Universal shelf module for a refrigerator

A refrigerator comprising:

• a cabinet shell;
• a liner arranged within the cabinet shell, said liner defining at least a fresh food compartment having top, bottom, rear and opposing side walls;
• a door pivotally mounted relative to the cabinet shell for selectively closing the fresh food compartment;
• at least one shelf support rail mounted to one of the rear and opposing side walls of the fresh food compartment, while extending along the rear wall;
• a universal shelf unit having a base portion and a peripheral frame, said peripheral frame including a front frame member, a rear frame member and opposing side frame members joined to the front and rear frame members, each of said opposing side frame members including a bottom edge portion, a toy surface portion, a side portion extending from the bottom edge portion to the top surface portion, a channel defining member which is sized to receive the base portion and being spaced from the side portion to define a groove, at least one mounting boss projecting from the side portion and at least one locating element;
• and
• at least one of a first means for mounting the universal shelf unit in one of a stationary configuration and a second means for mounting the universal shelf in a sliding configuration, wherein when mounted in the stationary configuration, the universal shelf unit is directly mounted to a first support unit and when mounted in the sliding configuration, the universal shelf unit is indirectly mounted to a second support unit.

A universal shelf module configured to be mounted in one of a stationary configuration and in a sliding configuration in a refrigerator comprising:

• a shelf unit having a base portion and a peripheral frame, said peripheral frame including a front frame member, a rear frame member and opposing side frame members that join with the front and rear frame members, each of said opposing side frame members including a bottom edge portion, a top surface portion, a side portion extending from the bottom edge portion to the top surface portion, a channel defining member which is sized to receive the base portion and spaced from the side portion to define a groove, and at least one mounting boss projecting from the side portion, and at least one locating element positioned within the groove;
• when mounted in the stationary configuration, said universal shelf module further includes a first support unit having first and second side frame sections joined to a rear frame section, each of the first and second side frame sections including at least one mounting aperture and at least one locating tab, each of said at least one mounting aperture of the first support unit receiving a corresponding one of each of the at least one mounting boss and each of the at least one locating tab of the first support unit cooperating with a corresponding one of each of the at least one locating element so as to secure the shelf unit to the first support unit;
• and
• when mounted in the sliding configuration, said universal shelf module further includes a second support unit having first and second side frame sections joined to a rear frame section as well as first and second glide members slidingly supported on corresponding ones of the first and second side frame sections, each of said first and second glide members including at least one mounting aperture and at least one locating tab, each of said at least one mounting aperture of the first and second glide members receiving a corresponding one of each of the at least one mounting boss and each of the at least one locating tab of the first and second glide members cooperating with a corresponding one of each of the at least one locating element so as to slidingly secure the shelf unit to the second support unit.