대표
청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A shelf assembly particularly adapted to effect selective vertical adjustment of a shelf in a refrigerator compartment absent inadvertent, accidental or undesired downward shelf movement during vertical adjustment thereof comprising a substantially U-shaped in transverse cross section vertical trackway, a shelf; said shelf including a forward portion, a rearward portion slidingly disposed within said trackway and a medial portion between said forward and rearward portions; said vertical trackway including a plurality of vertically...
What is claimed is: 1. A shelf assembly particularly adapted to effect selective vertical adjustment of a shelf in a refrigerator compartment absent inadvertent, accidental or undesired downward shelf movement during vertical adjustment thereof comprising a substantially U-shaped in transverse cross section vertical trackway, a shelf; said shelf including a forward portion, a rearward portion slidingly disposed within said trackway and a medial portion between said forward and rearward portions; said vertical trackway including a plurality of vertically spaced latching means for selective latching engagement with latching means at said rearward portion of said shelf, a vertically extending guide channel provided adjacent a front of said vertical trackway allowing vertical adjustment of said shelf, said trackway including means for automatically stopping undesired downward vertical travel of said shelf relative to said trackway after the unlatching of said shelf and trackway latching means by a bottom portion of said shelf rearward portion pivoting into abutment with a rearward portion of said trackway, said stopping means including a stop member disposed within said trackway and projecting toward said shelf, said stop member being spaced a distance below at least several of said plurality of spaced latching means, and means for securing said trackway in a refrigerator compartment. 2. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said trackway securing means include hook means for hooking engagement in an opening of a refrigerator compartment. 3. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 including means for precluding disassembly of said shelf and trackway by vertical downward movement of said shelf toward a lowermost end of said trackway. 4. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said shelf member rearward portion includes means for increasing the lubricity thereof to thereby reduce the force required to adjust the shelf relative to the trackway. 5. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said shelf member rearward portion includes means for intimately slidably engaging said trackway side walls to thereby reduce sidewise shelf movement. 6. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein shelf member rearward portion includes member for engaging said trackway stopping means during undesired vertical downward travel of said shelf. 7. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said shelf member rearward portion includes member projecting rearwardly from said shelf member rearward portion for engaging said trackway stopping means during undesired vertical downward travel of said shelf. 8. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein shelf includes a shelf stop aligned for vertical downward stopping contact against said trackway shelf stop member. 9. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said shelf latching means includes a latching member carried by said shelf member rearward portion, and said trackway latching means are a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said shelf latching member to effect vertical shelf adjustment. 10. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said shelf latching means includes a latching member carried by said shelf member rearward portion, said trackway latching means are a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said shelf latching member to effect vertical shelf adjustment, said shelf member rearward portion lies at least partially in a vertical plane, and said shelf latching member is disposed in substantially transverse relationship to said vertical plane. 11. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said shelf latching means includes a latching member carried by said shelf member rearward portion, said trackway latching means are a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said shelf latching member to effect vertical shelf adjustment, said shelf member rearward portion lies at least partially in a vertical plane, and said shelf latching member is disposed in substantially transverse spanning relationship to said vertical plane. 12. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said shelf latching means includes a latching member carried by said shelf member rearward portion, said trackway latching means are a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said shelf latching member to effect vertical shelf adjustment, said shelf member rearward portion lies at least partially in a vertical plane, and said shelf latching member is a pin disposed in substantially transverse relationship to said vertical plane. 13. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said shelf latching means includes a latching member carried by said shelf member rearward portion, said trackway latching means are a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said shelf latching member to effect vertical shelf adjustment, said shelf member rearward portion lies at least partially in a vertical plane, and said shelf latching member is a pin disposed in substantially transverse spanning relationship to said vertical plane. 14. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said shelf latching means includes a latching member carried by said shelf member rearward portion, said trackway latching means are a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said shelf latching member to effect vertical shelf adjustment, said shelf member rearward portion lies at least partially in a vertical plane, said shelf latching member is a pin disposed in substantially transverse spanning relationship to said vertical plane, said shelf member rearward portion includes an opening, said pin includes pin end portions projecting outwardly from opposite sides of said opening, said pin has a pair of collars larger than said opening and sandwiching said opening therebetween, and at least one of said collars is formed of material of its associated pin end portion swaged from a size substantially corresponding to said opening to a size larger than the opening to thereby retain said pin in said opening. 15. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said shelf latching means includes a latching member carried by said shelf member rearward portion, said trackway latching means are a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said shelf latching member to effect vertical shelf adjustment, said shelf member rearward portion lies at least partially in a vertical plane, said shelf latching member is a pin disposed in substantially transverse spanning relationship to said vertical plane, said shelf member rearward portion includes an opening, said pin includes pin end portions projecting outwardly from opposite sides of said opening, said pin has a pair of collars larger than said opening and sandwiching said opening therebetween, at least one of said collars is formed of material of its associated pin end portion swaged from a size substantially corresponding to said opening to a size larger than the opening to thereby retain said pin in said opening, and said pin is made of metal. 16. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 2 including means for precluding disassembly of said shelf and trackway by vertical downward movement of said shelf toward a lowermost end of said trackway. 17. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein shelf member rearward portion includes means for increasing the lubricity thereof to thereby reduce the force required to adjust the shelf relative to the trackway. 18. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said shelf member rearward portion includes means for intimately slidably engaging said trackway side walls to thereby reduce sidewise shelf movement. 19. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said shelf latching means includes a latching member carried by said shelf member rearward portion, and said trackway latching means are a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said shelf latching member to effect vertical shelf adjustment. 20. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 1 including means for defining a second vertical trackway, said second vertical trackway including a second plurality of vertically spaced latching means for selectively latching engagement with second latching means of said shelf, said first-mentioned and second trackways being located in substantially vertical parallel sidewise spaced relationship to each other, a vertically extending second guide channel provided adjacent a front of said second vertical trackway allowing vertical adjustment of said shelf, said second trackway including second means for stopping undesired vertical downward travel of said shelf relative to said second trackway after unlatching of said shelf and second trackway latching means, said second stopping means including a stop member disposed within said second trackway and projecting toward said shelf, said second stop member being spaced a distance below at least several of said second plurality of spaced latching means and second means for securing said second trackway in a refrigerator compartment with said first-mentioned and second trackway respective first-mentioned and second plurality of vertically spaced latching means being in substantially horizontally aligned relationship. 21. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein said shelf includes first and second shelf members in substantially side-by-side spaced relationship, a support spanning said first and second shelf members, each first and second shelf member having forward, medial and rearward shelf member portions, and said first and second shelf member rearward portions including the respective first mentioned and second latching means of said shelf. 22. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein said first-mentioned and second trackway securing means include respective first and second hook means of said respective first and second shelf members rearward portions for hooking engagement each in one of a pair of openings of a refrigerator compartment. 23. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 21 including second means for precluding disassembly of said second shelf and second trackway by vertical downward movement of said shelf toward a lowermost end of said second trackway. 24. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein said first-mentioned and second shelf member rearward portions each includes means for increasing the lubricity thereof to thereby reduce the force required to adjust the shelf relative to said trackways. 25. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein said first-mentioned and second shelf member rearward portions each include means for intimately slidably engaging said first-mentioned and second trackway sidewalls to thereby reduce sidewise shelf movement. 26. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein said first-mentioned and second shelf member rearward portions each includes member for engaging said respective first-mentioned and second trackway stopping means during undesired vertical downward travel of said shelf. 27. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein said first-mentioned and second shelf member rearward portions each includes member projecting rearwardly from said first mentioned and second shelf rearward portions for engaging said respective first-mentioned and second trackway stopping means during undesired vertical downward travel of said shelf. 28. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein said first-mentioned and second shelf member rearward portions each includes a shelf stop aligned for vertical downward stopping contact against said first-mentioned and second trackway shelf stop member. 29. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein said first-mentioned and second shelf latching means include respective first and second shelf latching members carried by said respective first and second shelf member rearward portions, and said first-mentioned and second trackway latching means are each a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said respective first and second latching members to effect vertical shelf adjustment. 30. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein said first-mentioned and second shelf latching means include respective first and second shelf latching members carried by said respective first and second shelf member rearward portions, said first-mentioned and second trackway latching means are each a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said respective first and second latching members to effect vertical shelf adjustment, each shelf member rearward portion lies at least partially in a vertical plane, and said first and second shelf latching members are each disposed in substantially transverse relationship to said vertical plane. 31. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein said first-mentioned and second shelf latching means include respective first and second shelf latching members carried by said respective first and second shelf member rearward portions, said first-mentioned and second trackway latching means are each a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said respective first and second latching members to effect vertical shelf adjustment, each shelf member rearward portion lies at least partially in a vertical plane, and said first and second shelf latching members are each disposed in substantially transverse spanning relationship to said vertical plane. 32. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein said first-mentioned and second shelf latching means include respective first and second shelf latching members carried by said respective first and second shelf member rearward portions, said first-mentioned and second trackway latching means are each a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said respective first and second latching members to effect vertical shelf adjustment, each shelf member rearward portion lies at least partially in a vertical plane, and said first and second shelf latching members are each a pin disposed in substantially transverse relationship to said vertical plane. 33. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 22 including second means for precluding disassembly of said shelf and second trackway by vertical downward movement of said shelf toward a lowermost end of said second trackway. 34. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 22 wherein said first-mentioned and second trackway is each defined in part by a respective first and second pair of spaced side walls, said first-mentioned and second shelf member rearward portions being disposed in sliding relationship between said respective first and second pair of spaced sidewalls, and said first-mentioned and second shelf member rearward portions each includes means for increasing the lubricity thereof to thereby reduce the force required to adjust the shelf relative to said trackways. 35. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 22 wherein said first-mentioned and second trackway is each defined in part by a respective first and second pair of spaced side walls, said first-mentioned and second shelf member rearward portions being disposed in sliding relationship between said respective first and second pair of spaced sidewalls, and said first-mentioned and second shelf member rearward portions each include means for intimately slidably engaging said first-mentioned and second trackway sidewalls to thereby reduce sidewise shelf movement. 36. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 22 wherein said first-mentioned and second shelf latching means include respective first and second shelf latching members carried by said respective first and second shelf member rearward portions, and said first-mentioned and second trackway latching means are each a plurality of edge portions selectively engageable by said respective first and second latching members to effect vertical shelf adjustment. 37. A shelf assembly particularly adapted to effect selective vertical adjustment of a shelf in a refrigerator compartment absent inadvertent, accidental or undesired downward shelf movement during vertical adjustment thereof comprising a substantially U-shaped in transverse cross section vertical trackway, a shelf; said shelf including a forward portion, a rearward portion slidingly disposed within said trackway and a medial portion between said forward and rearward portions; said vertical trackway including a plurality of vertically spaced latching means for selective latching engagement with latching means at said rearward portion of said shelf, a vertically extending guide channel provided adjacent a front of said vertical trackway allowing vertical adjustment of said shelf, said trackway including means for automatically stopping undesired downward vertical travel of said shelf relative to said trackway after the unlatching of said shelf and trackway latching means by a bottom portion of said shelf rearward portion pivoting into abutment with a rearward portion of said trackway, said stopping means including a stop member disposed within said trackway projecting toward said shelf spaced a distance below at least several of said plurality of trackway vertically spaced latching means, and said stop member being in vertically aligned relationship to a stop member abutment portion of said shelf. 38. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 37 wherein said trackway stop member is formed from the material of said trackway. 39. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 37 wherein said trackway stop member is formed from the material of a bight portion of said substantially U-shaped trackway. 40. A shelf assembly particularly adapted to effect selective vertical adjustment of a shelf in a refrigerator compartment absent inadvertent, accidental or undesired downward shelf movement during vertical adjustment thereof comprising a substantially U-shaped in transverse cross section vertical trackway, a shelf; said shelf including a forward portion, a rearward portion slidingly disposed within said trackway and a medial portion between said forward and rearward portions; said vertical trackway including a plurality of vertically spaced latching means for selective latching engagement with latching means at said rearward portion of said shelf, said shelf latching means being a pin, said trackway including means for automatically stopping undesired downward vertical travel of said shelf relative to said trackway after the unlatching of said shelf and trackway latching means by a bottom portion of said shelf rearward portion pivoting into abutment with a rearward portion of said trackway said stopping means including a stop member disposed within said trackway and projecting toward said shelf, said stop member being spaced a distance below at least several of said plurality of spaced latching means, said trackway including at least one vertical guide channel along which said shelf latching pin can freely vertically slide, said trackway latching means are a plurality of vertically spaced latching edges of said trackway which selectively engage said shelf latching pin to prevent vertical adjustment of said shelf, and said vertical adjustment effecting means is defined by a transverse transition edge between said vertical guide channel and each of said vertically spaced latching edges. 41. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 40 wherein said vertical trackway includes at least one vertical edge, and said vertical guide channel is disposed between said at least one vertical edge and said vertically spaced latching edges and at least in part defines said transverse transition edges. 42. A shelf assembly particularly adapted to effect selective vertical adjustment of a shelf in a refrigerator compartment absent inadvertent, accidental or undesired downward shelf movement during vertical adjustment thereof comprising a substantially U-shaped in transverse cross section vertical trackway, a shelf; said shelf including a forward portion, a rearward portion slidingly disposed within said trackway and a medial portion between said forward and rearward portions; said vertical trackway including a plurality of vertically spaced latching means for selective latching engagement with latching means at said rearward portion of said shelf, a vertically extending guide channel provided adjacent a front of said vertical trackway allowing vertical adjustment of said shelf, said trackway including means automatically for stopping undesired downward vertical travel of said shelf relative to said trackway after the unlatching of said shelf and trackway latching means by a bottom portion of said shelf rearward portion pivoting into abutment with a rearward portion of said trackway, said stopping means including a stop member disposed within said trackway and projecting toward said shelf, said stop member being spaced a distance below at least several of said plurality of spaced latching means, means for securing said trackway in a refrigerator compartment, and said trackway securing means including at least a pair of downwardly directed hook means for hooking engagement in openings of a refrigerator compartment. 43. A shelf assembly particularly adapted to effect selective vertical adjustment of a shelf in a refrigerator compartment absent inadvertent, accidental or undesired downward shelf movement during vertical adjustment thereof comprising a substantially U-shaped in transverse cross section vertical trackway, a shelf slidable along said vertical trackway, said shelf including a forward portion slidingly disposed within said trackway, a rearward portion and a medial portion between said forward and rearward portions; said vertical trackway including a plurality of vertically spaced latching means for selective latching engagement with latching means of said shelf, a vertically extending guide channel provided adjacent a front of said vertical trackway allowing vertical adjustment of said shelf, said trackway including means for automatically stopping undesired downward vertical travel of said shelf relative to said trackway after the unlatching of said shelf and trackway latching means by a bottom portion of said shelf rearward portion pivoting into abutment with a rearward portion of said trackway, said stopping means including a stop member disposed within said trackway and projecting toward said shelf, said stop member being spaced a distance below at least several of said plurality of spaced latching means, and said shelf stopping means are located substantially adjacent a lowermost end portion of said vertical trackway. 44. The shelf assembly as defined in claim 43 wherein said trackway stopping members is a projection formed from the material of said vertical trackway projecting into the U-shape thereof.
