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US 8,262,177 B2Granted
Refrigerator shelf assembly
AssigneesDonnelly Corporation, Clarion Technologies, Inc.
InventorsAlan D. Picken, William Beckman, David E. Nestell, R. Scott Repp, Kevin J. Schroeder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shelf assembly for use in a refrigerator includes a shelf panel and a pair of opposite support rails. The shelf panel has upwardly angled perimeter regions and may comprise a strengthened glass material, such as a transparent strengthened glass material, such as tempered glass. Each of the support rails includes a base portion and an angled portion that extends at an angle from the base portion. The angled portions of the support rails are bonded along the lower surface of the upwardly angled side perimeter regions of the shelf panel.
Claims80
A shelf assembly for use in a refrigerator, said shelf assembly comprising:
- a shelf panel comprising a single glass panel;
- said shelf panel comprising a generally planar glass shelf portion, a front perimeter bent glass region, a rear perimeter bent glass region and side perimeter bent glass regions;
- said front perimeter bent glass region, said rear perimeter bent glass region and said side perimeter bent glass regions being upwardly angled relative to said generally planar glass shelf portion;
- said upwardly angled side perimeter bent glass regions and said upwardly angled front and rear perimeter bent glass regions cooperating to provide a substantially continuous upwardly angled perimeter lip around said generally planar glass shelf portion;
- said side perimeter bent glass regions having upwardly angled lower attachment surfaces;
- a pair of support rails, each of said support rails having a generally vertical portion and an angled portion that extends at an angle from an upper edge region of said generally vertical portion, said angled portions of said support rails being angled to generally correspond to the angle of said upwardly angled side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel, said angled portions of said support rails being bonded via a cured adhesive layer along said lower attachment surfaces of said side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel;
- and
- wherein each of said support rails includes an attachment element at an end portion of said support rail that is proximate said rear perimeter bent glass region of said shelf panel, and wherein said attachment element is configured to attach to an attaching structure of a refrigerator to mount said shelf assembly at the refrigerator.
5 more elements
A shelf assembly for use in a refrigerator, said shelf assembly comprising:
- a shelf panel comprising a single tempered glass panel;
- said shelf panel comprising a generally planar glass shelf portion, a front perimeter bent glass region, a rear perimeter bent glass region and side perimeter bent glass regions;
- said front perimeter bent glass region, said rear perimeter bent glass region and said side perimeter bent glass regions being upwardly angled relative to said generally planar glass shelf portion;
- said upwardly angled side perimeter bent glass regions and said upwardly angled front and rear perimeter bent glass regions cooperating to provide a substantially continuous upwardly angled perimeter lip around said generally planar glass shelf portion;
- said side perimeter bent glass regions having upwardly angled lower attachment surfaces;
- a pair of support rails, each of said support rails having a generally vertical portion and an angled portion that extends at an angle from an upper edge region of said generally vertical portion;
- said angled portions of said support rails including generally planar portions and being angled to generally correspond to the angle of said upwardly angled side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel, said generally planar portions of said angled portions of said support rails being bonded along said lower attachment surfaces of said side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel via a cured adhesive layer;
- and
- wherein each of said support rails includes an attachment element at an end portion of said support rail that is proximate said rear perimeter bent glass region of said shelf panel, and wherein said attachment element is configured to attach to an attaching structure of a refrigerator to mount said shelf assembly at the refrigerator.
6 more elements
A shelf assembly for use in a refrigerator, said shelf assembly comprising:
- a shelf panel comprising a single substantially transparent glass panel having a first optical index;
- said shelf panel comprising a generally planar glass shelf portion, a front perimeter bent glass region, a rear perimeter bent glass region and side perimeter bent glass regions;
- said front perimeter bent glass region, said rear perimeter bent glass region and said side perimeter bent glass regions being upwardly angled relative to said generally planar glass shelf portion;
- said upwardly angled side perimeter bent glass regions and said upwardly angled front and rear perimeter bent glass regions cooperating to provide a substantially continuous upwardly angled perimeter lip around said generally planar glass shelf portion;
- said side perimeter bent glass regions having upwardly angled lower attachment surfaces;
- a pair of support rails, each of said support rails having a generally vertical portion and an angled portion that extends at an angle from an upper edge region of said generally vertical portion, said angled portions of said support rails being angled to generally correspond to the angle of said upwardly angled side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel;
- said angled portions of said support rails being bonded along said lower attachment surfaces of said side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel via a cured adhesive layer, said cured adhesive layer having a second optical index, said first optical index substantially matching said second optical index;
- and
- wherein each of said support rails includes an attachment element at an end portion of said support rail that is proximate said rear perimeter bent glass region of said shelf panel, and wherein said attachment element is configured to attach to an attaching structure of a refrigerator to mount said shelf assembly at the refrigerator.
6 more elements
A shelf assembly for use in a refrigerator, said shelf assembly comprising:
- a shelf panel comprising a single substantially transparent tempered glass panel;
- said shelf panel comprising a generally planar glass shelf portion, a front perimeter bent glass region, a rear perimeter bent glass region and side perimeter bent glass regions;
- said front perimeter bent glass region, said rear perimeter bent glass region and said side perimeter bent glass regions being upwardly angled relative to said generally planar glass shelf portion;
- said upwardly angled side perimeter bent glass regions and said upwardly angled front and rear perimeter bent glass regions cooperating to provide a substantially continuous upwardly angled perimeter lip around said generally planar glass shelf portion;
- each of said side perimeter bent glass regions having an upwardly angled lower attachment surface, said upwardly angled lower attachment surfaces comprising generally planar surfaces;
- a pair of support rails, each of said support rails having a generally vertical portion and an angled portion that extends at an angle from an upper edge region of said generally vertical portion, said support rails comprising a coated metallic material;
- said angled portions of said support rails including generally planar portions and being angled to generally correspond to the angle of said upwardly angled side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel, said generally planar portions of said angled portions of said support rails being bonded along said generally planar lower attachment surfaces of said side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel via a UV cured adhesive layer, said support rails being viewable through said shelf panel when viewing said shelf panel from above said shelf assembly;
- and
- wherein each of said support rails includes an attachment element at an end portion of said support rail that is proximate said rear perimeter bent glass region of said shelf panel, and wherein said attachment element is configured to attach to an attaching structure of a refrigerator to mount said shelf assembly at the refrigerator.
6 more elements
A shelf assembly for use in a refrigerator, said shelf assembly comprising:
- a shelf panel comprising a glass material;
- said shelf panel comprising a generally planar glass shelf portion, a front perimeter region, a rear perimeter region and side perimeter bent glass regions;
- wherein said side perimeter bent glass regions are angled relative to said generally planar glass shelf portion;
- said side perimeter bent glass regions having lower attachment surfaces;
- a pair of support rails, each of said support rails having a generally vertical portion and an angled portion that extends at an angle from an upper edge region of said generally vertical portion, said angled portions of said support rails being angled to generally correspond to said lower attachment surfaces of said side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel, said angled portions of said support rails being bonded via a cured adhesive layer along said lower attachment surfaces of said side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel;
- and
- wherein each of said support rails includes an attachment element at an end portion of said support rail that is proximate said rear perimeter region of said shelf panel, and wherein said attachment element is configured to attach to an attaching structure of a refrigerator to mount said shelf assembly at the refrigerator.
4 more elements
A shelf assembly for use in a refrigerator, said shelf assembly comprising:
- a shelf panel comprising a single substantially transparent tempered glass panel;
- said shelf panel comprising a generally planar glass shelf portion, a front perimeter glass region, a rear perimeter glass region and side perimeter bent glass regions;
- wherein said side perimeter bent glass regions are angled relative to said generally planar glass shelf portion;
- each of said side perimeter bent glass regions having a lower attachment surface;
- a pair of support rails, each of said support rails having a generally vertical portion and an angled portion that extends at an angle from an upper edge region of said generally vertical portion, said support rails comprising a coated metallic material;
- wherein said support rails movably support said shelf panel such that said shelf panel is movable between an extended position and a retracted position, and wherein each of said support rails comprises a fixed rail that is mountable in the refrigerator and a movable rail, and wherein said movable rails include said angled portions that are bonded to said lower attachment surfaces of said side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel, said movable rails being movable along said fixed rails of said support rails to move said shelf panel relative to said fixed rails and between said extended and retracted positions;
- wherein said angled portions of said support rails are angled to generally correspond to said lower attachment surfaces of said side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel, said angled portions of said support rails being bonded along said lower attachment surfaces of said side perimeter bent glass regions of said shelf panel via a UV cured adhesive layer, and wherein said support rails are viewable through said shelf panel when viewing said shelf panel from above said shelf assembly;
- and
- wherein each of said support rails includes an attachment element at an end portion of said support rail that is proximate said rear perimeter glass region of said shelf panel, and wherein said attachment element is configured to attach to an attaching structure of a refrigerator to mount said shelf assembly at the refrigerator.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.