support frame.