Refrigerator shelf with one-piece internally ribbed/reinforced polymeric frame and reinforced suspension hooks

• US 6,488,347 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2000
• Issued: 12/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gemtron Corporation (SSW Holding Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Gemtron Corporation (SSW Holding Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bienick, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US09/716,363
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 312/404, 312/408, 312/351, 108/108, 108/107, 108/106, 108/901, 108/147.11, 108/147.17, 211/90.02, 211/90.01, 211/90.04, 211/134, 211/193, 211/119.003, 211/153, 211/187, 248/250, 248/243
• US Class Current: 312/408
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/027 Cantilever shelves
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/00 Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor injection blow-moulding B29C49/06
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7622 Refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2325/022 Shelves made of glass or ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/02 by shelves

Abstract

A refrigerator shelf is defined by a glass shelf panel bounded by an integral, injection molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame of polymeric/copolymeric plastic material. The frame includes two thin spaced depending peripheral walls spanned by a plurality of spaced reinforcing webs effecting rigidifying of the frame to afford the shelf appreciable weight bearing and anti-torquing characteristics. A pair of identical relatively broad hooks each including a plurality of vertically extending parallel reinforcing ribs are utilized for interlocking the shelf to relatively broad horizontally aligned openings in a refrigerator inner liner.

Claims

1. A refrigerator shelf for use in a refrigerator compartment comprising a shelf panel, said shelf panel including upper and lower surfaces merging with a peripheral edge to define therewith a peripheral edge portion of a predetermined peripheral configuration;

an integral, molded, substantially homogeneous one-piece frame substantially entirely bordering said peripheral edge portion;

said frame including a front frame portion, a rear frame portion and a pair of spaced side frame portions each spanning between said front and rear frame portions;

said side frame portions each being defined by inner and outer substantially spaced walls projecting below said shelf panel lower surface, and a plurality of reinforcing webs spanning said inner and outer walls in spaced relationship to each other to rigidify said side frame portions thereby affording said refrigerator shelf appreciable weight bearing characteristics.

2. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 wherein said front frame portion is defined by inner and outer substantially spaced walls projecting below said shelf panel lower surface, and a plurality of reinforcing webs spanning said front frame portion inner and outer walls in spaced relationship to each other to rigidify said front frame portion thereby affording said refrigerator shelf appreciable weight bearing characteristics.

3. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 2 wherein each inner spaced wall underlies a peripheral side edge portion of said shelf panel inboard of said shelf panel peripheral edge.

4. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 3 including a pair of substantially wide hooks in spaced relationship to each other projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said frame portion, and said hooks each being defined by a portion of said integral, molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame.

5. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 2 wherein each inner spaced wall underlies a peripheral side edge portion of said shelf panel inboard of said shelf panel peripheral edge, and each outer spaced wall lies outboard of said shelf panel peripheral edge.

6. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 5, including a pair of substantially wide hooks in spaced relationship to each other projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said frame portion, and said hooks each being defined by a portion of said integral, molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame.

7. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 wherein said rear frame portion is defined by inner and outer substantially spaced walls projecting below said shelf panel lower surface, and a plurality of reinforcing webs spanning said rear frame portion inner and outer walls in spaced relationship to each other to rigidify said rear frame portion thereby affording said refrigerator shelf appreciable weight bearing characteristics.

8. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim, 7 wherein each inner spaced wall underlies a peripheral side edge portion of said shelf panel inboard of said shelf panel peripheral edge.

9. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 8 including a pair of substantially wide hooks in spaced relationship to each other projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said frame portion, and said hooks each being defined by a portion of said integral, molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame.

10. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 7 wherein each inner spaced wall underlies a peripheral side edge portion of said shelf panel inboard of said shelf panel peripheral edge, and each outer spaced wall lies outboard of said shelf panel peripheral edge.

11. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 10 including a pair of substantially wide hooks in spaced relationship to each other projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said frame portion, and said hooks each being defined by a portion of said integral, molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame.

12. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 wherein said front and rear frame portions are each defined by inner and outer substantially spaced walls projecting below said shelf panel lower surface, and a plurality of reinforcing webs spanning said front and rear frame portions inner and outer walls in spaced relationship to each other to rigidify said front and rear frame portions thereby affording said refrigerator shelf appreciable weight bearing characteristics.

13. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 12 wherein each inner spaced wall underlies a peripheral side edge portion of said shelf panel inboard of said shelf panel peripheral edge.

14. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 13 including a pair of substantially wide hooks in spaced relationship to each other projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said frame portion, and said hooks each being defined by a portion of said integral, molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame.

15. The refrigrator shelf as defined in claim 12 wherein each inner spaced wall underlies a peripheral side edge potion of said shelf panel inboard of said shelf panel peripheral edge, and each outer spaced wall lies outboard of said shelf panel peripheral edge.

16. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 15 including a pair of substantially wide hooks in spaced relationship to each other projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said frame portion, and said hooks each being defined by a portion of said integral, molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame.

17. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 wherein said inner and outer walls are in substantially parallel relationship to each other.

18. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 wherein said inner and outer walls are in substantially parallel relationship to each other, and said reinforcing webs are in substantially parallel relationship to each other.

19. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 wherein said inner and outer walls are in substantially parallel relationship to each other, and said reinforcing ribs are substantially normal to said inner and outer walls.

20. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 including hook means projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said rear frame portion, and said hook means are defined by a portion of said integral, molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame.

21. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 including hook means projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said rear frame portion, said hook means are defined by a portion of said integral, molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame, and means for reinforcing said hook means.

22. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 including hook means projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said rear frame portion, said hook means are defined by a portion of said integral, molded, substantially homogenous, one-piece frame, means for reinforcing said hook means, and said reinforcing means include at least a pair of spaced reinforcing ribs.

23. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 including hook means projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said rear frame portion, said hook means are defined by a portion of said integral, molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame, means for reinforcing said hook means, and said reinforcing means include at least a pair of spaced parallel reinforcing ribs.

24. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 including a pair of substantially wide hooks in spaced relationship to each other projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said rear frame portion, and said hooks each being defined by a portion of said integral, molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame.

25. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 including a pair of substantially wide hooks in spaced relationship to each other projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said rear frame portion;

said hooks each being defined by a portion of said integral, molded, substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame;

means for reinforcing each hook, and said reinforcing means each including at least a pair of spaced reinforcing ribs.

26. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 wherein each inner spaced wall underlies a peripheral side edge portion of said shelf panel inboard of said shelf panel peripheral edge.

27. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 wherein each inner spaced wall underlies a peripheral side edge portion of said shelf panel inboard of said shelf panel peripheral edge, and each outer spaced wall lies outboard of said shelf panel peripheral edge.

28. A refrigerator compartment comprising at least a back wall and opposite side walls defining a chamber;

at least two substantially parallel vertical rows of vertically spaced, horizontally aligned openings in said chamber;

a refrigerator shelf housed in said chamber, said refrigerator shelf including a shelf panel, said shelf panel including upper and lower surfaces merging with a peripheral edge to define therewith a peripheral edge portion of a predetermined peripheral configuration;

an integral, molded, substantially homogeneous one-piece frame substantially entirely bordering said peripheral edge portion;

said frame including a front frame portion, a rear frame portion and a pair of spaced side frame portions each spanning between said front and rear frame portions;

said side frame portions each being defined by inner and outer substantially spaced walls projecting below said shelf panel lower surface, a plurality of reinforcing webs spanning said inner and outer walls in spaced relationship to each other to rigidify said side frame portions thereby affording said refrigerator shelf appreciable weight bearing characteristic, said rear frame portion being defined by inner and outer substantially spaced walls projecting below said shelf panel lower surface, a plurality of reinforcing webs spanning said rear frame portion inner and outer walls in spaced relationship to each other to rigidify said rear frame portion thereby affording said refrigerator shelf appreciable weight bearing characteristics;

a pair of hook means projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said rear frame portion;

each of said hook means being defined by a portion of said integral, molded substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame; and

said pair of hook means being hooked into a pair of said horizontally aligned openings.

29. The refrigerator compartment as defined in claim 28 including means for reinforcing each of said hook means.

30. The refrigerator compartment as defined in claim 28 including means for reinforcing each of said hook means, and said reinforcing means each including at least one pair of spaced substantially vertically extending reinforcing ribs.

31. The refrigerator compartment as defined in claim 28 including means for reinforcing each of said hook means, and said reinforcing means each including at least one pair of spaced substantially vertically extending parallel reinforcing ribs.

32. A refrigerator compartment comprising at least a back wall and opposite side walls defining a chamber;

at least two substantially parallel vertical rows of vertically spaced, horizontally aligned openings in said chamber;

a refrigerator shelf housed in said chamber, said refrigerator shelf including a shelf panel, said shelf panel including upper and lower surfaces merging with a peripheral edge to define therewith a peripheral edge portion of a predetermined peripheral configuration;

an integral, molded, substantially homogeneous one-piece frame substantially entirely bordering said peripheral edge portion;

said frame including a front frame portion, a rear frame portion and a pair of spaced side frame portions each spanning between said front and rear frame portion;

a pair of hook means projecting rearwardly from and in at least partial spaced relationship to said rear frame portion;

each of said hook means being defined by a portion of said integral, molded substantially homogeneous, one-piece frame;

said pair of hook means being hooked into a pair of said horizontally aligned openings, and means for reinforcing each of said hook means.

33. The refrigerator compartment as defined in claim 32 wherein said reinforcing means each include at least one pair of spaced substantially vertically extending reinforcing ribs.

34. The refrigerator compartment as defined in claim 32 wherein said reinforcing means each include at least one pair of spaced substantially vertically extending parallel reinforcing ribs.

35. The refrigerator compartment as defined in claim 34 wherein each hook means includes a relatively broad wall spaced from said rear frame portion, and said reinforcing ribs are disposed in substantially transverse relationship to said broad wall.

36. The refrigerator compartment as defined in claim 33 wherein each hook means includes a relatively broad wall spaced from said rear frame portion, and said reinforcing ribs are disposed in substantially transverse relationship to said broad wall.