Molded plastic refrigerator pan and window assembly

A plastic molded refrigerator pan and window assembly wherein said pan includes a generally planar front wall having an opening across a substantial area thereof and thereby bounded by opposed upper and lower horizontally extending framing flanges integral with opposed vertical side framing flanges, and a generally transparent molded plastic panel generally coextensive with said opening and including a forwardly facing peripheral bead generally overlapping the edge of said opening and first and second inwardly facing bead means;

• said first inwardly facing bead means extending along at least a portion of the bottom of said panel in juxtaposition with opposite portions of said forwardly facing bead to define therebetween a channel at the lower edge of said panel for receipt therein of the edge of the lower framing flange;
• said second inwardly facing bead means extending along at least a portion of the top of said panel in juxtaposition with opposite portions of said forwardly facing bead to define therebetween a channel at the upper edge of said panel;
• and
• tab means extending downwardly from the edge of said upper framing flange, at least in areas generally adjacent each side and generally midway therebetween, said tab means having a downwardly inwardly tapered surface and wherein said middle tab has a height greater than the other of said tab means to the extent that as said panel is inserted by effecting the lower channel and edge engagement and moving said panel to a vertical position by passing said second inwardly facing bead means through said opening, said bead means and said other of said tab means cooperate to cam said other of said tab means upwardly to permit engagement of said tabs in said upper channel whereas the greater height of said tab adjacent the midway position requires said upper flange to be somewhat manually twisted for sufficient alignment between the upper channel and said tab means for said tab means to be seated within said channel thereby with the release of said twisting force, locking said panel in position.