Shelf height adjusting flippers having an integrated electrical contact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9989232-B2
Application number	US-201514659717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2015
Priority date	Mar 17, 2015
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

A height-adjustable shelving system for an appliance includes an appliance having a plurality of walls that define an interior cavity. The appliance has an electrical system that extends into at least one of the walls of the appliance. A shelf is selectively disposed within the cavity and includes a lighting fixture. A shelf support system in communication with the electrical system includes at least one rotatable body operable between a plurality of support positions, the at least one rotatable body removably receiving and supporting the shelf, wherein each of the support positions of the rotatable body corresponds to a different shelf height. The removable engagement between the shelf and the rotatable body in any of the plurality of support positions places the lighting fixture in communication with the electrical system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A height-adjustable shelving system comprising:
an appliance having a plurality of walls that define an interior cavity, the appliance having an electrical system that extends into at least one of the walls of the appliance;
a shelf selectively disposed within the interior cavity and including a lighting fixture; and
a shelf support system in communication with the electrical system and including at least one adjustable body operable between a plurality of support positions, the at least one adjustable body removably receiving and supporting the shelf, wherein each of the support positions of the at least one adjustable body corresponds to a different shelf height, and wherein removable engagement between the shelf and the at least one adjustable body in any of the plurality of support positions places the lighting fixture in communication with the electrical system, wherein the at least one adjustable body includes an electrical contact positioned to engage the shelf when the at least one adjustable body is in any of the plurality of support positions, wherein the shelf includes an electrical receiver configured to engage the electrical contact when the at least one adjustable body is in any of the plurality of support positions.

2. The height-adjustable shelving system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one adjustable body is at least one rotatable flipper, and wherein the shelf is removable from the shelf support system and from the interior cavity by hand and without the use of tools.

3. The height-adjustable shelving system of claim 2 , wherein the electrical receiver is positioned within a support recess of the shelf, and the support recess is configured to surround at least a portion of the rotatable flipper when the rotatable flipper is in any of the plurality of support positions.

4. The height-adjustable shelving system of claim 3 , wherein the shelf support system includes a set of rotatable flippers for each shelf to be disposed within the interior cavity, and wherein at least one of the rotatable flippers of the set of rotatable flippers includes the electrical contact.

5. The height-adjustable shelving system of claim 4 , wherein the set of rotatable flippers includes four rotatable flippers, and wherein each rotatable flipper includes the electrical contact.

6. The height-adjustable shelving system of claim 4 , wherein the lighting fixture of the shelf can be placed in communication with the electrical system by engaging at least one electrical contact of the set of rotatable flippers.

7. The height-adjustable shelving system of claim 2 , wherein the lighting fixture is an LED lighting fixture disposed on an underside of the shelf positioned from about 1½ to about 7 inches away from a refrigerator compartment engaging side surface of the shelf.

8. An operable shelf support for delivering electrical power to a light fixture disposed within a height-adjustable shelf fora refrigerator, the operable shelf support comprising:
a rotatable flipper having an electrical contact disposed therein, the rotatable flipper having a plurality of support positions and a plurality of support surfaces, wherein each support position of the plurality of support positions corresponds to a respective support surface of the plurality of support surfaces; and
a stud extending from a wall of the refrigerator and in communication with an electrical system of the refrigerator and the electrical contact of the rotatable flipper, the rotatable flipper being rotatably disposed on the stud and rotatable about the stud between the plurality of support positions, wherein each respective support surface defined by the plurality of support positions is defined by a different height relative to the stud, and wherein each respective support surface is configured to receive and support a height-adjustable shelf and engage an electric receiver of the height-adjustable shelf to place a light fixture of the height-adjustable shelf in communication with the electrical system of the refrigerator through engagement of the electrical contact and the electric receiver.

9. The operable shelf support of claim 8 , wherein the stud includes a post that extends into the rotatable flipper, the post being disposed in an offset configuration within the rotatable flipper such that rotation of the rotatable flipper about the post results in each of the plurality of support surfaces.

10. The operable shelf support of claim 8 , wherein the stud includes a detent portion that cooperates with the rotatable flipper to selectively hold the rotatable flipper in each of the plurality of support positions.

11. The operable shelf support of claim 8 , wherein the electrical contact is disposed within an outer face of the rotatable flipper, and wherein the outer face is positioned adjacent to each support surface.

12. The operable shelf support of claim 11 , wherein the outer face of the rotatable flipper is perpendicular to each support surface.

13. The operable shelf support of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of support positions of the rotatable flipper includes first and second support positions that define first and second support surfaces, respectively.

14. The operable shelf support of claim 8 , wherein the rotatable flipper is operable between the plurality of support positions by hand and without the use of tools.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Burke Julia B
• Chow Daniel
• Flores Juan F
• Moore Michael T
• Pohl Douglas
• Tunzi Todd

Classifications

• F21V23/06 Primary

  the elements being coupling devices {, e.g. connectors} · CPC title

• F25D25/02 Primary

  by shelves · CPC title

• F25D27/00

  Lighting arrangements (in general F21) · CPC title

• F21V33/0012

  Furniture (hospital beds F21V33/0072) · CPC title

• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title