Supports – Machinery support – Holddown
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-11
2003-03-18
Braun, Leslie A. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Machinery support
Holddown
C248S673000, C248S677000, C248S502000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06533238
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of domestic appliances and, more particularly, to a bracket preferably designed to prevent a selected one of various free-standing appliances from tipping over during use.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Certain domestic appliances, particularly ranges and dishwashers, can be subjected to loads which tend to undesirably tip the appliance during use. For instance, during use of a conventional range, it is often necessary to open an oven door of the appliance. In this condition, subjecting the door to a downward force beyond a certain threshold can result in tipping of the appliance. For obvious reasons, it is desirable to avoid the potential for such a tipping action.
This potential tipping problem has been heretofore recognized and addressed in various fashions. To this end, there exists a fair number of U.S. patents directed to anti-tip arrangements for appliances. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,669,695, 4,754,948, 5,076,525 and 5,174,543 disclose anti-tip brackets for use with ranges, wherein a portion of each bracket is adapted to be attached to a wall against which the appliance is positioned. In accordance with the '695, '948 and '525 patents, one leg of a generally L-shaped bracket is attached to the wall and a second leg of the bracket projects into an opening formed in a rear cabinet portion of the range. In accordance with the '543 patent, hook members are adapted to engage a tether cable secured to the back of the cabinet.
Another known type of anti-tip arrangement provides for fixing an anchor to a supporting surface for an appliance, with the anchor including structure which is interengaged with a rear portion of the appliance. In this manner, the rear of the appliance cannot be unintentionally lifted. For example, each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,890,813, 5,176,437 and 5,624,098 is directed to an anti-tipping arrangement for an appliance or cabinet including a bracket or plate which is adapted to be mounted at a lower portion of the appliance/cabinet and affixed to a supporting floor through the use of screws. For instance, the '098 patent is directed to a bracket including a raised central portion and a pair of side flanges. The central portion is provided with an elongated slot which is adapted to extend about a shaft portion of a leveling leg of a range. In this manner, the bracket prevents the leveling leg from lifting off of the floor beyond a minimal amount. In accordance with the '813 patented arrangement, an elongated, floor mounted bracket is provided across a rear surface of a range and includes a ledge section adapted to project over bases of rear appliance leveling legs.
Although these known arrangements address prior concerns relating to the tipping of certain appliances, the devices are really only designed to be mounted in a specific manner and used with particular appliance units. In other words, each device is limited in the manner in which the device is secured to surrounding supporting structure and generally dedicated for use with a predetermined appliance. Therefore, there still exists a need in the art for an anti-tipping device which includes structure enabling the device to be used in connection with various different types of appliances and a wide range of mounting scenarios.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a bracket designed to be used in combination with a free-standing appliance for use in establishing and maintaining a desired positioning of the appliance and, most preferably, preventing the appliance from tipping over. In accordance with the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the bracket is generally L-shaped, including one long leg and one shorter leg. Each of the legs is defined by a central raised portion, as well as a pair of outwardly extending lower flange portions. Each leg is formed with an elongated slot, in the central portion thereof, which opens at a respective terminal end of the leg. At the juncture of the two legs, the bracket is formed with a plurality of holes.
With this construction, the bracket is can be readily mounted in a fixed position to either an adjacent wall or a supporting floor, with a selected one of the slots being arranged to receive a portion of a rear leveling support leg of the appliance. In addition, given the incorporation of varying length legs and the holes at the leg juncture area, the bracket can be easily mounted in numerous ways. Therefore, the bracket can take various configurations based on its selected orientation and can be secured in a desired position in several ways. In this manner, the bracket arrangement of the present invention advantageously represents an extremely versatile anti-tipping system.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4669695 (1987-06-01), Chou
patent: 4754948 (1988-07-01), Casciani
patent: 4890813 (1990-01-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5076525 (1991-12-01), Whipple
patent: 5174543 (1992-12-01), Corson et al.
patent: 5176437 (1993-01-01), Remington
patent: 5487523 (1996-01-01), Ingram et al.
patent: 5624098 (1997-04-01), McDowell
patent: 5645258 (1997-07-01), Flowers
patent: 5664749 (1997-09-01), Kump et al.
patent: 5699993 (1997-12-01), Hill et al.
patent: 5749550 (1998-05-01), Jackson
patent: 5954307 (1999-09-01), Williams
Barnes Shelton T.
Hancock James David
Ometer David Charles
Braun Leslie A.
Diederiks & Whitelaw PLC
Maytag Corporation
Wujciak, III A. Joseph
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