Shelf assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9259088-B1
Application number	US-201414577233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 19, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

A shelf assembly for an appliance comprises a shelf panel with a planar support surface and a frame to support the shelf panel with the support surface extending generally along a horizontal plane. The frame comprises a front support channel, opposed side support channels, and a rear support channel. The rear support channel is adapted to support the shelf panel against the force of gravity and to inhibit removal of the shelf panel from the frame in the direction of the horizontal plane. The shelf panel is selectively insertable into or removable from the rear support channel by temporarily deflecting the rear support channel relative to the horizontal plane a sufficient amount to separate the rear support channel from a rear edge of the shelf panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of assembling a shelf assembly for an appliance, comprising the steps of:
providing, at a nominal condition, a monolithic frame that is adapted to be mounted within an appliance, comprising a rigid front member with a front support channel, rigid side support channels, and a flexible rear member with a rear support channel,
wherein at the nominal condition of the frame, all of the front support channel, side support channels, and rear support channel are substantially co-planar along a horizontal plane, and
wherein the rear support channel comprises a first wall extending downwards from the rear member along a direction substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and a second wall projecting outwards from the first wall towards the front member and along a direction substantially parallel to the horizontal plane;
first, temporarily deflecting the flexible rear member of the frame a distance upwards so that the rear support channel is vertically above the horizontal plane;
next, sliding opposed side edges of a shelf panel, which comprises a generally planar support surface, along the side support channels of the frame so that the support surface extends generally along the horizontal plane,
continuing to slide the shelf panel along the side support channels until a front edge of the shelf panel is received within the front support channel of the frame;
temporarily rotating the rear member of the frame to an angle relative to the horizontal plane a sufficient amount to separate the rear support channel of the rear member from a rear edge of the shelf panel;
subsequently inserting and capturing the rear edge of the shelf panel into the rear support channel so that the rear edge of the shelf panel is supported against the force of gravity; and
elastically returning the frame to the nominal condition in which all of the front support channel, side support channels, and rear support channel are again substantially co-planar with the horizontal plane.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of temporarily rotating the rear member to an angle relative to the horizontal plane further comprises the step of separating the second wall of the rear support channel from the rear edge of the shelf panel.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of temporarily rotating the rear member to an angle further comprises the step of simultaneously deflecting the rear member of the frame a distance upwards relative to the horizontal plane.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the rear member of the frame is defined between first and second ends interconnected with opposed side members of the frame and the rear support channel is located between and separated from the first and second ends, and wherein the step of temporarily deflecting the rear member of the frame a distance upwards relative to the horizontal plane further comprises the step of only deflecting a portion of the rear member that contains the rear support channel.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the steps of temporarily rotating the rear member and temporarily deflecting the rear member are performed after the front edge of the shelf panel is received within a front support channel of the frame.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of continuing to slide the shelf panel along the side support channels occurs until the front edge of the shelf panel contacts a front stop located within the front support channel of the frame.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the front stop is positioned so that, at the nominal condition of the frame, the rear edge of the shelf panel is positioned immediately adjacent the first wall of the rear member.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rear support channel is defined between an underside of the rear member and the second wall, and a distance therebetween is substantially equal to a thickness of the rear edge of the shelf panel.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the rear edge of the shelf panel is supported against the force of gravity by the rear support channel without a subjacent support structure.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the frame does not comprise subjacent support structure vertically below the rear support channel so that the rear edge of the shelf panel is supported against the force of gravity only by the rear support channel.

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• Mobley Benjamin
• Simpson Cory Dale

Classifications

• F25D25/02 Primary

  by shelves · CPC title

• A47B96/024 Primary

  characterised by support bracket location means, e.g. fixing means between support bracket and shelf (A47B96/028 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47B96/021

  Structural features of shelf bases · CPC title

• F25D2325/022

  Shelves made of glass or ceramic · CPC title

• A47B2210/17

  Drawers used in connection with household appliances · CPC title