초록 ▼

A shelf is defined by a tempered glass panel bonded to opposing flanges of a pair of metal shelf brackets carrying hooks for connection to and adjustment along vertical trackways in refrigerator compartments. Adhesive constitutes the sole means for maintaining the shelf substantially rigidly united.

A shelf is defined by a tempered glass panel bonded to opposing flanges of a pair of metal shelf brackets carrying hooks for connection to and adjustment along vertical trackways in refrigerator compartments. Adhesive constitutes the sole means for maintaining the shelf substantially rigidly united. Each shelf bracket includes at least one abutment surface for engaging an edge of the shelf panel or a handgrip member carried thereby to assure perfect alignment between the components during curing of the adhesive. Each shelf bracket is defined by a shelf arm and a flange with the flanges having pockets housing the adhesive. The shelf arms may additionally include uppermost projections for engaging side edges of the shelf panel and/or at least one additional flange, such that side edge portions of the shelf panel can be housed between the pair of vertically spaced longitudinally offset flanges of each shelf bracket.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A refrigerator shelf assembly for mounting to an inside wall of a refrigerator, comprising: a support structure consisting of a first shelf bracket for mounting to the inside wall of the refrigerator and a second shelf bracket for mounting to the inside wall of the refrigerator, the second shelf

1. A refrigerator shelf assembly for mounting to an inside wall of a refrigerator, comprising: a support structure consisting of a first shelf bracket for mounting to the inside wall of the refrigerator and a second shelf bracket for mounting to the inside wall of the refrigerator, the second shelf bracket being substantially parallel to the first shelf bracket;the assembly further comprising a shelf panel having a front edge, a rear edge, a pair of side edges, and a planar lower surface,wherein the support structure is adhesively bonded to the planar lower surface of the shelf panel so that the refrigerator shelf assembly is substantially rigidly united,wherein each of the first shelf bracket and the second shelf bracket is a single-piece unitary component. 2. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second shelf brackets comprises a shelf arm and a shelf panel support flange, wherein each shelf arm is disposed in a spaced relationship to the other shelf arm, and wherein each shelf panel support flange is disposed in a first substantially common plane that is substantially normal to its associated shelf arm, the refrigerator shelf assembly further comprising an adhesive located between an upper surface of each shelf panel support flange and the planar lower surface of the shelf panel for adhesively bonding the same to each other,wherein the adhesive bonding between each shelf support flange and the shelf panel maintains the shelf substantially rigidly united. 3. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 2, wherein each shelf panel support flange comprises a reservoir opening in a direction toward the shelf panel planar lower surface, and wherein the adhesive is at least partially in the reservoir. 4. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 2, further comprising means associated with each of the first and second shelf brackets for locating the shelf panel relative thereto. 5. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 2, wherein the shelf panel is tempered glass. 6. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 2, further comprising a polymeric/copolymeric front gripping member, wherein the gripping member comprises a channel in which the front edge of the shelf panel is located. 7. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 3, wherein each shelf arm comprises an upper edge portion projecting upwardly beyond its shelf panel support flange, and each side edge of the shelf panel are contiguous an adjacent shelf arm upper edge portion. 8. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 3, further comprising means associated with each of the first and second shelf brackets for locating the shelf panel relative thereto. 9. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 4, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by abutment means of each shelf arm for abutting against the shelf panel. 10. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 4, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by abutment means at a front end portion of each shelf arm for abutting against the shelf panel. 11. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 4, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by abutment means at a rear end portion of each shelf arm for abutting against the shelf panel. 12. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 4, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by abutment means at front and rear end portions of each shelf arm for abutting against the shelf panel. 13. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 4, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by an edge of each shelf arm. 14. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 4, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by an edge of each shelf arm located contiguous a front end of each shelf arm. 15. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 4, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by an edge of each shelf arm located contiguous to a rear end of each shelf arm. 16. The shelf claim 4, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by a pair of edges of each shelf arm located one each contiguous to front and rear ends of each shelf arm. 17. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 3, wherein the adhesive is one or more separate beads of adhesive along the length of the reservoir. 18. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second shelf brackets is made from one material bounded by a continuous uninterrupted peripheral edge. 19. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein the adhesive is elastic and waterproof. 20. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein the shelf panel contacts each of the upper surfaces of each shelf panel support flange when adhesively bonded thereto. 21. A refrigerator shelf assembly, comprising: a pair of shelf brackets, wherein each of the pair of shelf brackets is a separate, single-piece unitary component, wherein each of the pair of shelf brackets comprises a shelf arm and a shelf panel support flange, wherein each shelf arm is disposed in substantially parallel spaced relationship to the other of the shelf arms, and wherein each shelf panel support flange is disposed in a substantially common plane that is substantially normal to its associated shelf arm;a shelf panel having a planar lower surface; andan adhesive located between an upper surface of each shelf panel support flange and the planar lower surface of the shelf panel for directly adhesively bonding the same to each other so that the adhesive is the sole connection between the shelf panel and each of the pair of shelf brackets,wherein the refrigerator shelf assembly is used in a refrigerator. 22. The shelf of claim 21, wherein each shelf arm comprises an upper longitudinally extending edge portion, and each shelf panel support flange is defined by a portion of its associated upper longitudinally extending edge portion, wherein each of the pair of shelf brackets comprises a second flange, wherein each second flange is disposed in a second substantially common plane that is substantially normal to its associated shelf arm, so that the common planes define a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of the shelf panel,wherein the shelf panel comprises side edge portions that are each disposed between one each of the shelf panel supports and second flanges, andwherein the shelf panel support and second flange of each shelf are longitudinally offset relative to each other. 23. A shelf, comprising: a pair of shelf brackets for mounting inside a refrigerator, wherein each of the pair of shelf brackets is a separate, single-piece unitary component, wherein each of the pair of shelf brackets comprises a shelf arm and a shelf panel support flange, wherein each shelf arm is disposed in substantially parallel spaced relationship to the other shelf arm, wherein each shelf panel support flange is disposed in a substantially common plane with the other, and which is substantially normal to its associated shelf arm;a shelf panel comprising four sides and a planar lower surface; andan adhesive located between an upper surface of each shelf panel support flange and a planar lower surface of the shelf panel for directly adhesively bonding the same to each other so that each of the pair of shelf brackets is connected by the adhesive between each shelf panel support flange and the shelf panel,wherein there is no additional shelf bracket connecting said pair of shelf brackets to one another. 24. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 23, wherein each shelf arm comprises an upper edge portion projecting upwardly beyond its shelf panel support flange, and wherein each side edge portion of the shelf panel is contiguous an adjacent shelf arm upper edge portion. 25. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 23, wherein each shelf arm comprises an upper longitudinally extending edge portion,wherein each shelf panel support flange is defined by a portion of its associated upper longitudinally extending edge portion,wherein each of the pair of shelf brackets comprises a second flange, wherein the second flange is disposed in a second substantially common plane that is substantially normal to its associated shelf arm, so that the common planes define a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of the shelf panel, andwherein the shelf panel includes two side edge portions, one each disposed between one each shelf panel support and second flange. 26. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 25, wherein each shelf panel support flange and each second flange of each of the pair of shelf brackets is longitudinally offset relative to each other. 27. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 25, wherein each of the pair of shelf brackets comprises an additional one of the shelf panel support flange and the second flange, and the additional flange lies in one of the substantially common planes. 28. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 25, wherein each of said the pair of shelf brackets comprises an additional shelf panel support flange, and the additional shelf panel support flange lies in the first substantially common plane. 29. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 25, wherein each of the pair of shelf brackets includes a third flange, and each of the third flanges lies in the common plane of the second flanges. 30. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 24, further comprising an upper terminal edge of each upper edge portion that lies in a plane substantially common to a plane of an upper surface of the shelf panel. 31. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 25, wherein each of the pair of shelf brackets includes an additional shelf panel support flange, and each of the additional shelf panel support flanges lies in the first common plane. 32. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 24, further comprising means associated with each of the first and second shelf brackets for locating the shelf panel relative thereto. 33. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 24, wherein each of the first and second shelf brackets comprises a second flange, wherein each second flange is disposed in a second substantially common plane which is substantially normal to its associated shelf arm, so that the common planes define a distance corresponding substantially to the thickness of the shelf panel, andwherein the shelf panel comprises side edge portions, each disposed between each of the shelf panel support flanges and the second flanges. 34. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 25, further comprising means associated with each of the first and second shelf bracket for locating the shelf panel relative thereto. 35. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 26, further comprising means associated with each of the first and second shelf brackets for locating the shelf panel relative thereto. 36. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 27, further comprising means associated with each of the first and second shelf brackets for locating the shelf panel relative thereto. 37. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 28, further comprising means associated with each of the first and second shelf brackets for locating the shelf panel relative thereto. 38. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 29, further comprising means associated with each of the first and second shelf brackets for locating the shelf panel relative thereto. 39. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 31, further comprising means associated with each of the first and second shelf brackets for locating the shelf panel relative thereto. 40. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 34, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by abutment means of each shelf arm for abutting against the shelf panel. 41. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 34, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by an edge of each shelf arm. 42. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 34, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by an edge of each shelf arm located contiguous to a front end of each shelf arm. 43. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 34, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by an edge of each shelf arm located contiguous to a rear end of each shelf arm. 44. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 34, wherein the shelf panel locating means is defined by a pair of edges of each shelf arm located one each contiguous to front and rear ends of each shelf arm. 45. A refrigerator shelf assembly comprising: a pair of metal shelf brackets, wherein each of the pair of shelf brackets is a separate, single-piece unitary component, wherein each of the pair of shelf brackets comprises a shelf arm and a shelf panel support flange, wherein each shelf arm is disposed in substantially parallel spaced relationship to each other, wherein each shelf panel support flange is disposed in a substantially common plane which is substantially normal to its associated shelf arm;a tempered glass shelf panel, the shelf panel comprising two substantially parallel sides opposite one another and a planar lower surface; andan adhesive located between an upper surface of each shelf panel support flange and a planar lower surface of the shelf panel for directly adhesively bonding the same to each other so that each of the pair of shelf brackets is connected by the adhesive along one of the parallel sides and not along any other side of the shelf panel, andwherein the adhesive connection between the pair of shelf brackets and the shelf panel maintains the shelf substantially rigidly united. 46. The shelf of claim 45, further comprising a front grip member on a front edge portion of the shelf panel. 47. A refrigerator shelf assembly for mounting to an inside wall of a refrigerator, comprising: a support structure consisting of a first shelf bracket for mounting to the inside wall of the refrigerator and a second shelf bracket for mounting to the inside wall of the refrigerator, wherein the second shelf bracket is separate from the first shelf bracket,the assembly further comprising a shelf panel having a pair of side edges, a front edge, a rear edge, and a planar lower surface; andan adhesive located between the planar lower surface of the shelf panel and each of the first shelf bracket and the second shelf bracket of the support structure so that the adhesive bonding between each of the first shelf bracket and the second shelf bracket and the shelf panel maintains the shelf assembly substantially rigidly united,wherein each of the first shelf bracket and the second shelf bracket is a single-piece unitary component. 48. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 47, wherein each of the first and second shelf brackets comprise flanges for supporting the shelf panel, and wherein the adhesive is located between an upper surface of each flange and the planar lower surface of the shelf panel. 49. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 48, wherein each flange comprises a reservoir opening in a direction toward the planar lower surface of the shelf panel, and wherein the adhesive is at least partially in the reservoir. 50. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 47, wherein the shelf panel is tempered glass. 51. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 47, further comprising a front gripping member, wherein the gripping member comprises a channel in which the front edge portion of the shelf panel is located. 52. The refrigerator shelf assembly of claim 47, further comprising means associated with each of the first and second shelf brackets for locating the shelf panel relative thereto.