Tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly for a refrigerator door

• US 7,111,914 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Avendano, Jose G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM
• Application Number:
  US10/385,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20040178711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 312/404, 312/405.1, 312/321.5, 312/327, 312/328, 108/108, 108/110, 211/80
• US Class Current: 312/405.1
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/04 with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion

Abstract

A combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly for storing items on a door of a refrigerator includes a coated wire basket pivotally attached to a molded plastic basket frame. Pivot shafts on the basket snap-fittingly engage apertures in the basket frame and allow the basket to move between a retracted position, wherein the basket is substantially recessed within the basket frame, and a tilt-out position, wherein a substantial body portion of the basket is exposed outside the basket frame. A stop member is provided for limiting the degree to which the basket can pivot relative to the basket frame. Mounting members formed in the basket frame allow the assembly to be removably supported on mounting supports on a freezer or fresh food compartment door liner.

Claims

1. In a refrigerator having a door including an outer panel and an inner liner, a combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly for holding articles for refrigeration comprising:

a basket frame including a bottom wall, opposing side walls, and at least two mounting members, each of the opposing side walls being provided with a laterally opening aperture, said basket frame being removably supported on the inner liner through the mounting members in a manner which enables the entire basket frame to be readily picked-off the inner liner,

a basket including a front wall portion, a bottom wall portion, a back wall portion and a pair of laterally outwardly projecting pivot shafts, said pivot shafts being snap-fittingly mounted within the laterally opening apertures such that the basket is pivotally attached to the basket frame for movement between a retracted position, wherein the basket is substantially recessed within the basket frame, and a tilt-out position, wherein a substantial body portion of the basket is exposed outside the basket frame to enhance access to articles stored in the basket; and

stop means for limiting a permissible degree of pivoting of the basket relative to the basket frame, said stop means including a track, provided in the basket frame, and a stop element extending from the basket, said track including first and second end walls, wherein the stop element projects into the track and, upon pivoting of the basket relative to the basket frame, abuts one of the first and second end walls to limit a degree of pivoting of the basket relative to the basket frame.

2. In a refrigerator having a door including an outer panel and an inner liner, a combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly for holding articles for refrigeration comprising:

a basket frame including a bottom wall, opposing side walls, and at least two mounting members, said basket frame being removably supported on the inner liner through the mounting members in a manner which enables the entire basket frame to be readily picked-off the inner liner;

a basket including a front wall portion, a bottom wall portion, and a back wall portion, said basket being pivotally attached to the basket frame for movement between a refracted position, wherein the basket is substantially recessed within the basket frame, and a tilt-out position, wherein a substantial body portion of the basket is exposed outside the basket frame to enhance access to articles stored in the basket; and

stop means for limiting a permissible degree of pivoting of the basket relative to the basket frame, said stop means including a track, provided in the basket frame, and a stop element extending from the basket, said track including first and second end walls, wherein the stop element projects into the track and, upon pivoting of the basket relative to the basket frame, abuts one of the first and second end walls to limit a degree of pivoting of the basket relative to the basket frame.

3. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 2, wherein each of the opposing side walls of the basket frame is provided wit a laterally opening aperture and the basket includes a pair of laterally outwardly projecting pivot shafts, said pivot shafts being mounted within the laterally opening apertures to pivotally attach the basket to the basket frame.

4. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 3, wherein each of the apertures includes an enlarged opening leading to a narrow, slotted portion.

5. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 4, wherein each slotted portion is defined, at least in part, by an inwardly extending projection, wherein each pivot shaft is snap-fittingly received past the projection in a respective one of the apertures.

6. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 3, wherein each of the pivot shafts includes a shaft portion and an enlarged head portion.

7. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 3, further comprising:

a pair of guide projections extending from the opposing side walls of the basket frame, said guide projections encompassing portions of the apertures.

8. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 7, wherein each of the guide projections is generally hook-shaped.

9. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 2, wherein the stop element projects from the bottom wall portion or the basket and the track is formed in one of the opposing side walls of the basket frame.

10. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 9, wherein the stop element is located closer to the front wall portion than the back wall portion of the basket.

11. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 10, wherein the basket constitutes a wire basket.

12. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 2, further comprising:

a pair of laterally spaced end guards projecting from the front wall portion toward the back wall portion of the basket.

13. In a refrigerator having a door including an outer panel and an inner liner, a combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly for holding articles for refrigeration comprising:

a basket frame including a bottom wall, opposing side walls, and at least two mounting members, each of the opposing side walls being provided with a laterally opening aperture, said basket frame being removably supported on the inner liner through the mounting members in a manner which enables the entire basket frame to be readily picked-off the inner liner;

a basket including a front wall portion, a bottom wall portion, a back wall portion and a pair of laterally outwardly projecting pivot shafts said front wall portion being spaced from the back wall portion by the bottom wall portion in a manner which enables articles to be supported by the bottom wall portion between the front and back wall portions. said pivot shafts being snap-fittingly mounted within the laterally opening apertures such tat the basket is pivotally attached to the basket frame for movement between a retracted position, wherein the basket is substantially recessed within the basket frame, and a hit-out position, wherein a substantial body portion of the basket is exposed outside the basket frame to enhance access to articles stored in the basket; and

stop means for limiting a permissible degree of pivoting of the basket relative to the basket frame.

14. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 13, wherein each of the apertures includes an enlarged opening leading to a narrow, slotted portion.

15. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 14, wherein each slotted portion is defined, at least in part, by an inwardly extending projection, wherein each pivot shaft is snap-fittingly received past the projection in a respective one of the apertures.

16. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 13, wherein each of the pivot shafts includes a shaft portion and an enlarged head portion.

17. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 13, further comprising:

a pair of guide projections extending from the opposing side walls of the basket frame, said guide projections encompassing portions of the apertures.

18. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 17, wherein each of the guide projections is generally hook-shaped.

19. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 13, wherein said stop means includes a track, provided in one of opposing side walls of the basket frame, and a stop element extending from the basket, said track including first and second end walls, wherein the stop element projects into the track and, upon pivoting of the basket relative to the basket frame, abuts one of the first and second end walls to limit a degree of pivoting of the basket relative to the basket frame.

20. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 19, wherein the stop element projects from the bottom wall portion of the basket and into the track.

21. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 20, wherein the stop element is located closer to the front wall portion than the back wall portion of the basket.

22. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 21, wherein the basket constitutes a wire basket.

23. The combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly according to claim 13, further comprising:

a pair of laterally spaced end guards projecting from the front wall portion toward the back wall portion of the basket.