Patent Application
20110232322
The present invention relates to refrigerators. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a wire basket configuration in a refrigerator.
Pullout drawers in refrigerator cabinets, and in particular bottom mounted freezer drawers, in which the freezer is located at the bottom of the refrigerator while the fresh food compartment is located at the top of the refrigerator, are often used to increase versatility of storing a wide range of food items, and increasing the accessibility of items stored in the lower portion of the refrigerator cabinet. Wire baskets are commonly used for storage in bottom mount pullout drawer models. Conventionally, there is a lower basket extending with the drawer and an upper basket that is pulled out after the drawer has been extended. Unfortunately, this type of wire basket configuration tends to become skewed when pulled out, particularly when the horizontal force (i.e., the consumer pushing or pulling on the basket) is not centered. One solution for this poor travel characteristic is a rack and pinion system. The rack and pinion forces the basket to pull out parallel to the rack gears. However this system needs a multitude of parts such as spur gears, gear mounts, a drive shaft and stamped sheet metal parts which adds significant cost as well as providing additional opportunities for parts to fail. All of which is unnecessary for a wire basket. Therefore, what is needed is a refrigerator with an improved wire basket configuration.
Therefore, it is a primary object, feature or advantage of the present invention to improve over the state of the art.
It is a further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide a system for pull-out drawers in a refrigerator which reduces manufacturing costs.
It is a still further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention to provide a system for pull-out drawers in a refrigerator which limits the number of component parts.
Another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide a system for pull-out drawers in a refrigerator where the top basket is centrally supported.
Yet another object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide a smooth operating upper basket for a refrigerator.
A further object, feature, or advantage of the present invention is to provide a simple means of aligning and maintaining the upper basket.
One or more of these and/or other objects, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims that follow. No single embodiment need achieve all of these objects, features, or advantages.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator has a freezer compartment disposed within. A freezer door provides access to the freezer compartment. A lower freezer basket and an upper freezer basket are located within the freezer compartment. A divider is operatively connected to the lower freezer basket to divide the lower freezer basket. The lower freezer basket's divider has guide surfaces on a top portion to allow for guiding the upper freezer basket forward and back. The upper freezer and lower freezer baskets may be wire form baskets. The top portion of the divider may be shaped as an “I” beam.
The upper freezer basket may have a first and a second lead-in bends for moving along the guide surface of the divider. The freezer compartment may have first and second channels on opposite ends for supporting the upper basket. The divider may be press fit to the lower basket. The guide surfaces may include a first guide surface and a second guide surface, each of the first guide surface and the second guide surface configured to accept a lead-in bend of the wireform basket. The divider may be centrally positioned within the lower freezer basket.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a refrigerator includes a refrigerator cabinet, a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet, a lower freezer basket disposed within the freezer compartment, and an upper freezer basket disposed within the freezer compartment. Each of the lower freezer basket and the upper freezer basket may be wire formed. There is a divider operatively positioned within the lower freezer basket, guide surfaces on a top portion of the divider such that the divider supports the upper freezer basket and assists in guiding the upper freezer basket forward and back. The upper freezer basket may be a wire form basket having a first and a second lead-in bend for moving along the guide surface of the divider.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an assembly is configured for use in a freezer compartment of a refrigerator. The assembly may include a lower freezer basket, an upper freezer basket, a divider operatively connected to the lower freezer basket to divide the lower freezer basket, and guide surfaces on a top portion of the divider to allow for guiding the upper freezer basket forward and back.
Other aspects, features and details of the present invention can be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings, and from the appended claims.
Referring to the Figures, one embodiment of the present invention is shown in connection with a bottom mounted freezer of a refrigerator. In
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The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.
