Assembly for attachment to rear wall of appliance cavity

Abstract

A sliding rack assembly includes an rack, a pair of retention members supporting the rack, and a pair of rear wall retainers. Each retention member includes a slide assembly and a retention plate fixed to the slide assembly. Each retention plate includes a front end for being toward an opening of the cavity and a rear end for being disposed toward a rear wall of the cavity. The rear end of the retention plate includes a holding feature. The rear wall retainers are for being fixed to the rear wall of the cavity. Each rear wall retainer includes a plurality of vertically spaced retention features. Each retention feature is for connecting with a holding feature of a retention member to prevent the retention members from tipping inwardly and separating from the rear wall retainers.

1 . A sliding rack assembly for residing in an appliance cavity, the assembly comprising:
 a rack;   a pair of retention members supporting opposing sides of the rack, each retention member including a slide assembly and a retention plate fixed to the slide assembly, the slide assembly for enabling sliding of the rack into and out of the cavity, the retention plate including a front end adapted to be disposed toward an opening of the cavity and a rear end adapted to be disposed toward a rear wall of the cavity, the rear end of the retention plate including a holding feature;   a pair of rear wall retainers adapted to be fixed to the rear wall of the cavity, each rear wall retainer including a plurality of vertically spaced retention features, each retention feature adapted to connect with a holding feature of one of the pair of retention members to prevent tipping of the retention members inwardly toward each other and to prevent separation of the retention members from the rear wall retainers.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rear wall retainers do not vertically support the retention members when connected. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the holding feature of the retention plate of each of the retention members includes a protrusion extending rearward of the rear end of the retention plate, the protrusion including an upwardly extending retention portion. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein each protrusion includes a vertical plate member. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the retention feature of each of the rear wall retainers includes a plurality of vertically spaced apertures for receiving at least portions of the holding features. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the retention feature of each of the rear wall retainers includes a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal rungs separated by apertures for receiving at least portions of the holding features. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the rear wall retainers includes a fixation flange for being fastened to the rear wall of the cavity. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a fan cover that extends between the rear wall retainers, the fan cover and the rear wall retainers being one-piece. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rear wall retainers and the rear wall of the cavity are one-piece. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the retention members further includes an integrated cam and a support feature extending laterally outward from each of the retention plates, the integrated cam and the support feature adapted to support the rack assembly on a side rib in the cavity. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the retention members further includes a gripper tab extending downward from the front end of the retention plate, the gripper tab for enabling a user to lift the front ends of the retention members to disconnect the holding features of the retention plates from the retention features of the rear wall retainers. 
     
     
         12 . A sliding rack assembly for residing in an appliance cavity, the assembly comprising:
 a rack;   a pair of retention members supporting opposing sides of the rack, each retention member including a slide assembly and a retention plate fixed to the slide assembly, the slide assembly for enabling sliding of the rack into and out of the cavity, the retention plate including a front end adapted to be disposed toward an opening of the cavity and a rear end adapted to be disposed toward a rear wall of the cavity; and   a means for retaining the rack and retention members connected to the rear wall of the cavity.   
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a means for preventing tipping of the retention members inwardly toward each other. 
     
     
         14 . An assembly comprising:
 an appliance cavity having a front opening, sidewalls, and a rear wall;   a rack disposed in the cavity;   a pair of retention members supporting opposing sides of the rack in the cavity, each retention member including a slide assembly and a retention plate fixed to the slide assembly, the slide assembly for enabling sliding of the rack into and out of the front opening of the cavity, the retention plates supported on side ribs in the cavity and each including a front end disposed toward the front opening of the cavity and a rear end disposed toward the rear wall of the cavity, the rear end of the retention plate including a holding feature;   a pair of rear wall retainers fixed to the rear wall of the cavity, each rear wall retainer including a plurality of vertically spaced retention features, each retention feature adapted to connect with a holding feature of one of the pair of retention members to prevent tipping of the retention members inwardly toward each other and to prevent separation of the retention members from the rear wall retainers.   
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the rear wall retainers do not vertically support the retention members and the rack. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the side ribs in the cavity are formed as one-piece with the sidewalls of the cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the side ribs in the cavity are separate from the sidewalls of the cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the holding feature of the retention plate of each of the retention members includes a protrusion extending rearward of the rear end of the retention plate, the protrusion including an upwardly extending retention portion. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein each protrusion includes a vertical plate member. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the retention feature of each of the rear wall retainers includes a plurality of vertically spaced apertures for at least partially receiving the holding features. 
     
     
         21 .- 41 . (canceled)