Abstract:
Devices and methods for reversibly securing a shelf trim piece or the like to a refrigerator door panel. The shelf securing arrangement does not require holes to be disposed in the door panel. A positive snap-lock securement is provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates generally to storage systems for refrigerator doors and, in particular aspects, to devices and methods for affixing panels, shelves, retainers, and the like to an interior portion of a refrigerator door. In other particular aspects, the invention relates to an outwardly tiltable shelf or basket assembly for use in a refrigerator door.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Contemporary refrigerators have doors that are equipped with shelves and storage areas where food items may be placed and conveniently accessed. Although interior door storage systems have been used for a long time, there remains a need for acceptable arrangements for reversibly securing associated components to the door panel. These components include shelves, baskets and trim.  
           [0005]    Storage systems are known that require slots or apertures to be placed in the door panel. Complimentary-shaped pins on the storage shelf slide into the slots. Such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,398 issued to Lau, et al. Another example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,191 issued to Holland, et al. This type of securing arrangement is undesirable since the slots form a point of weakness in the door panel. Over time, cracks can develop around the slots leading to an eventual failure. Further, an opening through the door panel is also undesirable since moisture can enter the opening and can lead to mold and fungus growth within the door resulting in unpleasant smells and generally unhealthy conditions. Also, with a foam-in-place door construction, any opening would provide a leakage path.  
           [0006]    An alternative shelf support system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,366 issued to Revlett, et al. A shelf trim piece is reversibly secured to an interior refrigerator door panel using a snap-fit connection. The snap-fit connection is formed between sidewardly extending projections located on interior door dikes and the end caps of the trim piece. Each of the end caps has a deformable end wall with a ramped portion and an opening disposed therein. The trim piece is attached to the door panel by aligning the end caps with the door dikes and then sliding the trim piece horizontally toward the door panel. As the ramped portions of the end walls contact the projections on the dikes, the end walls are temporarily deformed to move the openings in the end walls over the projections in a snap-fit manner. To remove the trim piece, one must pull the end wall sideways and then slide the trim piece horizontally away from the door panel.  
           [0007]    This type of arrangement is problematic. The use of a deformable end wall together with an opening presents a structural weak point in the trim piece. The end wall may be easily broken off, particularly during the operation of removing the trim piece from the door liner. This is especially true in reduced wall thickness liners that are now prevalent and necessary to form a channel for mounting a dart-type door gasket.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,455 issued to Sedovic, et al. describes a refrigerator door storage assembly wherein a shelf module contains a pair of generally L-shaped slots on either lateral side. The liner of the refrigerator door has bosses that nest within the slots when the shelf module is placed onto the door liner. This arrangement is also not optimal. The nesting arrangement, while permitting a user to easily remove the module, is not secure enough in practice. Significant jolts to the door may cause the module to become dislodged, and children can too easily remove the modules.  
           [0009]    Also, the process of removing a large object, such as a carton of milk, from below the module, may inadvertently release the module from the door. Undesirable lateral movement of the shelf module is also possible.  
           [0010]    Some shelf, basket, or retainer connection arrangements utilize structure which extends forwardly of the door liner dikes. This can present issues and problems when trying to design a door liner for use with different types of doors (e.g. hinged, pullout), or different types of baskets, shelves, retainers, etc, or for different models of refrigerators (refrigerators or freezers). It can be desirable to avoid or minimize such forward extensions. Doing so can be advantageous to provide clearance to parts and minimize space taken for retaining geometry. It can also facilitate interchangeability for different styles and models of refrigerators, thus reducing capital expenses in design and manufacturing. Similarly, it can be desirable to avoid or minimize structure which extends inwardly from the edges of the door liner or the door liner dikes.  
           [0011]    An improvement that addresses the problems of the prior art would be desirable.  
           [0012]    It is within the context of the problems and concerns previously described that a need for improvement in the art exists. There is a need for a system that can be used to support from the door liner both a structure such as a retaining member, shelve, or basket, and the weight of items placed on the same, and which provides sufficient strength and is durable. Further needs exist regarding a system that can be locked in place, but is easy to remove, yet occupies a minimum amount of space.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0013]    Devices and methods are described for reversibly securing a shelf trim piece or the like to a refrigerator door panel. The shelf securing arrangement does not require holes to be disposed in the door panel. A positive snap-lock securement can be provided. In described embodiments, a flush-mount flange member is provided that adjoins the door dike to provide an indication of proper horizontal alignment as well as an aesthetically pleasing appearance.  
           [0014]    In a preferred embodiment, a tilt-out shelf or basket arrangement is reversibly secured to the interior of a refrigerator door. The shelf or basket has a pair of end caps that are reversibly secured to dikes on the door panel. The vertical dikes of the door panel have specially-shaped mounting portions that can include laterally projecting bosses. The mounting portions can be configured to be formed in the door liner in relatively low profile, both relative to forward or inward (medial) directions from the dike. The door panel also can have a horizontally disposed support that can adjoin the lower edge of the basket or shelf.  
           [0015]    In a preferred embodiment, each end cap has a boss contacting portion that includes a vertically oriented, generally U-shaped channel that is open at its lower end. The channel is shaped and sized to be complimentary to the boss and contains a raised bump so that when the boss is inserted into the channel a positive snap-lock securement is achieved. The end caps may be removed from the door panel by reversing this process.  
           [0016]    A number of alternative basket, shelf, or other retainer assemblies are described that may be used with the end cap securing arrangement of the present invention. In one instance, a wire holding area is fixedly secured between the end caps while, in another, a wire holding area may be forwardly and rearwardly tilted with respect to the end caps. In a further arrangement, a plastic molded shelf having the end cap support geometry molded in place, can be used.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is an isometric, exploded view of a portion of the interior side of a refrigerator freezer door with a basket having a removably affixable end cap constructed in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 depicts a portion of one of the door dikes to which an end cap is reversibly affixed.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is an exterior side view of an exemplary end cap and in ghost lines illustrating a snap-fit connection with part of the mounting structure on the door liner.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is an interior side view, partially in phantom, of a fixed wire basket assembly in secured relation to a door dike.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional cutaway view taken along the lines  5 - 5  in FIG. 4.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a back end-on view of the end cap shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and  5 .  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is an interior side view of a tiltable basket assembly secured to the interior of the freezer door.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 illustrates, in isolation, a portion of the fixed basket assembly.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 depicts, in isolation, a portion of the tilt-out basket assembly.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 illustrates a single piece molded embodiment incorporating the end cap geometry of FIGS.  1 - 7  at both opposite lateral ends. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]    [0027]FIGS. 1, 2,  4  and  7  illustrate the interior side of an exemplary refrigerator door  10  of the type used for the freezer section of a domestic refrigerator unit having a lower freezer compartment and an upper refrigeration compartment. The door  10  to the freezer compartment is shown in the open position and having an inner plastic liner  12 . It is noted that, while the invention is being described with respect to use with the door to a freezer compartment, it could as easily be utilized with the door to a refrigeration compartment. The plastic liner  12  has outwardly protruding vertical and horizontal door dikes  14  and  16  around the periphery of the liner  12 . It is noted that only one vertical dike  14  and one horizontal dike  16  is shown. However, in actuality, these dikes  14  and  16  completely surround the periphery of the liner  12  (see, e.g., FIG. 10). Therefore, it should be understood that a second dike (not shown in FIGS.  1 - 9 ) similar to dike  14  is located on the opposite lateral side of the door  10 . The inner liner  12  also includes a horizontal support ledge  18 . The support ledge  18  extends most of, but not all of the way across the width of the door liner  12 .  
         [0028]    A rectangular mounting portion (one shown at  20 ) is located on the liner  12  adjacent each vertical dike  14 . The mounting portion  20  includes a vertically disposed rectangular plate  22  that is disposed in a parallel relation to the dike  14 . The plate  22  is joined to the inner surface of the dike  14  by a bottom web  24  along its lower edge and a lateral web  26  (see FIG. 2) along its rear edge. A recess  28  is formed at the forward edge of the portion  20 , being defined between the dike  14  and the plate  22 . A boss or lug  30  projects inwardly from each mounting portion  20 . Each boss  30  has a generally rectangular shape with rounded corners.  
         [0029]    Mounting portion  20 , including boss  30 , can be molded and an integral part of door liner  12 , and in particular dike  14  of door liner  12 . As such, it can be plastic. Mounting portion  20  here is low profile in the sense it does not project forwardly ahead of dike  14 , and does not extend very much inwardly or medially towards the dike on the other side of door liner  12  (e.g. an inch or less).  
         [0030]    A basket assembly  32  is removably mountable to the liner  12  of the door  10  in order to retain food items within the door  10 . The basket assembly  32  is made up of a wire frame holding portion with an end cap (one shown in FIG. 1) at either lateral end. There are two alternative embodiments for the wire frame holding portion described herein. FIG. 4 illustrates a fixed basket assembly  32  wherein the wire frame holding portion  34  is secured to the end caps  36  so that it does not move respect to the end caps  36 . The wire frame holding portion  34  is shown apart from other components in FIG. 8. FIG. 7 depicts an alternative basket assembly  32 ′ wherein the end caps  36  retain between them wire frame holding portion  34 ′ that is tiltably moveable with respect to the end caps  36 . The wire frame holding portion  34 ′ is shown apart from other components in FIG. 9.  
         [0031]    The construction of an exemplary end cap  36  is shown in FIGS. 3, 4,  5 ,  6  and  7 . The end cap  36  is typically a unitarily molded plastic body that includes a forward decorative, or aesthetic, plate portion  40  and a rearward securing portion  42 . The aesthetic plate portion  40  presents a curved outer face  44  which, as FIG. 5 shows best, provides a forward facing surface  46  located at the rear part of the aesthetic plate portion  40 . The rear securing portion  42  of the end cap  36  features a plate member  48  that is shaped and sized to adjoin the plate  22  of the securing portion  20 . The rearward side of surface  46  has a shaped tab  50  that is integrally formed with it. The tab  50  is shaped and sized to reside within the recess  28  in a downwardly sliding relation when the end cap  36  is secured to the liner  12 . As shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and  6 , tab  50  in this example has a main planar portion generally parallel to plate  48 , but has several perpendicular ribs  51  that also fit within recess  28  (such that tab  50  and ribs  51  preferably frictionally fit therein). Ribs  51  can assist in strengthening tab  50 . In addition, a substantially U-shaped channel  52  is formed out of raised ridges  54  that project outwardly from the plate member  48 . The interior of the U-shaped channel  52  includes a pair of bumps  56  (see FIG. 3) that can extend substantially from wall  48  outwardly to the outer edges of raised ridges  48  and can be rounded in profile. Strengthening ribs  53  and  55  can be used to deter flexing of and strengthen ridges  48  defining U-shaped channel  52 .  
         [0032]    The channel  52  is shaped and sized to receive therein the boss  30  of the mounting portion  20  of the door liner  12 . The bumps  56  restrict passage of boss  30  into and out of the channel  52  in order to create a snap-fit entry. The distance between the adjacent-most parts of bumps  56  on opposite sides of channel  52  is less than the widest width of boss  30 . Boss  30  can have a opposite forward and rearward substantially flat faces defining the widest width of boss  30 . But the lower edges of those opposite sides can be rounded or even tapered inwardly (see, e.g., FIG. 10). As boss  30  moves into channel  52 , boss  30  interference fits through bumps  56 , which move slightly outward by slight flexing of ridges  54 . Bumps  56  can be positioned so that when boss  30  is fully inserted into channel  52 , (FIG. 3), the flat opposite faces of boss  30  have moved past bumps  56  and thus boss  30  “snaps” into channel  52  in a basically locked position. Alternatively, bumps  56  could be positioned and configured to hold boss  30  in an interference type fit in channel  52 .  
         [0033]    The fit of boss  30  into channel  52  is illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4,  5 , and  7 . For clarity in the drawings, recess  28  of mounting portion  20  is shown in ghost lines, indicating generally the fit of tab  50  and ribs  52  into recess  28 . The shape and location of tab  50 /ribs  51  are shown in detail in FIGS.  3 - 7 . The shape and location of recess  28  are shown in detail the FIGS. 1 and 2. It is to be understood that when end cap  36  is installed on mounting portion  20 , tab  50  enters recess  28  and boss  30  on door dike  14  enters channel  52  on end cap  36  until boss  30  is seated and captured in channel  52 . Tab  50  is also seated and substantially captured in recess  28 .  
         [0034]    The plate member  48  of the end cap  36  includes an inwardly projecting stop member  58 . The lower end of the plate member  48  also contains two circular retaining recesses  60 ,  62  that are visible in FIGS. 4 and 7.  
         [0035]    Turning now to FIGS. 8 and 9, the end portions of two alternative wire holding baskets  34 ,  34 ′ are shown. These two baskets provide examples of the food retaining structures that may be used with the end caps  36  as part of a refrigerator shelf assembly. The two exemplary baskets  34 ,  34 ′ are constructed in essentially the same manner using metal stock that has been welded at intersections to form the basket. Each basket  34 ,  34 ′ includes a floor portion  64  and a wall portion  66 . When the basket  34  or  34 ′ is secured to the liner  12 , food items are placed on the floor portion  64 , and the wall portion  66  prevents the food items from falling off the floor portion  64 . The wire basket  34 , which is retained between two end caps  36  in a secured, non-movable relation, has a laterally-protruding rod portion  68  proximate the intersection of the floor portion  64  and the wall portion  66 . In addition, there is a second laterally protruding rod portion  70  located proximate the rear of the floor portion  64 . Again, it is pointed out that only one end of the wire basket  34  is shown in FIG. 8, and the opposite end of the wire basket, which is not shown, will have the same protruding portions. The wire basket  34  is affixed to an end cap  36  in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4 wherein the rod portion  68  is seated within the circular recess  60  and the rod portion  70  is seated within the circular recess  62 .  
         [0036]    The tiltable wire basket  34 ′, as FIG. 9 shows, has a laterally protruding rod portion  68  located proximate the intersection of the floor portion  64  and the wall portion  66 . However, there is no protruding rod portion  70 . The wire basket  34 ′ is secured to each end cap  36  as illustrated in FIG. 7. The rod portion  68  is seated within the circular opening  60  of each end cap  36  and the wire basket  34 ′ can be tilted forwardly and outwardly with respect to the end caps  36  using the rod portions  68  as a pivot point, as illustrated in FIG. 7. As the basket  34 ′ is tilted outwardly, the stop member  58  of each end cap  36  will eventually engage the floor portion  64 , thereby limiting the amount by which the wire basket portion may be outwardly tilted. Use of a single end cap design that can accommodate both a fixed-relation and tiltable basket easily is advantageous.  
         [0037]    In order to removably secure a basket assembly  32  or  32 ′ to the liner  12 , each end cap  36  is moved rearwardly onto the mounting portion  20  of the door dike  14 . The end cap  36  is then moved downwardly so that the tab  50  is slid into the recess  28 . In addition, the boss  30  of the mounting portion  20  enters the channel  52  of the end cap  36  in a snap-fit manner as the boss  30  is forced over or past the two bumps  56 . Thus, a secure fit is provided by both the snap-fit mechanism provided by the channel  52  and boss  30  as well as the engagement of the tab  50  within the recess  28 . Lateral movement of the basket assembly  32  or  32 ′ is limited by the frictional engagement and trapping of the tab  50  within the recess  28 . So is downward, frontward, and rearward movement. Upward movement is possible only if the snap-fit is overcome. Also, tabs  50  in recesses  28  deter lateral, downward, and rearward movement. The nature of restricting the gap width of entry into channel  52  with, for example, one or more bumps  56 , provides a snap-fit retention or frictional retention that essentially locks end cap to the mounting portion. The end cap can be released by overcoming frictional retention or providing enough force to back the boss out of the snap-fit retention. This provides for a relatively low profile locking but easy release and removal without complex structure or utilizing deformable or deflecting pieces, such as described with regard to the prior art, which could over time break or cease to function properly. The forward-facing surface  46  of the end caps  36  provides a flush-mount flange that provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The rear end of the floor portion  64  of each wire basket  34 ,  34 ′ rests on the horizontal support ledge  18  of the liner  12 .  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 10 illustrates in perspective view an alternative example of reversible securement of a structure to door  10 . Here a one-piece molded plastic shelf  100  includes end caps  36  at opposite ends, but integrally formed therein, such that shelf  100  and end caps  36  comprise an integral one-piece apparatus. Vertical mounting structures, as previously described, receive corresponding mounting structure of end caps  36 ′ (e.g. tab  50 , U-shaped channel  52 ) to support and snap-fit rear securing portions  42  on opposite ends of shelf  100  to mounting portions  20  on opposite sides of liner  12  of door  10 .  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 10 therefore illustrates how a different structure can be releasably mounted with such mounting configuration. The structure can be of variety of things. Examples are baskets, shelves, or retaining members. The structure can also be support structure for any of a basket, shelf, or retaining member. As shown, the structure can be multi-pieced (e.g. the end caps separate from the basket, shelf, or retaining member), or can be integrated, including being one-piece (e.g. end cap and basket, shelf, or retaining member one-piece).  
         [0040]    Those of skill in the art will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made to the devices and methods of the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention is limited only by the terms of the claims that follow and their equivalents.