초록

A support element for use with a refrigerator, the support element having a support surface with a rear edge, at least two support arms located on the support element and being laterally spaced from one another, with the support arms extending rearwardly of the rear edge and being laterally biased.

대표청구항 ▼

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1. A food item support element for use with a refrigerator having an interior liner, the liner having at least two laterally spaced apart and vertically oriented channels arranged therein

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1. A food item support element for use with a refrigerator having an interior liner, the liner having at least two laterally spaced apart and vertically oriented channels arranged therein, the channels being defined by vertical channel side walls spaced apart from one another by a width, said support element comprising: a substantially horizontal support surface extending laterally substantially a full width of said support element and having two lateral ends, said support surface being sized and arranged to vertically support a food item, with a rear edge arranged to engage the liner, lateral side walls located at each lateral end of said support surface and extending upwardly above said support surface, and a plurality of support arms with at least one support arm located adjacent each lateral end of said support surface, said support arms being pivotally mounted to a wall of said support element with a portion of each support arm extending forwardly of the pivot mounting and a portion extending rearwardly of said rear edge and being laterally biased such that a portion of each of said support arms will project into the channels in the liner and be pressed against one of the side walls of each of the channels. 2. A food item support element according to claim 1, wherein said support surface is selected from the group consisting of shelves, bins, half width bins, hooks, clips, sealed bins, diary bins and can holders. 3. A food item support element according to claim 1, wherein said support arms are pivotally mounted by means of pivot pins engaged in detents on said support element. 4. A food item support element according to claim 1, wherein said support arms have a vertical extent of at least one half inch. 5. A food item support element according to claim 1, wherein said portions of said support arms extending rearwardly of said rear edge each includes a tooth projecting laterally from an end of the support arms. 6. A food item support element according to claim 1, wherein said portions of said support arms extending rearwardly of said rear edge are biased inwardly towards each other. 7. A food item support element according to claim 1, where said support arms have a manually engageable portion arranged to permit a manual application of lateral force to overcome said lateral bias while said support element is held on said liner. 8. A refrigerator comprising: an interior liner, said liner having at least two vertically oriented channels arranged therein, said channels being defined by vertical channel side walls spaced apart from one another by a width and a vertical channel opening extending continuously along a majority of a height of said liner, a food item support element having a substantially horizontal support surface sized and arranged to vertically support a food item, lateral side walls located at each lateral side of said support element and extending upwardly above said support surface and a rear edge arranged to engage said liner, a support arm located on each lateral side of said support element, said support arms extending rearwardly of said rear edge and being laterally biased such that a portion of each of said support arms will project into said vertical channel openings of said channels in said liner at a user selected vertical location in said channel and be pressed against one of said side walls of said channels, the continuous vertical channel openings permitting the support element to be moved to and supported at different user selected vertical positions along the height of said liner while said support arms continuously remain projecting into said vertical channel openings to allow the user to customize the placement and arrangement of said support element relative to said liner. 9. A food item support element according to claim 1, wherein a spring positioned between a wall of said support element and said arm and captured on a boss provides said lateral bias. 10. A refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein engagement of said support arms with the side walls of the vertically oriented channels and engagement of said rear edge with the interior liner provide the sole vertical support for said support element on the liner. 11. A refrigerator according to claim 8, wherein said support arms are pivotally mounted to said support element. 12. A food item support element for use with a refrigerator, comprising: a substantially horizontal support surface extending laterally substantially a full width of said support element and having two lateral ends, said support surface being sized and arranged to vertically support a food item, said support surface having a rear edge, lateral side walls located at each lateral end of said support surface and extending upwardly above said support surface, each of said lateral walls being formed as a pair of double walls with a space at each lateral end of said support surface between each pair of double walls, said space being open to a rear of said support element, at least two support arms located on said support element and being partially positioned in said spaces between said pairs of double walls of said side walls, said support arms being laterally spaced from one another, said support arms extending rearwardly through the rear openings of said spaces beyond said rear edge and being laterally biased. 13. A food item support element according to claim 12, wherein said support arms are laterally biased by a separate biasing element positioned between said arms and a portion of said support element. 14. A food item support element according to claim 13, wherein said separate biasing element comprises a spring captured on a boss. 15. A food item support element according to claim 12, wherein said support arms are pivotally mounted to said support element. 16. A food item support element according to claim 12, wherein said support arms have a vertical extent of at least one half inch. 17. A food item support element according to claim 12, wherein a portion of said support arms extending rearwardly of said rear edge includes a tooth projecting laterally from a rear end of the arm. 18. A food item support element according to claim 12, wherein said portions of said support arms extending rearwardly of said rear edge are biased inwardly towards each other. 19. A food item support element for use with a refrigerator, comprising: a substantially horizontal support surface extending laterally substantially a full width of said support element and having two lateral ends, said support surface being sized and arranged to support a food item, said support surface having a rear edge, lateral side walls located at each lateral end of said support surface and extending upwardly above said support surface, each of said lateral walls being formed as a pair of double walls with a space at each lateral end of said support surface between each pair of double walls, said space being open to a rear of said support element, and a front wall, a support arm extending from a forward end to a rearward end pivotally mounted at each lateral side of said support element in said spaces between said double walls of said side walls and having a portion at said rearward end extending through said rear opening of said spaced to terminate rearwardly of said rear edge, each support arm carrying a vertical pivot pin intermediate ends of each support arm pivotally engaged with detents on said support element, a biasing element positioned between each of said support arms and one of said lateral side walls and captured on a boss extending from one of said lateral side walls to bias said rearward end of each of said support arms laterally, and a tooth projecting laterally from said rearward end of said arm. 20. A food item support element according to claim 19, wherein said portions of said support arms extending rearwardly of said rear edge are biased inwardly towards each other.