Adjustable shelf support assembly for an appliance
View Patent ↗An appliance is provided having one or more racks or shelves, the position of which may be adjusted vertically. Multiple different positions along the vertical direction can be made available for selection by a user of the appliance. One or more locking mechanisms allow for selective adjustment of the vertical position at which a shelf may be located.
1. An adjustable shelf support assembly for an appliance, the appliance including a pair of opposing side walls, the adjustable shelf support assembly comprising:
a shelf having a pair of opposing sides for positioning near the opposing side walls;
a plurality of support legs extending from the opposing sides of the shelf, each leg having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is rotatably connected to one of the opposing sides of the shelf, and wherein the second end of each support leg is configured for rotatable connection along one of the opposing side walls of the appliance;
at least one locking leg connected to one of the opposing sides of the shelf, the locking leg having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the at least one locking leg is configured for rotatable connection along one of the opposing side walls of the appliance;
a locking mechanism for fixing the vertical position of the shelf, the locking mechanism comprising:
a first shaft connected with the shelf and extending along a lateral direction;
a second shaft connected with the first end of the at least one locking leg, wherein the first and second shafts are rotatable relative to each as the shelf is raised or lowered; and
a spring defining a spring axis and coils encircling the spring axis to create a cavity into which at least parts of the first shaft and the second shaft are received, the spring wrapped around the first shaft and the second shaft in a manner that increases the tension on the spring as the shelf is lowered and decreases the tension on the spring as the shelf is raised.
2. An adjustable shelf support assembly for an appliance as in claim 1 , wherein the second end of each support leg is rotatably connected to one of the opposing sidewalls of the appliance, and wherein the second end of the at least one locking leg is also rotatably connected to one of the opposing side walls of the appliance.
3. An adjustable shelf support assembly for an appliance as in claim 1 , further comprising a pair of slide assemblies, each slide assembly positioned along one of the opposing side walls and extendable from the appliance, wherein the second end of each support leg is rotatably attached to one of the slide assemblies, and wherein the second end of the at least one locking leg is rotatably attached to one of the slide assemblies.
4. An adjustable shelf support assembly for an appliance as in claim 3 , further comprising a pair of frames, each frame configured for mounting in opposing fashion on the opposing side walls of the appliance, each frame having a plurality of horizontal supports extending between a pair of vertical supports, wherein the pair of slide assemblies are each supported upon the pair of frames.
5. An adjustable shelf support assembly for an appliance as in claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a control hub carried on one or both of the first shaft and second shaft, and wherein the control hub is connected to the spring and is configured for selectively releasing the tension in the spring.
6. An adjustable shelf support assembly for an appliance as in claim 5 , wherein the control hub defines a chamber into which one or both of the first shaft and second shafts are rotatably received, and wherein the spring further comprises a tang received by the control hub such that the control hub can be selectively rotated to release tension in the spring.
7. An adjustable shelf support assembly for an appliance as in claim 1 , wherein the first shaft defines a first shaft channel and the second shaft defines a second shaft channel.
8. An adjustable shelf support assembly for an appliance as in claim 7 , further comprising a pin extending into the first shaft channel and the second shaft channel.
9. An adjustable shelf support assembly for an appliance as in claim 1 , wherein the shelf comprises a plurality of elongated wire members.
10. An appliance having a vertically adjustable shelf assembly, the appliance comprising:
a cabinet defining a cavity including a pair of opposing side walls and a rear wall;
a shelf positioned in the cavity;
at least two support legs rotatably connected along opposing sides of the shelf, each support leg also pivotally supported by the cabinet;
at least one locking leg connected to the shelf, the at least one locking leg having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the at least one locking leg is pivotally supported by the cabinet;
a first shaft connected with the shelf and extending along a lateral direction;
a second shaft connected with the first end of the at least one locking leg, wherein the first and second shafts are rotatable relative to each as the shelf is raised or lowered; and
a spring having coils wrapped around the first shaft and second shaft, the spring configured to increase in tension as the shelf is lowered along a vertical direction so as to limit the movement of the shelf and configured to decrease in tension as the shelf is raised along the vertical direction.
11. An appliance as in claim 10 , wherein each support leg has a first end and a second end, and wherein the second end of each support leg is pivotally connected with one of the opposing sidewalls of the appliance, and wherein the second end of the at least one locking leg is also pivotally connected with one of the opposing side walls of the appliance.
12. An appliance as in claim 10 , wherein each support leg has a first end and a second end, and further comprising a pair of slide assemblies, each slide assembly positioned along one of the opposing side walls and extendable from the appliance, wherein the second end of each support leg is pivotally connected with one of the slide assemblies, and wherein the second end of the at least one locking leg is rotatably attached to one of the slide assemblies.
13. An appliance as in claim 12 , further comprising a pair of frames, each frame configured for mounting in opposing fashion on the opposing side walls of the appliance, each frame having a plurality of horizontal supports extending between a pair of vertical supports, wherein the pair of slide assemblies are each supported upon the pair of frames.
14. An appliance as in claim 10 , further comprising a control hub carried on one or both of the first shaft and second shaft, and wherein the control hub is connected to the spring and is configured for selectively releasing the tension in the spring.
15. An appliance as in claim 14 , wherein the control huh defines a chamber into which one or both of the first shaft and second shafts are rotatably received, and wherein the spring further comprises a tang received by the control hub such that the control hub can be activated to release tension in the spring.
16. An appliance as in claim 10 , wherein the first shaft defines a first shaft channel and the second shaft defines a second shaft channel.
17. An appliance as in claim 16 , further comprising a pin extending into the first shaft channel and the second shaft channel.
18. An appliance as in claim 10 , wherein the shelf comprises a plurality of elongated wire members.
19. An appliance as in claim 10 , wherein the appliance comprises a refrigerator.
20. An adjustable shelf support assembly for an appliance, the appliance including a pair of opposing side walls, the adjustable shelf support assembly comprising:
a shelf having a pair of opposing sides for positioning near the opposing side walls;
a plurality of support legs extending from the opposing sides of the shelf, each leg having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is rotatably connected to one of the opposing sides of the shelf, and wherein the second end of each support leg is configured for rotatable connection along one of the opposing side walls of the appliance;
at least one locking leg connected to one of the opposing sides of the shelf, the locking leg having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the at least one locking leg is configured for rotatable connection along one of the opposing side walls of the appliance;
a locking mechanism for fixing the vertical position of the shelf, the locking mechanism comprising:
a first shaft connected with the shelf and extending along a lateral direction;
a second shaft connected with the first end of the at least one locking leg, wherein the first and second shafts are rotatable relative to each as the shelf is raised or lowered;
a spring defining a spring axis and coils encircling the spring axis to create a cavity into which at least parts of the first shaft and the second shaft are received, the spring wrapped around the first shaft and the second shaft in a manner that increases the tension on the spring as the shelf is lowered and decreases the tension on the spring as the shelf is raised; and
a control hub carried on one or both of the first shaft and second shaft, the control hub defining a chamber into which one or both of the first shaft and second shafts are rotatably received, and wherein the spring further comprises a tang received by the control hub such that the control huh can be selectively rotated to release tension in the spring.