Harvest bin assembly

• US 9,903,641 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Shrader, Benjamin Paul, Neto, Israel Mercer, Curtis, Brent Aaron, Camacho, Cristhian Serrano, Baduy, Ramom Eduardo Gadens
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hanh V
• Application Number:
  US15/335,706
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/04 with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/025 Drawers

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance includes a compartment and a door having an interior wall and at least one rail attached thereto. A harvest bin assembly is attachable to the at least one rail and includes a housing having a mount for securing the housing to the at least one rail. First pivot elements are disposed on each side of the housing. A removable bin defines a storage space and includes a plurality of holes formed in a bottom wall thereof. Second pivot elements are disposed on a side wall of the removable bin and engage a corresponding first pivot element on the housing. The first pivot elements and the second pivot elements define a pivot axis whereby the removable bin pivots between a first, closed position and a second, open position. A tray engages the bottom wall of the removable bin when the removable bin is in the first, closed position.

Claims

1. A refrigerator appliance comprising:

a compartment within the refrigeration appliance for storing food items in a refrigerated environment;

a door movable between an open position for allowing access to the compartment and a closed position for sealing the compartment, the door including an interior wall;

at least one rail attached to the interior wall of the door and extending in a generally horizontal direction along the door; and

a harvest bin assembly attachable to the at least one rail, the harvest bin assembly for storing food items therein and including;

a housing comprising;

a mount for securing the housing to the at least one rail wherein the housing is slidable along the at least one rail, and

a first pivot element on each side of the housing,

a removable bin comprising;

a front wall, a back wall, opposing side walls and a bottom wall defining a storage space, a plurality of holes formed in the bottom wall for allowing water to pass therethrough but hindering the food items from passing therethrough, and

a second pivot element on each opposing side wall of the removable bin wherein each second pivot element engages a corresponding first pivot element on the housing when the removable bin is positioned within the housing,

wherein the first pivot elements and the second pivot elements define a pivot axis whereby the removable bin pivots between a first, closed position and a second, open position relative to the housing, and

a tray having an opening formed in a top thereof wherein the tray engages the bottom wall of the removable bin and the opening of the tray is in registry with the plurality of holes of the removable bin when the removable bin is in the first, closed position.

2. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the first pivot element is a receiver and the second pivot element is a pivot pin dimensioned to engage the receiver.

3. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, further comprising at least one guide element extending from one of the opposing side walls of the removable bin or one of the side walls of the housing and at least one corresponding guide channel in the other of the one of the opposing side walls of the removable bin or the one of the side walls of the housing for guiding the removable bin as the removable bin pivots between the first, closed position and the second, open position.

4. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the tray is detachable from the housing.

5. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, further comprising a sealing element disposed between the bottom wall of the removable bin and the tray when the removable bin is in the first, closed position for forming a seal between the removable bin and the tray.

6. The refrigerator appliance of claim 5, wherein the sealing element is attached to the tray and extends around an outer periphery of the opening formed in the top of the tray.

7. The refrigerator appliance of claim 5, wherein the sealing element is an o-ring.

8. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the front wall of the removable bin is transparent.

9. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, wherein the housing includes at least one pad extending from the back wall of the housing, the pad contacting the door when the housing is attached to the at least one rail on the door.

10. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the mount on the housing includes an arm extending from the back wall of the housing and at least a portion of the arm is placed between the rail and the door when the housing is secured to the door.

11. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the storage space of the removable bin is isolated from a surrounding environment when the removable bin is in the first, closed position and the storage space of the removable bin is open to the surrounding environment when the removable bin is in the second, open position.

12. A refrigerator appliance having a storage bin assembly attachable within a fresh food compartment of the refrigerator appliance, the storage bin assembly for storing food items therein, including:

a housing comprising;

a mount for securing the housing to a rail in the fresh food compartment wherein the housing is slidable along the rail,

a first pivot element on each side of the housing, and

at least one guide element on at least one side wall of the housing;

a removable bin comprising;

a front wall, a back wall, opposing side walls and a bottom wall defining a storage space, a plurality of holes formed in the bottom wall for allowing water to pass therethrough but hindering the food items from passing therethrough,

a second pivot element on each opposing side wall of the removable bin wherein each second pivot element engages a corresponding first pivot element on the housing when the removable bin is positioned within the housing, and

at least one corresponding guide element on at least one of the opposing side walls of the removable bin,

wherein the first pivot elements and the second pivot elements define a pivot axis whereby the removable bin pivots between a first, closed position and a second, open position relative to the housing,

wherein one of the at least one guide element on the housing or the at least one corresponding guide element on the removable bin is a curved channel and the other of the at least one guide element on the housing or the at least one corresponding guide element on the removable bin is a guide pin dimensioned to slide within the curved channel; and

wherein the at least one guide element on the housing and the at least one corresponding guide element on the removable bin engage each other for guiding the removable bin as the removable bin pivots between the first, closed position and the second, open position; and

a tray having an opening formed in a top thereof wherein the tray engages the bottom wall of the removable bin and the opening of the tray is in registry with the plurality of holes of the removable bin when the removable bin is in the first, closed position.

13. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12, wherein the curved channel is formed by at least one rail extending outwardly from one of the side walls of the housing or one of the opposing side walls of the removable bin.

14. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12, wherein the curved channel is a slot formed in one of the side walls of the housing or one of the opposing side walls of the removable bin.

15. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12, wherein the curved channel has a receiving opening oriented toward a front opening of the housing, the receiving opening dimensioned to receive the guide pin when the removable bin is inserted into the housing.

16. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12, wherein the curved channel has a closed end dimensioned to engage the guide pin when the removable bin is in the first, closed position.

17. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12, wherein the curved channel has a radius R with respect to the pivot axis defined by the first pivot elements and the second pivot elements.

18. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12, wherein the first pivot element is a receiver and the second pivot element is a pivot pin dimensioned to engage the receiver.

19. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12, further comprising a sealing element disposed between the bottom wall of the removable bin and the tray when the removable bin is in the first, closed position for forming a seal between the removable bin and the tray wherein the sealing element extends around an outer periphery of the opening formed in the top of the tray.

20. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12, wherein the mount on the housing includes an arm extending from a back wall of the housing, the mount engaging the rail in the fresh food compartment when the housing is mounted in the fresh food compartment.