US3709576A

US3709576A - Refrigerator door liners

Info

Publication number: US3709576A
Application number: US00114272A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Lemoine
Original assignee: General Motors Corp
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1970-02-26
Filing date: 1971-02-10
Publication date: 1973-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-09
Also published as: GB1277699A

Abstract

A refrigerator door liner has a mounting for a removable shelf in which the door liner has a projecting horizontal shelf support, a pair of opposite vertical flanges and a pair of ledges respectively formed on said vertical flanges. A detachable stirrup interfits with said ledges and is adapted to embrace a shelf resting on the horizontal support, the detachable stirrup engaging formations on the door liner when interfitting with the ledges.

Description

United States Patent [191 Lemoine [54] REFRIGERATOR DOOR LINERS [75] lnventor: Marcel Lemolne, Montlignon,

France [73] Assignee: General Motors Corporation,

Detroit, Mich.

22 Filed: Feb. 10, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 114,272

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 26, 1970 Great Britain ..9,26l/70 [52] US. Cl ..312/138 A, 211/90, 312/214, 312/351 [51] Int. Cl. ..A47f 3/04 [58] Field of Search.....3l2/l38 A, 214, 351; 190/57; 211/90, 94, 98,126, 135,128, 132, 133,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,903,315 9/1959 Schory et al ..3l2/138 A [451 Jan. 9, 1973 2,453,387 11/1948 Rundell ..3 12/138 A 3,451,590 6/1969 2,702,639 2/1955 2,746,828 5/1956 3,056,640 10/1962 3,469,71 1 9/1969 Swaneck et al ..248/243 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 851,667 10/1960 GreatBritain ..3l2/l38A Primary ExaminerJames T. McCall Attorney-W. S. Pettigrew and F. M. Ritchie [57] ABSTRACT A refrigerator door liner has a mounting for a removable shelf in which the door liner has a projecting horizontal shelf support, a pair of opposite vertical flanges and a pair of ledges respectively formed on said vertical flanges. A detachable stirrup interfits with said ledges and is adapted to embrace a shelf resting on the horizontal support, the detachable stirrup engaging formations on the door liner when inter-fitting with the ledges.

1 Claim, 1 Drawing Figure REFRIGERATOR DOOR LINERS The invention relates to refrigerator door liners having mountings for removable shelves.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator door liner with a removable shelf which is embraced by a detachable stirrup which engages firmly on the door to retain the shelf in position.

The nature of the invention and the object thereof will be clear to those skilled in the art from the succeeding detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawing thereof which is a front perspective view of a refrigerator door liner with a lower shelf attached, and with a mounting for an upper shelf.

A refrigerator door liner 2 of moulded plastics material comprises a center panel 3 formed with a pair of vertical opposite side flanges 4 which reinforce the door liner 2 and support, (as conventional), and the hermetic sealing material of the refrigerator cabinet (not shown). A horizontal flange 5 is integrally formed on the liner 2 between the side flanges 4 and is arranged to support a removable wire grid 7 or other shelf which, when the refrigerator door is in a closed position, projects into the refrigerator cabinet. A lower support flange 6, similar in formation to the flange 5, is shown and may be formed on the panel 3 of the liner, so that two removable shelves may be fitted. Obviously, the liner could be fitted for more than two shelves. The lower shelf is shown in position; the upper shelf is not shown.

A pair of ledges 8 are formed adjacent each end of the

support shelves

5, 6, integrally with the respective vertical flanges 4; each pair of ledges forms a horizontal groove 9 which is open at the end intended to face the interior of the refrigerator cabinet. A suitable formation such as a retainer socket 10 which may be a simple aperture formed in the back of the vertical flange 4 within the groove 9 is adapted to secure a stirrup 11 formed of metal or plastics material which retains the shelf 7, as described below. In the drawing, the parts 8, 9, 10, are visible only on the left hand flange 4. It is to be understood that similar parts are also provided on the right hand flange 4.

The stirrup is substantially U-shaped in plan and has side arms 12 to embrace the side walls of the shelf 7 to retain it securely on the

horizontal support flange

5 or 6. The side arms 12 of the stirrup 11 are resilient and each has an outer projecting peg 13, the pegs being inserted in the apertures 10 forming the retainer socket. Each said arm 12 of the stirrup 11 is of such a width as to fit into the groove 9 between the sides of the ledges 8, 9, 10 so as to effect a firm support at each side of the stirrup.

Thus by inserting the side arms of the stirrup into the grooves 9, and pushing them along the groove the pegs 13 are urged into the complementary apertures of the sockets 10; the stirrup 11, together with the grid 7 which it retains, is then firmly held in position on the door liner.

The mounting described firmly supports the removable tray and prevents any accidental tilting thereof.

The detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention is for the purpose of explaining the principles thereof and is not considered to be limiting or restricting the invention, since many modifications may be made by the exercise of skill in the art.

I claim:

l. The combination of a refrigerator door liner with a removable shelf, said combination comprising: opposite vertical side flanges on the liner, each flange having a pair of ledges with sides forming a substantially horizontal groove having a groove dimension in the horizontal direction greater than its dimension in the vertical direction, said groove being open at one end thereof and having a retainer socket at the other end thereof, a horizontal flange on said liner between said vertical flanges and below the horizontal grooves, a removable shelf in a support position on said liner having an inner end resting on said horizontal flange and an outer end, and a detachable stirrup having in said support position a resilient side arm at each side thereof sufficiently wide to fit snugly between the sides of its respective pair of ledges to effect a firm support at each side arm of the stirrup, each side arm being provided with a peg initially receivable into its respective groove through the open end thereof and slidably movable along the groove to said support position wherein the peg in response to the resilience of its respective side arm projects detachably into the retainer socket of the groove thereby providing interfitting formations which hold the stirrup side arms against withdrawal from the grooves, the stirrup embracing said removable shelf at the outer end thereof for supporting said shelf in said support position when the inner end thereof is resting on said horizontal flange, the stirrup embracing said removable shelf at the sides thereof in said support position and limiting the movement of each side arm in a direction tending to detach said peg from said retainer socket, thereby to retain said shelf securely on said horizontal flange.

Claims

1. The combination of a refrigerator door liner with a removable shelf, said combination comprising: opposite vertical side flanges on the liner, each flange having a pair of ledges with sides forming a substantially horizontal groove having a groove dimension in the horizontal direction greater than its dimension in the vertical direction, said groove being open at one end thereof and having a retainer socket at the other end thereof, a horizontal flange on said liner between said vertical flanges and below the horizontal grooves, a removable shelf in a support position on said liner having an inner end resting on said horizontal flange and an outer end, and a detachable stirrup having in said support position a resilient side arm at each side thereof sufficiently wide to fit snugly between the sides of its respective pair of ledges to effect a firm support at each side arm of the stirrup, each side arm being provided with a peg initially receivable into its respective groove through the open end thereof and slidably movable along the groove to said support position wherein the peg in response to the resilience of its respective side arm projects detachably into the retainer socket of the groove thereby providing interfitting formations which hold the stirrup side arms against withdrawal from the grooves, the stirrup embracing said removable shelf at the outer end thereof for supporting said shelf in said support position when the inner end thereof is resting on said horizontal flange, the stirrup embracing said removable shelf at the sides thereof in said support position and limiting the movement of each side arm in a direction tending to detach said peg from said retainer socket, thereby to retain said shelf securely on said horizontal flange.