초록 ▼

A shelf assembly includes a shelf frame adapted to support a planar shelf panel. The shelf frame comprises a front member, opposed side members, and a rear member. A support channel is integrally formed into an underside of the shelf frame. A reinforcing support frame is captured within the support

A shelf assembly includes a shelf frame adapted to support a planar shelf panel. The shelf frame comprises a front member, opposed side members, and a rear member. A support channel is integrally formed into an underside of the shelf frame. A reinforcing support frame is captured within the support channel to form a unitary shelf assembly and is adapted to support the shelf frame within said appliance. At least one stud projects outward from the reinforcing support frame with respect to the opposed side members of the shelf frame. The studs are adapted to be received within a corresponding recess of an interior wall of said appliance to thereby support the shelf assembly within said appliance.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A shelf assembly for an appliance, comprising: a shelf panel comprising a generally planar support surface;a shelf frame adapted to be mounted within an appliance to support the shelf panel with the support surface extending generally along a horizontal plane, the shelf frame comprising a front m

1. A shelf assembly for an appliance, comprising: a shelf panel comprising a generally planar support surface;a shelf frame adapted to be mounted within an appliance to support the shelf panel with the support surface extending generally along a horizontal plane, the shelf frame comprising a front member with a front support recess, opposed side members each with a side support recess, and a rear member that together define an outer periphery,wherein the front support recess is sized to slidingly receive and support the front edge of the shelf panel and the side support recesses are each sized to slidingly receive and support one of the opposed side edges of the shelf panel against the force of gravity;a support channel formed into an underside of the outer periphery of the shelf frame along each of the front member, opposed side members, and the rear member so that the support channel is substantially co-extensive with the outer periphery;a reinforcing support frame adapted to support the shelf frame within said appliance, the reinforcing support frame comprising a front support member, opposed side support members, and a rear support member,wherein the reinforcing support frame is co-extensive with the support channel of the shelf frame and is captured within the support channel to form a unitary shelf assembly, andwherein the front support member of the reinforcing support frame is resiliently captured within a front portion of the support channel by a snap-fit connection; andat least one stud projecting outward from each of the opposed side support members of the reinforcing support frame,wherein the studs are adapted to be received within a corresponding recess of an interior wall of said appliance to thereby support the shelf assembly within said appliance. 2. The shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein each stud projects outward from a corresponding side support member along a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said side support member. 3. The shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein each opposed side member of the shelf frame comprises a side aperture located at a position corresponding one of the studs, the side aperture extending from the support channel and to an exterior of the shelf frame. 4. The shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one stud comprises a pair of studs projecting outward from each of the opposed side support members, the pair of studs being separate and spaced a distance apart from each other. 5. The shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein each stud is spaced a distance from both of the front support member and the rear support member. 6. The shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein the support channel is integrally formed into the outer periphery as a monolithic element with the shelf frame. 7. The shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein the rear support member of the reinforcing support frame is resiliently captured within a rear portion of the support channel by a snap-fit connection. 8. The shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein the support channel is substantially parallel with the horizontal plane. 9. The shelf assembly of claim 1, further comprising a rear support channel formed with and extending below the rear member of the shelf frame, the rear support channel adapted to removably receive and capture a rear edge of the shelf panel to support the shelf panel against the force of gravity and to thereby inhibit removal of the shelf panel from the shelf frame. 10. The shelf assembly of claim 9, wherein the shelf panel is selectively insertable or removable from the rear support channel by temporarily deflecting the rear support channel upwards relative to the horizontal plane a sufficient amount to separate the rear edge of the shelf panel from the rear support channel. 11. A shelf assembly for an appliance, comprising: a shelf panel comprising a generally planar support surface;a shelf frame adapted to support the shelf panel with the support surface extending generally along a horizontal plane, the shelf frame comprising a front member with a front support recess, opposed side members each with a side support recess, and a rear member that together define an outer periphery,wherein the shelf frame comprises a central opening extending through the shelf frame and bounded by the outer periphery, the central opening occupying a majority of the shelf frame and which is covered by the shelf panel, andwherein the front support recess is sized to slidingly receive and support the front edge of the shelf panel and the side support recesses are each sized to slidingly receive and support one of the opposed side edges of the shelf panel to thereby cover the central opening;a support channel integrally formed as a monolithic element with the shelf frame into an underside of the shelf frame along each of the front member and the rear member so that the support channel is substantially co-extensive with the front and rear members;a reinforcing support frame adapted to support the shelf frame within said appliance, the reinforcing support frame comprising a front support member and a rear support member,wherein the reinforcing support frame is co-extensive with the support channel of the shelf frame along the front and rear members and is captured within the support channel to form a unitary shelf assembly; andat least one stud projecting outward from the reinforcing support frame with respect to each of the opposed side members of the shelf frame and along a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said opposed side members,wherein the studs are adapted to be received within a corresponding recess of an interior wall of said appliance to thereby support the shelf assembly within said appliance. 12. The shelf assembly of claim 11, wherein the studs are formed with and projects outwards from one of the front or rear support members of the reinforcing support frame. 13. The shelf assembly of claim 11, wherein the reinforcing support frame further comprises opposed side support members, and wherein each stud projects outward from a corresponding side support member along a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said side support member. 14. The shelf assembly of claim 13, wherein each opposed side member of the shelf frame comprises a side aperture located at a position corresponding one of the studs, the side aperture extending from the support channel and to an exterior of the shelf frame. 15. The shelf assembly of claim 13, wherein said at least one stud comprises a pair of studs projecting outward from each of the opposed side support members, the pair of studs being separate and spaced a distance apart from each other. 16. The shelf assembly of claim 13, wherein each stud is spaced a distance from both of the front support member and the rear support member. 17. The shelf assembly of claim 11, wherein one of the front support member and rear support member of the reinforcing support frame is resiliently captured within a corresponding one of a front portion of the support channel and a rear portion of the support channel by a snap-fit connection. 18. The shelf assembly of claim 11, further comprising a rear support channel formed with and extending below the rear member of the shelf frame, the rear support channel adapted to removably receive and capture a rear edge of the shelf panel to support the shelf panel against the force of gravity and to thereby inhibit removal of the shelf panel from the shelf frame, wherein the shelf panel is selectively insertable or removable from the rear support channel by temporarily deflecting the rear support channel upwards relative to the horizontal plane a sufficient amount to separate the rear edge of the shelf panel from the rear support channel. 19. The shelf assembly of claim 1, wherein the rear member of the shelf frame comprises a hinge with a bottom wall, and wherein the rear support member of the reinforcing support frame is captured within a rear portion of the support channel by the bottom wall of the hinge when the hinge is in a closed condition. 20. The shelf assembly of claim 19, wherein the hinge is pivotally connected to the rear member by a living hinge.