IP Library Granted Patent US 10,330,372
Granted Patent B2
US 10,330,372 · App. 15/426,529 · Granted Jun 25, 2019

Rail door storage system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,330,372
App. No.
15/426,529
Granted
Jun 25, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A storage system and a refrigeration appliance includes the storage system for storing food items in a temperature-controlled environment. The storage system includes a rail attached to a liner panel. The rail includes at least one mounting structure that is partially embedded within the liner panel. The storage system further includes an accessory. The accessory has an arm extending from a rear surface of the accessory. The accessory is placed in a storage position. The arm is placed between the rail and the liner panel when the accessory is placed in the storage position.

Claims (41)

1. A refrigeration appliance comprising:

a cabinet;

a compartment defined within the cabinet;

a refrigeration system for providing a cooling effect within the compartment;

a door rotatably secured to the cabinet to provide selective access to said compartment, said door comprising:

an external wall;

a liner attached to the external wall such that an internal space of the door is defined therebetween, the liner including a cavity open to the compartment and having upper and lower walls oriented horizontally with respect to the external wall of the door, a vertical wall extending downwards from the upper wall to the lower wall, and a chamber formed in at least the vertical wall of the cavity; and

a rigid foam insulation disposed in the internal space of the door; and

a storage system comprising:

a rail disposed adjacent the liner on a side being opposite to the internal space and open to the compartment, the rail having a mounting flange that is surrounded by the chamber of the liner to integrally secure the rail with the liner, and the rail being kept separate from the rigid foam insulation by the chamber; and

an accessory having an arm, wherein a segment of the arm is located between the rail and the liner to thereby support the accessory upon the rail when the accessory is placed in a storage position.

2. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the rail is horizontal.

3. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the accessory is selectively movable in a horizontal direction along a length of the rail while in the storage position.

4. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the accessory includes a width that is less than a full width of the rail such that the accessory may be selectively moved from side to side along the rail.

5. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the rail further includes a horizontal first protrusion on a surface facing the liner.

6. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 5 , wherein the arm includes a first arm portion extending horizontally from a rear surface of the accessory towards the liner and a second arm portion extending from and perpendicular to the first arm portion, the second arm portion defined as the segment of the arm placed between the rail and the liner, and wherein the second arm portion includes a horizontal second protrusion on a front-facing surface of the second arm portion.

7. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 6 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are configured to interact such that the first protrusion and the second protrusion create a physical interference when the accessory is placed in or removed from the storage position.

8. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1 , wherein the accessory includes at least one foot extending from the rear surface of the accessory which contacts the liner when the accessory is placed into the storage position.

9. A storage system for storing food items in a temperature-controlled environment, the storage system comprising:

an external wall;

a liner attached to the external wall such that an internal space is defined therebetween, the liner including a cavity having upper and lower walls oriented horizontally with respect to the external wall, a vertical wall extending downwards from the upper wall to the lower wall, and a chamber formed in at least the vertical wall of the cavity;

a rigid foam insulation disposed within the internal space;

a rail disposed adjacent the liner on a side being opposite to the internal space, the rail having a mounting flange that is surrounded by the chamber of the liner to integrally secure the rail with the liner, and the rail being kept separate from the rigid foam insulation by the chamber; and

an accessory having an arm, wherein a segment of the arm is located between the rail and the liner to thereby support the accessory upon the rail when the accessory is placed in a storage position.

10. The storage system according to claim 9 , wherein the accessory is selectively movable in a horizontal direction along a length of the rail while in the storage position.

11. The storage system according to claim 9 , wherein the accessory includes a width that is less than a full width of the rail such that the accessory may be selectively moved from side to side along the rail.

12. The storage system according to claim 9 , wherein the rail further includes a horizontal first protrusion on a surface facing the liner.

13. The storage system according to claim 12 , wherein the arm includes a first arm portion extending horizontally from a rear surface of the accessory towards the liner and a second arm portion extending from and perpendicular to the first arm portion, the second arm portion defined as the segment of the arm placed between the rail and the liner, and wherein the second arm portion includes a horizontal second protrusion on a front-facing surface of the second arm portion.

14. The storage system according to claim 13 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are configured to interact such that the first protrusion and the second protrusion create a physical interference when the accessory is placed in or removed from the storage position.

15. The storage system according to claim 9 , wherein the accessory includes at least one foot extending from the rear surface of the accessory which contacts the liner when the accessory is placed into the storage position.

16. A refrigeration appliance comprising:

a cabinet;

a compartment defined within the cabinet;

a refrigeration system for providing a cooling effect within the compartment;

a door rotatably secured to the cabinet to provide selective access to said compartment, the door comprising:

an external wall;

a liner attached to the external wall such that an internal space of the door is defined therebetween, the liner including a cavity open to the compartment and having upper and lower walls oriented horizontally with respect to the external wall of the door, a vertical wall extending downwards from the upper wall to the lower wall, and a chamber formed in at least the vertical wall of the cavity; and

a rigid foam insulation disposed in the internal space of the door; and

a storage system comprising:

a horizontal rail disposed adjacent the liner on a side being opposite to the internal space and open to the compartment, the rail having a mounting flange having at least one engaging portion that is surrounded by the chamber of the liner to integrally secure the rail with the liner, and the rail being kept separate from the rigid foam insulation by the chamber; and

an accessory having an arm, wherein a segment of the arm is located between the rail and the liner to thereby support the accessory upon the rail when the accessory is placed in a storage position, and wherein the accessory is selectively movable in a horizontal direction along a length of the rail while in the storage position.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2024
From: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS, INC.
To: ELECTROLUX CONSUMER PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 068255/0550 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2017
From: BAKER, CHRIS A.; HOUSE, DAVID
To: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 041194/0842 →