Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6231146
-
Patent Number
6,231,146
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, November 17, 199924 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, May 15, 200123 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 312 4051
- 312 405
- 312 401
- 312 3215
- 312 1381
- 312 116
- 312 351
- 312 245
- 312 242
- 108 108
- 108 110
- 211 187
- 211 9001
- 211 88
- 211 153
- 062 377
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly extending across the refrigerator door. The refrigerator door has an inner liner having side walls, a bottom wall and a rear wall defining a liner recess. The bottom wall has a forward lower landing and a stepped raised landing extending into the liner recess rearwardly of the forward lower landing. Aligned module supporting bosses project inwardly of each of the side walls. A door storage module has a pair of spaced apart module side walls positionable adjacent the liner side walls. The module has a front wall extending between the module side walls and a supporting floor extending rearwardly of the front wall. The module side walls have a pair of spaced apart ribs vertically projecting to define an open recess. The module is assembled to the door by sliding the module ribs over the bosses until the supporting floor of the module is seated upon the forward lower landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner. Consequently, any articles supported by the bottom support module are seated upon the supporting floor of the module which at least partially rests on the forward lower landing of the bottom wall of the door inner liner. The amount of vertical loading on the liner side walls is significantly less than the loading onto the bottom wall of the door inner liner.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly that extends across the width of the bottom of the refrigerator door and, in particularly, relates to such an assembly in which the module is firmly and fixedly retained in a fully supported position in the door recess.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Modern day refrigerators often include door mounted modules, such as bins, drawers, trays or shelves for example. They typically are used to store numerous items which are used frequently, particularly such frequently used items that are relatively small. In the past several years a number of schemes or assemblies have been introduced to provide greater flexibility by enabling the user to selectively mount different modules at numerous locations on the inner liner of the door, particularly on the fresh food compartment door. One such approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,455 issued Dec. 6, 1994 to Sedovic et al. However, this type of shelf or bin is best used in refrigerator doors having relatively narrow widths such as used in side-by-side refrigerator doors since doors of reduced width have lower loading forces placed on the shelves.
With a trend to larger refrigerators and in particular to top or bottom mount refrigerators where a door spans the entire width of the refrigerator, a middle dyke wall is located on the liner vertically extending along the center of the liner to define two adjacent recesses in the liner so that two columns of shelves may be positioned in side by side relation on the door. This distributes the shelf loading over 3 dyke side walls as compared to two dyke side walls. At the bottom of the refrigerator door, regardless of the size of the refrigerator, it has been common practice to position a permanent shelf that spans the width of the door. This shelf is either mounted as a module to the liner or integrally formed with the liner. Larger and taller articles are typically supported on the bottom storage shelf. In larger refrigerators, the loading placed on such bottom shelf is transferred directly onto the two side dyke walls of the inner liner adjacent the bottom of the liner. This increased loading may result in premature cracking of the liner wall.
The present invention provides an improved door and bottom storage module assembly which fixedly retains a module in a supported position in a recess in the door liner where the loading associated with the module is displaced over a bottom wall of the liner in addition to the side walls of the liner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly extending across the refrigerator door. The assembly includes a refrigerator door having an inner liner having side walls and a bottom wall and a rear wall defining a liner recess. The bottom wall has a forward lower landing and a stepped raised landing extending into the liner recess rearwardly of the forward lower landing. The assembly has aligned module supporting bosses projecting inwardly of each of said side walls. The assembly has a door storage module having a pair of spaced apart module side walls positionable adjacent the liner side walls. The module has a front wall extending between the module side walls and a supporting floor extending rearwardly of the front wall. The module side walls have a pair of ribs projecting substantially vertically and defining an open recess. The module is assembled to the door by sliding the module ribs over the bosses until the supporting floor of the module is seated upon the forward lower landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner. Any articles supported by the bottom support module are seated upon the supporting floor of the module which at least partially rests on the forward lower landing of the bottom wall of the door inner liner. Also, the loading associated with tipping of the load is transferred through the side walls of the module onto the side walls of the inner door liner. The amount of vertical loading on the side walls is significantly less than the direct loading onto the bottom wall of the door inner liner.
In one form of the invention, the supporting floor of the module has an upper flat surface that abuts and extends flush to the stepped raised landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner when the module is assembled to said door. In this form of the invention, the loading associated with article on the bottom module of the refrigerator door results in the loading being displaced partially directly on the bottom wall of the door inner liner.
In another form of the present invention, the module side walls have a lower surface and two legs positioned below the ribs of the module side wall that are seated on the bottom wall of the inner liner when the module is assembled to the door. The legs assist in the positioning of the module relative to the bottom wall of the door liner.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly extending across the refrigerator door including a refrigerator door having an outer shell and an inner liner including a perimeter wall projecting forward of the inner liner having side walls, a bottom wall and a rear wall defining a liner recess. The bottom wall has a forward lower landing and a stepped raised landing extending into the liner recess rearwardly of the forward lower landing. The assembly includes aligned module supporting bosses projecting inwardly of each of the side walls closely adjacent to and above the bottom wall. The assembly includes a door storage module receivable partially in the liner recess. The module includes a pair of spaced apart module side walls positionable adjacent and forward of the door liner side walls. The module includes a front wall extending between the module side walls and a supporting floor extending rearwardly of the front wall. The module side walls extend rearwardly of the supporting floor. A pair of ribs project outward of each of the module side walls and extend from adjacent a top edge of the corresponding module side wall toward a bottom of the module. Each rib defines a downward opening recess. The module is assembled to the door by sliding the module ribs down over the bosses until the supporting floor of the module is seated upon the forward lower landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention reference may be had to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying diagrammatic drawings wherein:
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a refrigerator having a door bottom storage module assembly of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a corner perspective view storage module;
FIG. 3
is a side sectional view of the storage module;
FIG. 3
a
is a sectional view of the rib connection to the boss of the liner side wall; and,
FIG. 4
is top sectional view taken along line
4
—
4
of FIG.
3
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Referring now particularly to
FIG. 1
, there is shown a refrigerator
10
. Typically the refrigerator
10
includes either a top mounted or bottom mounted freezer (not shown). The refrigerator has a cabinet
12
that encloses a fresh food compartment
14
. The compartment
14
includes a front access opening which normally is closed by hinged door
16
. Typically drawer compartments
18
and shelves
20
are provided in the fresh food compartment
14
to support various items to be refrigerated. The fresh food compartment
14
includes an outer shell or casing
22
and an inner liner
24
. The space between shell
22
and liner
24
is filled a suitable insulation material, such as, for example, a body of foamed in place insulation. A gasket (not shown) extends around the periphery of the door to seal against air leakage when the door is closed.
The open front of the cabinet
22
in front of the cabinet liner
24
includes a door recess
26
into which door
16
moves to close the front of the cabinet
22
. Such door recesses often are utilized to store items mounted on the door which are not too bulky and particularly those items which are used frequently.
In the illustrative door
16
, the bottom storage module
28
of the present invention is mounted across the bottom of the door to store tall items. In the present invention, the bottom storage module is mounted fixedly onto the door
16
so that it is not readily removable. The door
16
has liner side walls
30
each provided with a series of vertically spaced apart ribs
32
. Modular bins or shelves
34
are supported on the door
16
above the bottom storage module
28
to store smaller items.
Door
16
comprises an outer door shell
36
and an inner door liner
40
. Typically the outer door shell
36
is made up of a thin metallic material and the door liner
40
is made from a plastic liner material. The door liner
40
includes a perimeter wall which comprises a top wall
44
, side walls
30
and a bottom wall
46
. The liner further includes an intermediate wall
48
that divides recess
50
into two recesses into which the shelves
34
are mounted. The space between the door liner
40
and the door shell
36
is filled with foam material to provide thermal insulation.
Referring now to
FIGS. 2 through 4
, the bottom storage module
28
is described. The door storage module
28
includes a pair of spaced apart module side walls
52
. The module side walls
52
include a front wall or rail
54
attached to a corner section
56
by suitable rivets
57
. The front wall
54
spans the refrigerator door
16
between frontwall section of the corner sections
56
and the side walls
52
. The bottom storage module
28
further includes a supporting floor
58
mounted by rivets
60
to a floor section
62
of the corner section
56
. With the assembly of the side wall
52
to the front wall
54
and the supporting floor
58
, a composite module piece is assembled. This module
28
is then inserted in a secured manner to the door liner
40
.
The side walls
52
of the storage module
28
include two spaced apart downwardly and vertically extending ribs
64
. Each of the ribs
64
define between them a downwardly open recess
66
. One of the ribs has a tab
68
which projects slightly into the open recess
66
between the ribs
64
. This same rib has a series of three reinforcing ribs
70
that extend orthogonal to the rib
64
. The side wall
52
further includes a top ledge
72
from which downwardly depend the side ribs
64
. The side wall
52
further includes a wall
74
which is adapted to pass around a forward section of the liner side wall
30
. The module side wall
52
further includes a base portion
76
having two legs
78
which are vertically aligned with and extend below the ribs
64
.
The bottom wall
46
of the door liner
40
comprises a forward lower landing
80
and a stepped raised landing
82
extending towards the liner recess
50
rearwardly of the forward lower landing
80
. The liner side walls
30
of the door liner
40
include two rectangular shaped vertically elongate bosses
90
that extend inwardly of the liner side wall
30
adjacent to and above the bottom wall
46
. The bosses
90
have a detent or recess
92
.
During the assembly of the module
28
onto the door liner
40
of the door
16
, the module is inserted into the recess
50
above the boss
90
. The ribs
62
are then positioned on either side of the boss
90
. The module
28
is moved in the direction of arrow
96
. As the module
28
is lowered, the ribs
64
slide over corresponding vertical surfaces of the boss
90
until the legs
78
of the base portion
76
of the supporting floor
58
of the module
28
contact the forward landing
80
of the bottom wall
46
. In this position, the module
28
has a portion of its forward lower supporting floor
58
abutting or seated upon the forward lower landing
80
of the bottom wall
46
. The top surface
98
of the supporting floor
58
is substantially flush with the surface of raised landing
82
of the bottom wall
46
. Consequently any food articles placed into the modular assembly are supported by the bottom wall
46
directly in contact with the raised stepped landing
82
and indirectly on the forward landing
80
through the supporting floor
58
of the module
28
.
It should be further understood that the ribs
46
are not, vertically loaded when articles are placed in the module
28
. However, the ribs
46
with their sliding abutment with the boss
92
in a vertical direction, prevent module
28
from tipping as a result of the weight associated with the articles placed in the module
28
leaning forward of the bottom wall
46
.
During the assembly of the module
28
into the door liner
40
the tab
68
of the rib
64
snaps into the recess
92
of the side wall
30
. The purpose of this matting arrangement is to fixedly secure the module
28
relative to the side walls
30
so as to prevent the module
28
from moving in a direction opposite to the arrow
96
. The spacing of the relative location of the tab
68
is chosen such that legs
78
sit on the forward landing
80
of the bottom wall
46
in the vertical direction. When assembled, the module produces a gap
100
between the top ledge
72
of the module
28
and the top surface of boss
90
so that there is relatively low vertical loading of boss
90
by module
28
. In the preferred embodiment shown, the upper ledge
72
of the side wall
52
includes a stop rib
110
located in the gap
100
. Stop
110
further locates the position of the ribs
64
relative to the boss
90
and translates load associated with articles positioned in the module
28
onto the side walls
30
of liner
40
. However, the vertical loading forces is considered to be significantly less than any vertical loading placed on the bottom wall
46
of the refrigerator liner
40
. The primary functions of bosses
90
are to fixedly locate the module
28
relative to the bottom liner wall
46
and to support module
28
against shelf loading forces that pull the module
28
relative to the liner side wall
30
in directions other than that a vertical direction shown by arrow
96
.
It should be understood that the corner section
56
and the side walls
52
of the modular storage assembly
28
may comprise a molded plastic material. Further, the front wall portion
54
and the forward supporting floor
58
may comprise either a plastic or metal material. Also, the supporting floor
58
extends rearwardly from the front wall
54
a distance less then the distance of the module side wall
52
. The module side wall
52
includes a stepped supporting wall
120
that is adapted to be seated upon the raised landing
82
.
It will be appreciated that alternative embodiments falling within the scope of the present invention may be apparent to those skilled in the art of refrigerator door construction and accordingly the present invention should not be limited to those embodiments herein described.
Claims
- 1. A refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly extending across a refrigerator door including:the refrigerator door having an outer shell and an inner liner including a perimeter wall projecting forward of the inner liner having side walls, a bottom wall and a rear wall defining a liner recess, the bottom wall having a forward lower landing and a stepped raised landing extending into the liner recess rewardly of the forward lower landing; aligned module supporting bosses projecting inwardly of each of said side walls closely adjacent to and above the bottom wall; door storage module receivable partially in the liner recess, said module including a pair of spaced apart module side walls positionable adjacent and forward of said door liner side walls, said module including a front wall extending between said module side walls and a supporting floor extending rearwardly of the front wall, said module side walls extending rearwardly of said supporting floor, and the module including opposing corner sections including the module side walls and a portion of the front wall and supporting floor, the front wall being connected to the front wall portions of the corner sections and the supporting floor being connected to and resting on the supporting floor portion of the corner section; a pair of ribs projecting outward of each of said module side walls and extending from adjacent a top edge of the corresponding module side wall toward a bottom of said module; each pair of ribs defining a downward opening recess; and, whereby said module is assembled to said door by sliding said module ribs down over said bosses until the supporting floor of said module is seated upon the forward lower landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner.
- 2. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 1 wherein the bosses are rectangular in shape and the ribs of said module vertically abut said bosses as the module is assembled to said door.
- 3. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 1 wherein the supporting floor of the module has an upper flat surface that abuts and extends flush to the stepped raised landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner when the module is assembled to said door.
- 4. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 1 wherein the ribs of the side walls extend vertically.
- 5. A refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly extending across a refrigerator door including:the refrigerator door having an outer shell and an inner liner including a perimeter wall projecting forward of the inner liner having side walls, a bottom wall and a rear wall defining a liner recess, the bottom wall having a forward lower landing and a stepped raised landing extending into the liner recess rearwardly of the forward lower landing; aligned module supporting bosses projecting inwardly of each of said side walls closely adjacent to and above the bottom wall; a door storage module receivable partially in the liner recess, said module including a pair of spaced apart module side walls positionable adjacent and forward of said door liner side walls, said module including a front wall extending said module side walls and a supporting floor extending rearwardly of the front wall, said module side walls extending rearwardly of said supporting floor; a pair of ribs projecting outward of each of said module side walls and extending from adjacent a top edge of the corresponding module side wall toward a bottom of said module; each pair of ribs defining a downward opening recess; and, whereby said module is assembled to said door by sliding said module ribs down over said bosses until the supporting floor of said module is seated upon the forward lower landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner and each of the bosses having a vertical wall with a detent, and the rib of the module sliding over the vertical wall having a tab that snaps into the detent fixedly assembling the module to the door liner.
- 6. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 5 wherein the supporting floor of the module has an upper flat surface that abuts and extends flush to the stepped raised landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner when the module is assembled to said door.
- 7. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 5 wherein the rib having the tab has reinforcing ribs extending orthogonally along the module side wall with the ends thereof integrally attached to the rib having the tab.
- 8. A refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly extending across a refrigerator door including:the refrigerator door having an outer shell and an inner liner including a perimeter wall projecting forward of the inner liner having side walls, a bottom wall and a rear wall defining a liner recess, the bottom wall having a forward lower landing and a stepped raised landing extending into the liner recess rearwardly of the forward lower landing; aligned module supporting bosses projecting inwardly of each of said side walls closely adjacent to and above the bottom wall; a door storage module receivable partially in the liner recess, said module including a pair of spaced apart module side walls positionable adjacent and forward of said door liner side walls, said module including a front wall extending between said module side walls and a supporting floor extending rearwardly of the front wall, said module side walls extending rearwardly of said supporting floor; pair of ribs projecting outward of each of said module side walls and extending from adjacent a top edge of the corresponding module side wall toward a bottom of said module; each pair of ribs defining a downward opening recess; a base portion positioned below the ribs of the module side wall and a stepped supporting wall extending rearwardly and vertically spaced from the base portion; whereby said module is assembled to said door by sliding said module ribs down over said bosses until the base portion of said module is seated upon the forward lower landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner and the stepped supporting wall is seated upon the stepped raised landing.
- 9. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 8 wherein the bosses are rectangular in shape and the ribs of said module slidingly abut said bosses as the module is assembled to said door.
- 10. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 9 wherein each of the bosses has a vertical wall with a detent, and the rib of the module sliding over the vertical wall having a tab that snaps into the detent fixedly assembling the module to the door liner.
- 11. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 10 wherein the supporting floor of the module has an upper flat surface that abuts and extends flush to the stepped raised landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner when the module is assembled to said door.
- 12. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 10 wherein the rib having the tab has reinforcing ribs extending orthogonally along the module side wall with the ends integrally attached to the rib having the tab.
- 13. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 8 wherein the supporting floor of the module is seated upon the forward lower landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner, said supporting floor has an upper flat surface that abuts and extends flush to the stepped raised landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner when the module is assembled to said door.
- 14. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 8 wherein the module includes opposing corner sections including the module side walls and a portion of the front wall and supporting floor walls, a front wall connected to the front wall portions of the corner sections and a supporting floor wall portion connected to and resting on the supporting floor walls of the corner section.
- 15. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 8 wherein the base support of the module side walls each have two legs that are seated on the bottom wall of the inner liner when the module is assembled to the door.
- 16. The refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly of claim 8 wherein the ribs of the side walls extend vertically.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2283549 |
Sep 1999 |
CA |
|
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Sep 1995 |
BR |
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May 1961 |
DE |
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Oct 1960 |
GB |
2176884 |
Jan 1987 |
GB |
43 17 615 |
Dec 1994 |
GB |