CROSS-REFERANCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Not Applicable
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEV. Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to hanging wire storage devices, and more particularly to the type, which holds pan and pot lids. There have been several patents in the past to alleviate the burden of how and where to easily store pan and pot lids.
With respect to U.S. Pat. No. 1,667,266 which has been described as a skeleton frame embodying a loop portion that is engaged by the peripheral edge of the pan lid . . . wherein the lid holder frame is swively, suspended from a hanger rod with a clearance passage for the usual center knob or handle carried by the pan lid. This art is cumbersome to the user's ability to quickly retrieve lids since the user needs to slide the lid up, for a distance, to get the lid out of the clearance passage, also, the clearance passage may not be able to store all lid knob and handle types used in the industry. In addition, due to the complex design of this invention, it is likely that cleaning this device would be difficult for the user.
With respect to U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,010 it is described as hanging on the side of a cooking pot while it is in use. For long-term storage of a lid, the patent requires the user to store the lid on the wall with an additional attachment. Although, this invention hangs, it is not used for long-term storage of the lid but rather while the pot and lid are in use.
With respect to U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,204,344, 887,972, and 794,436, which are described as wire pot lid racks or wall pockets, these inventions are permanently mounted to a wall, which makes it difficult to remove the racks for cleaning and take up valuable wall space for what could be used for some more important purpose, such as, food storage.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general, this invention is a hanging wire storage device, which holds and stores pan and pot lids. The invention is intended to hang from an over-head kitchen utensil rack but is able to hang from the edge of other wire storage racks that may be used in the room. Lids are able to be stored for a short or extended period of time.
Due to the holding area of the invention, a lid can be easily removed from the holding area of the invention and the device itself can be easily removed from an over-head rack for cleaning. Also, the invention can be located in a great number of locations on the over-head rack giving the user flexibility during cooking and storage.
This invention can accommodated a great variety of knob and handle sizes due to the design of the angled wires on the back-side of the invention
The invention is very inexpensive to produce since the material is readily available and the number of bends are limited.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 is a front elevation of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the invention.
DRAWING REFERENCE NUMERALS- 1. Open Loop Hook
- 2. Imaginary Over-head Kitchen Rack
- 3. Neck
- 4. Second Loop
- 5. First Angled Extension
- 6. First Retaining Hook
- 7. Imaginary Lid
- 8. Arc
- 9. Second Retaining Hook
- 10. Second Angled Extension
- 11. Elongated Hook
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings and the art of the invention in greater detail,FIGS. 1 and 2 shows the wire storage device suspended from a bar of an imaginary over-headkitchen rack #2, therack #2 is not part of this invention but will be referred to throughout this description. The embodiment is a continuous, elongated straight wire bent into a configuration. The preferred configuration is an openloop hook #1 at the top of the invention shaped with an end of the wire for which to hang the invention on a bar of an imaginarykitchen rack #2. The center of the openloop hook #1 is centered on the center of gravity of the invention in regard to both the front and side elevations, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. The openloop hook #1 transitions into anelongated hook #11. At the apex of theelongated hook #11 is a 180-degree bend in the wire for which to hang the invention on a bar of an imaginarykitchen rack #2. The open area defined by the wire of the openloop hook #1 andelongated hook #11 is one which, can easily fit over varying bar widths and thickness of varying types ofracks #2 enabling the invention to be secure on arack #2.
Extending from theelongated hook #11 is astraight neck #3 of wire extending straight down but bending before passing through asecond loop #4, created by the remaining end of the wire. The wire becomes straight but angled from vertical after passing through thesecond loop #4. Continuing straight but still angled from vertical in regard to the front elevation, as shown inFIG. 1, for the continued length of the invention is a firstangled extension #5 until the wire is bent into a firstretaining hook #6 at the bottom portion of the invention creating an area to hold an edge of animaginary lid #7. Animaginary lid #7 is not part of this invention but will be referred to throughout this description.
First retaininghook #6 also transitions the difference in angles of the wire from the rear portion to the forward portion of the invention, as seen inFIG. 1. At the forward portion of the firstretaining hook #6 the wire extends straight at an upwardly angle and away from the firstretaining hook #6, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, until it is bent to a degree as to return the wire in the direction toward the rear portion of the invention continuing the same angle, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, and then transitioning into an inwardly facing arc #8 created by a bent of the wire on center of the invention in regard to the longitudinal axis of the front elevation, as seen inFIG. 1.
At the center of the arc #8 a mirror image configuration is affixed consisting, in order, a straight, downward, angled, extension of wire extending away from the arc #8 until it is bent to a degree as to return the wire in the direction toward the rear portion of the invention continuing the same angle and transitioning into a second retaining hook #9 at the bottom of the invention creating an area to hold an edge of animaginary lid #7. Continuing upwards from the rear portion of the second retaining hook #9 is a straight, secondangled extension #10. Thesecond extension #10, is angled with respect to the front elevation as shown inFIG. 1, and ends at thesecond loop #4. Thesecond loop #4 is bent horizontal to the elevation, as shown inFIG. 1.
A process of bending the elongated straight wire begins with a length of wire approximately 3½ feet in length and making a 180 degree bend resulting in a diameter of about three-quarters inch 16 inches into the length of the wire which begins the formation of the arc #8. About 6 inches from the apex of the arc #8 is another bend which, includes simultaneously bending both first andsecond extensions #5 and #10 respectively about 155 degrees from horizontal creating first and second retaining hooks #6 and #9 respectively. About half way between the apex of the arc #8 and first and second retaining hooks #6 and #9 is a bend which brings the arc #8 about ¾ inch from the first and secondangle extensions #5 and #10. At the end of the secondangled extension #10 is thesecond loop #4 which is created by bending the end of the wire back away from the body of the invention 180 degrees and then bending the newly made “U” shape 90 degrees in the direction of the firstangled extension #5. Firstangled extension #5 is placed within the “U” shape and then the “U” shape is pinched closed to fully capture firstangle extension #5 on all sides finalizing thesecond loop #4.
Theelongated hook #11 is made 6 inches from the end of the wire of the firstangled extension #5 by bending the wire back away from the body of the invention180 degrees. Allow 1½ inch straight extension of wire before making the transition to the openloop hook #1. Bend the wire 180 degrees as to fold the wire back on itself and allow it to parallel itself to the top of theelongated hook #11 at which point a short extension of wire is needed to extend the openloop hook #1 out on center of the center of gravity of the invention. The openloop hook #1 is made by bending the wire 270 degrees.
First retaininghook #6 and second retaining hook #9 are pulled laterally away from one another creating about a 4-inch gap. Spreading the firstretaining hook #6 and the second retaining hook #9 apart creates the angles though out the invention. Theneck #3 of wire abovesecond loop #4 is now bent so theneck #3 becomes and remains centered on the longitudinal axis of the invention in regard to the front elevation, as shown inFIG. 1.