Supports: cabinet structure – Spaced insulated wall – Refrigerator cabinet
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-17
2001-05-15
Hansen, James O. (Department: 3636)
Supports: cabinet structure
Spaced insulated wall
Refrigerator cabinet
C312S321500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231146
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly that extends across the width of the bottom of the refrigerator door and, in particularly, relates to such an assembly in which the module is firmly and fixedly retained in a fully supported position in the door recess.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Modern day refrigerators often include door mounted modules, such as bins, drawers, trays or shelves for example. They typically are used to store numerous items which are used frequently, particularly such frequently used items that are relatively small. In the past several years a number of schemes or assemblies have been introduced to provide greater flexibility by enabling the user to selectively mount different modules at numerous locations on the inner liner of the door, particularly on the fresh food compartment door. One such approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,455 issued Dec. 6, 1994 to Sedovic et al. However, this type of shelf or bin is best used in refrigerator doors having relatively narrow widths such as used in side-by-side refrigerator doors since doors of reduced width have lower loading forces placed on the shelves.
With a trend to larger refrigerators and in particular to top or bottom mount refrigerators where a door spans the entire width of the refrigerator, a middle dyke wall is located on the liner vertically extending along the center of the liner to define two adjacent recesses in the liner so that two columns of shelves may be positioned in side by side relation on the door. This distributes the shelf loading over 3 dyke side walls as compared to two dyke side walls. At the bottom of the refrigerator door, regardless of the size of the refrigerator, it has been common practice to position a permanent shelf that spans the width of the door. This shelf is either mounted as a module to the liner or integrally formed with the liner. Larger and taller articles are typically supported on the bottom storage shelf. In larger refrigerators, the loading placed on such bottom shelf is transferred directly onto the two side dyke walls of the inner liner adjacent the bottom of the liner. This increased loading may result in premature cracking of the liner wall.
The present invention provides an improved door and bottom storage module assembly which fixedly retains a module in a supported position in a recess in the door liner where the loading associated with the module is displaced over a bottom wall of the liner in addition to the side walls of the liner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly extending across the refrigerator door. The assembly includes a refrigerator door having an inner liner having side walls and a bottom wall and a rear wall defining a liner recess. The bottom wall has a forward lower landing and a stepped raised landing extending into the liner recess rearwardly of the forward lower landing. The assembly has aligned module supporting bosses projecting inwardly of each of said side walls. The assembly has a door storage module having a pair of spaced apart module side walls positionable adjacent the liner side walls. The module has a front wall extending between the module side walls and a supporting floor extending rearwardly of the front wall. The module side walls have a pair of ribs projecting substantially vertically and defining an open recess. The module is assembled to the door by sliding the module ribs over the bosses until the supporting floor of the module is seated upon the forward lower landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner. Any articles supported by the bottom support module are seated upon the supporting floor of the module which at least partially rests on the forward lower landing of the bottom wall of the door inner liner. Also, the loading associated with tipping of the load is transferred through the side walls of the module onto the side walls of the inner door liner. The amount of vertical loading on the side walls is significantly less than the direct loading onto the bottom wall of the door inner liner.
In one form of the invention, the supporting floor of the module has an upper flat surface that abuts and extends flush to the stepped raised landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner when the module is assembled to said door. In this form of the invention, the loading associated with article on the bottom module of the refrigerator door results in the loading being displaced partially directly on the bottom wall of the door inner liner.
In another form of the present invention, the module side walls have a lower surface and two legs positioned below the ribs of the module side wall that are seated on the bottom wall of the inner liner when the module is assembled to the door. The legs assist in the positioning of the module relative to the bottom wall of the door liner.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly extending across the refrigerator door including a refrigerator door having an outer shell and an inner liner including a perimeter wall projecting forward of the inner liner having side walls, a bottom wall and a rear wall defining a liner recess. The bottom wall has a forward lower landing and a stepped raised landing extending into the liner recess rearwardly of the forward lower landing. The assembly includes aligned module supporting bosses projecting inwardly of each of the side walls closely adjacent to and above the bottom wall. The assembly includes a door storage module receivable partially in the liner recess. The module includes a pair of spaced apart module side walls positionable adjacent and forward of the door liner side walls. The module includes a front wall extending between the module side walls and a supporting floor extending rearwardly of the front wall. The module side walls extend rearwardly of the supporting floor. A pair of ribs project outward of each of the module side walls and extend from adjacent a top edge of the corresponding module side wall toward a bottom of the module. Each rib defines a downward opening recess. The module is assembled to the door by sliding the module ribs down over the bosses until the supporting floor of the module is seated upon the forward lower landing of the bottom wall of the inner liner.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 34377 (1993-09-01), Wilkins et al.
patent: 3220558 (1965-11-01), Olsson
patent: 3227502 (1966-01-01), Roberts
patent: 3682521 (1972-08-01), Kesling
patent: 3807822 (1974-04-01), Amore
patent: 4801182 (1989-01-01), Metcalfe et al.
patent: 4859010 (1989-08-01), Jeziorowski
patent: 4908544 (1990-03-01), Lau
patent: 5004305 (1991-04-01), Montuoro
patent: 5042398 (1991-08-01), Lau et al.
patent: 5226717 (1993-07-01), Hoffman
patent: 5322366 (1994-06-01), Revlett et al.
patent: 5346299 (1994-09-01), Werkmeister et al.
patent: 5370455 (1994-12-01), Sedovic et al.
patent: 5375924 (1994-12-01), Pohl et al.
patent: 5567029 (1996-10-01), Haenisch et al.
patent: 5685624 (1997-11-01), Lee
patent: 9305362 (1995-09-01), None
patent: 1105892 (1961-05-01), None
patent: 851667 (1960-10-01), None
patent: 2176884 (1987-01-01), None
patent: 43 17 615 (1994-12-01), None
Camco Inc.
Hansen James O.
LandOfFree
Refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Refrigerator door bottom storage module assembly will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2521024