ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR ADJUSTABLE REFRIGERATOR SHELF

摘要

A refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet having a temperature-controlled compartment defined therein, a shelf ladder disposed in the temperature-controlled compartment and providing a plurality of shelf mounting positions, an electrical connector corresponding to each of the plurality of shelf mounting positions, wherein each of the electrical connectors comprises an actuator movable from a first position to a second position and an electrical contact configured to automatically move from a disengaged position to an engaged position in response to the actuator moving from the first position to the second position, and an adjustable shelf removably mountable in one of the plurality of shelf mounting positions such that the actuator of the corresponding electrical connector is held in the second position by a weight of the adjustable shelf and the electrical contact of the corresponding electrical connector engages the adjustable shelf.

主权项

1. A refrigerator appliance comprising:
a cabinet having a temperature-controlled compartment defined therein; a shelf ladder disposed in the temperature-controlled compartment and providing a plurality of shelf mounting positions; an electrical connector coupled to the shelf ladder, the electrical connector comprising:
a first lever hingedly coupled to the electrical connector and having a contact end and a medial end, the first lever further comprising an electrical contact;a second lever hingedly coupled to the electrical connector and having a lateral end and a medial end, wherein the medial end of the second lever is slidably coupled to the medial end of the first lever; anda resilient member in contact with at least one of the first lever and the second lever, and configured to bias the first lever and the second lever in a disengaged position; an adjustable shelf comprising a bracket with an upper tab and a lower tab, the lower tab further comprising an electrical conductor, the adjustable shelf removably mountable in one of the plurality of shelf mounting positions; wherein the lower tab is configured to interface with the second lever such that the lower tab forces the second lever and the first lever into an engaged position such that the electrical contact is electrically coupled to the electrical conductor.