Sliding shelf assembly for a refrigerator appliance
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorRajesh Swarnkar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sliding shelf assembly for a refrigerator appliance is provided. The sliding shelf assembly includes a shelf support frame that is slidably mounted inside the chilled chamber of the refrigerator appliance. A connecting arm couples the shelf support frame to the door such that the shelf support frame slides out of the chilled chamber as the door is opened. Moreover, the shelf support frame slidably receives refrigerator shelves that may slide independently of the shelf support frame. The sliding shelf assembly thereby simplifies storage on the refrigerator shelves, improves accessibility of the chilled chamber, and improves consumer satisfaction with the refrigerator appliance.
Claims20
A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
- a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;
- a door being rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber;
- a sliding shelf assembly slidably mounted within the chilled chamber, the sliding shelf assembly comprising:
- a shelf support frame;
- a slide assembly slidably mounting the shelf support frame within the chilled chamber;
- and
- a connecting arm assembly consisting of a connecting arm positioned at a top of the shelf support frame along the vertical direction and operably coupling the shelf support frame to the door such that the shelf support frame slides in the transverse direction out of the chilled chamber as the door is opened.
A sliding shelf assembly for a refrigerator appliance, the refrigerator appliance comprising a cabinet defining a chilled chamber and a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber, the refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the sliding shelf assembly comprising:
- a substantially rectangular shelf support frame having a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion;
- two or more slide members slidably mounting the shelf support frame within the chilled chamber;
- and
- a connecting arm assembly consisting of a connecting arm positioned at a top of the shelf support frame along the vertical direction and operably coupling the shelf support frame to the door such that the shelf support frame slides in the transverse direction out of the chilled chamber as the door is opened.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.