GB2313040A

GB2313040A - Shelf for a refrigerator

Info

Publication number: GB2313040A
Application number: GB9717811A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gun Jun Si; Sang Yuol Lee
Original assignee: Gold Star Co Ltd
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 1993-07-28
Filing date: 1993-07-28
Publication date: 1997-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 2013-07-28
Also published as: GB9717811D0; GB9717808D0; GB2313039B; GB2313040B; GB2313039A

Abstract

A refrigerator shelf 13b is mounted for sliding on a rail 11b on the rear wall of the refrigerator compartment. The shelf is narrower than the compartment which allows it to be slid horizontally to accommodate articles of different sizes. The rail has an upstanding lip 16 from which the shelf hangs directly from a slider 17 and a lower protrusion 18a rests on and slides along a lower surface of the rail.

Description

SHELP DEVICE FOR A REFRIGERATOR BACKGROUND OF SHE INVENTIOtI 1. Field of the Invention r This invention relates to a shelf device for a refrigerator, and more particularly a shelf device for a refrigerator, which comprises a shelf assembly mounted in a refrigerating chamber of the refrigerator to be movable horizontally so that a user can horizontally move it depending upon a size of a foodstuff to be stored, thereby efficiently utilizing the internal space of the refrigerator.

2. Description of the Prior Art There have been heretofore proposed shelf devices of various forms and designs, a typical example of which is of the type shovn in Figs.1 and 2 of the accompanying dravings, which comprises a pair of support bars 1 each formed vith a rov of vertically spaced, elongated holes la and vertically fixed to a back wall surface of a refrigerating chamber of a refrigerator, and a shelf assembly 3 including a shelf frame 2 formed vith tvo pairs of downwardly bent hooks 2a which are engaged vith the elongated holes la of the support bars 1.

This prior shelf device is hovever disadvantageous in that vhile the device allovs foodstuffs to be stored in the refrigerating chamber through slight adjustment of the level of each shelf assembly 3 in the range of the elongated holes la formed in the support bars 1, larger objects such as a larger container, a bulky vatermelon and the like, for example, must be stored in the chamber vith any of the shelf assemblies 3 removed, requiring complicated removal vork and custody of the removed shelf assembly, thereby giving inconvenience to a user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing problem of the prior art device in viev, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shelf device for a refrigerator, which comprises a shelf assembly constructed to be movable horizontally, not vertically, so that a user can horizontally move it depending upon a storage state of a bulky foodstuff in the refrigerator.

To achieve the above object, there is provided according one form of the present invention a shelf device for a refrigerator comprising a bracket horizontally mounted on a back vall of a refrigerating chanber ; a plurality of engaging holes formed in the bracket in equally spaced relation to one another ; and a shelf assembly having a length less than the vidth of the refrigerating chamber and provided vith hooks engaged vith the engaging holes ; whereby a user can horizontally move the shelf assembly depending upon a size of an object to be stored According to another forn of the present invention, there is provided a shelf device for a refrigerator comprising a box type bracket having an upwardly projecting piece and horizontally mounted on a back wall of a refrigerating chamber ; and a shelf assembly provided with an engaging piece hooked on the projecting piece of the bracket and a guide groove brought into contact vith the bracket; whereby the shelf asseibly can be slidingly displaced vithout being dismounted fron the bracket.

According to further another for. of the present invention, there is provided a shelf device for a refrigerator comprising a guide rail horizontally mounted on a back vall of a refrigerating chamber; sliders movable along the guide rail; and a shelf assembly connected to the sliders to be horizontally movable therevith along the guide rail and having a length less than the vidth of the refrigerating chamber; whereby a user can displace more conveniently the shelf assembly through smooth slide movement thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front viev of a refrigerating chanber of a refrigerator vith shelf devices according to the prior art mounted therein ; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional viev of area A in Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a front viev of the refrigerating chamber with shelf devices according to the present invention mounted therein ; Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective viev showing the important parts of the shelf device according to one embodiment of the present invention Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the parts of Fig. 4 in an assembled state ; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional viev of a portion of the shelf device according to another embodiment of the present invention ; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective viev of the shelf device according to further another embodiment of the present invention ; Fig. 8 is a front viev.of the refrigerating chamber vith the shelf devices according to still further another embodiment of the present invention mounted therein ; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of area B in Fig.8; and Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional viev of the shelf device shovn in Fig. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERReD EMBODIMENT The invention vill nov be described in more detail with reference to Figs. 3 to 10 of the accompanying dravings, which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front viev of refrigerating chamber of a refrigerator vith shelf devices according to the present invention mounted therein, Fig. 4 shovn in exploded perspective viev the inportant parts of the shelf device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig.S shovs in section the parts of Fig. 4 in an assembled state.

The shelf device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a bracket 11 horizontally fixed to the back wall of the refrigerating chamber and having a plurality of horizontally spaced, rectangular engaging holes 12 formed therein in tvo rovs, and a shelf assembly 13 having tvo pairs of downwardly bent hooks 14 provided one pair at each of both ends of its rear side to be engaged vith the engaging holes 12 of the bracket 11 at a desired mounting position.

As shovn in Fig. 3, a plurality of such brackets 11 are horizontally mounted on the back all of the refrigerating chamber in vertically spaced relation to one another, diffenently from support bars of the prior art vertically mounted in a laterally spaced relation to one another, and the shelf assembly 13 is mounted on each bracket 11 at a desired position through engagement of the hooks 14 vith the selected holes of the engaging holes 12 of the bracket in such a manner that the shelf assembly may be varied in position depending upon a storage state of a foodstuff in the refrigerator.

As shown in Fig. 4, the shelf assembly 13 may be selectively positioned by engaging tvo pairs of the hooks 14 formed at both ends of the rear side of the assembly vith tvo pairs of the upper and lover engaging holes 12 of the bracket 11. The engaged state of the hooks of the shelf assembly vith the holes of the bracket is shovn in section in Fig. 5. Preferably, the shelf assembly 13 has an appropriate length less than the vidth-o t the refrigerating chamber.

with this construction, an optimal storage state in the chamber may be simply and conveniently accomplished depending upon a desired storage condition, so that larger objects may be conveniently stored in the refrigerating chamber simply by displacing horizontally any of the shelf assemblies according to a size of the object to be stored, vithout removing and separately keeping the shelf assembly as in the prior art.

According to another embodiment of the present invention shovn in Fig. 6, the shelf device comprises a bracket 11a having a plurality of equally spaced engaging holes 12a formed therein in a rov, instead of tvo upper and lover rovs as in the embodiment shovn in Pig.4, and a shelf assembly 13a provided at each end of its rear side vith only one hook 14a engaged vith one of the holes 12a of the single rov and a support surface 15 projectingly formed below the hook 14a to be brought into contact vith the solid surface of the bracket Ila.

The provision for the single hook 14a engaged vith one hole 12a of the bracket lla facilitates displacement of the shelf assembly 13a as - compared vith the embodiment shovn in Fig.S. In an assembled state, the shelf assembly of this embodiment can be kept in place by ovn gravity and veight of the supported object without playing.

According to further another embodiment of the present invention, the bracket comprises engaging means permitting a change in position of the shelf assembly to be easily carried out, instead of the engaging holes as in the previous embodiments. As shown in Fig.7, the shelf device of this embodiment comprises a bracket llb of a generally square tube configuration horizontally mounted on the back vall of the refrigerating chamber and having a projecting piece 16 protruding upwardly from its upper surface, and a shelf assembly 13b provided vith an engaging piece 17 hooked on the projecting piece 16 and a guide groove 18 formed longitudinally in the rear side thereof.

With this construction, the shelf assembly 13b can be displaced simply by sliding it to a desired position along the bracket lib vithout separating it from the bracket. In this case, preferably, the guide groove 18 pay be formed with a projecting surface 18a serving to ensure smooth sliding movement of the assembly 13b on the bracket 11b and support load of the supported objects through its contact vith the front surface of the bracket llb.

Still further another embodiment of the present invention, in which the shelf assembly is constructed to be capable of being slid easily even vhen the objects are supported thereon, vill nov be explained vith reference to Figs. 8 to 10.

Referring to Fig.8 showing a front viev of the refrigerating chamber vith the shelf device according to this embodiment mounted therein, the shelf device comprises a guide rail 22 horizontally fixed on the back vall 21 of the chamber and a shelf assembly 13c connected to the guide rail 22 to be movable along the rail. The shelf assembly 13c includes a shelf frame 24 and a glass plate 26 supported by support rods 25 caulked in the shelf frame and a rear cover 27. The glass plate may be replaced by a plate of any other material or a vire grid.

Each of sliders for slidingly connecting the shelf assembly to the guide rail comprises, as shovn in Figs. 9 and 10, a support bar 28--seeured to the rear end portion of the shelf frame 24 by leans of a bolt 29, and a pair of rollers 30 rotatably mounted at one end of the support bar 28 via a support shaft 31 and disposed to come into rolling contact with the inner surface of the guide rail 22, whereby the shelf assembly 13c can be moved along the guide rail.

In addition, the guide rail 22 has an integral connection piece 22a depending downwardly from its underside, and the shelf frame 24 has a horizontally projecting piece 24a formed at the lover portion of its rear side. Therefore, at a rest position, the shelf assembly 13 may be horizontally kept by engagement of the projecting piece 24a vith the connection piece 22a. The reason for forming the connection piece 22a integral vith the guide rail 22 is to help the protruding piece 24a to support load applied to the shelf assembly by the foodstuffs placed thereon.

Reference Numeral 32 denotes screvs for fastening the guide rail 22 to the back vall 21, and 33 denotes a reinforcing piece for improving fastened strength of the guide rail.

Operation and effect of the thus constructed device of this embodiment will nov be explained. First, when the shelf assembly 13c has been mounted on the guide rail 22, as shovn in Fig. 10, the shelf assembly is kept in a horizontal state by engagement of the projecting piecs 24a vith the connection piece 22a, so that foodstuffs can be placed on the assembly to be stored in the refrigerating chamber.

In this state, when it is desired to displace the shelf assembly 13c according to a size of a foodstuff to be put into the chamber, since it nay be difficult to slide the shelf assembly due to tight engagement of the projecting piece 24a supporting load of the foodstuffs on the assembly vith the connection piece 22a, a user slightly lifts up the forvard end of the assembly to bring the projecting piece out of engagement vith the connection piece, and then slides the assembly to a desired position. At this time, the rollers 30 connected to the support bar 28 via the support shaft 31 execute rolling movement on the inner surface of the guide rail 22, so that the shelf assembly can be displaced easily along the guide rail.

Therefore, vhen storing a lengthy object in a vertically oriented posture, the object can be conveniently put into the refrigerating chamber by laterally displacting the shelf assembly in accordance with the length of the object to secure a necessary space.

From the foregoing it vill be appreciated that the present invention provides advantages over the prior art in that the shelf assembly can be adjusted in position depending upon the height of a foodstuff to be stored vithout removing and separately keeping the shelf assembly, so that the refrigerator can be used more conveniently, and in that the available space of the refrigerating chamber can be easily varied according to a desired storage state of the foodstuff, so the utility of the storage space may be maximized.

While the invention has been shown and described vith particular reference to various embodiments thereof, it vill be understood that variations and modifications in forn and detail may be made therein vithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A shelf device for a refrigerator comprising: a bracket having a projecting piece protruding upwardly from its upper surface and for horizontally mounting on a back wall of a refrigerating chamber; and a shelf assembly provided with an engaging piece hooked on said projecting piece and a guide groove brought into contact with said bracket, and slidable horizontally along said bracket.

2. A shelf device for a refrigerator as claimed in Claim 1 in which said guide groove is formed with a projection surface serving to ensure smooth sliding movement of said shelf assembly and brought into direct contact with said bracket.

3. A shelf device for a refrigerator comprising: an elongated bracket having a projecting piece protruding upwardly from its upper surface over a substantial portion of its length for horizontally mounting on a back wall of a refrigerating chamber; and, a shelf assembly provided with an elongated engaging piece extending along a majority of the length of said shelf assembly and hooked on said bracket projecting piece, said shelf assembly having a guide groove, said guide groove including a horizontal portion extending from said engaging piece, a vertical portion extending downwardly from said horizontal portion, and a projecting surface which extends at an angle from said vertical position, said projecting surface providing contact along at least one line with said bracket over a major portion of the length of the shelf assembly and with no other contact between said shelf assembly and said bracket and no contact between said shelf assembly and said refrigeration wall, said shelf assembly being smoothly slidable horizontally along said bracket.

4. A shelf device for a refrigerator as claimed in claim 3, wherein said bracket has a rear wall extending downwardly from said upper surface and a lower horizontal wall extending forwardly from said rear wall, said lower horizontal wall extending forwardly and terminating in a front surface said guide groove projecting surface and said front surface abutting in said contact along said at least one line to ensure support of said shelf assembly and smooth sliding movement of said engaging piece of said shelf assembly horizontally along said bracket.

5. A shelf device for a refrigerator comprising: an elongated guide rail for horizontally mounting on a back wall of a refrigerating chamber; at least one slider having an elongated hooking portion extending from a vertical portion, and which hooks to the guide rail over a major portion of the at least one slider length and having a contact bearing portion extending at an angle from said vertical portion and which is movable horizontally along said guide rail with contact along said at least one line between said contact bearing portion and said guide rail over a major portion of said length; and, a shelf assembly of a length substantially equal to and coincident with that of said at least one slider connected to said at least one slider to be total area of contact between said at least one slider and said guide rail being limited to that of said hooking portion and said contact bearing portion with said guide rail and with no other contact of said at least one slider and said shelf assembly with said guide rail or said refrigerator wall.

6. A shelf device for a refrigerator comprising: a bracket for horizontally mounting on a back wall of a refrigerating chamber; a row of engaging holes formed in said bracket in equally spaced relation to one another; and a shelf assembly having a length less than the width of side refrigerating chamber and provided with a pair of hooks engaged with said engaging holes and support surfaces brought into contact with said bracket to support load; whereby said shelf assembly can be displaced horizontally on side bracket depending upon size of an object to be stored.

7. A shelf device for a refrigerator as claimed in Claim 6 which further comprising an additional row of engaging holes formed below said row of the holes; and an additional pair of hooks formed below said hooks to be engaged with said holes of said additional row; whereby supportability of the shelf device may be improved.

8. A shelf device for a refrigerator comprising: a guide rail for horizontally mounting on a back wall of a refrigerating chamber; sliders movable along said guide rail; and a shelf assembly connected to said sliders to be