Refrigerator shelving assembly

• US 20060244350A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Svenby, Brent Christian, Martin, Dean Alan
• Application Number:
  US11/117,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20060244350A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/404
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/067 Supporting elements
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/021 combined with trays

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet, a liner and a shelving assembly having a support frame defined by connected front, rear and side frame members. Each of the side frame members is interconnected with the front and rear frame members such that the first and second opposing pairs of frame members combine to form an overall support frame. A front portion of the support frame clips onto mounting elements projecting from side walls of the liner, while a rear portion of the support frame is supported through first and second protrusions that extend substantially perpendicularly from one of the second pair of opposing frame members and the rear frame member. The protrusions extend through openings in the liner and into recessed cavities formed in rigid insulation material provided between the liner and the cabinet.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

an outer shell;

a liner arranged within the outer shell, with the liner being spaced from the outer shell by a zone, said liner including top, bottom, rear and opposing side walls that collectively define a refrigerator compartment, said rear wall including at least two laterally spaced openings;

an insulation material provided in the zone between the outer shell and the liner, said insulation material being structurally rigid and including at least two recessed cavities located behind and in alignment with the at least two openings in the rear wall, said recessed cavities being defined by top, rear, side and bottom surfaces;

a door pivotally mounted relative to the outer shell for selectively closing, at least in part, the refrigerator compartment; and

a refrigerator shelving assembly mounted in the refrigerator compartment, said shelving assembly including;

a first pair of opposing frame members defined by a front frame member and a rear frame member;

a second pair of opposing frame members defined by laterally spaced side frame members interconnected to said front and rear frame members such that said first and second opposing pairs of frame members combine to form an overall support frame having front and rear portions;

first and second support elements projecting from respective ones of the opposing side walls of the liner, wherein the side frame members of the shelving assembly engage said first and second support elements members to support the front portion of the support frame; and

first and second protrusions extending from one of the second pair of opposing frame members and the rear frame member rearward beyond the rear frame member, said first and second protrusions projecting through the at least two openings and resting directly upon the bottom surfaces of the recessed cavities to support the rear portion of the support frame.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second protrusions project directly from the rear frame member.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the first and second protrusions project perpendicular from the rear frame member.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein a gap exists between each of the at least two laterally spaced openings and a respective one of the first and second protrusions.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second support elements are constituted by first and second pins readily detachably mounted to respective ones of the opposing side walls.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the first and second support elements further include first and second mounting elements fixedly secured to respective ones of the opposing side walls, said first and second pins being detachably secured to the opposing side walls through the first and second mounting elements.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein each of the first and second support elements includes a tapered side and each of the first and second mounting elements includes a tapered body portion, said tapered side nesting within the tapered body portion to secure the first and second opposing support elements to the opposing side walls.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the first and second support elements are interconnected to the first and second mounting elements through dovetail connections.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the first and second mounting elements further include a plurality of raised sections which are deflected or deformed upon attachment of the first and second pins to the first and second mounting elements.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein each of the first and second mounting elements includes a body portion positioned in the zone, said body portion being formed with at least one opening into which the insulation material extends.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the support frame is clipped to each of the first and second support elements.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a drawer, wherein the side frame members include support rails, said drawer being slidably supported upon the support rails for movement relative to the support frame.

13. A method of supporting a shelving assembly in a refrigerator comprising:

forming an outer cabinet shell;

positioning a plastic liner in the outer cabinet shell, said plastic liner including top, bottom, rear and opposing side walls that collectively define a refrigerator compartment;

injecting insulation into a zone defined between the outer shell and the plastic liner, said insulation curing in-situ to form a rigid insulation material;

establishing first and second laterally spaced openings in the rear wall of the plastic liner;

creating first and second recessed cavities in the rigid insulation behind the first and second openings, with each of the first and second recessed cavities including top, rear, opposing side and bottom support surfaces;

mounting frame support elements to the opposing side walls of the plastic liner; and

positioning a shelf frame in the fresh food compartment, with first and second protrusions projecting from a rear portion of the shelf frame extending through the first and second openings and resting upon the bottom support surfaces of the rigid insulation, while opposing side frame members of the shelf frame engage the frame support elements to mount the shelf frame.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

suspending a slidable drawer from the shelf frame within the refrigerator compartment.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

creating first and second recessed cavities in the rigid insulation behind the first and second openings by forcing the first and second protrusions into the rigid insulation material.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

mounting the frame support elements to the opposing side walls of the liner by fixedly securing first and second mounting elements relative to the opposing side walls of the liner and connecting the frame support elements to the first and second mounting elements, with the frame support elements projecting into the refrigerator compartment.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the frame support elements are readily detachably connected to the first and second mounting elements.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the frame support elements are detachably connected to the first and second mounting elements through the use of tapering dovetail connections.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first and second mounting elements are fixed in position by the rigid insulation material.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the opposing side frame members are clipped to the first and second support elements.