Refrigerator appliances

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9581383-B2
Application number	US-201514714524-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2015
Priority date	May 18, 2015
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance including a refrigerated chamber defined by a liner positioned within a cabinet is provided. At least one track extends generally along a vertical direction of the refrigerator appliance attached to or positioned adjacent to the liner. Additionally, a shelf assembly is configured to attach to the track. An electrical bar extends at least partially within the track and a probe of the shelf assembly is configured to extend into the track and press against the electrical bar along a transverse direction. The probe may accordingly make an electrical connection with electrical bar when the shelf assembly is attached the track.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction and a transverse direction, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
a cabinet;
a liner positioned within the cabinet defining a refrigerated chamber;
a track extending generally along the vertical direction attached to or positioned adjacent to the liner;
an electrical bar extending at least partially within the track; and
a shelf assembly configured for attachment to the track, the shelf assembly including a probe configured to contact and exert a force on the electrical bar along the transverse direction when the shelf assembly is attached to the track such that the probe establishes an electrical connection with the electrical bar when the shelf assembly is attached to the track, and wherein the probe deforms the electrical bar when the shelf assembly is attached to the track.

2. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , further comprising
a light source attached to the shelf assembly, the light source in electrical communication with the probe of the shelf assembly.

3. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the shelf assembly includes an attachment hook spaced from the probe along the vertical direction, wherein the probe and the attachment hook each extend rearwardly along the transverse direction, and wherein the track is a cantilevered track defining a plurality of openings spaced along the vertical direction, each opening configured for receipt of the attachment hook or the probe.

4. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator appliance also defines a lateral direction, wherein the probe is a first probe positioned at a first side of the shelf assembly along the lateral direction, wherein the shelf assembly further includes a second probe positioned a second side of the shelf assembly along the lateral direction.

5. The refrigerator appliance of claim 4 , wherein the track is a first track and the electrical bar is a first electrical bar, and wherein the refrigerator appliance further includes
a second track attached to or positioned adjacent to the liner and spaced from the first track along the lateral direction; and
a second electrical bar extending at least partially within the second track, wherein the second probe is configured for electrical attachment to the second electrical bar when the shelf assembly is attached to the second track.

6. The refrigerator appliance of claim 5 , wherein the first electrical bar is positively charged, and wherein the second electrical bar is negatively charged.

7. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the track defines an internal cavity, and wherein the electrical bar is supported within the internal cavity of the track by a plurality of supports.

8. The refrigerator appliance of claim 7 , wherein the track defines a plurality of openings evenly spaced along the vertical direction, wherein each adjacent opening in the plurality of openings is separated by a first separation distance, and wherein each adjacent support in the plurality of supports are separated by a second separation distance, wherein the second separation distance is about twice as long as the first separation distance.

9. The refrigerator appliance of claim 8 , wherein each support is separated from the nearest opening in the track along the vertical direction by about one third of the first separation distance.

10. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator appliance also defines a lateral direction, wherein the shelf assembly includes an attachment hook spaced from the probe along the vertical direction and aligned along the lateral direction, and wherein the track defines a plurality of openings spaced along the vertical direction and aligned along the lateral direction, each opening configured for receipt of the attachment hook or the probe.

11. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the probe and the electrical bar are comprised of stainless steel.

12. A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
a cabinet;
a liner positioned within the cabinet defining a refrigerated chamber;
a track extending generally along the vertical direction and defining an internal cavity, the track attached to or positioned adjacent to the liner;
an electrical bar extending within the internal cavity of the track; and
a shelf assembly including a probe and an attachment hook spaced from one another along the vertical direction and aligned along the lateral direction, the shelf assembly configured for attachment to the track, the probe extending into the internal cavity of the track and configured to contact and exert a force on the electrical bar along the transverse direction when the shelf assembly is attached to the track such that the probe electrically connects to the electrical bar when the shelf assembly is attached to the track.

13. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12 , further comprising
a light source attached to the shelf assembly, the light source in electrical communication with the probe of the shelf assembly.

14. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12 , wherein the probe and the attachment hook each extend rearwardly along the transverse direction, and wherein the track is a cantilevered track defining a plurality of openings spaced along the vertical direction, each opening configured for receipt of the attachment hook or the probe.

15. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12 , wherein the refrigerator appliance also defines a lateral direction, wherein the probe is a first probe positioned at a first side of the shelf assembly along the lateral direction, wherein the shelf assembly further includes a second probe positioned a second side of the shelf assembly along the lateral direction.

16. The refrigerator appliance of claim 15 , wherein the track is a first track and the electrical bar is a first electrical bar, and wherein the refrigerator appliance further includes
a second track attached to or positioned adjacent to the liner and spaced from the first track along the lateral direction, the second track also defining an internal cavity; and
a second electrical bar extending within the internal cavity of second track, wherein the second probe is configured for electrical attachment to the second electrical bar when the shelf assembly is attached to the second track.

17. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12 , wherein the electrical bar is supported within the internal cavity of the track by a plurality of supports.

18. The refrigerator appliance of claim 17 , wherein the track defines a plurality of openings evenly spaced along the vertical direction, wherein each adjacent opening in the plurality of openings is separated by a first separation distance, and wherein each adjacent support in the plurality of supports are separated by a second separation distance, wherein the second separation distance is about twice as long as the first separation distance.

19. The refrigerator appliance of claim 18 , wherein each support is separated from the nearest opening in the track along the vertical direction by about one third of the first separation distance.

20. The refrigerator appliance of claim 12 , wherein the probe contacts and deforms the electrical bar when the shelf assembly is attached to the track.

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Brown Justin Tyler
• Froelicher Stephen Bernard
• Bensel Peter Hans

Classifications

• F25D25/02

  by shelves · CPC title

• F25D27/00 Primary

  Lighting arrangements (in general F21) · CPC title

• F21V33/0044

  Household appliances, e.g. washing machines or vacuum cleaners · CPC title

• F21Y2103/10

  comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title