Divider assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024230107-A9
Application number	US-202217971934-A
Country	US
Kind code	A9
Filing date	Oct 24, 2022
Priority date	Oct 24, 2022
Publication date	Jul 11, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A divider assembly for dividing a cooking cavity of an appliance includes a housing portion. The housing portion includes front and rear walls spaced-apart from one another, upper and lower walls spaced-apart from one another, and first and second end walls spaced-apart from one another to define an interior cavity. The housing portion further includes an access slot opening into the interior cavity of the housing portion. A roller is positioned within the housing portion for rotation therein. A deployable divider includes a flexible body portion having first and second ends. The deployable divider is coupled to the roller at the second end of the body portion. The deployable divider is operable between a deployed position, wherein a portion of the deployable divider is positioned outside of the housing portion, and a retracted position, wherein the deployable divider is housed within the interior cavity of the housing portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A rack system fora cooking cavity of an appliance, comprising:
a rack assembly having a front portion spaced-apart from a rear portion, with a body portion disposed therebetween; and a divider assembly operably coupled to the rear portion of the rack assembly, wherein the divider assembly includes a housing portion having an interior cavity, and a deployable divider operable between a deployed position, wherein the deployable divider is operably coupled to the front portion of the rack assembly, and a retracted position, wherein the deployable divider is housed within the interior cavity of the housing portion, and further wherein a body portion of the deployable divider covers the body portion of the rack assembly when the deployable divider is in the deployed position.

2 . The rack system of claim 1 , wherein the divider assembly includes a bracket coupled to the housing portion, wherein the bracket includes a hook member positioned over the housing portion and having a receiving channel.

3 . The rack system of claim 2 , wherein the rear portion of the rack assembly includes a crossbar, and further wherein a portion of the crossbar is received in the receiving channel of the hook member of the bracket.

4 . The rack system of claim 3 , wherein the hook member is inwardly angled and positioned above an upper wall of the housing portion.

5 . The rack system of claim 1 , wherein the divider assembly includes an engagement member coupled to a first end of the body portion of the deployable divider, wherein the engagement member includes a hook member having a receiving channel.

6 . The rack system of claim 5 , wherein the front portion of the rack assembly includes a crossbar, and further wherein the crossbar is received in the receiving channel of the hook member of the engagement member to retain the deployable divider in the deployed position.

7 . The rack system of claim 5 , including:
a roller rotatably mounted within the interior cavity of the housing portion of the divider assembly, wherein a second end of the body portion of the deployable divider is coupled to the roller.

8 . The rack system of claim 7 , wherein the deployable divider is biased by the roller to the retracted position.

9 . A divider assembly, comprising:
a housing portion, wherein the housing portion includes front and rear walls spaced-apart from one another, upper and lower walls spaced-apart from one another, and first and second end walls spaced-apart from one another to define an interior cavity, wherein the housing portion further includes an access slot opening into the interior cavity of the housing portion; a roller positioned within the housing portion for rotation therein; and a deployable divider having a body portion with first and second ends, wherein the deployable divider is coupled to the roller at the second end of the body portion, and further wherein the deployable divider is operable between a deployed position, wherein a portion of the deployable divider is positioned outside of the housing portion, and a retracted position, wherein the deployable divider is housed within the interior cavity of the housing portion.

10 . The divider assembly of claim 9 , including:
one or more brackets coupled to the housing portion, wherein each of the one or more brackets includes a hook member that upwardly and inwardly extends at an angle above the upper wall of the housing portion.

11 . The divider assembly of claim 10 , wherein each of the one or more brackets includes a base portion that includes a first portion coupled to the rear wall of the housing portion and a second portion coupled to the lower wall of the housing portion.

12 . The divider assembly of claim 9 , including:
an engagement member having a hook member, wherein the hook member includes a first portion that is spaced-apart from a second portion to define a receiving channel therebetween, and further wherein the second portion of the hook member is coupled to the first end of the body portion of the deployable divider.

13 . The divider assembly of claim 12 , wherein the second portion of the hook member includes a width that is greater than a width measured between the upper wall and the front wall of the housing portion at the access slot.

14 . The divider assembly of claim 9 , wherein the deployable divider is comprised of a flexible fabric material.

15 . An appliance, comprising:
one or more walls defining a cooking cavity; a rack assembly supported on the one or more walls of the cooking cavity, wherein the rack assembly includes a front portion spaced-apart from a rear portion, with a body portion disposed therebetween; and a divider assembly operably coupled to the rear portion of the rack assembly, wherein the divider assembly includes a housing portion having an interior cavity, and a deployable divider operable between retracted and deployed positions, wherein a body portion of the deployable divider divides the cooking cavity into upper and lower cooking areas when the deployable divider is in the deployed position.

16 . The appliance of claim 15 , wherein the deployable divider is received within the housing portion of the divider assembly when the deployable divider is in the retracted position.

17 . The appliance of claim 15 , wherein the deployable divider is a flexible member that is biased towards the retracted position.

18 . The appliance of claim 15 , wherein the body portion of the deployable divider includes a coating having a high temperature resistant polymer matrix.

19 . The appliance of claim 18 , wherein the divider assembly includes one or more connecting plugs outwardly extending from the housing portion thereof.

20 . The appliance of claim 19 , wherein the cooking cavity includes one or more power receptacles configured to receive the one or more connecting plugs of the divider assembly to connect the coating of the deployable divider with a power source for heating the deployable divider.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Basso Margherita
• Bianchi Fabio
• Borriello Marialaura
• Fraccon Stefania

Classifications

• F24C15/16 Primary

  Shelves, racks or trays inside ovens; Supports therefor · CPC title