Refrigerator with storage bin

• US 7,472,974 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Czach, Matthew G., Franck, Marcus W., Meese, David L., Whah, Kenneth N., Mills, Richard B., Van Dore, Jonathan P.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US10/908,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20060250063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 312/321.5, 312/405.1, 312/327, 312/328, 312/404, 312/351, 312/348.3, 312/270.2, 312/270.1, 312/290, 211/90.02, 211/150, 108/108, 108/60, 108/61, 624/41, 624/40
• US Class Current: 312/405.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/60 Tiltably- or pivotally-arranged drawers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/04 with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/00 Charging, supporting, and discharging the articles to be cooled

Abstract

A storage bin assembly for mounting to a household refrigerator door comprises a storage bin defining a recess and having an opening to provide access to the recess. The storage bin is movably mounted to the door for movement between an opened position where the recess can be accessed through the opening and a closed position where the opening is sealed with the door. The door can comprise a housing that supports the storage bin and seals with the storage bin when the storage bin is in the closed position. The storage bin can comprise a peripheral wall that defines the recess and terminates at an upper edge defining the opening.

Claims

1. A household refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet that defines at least one chilled chamber with an open face;

a door movably mounted to the cabinet to selectively close the open face of the chilled chamber and having an inner surface facing the chilled chamber when the door closes the chilled chamber;

a storage bin having a peripheral wall that defines a recess and terminates at an upper edge defining an opening, the storage bin pivotally mounted to the door for movement between an opened position where the recess can be accessed through the opening and a closed position where the opening is sealed with the door;

a pair of pivot members on a bottom portion of storage bin; and

a receiving portion configured to receive the pivot members in the door, the receiving portion defining a pivot axis for movement of the storage bin between the open and closed positions, wherein the pivot axis is located substantially center of the storage bin, such that a center of gravity of the storage bin varies between the open and closed position.

2. The household refrigerator according to claim 1 wherein the storage bin further comprises at least one divider to divide the recess into multiple storage compartments.

3. The household refrigerator to claim 1 and further comprising at least one storage caddy removably mounted in the recess of the storage bin.

4. The modular storage bin assembly according to claim 1, wherein the storage bin comprises a bottom wall and a drain plate spaced from the bottom wall to support food items placed in the storage bin above the bottom wall.

5. The modular storage bin assembly according to claim 4, wherein the drain plate is removably mounted to the storage bin.

6. The household refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the door comprises a shelf that seals with the upper edge when the storage bin is in the closed position.

7. The household refrigerator according to claim 1 and further comprising a second storage bin mounted to the shelf.

8. The household refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the door further comprises a housing removably mounted to the door, and the storage bin is pivotally mounted to the housing, the housing further comprising the receiving portion configured to receive the pivot members on the bottom wall of the housing.

9. The household refrigerator according to claim 8 and further comprising pivot plates mounted to opposite sides of the storage bin proximate a rear portion of the storage bin, the pivot plates each having an arcuate pivot guide projecting outward from the pivot plate and an arcuate channel in the opposing sidewalls of the housing, the arcuate channels configured to accommodate the arcuate pivot guides.

10. A modular storage bin assembly for mounting to a household refrigerator door, the modular storage bin assembly comprising:

a housing having a bottom and top wall and a first and second opposing sidewall, the housing configured to be mounted to the refrigerator door;

a storage bin defining a recess and having an opening to provide access to the recess, the storage bin pivotally mounted to the housing for movement between an opened position where the recess can be accessed through the opening and a closed position where the opening is sealed with the housing;

a pair of pivot members on a bottom portion of storage bin; and

a receiving portion configured to receive the pivot members on the bottom wall of the housing, the receiving portion defining a pivot axis for movement of the storage bin between the open and closed positions, wherein the pivot axis is located substantially center of the storage bin, such that a center of gravity of the storage bin varies between the open and closed position.

11. The modular storage bin assembly according to claim 10 and further comprising

pivot plates mounted to opposite sides of the storage bin proximate a rear portion of the storage bin, the pivot plates each having an arcuate pivot guide projecting outward from the pivot plate and

an arcuate channel in the opposing sidewalls of the housing, the arcuate channels configured to accommodate the arcuate pivot guides.

12. The modular storage bin assembly according to claim 10, wherein the housing further comprises means for removably mounting the housing to the refrigerator door.

13. The modular storage bin assembly according to claim 12, wherein the mounting means further comprises at least one lug configured to be mated with at least one lug on the refrigerator door for removably supporting the housing on the refrigerator door.

14. The modular storage bin assembly according to claim 10, wherein the storage bin comprises a peripheral wall that terminates at an upper edge that defines the opening and abuts the housing to form the seal when the storage bin is in the closed position.

15. The modular storage bin assembly according to claim 14, wherein the housing comprises a shelf with an upper surface and a lower surface that the upper edge abuts against to form the seal.

16. The modular storage bin assembly according to claim 15 and further comprising a second storage bin supported by the upper surface of the shelf.

17. The modular storage bin assembly according to claim 10 and further comprising at least one lock to secure the storage bin to the housing in the closed position.

18. The modular storage bin assembly according to claim 10, wherein the storage bin comprises a handle to facilitate movement of the storage bin between the opened and closed positions.

19. The modular storage bin assembly according to claim 10, wherein the storage bin comprises a peripheral wall, and at least a portion of the peripheral wall is translucent.

20. The modular storage bin according to claim 10 and further comprising at least one divider to divide the recess into multiple storage compartments.

21. The modular storage bin assembly according to claim 20, wherein the at least one divider is removable.

22. The modular storage bin according to claim 10 and further comprising at least one storage caddy removably mounted in recess of storage bin.

23. The modular storage bin according to claim 10, wherein the storage bin comprises a bottom wall and a drain plate spaced from the bottom wall to support food items placed in the storage bin above the bottom wall.