Shelf assembly for a refrigerator compartment

a refrigerator and shelf technology, applied in the field of refrigerator shelf assembly, can solve the problems of more expensive shelves, such as encapsulated shelves, and prove competitively disadvantageous

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-07-06
GEMTRON
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] In accordance with the present invention, in the case of a shelf assembly made of a single piece of tempered glass and two frame members, one of the frame members is provided with stake projections and the other frame member is provided with openings for receipt therein of the stake projections...

Problems solved by technology

As total wholesale/retail prices become more competitive, particularly toward mid-line and lower cost refrigerators, more expensive shelve...

Method used

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  • Shelf assembly for a refrigerator compartment
  • Shelf assembly for a refrigerator compartment
  • Shelf assembly for a refrigerator compartment

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0028] A novel shelf or shelf assembly constructed in accordance with this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8 of the drawings and is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The shelf or shelf assembly 10 is designed for vertical step-adjustment with respect to a conventional pair of substantially vertically disposed slotted tracks T1, T2 (FIG. 12) in a freezer and / or fresh food compartment C of a conventional refrigerator R which also includes opposite horizontally aligned and vertically spaced pairs of ledges L1, L2 in respective side walls S1, S2 of the compartment C for slidably accommodating another shelf 10′ of the invention which will be fully described hereinaftrer.

[0029] The shelf assembly 10 of FIGS. 1 through 8 and 12 is defined by a pair of substantially polygonal open polymeric / copolymeric synthetic plastic material frame members, including an upper, uppermost, outer or outermost open frame member 11 and an inner, innermost, lower or lowermost subst...

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PUM

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Abstract

A sliding or vertically step-adjustable shelf includes a panel of tempered glass and two open frames. A peripheral edge of the glass panel is sandwiched between the two open frames and the latter are staked together. Alternatively, a pair of metal shelf brackets can be staked to the frames to provide vertical step-adjustment of the shelf. The vertically step-adjustable shelf can be further simplified by eliminating one of the open frame members and staking the metal shelf brackets to side frame portions of but a single outer/uppermost open frame member. In each of the shelves various components utilized in the assembly thereof, such as stake projections, heads and openings are hidden from view when the shelves are in their horizontal in-use position. Hence, each shelf presents a highly desirable aesthetic appearance, yet is strong and can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable price.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Adjustable shelves are conventionally associated with both the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment of conventional refrigerators. Such shelves or shelf assemblies are normally constructed as cantilevered step-adjustable shelving or as a slidable shelf which slides along channels or ledges in opposite side walls of the freezer or fresh food compartment. Typical of such shelves and shelving, both sliding and cantilevered, are disclosed in the following patents. [0002] U.S. Pat. No. 1,119,982 issued to Ohnstrand discloses a glass slab 3 which sits upon “a filler 7 of suitable material, as cement” (page 1, lines 52-53). A ledge 1 of an annular frame or “truss flange 2” (page 1, line 40) supports the entire shelf. The glass slab 3 is basically “dropped-in” from above. [0003] In lieu of bonding a piece of glass to a frame, several patents to Bienick (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,422,673 and 6,679,573) provide a sliding shelf in which a piece of temper...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A47B96/02
CPCA47B96/021F25D25/024F25D2325/022E03C1/057F21V33/004
Inventor DALEY, HOWARDHERRMANN, BOBBUESING, OLE CARLCASSADY, TIMOTHY KEITHRAMIK, VINCENT L.
Owner GEMTRON
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