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US 12,320,578 B2Granted
Refrigerator and corresponding shelving system
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsMahesh Edake, Ravindra Mali, Kailash More, Lalit Madhukar Suryawanshi, Kiran Waghmare
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator shelf includes a plate, a frame, and a cover. The plate is configured to support items disposed within a refrigerator. The frame is configured to support the plate. The frame has a front beam, a rear beam, a first side beam, and a second side beam, each engaging and supporting the plate. The cover is secured to the front beam.
Claims20
A refrigerator shelf comprising:
- a plate configured to support items disposed within a refrigerator;
- a frame configured to support the plate, the frame having a front beam, a rear beam, a first side beam, and a second side beam, wherein (i) the plate is disposed on top of an upper surface that is collectively formed by the front beam, the rear beam, the first side beam, and the second side beam and (ii) the rear beam defines a C-channel above the upper surface receiving a rearward edge of the plate to restrict movement of the plate in a vertical direction and to restrict movement of the plate in a direction extending from the front beam toward the rear beam;
- and
- a cover (i) engaging a forward edge of the front beam, (ii) engaging a forward edge of the plate to restrict movement of the plate in a direction extending from the rear beam toward the front beam, and (iii) having an overhang engaging a top of the plate to further restrict movement of the plate in the vertical direction, wherein the cover is disposed between opposing tabs that extend forward from the first and second side beams.
1 more element
A refrigerator shelf comprising:
- a plate configured to support items disposed within a refrigerator;
- a frame disposed about a periphery of the plate, the frame having a front beam, a rear beam, a first side beam, and a second side beam, wherein (i) the front beam is spaced-apart from the rear beam, (ii) the first side beam is spaced-apart from the second side beam, (iii) the front beam and rear beam each span and are each secured to the first and second side beams such that a central opening is defined between the front beam, rear beam, first side beam, and second side beam, (iv) the rear beam, first side beam, and second side beam collectively define a C-channel configured to receive the plate, (v) the front beam defines a slot configured to guide the plate in a direction extending from the front beam toward the rear beam and into the C-channel during installation, (vi) the plate is disposed within the C-channel and at least partially in the slot, (vii) the plate spans the front beam and rear beam and spans first and second side beams such that the plate is disposed within an entirely of the central opening;
- and
- a cover secured to a forward edge of the front beam and covering the slot such that the cover (i) restricts movement of the plate out of the slot and in a direction extending from the rear beam toward the front beam and (ii) secures a position of the plate within the C-channel and slot.
1 more element
A refrigerator shelf comprising:
- a plate configured to support items disposed within a refrigerator;
- a frame configured to support the plate, the frame having a front beam, a rear beam, a first side beam, and a second side beam, wherein the front beam engages a portion of the outer peripheral edge of the plate;
- and
- an edge cover secured to a forward edge of the front beam, wherein (i) the edge cover defines keyed-orifices and (ii) the front beam includes keyed-protrusions that engage the keyed-orifices to secure the edge cover to the front beam, wherein the edge cover defines apertures extending between the keyed-orifices, and wherein the front beam is overmolded onto to the edge cover such that the front beam includes ribs that extend through the apertures and between the keyed-protrusions.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.