Oven Rack Assemblies and Related Methods

Abstract

An oven rack assembly includes an oven rack, a subframe, and a slide system coupled to the oven rack and the subframe. The slide system includes a pair of slide devices, a pair of rack brackets coupled to opposite sides of the oven rack, and a pair of subframe brackets coupled to opposite sides of the subframe. Each rack bracket has a plurality of openings to receive mounts of an inner member of the slide device therethrough to couple the slide device to the rack bracket. Each subframe bracket has a pair of upwardly opening recesses and slot openings extending from the recesses. The recesses allow mounts of an outer member of the slide device to be disposed within the slot openings to couple the slide device to the subframe bracket.

1 . An oven rack assembly comprising:
 an oven rack configured to support items to be cooked or otherwise heated within an oven cavity;   a subframe configured to engage the oven cavity in a stowed position to restrict movement thereof; and   a slide system coupled to the oven rack and the subframe, the slide system configured to allow the oven rack to be moved relative to the subframe between a retracted position and an extended position, the slide system comprising:
 a pair of slide devices, each having inner and outer members movable with respect to one another, the inner member having inwardly extending mounts and the outer member having outwardly extending mounts; 
 a pair of rack brackets coupled to opposite sides of the oven rack, each rack bracket having a plurality of openings to receive the mounts of the inner member of the slide device therethrough to couple the slide device to the rack bracket; 
 a pair of subframe brackets coupled to opposite sides of the subframe, each subframe bracket having a pair of upwardly opening recesses and slot openings extending from the recesses, the recesses configured to allow the mounts of the outer member of the slide device to be disposed within the slot openings to couple the slide device to the subframe bracket. 
   
     
     
         2 . The oven rack assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mounts of the inner member each comprise an outwardly extending retention tip. 
     
     
         3 . The oven rack assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mounts of the inner member comprise rivets. 
     
     
         4 . The oven rack assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mounts of the outer member comprise tabs. 
     
     
         5 . The oven rack assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the tabs have angled retention tips. 
     
     
         6 . The oven rack assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the recesses comprise angled side edges and a flat bottom edge, the slot opening extending from the bottom edge. 
     
     
         7 . The oven rack assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings of each rack bracket comprises a hole and a keyhole. 
     
     
         8 . The oven rack assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rack brackets comprise L-shaped brackets with a horizontal plate and a vertical plate, the horizontal plate coupled to the oven rack and the vertical plate having the hole and keyhole defined therein. 
     
     
         9 . The oven rack assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the subframe brackets comprise L-shaped brackets with a horizontal plate and a vertical plate, the horizontal plate coupled to the subframe and the vertical plate having the recesses and slot openings defined therein. 
     
     
         10 . The oven rack assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rack bracket further comprises a front wall extending forwardly of slide device. 
     
     
         11 . The oven rack assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the slide device comprises a ball bearing slide device. 
     
     
         12 . A method of assembling an oven rack assembly, the method comprising:
 coupling a pair of rack brackets to opposite sides of an oven rack;   coupling a pair of slide devices to the rack brackets;   coupling a pair of subframe brackets to opposite sides of a subframe;   coupling the pair of slide devices to the subframe brackets by inserting mounts of the slide devices into upwardly opening recesses formed in the subframe brackets and sliding the mounts into slot openings extending from the recesses.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising securing the pair of slide devices to the subframe brackets with fasteners after sliding the mounts into the slot openings. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein sliding the mounts into the slot openings further comprises aligning openings of the slide devices and the subframe brackets to receive the fasteners therethrough. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein inserting the mounts of the slide devices into the upwardly opening recesses formed in the subframe brackets comprises articulating the oven rack with the pair of slide devices coupled thereto downwardly until the mounts rest on bottom edges of the recesses. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein sliding the mounts into the slot openings extending from the recesses comprises sliding the mounts into slot openings extending from the bottom edges of the recesses. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein coupling the pair of slide devices to the rack brackets comprises inserting rear mounts of the slide devices into keyholes of the rack brackets, sliding the slide devices forward, and inserting front mounts of the slide device into an opening aligned with the front mounts when the slide devices are slid forward. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein coupling the pair of rack brackets to the opposite sides of the oven rack comprises welding horizontal plates of the rack brackets to the oven rack at a plurality of locations spaced along a length thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein coupling the pair of subframe brackets to the opposite sides of the subframe comprises welding horizontal plates of the subframe brackets to the subframe at a plurality of locations spaced along a length thereof.