Refrigerator shelf retainer assembly

• US 7,229,143 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alwin Manufacturing Company Incorporated, Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Gilman, Barry E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilkens; Janet M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AYRES, TIMOTHY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/669,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20050067929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 108/60, 108/61, 211/43, 211/59.3, 211/184, 211/51, 312/321.5, 312/351, 312/401, 312/404, 312/405.1, 312/408, 220/543, 220/544, 220/534, 220/536, 220/529
• US Class Current: 312/405.1
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/04 with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/805 Cans
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/809 Holders

Abstract

A retainer assembly includes a divider element which is shiftably mounted to a shelving unit of a refrigerator. The divider element is biased toward one end of the shelving unit in order to urge food product containers, which are supported on the shelving unit, between a portion of the refrigerator and the divider element, thereby preventing undesired shifting of the food product containers relative to the shelving unit.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet shell;

a liner arranged in the cabinet shell and defining a food compartment;

a door attached to and movable relative to the cabinet shell in order to selectively access the food compartment;

at least one shelving unit provided in the food compartment, said at least one shelving unit including front, rear, bottom and opposing side walls and being adapted to support food items thereon; and

a retainer assembly for securing food items on the at least one shelving unit, said retainer assembly including a divider element slidably mounted over an upper edge of the front wall for movement along a defined axis relative to the at least one shelving unit and dividing the at least one shelving unit into first and second laterally spaced storage zones, and a biasing member attached to the at least one shelving unit, extending along and closely adjacent to the front wall, and secured to the divider element so as to urge the divider element in a predetermined direction, wherein food items positioned on the at least one shelving unit are automatically engaged by the divider element in order to be maintained in a snug configuration in the first storage zone while maintaining the second storage zone available as additional storage space.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the retainer assembly further includes a support arm extending from the divider element, said support arm mounting the divider element for sliding movement relative to the at least one shelving unit.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the retainer assembly further includes a pair of plates which are spaced so as to define a cavity therebetween, said biasing member including a first end portion which extends into the cavity.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the at least one shelving unit is formed with at least one opening, said biasing member including a second end portion directly attached to the at least one shelving unit through said opening.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member constitutes a tension spring.

3. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet shell;

a liner arranged in the cabinet shell and defining a food compartment;

a door attached to and movable relative to the cabinet shell in order to selectively access the food compartment;

at least one shelving unit provided in the food compartment, said at least one shelving unit including front, rear, bottom and opposing side walls and being adapted to support food items thereon; and

a retainer assembly for securing food items on the at least one shelving unit, said retainer assembly including a divider element slidably mounted over an upper edge of the front wall for movement along a defined axis relative to the at least one shelving unit, and a biasing member attached to the at least one shelving unit, extending along and closely adjacent to the front wall, and secured to the divider element so as to urge the divider element in a predetermined direction, wherein food items positioned on the at least one shelving unit are automatically engaged by the divider element in order to be maintained in a snug configuration, wherein the retainer assembly further includes a support arm extending from the divider clement, said support arm mounting the divider element for sliding movement relative to the at least one shelving unit and wherein the at least one shelving unit is defined by a door pick-off bucket including at least one upstanding wall, said support arm being directly., slidably supported by the at least one upstanding wall.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the at least one upstanding wall constitutes a front wall of the door pick-off bucket.

5. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet shell;

a liner arranged in the cabinet shell and defining a food compartment;

a door attached to and movable relative to the cabinet shell in order to selectively access the food compartment;

at least one shelving unit provided in the food compartment, said at least one shelving unit including front, rear, bottom and opposing side walls and being adapted to support food items thereon; and

a retainer assembly for securing food items on the at least one shelving unit said retainer assembly including a divider element slidably mounted over an upper edge of the front wall for movement along a defined axis relative to the at least one shelving unit, and a biasing member attached to the at least one shelving unit, extending along and closely adjacent to the front wall, and secured to the divider element so as to urge the divider element in a predetermined direction, wherein food items positioned on the at least one shelving unit are automatically engaged by the divider element in order to be maintained in a snug configuration, wherein the biasing member constitutes a spiral spring extending directly along a wall of the at least one shelving unit.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein the spiral spring includes first and second end portions, with the first end portion being attached to the divider element and the second end portion being attached to the at least one shelving unit.

10. A method of retaining food items on a shelving unit of a refrigerator comprising:

providing a shelving unit, including front, rear, bottom, and opposing side walls, for supporting food items in the refrigerator;

positioning food items on the shelving unit between a divider element slidably supported on an upper edge of the front wall of the shelving unit and a wall within the refrigerator, said divider element extending between the front and rear walls, thereby establishing first and second laterally spaced storage zones; and

automatically, laterally shifting the divider element against the food items by biasing the divider element through the use of a spring member that is attached to the shelving unit, extends along and adjacent to the front wall, and is secured to the divider element in order to retain the food items in the first storage zone on the shelving unit in a snug configuration, while the second storage zone is maintained available as additional storage.