Maytag Corporation

John C Ellingwood

Virgil R Thompson

Walter I Disbennett

Daniel H Smith

Thomas M Johnson

Todd J Tunzi

Gerald L Wolanin

Frank N Chudkosky

Francis Eugene Bent

A shelf mounting support includes an annular flange portion having a side surface from which projects a cavity defining body portion. The mounting support is adapted to extend through an aperture formed in a liner of an appliance with the body portion of the mounting support being inserted in a respective aperture from an outer insulation zone side of the liner. Each mounting support is held in the aperture through the use of one or more retainer elements in the form of an adhesive element or flexible grip members. Thereafter, the liner is positioned within an outer shell of the appliance and foamed insulation is then injected into the insulation zone and into the internal cavity of the mounting support to anchor the mounting support in position.

Shelf mounting support arrangement

A shelf mounting support includes an annular flange portion having a side surface from which projects a cavity defining body portion. The mounting support is adapted to extend through an aperture formed in a liner of an appliance with the body portion of the mounting support being inserted in a respective aperture from an outer insulation zone side of the liner. Each mounting support is initially retained in the aperture through the use of an adhesive element that attaches the flange portion of the mounting support to the liner. Thereafter, the liner is positioned within an outer shell of the appliance and foamed insulation is then injected into the insulation zone and into the internal cavity of the mounting support to anchor the mounting support in position. To support a shelf, a plurality of mounting supports are arranged in a common plane upon which the shelf is adapted to rest.

A retainer assembly for preventing food containers placed on a shelf of a refrigerator door from falling off the shelf when the refrigerator door is abruptly opened or closed includes a retaining element which is connected to a crosspiece extending above a base of the shelf and pivotally movable relative to the crosspiece between first and second extreme positions, as well as a substantially infinite number of intermediate positions. The retaining element is either directly attached to the crosspiece or pivotally connected to a supporting sheath that is snap-fit onto the crosspiece. In either case, the retaining element rides along one or more camming surfaces which causes the retaining element to be physically deformed as it is pivoted between the first and second extreme positions.

Adjustable retainer assembly for a refrigerator door shelf

An appliance is provided with an electrical connector box including a plurality of spaced tabs between which is arranged a cabinet panel portion of the appliance in order to position the connector box in an opening defined, at least in part, by the cabinet panel. The connector box further includes a socket portion in which an electrical inlet is arranged. A power cord includes a first terminal plug connected to the electrical inlet and a second terminal plug designed to fit into an electrical outlet found in a particular geographic region which the appliance is to be used. The power cord is secured in the connector box by a clamp and guided along arcuate surfaces out of the connector box, with one of the surfaces being part of a bumper member which establishes a minimum permissible distance between the appliance and a wall against which the appliance is positioned.

Universal power cord connector assembly for an appliance

A storage compartment for a refrigerator door is disclosed which includes a recess formed in the door liner of the refrigerator. The recess is provided with pivot connections and a pivot stop. A rack is provided that is made to allow viewing of the contents. The rack is rotatably insertable into the recess defined by the door liner and can then be rotated forwardly from the door until the rack comes into contact with the stop on the door. In the rotated state, the contents of the rack may be easily accessed and removed. The rack is further designed so that if the door is shut while the rack is in an open position the rack will not contact the cabinet wall, preventing damage to the cabinet and the rack.

Storage compartment for a refrigerator

A mullion bar assembly having enhanced heat transfer barrier characteristics is disclosed wherein the liners defining the freezer and the fresh food compartments define non-magnetic gasket sealing surfaces against which the magnetic door gaskets seal. Since the liners are typically made of plastic material, permanent magnets are disposed behind the liners so as to attract the magnetic gasket seals into sealing contact with their respective non-magnetic sealing surfaces. The non-magnetic sealing surfaces are spaced apart and the mullion bar is located between them such that it extends between opposite sides of the refrigerator cabinet and only between the spaced apart, non-magnetic sealing surfaces. No part of the mullion bar is exposed to either the freezer compartment or the fresh food compartment. Since the mullion bar extends only between the spaced apart sealing surfaces, the door gaskets prevent any exposure of the mullion bar to the compartment interiors, thereby preventing any direct heat transfer between the ambient atmosphere and the respective compartments via the mullion bar.

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Galesburg, IL, United States of America

John C Ellingwood