Abstract:
An illuminated shelf includes a tempered transparent glass panel having edges each housed in a slot of a housing defining a chamber through which and/or in which light is generated to illuminate the transparent panel. Each housing is preferably snap-secured together to access the chamber interior for purposes of replacement and/or repair. Each housing can be totally or partially encapsulated and the encapsulation includes conductors which are operative in any position of vertical adjustment or sliding adjustment of the shelf.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to shelving in general and specifically to an illuminated refrigerator shelf and a method of manufacture thereof. 
     Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2003/0038571 A1 which published on Feb. 27, 2003 in the name of Thomas W. Obrock et al. discloses the closest prior art known to the applicant which includes a refrigerator shelf having side edge lighting. The shelf of  FIGS. 7 through 14  and particularly  FIGS. 10 through 14  includes a flat plate of light transmitting material, such as tempered glass, having along each of side edges thereof an end cap with each end cap carrying a plurality of spaced lights or bulbs which are appropriately connected to a 12 volt electrical current source for edge-illuminating the glass plate. Each of the end caps can carry a cantilever beam which is actually a shelf bracket having hooks for vertically adjusting the cantilever shelf relative to conventional slotted tracks of a refrigerator compartment. This patent specifically discloses that an upper edge of the cantilevered beams or shelf brackets can be secured to the end caps by molding, gluing, friction fitting, encapsulating or any other suitable attachment means. Utilizing appropriate conductors projecting from the end caps which mate with female electrical conductors of the tracks, the cantilevered shelf can be illuminated in a variety of different positions of vertical adjustment. The lifetime of the lights associated with the illuminated shelf is designed to be approximately 1,000 hours which, assuming being lit only a few minutes each day when the refrigerator door is open, might allegedly exceed the life of the refrigerator itself. However, the latter expectation does not account for the possibility of power surges which could burn all the lights out, liquid leakage from products which would create a short to likewise create a short and prevent any illumination whatever, a broken wire between lights, etc. As a matter of fact, front and rear edges of the tempered glass plate are turned up to form a spillage-containment volume with the associated end caps, but should sealant, bonding, encapsulation or the like include voids or fissures or deteriorate to provide such product, liquid spillage would readily enter the end caps causing a short and thereby reduce the life and effectiveness of the illuminated shelf. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an illumination device and particularly an illuminated shelf which includes a transparent light transmitting tempered glass panel, opposite side housings, and each side housing being constructed from two housing parts which can be readily assembled and disassembled to access a compartment housing illumination devices, such as a light pipe, LED&#39;s, etc. The side housings each have a slot which receives an edge of the tempered glass panel and each housing further includes means for securing the shelf to an associated support, such as the interior of a refrigerator compartment. By providing a housing which can be readily opened and closed, any problems associated with lighting within each chamber defined by each housing can be analyzed, repaired, and the shelf replaced with a minimum of time, effort and cost. 
     Each side housing is preferably formed of two relatively long housing bodies with one housing body being provided with the slot to accommodate an edge portion of an associated tempered glass panel. The other housing body is preferably provided with integral fastening means for securing the same to an interior of a refrigerator compartment. Male and female snap-securing or coupling means are carried by the housing bodies to facilitate the rapid attachment and detachment thereof to each other. 
     In further accordance with this invention, the entirety of the housing and a portion of the tempered glass panel can be encapsulated by the synthetic polymeric/copolymeric material, though preferably at least one axial end of the housing is not encapsulated. The non-encapsulated end of the housing can be thereby utilized to gain access to the interior of a chamber defined by the housing within which is housed, for example, a light pipe, a fiber optic light pipe, LED&#39;s, a LED circuit board, etc., to facilitate repair of the latter components should the same fail over extended use. 
     In lieu of exposing an axial end of the housing, only a longitudinal portion of the housing body adjacent the tempered glass panel edge portion and the edge portion itself are encapsulated which leaves unencapsulated the remaining housing body and the snap-connectors of both housing bodies which similarly facilitate assembly and disassembly to gain access to a chamber of the housing within which are located an appropriate illuminating device. 
     In further accordance with the present invention, the tempered glass panel can be illuminated from above or below, as opposed to through side edges thereof. In one case light is directed toward an underside or toward a top side of the tempered glass panel, thereby illuminating the latter, and light rays respectively reflecting and transmitting therethrough further illuminate the interior compartment of an associated refrigerator. The light can instead be directed away from the tempered glass panel, either in a direction below the same or above the same to respectively illuminate products upon lower and upper shelves, in the latter case through a transparent tempered glass panel of an upper shelf through which the light rays pass. 
     In further accordance with the present invention, the illuminated shelf may also be a sliding shelf with appropriate conductors maintaining an electrical circuit between a 12 volt step-down transformer and the illuminating means of the sliding shelf to effect illumination thereof irrespective of the position of relative sliding adjustment. 
     With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a fragmentary perspective view of an illumination device, such as an illuminated shelf, and illustrates the illuminated shelf housed in a compartment of a refrigerator. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the illuminated shelf of  FIG. 1  with parts broken away for clarity, and illustrates details of the illuminated shelf including opposite side housings each having a slot receiving an edge of a light-transmitting transparent panel, a light pipe and one of the housings disassembled. 
         FIG. 3  is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken generally along  3 — 3  of  FIG. 1 , and illustrates the manner in which an edge of the light-transmitting tempered glass panel is exposed to light rays emitted from a transparent light tube located within the side housing of the shelf. 
         FIG. 4  is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken generally along line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 2 , and illustrates one of the housing bodies or parts secured to a wall of the refrigerator compartment and snapped-secured to the other housing part. 
         FIG. 5  is a fragmentary perspective view of another illumination device in the form of a shelf, and illustrates the latter associated with slotted tracks in a compartment of a refrigerator. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view, and illustrates electrical conductors and hooks and slots of the shelf and one of the tracks for providing electrical current to illuminating devices associated with the shelf and vertical adjustment of the latter relative to the tracks. 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken generally along line  7 — 7  of  FIG. 5 , and illustrates details of the electrical conductors, a snap-secured two part housing, and a continuous border in the form of an encapsulation entirely encapsulating the housing, the snap-connections thereof, and an edge portion of a tempered glass panel received in a slot of the housing exposed to an LED circuit within a chamber of the housing. 
         FIG. 8  is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of another illuminated shelf similar to  FIG. 7 , but illustrates a non-encapsulated axial end wall of the housing carrying an LED and its circuit to effect axial access to the housing chamber for repairs. 
         FIG. 9  is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of another illuminated shelf similar to  FIG. 7 , and illustrates a chamber defined by the housing in which an LED and its circuit emit light through a lens directed away from a light transmitting glass panel encapsulated to the housing. 
         FIG. 10  is a fragmentary perspective view of another illuminated shelf similar to  FIG. 9 , and illustrates an LED and its circuit housed in a chamber of the housing in association with one or more lens for emitting light toward and through a lower surface of an associated light-transmitting tempered glass panel. 
         FIG. 11  is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 10 , and illustrates another LED and its circuitry generating light transmitted through one or more lens toward and through a top surface of an associated light-transmitting tempered glass panel. 
         FIG. 12  is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 11 , and illustrates an encapsulation completely peripherally bordering an edge of a light-transmitting tempered piece of glass along each of opposite sides thereof, only one of which is shown, and a light-transmitting and reflecting member for illuminating the tempered glass panel from an interior light source disassociated from the illuminated shelf. 
         FIG. 13  is a fragmentary perspective view of another illuminated shelf, and illustrates the shelf in association with tracks of a refrigerator compartment. 
         FIG. 14  is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken generally along line  14 — 14  of  FIG. 13 , and illustrates one of two metal shelf brackets for cantilever supporting the illuminated shelf relative to the compartment tracks with an encapsulation unitizing each bracket two-piece housing and an edge portion of a piece of tempered glass. 
         FIG. 15  is a fragmentary perspective view of a slidable illuminated shelf, and illustrates the slidable shelf associated with electrically conductive strips of a cantilevered shelf bracket and vertical tracks of a refrigerator compartment. 
         FIG. 16  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken generally along line  16 — 16  of  FIG. 15 , and illustrates the manner in which the shelf is mounted in sliding relationship to one of opposite cantilevered shelf brackets and electrical conductors forming part of the sliding connection to provide electric current no matter the position of the slidable shelf relative to the shelf brackets. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A novel illumination device constructed in accordance with this invention, which is preferably in the form of a shelf, is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 3  of the drawings, and is generally designated by the reference numeral  10 . 
     The shelf  10  is preferably associated with a compartment C of a refrigerator R, as is best illustrated in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. However, the shelf  10  can easily be utilized in other structures, such as retail store display cases, furniture cabinetry (dish display cases), utility shelves for workshops, wash rooms, etc. No matter the particular utilization of the shelves of this invention, each of the various shelves disclosed herein is designed to be illuminated directly or indirectly to thereby better illuminate articles or products supported upon, above or below the shelves to aid consumer selection thereof. 
     The shelf  10  includes two substantially identical housings  11 ,  12  which house therebetween a plate, panel or member of light-transmitting material, such as tempered glass, which is designated by the reference numeral  13 . 
     Each housing  11 ,  12  includes adjacent, inboard opposing housing bodies, members or parts  14 ,  14  and remote complementary housing bodies, members or parts  15 ,  15 . The housing bodies  14 ,  14 ;  15 ,  15  of each of the housings  11 ,  12  cooperatively define an internal chamber  16  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) which over a major portion thereof is of a generally uniform polygonal or square configuration which merges through upper and lower converging walls  17 ,  18  with an elongated slot or opening  20  in which is slidably housed an elongated side edge or side edge portion  33 ,  34  of the glass panel  13  with a terminal end edge  35  ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) of the panel  13  being fully exposed to the interior of the chamber  16 . 
     The housing bodies  14  of each of the housings  11 ,  12  include four pair of upwardly and downwardly directed hooks  41 ,  42 , respectively, which removably snappingly secure into respective openings  43  and over cross bars  44  ( FIGS. 2 through 4 ) of the outermost housing bodies  15  to maintain the housing bodies  14 ,  15  of each of the housings  11 ,  12  in assembled snap-secured relationship while allowing the same to be readily disassembled from each other. 
     The housing bodies  14  also include integral means  45  in the form of brackets having openings  46  through which fasteners F ( FIG. 4 ) can be inserted to secure each of the housing bodies  14  to opposite walls W ( FIG. 1 ) to maintain the shelf  10  supported within the compartment C of the refrigerator R. 
     The length of the housing bodies  14  are also slightly longer than the length of the housing bodies  15  and include openable axial frusto-pyramidal tubular portions  47  which are opposite closed ends (unnumbered). Open ends  49  of each of the frusto-pyramidal portions  47  are closed by removable caps  48  which can be snapped-secured to the frusto-pyramidal portions  47  and carry internally thereof illuminating means  50  ( FIG. 4 ) in the form of a conventional LED and associated circuitry which are connected by electrical conductors  51 ,  52  to a 12 volt source of energy, such as a step-down transformer (not shown). Prior to snap-securing the caps  48  to the frusto-pyramidal portions  47 , means  55  in the form of a light tube made of transparent acrylic synthetic plastic material having a plurality of light-focusing facets  56  ( FIGS. 2 through 4 ) spaced along the length thereof is inserted in each of the chambers  16  of the housings  11 ,  12  such that the light-directing facets  56  direct the light created by the LED  50  through the light tube  55  along the entire length thereof and into the terminal free edge  35  of each of the edge portions  33 ,  34  of the light-transmitting panel  13  thereby illuminating the panel and objects supported thereupon as well as products, areas and spaces located therebelow and thereabove. 
     Should at any time a problem develop with the light tubes  55  or the LED&#39;s  50 , the fasteners F along either housing  11 ,  12  can be removed, the shelf  10  can then be inclined upwardly or downwardly, and the entire housing  11  or  12  can be slipped and removed from either edge portion  33 ,  34  after which the entire panel  13  can be removed from the slot  20  of the remaining housing  11  or  12 . The cap  48  of the removed housing can be removed from the frusto-pyramidal portion  47  and the LED  50  and/or associated circuitry can be repaired or replaced and the components thereafter reassembled. The same disassembly can be utilized for removing and replacing the light tube  55  should such be found necessary or desirable. Therefore, both the ease of assembly and disassembly of the housing bodies  14 ,  15  of each of the housings  11 ,  12  relative to each other and to the glass panel  13  and the similar ease of assembly and disassembly of the caps  48  with respect to the frusto-pyramidal portions  47  of the housings  11 ,  12  assure that the shelf  10  will at all times generate intended light values during the lifetime of the shelf  10  and the associated refrigerator R. 
     Another novel ilumination device constructed in accordance with this invention, also in the form of a shelf, is illustrated in  FIGS. 5 through 7  of the drawings, and is generally designated by the reference numeral  110 . 
     The shelf  110  is preferably associated with a compartment C of a refrigerator R, as is best illustrated in  FIG. 5  of the drawings. However, the shelf  110  can easily be utilized in other structures, such as retail store display cases, furniture cabinetry (dish display cases), utility shelves for workshops, wash rooms, etc. No matter the particular utilization of the shelves of this invention, each of the various shelves disclosed herein is designed to be illuminated directly or indirectly to thereby better illuminate articles or products supported upon, above or below the shelves to aid consumer selection thereof. 
     The shelf  110  includes two substantially identical housings  111 ,  112  which are substantially identical to the respective housings  11 ,  12  and which house therebetween a plate, panel or member of light-transmitting material, such as tempered glass, which is designated by the reference numeral  113 . All components of the shelf  110  which are identical to the components of the shelf  10  will be identically numbered though prefixed with “1 —— .” 
     Each housing  111 ,  112  includes adjacent, inboard opposing housing bodies, members or parts  114 ,  114  and remote complementary housing bodies, members or parts  115 ,  115 . The housing bodies  114 ,  114 ;  115 ,  115  of each of the housings  111 ,  112  cooperatively define an internal chamber  116  ( FIG. 7 ) which over a major portion thereof is of a generally uniform polygonal or square configuration which merges through upper and lower walls  117 ,  118  with an elongated slot or opening  120  in which is slidably housed an elongated side edge or side edge portion  133 ,  134  of the glass panel  113  with a terminal end edge  135  ( FIG. 7 ) of the panel  113  being fully exposed to the interior of the chamber  116 . 
     The housing bodies  114  of each of the housings  111 ,  112  include four pair of upwardly and downwardly directed hooks  141 ,  142 , respectively, which removably snappingly secure into respective openings  143  and cross bars  144  ( FIG. 7 ) of the outermost housing bodies  115  to maintain the housing bodies  114 ,  115  of each of the housings  111 ,  112  in assembled snap-secured relationship 
     The housings  111 ,  112  are devoid of a light tube, such as the light tube  55 , and instead carry internally thereof illuminating means  150  ( FIG. 7 ) in the form of one or more conventional LED&#39;s and associated circuitry which are connected by electrical conductors  151 ,  152  and respective conductive strips  153 ,  154  of tracks  163 ,  164 , respectively, to a 12 volt source of energy, such as a step-down transformer (not shown). Each track  163 ,  164  has slots  165  for receiving hooks  166  of an encapsulation or border  170  of plastic material which completely encapsulates the housings  111 ,  112  and the edges  133 ,  134  of the transparent tempered glass panel  113 . Tapered walls  117 ,  118  of the housings  111 ,  112  direct the light created by the LED&#39;s  150  through the slots  120  along the entire length thereof and into the terminal free edge  135  of each of the edge portions  133 ,  134  of the light-transmitting panel  113  thereby illuminating the panel and objects supported thereupon, as well as the products, areas and spaces located therebelow and thereabove. It should be particularly noted that the conductors  151 ,  152  will be in electrical contact with the respective conductive strips  153 ,  154  irrespective of the particular slots  165  which are engaged by the hooks  166 . Therefore, by raising and lowering the shelf  110 , the compartment C of the refrigerator R can be selectively and/or proportionately illuminated. 
     Another novel illumination device constructed in accordance with this invention in the form of a shelf is illustrated in  FIG. 8  of the drawings, and is generally designated by the reference numeral  210 . 
     The shelf  210  is substantially identical to the shelf  110  and like components have been identically numbered though prefixed with “2 —— .” 
     The only difference between the shelves  110 ,  210  is that an axial end opening  249  of each chamber  216  of each housing  211 ,  212  of the shelf  210  is not encapsulated by the encapsulation and a cap  248  closing each opening  249  can be removed therefrom for purposes of repair should, for example, LED&#39;s  250  and/or the circuit thereof become inoperative. 
     Another novel illumination device in the form of a shelf is illustrated in  FIG. 9  of the drawings, and is generally designated by the reference numeral  310 . 
     The shelf  310  is substantially identical to the shelf  110  and like components have been identically numbered though prefixed with “3 —— .” 
     The shelf  310  differs from the shelf  110  in two major aspects, namely, edges  333 ,  334  of a transparent tempered glass panel  313  are not received in an elongated slot  320  of each of the housing bodies  314 ,  315 , but are instead completely peripherally encapsulated by an encapsulation  370 , and an elongated lens  380  is housed in the slot  320 . Each of the housings  311 ,  312  is angled downwardly so that light emitted from LED&#39;s  350  is directed downwardly and only light reflected from areas beneath the tempered glass panel  313  will be directed upwardly therethrough to illuminate products resting thereupon and/or spaces thereabove. However, downward reorientation of the housings  310 ,  311  affords maximum downward illumination while at the same providing lesser though acceptable illumination above the tempered glass panel  313 . 
     Another shelf  410  illustrated in  FIG. 10  of the drawings is substantially identical to the shelf  310  just described and like components have been identically numbered though prefixed with “4 —— .” 
     The major difference between the shelves  310 ,  410  is that the housings  411 ,  412  are oriented to direct light upwardly through each of the lens  480  toward, through and reflected downwardly from the transparent tempered glass panel  413 . Thus, objects resting upon the tempered glass panel  413  are afforded significantly more illumination by the shelf  410  than by the shelf  310 . However, light reflected downwardly from the tempered glass panel  413  adequately provides illumination to spaces/products therebelow. 
     A shelf  510  of  FIG. 11  is substantially identical to the shelf  410  of  FIG. 10  and like components have been identically numbered though prefixed with “5 —— .” 
     The only difference between the shelves  410 ,  510  is the positioning of each of the housings  511 ,  512  above the tempered glass panel  513  to direct light downwardly through the lenses  580 , as opposed to the upward direction of light rays through the lenses  480  of the shelf  410 . 
     Another shelf constructed in accordance with this invention is illustrated in  FIG. 12  of the drawings and is generally designated by the reference numeral  610 . Like components of the shelf  610  which correspond to those components heretofore described have been identically numbered though prefixed with “6 —— .” 
     The major difference between the shelf  610  and the shelves earlier described herein is that the shelf  610  excludes a source of illumination. Instead the shelf  610  includes an encapsulation or border  670  corresponding to the encapsulation or border  170  which completely encapsulates the entire peripheral edge, including the edges  633 ,  634  of the transparent tempered glass panel  613 . In addition, the encapsulation  670  encapsulates a strip or member  675  of transparent material, such as tempered glass having an angled surface  676  for directing light from a light source S, such as a conventional bulb in a refrigerator compartment, upwardly through the tempered glass panel  613 . The surface  676  might be mirrored to increase direct reflection of light impinging thereon from the light source S. Furthermore, the strip member  676  can be located along only the side edges  633 ,  634  of the tempered glass panel  613  or also along either or both of the rear portions (not shown) of the encapsulation  670 . 
     Another novel illumination device constructed in accordance with this invention, also in the form of a shelf, is illustrated in  FIGS. 13 and 14  of the drawings, and is generally designated by the reference numeral  710 . 
     The shelf  710  is substantially identical to the shelves heretofore described, particularly the shelf  110  of  FIGS. 5 through 7 , with like components being identically numbered though prefixed with “7 —— .” 
     The only difference between the shelves  110  and  710  is that the shelf  710  includes separate metallic shelf brackets B carry hooks (not shown) for engaging slots  765  of tracks  763 ,  764 . 
     A final shelf constructed in accordance with this invention is generally designated by the reference numeral  810  ( FIGS. 15 and 16 ) which is constructed as an illuminated sliding shelf which can slide along metal or plastic cantilevered shelf brackets B′, B′ which are rigidly joined to each other by cross rods CR and carry hooks (not shown) which engage in conventional slots  865  of tracks  863 ,  864 . Housings  811 ,  812  carry internally thereof illuminating means  850  ( FIG. 16 ) in the form of one or more conventional LED&#39;s and associated circuitry which are connected by electrical conductors  851 ,  852  to a 12 volt source of energy, such as a step-down transformer (not shown). However, the conductors  851 ,  852  are not directly in contact with respective conductive strips  853 ,  854  of respective tracks  863 ,  864 , but instead are in contact with respective conductive strips  951 ,  952  carried by an upper surface (unnumbered) of an offset portion OP of each of the brackets B′ which is in sliding relationship with an elongated convexly outwardly opening groove G of the encapsulation  870 . If the brackets B′ are constructed from plastic material, the conductive strips  951 ,  952  are merely embedded therein and are in sliding contact with the respective conductors  851 ,  852  with ends of the conductive strips  951 ,  952  engaging the respective conductive strips  853 ,  854  of the respective tracks  863 ,  864 . However, if the brackets B′ are constructed from metallic material, the conductive strips  951 ,  952  must be conventionally electrically insulated therefrom. However, no matter to what position the shelf  810  is slid relative to the brackets B′, electrical contact is maintained and the tempered glass panel  813  is illuminated through opposite side edges  835  thereof. 
     Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.