Lighting for shelf divider in refrigerator

• US 9,766,010 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2013
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Katu, Umakant Suresh, Sankhgond, Basavraj Ishwar
• Primary Examiner(s): Gyllstrom, Bryon T
• Application Number:
  US13/873,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 362 92
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/069 Cooling space dividing partitions
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2325/021 Shelves with several possible configurations
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/40 Refrigerating devices characterised by electrical wiring
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/02 by shelves
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/025 Drawers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/00 Lighting arrangements in general F21
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method for illuminating the interior of a refrigerated appliance such as refrigerator, freezer or combination includes storage shelf or surface in the appliance, a divider positioned relative at shelf or storage surface, and a divider lighting subassembly on the divider. Electrical power is provided from an electrical power source in the appliance to the divider lighting subassembly on the divider. Light sources of the divided light subassembly can be selected to illuminate from a position on the divider. Different lighting schemes can be instructed to the light sources. The light sources can be LEDs.

Claims

1. A refrigerator storage assembly for an interior of or on a door of a refrigerator cabinet of a refrigerator comprising:

a. a generally horizontal supporting surface in the interior of the cabinet or in the door, the supporting surface having a perimeter and a top defining a volume of storage space above it, wherein the supporting surface comprises a part of a shelf, drawer, bin or basket in any of a fresh food compartment, freezer compartment, or door of the cabinet, and the supporting surface is moveable relative to the cabinet;

b. a generally vertical divider member for the supporting surface, the divider member having a wall with a thickness defined by opposite sides, a top at a height greater than the thickness, and a length elongated along a longitudinal axis, the divider member extending at, above, and across substantially all of and within the perimeter of the top of the supporting surface to physically separate and partition lateral portions of the supporting surface and at least part of the storage space above it and expose the opposite sides of the divider to the physically separated lateral portions of the supporting surface;

c. a light source sub-assembly mounted in, to or at the divider member comprising one or more light sources along at least part of the divider'"'"'s length across the supporting surface and having a light output distribution pattern adapted to distribute light at and laterally to the physically separated lateral portions of the supporting surface; and

d. an electrical connection from the light source sub-assembly adapted for operative connection to an electrical power source connection in the cabinet.

2. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 1 wherein the supporting surface is at least partially comprised of glass which transmits at least a portion of light from the light source sub-assembly when the light source sub-assembly is operating.

3. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 2 wherein the glass reflects a portion of light from the light source sub-assembly when the light source assembly is operating.

4. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 1 wherein the divider is attached to the cabinet.

5. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 4 wherein the supporting surface is moveable relative to the divider.

6. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 4 wherein the supporting surface comprises a single member.

7. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 4 wherein the supporting surface comprises two sections on the opposite sides of the divider.

8. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 7 wherein at least one of the two sections of the supporting surface is independently moveable relative to the other section.

9. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 4 where the electrical power source connection comprises a conductive wire from the cabinet.

10. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more light sources comprises a plurality of solid state lights.

11. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 1 wherein the divider is mounted to the supporting surface.

12. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 1 wherein the divider is moveable along the supporting surface.

13. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 1 further comprising an optical component positioned on the light source sub-assembly to manipulate light output from at least some of the one or more light sources.

14. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 13 wherein the optical component comprises one or more of a light guide, light pipe, lens, reflector, visor, or light absorbing surface.

15. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 1 wherein the supporting surface is moveable relative to the cabinet to and from a home position, the electrical connection comprises an electrically conductive member moveable with the supporting surface, and the electrical power source connection comprises an electrically conductive member to which the electrical connection comes into electrically conductive contact when the supporting surface is in the home position.

16. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 15 wherein the electrical connection of the light source comprises an electrically conductive finger extending beyond an edge of the supporting surface and adapted to pass through a closure member in an aperture in the refrigerator cabinet to the electrical power source connection, wherein when the supporting surface is moved to the home position relative the cabinet, the finger extends through the closure member and into electrical connection with a power source to turn at least one of the one or more of the light sources on, but when the supporting surface is moved away from the home position, electrical contact is lost and the at least one of the one or more light sources is turned off.

17. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more light sources comprises a plurality of LEDs mounted on a board or substrate in communication with a drive circuit connected to a controller.

18. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 17 wherein the plurality of LEDs are arranged in one or more arrays, certain of the plurality of LEDs emitting different colors when activated.

19. The refrigerator storage assembly of claim 18 further comprising a lens over at least one of the one or more arrays to control the light output distribution pattern from the at least one of the one or more arrays.

20. A system for illumination of at least a part of an interior of or on a door of a refrigerated appliance comprising:

a. a storage space in the interior of or on the door of the refrigerated appliance defined by a liner, the liner positioned within a cabinet of the refrigerated appliance;

b. a supporting surface having a perimeter positioned in the storage space, wherein the supporting surface comprises a part of a shelf, drawer, bin or basket in any of a fresh food compartment, freezer compartment, or door of the cabinet, and the supporting surface is moveable relative to the cabinet;

c. a divider member having a length, width, and height positioned at, above, and across at least part of the supporting surface physically separating lateral portions of the supporting surface within the perimeter of the supporting surface;

wherein the height of the divider member is greater than the width;

d. a light source subassembly in, on, or at the divider operatively connectable to an electrical power source to emit a light distribution output that illuminates at least a part of the storage space of at least one of the physically separated lateral portions of the supporting surface.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the supporting surface is at least partially light transmissive such that the emitted light distribution output from the light source subassembly illuminates the storage space at and above the supporting surface as well as through and below the supporting surface.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the light source subassembly comprises primary illumination for the storage space.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the light source subassembly supplements another light source for illumination in the storage space.

24. The system of claim 20 further comprising a light pipe or guide positioned to receive light from the light source subassembly and transmit it to a position away from the light source subassembly.

25. A method of illumination of at least a portion of an interior of or on a door of a refrigerated appliance comprising:

a. positioning an illumination source on a divider member positioned at, above, and across and physically separating lateral portions of a supporting surface of a shelf, drawer, or bin, in the interior of or on the door of the refrigerated appliance, wherein the supporting surface comprises a part of a shelf, drawer, bin or basket in any of a fresh food compartment, freezer compartment, or door of a cabinet of the refrigerated appliance, and the supporting surface is moveable relative to the cabinet;

b. operating the illumination source to illuminate the lateral portions of the supporting surface.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the illumination source comprises a plurality of colored, individually controllable light sources and selected of the light sources are operated at certain times.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein operation of the selected light sources is dependent upon user-selection through a user interface associated with the refrigerated appliance.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the user selections are between a first color, a second color, and a third color, wherein the first, second and third colors are correlated to mood.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the first color is correlated to a quiet mood, the second color is correlated to a celebrating mood, and the third color is correlated to another mood.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the individual light sources are driven by a master controller associated with the refrigerated appliance.