Refrigerator shelves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9345326-B2
Application number	US-201414288637-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2014
Priority date	May 28, 2014
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

Refrigerator shelves are disclosed. An example refrigerator shelf includes a substantially planar member, trim along a first edge of the planar member, and a bent continuous wire support rod. The bent rod having a first portion extending along and beneath the trim, a second portion perpendicular to the first portion and extending from the first edge to a point between the first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, and a third portion extending from the point and extending substantially perpendicularly from a plane defined by the first and second portions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator shelf comprising:
a substantially planar member;
trim along a first edge of the planar member; and
a continuous wire support rod bent from a single piece to have:
a first portion extending along and beneath the trim;
a linear second portion substantially perpendicular to the first portion and extending from the first edge to a point between the first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge; and
a third portion extending from the point and extending substantially perpendicularly from a plane defined by the first and second portions.

2. A refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 , wherein the trim includes a U-shaped channel configured to enable the first portion to be at least one of press fit or snapped into the U-shaped channel.

3. A refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 , wherein the rod has a first bend at a junction of the first and second portions, and a second bend at a junction of the second and third portions.

4. A refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 , wherein at least the third portion is dimensioned to engage a retention feature defined in a refrigerator liner.

5. A refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions define a plane that is substantially parallel to a bottom surface of the planar member.

6. A refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions are substantially parallel to the planar member.

7. A refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 , further comprising second trim along the second edge.

8. A refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 7 , further comprising:
a third edge of the planar member extending from the first edge to the second edge; and third trim along the third edge.

9. A refrigerator shelf comprising
a substantially planar member;
trim along a first edge of the planar member; and
a continuous wire support rod bent to have:
a first portion extending along and beneath the trim;
a second portion perpendicular to the first portion and extending from the first edge to a point between the first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, wherein the first and second edges are substantially parallel;
a third portion extending from the point and extending substantially perpendicularly from a plane defined by the first and second portions, wherein:
the planar member further comprises a third edge extending from the first edge to the second edge;
the third edge is substantially perpendicular to the first and second edges; and
the point lies on the third edge.

10. A refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 , wherein the rod further comprises:
a fourth portion that is perpendicular to the first portion, opposite the second portion, and extends from the first edge to a second point between the first edge and the second edge; and
a fifth portion extending from the second point and extending substantially perpendicularly from a plane defined by the first and fourth portions.

11. A refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 , wherein the planar member comprises a substantially flat piece of at least one of glass or acrylic.

12. A refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 1 , wherein the planar member comprises a substantially flat piece of an at least partially transparent material.

13. A method of forming a refrigerator shelf including a wire support rod, the method comprising:
bending a continuous wire support rod at first and second points to form first and second bends that define a first portion of the rod between the first and second bends that is sized to extend along and provide support to a first edge of the refrigerator shelf;
bending the rod at a third point to form a third bend that defines a second portion of the rod between the first and third bends that is sized to only partially extend along and provide support to a second edge of the refrigerator shelf perpendicular to the first edge, and to define a third portion of the rod extending perpendicularly from a plane defined by the first and second portions;
bending the rod at a fourth point to form a fourth bend to define a fourth portion of the rod between the second and fourth bends that is sized to only partially extend along and provide support to a third edge of the refrigerator shelf perpendicular to the first edge, and to define a fifth portion of the rod extending perpendicularly from the plane; and
attaching the first portion of the bent rod at the first edge of the refrigerator shelf.

14. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising attaching trim to the first edge, wherein attaching the first portion of the bent rod at the first edge comprises attaching the first portion of the bent rod to the trim so the first, second and fourth portions extend substantially parallel to and along a bottom surface of the shelf, and the third and fifth portions extend substantially perpendicularly from the bottom surface.

15. A method as defined in claim 14 , wherein the trim is an extruded trim, and further comprising:
press fitting the trim onto the first edge; and
press fitting the first portion of the rod into a feature defined in the trim.

16. A method as defined in claim 15 , further comprising press fitting second extruded trim to a fourth edge of the shelf opposite the first edge.

17. A method as defined in claim 16 , further comprising press fitting third and fourth extruded trim to respective ones of the second and third edges.

18. A refrigerator shelf including a wire support rod, the rod comprising:
first and second bends that define a first portion of the rod between the first and second bends, the first portion sized to extend along and provide support to a first edge of the shelf;
a third bend that defines a second portion between the first and third bends, the second portion sized to only partially extend along and provide support to a second edge of the shelf perpendicular to the first edge, and defines a third portion extending perpendicularly from a plane defined by the first and second portions; and
a fourth bend that defines a fourth portion between the second and fourth bends, the fourth portion sized to only partially extend along and provide support to a third edge of the shelf perpendicular to the first edge, and defines a fifth portion extending perpendicularly from the plane.

19. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 18 , wherein the third and fifth portions are dimensioned to engage a retention feature defined in a refrigerator liner.

20. The refrigerator shelf as defined in claim 18 , wherein the plane defined by the first and second portions is configured to be substantially parallel to a bottom surface of the shelf.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Sankhgond Basavraj Ishwar
• Waiz Kirk David

Classifications

• F25D25/02 Primary

  by shelves · CPC title

• A47B96/062

  for glass 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

• Y10T29/49828

  Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work · CPC title

• A47B96/021

  Structural features of shelf bases · CPC title