Refrigerator appliance and variable shelf assembly

Abstract

A variable shelf assembly for a refrigerator appliance, as provided herein, may include a stationary hydraulic actuator, a shelving bracket, a movable hydraulic actuator, and an actuator handle. The stationary hydraulic actuator may be extendable between a shortened position and an elongated position. The shelving bracket may be slidably mounted in mechanical communication with the stationary hydraulic actuator to move along a vertical direction between a first extreme position and a second extreme position. The first extreme position may correspond to the shortened position and the second extreme position may correspond to the elongated position. The movable hydraulic actuator may be mounted to the shelving bracket to move therewith along the vertical direction. The movable hydraulic actuator may include an input cylinder in fluid communication with the stationary hydraulic actuator. The actuator handle may be movably attached to the shelving bracket.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present subject matter relates generally to domestic appliances, and more particularly to a variable shelf assembly to adjust the height of a shelf in a refrigerator appliance.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Domestic appliances, such as refrigerator appliances, generally include a cabinet that defines an internal chamber. In the case of refrigerator appliances, a chilled chamber may be defined for receipt of food articles for storage. Refrigerator appliances can also include various storage components mounted within the chilled chamber and designed to facilitate storage of food items therein. Such storage components can include racks, bins, shelves, or drawers that receive food items and assist with organizing and arranging of such food items within the chilled chamber.[0003]Some existing refrigerator appliances include one or more shelves for holding or supporting food items within the chilled chamber. The height or position of the shelf or shelves ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a refrigerator appliance with a variable shelf assembly. The shelf assembly includes a stationary hydraulic actuator set, a shelving bracket, a movable hydraulic actuator, and an actuator handle. The movable hydraulic actuator can move along the vertical direction between a shortened position and an elongated position. The actuator handle is in mechanical communication with the movable hydraulic actuator to direct its input piston. The refrigerator appliance with the variable shelf assembly allows for easy adjustment of the shelves to accommodate different items and provides flexibility in the storage space.

Problems solved by technology

The steps required for adjusting the height of such existing systems can be undesirably complicated.

If the food items are not first removed, a user risks spilling or dropping the items while the shelf is unsupported by the bracket.

Even if all the food items are removed, properly aligning the shelf to the bracket may be difficult for some users.

This, in turn, limits a user's options for configuring the shelf height, as well as the overall useable space within the chilled chamber.

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