The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 07, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 04, 1997
Jose G Avendano, Galesburg, IL (US);
Maytag Corporation, Newton, IA (US);
Abstract
A refrigerator shelving assembly includes a universal frame adapted to support various different shelving units thereon. The frame is defined by interconnected front, rear and side frame members, and preferably a pair of intersecting cross frame members. Each of the frame members, in at least an opposing pair of the front, rear and side frame members, is provided with a ledge portion located in a first plane and a trough portion arranged below the first plane at a position between the ledge portions and a respective cross frame member. Each of the cross frame members has an upper surface also located in the first plane. With this construction, the frame can universally support various types of shelving units, including a basic shelf constituted by a plate of glass or a premium shelf formed by encapsulating an annular portion of a plate of glass by a rim defining element that extends below a plane defined by the glass plate, upon the cross frame members and either the ledge or trough portions of the shelving assembly. Furthermore, the frame members can carry guide rails for slidably supporting one or more refrigerator bins below a selected shelving unit.