Electrical connector for adjustable refrigerator shelf
First Claim
1. An electrical connector configured to engage an adjustable refrigerator shelf within a refrigerator, the electrical connector comprising:
- a first lever having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first lever being movable from a first position to a second position when a mounting bracket of the adjustable refrigerator shelf engages the first lever; and
a second lever having a first section and a second section disposed at an angle other than 180 degrees to the first section, the second lever being movable from a disengaged position to an engaged position in which a first electrical contact carried by the second section is configured to engage the mounting bracket to supply power to the adjustable refrigerator shelf when the adjustable refrigerator shelf is engaged with the electrical connector;
wherein the first end of the first lever is coupled to the first section of the second lever such that movement of the first lever form the first position to the second position that occurs upon engagement of the electrical connector with the adjustable refrigerator shelf causes movement of the second lever from the disengaged position to the engaged position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet having a temperature-controlled compartment defined therein, a shelf ladder disposed in the temperature-controlled compartment and providing a plurality of shelf mounting positions, an electrical connector corresponding to each of the plurality of shelf mounting positions, wherein each of the electrical connectors comprises an actuator movable from a first position to a second position and an electrical contact configured to automatically move from a disengaged position to an engaged position in response to the actuator moving from the first position to the second position, and an adjustable shelf removably mountable in one of the plurality of shelf mounting positions such that the actuator of the corresponding electrical connector is held in the second position by a weight of the adjustable shelf and the electrical contact of the corresponding electrical connector engages the adjustable shelf.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electrical connector configured to engage an adjustable refrigerator shelf within a refrigerator, the electrical connector comprising:
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a first lever having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first lever being movable from a first position to a second position when a mounting bracket of the adjustable refrigerator shelf engages the first lever; and a second lever having a first section and a second section disposed at an angle other than 180 degrees to the first section, the second lever being movable from a disengaged position to an engaged position in which a first electrical contact carried by the second section is configured to engage the mounting bracket to supply power to the adjustable refrigerator shelf when the adjustable refrigerator shelf is engaged with the electrical connector; wherein the first end of the first lever is coupled to the first section of the second lever such that movement of the first lever form the first position to the second position that occurs upon engagement of the electrical connector with the adjustable refrigerator shelf causes movement of the second lever from the disengaged position to the engaged position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An electrical connector configured to engage an adjustable refrigerator shelf within a refrigerator, the electrical connector comprising:
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an electrical connector housing defining an interior of the electrical connector and a refrigerator shelf mounting bracket receiving slot; a first lever having a first end and a second end opposite the first end wherein the first lever and a second lever are engaged with one another by a sliding joint; wherein the second lever has a first section and second section disposed at an angle such that the first section and the second section of the second lever are not parallel to one another; wherein the first end of the first lever is coupled to the first section of the second lever such that movement of the first lever from a first position to a second position causes movement of the second lever from a shelf disengaged position to a shelf engaged position; and wherein the first lever is substantially planar and pivotably coupled to the electrical connector housing. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification