Drawer assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9435580-B2
Application number	US-201414333805-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2014
Priority date	Jul 17, 2014
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

A drawer assembly is provided for a refrigeration appliance. The drawer assembly comprises a unitary storage bin configured to move relative to the cooled compartment. The storage bin is defined by a front wall, a rear wall and opposed sidewalls that are arranged substantially parallel to the first and second interior walls of the cooled compartment. An uppermost portion of each of the opposed sidewalls comprises a projecting edge. The rear wall comprises a reinforced edge that inhibits deflection. A pair of linear motion elements is installed to enable movement of the storage bin in and out of the cooled compartment. A pair of support brackets couples the pair of linear motion elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drawer assembly in a refrigeration appliance comprising:
a cooled compartment comprising opposed, first and second interior walls;
a unitary storage bin configured to move relative to the cooled compartment, the storage bin defined by a front wall, a rear wall and opposed sidewalls that are arranged adjacent to the first and second interior walls of the cooled compartment, wherein an uppermost portion of each of the opposed sidewalls comprise a projecting edge extending outwards of the storage bin towards and along a respective one of the first and second interior walls of the cooled compartment, and wherein the rear wall comprises a reinforced edge that inhibits deflection of the rear wall along at least two axes;
a pair of linear motion elements installed between the first and second interior walls of the cooled compartment and the opposed sidewalls of the storage bin to enable movement of the storage bin in and out of the cooled compartment;
a pair of support brackets coupling the pair of linear motion elements to the opposed sidewalls of the storage bin, each support bracket comprising a vertical face fixed to one respective linear motion element and a support face arranged at an angle relative to the vertical face that is fixed to one respective projecting edge of the storage bin; and
a plurality of mounting blocks with at least one mounting block disposed between each support bracket and a respective sidewall of the storage bin, each mounting block removably attached to one of the support brackets; and
a plurality of removable fasteners that removably secure the unitary storage bin to the mounting blocks,
wherein an underside of each projecting edge of the sidewalls comprises a first set of alternating teeth and grooves and each mounting block comprises a second set of alternating teeth and grooves configured to lockingly engage with the first set of alternating teeth and grooves of a corresponding projecting edge to inhibit lateral movement of the storage bin,
wherein the first set of alternating teeth and grooves comprises a first set of linear teeth and a first set of linear grooves that are linearly aligned along a first direction that is parallel to a sliding direction of the storage bin in and out of the cooled compartment and alternate along a second direction transverse to the first direction, and
wherein the second set of alternating teeth and grooves comprises a second set of linear teeth and a second set of linear grooves that are linearly aligned along the first direction and alternate along the second direction, so that the first and second sets of teeth are thereby arranged perpendicular to a lateral axis of the unitary storage bin to thereby inhibit the unitary storage bin from collapsing inwards due to the weight of articles stored within the unitary storage bin, and
wherein each removable fastener passes through an opening in an uppermost side of each projecting edge of the sidewalls to lockingly engage a respective one of the plurality of mounting blocks and thereby apply a clamping force between the first and second sets of teeth.

2. The drawer assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a drawer configured to selectively close the cooled compartment and being mounted to said pair of support brackets to operate the linear motion elements so that the storage bin and drawer can be moved as a unit.

3. The drawer assembly of claim 1 , wherein each linear motion element comprises an outer slide member fixed to one interior wall of the cooled compartment, and an inner slide member slidable with respect to the outer slide member and fixed to one support bracket.

4. The drawer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vertical face and the support face of each support bracket are perpendicular.

5. The drawer assembly of claim 1 , wherein each support bracket comprises angle iron.

6. The drawer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fasteners are operable without the use of tools.

7. The drawer assembly of claim 6 , wherein each mounting block comprises an opening permitting one of the fasteners to threadingly extend therethrough.

8. The drawer assembly of claim 1 , wherein all of the front wall, rear wall and opposed sidewalls of the storage bin are formed as a monolithic body.

9. The drawer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reinforced edge of the rear wall is positioned at an uppermost portion of the rear wall and extends outwards of the storage bin.

10. The drawer assembly of claim 1 , wherein each removable fastener passes through the first and second sets of teeth.

11. The drawer assembly of claim 1 , wherein each removable fastener passes through a hole in a corresponding mounting block.

12. The drawer assembly of claim 1 , wherein each removable fastener is a threaded fastener that threadably engages a corresponding mounting block.

13. A drawer assembly in a refrigeration appliance comprising:
a cooled compartment comprising opposed, first and second interior walls;
a unitary storage bin configured to move relative to the cooled compartment, the storage bin partially defined by opposed sidewalls that are arranged adjacent to the first and second interior walls of the cooled compartment, and an uppermost portion of each of the opposed sidewalls comprises a projecting edge extending outwards of the storage bin towards and along a respective one of the first and second interior walls of the cooled compartment;
a pair of linear motion elements installed between the first and second interior walls of the cooled compartment and the opposed sidewalls of the storage bin to enable movement of the storage bin in and out of the cooled compartment;
a pair of support brackets coupling the pair of linear motion elements to the projecting edges of the sidewalls of the storage bin; and
a plurality of mounting blocks with at least one mounting block disposed between each support bracket and a respective sidewall of the storage bin; each mounting block removably attached to one of the support brackets; and
a plurality of removable fasteners that removably and lockingly secure the unitary storage bin to the mounting blocks via a clamping force, each removable fastener comprising a main body having a thickness;
wherein an underside of each projecting edge of the sidewalls comprises a first set of alternating teeth and grooves and each mounting block comprises a second set of alternating teeth and grooves configured to lockingly engage with the first set of alternating teeth and grooves of a corresponding projecting edge to inhibit lateral movement of the storage bin,
wherein the first set of alternating teeth and grooves define a first width and are linearly aligned along a first direction, and
wherein the second set of alternating teeth and grooves define a second width and are linearly aligned along the first direction, so that locking engagement of the first and second sets of teeth via said clamping force thereby inhibits the unitary storage bin from collapsing inwards due to the weight of articles stored within the unitary storage bin, and
wherein the main body of each removable fastener passes through a respective opening in an uppermost side of each projecting edge of the sidewalls to lockingly engage a respective one of the plurality of mounting blocks,
wherein the opening is larger than the thickness of the main body and the first width of the first set of teeth is larger than the second width of the second set of teeth.

14. The drawer assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first and second sets of alternating teeth and grooves are arranged substantially parallel to the first and second interior

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• Dubina Paul
• Ellis Adam

Classifications

• F25D23/021

  Sliding doors · CPC title

• A47B2088/0429

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A47B2210/175

  Refrigerators or freezers · CPC title

• A47B77/18

  by special arrangements for accommodating removable containers · CPC title

• F25D25/025 Primary

  Drawers · CPC title