Anti-tip device and anti-tip system for a refrigeration appliance

Abstract

An anti-tip device for an appliance has a base leg of a given length, and a plurality of holes formed in the base leg for facilitating mounting of the anti-tip device to a wall by way of threaded fasteners. First and second tip prevention legs extend forward from opposite ends of the base leg so as to overlie a top wall of the refrigeration appliance when the anti-tip device is mounted to a wall against which the refrigeration appliance is located. The tip prevention legs are spaced a sufficient distance apart so as to only engage the top wall of the refrigeration appliance in areas where contact is acceptable, while also avoiding any interference with refrigeration appliance components that are located atop the refrigeration appliance.

1 . An anti-tip device for a refrigeration appliance, the anti-tip device comprising:
 an elongate and substantially rigid base leg for mounting to a vertical wall surface, said base leg having a first end, a second end, a forward surface, and a rear surface;   said base leg having a plurality of holes distributed along a length of said base leg and passing through said base leg from said forward surface to said rear surface for allowing fasteners to pass through said base leg;   a substantially rigid first tip prevention leg extending in a forward direction from said base leg at said first end thereof; and   a substantially rigid second tip prevention leg extending in the forward direction from said base leg at said second end thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The anti-tip device according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of said base leg exceeds sixteen inches. 
     
     
         3 . The anti-tip device according to  claim 1 , wherein a height of said base leg, measured perpendicularly to the length of said base leg, is approximately 53 millimeters. 
     
     
         4 . The anti-tip device according to  claim 1 , wherein said holes are arranged along the length of said base leg so that selected pairs of said holes are separated by a distance selected from the group consisting of sixteen inches and twenty-four inches. 
     
     
         5 . The anti-tip device according to  claim 1 , wherein a length of said first tip prevention leg and a length of said second tip prevention leg is less than the length of said base leg. 
     
     
         6 . The anti-tip device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first tip prevention leg is substantially parallel to the second tip prevention leg. 
     
     
         7 . The anti-tip device according to  claim 1 , wherein said base leg, said first tip prevention leg, and said second tip prevention leg are formed of a single piece of material. 
     
     
         8 . The anti-tip device according to  claim 7 , wherein the material is metal, and said first and second tip prevention legs are bend forward from said base leg. 
     
     
         9 . The anti-tip device according to  claim 1 , wherein said rear surface of said base leg is substantially flat to facilitate mounting of the anti-tip device to a wall. 
     
     
         10 . An anti-tip system for a refrigeration appliance, the anti-tip system comprising:
 an anti-tip device comprising:
 an elongate and substantially rigid base leg for mounting the anti-tip device to a vertical wall surface, said base leg having a first end, a second end, a forward surface, and a rear surface; 
 said base leg having a plurality of holes distributed along a length of said base leg and passing through said base leg from said forward surface to said rear surface for allowing fasteners to pass through said base leg; 
 a substantially rigid first tip prevention leg extending in a forward direction from said base leg at said first end thereof; and 
 a substantially rigid second tip prevention leg extending in the forward direction from said base leg at said second end thereof; and 
   one or more blocking elements affixed to the refrigeration appliance along opposite lateral sides of refrigeration appliance components that are disposed on a top wall of the refrigeration appliance, said one or more blocking elements being configured to prevent contact between the refrigeration appliance components and said first and second tip prevention legs.   
     
     
         11 . The anti-tip system according to  claim 10 , wherein said holes are arranged along the length of said base leg of said anti-tip device so that selected pairs of said holes are separated by a distance selected from the group consisting of sixteen inches and twenty-four inches. 
     
     
         12 . The anti-tip system according to  claim 10 , wherein said base leg, said first tip prevention leg, and said second tip prevention leg of said anti-tip device are formed of a single piece of material. 
     
     
         13 . The anti-tip system according to  claim 10 , wherein the refrigeration appliance components are substantially centered along a width dimension of the top wall of the refrigeration appliance. 
     
     
         14 . The anti-tip system according to  claim 10 , wherein said one or more blocking elements are integral components of the refrigeration appliance. 
     
     
         15 . The anti-tip system according to  claim 10 , wherein said one or more blocking elements are brackets configured for attachment to the refrigeration appliance.