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Heat staked shelfRelated Patent Categories: Refrigeration, Cooled EnclosureHeat staked shelf description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060162373, Heat staked shelf. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/375,632 filed 27 Feb., 2003 and an International Patent Application No. PCT/US03/02045 filed 24 Jan., 2003. The United States Patent Application and the International Application claim priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/351,917, filed 25 Jan., 2002, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/361,464, filed 4 Mar., 2002. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable. REFERENCE TO A MICROFISHE APPENDIX [0003] Not applicable. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] 1. Field of the Invention [0005] The invention relates to shelving designs which may be adapted for use with refrigerators and other articles employing shelving and, more particularly, shelving having glass supported in part through the use of heat stake ribs. [0006] 2. Background Art [0007] Previous types of shelving have been developed for use as refrigerator and other shelves. In designing refrigerator shelving, it is important to provide a means for permitting selected movement of the shelf within the refrigerator, in addition to providing adequate support for the shelf. [0008] In addition to these design features, one problem which arises with respect to refrigerator shelving relates to spills. It would be advantageous to include means for containing spills. If spills are allowed to build up, they can readily harbor bacteria, mold and other materials which may contaminate food stuffs and the like. [0009] Still further, it is advantageous to insure that shelf panels themselves are appropriately secured to a frame or other supporting means. In addition, it is advantageous if the means for supporting and appropriately securing the shelf panel to supporting frame members is relatively inexpensive and facilitates assembly. [0010] Numerous shelving designs exist in the prior art. For example, Kane, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,809, issued Oct. 14, 1996, discloses an encapsulated shelf assembly with a shelf support supporting a panel. The panel has an edge and a one-piece member encapsulating the panel edge and a substantial majority of the shelf support. The shelf assembly may be formed in a mold apparatus which defines a mold cavity and uses a spacing plug to position the shelf support in a mold cavity of the apparatus in a location spaced from the sides of the mold cavity. [0011] Herrmann, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,589, issued Apr. 7, 1998, discloses a shelf assembly for a refrigerator compartment which includes a member slidably supported for extension and retraction on a support. The shelf member includes slide members which are preferably molded as a rim on an article support surface. A guide member extends from at least one, and preferably both, of the side members to guide the sliding movement. A stop on the guide member limits travel by engaging a limit surface on the shelf support. [0012] Bird, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,638, issued Oct. 3, 1995, discloses adjustable refrigerator shelving having a shelf rail for supporting a partial width shelf within a refrigerator compartment on first and second, spaced shelf racks vertically oriented in the compartment. The tracks releasably engage with a number of support brackets for cantilever support of one or more shelves at a plurality of vertically spaced locations. The shelf rail includes rearwardly projecting hooks at each of the two opposing ends for releasable engagement with the shelf tracks. Locking tabs are included on the hooks to retain the shelf rails on the track, while a rub strip is provided between the partial shelf and the shelf rail, along a top edge of the shelf rail. [0013] Bird, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,433, issued Jul. 4, 1995, describes a refrigerator shelf which is adapted for containment of spills on the shelf. The shelf includes a planer shelf member with a rim molded around the perimeter edge of the shelf member to form a liquid tight seal between the rim and the shelf member. The molded rim projects above the top surface of the shelf member to form a liquid dam for containing spills on the shelf member. In one embodiment, the shelf is slidably mounted to allow horizontal extension of the shelf, with access to the rear portion of the shelf using slide guides molded into the rim along each side of the shelf. The shelf is cantilevered upon support brackets from the rear wall of a refrigerator to allow air flow around the shelf sides. The support brackets are adapted to support the shelf at a plurality of vertical positions. [0014] Meier, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,720, issued Sep. 19, 2000, discloses a method of manufacturing a glass shelf with a plastic edge. The glass panel is placed on a cavity of a mold with a peripheral edge of the cavity corresponding to the peripheral edge of the glass panel. The cavity has side cavity portions, each housing one of the shelf brackets. Plastic material is injected into the cavity adjacent corners, so that the forces of the injected material are essentially self balancing around the peripheral edge of the glass panel. In this manner, the glass panel is maintained in a substantially mating conformity with the cavity to produce a relatively consistently contoured frame. [0015] The foregoing is merely a sample of the various types of prior art references which currently exist with respect to refrigerator shelving. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0016] In accordance with the invention, a shelving assembly is adapted for use in a refrigerator and other articles employing shelving. The assembly includes a shelf panel composed of glass. A plastic rim is sized and configured in a manner so as to provide for the rim to be secured around at least a portion of the perimeter of the shelf panel. Securing means are adapted to be heated and made pliable so as to provide retention and support for the panel. The securing means can comprise a plurality of heat stake ribs positioned at various locations around the panel. In addition, the securing means can also include a plurality of heat stake pads. Each of the pads can be associated with a different one of the heat stake ribs. Alternatively, and also in accordance of the invention, the securing means can comprise at least one heat stake pad, with the heat stake pad associated with at least two of the heat stake ribs. [0017] Further in accordance with the invention, the plurality of heat stake ribs can be configured so that at least two of the heat stake ribs are located adjacent each lateral side of the shelf panel. The securing means can further comprise a plurality of heat stake pads, with one of each of the heat stake pads being associated with all of the heat stake ribs adjacent a lateral side of the shelf panel. [0018] In accordance with further aspects of the invention, the securing means can comprise at least one heat stake rib initially projecting downwardly from the plastic rim. The heat stake rib can be adapted to be heated and made pliable, and while in a pliable state turned inwardly and below the perimeter of the shelf panel, so that at least a portion of the heat stake rib abuts an underside of the shelf panel. The heat stake rib can be formed around the perimeter of the shelf panel through the use of a small radius tool. Alternatively, the heat stake rib can be formed around the perimeter of the shelf panel through the use of a large radius tool. [0019] Other aspects of the invention include the securing means having at least one heat stake rib initially projecting downwardly from the plastic rim, with at least one heat stake pad adapted to be in position on the heat stake rib and the heat stake rib is heated so as to be made pliable. When the heat stake rib is heated to an appropriate temperature, directed pressure may be exerted against the heat stake rib, so as to secure at least a portion of the heat stake pad against an underside portion of the shelf panel. The heat stake pad can include an aperture extending through the heat stake pad, with the aperture sized so as to receive the heat stake rib. The heat stake rib can be heated and received within the aperture of the heat stake pad, thereby making the heat stake rib pliable. When the heat stake rib is sufficiently pliable, the heat stake rib can be deformed against an underside of the heat stake pad, so as to cause the heat stake pad to abut an underside of the shelf panel. Continue reading about Heat staked shelf... Full patent description for Heat staked shelf Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Heat staked shelf patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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