Under mount roller for crisper system
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsRonald E. Haltmeyer, Anant R. Karanjikar, Bill J. Koons, Dean A. Martin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator is provided that includes a crisper system having one or more moveable and removable drawers. The drawers include rollers extending downwardly and outwardly from the drawers to provide maximum storage volume. The rollers are configured to work with channels formed in a support system, which may be integrally formed with a bottom floor of a compartment of the refrigerator. Therefore, the rollers and channels of the support system provide easy access and removability of the drawers of the crisper system.
Claims17
A refrigerator, comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a compartment within the cabinet;
- at least one door for providing access to the compartment;
- a support system in the compartment comprising at least two channels extending generally outward therefrom, and a plurality of fixed rollers rotationally coupled to the support system;
- a drawer forming a storage area, the drawer comprising a plurality of rollers extending away from the storage area and configured to move between the two channels,
- the at least two channels comprising:
- a first channel at a first side of the support system, a second channel positioned from the first channel, a third channel positioned from the second channel, and a fourth channel positioned from the third channel at a second side of the support system, and
- the drawer further comprising:
- a first drawer positioned between the first and second channels, a second drawer positioned between the second and third channels, and a third drawer positioned between the third and fourth channels,
- wherein the fixed rollers are configured to support the drawers such that the rollers coupled to the support system are inboard of the rollers on the drawers.
A refrigerator, comprising:
- a refrigerator compartment comprising a support system formed as part of a bottom wall of said compartment, the support system comprising a plurality of channels and fixed rollers;
- and
- at least one drawer positioned at the support system and including a plurality of rollers extending outwardly and downwardly from a portion of the drawer;
- wherein the rollers of the drawer are configured to be placed in the channels of the support system to aid in the movement of the drawer relative to the refrigerator compartment, and
- the plurality of channels comprising:
- a first channel at a first side of the support system, a second channel positioned from the first channel, a third channel positioned from the second channel, and a fourth channel positioned from the third channel at a second side of the support system,
- the at least one drawer comprising:
- a first drawer positioned between the first and second channels, a second drawer positioned between the second and third channels, and a third drawer positioned between the third and fourth channels,
- wherein the fixed rollers are located inboard of the rollers of the drawers and are configured to move vertically upon removal of the drawers from the refrigerator.
A crisper system including a support system and drawer for use in a compartment of a refrigerator, comprising:
- abase;
- a plurality of fixed rollers rotationally coupled to the base;
- a drawer comprising a storage area and a plurality of wheels extending from the storage area, the wheels configured to move under a lip and adjacent a wall,
- a first channel at a first side of the base, a second channel positioned from the first channel, a third channel positioned from the second channel, and a fourth channel positioned from the third channel at a second side of the base, and
- the drawer further comprising:
- a first drawer positioned between the first and second channels, a second drawer positioned between the second and third channels, and a third drawer positioned between the third and fourth channels,
- wherein the fixed rollers are disposed inboard of the rollers on the drawers and are configured to move vertically upon removal of the drawers from the refrigerator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.