Refrigerator shelf adjustment system with in-shelf lighting

A refrigerator having an adjustable refrigerator shelf system, the refrigerator comprising:

• a refrigerator housing for providing an opening flanked by inner sidewalls;
• at least one shelf assembly for providing a shelf and at least one lamp attached to the shelf assembly for illuminating a region of the shelf;
• first and second slides each having first and second slideably connected components, the first component attached to different ones of the inner walls of the refrigerator and the second component attached to opposite sides of the shelf assembly;
• detent mechanisms for releasably holding the first and second components at first and second relative positions to locate the shelf assembly at first and second heights in the refrigerator, respectively;
• shrouds attached to move with the shelf assembly adjacent to the inner walls, the shrouds defining at least a portion of enclosed volumes proximate to the inner walls enclosing the detent mechanisms;
• and
• a flexible conductor held within one of the enclosed volumes providing a conductive path from a point on one inner wall to a point on the shelf assembly, the flexible conductor sized to coil and uncoil within the enclosed volume as the first and second slide move between the first and second relative locations.

A method of adjusting a shelf in a refrigerator, the shelf having:

• a shelf assembly for providing a shelf and at least one lamp attached to the shelf assembly for illuminating a region of the shelf;
• a slide having first and second slideably connected components, the first component attachable to an inner wall of a refrigerator and the second component attached to the shelf assembly;
• a detent mechanism for releasably holding the first and second components at first and second relative positions to locate the shelf assembly at first and second heights in the refrigerator, the detent mechanism having an interengaging multi-step track and pin, one attached to the first component and the other attached to the second component to permit the second component to stably rest at two different heights on the first component in response to successive upward and downward motions of the second slide component;
• a shroud attached to move with the shelf assembly adjacent to the inner wall, the shroud defining at least a portion of an enclosed volume proximate to the inner wall enclosing the detent mechanism;
• and
• a flexible conductor held within the enclosed volume providing a conductive path from a point on the inner wall to a point on the shelf assembly, the flexible conductor sized to coil and uncoil within the enclosed volume as the slide moves between the first and second relative locations, the method comprising:
• lifting the shelf assembly from a first position to guide the pin through the multi-step track to a first position blocking further lifting of the shelf assembly;
• releasing the shelf assembly to be supported by the pin in at a second position different from the first positions and blocking further descent of the shelf assembly;
• lifting the shelf assembly to guide the pin through the multi-step a track to a third position different from the first positions blocking further lifting of the shelf assembly;
• releasing the shelf assembly to be supported by the pin at a fourth position different from the second position and blocking further descent of the shelf assembly, wherein
• movement of an illuminated shelf is obtained without direct manipulation of the detent mechanism or disconnection of electrical power.