Vertically adjustable shelves and refrigerator compartment housing the same

Abstract

An adjustable shelf assembly includes a shelf adjustable along a pair of trackway brackets of a generally U-shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration defined by a pair of legs and a bight wall. The bight wall includes spaced inwardly projecting protrusions and spaced outwardly directed hooks to respectively prevent inadvertent/accidental downward shelf movement and for securing the trackway brackets in vertically aligned pairs of slots in conventional refrigerator compartment trackways. Each trackway bracket also includes bottom stop flanges which prevent the shelf from being disassembled therefrom through the bottom of the bracket trackways.

1 . A bracket for providing selective vertical adjustment comprising means for defining a vertical trackway, said vertical trackway including a plurality of vertically spaced latching means for selectively latching engagement with a travel member adapted to be selectively latched along said vertical trackway, and said trackway including means for stopping undesired downward vertical travel of the travel member after unlatching of the trackway latching means whereby inadvertent/accidental downward travel distance of the travel member is reduced.  
   
   
       2 . The bracket as defined in  claim 1  including at least an additional means for stopping undesired downward vertical travel of the travel member after unlatching of the trackway latching means, and said first-mentioned and additional stopping means are disposed in vertically spaced relationship to each other.  
   
   
       3 . The bracket as defined in  claim 1  including at least an additional means for stopping undesired downward vertical travel of the travel member after unlatching of the trackway latching means, and said first-mentioned and additional stopping means are disposed in vertically aligned spaced relationship to each other.  
   
   
       4 . The bracket as defined in  claim 1  wherein said trackway defines a substantially unobstructed vertical path of travel for vertical downward movement therealong by a travel member and said stopping means defines an obstruction surface along the vertical path of travel which is abutted by a portion of a travel member thereby stopping inadvertent/accidental downward movement thereof.  
   
   
       5 . The bracket as defined in  claim 1  wherein said vertical trackway includes at least two elongated walls defining a predetermined angle therebetween, a first of said walls includes said plurality of vertically spaced latching means, and a second of said walls includes said stopping means.  
   
   
       6 . The bracket as defined in  claim 1  wherein said vertical trackway includes at least two elongated legs, said plurality of vertically spaced latching means being defined by portions of said two elongated legs, and said stopping means being disposed between said legs.  
   
   
       7 . The bracket as defined in  claim 1  wherein said vertical trackway includes at least two elongated legs and an elongated bight portion therebetween, said plurality of vertically spaced latching means being defined by said two elongated legs, and said stopping means being disposed at said bight portion.  
   
   
       8 . The bracket as defined in  claim 1  wherein said vertical trackway includes at least two elongated legs and an elongated bight portion therebetween defining a substantially U-shaped transverse cross-sectional configuration, said plurality of vertically spaced latching means being defined by said two elongated legs, and said stopping means being disposed at said bight portion.  
   
   
       9 . The bracket as defined in  claim 1  including means for precluding disassembly of a travel member relative to the trackway by vertical downward movement of the travel member toward a lowermost end of said trackway.  
   
   
       10 . The bracket as defined in  claim 1  including means for securing the trackway in a refrigerator compartment.  
   
   
       11 . The bracket as defined in  claim 1  wherein said trackway defines a substantially unobstructed vertical path of travel for vertical downward movement therealong by a travel member, and said stopping means is a protrusion projecting into the unobstructed vertical path of travel.  
   
   
       12 . The bracket as defined in  claim 1  wherein said trackway defines a substantially unobstructed vertical path of travel for vertical downward movement therealong by a travel member, and said stopping means is a dimple projecting into the unobstructed vertical path of travel.  
   
   
       13 . The bracket as defined in  claim 1  wherein said trackway defines a substantially unobstructed vertical path of travel for vertical downward movement therealong by a travel member, and said stopping means is a tab projecting into the unobstructed vertical path of travel.  
   
   
       14 . The bracket as defined in  claim 2  wherein said trackway defines a substantially unobstructed vertical path of travel for vertical downward movement therealong by a travel member, and said first-mentioned and additional stopping means is a protrusion projecting into the unobstructed vertical path of travel.  
   
   
       15 . The bracket as defined in  claim 2  wherein said trackway defines a substantially unobstructed vertical path of travel for vertical downward movement therealong by a travel member, and said first-mentioned and additional stopping means is a dimple projecting into the unobstructed vertical path of travel.  
   
   
       16 . The bracket as defined in  claim 2  wherein said trackway defines a substantially unobstructed vertical path of travel for vertical downward movement therealong by a travel member, and said first-mentioned and additional stopping means is a tab projecting into the unobstructed vertical path of travel.  
   
   
       17 . The bracket as defined in  claim 7  including at least an additional means for stopping undesired downward vertical travel of the travel member after unlatching of the trackway latching means, and said first-mentioned and additional stopping means are disposed in vertically spaced relationship to each other.  
   
   
       18 . The bracket as defined in  claim 7  including means for precluding disassembly of a travel member relative to the trackway by vertical downward movement of the travel member toward a lowermost end of said trackway.  
   
   
       19 . The bracket as defined in  claim 7  including means for securing the trackway in a refrigerator compartment.  
   
   
       20 . The bracket as defined in  claim 9  wherein said trackway defines a substantially unobstructed vertical path of travel for vertical downward movement therealong by a travel member, and said disassembly precluding means define an obstruction at a lower end portion of the vertical path of travel beyond which a travel member cannot advance.  
   
   
       21 . The bracket as defined in  claim 9  wherein said trackway defines a substantially unobstructed vertical path of travel for vertical downward movement therealong by a travel member, said disassembly precluding means define an obstruction at a lower end portion of the vertical path of travel beyond which a travel member cannot advance, and said obstruction is defined by a projection projecting into and blocking the path of travel to travel member advance.  
   
   
       22 . The bracket as defined in  claim 9  wherein said trackway defines a substantially unobstructed vertical path of travel for vertical downward movement therealong by a travel member, said disassembly precluding means define an obstruction at a lower end portion of the vertical path of travel beyond which a travel member cannot advance, and said obstruction is defined by a pair of projections projecting into and blocking the path of travel to travel member advance.  
   
   
       23 . The bracket as defined in  claim 9  wherein said trackway defines a substantially unobstructed vertical path of travel for vertical downward movement therealong by a travel member, said disassembly precluding means define an obstruction at a lower end portion of the vertical path of travel beyond which a travel member cannot advance, and said obstruction is defined by a pair of opposing projections projecting into and blocking the path of travel to travel member advance.  
   
   
       24 . The bracket as defined in  claim 2  wherein said additional stopping means is located below said first-mentioned stopping means, and said additional stopping means further defines means for precluding downward disassembly of a travel member through a lower end portion of said trackway.  
   
   
       25 . The bracket as defined in  claim 24  wherein said additional stopping means includes at least one finger projecting into the unobstructed vertical path of travel.  
   
   
       26 . The bracket as defined in  claim 24  wherein said additional stopping means includes at least a pair of fingers projecting into the unobstructed vertical path of travel.  
   
   
       27 . The bracket as defined in  claim 24  wherein said additional stopping means includes at least a pair of opposing fingers projecting into the unobstructed vertical path of travel.  
   
   
       28 . The bracket as defined in  claim 24  wherein said additional stopping means includes at least one finger formed from the material of said trackway projecting into the unobstructed vertical path of travel.  
   
   
       29 . The bracket as defined in  claim 24  wherein said additional stopping means includes at least a pair of fingers formed from the material of said trackway projecting into the unobstructed vertical path of travel.