# US 10,309,717 B2 · Variable width deli cover > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,717 B2 - Document ID: US10309717B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/207,781 - Filed: 2018-12-03 - Published: 2019-04-04 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-01 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: Chad J. Rotter; Trevor L. Hawkins - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309717B2 ## CPC - F25D 25/02: by shelves - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) ## Abstract A variable width shelf assembly includes a shelf panel with first and second support brackets. One or more support slots and one or more relief slots are disposed on an upright portion of the support brackets. One or more coupling tabs are disposed adjacent to one of the one or more support slots and one of the one or more relief slots. The coupling tabs are flexible tabs configured to flex outwardly relative to the upright portion of the support brackets for coupling the first and second brackets to a refrigerator compartment. Mounting plates mounted on a refrigerator include mounting features that are received in the support slots of the support brackets. Abutment guides on the mounting plates are used to guide a bending motion of the coupling tabs in assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A variable width shelf assembly, comprising: a shelf panel; and a support bracket coupled to the shelf panel, wherein the support bracket includes a body portion extending downwardly from a lower surface of the shelf panel and having one or more downwardly opening support slots and one or more outwardly opening relief slots, and further wherein the support bracket includes one or more coupling tabs disposed adjacent to one of the one or more downwardly opening support slots and one of the one or more outwardly opening relief slots, wherein the one or more coupling tabs are flexible tabs configured to flex outwardly relative to the body portion, and further wherein the one or more coupling tabs include mounting apertures disposed therethrough. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The variable width shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more support slots include first and second support slots extending upwardly from a bottom edge of the body portion of the support bracket. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The variable width shelf assembly of claim 2, wherein the first and second support slots each include a tapered configuration from an open bottom end to a closed top end. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The variable width shelf assembly of claim 3, wherein the one or more relief slots include first and second relief slots extending inwardly from opposed ends of the body portion in a substantially horizontal manner. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The variable width shelf assembly of claim 4, wherein the first and second relief slots each include a tapered configuration from an open outer end to a closed inner end. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The variable width shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein the support bracket is comprised of a metal material. ### Claim 7 An adjustable mounting system, comprising: a mounting plate including a body portion having an inner surface with a mounting tab extending inwardly from the inner surface of the body portion, wherein the mounting plate further includes an abutment guide extending outwardly from the inner surface of the mounting plate and adjacent to the mounting tab; and a support bracket having a body portion with a downwardly opening support slot, an outwardly opening relief slot and a coupling tab disposed adjacent to the downwardly opening support slot and the outwardly opening relief slot, wherein the mounting tab of the mounting plate is received in the downwardly opening support slot of the support bracket. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The adjustable mounting system of claim 7, wherein the coupling tab includes a mounting aperture disposed therethrough. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The adjustable mounting system of claim 8, wherein the coupling tab is a flexible tab configured to flex outwardly relative to the body portion of the support bracket. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The adjustable mounting system of claim 9, wherein the body portion of the mounting plate includes a mounting aperture disposed therethrough. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The adjustable mounting system of claim 10, wherein the coupling tab is operable between at-rest and outwardly flexed positions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The adjustable mounting system of claim 11, wherein the mounting aperture of the coupling tab aligns with the mounting aperture of the mounting plate when the mounting tab of the mounting plate is received in the downwardly opening support slot of the support bracket. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The adjustable mounting system of claim 12, including: a fastener received through the mounting aperture of the coupling tab and the mounting aperture of the mounting plate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The adjustable mounting system of claim 13, including: a mounting boss extending rearwardly from the mounting aperture of the mounting plate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The adjustable mounting system of claim 14, wherein the fastener is configured to drive the coupling tab to the outwardly flexed position from the at-rest position as the fastener is received in the mounting boss of the mounting plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The adjustable mounting system of claim 15, wherein the abutment guide abuts an outer surface of the body portion of the support bracket. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The adjustable mounting system of claim 16, wherein the abutment guide directs a bending motion of the coupling tab from the at-rest position to the outwardly flexed position. ### Claim 18 An adjustable mounting system, comprising: a support bracket having a body portion with first and second downwardly opening support slots, first and second outwardly opening relief slots and first and second coupling tabs disposed adjacent to the respective first and second downwardly opening support slots and the first and second outwardly opening relief slots; and a mounting plate including a body portion having first and second mounting tabs extending outwardly therefrom, wherein the first and second mounting tabs are received in the first and second downwardly opening support slots of the support bracket, respectively, wherein the mounting plate further includes first and second abutment guides extending outwardly from the body portion of the mounting plate and abutting the body portion of the support bracket when the first and second mounting tabs are received in the first and second downwardly opening support slots of the support bracket. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The adjustable mounting system of claim 18, wherein the first and second coupling tabs are operable between at-rest and outwardly flexed positions. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The adjustable mounting system of claim 19, wherein the first and second coupling tabs include respective first and second mounting apertures disposed therethrough, and further wherein the mounting plate includes first and second mounting aperture disposed therethrough, wherein the first mounting aperture of the first coupling tab is aligned with and coupled to the first mounting aperture of the mounting plate by a first fastener, and further wherein the second mounting aperture of the second coupling tab is aligned with and coupled to the second mounting aperture of the mounting plate by a second fastener.