Slidable bin within a refrigerator drawer

Abstract

A bin positioned within a refrigerator drawer and slidable across the refrigerator drawer at one or more edges of the refrigerator drawer and/or at one or more sliding mechanisms attached to at least one side of the refrigerator drawer.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a refrigeration compartment;   a drawer slidably mounted within the refrigeration compartment, the drawer comprising a drawer front wall, a drawer back wall, two drawer side walls, and a drawer bottom, wherein a top edge of the drawer front wall, the drawer back wall, and/or one or both of the two drawer side walls comprises a protrusion extending away from the drawer, the protrusion comprising a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, and a lateral side extending between the top side and the bottom side; and   a bin comprising:
 a bottom comprising a perimeter edge; 
 at least one side extending upward from the perimeter edge of the bottom, the at least one side and the bottom defining a storage cavity of the bin; and 
 a first hook portion extending from the at least one side of the bin and slidably coupled to the protrusion such that the bin is slidably positionable within the drawer, and wherein the first hook portion is configured to cover at least a portion of the top side and at least a portion of the lateral side of the protrusion. 
   
     
     
         19 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the first hook portion is configured to cover at least a portion of the bottom side of the protrusion. 
     
     
         20 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the bin comprises a second hook portion,   the first hook portion and the second hook portion extend from two opposite sides of the bin,   the first hook portion is configured to slidably couple to the protrusion at the top edge of a first one of the two drawer side walls, and   the second hook portion is configured to slidably couple to the protrusion at the top edge of a second one of the two drawer side walls.   
     
     
         21 . The refrigerator of  claim 20 , wherein the second hook portion is configured to cover at least a portion of the top side, at least a portion of the lateral side, and at least a portion of the bottom side of the protrusion at the top edge of the second one of the two drawer side walls. 
     
     
         22 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the bin comprises a second hook portion,   the first hook portion and the second hook portion extend from two opposite sides of the bin,   the first hook portion is configured to slidably couple to the protrusion at the top edge of the drawer front wall, and   the second hook portion is configured to slidably couple to the protrusion at the top edge of the drawer back wall.   
     
     
         23 . The refrigerator of  claim 22 , wherein the second hook portion is configured to cover at least a portion of the top side, at least a portion of the lateral side, and at least a portion of the bottom side of the protrusion at the top edge of the drawer back wall. 
     
     
         24 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the bin is slidable along one of the two drawer side walls in directions between the drawer front was and the drawer back wall. 
     
     
         25 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the bin is slidable along the drawer front wall between the two drawer side walls. 
     
     
         26 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the bin is slidable along the drawer back wall between the two drawer side walls. 
     
     
         27 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , comprising a lubricant applied between the first hook portion and the protrusion. 
     
     
         28 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , comprising a cover detachably couplable to the at least one side. 
     
     
         29 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the bottom and the at least one side of the bin comprises plastic. 
     
     
         30 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the bottom and the at least one side of the bin comprises wire mesh. 
     
     
         31 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , comprising a cover detachably couplable to the at least one side of the bin. 
     
     
         32 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the bin is generally box-shaped. 
     
     
         33 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the bin is either cylindrical or spherical. 
     
     
         34 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the first hook portion continuously extends substantially a length of the at least one side of the bin. 
     
     
         35 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein the first hook portion comprises a plurality of non-continuous segments along a length of the at least one side of the bin. 
     
     
         36 . The refrigerator of  claim 18 , wherein a capacity of the storage cavity is adjustable by extending and contracting the bin. 
     
     
         37 . The refrigerator of  claim 36 , wherein the bottom of the bin is a two-piece construction, wherein a first piece of the bottom slides underneath a second piece of the bottom to contract the bin, and the first piece of the bottom slides out from underneath the second piece of the bottom to extend the bin.