Patent Application
20200132360
The present device generally relates to a shelving arrangement for a refrigerator, and more specifically, to a shelving assembly wherein an insert can be assembled with a frame without deformation of the frame.
Various types of shelving assemblies for refrigerators may include a frame of a first material type, including plastic or the like, supporting an insert or substrate of a different material type, which may include glass, transparent plastic, or the like. Such arrangements may include various types and configurations of fixed or sliding inserts or substrates. In one aspect, a sliding insert of a substrate of glass or transparent plastic may be assembled in a supporting manner between opposite facing grooves in a separate frame. In some arrangements, the grooves may be longer than the insert such that sliding of the insert relative to the frame is facilitated. Some implementations of this and similar shelving assemblies may include closed tracks wherein flexing of the frame by an extent to temporarily deform the overall frame to expand the distance between the grooves to a distance greater that the corresponding dimension of the insert is required. Depending on the construction or materials used for the frame, such deformation may be difficult or may damage the frame itself during assembly of the shelf. Further, if removal of the insert is later needed, it may be similarly difficult to flex the frame sufficiently to be able to remove the insert. Accordingly, further advancements may be desired.
In at least one aspect, a refrigerator shelf assembly includes a frame having a depth and a first support element extending along the depth and defining a first track open in a lateral direction perpendicular to the depth. The support element further defines a first open area along a first side of the track and extending between an adjacent portion of the track and an exterior of the first support element and a cantilever arm having a free end adjacent the first open area. The cantilever arm is resiliently deformable away from a plane defined along the first side of the track. The assembly further includes an insert slidably received within the track and moveable along the depth of the first track through a fixed range of motion, wherein the insert is disposed over an expanse of the first open area.
In at least another aspect, a refrigerator shelf assembly includes a frame having a depth and a first support element extending along the depth and defining a first track. A first open area extends between an adjacent portion of the track and an exterior of the first support element, and a resiliently deformable cantilever arm has a free end adjacent the first open area. The assembly also includes an insert configurable in an installed state, wherein the track is slideable along the track within an installed fixed range of motion less than a full length of the track, and in an assembly state, wherein movement thereof along the full length of the track is permitted. When in the assembly state, the insert is moveable through the first open area into and out of an assembly position wherein the back edge of the insert is in contact with the second end of the track by rotation of the insert generally about the back edge thereof under extension and flexing of the cantilevered portion.
In at least another aspect, a method for assembling a refrigerator shelf includes moving an insert portion of the refrigerator shelf through a first open area of a support element in a frame portion of the refrigerator shelf. The support element extends along a depth of the frame and defines a first track and a resiliently deformable cantilever arm having a free end adjacent the first open area such that moving the insert portion causes flexing of the cantilever arm and brings a back edge of the insert into contact with an end of the track. The method further includes rotating the insert generally about the back edge thereof under extension of the cantilevered portion into an assembly position wherein a front edge of the insert portion opposite the back edge is disposed over the open area and the insert is slidably received within the track. A trim piece is then assembled on a front edge the insert opposite the back edge. The insert restricts movement of the insert within the track to a fixed range of motion, wherein the front edge of the insert remains disposed away from the open area.
These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present device will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
In the drawings:
For purposes of description herein the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the device as oriented in
Referring to the embodiment illustrated in
As explained more fully herein, the above-described incorporation of the first open area 24 into first support element 18, defined by cantilever arm 30 and in communication with first track 20, can facilitate assembly of insert 36 with frame 14 and, if desired, removal of track 20 from frame 14. More specifically, the insert 36 may be assembled with track 20 by passing insert 36 through open area 24 by flexing of cantilever arm 30, which extends to maintain insert 36 within track 20. As discussed further below, the insert 36 is restricted to movement within the fixed range of motion 38 after such assembly to maintain insert 36 in a position where front edge 40 of insert 36 does not move into a position aligned with open area 24 to prevent subsequent removal of insert 36, including by inadvertent movement of insert 36 back out through open area 24. The incorporation of cantilever arm 30 allows for localized flexing of frame 14 for reliable assembly of insert 36 with frame 14, including in a manner that provides positive feedback confirming proper installation, without requiring general flexing or deformation of frame 14 to capture insert 36 within track 20 and within frame 14 overall, as discussed further below.
As can be seen in
As discussed above, shelving assembly 10 is configured to provide for improved assembly of insert 36 with frame 14 through localized deformation of frame 14 within cantilevered arm 30, while preventing inadvertent removal of insert 36. As discussed above, such inadvertent removal may be prevented by configuring shelving assembly 10 such that the insert is restricted to the fixed range of motion 38 to maintain the front edge 40 in a position forward of the first open area 24. As shown in
As discussed further below, this spacing allows for room within track 20 for insertion or removal of insert 36 through the open area 24 in support element 18, while restricting the movement of insert 36, once installed, to the fixed range of motion 38 prevents insert 36 from moving into a position (e.g., where the front edge 40 is within open area 24) where insert 36 can be removed from support element 18. In this manner, insert 36 is configurable in an “installed” state, wherein movement of insert 36 along the track 20 is restricted to movement within the fixed range of motion 38. Further, insert 36 may be further configurable in an “assembly” state (and, accordingly, alternately configurable between the installed and assembly states) such that assembly or intentional removal of insert 36 through open area 24 is possible. In the assembly state movement of the insert 36 along the entirety of the track 20 is permitted.
As shown in
Intermediate support 62 may be further structured to be positioned generally above insert 36 and track 20 such that intermediate support 62 does not interfere with movement of insert 36 within the fixed range of motion 38. As would be understood, such an arrangement allows for sliding of insert 36 beneath intermediate support 62 within the fixed range of motion 38. However, because trim piece 60 extends upwardly from insert 36, trim piece 60 contacts the intermediate support 62 when insert 36 is moved along track 20 into the positions illustrated in
Turning to
In one aspect, the open area 24, as defined between the fixed edge 52 and the opposing edge 54 on the free end 32 of cantilever arm 30, can be less than a size actually realized for open area during installation of insert 36, which may be a product of the depth of insert 36 and the thickness thereof. In this manner, the described movement of insert 36 into and through the position shown in
As shown in
Continued movement of insert 36 through the position of
In an aspect of the disclosure, a method for assembling the shelving assembly 10 discussed herein, can be in accordance with the steps shown in
If desired, insert 36 can be subsequently removed from frame 14 by first removing trim piece 60 (to configure insert 36 in the assembly state, followed by reversal of the above steps, wherein back edge 48 of insert 36 is moved into close proximity or contact with the rearward end 46 of track 20 and insert 36 is rotated downwardly (in a direction opposite direction 72) by flexing of cantilever arm 30 to move front edge 40 to a position outside of support element 18. Insert is then moved in a direction opposite the assembly direction 64 to slide insert 36 out through open area 24.
As further shown in the figures, insert 36 may be configured as a forward portion of what may be generally characterized as a “tuck shelf.” In particular, insert 36 may be supported opposite from the support element 18 described above by a second support element 74 positioned laterally opposite support element 18 such that insert 36 extends between the support elements 18 and 74. In this manner, support element 74 can be configured in a similar manner to the support element 18, as described above, but as a mirror image thereof about a lateral midplane of shelving assembly 10. Accordingly, support element 74 can extend along depth 16 of frame 14 generally parallel to support element 18 and can include a second track 76 that is open toward the opposite track 20 such that insert 36 can be slidably supported therebetween. Further support element 74 can be configured with its own open area 78 and corresponding cantilever arm 80. In this manner, insert 36 can be assembled with support element 74 through open area 78 into track 76 in a similar manner to the assembly of insert 36 with support element 18. Further, such assembly of insert 36 (and/or subsequent removal) can be carried out simultaneously with both support elements 18 and 74 in the same process as discussed above. Further, assembly of trim piece 60 with insert 36 can configure insert 36 in the installed position with respect to both support elements 18,74 and can restrict movement of the insert 36 in the same fixed range of motion 38 with respect to both tracks 20 and 76.
As further shown in the figures, the above-described intermediate support 62 can extend between and perpendicular to both the first and second support elements 20,74 at the above-described midpoint along the depth 16 of the frame 14. In this manner, the shelving assembly 10 may further include a first substrate 82 supported on the intermediate support 26 and the first and second support elements 18,74 in a fixed position with respect to frame 14. In one aspect both the insert 36 and the first substrate 82 can be of a glass (including tempered glass, borosilicate glass, or the like, for example) or plastic, including transparent plastic (e.g., Lucite™, acrylic, Plexi-Glass™, or the like). In such an arrangement, movement of the insert 36 through the fixed range of motion 38 includes movement of the insert 36 into a “tucked” position (corresponding with the depictions of shelving assembly 10 in
Still further, the shelving assembly 10 described herein may be a U-Shaped tuck shelf, wherein frame 14 further defines first and second lateral elements 84a,84b spaced outwardly from and generally parallel with the first and second support elements 18,74 through the depth 16 of the frame 14. The first and second lateral elements 84a,84b can be spaced apart from each other to define width 86 of the frame 14 that is greater than a distance 88 between the first and second support elements 18,74. The shelving assembly 10 can further include second and third substrates 90a,90b with the second substrate 90a being positioned in an area between the first lateral element 84a and the first support element 18 and the third substrate 90b being positioned in an area between the second lateral element 84b and the second support element 74. As shown, both the second and third substrates 90a,90b extend through a majority of the depth 16 of the frame 14. The second and third substrates 90a,90b can be of any of the materials discussed above with respect to the insert 36 and the first substrate 82, wherein the assembly 10 may include a combination of various different such materials among the insert 36 and the first, second, and third substrates 82,90a,90b.
By the described arrangement, the shelving assembly 10 takes on a U-shape, particularly when insert 36 is in the tucked position beneath substrate 82. The incorporation of the open areas 24 partially defined by cantilever arms 30, which facilitate assembly of insert 36 with frame 14 without deformation thereof may be of particular use in such an arrangement, as the additional frame elements (including lateral elements 84a,84b and intermediate support 62) may add to the overall rigidity of frame 14 making deflection thereof to a degree to assemble insert 36 between the support elements 18,74 difficult. As further shown in
It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that construction of the described device and other components is not limited to any specific material. Other exemplary embodiments of the device disclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials, unless described otherwise herein.
For purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” (in all of its forms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two components. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable in nature unless otherwise stated.
It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the device as shown in the exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the present innovations have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length or width of the structures and/or members or connector or other elements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be varied. It should be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may be constructed from any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present innovations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present innovations.
It will be understood that any described processes or steps within described processes may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present device. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as limiting.
It is also to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structures and methods without departing from the concepts of the present device, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
The above description is considered that of the illustrated embodiments only. Modifications of the device will occur to those skilled in the art and to those who make or use the device. Therefore, it is understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above is merely for illustrative purposes and not intended to limit the scope of the device, which is defined by the following claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law, including the Doctrine of Equivalents.
