Sliding shelf assembly for a refrigerator appliance

1. A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the refrigerator appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining a chilled chamber;

a door being rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber;

a sliding shelf assembly slidably mounted within the chilled chamber, the sliding shelf assembly comprising:

a shelf support frame;

a slide assembly slidably mounting the shelf support frame within the chilled chamber; and

a connecting arm assembly consisting of a connecting arm positioned at a top of the shelf support frame along the vertical direction and operably coupling the shelf support frame to the door such that the shelf support frame slides in the transverse direction out of the chilled chamber as the door is opened.

2. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the connecting arm is a rigid arcuate member having a first end pivotally connected to the shelf support frame and a second end pivotally connected to the door.

3. The refrigerator appliance of claim 2 , wherein the first end is pivotally connected to a top portion of the shelf support frame and the second end is pivotally connected to a top portion of the door.

4. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the slide assembly comprises a first slide member located on a top of the shelf support frame, a second slide member positioned on a first lower side of the shelf support frame, and a third slide member positioned on an opposite second lower side of the shelf support frame.

5. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the shelf support frame is substantially rectangular.

6. The refrigerator appliance of claim 5 , wherein a plurality of shelf support brackets are mounted to the shelf support frame and configured for slidably receiving shelves.

7. The refrigerator appliance of claim 5 , wherein the shelf support frame defines a plurality of notches along a first inner side and a second inner side of the shelf support frame, the plurality of notches being configured for slidably receiving shelves.

8. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the shelf support frame comprises a first frame member and an identical second frame member, the first frame member and the second frame member being rigidly connected and spaced apart along the transverse direction.

9. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the shelf support frame is configured to slide along the transverse direction approximately eight inches when the door is opened to about 120 degrees.

10. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the sliding shelf assembly further comprises:

one or more shelves, each of the one or more shelves being slidably mounted to the shelf support frame by a shelf sliding means.

11. A sliding shelf assembly for a refrigerator appliance, the refrigerator appliance comprising a cabinet defining a chilled chamber and a door rotatably hinged to the cabinet to provide selective access to the chilled chamber, the refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the sliding shelf assembly comprising:

a substantially rectangular shelf support frame having a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion;

two or more slide members slidably mounting the shelf support frame within the chilled chamber; and

a connecting arm assembly consisting of a connecting arm positioned at a top of the shelf support frame along the vertical direction and operably coupling the shelf support frame to the door such that the shelf support frame slides in the transverse direction out of the chilled chamber as the door is opened.

12. The sliding shelf assembly of claim 11 , wherein the connecting arm is a rigid arcuate member having a first end pivotally connected to the shelf support frame and a second end pivotally connected to the door.

13. The sliding shelf assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first end is pivotally connected to the top portion of the shelf support frame and the second end is pivotally connected to a top portion of the door.

14. The sliding shelf assembly of claim 11 , wherein the sliding shelf assembly comprises a first slide member located on the top portion of the shelf support frame, a second slide member positioned on the first side portion of the shelf support frame, and a third slide member positioned on the second side portion of the shelf support frame.

15. The sliding shelf assembly of claim 11 , wherein a plurality of shelf support brackets are mounted to the shelf support frame and configured for slidably receiving shelves.

16. The sliding shelf assembly of claim 11 , wherein the shelf support frame defines a plurality of sets of slots, each set of slots comprising two or more slots configured for slidably receiving and supporting one of a plurality of shelves in a horizontal orientation.

17. The sliding shelf assembly of claim 16 , wherein the sliding shelf assembly comprises more sets of slots than plurality of shelves, and each of the plurality of shelves may be slidably received within any of the sets of slots.

18. The sliding shelf assembly of claim 11 , wherein the shelf support frame comprises a first frame member and an identical second frame member, the first frame member and the second frame member being rigidly connected and spaced apart along the transverse direction.

19. The sliding shelf assembly of claim 11 , wherein the shelf support frame is configured to slide along the transverse direction approximately eight inches when the door is opened to about 120 degrees.

20. The sliding shelf assembly of claim 11 , further comprising:

one or more shelves, each of the one or more shelves being slidably mounted to the shelf support frame by a shelf sliding means.