Customizable drawer liner for a refrigerator drawer

• US 8,960,824 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Wilcox, Michele E., LeClear, Douglas D., Querfurth, Karen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): HANSEN, JAMES ORVILLE
• Application Number:
  US13/835,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20140265802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 312/401, 312/402, 312/404, 312/410, 312/348.3, 220/528, 220/529, 220/540, 220/542, 220/544, 623/82, 624/41
• US Class Current: 312/404
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/069 Cooling space dividing partitions
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/025 Drawers

Abstract

A refrigerator drawer liner for segregating a plurality of storage objects in a refrigerator drawer and for transporting storage objects between a secondary location and the refrigerator drawer, the refrigerator drawer liner having a container body having a receiving space for receiving at least one storage object, a container bottom, at least two side walls, and a positioning slot. The refrigerator drawer liner may have at least one separation plate for variably dividing the receiving space of the container body. The at least one separation plate may have a position adjusting handle operatively connected to the at least one separation plate through the positioning slot.

Claims

1. A refrigerator drawer liner for segregating a plurality of storage objects in a refrigerator drawer and for transporting storage objects between a secondary location and the refrigerator drawer, the refrigerator drawer liner comprising:

a container body having a receiving space for receiving at least one storage object, a container bottom, at least two side walls, a lip connected to one of the at least two side walls, and a positioning slot located on the lip;

at least one separation plate for variably dividing the receiving space of the container body;

at least one slider so sized and shaped as to operatively connect the at least one separation plate to the container body while allowing the at least one separation plate to be positionally adjusted in the container body and preventing removal of the at least one separation plate from the container body; and

a position adjusting handle operatively connected to the at least one separation plate through the positioning slot.

2. The refrigerator drawer liner of claim 1, wherein the refrigerator drawer liner has at least two separation plates.

3. The refrigerator drawer liner of claim 1, wherein the container body of the refrigerator drawer liner is formed at least in part out of polystyrene, high impact polystyrene, or polycarbonate.

4. The refrigerator drawer liner of claim 1, wherein the container body has at least one airflow hole in at least one side wall for a passage of airflow from the refrigerator drawer into the refrigerator drawer liner.

5. The refrigerator drawer liner of claim 1, wherein the position adjusting handle is a grip point for a user to remove the refrigerator drawer liner from the refrigerator drawer.

6. A refrigerator with a refrigerator drawer having a refrigerator drawer liner for segregating a plurality of storage objects in the refrigerator drawer and for transporting storage objects between a secondary location and the refrigerator drawer, the refrigerator drawer liner comprising:

a container body having a receiving space for receiving at least one storage object, a container bottom, at least two side walls, a lip connected to one of the at least two side walls, and a positioning slot located on the lip;

at least one separation plate for variably dividing the receiving space of the container body;

at least one slider so sized and shaped as to operatively connect the at least one separation plate to the container body while allowing the at least one separation plate to be positionally adjusted in the container body and preventing removal of the at least one separation plate from the container body; and

a position adjusting handle operatively connected to the at least one separation plate through the positioning slot.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the refrigerator drawer liner has at least two separation plates.

8. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the container body of the refrigerator drawer liner is formed at least in part out of polystyrene, high impact polystyrene, or polycarbonate.

9. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the container body has at least one airflow hole in at least one side wall for a passage of airflow from the refrigerator drawer into the refrigerator drawer liner.

10. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the position adjusting handle is a grip point for a user to remove the refrigerator drawer liner from the refrigerator drawer.

11. A multifunctional refrigerator drawer having a refrigerator drawer liner for segregating a plurality of storage objects in the multifunctional refrigerator drawer and for transporting storage objects between a secondary location and the multifunctional refrigerator drawer, the refrigerator drawer liner comprising:

a container body having a receiving space for receiving at least one storage object, a container bottom, at least two side walls, a lip connected to one of the at least two side walls, and a positioning slot located on the lip;

at least one separation plate for variably dividing the receiving space of the container body;

at least one slider so sized and shaped as to operatively connect the at least one separation plate to the container body while allowing the at least one separation plate to be positionally adjusted in the container body and preventing removal of the at least one separation plate from the container body; and

a position adjusting handle operatively connected to the at least one separation plate through the positioning slot.

12. The multifunctional refrigerator drawer of claim 11, wherein the container body has at least one airflow hole in at least one side wall for a passage of airflow from the multifunctional refrigerator drawer into the refrigerator drawer liner.

13. The multifunctional refrigerator drawer of claim 11, wherein the refrigerator drawer liner is removable from the multifunctional refrigerator drawer.

14. The multifunctional refrigerator drawer of claim 11, wherein the container body of the refrigerator drawer liner is formed at least in part out of polystyrene, high impact polystyrene, or polycarbonate.

15. The multifunctional refrigerator drawer of claim 11, wherein the refrigerator drawer liner has at least two separation plates.

16. The multifunctional refrigerator drawer of claim 11, wherein the position adjusting handle is a grip point for a user to remove the refrigerator drawer liner from the multifunctional refrigerator drawer.