A rack and pinion stabilizer system for a refrigerator drawer. The rack and pinion stabilizer system comprises a pair of drawer glides attached to first and second liner walls of a refrigerator. Each of the drawer glides has an attached rack gear with at least one tooth having an irregular profile.
A rack and pinion stabilizer system for a refrigerator drawer. The rack and pinion stabilizer system comprises a pair of drawer glides attached to first and second liner walls of a refrigerator. Each of the drawer glides has an attached rack gear with at least one tooth having an irregular profile. A pair of gear wheels having an axle therebetween are also provided. The gear wheels are provided in rotatable engagement with the rack gears and are capable of rotating in unison. An alignment mechanism is also provided. The alignment mechanism is attached to at least one of the rack gears for providing initial alignment of the first and second rack gears with the first and second gear wheels. Additionally, a drawer in operable communication with at least one of the drawer glides and axle is disclosed. When the drawer is inserted completely within the cabinet, the first and second gear wheels are positioned over the irregular teeth, providing a tolerance permitting closure of the drawer in the event of misalignment.
대표청구항▼
The invention claimed is: 1. A rack and pinion assembly comprising: first and second slide assemblies; first and second rack gears positioned near the first and second slide assemblies and comprising a plurality of rack teeth spaced apart from one another longitudinally along the rack and a profile
The invention claimed is: 1. A rack and pinion assembly comprising: first and second slide assemblies; first and second rack gears positioned near the first and second slide assemblies and comprising a plurality of rack teeth spaced apart from one another longitudinally along the rack and a profile between adjacent teeth defining valleys between each pair of teeth and at least one rack having at least a final two irregular teeth comprising a spacing that is greater than a common rack tooth profile such that a tooth spacing is increased in a valley between the two irregular teeth and an adjacent prior valley between one of the irregular teeth and a regular tooth; first and second rotatable spur gears each having gear teeth in operable enmeshed communication with the teeth and valleys of the first and second rack gears respectively, the spacing of the two irregular teeth being of a dimension such that the spur gear teeth will enmesh with valleys prior to and between the irregular rack teeth, the dimension being such that only a single gear tooth of the spur gears can be positioned in the valley between the two irregular teeth, the dimension being such that the rotatable spur gears will freely rotate after a first gear tooth engages the valley prior to the two irregular teeth to allow a second gear tooth to engage the valley between the final two irregular teeth, and the spacing dimension allowing for longitudinal movement of a spur gear tooth within the valley prior to the two irregular teeth and the valley between the two irregular teeth to allow a drawer assembly, to which the rack gears are attached, to sealingly close. 2. The rack and pinion assembly of claim 1, wherein the spacing comprises a gear tooth drive side of each irregular tooth having a first offset from a common gear tooth profile and a gear tooth idle-side having a second offset from a common gear tooth profile, with the two offsets being towards each other. 3. The rack and pinion assembly of claim 1, wherein the rack and pinion assembly is housed in an appliance. 4. The rack and pinion assembly of claim 3, wherein the appliance is a refrigerator. 5. The rack and pinion assembly of claim 1, wherein when the first and second spur gears are engaged with the two irregular teeth, a spacing between the spur gear teeth and the irregular teeth is greater than a spacing between the spur gear teeth and a common gear tooth profile when the spur gear teeth are engaged with the common gear tooth profile, thereby providing more tolerance in movement of the spur gears. 6. The rack and pinion assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second rotatable spur gears maintain contact with the first and second rack gears, respectively throughout the length of the slide assemblies. 7. A rack and pinion assembly comprising: first and second slide assemblies; first and second rack gears positioned near the first and second slide assemblies including a plurality of rack teeth spaced apart from one another and a profile between adjacent teeth defining valleys between each pair of teeth and at least one rack having at least two irregular teeth positioned substantially at one end of the rack comprising an offset from adjacent teeth that is greater than an offset from adjacent teeth of a common rack tooth profile such that a tooth offset is increased in a valley between the two irregular teeth and an adjacent valley between one of the irregular teeth and a regular tooth; first and second rotatable spur gears each having gear teeth in operable enmeshed communication with the teeth and valleys of the first and second rack gears respectively, the spacing of the two irregular teeth being of a dimension such that the spur gear teeth will enmesh with valleys prior to and between the irregular rack teeth, the dimension being such that only a single gear tooth of the spur gears can be positioned in the valley between the two irregular teeth, the dimension being such that the rotatable spur gears will freely rotate after a first gear tooth engages the valley prior to the two irregular teeth to allow a second gear tooth to engage the valley between the two irregular teeth, and the spacing dimension allowing for longitudinal movement of a spur gear tooth within the valley prior to the two irregular teeth and the valley between the two irregular teeth to allow a drawer assembly, to which the rack gears are attached, to sealingly close. 8. The rack and pinion assembly of claim 7, wherein the spacing comprises a gear tooth drive side of each irregular tooth having a first offset from a common gear tooth profile and a gear tooth idle-side having a second offset from a common gear tooth profile, with the two offsets being towards each other. 9. The rack and pinion assembly of claim 7, wherein the rack and pinion assembly is housed in an appliance. 10. The rack and pinion assembly of claim 9, wherein the appliance is a refrigerator. 11. A refrigerator having a rack and pinion assembly comprising: first and second slide assemblies; first and second rack gears positioned near the first and second slide assemblies and comprising a plurality of rack teeth spaced apart from one another and a profile between adjacent teeth defining valleys between each pair of teeth and at least one rack having at least one adjacent pair of irregular teeth positioned substantially at one end of the rack comprising a spacing that is greater than a common rack tooth profile such that a tooth spacing is increased in a valley between the two irregular teeth and in art adjacent valley between one of the irregular teeth and a regular tooth; first and second rotatable spur gears each having gear teeth in operable enmeshed communication with the teeth and valleys of the first and second rack gears respectively, the spacing of the two irregular teeth being of a dimension such that the spur gear teeth will enmesh with valleys prior to and between the irregular rack teeth, the dimension being such that only a single gear tooth of the spur gears can be positioned in the valley between the two irregular teeth, the dimension being such that the rotatable spur gears will freely rotate after a first gear tooth engages the adjacent valley prior to the two irregular teeth to allow a second gear tooth to engage the valley between the two irregular teeth after the first tooth has disengaged from the adjacent valley prior to the two irregular teeth, and the spacing dimension allowing for longitudinal movement of a spur gear tooth within the adjacent valley prior to the two irregular teeth and the valley between the two irregular teeth to allow a drawer assembly, to which the rack gears are attached, to sealingly close. 12. The rack and pinion assembly of claim 11, wherein during operation, the first and second rotatable spur gears maintain contact with the first and second rack gears, respectively. 13. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second slide assemblies further comprise: a cabinet attachment member secured to a liner wall of the refrigerator; an outer channel member fastened to the cabinet attachment member; and an inner slide member slidably mounted within the outer channel member. 14. The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the first and second rack gears are molded integrally with the cabinet attachment members. 15. The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the first and second spur gears are rotatably connected to the first and second slide assemblies. 16. The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein an axle is attached to the first and second spur gears.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (27)
Swindell Thomas R. ; Sisson Curtis W. ; Ocharzak Daniel James, Adjustable refrigerator shelf.
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Gasperin Lorenzo (Via XXV Aprile 11 Valera di Va Redo (Milano) ITX), Kinematic device for drawers, trays and other parts that can be extracted from cabinets and other furniture.
Ludwig Gary L. (Kitchner CA CAX) Verschueren Edward M. (Chula Vista CA), Office cabinet with flipper door and interlocking drawer and suspension assemblies.
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