Patent ID: 6220682
Filing Date: 2001-04-24
Classification: A47B,F25D

Abstract:
An improvement in a refrigerator shelving system within a refrigerator having a cooled interior bounded by a top wall, an altitudinally opposite bottom wall, laterally opposite side walls, a rear wall and a longitudinally opposite front opening, the improvement comprising:a plurality of shelf units, each shelf unit including laterally opposite sides aligned generally with the laterally opposite side walls of the interior of the refrigerator, a rear adjacent the rear wall, a longitudinally opposite front adjacent the front wall, and shelves, each shelf having a longitudinal length extending between the rear and the front of a corresponding shelf unit, and a lateral width, extending between the laterally opposite sides of the corresponding shelf unit, the shelves being arranged in an array of altitudinally spaced apart shelves with access to each shelf available through at least one side of the corresponding shelf unit, in lateral directions;barriers along at least the other of the opposite sides of each shelf unit, the barriers being sufficient to confine stored items to placement on the shelves of the shelf unit while rendering the other of the opposite sides sufficiently open to facilitate the circulation of air throughout the cooled interior and viewing of the stored items through the other of the opposite sides; andat least one suspension assembly mounting each shelf unit within the interior of the refrigerator for selective movement along longitudinal forward and backward directions between a retracted position, wherein the shelf unit is located fully within the interior of the refrigerator, between the front opening and the rear wall, and an extended position, wherein the shelf unit is extended longitudinally forward to expose the shelves for simultaneous access to all of the shelves of the shelf unit in lateral directions through at least one of the opposite sides of the shelf unit;the front of each shelf unit, as well as the barriers, being sufficiently open to enable viewing of the stored items throughout the interior of the refrigerator when the shelf units are in the retracted position so as to avoid the necessity to move shelf units to the extended position in order to locate a selected stored item.