REFRIGERATOR SHELVING FRAME WITH SNAP-IN SLIDING INSERT

• US 20200132360A1
• Filed: 10/31/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Kumar, Shrawan, Pranav, Rawate, Kundan S., Suryavanshi, Abhijeet
• Granted Patent: US 11,073,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/021 Structural features of shelf bases
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/025 Shelves with moving elements, e.g. movable extensions or link elements cabinets, racks or shelf units enabling enlargement in height, length or depth A47B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/067 Supporting elements
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2325/021 Shelves with several possible configurations
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/024 Slidable shelves

Abstract

A refrigerator shelf assembly includes a frame having a depth and a first support element extending along the depth and defining a first track open in a lateral direction perpendicular to the depth. The support element further defines a first open area along a first side of the track and extending between an adjacent portion of the track and an exterior of the first support element and a cantilever arm having a free end adjacent the first open area. The cantilever arm is resiliently deformable away from a plane defined along the first side of the track. The assembly further includes an insert slidably received within the track and moveable along the depth of the first track through a fixed range of motion, wherein the insert is disposed over an expanse of the first open area.

Claims

1. A refrigerator shelf assembly, comprising:

a frame having a depth and a first support element extending along the depth and defining a first track open in a lateral direction perpendicular to the depth, the support element further defining a first open area along a first side of the first track and extending between an adjacent portion of the first track and an exterior of the first support element and a cantilever arm having a free end adjacent the first open area, the cantilever arm being resiliently deformable away from a plane defined along the first side of the first track; and

an insert slidably received within the first track and moveable along the depth of the first track through a fixed range of motion wherein the insert is disposed over an expanse of the first open area.

2. The shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the first track includes opposite first and second closed ends defining a length of the first track; and

the fixed range of motion of the insert is defined between an extended position, wherein a front edge of the insert is adjacent the first end of the first track and a back edge of the insert is remote from the second end of the first track, and a tucked position, wherein the front edge of the insert is spaced from the first end of the first track by a first distance equal to a second distance between the front and back edges of the insert and the back edge of the insert is spaced from the second end of the first track.

3. The shelf assembly of claim 2, wherein:

the first open area is defined between a front edge and a back edge defined on a free end of the cantilever arm, the front edge being disposed toward the first end of the first track and the back edge being disposed toward the second end of the first track; and

a first distance between the back edge of the insert and the second end of the first track is greater than a second distance between the front edge of the insert and the front edge of the first open area throughout the fixed range of motion of the insert.

4. The shelf assembly of claim 2, wherein:

the insert is configurable in an installed state, wherein movement thereof along the first track is restricted to movement within the fixed range of motion; and

the insert is further configurable in an assembly state, wherein movement thereof along the entirety of the first track is permitted.

5. The shelf assembly of claim 4, wherein movement along the entirety of the first track includes movement of the back edge of the insert into contact with the second end of the first track.

6. The shelf assembly of claim 4, wherein the insert is alternately configurable in the installed state and the assembly state by a trim piece being assembled or disassembled with the front edge of the insert.

7. The shelf assembly of claim 6, wherein:

the frame further includes an intermediate support extending from midpoint of the first support element perpendicularly thereto; and

the trim piece contacts the intermediate support when installed on the insert in the tucked position to restrict movement of the insert to within the fixed range of motion.

8. The shelf assembly of claim 4, wherein when in the assembly state, the insert is moveable through the first open area into and out of an assembly position wherein the back edge of the insert is in contact with the second end of the first track.

9. The shelf assembly of claim 8, wherein the insert is moveable through the first open area into and out of the assembly position by rotation of the insert generally about the back edge thereof under extension and flexing of the cantilever arm.

10. The shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein the support element is a first support element, the open area is a first open area, and the frame further includes:

a second support element opposite the first support element and extending along the depth generally parallel with the first support element, the second support element defining a second track open in the lateral direction and facing the first track; and

an intermediate support extending between the first and second support elements perpendicular thereto and spaced at a midpoint along the depth of the frame; and

the assembly further includes a first substrate supported on the intermediate support and the first and second support elements in a fixed position.

11. The shelf assembly of claim 10, wherein movement of the insert through the fixed range of motion includes movement of the insert into a tucked position, wherein the first substrate overlies the insert and an extended position, wherein the insert extends in a portion of the depth outside of the first substrate.

12. The shelf assembly of claim 11, wherein the frame further defines first and second lateral elements spaced outwardly from and generally parallel with the first and second support elements through the depth of the frame, the first and second lateral elements defining a width of the frame that is greater than a distance between the first and second support elements, the assembly further including:

second and third substrates, the second substrate being positioned in an area between the first lateral element and the first support element and the third substrate being positioned in an area between the second lateral element and the second support element, both the second and third substrates extending through a majority of the depth of the frame.

13. A refrigerator shelf assembly, comprising:

a frame having a depth and a first support element extending along the depth and defining a first track, a first open area extending between an adjacent portion of the first track and an exterior of the first support element, and a resiliently deformable cantilever arm having a free end adjacent the first open area; and

an insert the insert configurable in an installed state, wherein the first track is slideable along the first track within an installed fixed range of motion less than a full length of the first track, and in an assembly state, wherein movement thereof along the full length of the first track is permitted;

wherein when in the assembly state, the insert is moveable through the first open area into and out of an assembly position wherein the back edge of the insert is in contact with the second end of the first track by rotation of the insert generally about the back edge thereof under extension and flexing of the cantilever arm.

14. The shelf assembly of claim 13, wherein the insert is alternately configurable in the installed state and the assembly state by a trim piece being assembled or disassembled with the front edge of the insert.

15. The shelf assembly of claim 14, wherein:

the frame further includes an intermediate support extending from midpoint of the first support element perpendicularly thereto; and

the trim piece contacts the intermediate support when installed on the insert in the tucked position to restrict movement of the insert to within the fixed range of motion.

16. The shelf assembly of claim 13, wherein the support element is a first support element, the open area is a first open area, and the frame further includes:

a second support element opposite the first support element and extending along the depth generally parallel with the first support element, the second support element defining a second first track facing the first track; and

an intermediate support extending between the first and second support elements perpendicular thereto and spaced at a midpoint along the depth of the frame; and

the assembly further includes a first substrate supported on the intermediate support and the first and second support elements in a fixed position.

17. The shelf assembly of claim 16, wherein movement of the insert, when in the installed state, through the fixed range of motion includes movement of the insert into a tucked position, wherein the first substrate overlies the insert and an extended position, wherein the insert extends in a portion of the depth outside of the first substrate.

18. The shelf assembly of claim 17, wherein the frame further defines first and second lateral elements spaced outwardly from and generally parallel with the first and second support elements through the depth of the frame, the first and second lateral elements defining a width of the frame that is greater than a distance between the first and second support elements, the assembly further including:

second and third substrates, the second substrate being positioned in an area between the first lateral element and the first support element and the third substrate being positioned in an area between the second lateral element and the second support element, both the second and third substrates extending through a majority of the depth of the frame.

19. The shelf assembly of claim 13, wherein, when the insert is in the installed state, the insert is disposed over an expanse of the first open area throughout sliding of the insert along the first track within the fixed range of motion.

20. A method for assembling a refrigerator shelf, comprising:

moving an insert of the refrigerator shelf through a first open area of a support element in a frame of the refrigerator shelf, the support element extending along a depth of the frame and defining a first track and a resiliently deformable cantilever arm having a free end adjacent the first open area, moving the insert portion causing flexing of the cantilever arm and bringing a back edge of the insert into contact with an end of the first track; and

rotating the insert generally about the back edge thereof under extension of the cantilever arm into an assembly position wherein a front edge of the insert portion opposite the back edge is disposed over the open area and the insert is slidably received within the first track; and

assembling a trim piece on a front edge the insert opposite the back edge, the insert restricting movement of the insert within the first track to a fixed range of motion, wherein the front edge of the insert remains disposed away from the open area.