US3757958A

US3757958A - Refrigerator guard

Info

Publication number: US3757958A
Application number: US00191761A
Authority: US
Inventors: L Kirkemo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-10-22
Filing date: 1971-10-22
Publication date: 1973-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1990-09-11

Abstract

A device as described for preventing food and other items stored on the shelves of refrigerators and the like from slipping from the shelves after the refrigerator or other storage device has been subjected to jostling and the door thereof is subsequently opened. In its preferred form, the invention comprises a guard rail designed to hook over the top and bottom shelves of the refrigerator, having baffles mounted thereon. The baffles extend above each shelf so that items stored on the shelves will be unable to slip off.

Description

Uted States Patent [1 1 Kirkemo 51 Sept. 11, 1973 1 REFRIGERATOR GUARD [76] Inventor:

[22] Filed:

Lillian F. Kirkemo, 951 Ronald Ave., Apt. 311, Missoula, Mont. 59801 Oct. 22, 1971 I21] Appl. No.: 191,761

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,757,061 2,976,101 3/1961 Rooney 1 211/150 X 3,300,056 l/1967 Kaspar 211/134 Primary Examiner-Ramon S. Britts Att0rneyMichael T. Platt et a1.

57 ABSTRACT A device as described for preventing food and other items stored on the shelves of refrigerators and the like from slipping from the shelves after the refrigerator or other storage device has been subjected to jostling and the door thereof is subsequently opened. In its preferred form, the inventioncomprises a guard rail designed to hook over the top and bottom shelves of the refrigerator, having baffles mounted thereon. The baf- Wheary 211/44 X fles extend above each shelf so that items stored on the Brown 5/33 shelves will be unable to slip off. DArcey.... 312/291 X I Kennedy 211/113 X 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 9 1" G %fin 9 I I ||il i ll l m 1 11 i :,zf I

' l 1 2 l f 2 11 I L/fl /7 w HL HLR 5 F111 I U l a 21:11-77:12: :f ,r n I, //1 l1r g f h t i i i- 7/1956 Anderson 211/90 X REFRIGERATOR GUARD This invention relates to food storage means and more particularly to an improved theans for retaining food and other stored items on the shelves of a refrigerator or the like during travel and other conditions where severe jostling of the storage shelves might occur.

In the past, it has been found to be virtually impossible to retain stored food on the shelves of a refrigerator in a camper, trailer or the like. Due to the varied road conditions which such vehicles encounter, such as sudden stops, precipitous curves and steep grades, it has been found that even the most carefully packed refrigerator will be subject to disarray of the stored items. When this has occurred and the door of the refrigerator is opened, the dislodged food items will generally tumble to the floor where they may be either broken, smashed or otherwise rendered useless. Such occurrences are particularly disastrous when one is camping in remote areas where the transported food is not easily replaced. To date no satisfactory solution to this food transportation and storage problem had been found.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide improved means for storing food during transit. A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus for retaining stored food on the shelves of refrigerators during transit. A still further and more particular object of the present invention is to provide means for preventing stored food and the like from slipping from the shelves of refrigerators and other food storage means when the door thereof is opened.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such food storage guard means which can be easily assembled and utilized with any standard refrigerator or other food storage apparatus having shelves, with no modification of the food storage apparatus being necessary.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, with parts broken away, of a refrigerator incorporating the shelf guard structure of the present invention;

I FIG. 2 is a side view taken in section through line 2-2 in FIG. 1 and partly broken away to show in detail the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a top view in section taken through line 3-3 in FIG. 1 and partly broken away.

Referring now to the drawing, designates the refrigerator cabinet, having a freezer compartment 10a and coils, shown schematically at 10b, incorporated therewith in a conventional manner. A plurality of storage shelves 17 having spaced rod like members are conventionally mounted on shelf supports 17a. The aforedescribed refrigerator structure forms no part of the present invention and is intended to be merely representational of typical refrigerator or other food storage apparatus.

The guard means of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 comprises substantially rectangular tubular frame means 16 on whichis mounted a plurality of baffles 13 equal in number to the number of shelves 17. The baffles are so constructed that when the guard is in place as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each baffle will extend above its associated shelf so as to prevent food reposing on that shelf from slidingoff when the door of the food storage apparatus is opened. The baffles are also substantially spaced from each other so as to allow a user of the food storage apparatus to insert 13 are each'provided with two hook members 14 for mounting the guard of the present invention. The hook members 14, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, are designed to extend downwardly through the space between rods 15 in the top and bottom shelves 17. The shape and spacing of the hook members 14 are chosen so as to properly position the baffles 13 above the shelves 17, when the hook members are engaged with the shelves.

As can be seen, the refrigerator guard of the present invention is easily mounted in place by slipping hooks 14 over the top and bottom shelves [7 and may similarly be readily removed when the use of the guard is not required. Further, it should be observed that the guard means of the present invention may be constructed of light-weight metal so that it is easily transported and handled. In addition to itsapplication to refrigerators used in house trailers, campers and motor homes, it may also be used in food storage lockers or compartments in motor boats or other water transportation where erratic movement may be encountered leading to the dislodgement of the stored food articles.

While a specific embodiment of a refrigerator guard has been set forth in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the with any type of refrigerator or food storage apparatus art. For example, it should be apparent that the refrig- 'erator guard of the present invention may be utilized having shelves and that the number of baffles and hooks may be adjusted to suit the particular application to which the invention is put. Other modifications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and it is therefore intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A refrigerator guard for preventing dislodged articles from rolling OK the refrigerator shelves when the refrigerator door is opened, comprising in combination:

' a. a plurality of refrigerator shelves having front edges;

b. a rigid, single, unitary frame of substantially rectangular shape and of a size substantially coextensive with the refrigerator storage area occupied by said shelves;

c. hook means mounted on said frame means readily, removably engaged with said shelves for supporting said frame means; and

d. a plurality of baffle means equal in number to the number of said shelves, mounted on said frame means in proximity to said front edges of the shelves and extending upwardly from andsubstantially perpendicular to said shelves to retain said dislodged articles thereon.

bottom baffle means.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said baffle means are spaced so as to allow access to said 5 shelves.

Claims

1. A refrigerator guard for preventing dislodged articles from rolling off the refrigerator shelves when the refrigerator door is opened, comprising in combination: a. a plurality of refrigerator shelves having front edges; b. a rigid, single, unitary frame of substantially rectangular shape and of a size substantially coextensive with the refrigerator storage area occupied by said shelves; c. hook means mounted on said frame means readily, removably engaged with said shelves for supporting said frame means; and d. a plurality of baffle means equal in number to the number of said shelves, mounted on said frame means in proximity to said front edges of the shelves and extending upwardly from and substantially perpendicular to said shelves to retain said dislodged articles thereon.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said hook means comprises a plurality of hooks mounted on two or more of said baffle means.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 2, comprising at least a top and a bottom baffle Means, and wherein at least two hooks are mounted on each of said top and bottom baffle means.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said baffle means are spaced so as to allow access to said shelves.