Refrigerator shelf assembly

Abstract

A refrigerator shelf assembly includes a glass shelf element and a pair of mounting structures. The glass shelf element has a planar portion and upwardly extending walls extending upwardly from and around the planar portion. The planar portion has an upper side and a lower side, with the upper side defining a support surface. At least two of the walls include generally horizontal flanges, which extend outwardly from the planar portion. Each of the mounting structures has an elongate recess, with the flanges of the shelf element extending into the elongate recesses for slidably mounting the shelf element between the mounting structures and further permitting the shelf element to be extended from the refrigerator but also removed from the mounting structures for use as a tray exteriorly of the refrigerator, including for use as a cooking tray.

1 . A shelf assembly comprising: 
 a glass shelf element, said glass shelf element having a planar portion and upwardly extending walls extending upwardly from and around said planar portion, said planar portion having an upper side and a lower side, said upper side defining a support surface, at least two of said walls including a generally horizontal flange extending outwardly from said planar portion in opposed directions; and    a pair of mounting structures, each of said mounting structures having an elongate recess, said flanges extending into said elongate recesses for slidably mounting said shelf element between said mounting structures.    
   
   
       2 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a resilient pad at said lower side of said planar portion.  
   
   
       3 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said lower side of said planar portion includes a recess, said resilient pad being located in said recess.  
   
   
       4 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said resilient pad comprises a heat resistant resilient material having a heat resistance temperature of at least 450° F.  
   
   
       5 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein said resilient material comprises a heat resistant resilient material having a heat resistance temperature of at least 600° F.  
   
   
       6 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said walls include a forward wall at a forward edge of said shelf element, said forward wall includes a generally horizontal flange, further comprising at least one resilient body provided at a lower side of said flange of said forward wall.  
   
   
       7 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said flange of said forward wall comprises an arcuate flange.  
   
   
       8 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said at least one resilient body comprises an elongate resilient body.  
   
   
       9 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said pair of mounting structures comprises a pair of brackets.  
   
   
       10 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein each of said brackets includes an elongate recess for slidably mounting said shelf element to said brackets.  
   
   
       11 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein said brackets are adapted to releasably engage the cabinet walls of a refrigerator.  
   
   
       12 . A shelf element comprises: 
 a glass body, said glass body having a generally planar portion and upwardly extending walls extending from said planar portion, said walls extending around said planar portion and including at least two opposed flanges, said flanges extending in a generally horizontal plane outwardly from said planar portion in opposed directions, and said flanges forming guide surfaces for slidingly supporting said glass shelf element on mounting structures for mounting said shelf element in a refrigerator.    
   
   
       13 . The shelf element according to  claim 12 , further comprising at least one resilient pad at a lower surface of said planar portion.  
   
   
       14 . The shelf element according to  claim 12 , wherein said walls form a forward flange at a forward edge of said shelf element for forming a handle.  
   
   
       15 . The shelf element according to  claim 14 , further comprising a resilient pad at said forward flange.  
   
   
       16 . The shelf element according to  claim 12 , wherein said lower surface of said planar portion includes a plurality of recesses and a plurality of resilient pads located at said recesses.  
   
   
       17 . The shelf element according to  claim 16 , wherein said resilient pads comprise a resilient material having a heat resistance temperature of at least 450° F.  
   
   
       18 . A method of mounting a shelf element in a refrigerator, said method comprising: 
 providing a shelf element formed by a glass body having a planar portion and upwardly extending walls extending upwardly from and around said planar portion, at least two of the upwardly extending walls including a generally horizontal flange extending outwardly from the planar portion in opposed directions;    providing a pair of mounting structures; and    supporting the horizontal flanges of the glass body with the mounting structures for mounting the shelf element in a refrigerator.    
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said supporting the horizontal flanges includes removably supporting the horizontal flanges with the mounting structures whereby the shelf element can be removed from the mounting structures.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said providing a shelf element further includes providing a shelf element formed from a tempered glass wherein the shelf element may be used as an oven tray when removed from the refrigerator.