Appliance modular system for incorporating a pantry compartment within an appliance

A refrigerating appliance comprising:

• a cabinet structure including an outer wrapper and an inner liner that define an insulating cavity, wherein an insulating material is disposed within the insulating cavity;
• a medial wall at least partially defined by the inner liner of the cabinet structure, the medial wall extending through an interior volume defined by the cabinet structure, the medial wall and the inner liner defining a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment;
• a horizontal false mullion being a separate member attached to the cabinet structure and extending through a front portion of the refrigerating compartment, wherein the horizontal false mullion is oriented parallel with the medial wall, and wherein the medial wall and the horizontal false mullion define a pantry compartment, the pantry compartment in selective thermal communication with the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment;
• a center vertical mullion removably disposed on the medial wall and extending upward to the horizontal false mullion, the center vertical mullion having a mullion protrusion that engages a back surface of the horizontal false mullion;
• first and second side adapters removably positioned against opposing vertical surfaces of the inner liner within the pantry compartment such that the center vertical mullion is positioned between and parallel with the first and second side adapters, wherein the first side adapter and the center vertical mullion define a first pantry sub compartment in selective and alternative thermal communication with the refrigerating and freezing compartments, and wherein the second side adapter and the center vertical mullion define a second pantry sub compartment in selective and alternative thermal communication with the refrigerating and freezing compartments;
• a first pantry drawer slidably engaged with the first pantry sub compartment, and a second pantry drawer slidably engaged with the second pantry sub compartment;
• a pantry cover positioned between the horizontal false mullion and the mullion protrusion, the pantry cover including a top cover surface that at least partially defines the refrigerating compartment, and wherein a portion of the pantry cover rests upon the center vertical mullion;
• and
• a false floor assembly that defines a horizontal boundary between the refrigerating compartment and the pantry compartment, wherein a portion of the false floor assembly rests upon the center vertical mullion and the mullion protrusion, and wherein the pantry cover, the false floor assembly and the horizontal false mullion are separate members that cooperate to define a floor of the refrigerating compartment.

A refrigerated pantry conversion kit for dividing a refrigerated pantry compartment into a plurality of pantry sub compartments, the refrigerated pantry conversion kit comprising:

• an insulated cabinet structure having an inner liner that defines an interior volume and a medial wall extending through the interior volume to define a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment;
• a horizontal false mullion extending through the refrigerating compartment, wherein the horizontal false mullion is a separate member attached proximate a forward portion of the insulated cabinet structure and oriented parallel with the medial wall, and wherein the medial wall and the horizontal false mullion define a pantry compartment, the pantry compartment in thermal communication with the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment;
• a center vertical mullion removably disposed on the medial wall and extending upward to and at least partially around the horizontal false mullion, the center vertical mullion selectively removeable from the pantry compartment to alternatively define a divided state of the pantry compartment wherein the center vertical mullion defines first and second pantry sub compartments, and an undivided state of the pantry compartment;
• first and second outer drawer glides disposed proximate opposing vertical surfaces of the inner liner within the pantry compartment, wherein a full-width pantry drawer is slidably engaged with the first and second outer drawer glides when the pantry compartment is in the undivided state;
• first and second inner drawer glides engaged with opposite sides of the center vertical mullion, wherein the first and second inner drawer glides further define the first and second pantry sub compartments when the pantry compartment is in the divided state;
• first and second pantry drawers that are slidably disposed with the first and second pantry sub compartments, respectively, when the pantry compartment is in the divided state;
• a pantry cover positioned adjacent to the horizontal false mullion, the pantry cover including a top cover surface that at least partially defines a floor of the refrigerating compartment, and wherein a portion of the pantry cover rests upon the center vertical mullion and is disposed between the horizontal false mullion and a mullion protrusion of the center vertical mullion when the pantry compartment is in the divided state;
• and
• a false floor assembly that defines a horizontal boundary between the refrigerating compartment and the pantry compartment, wherein a portion of the false floor assembly rests upon the center vertical mullion and the mullion protrusion when the pantry compartment is in the divided state and wherein the pantry cover, the false floor assembly and the horizontal false mullion cooperate to define the floor of the refrigerating compartment, and wherein at least one of the pantry cover and the false floor assembly are selectively removable to accommodate conversion of the pantry compartment between the divided and undivided states.