초록 ▼

A shelf assembly for a refrigerator or freezer that is fabricated from a plurality of sheet metal stampings that are connected by welds and receive a tempered glass shelf that has an elastic seal secured to its peripheral edge. Welding processes are used in fabricating the frame that produce a very

A shelf assembly for a refrigerator or freezer that is fabricated from a plurality of sheet metal stampings that are connected by welds and receive a tempered glass shelf that has an elastic seal secured to its peripheral edge. Welding processes are used in fabricating the frame that produce a very strong weld and eliminate the possibility of rust forming along the weld. The welding processes used in fabricating the frame produce a weld, that when machined and painted is not visible to the naked eye. A zinc..; chromate coating is applied to the frame assembly after which it is painted using a solid-emulsion or powder coating. The finished product thus appears to be formed from a single sheet of material. The seal includes a vertical wall that rises from the glass shelf to creates a reservoir that will contain a spill and confine the spilled liquid to the shelf surface. The seal can be formed by an extrusion process, molded as a separate component or molded to the edge of the glass shelf. The shelf storage system can be mounted at any vertical location in the compartment by mating the mounting hooks of the shelf to appropriate slots in the ladder brackets.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] The method of producing a shelf for a refrigerator or freezer comprising the steps of:a. forming components of a shelf frame by stamping the components from sheet metal such that a plurality of components include a section that when assembled will form a shelf section inc

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] The method of producing a shelf for a refrigerator or freezer comprising the steps of:a. forming components of a shelf frame by stamping the components from sheet metal such that a plurality of components include a section that when assembled will form a shelf section including a flat horizontal portion and undercuts, said shelf section being accessible from above;b. assembling the shelf frame components by welding;c. applying a zinc-chromate coating to the assembled shelf frame;d. painting the assembled shelf frame;e. forming an elongated flexible seal by an extrusion process;f. providing a tempered glass shelf that is dimensioned to be received on a shelf section of the shelf frame;g. cutting sections of the flexible seal to dimensions such that when the sections of the flexible seal are applied to the peripheral edge of the tempered glass shelf, the entire peripheral edge will be covered by the seal;h. applying the sections of flexible seal to the peripheral edge of the tempered glass shelf;i. attaching the free ends of the sections of flexible seal such that a continuous seal extends around the entire peripheral edge of the tempered glass shelf; andj. inserting the tempered glass shelf with the flexible seal applied to its peripheral edge by moving the glass shelf vertically into the shelf section of the shelf frame from above the shelf frame such that said flexible seal is compressed and then expands into said undercuts to lock said tempered glass shelf in place.