There are no specifications that relate to dimensional qualities of slide out shelves. Typical sliding shelves are custom built for their needed application. When we think of slide out shelves, kitchen food storage, pots and pans, cleaning products, laundry supplies, garage storage, and other storage applications come to mind. Custom built slide out shelves for these applications are usually constructed from a wood or laminate, or combination thereof. Typical shelves sides are random heights, but the majority of products that I have researched, have what the industry refers to as the height of the width of a credit card. This translates to two and a quarter inches (5.7 cm)—plus or minus. There are custom built installations that have taller sides, and depending on the total height between the floor of the sliding shelf, in question, and the bottom of the shelf above it, may not need this invention. My research shows that the vast majority of owners of typical slide out shelves have a problem with objects falling off the shelves when in operation.
A Patent Search has been conducted by an independent patent attorney, studying items that relate to ‘Sliding Shelf and Barrier.’ The closest U.S. Patent is U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,422. Other sliding shelf patents reviewed are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,942,486; 7,806,277; 6,364,136; 5,230,554; 5,037,163; and 4,901,972. His written opinion claims that he did not find any patented products that fit the description of my invention.
Two Provisional Patents 61/908188 and 61/965331, have been submitted for two different versions of this invention. I have included both of them in this one Non-Provisional Submittal.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds