Oven rack assemblies with release mechanisms and catches

1. An oven rack assembly adapted for use within an oven cavity having a ribbed liner, said oven rack assembly comprising:

an oven rack comprising means for supporting items to be cooked or otherwise heated within said oven cavity, said over rack being manually extendable between a retracted position within said oven cavity, and an extended position where said oven rack has moved forwardly relative to said oven cavity;

a slide system coupled to said oven rack for providing the capability of said oven rack to move between said retracted position and said extended position;

a subframe coupled to said slide system and normally positioned in a first location within said oven cavity;

retention/release means for facilitating retention of said subframe in said first location within said oven cavity, and for facilitating release of said subframe from said first location within said oven cavity, when a user wishes to remove said oven rack assembly from said oven cavity;

a pair of outer side stampings, each of said outer side stampings positioned outwardly from adjacent portions of said slide system;

a pair of attachment plates, each of said plates being associated with a corresponding one of said outer side stampings, and selectively positionable at a plurality of locations along a length of said associated outer side stamping; and

said retention/release means are mounted to said attachment plates, so as to be selectively positionable at a plurality of locations along the lengths of said outer side stampings.

2. An oven rack assembly in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that each of said outer side stampings is secured to said subframe.

3. An oven rack assembly in accordance with claim 1 , characterized in that said retention/release means comprise a pair of retention/release devices, each of said retention/release devices being connected to a corresponding one of said attachment plates.

4. An oven rack assembly in accordance with claim 3 , characterized in that each of said retention/release devices comprises a flipper mechanism having a retainer tab, with said retainer tab being pivotable between a retaining position and a release position, with said subframe being maintained in said first location within said oven cavity when said retainer tabs are in said retaining position.

5. An oven rack assembly in accordance with claim 4 , characterized in that: said subframe comprises an outer wire frame having a pair of longitudinally extending side portions;

said oven cavity comprises a series of liner ribs, said liner ribs having a series of protruding forms;

when said subframe is releasably secured to said liner ribs of said oven cavity side liners, said protruding forms interact with forms positioned along said longitudinally extending side portions of said subframe; and

said protruding forms provide an abutment with said retainer tabs when said subframe is positioned in a retracted position within said oven cavity side liners.

6. An oven rack assembly in accordance with claim 4 , characterized in that each of said flipper mechanisms further comprises attachment plate securing flanges connected to or otherwise integral with said corresponding attachment plate, and forming apertures extending therethrough.

7. An oven rack assembly in accordance with claim 6 , characterized in that each of said flipper mechanisms further comprises a vertically disposed pin extending through said apertures formed in said attachment plate securing flanges.

8. An oven rack assembly in accordance with claim 7 , characterized in that:

each of said flipper mechanisms further comprises a pair of retainer tab securing flanges, said retainer tab securing flanges forming apertures which are aligned with said apertures of said attachment plate securing flanges; and

said pin extends through said apertures of said retainer tab securing flanges, for purposes of securing said flipper mechanism and corresponding retainer tab to said corresponding attachment plate.

9. An oven rack assembly in accordance with claim 8 , characterized in that each of said flipper mechanisms is free to rotate with said corresponding pin when external forces are exerted on said flipper mechanism.

10. An oven rack assembly in accordance with claim 9 , characterized in that each of said flipper mechanisms further comprises means for maintaining each of said flipper mechanisms in a retaining position until such time as a user would exert externally applied forces on said flipper mechanisms.

11. An oven rack assembly in accordance with claim 10 , characterized in that said means for maintaining said flipper mechanism in said retaining position comprises a retention spring received around a corresponding one of said pins.

12. An oven rack assembly in accordance with claim 3 , characterized in that each of said retention/release devices further comprises:

a horizontally disposed guide flange positioned below said retainer tab, said guide flange having an arcuate shape with a guide surface associated therewith;

a formed release leg having an actuating user lever, with a pivot arm connected to or otherwise integral with said user lever; and

said pivot arm is pivotably coupled to said attachment plate through a pivot coupling.

13. An oven rack assembly in accordance with claim 12 , characterized in that:

connected to or otherwise integral with one end of said pivot arm is a portion of said release leg forming a guide section;

said guide section comprises a horizontally disposed leg connected to or otherwise integral with said pivot arm, and a downwardly projecting abutment post connected to or otherwise integral with one end of said horizontal leg; and

said abutment post is configured so as to contact said guide surface and facilitate actuation of said guide flange.