Refrigerator cabinet encompassing a range of refrigerator volume

Claim 2

A variable volume refrigerator comprising a cabinet shell, insulation material secured to the inner surface of said shell, first supporting means secured in said insulation material and predetermined aligned positions on each side of said shell, a divider panel, second supporting means secured to opposite ends of said divider panel removably engaging said first supporting means for positioning said divider panel in said shell, said shell and said divider panel forming separate cabinet compartments, a plastic liner slidably received in each compartmEnt, each liner defining a usable food storage volume, and ribs secured on the exterior surfaces of said liner engaging the insulation material supporting the liner in said shell, the length of said ribs varying with the usable volume defined by the liner whereby the cabinet compartments accommodate liners defining a range of usable volumes.

Claim 3

In combination a variable volume refrigerator cabinet comprising a steel outer shell, insulation foamed in place secured to the inner surfaces of said shell, a relatively hard inner surface formed on said foamed insulation, a metal channel member molded in said foamed insulation at predetermined aligned points on each side of said refrigerator shell, a divider panel of foamed material, a metal reinforcing member in said divider panel, supporting rails secured in the opposite ends of said divider panel, said supporting rails slidably received within said metal channels molded in the shell foamed insulation so that said supporting rail can readily be inserted into the refrigerator cabinet, a first slidably removable plastic liner formed to define a first food compartment above said divider panel, a second slidably removable liner formed to define a second food compartment within said cabinet below said divider panel, and a plurality of integral rib members formed circumferentially about said liners engaging the foamed insulation secured to said cabinet and in cooperation with the foamed insulation defining a plurality of air channels between said ribs and said liner surface providing for circulation of cooled air about said compartments, the length of said integral ribs varying with the usable space in said food compartments.

Claim 4

In combination a variable volume refrigerator cabinet comprising a steel outer shell, insulation foamed in place secured to the inner surfaces of said shell, a relatively hard inner surface formed on said foamed insulation, a metal channel member molded in said foamed insulation at predetermined aligned points on each side of said refrigerator shell, a divider panel of foamed material, a metal reinforcing member in said divider panel, supporting rails secured in the opposite ends of said divider panel, said supporting rails slidably received within said metal channels molded in the shell foamed insulation so that said supporting rail can readily be inserted into the refrigerator cabinet, a first slidably removable plastic liner formed to define a first food compartment above said divider panel, a second slidably removable liner formed to define a second food compartment within said cabinet below said divider panel, and a plurality of integral rib members formed circumferentially about said liners engaging the foamed insulation secured to said cabinet and in cooperation with the foamed insulation defining a plurality of air channels between said ribs and said liner surface providing for circulation of cooled air about said compartments, the length of said integral ribs varying with the usable space in said food compartments.

Claim 5

In combination a variable volume refrigerator cabinet comprising an outer shell, insulation material foamed in place and secured to said shell, a relatively hard inner surface formed on said foamed insulation, channel members molded in said foamed insulation at predetermined aligned points in each side of said refrigerator shell, a divider panel, metal supporting rails secured to opposite ends of said divider panel and cooperating with said channel members, said supporting rails being removably slidably received within said metal channels dividing the cabinet into compartments, rectangular plastic liners defining a usable volume slidably fitting within said compartments, a plurality of spaced ribs extending normally from the surfaces of said rectangular liners, angularly extending corner projections integral with said rectangular liners, the corner projections engaging the corners formed by the intersection of said divider panel with the cabinet insulation, said channels and said rails cooperating to receive and support said corner projections, facing flanges formed integrally with said liners defining a finished surface on the front of said cabinet, facing flanges formed on the front of said refrigerator cabinet said liner facing flanges extending in close proximity to said cabinet facing flanges, and a finishing strip sealing the space between said facing flanges while simultaneously retaining them together.

Claim 6

In combination a variable volume refrigerator cabinet comprising an outer shell, insulation material foamed in place and secured to said shell, a relatively hard inner surface formed on said foamed insulation, channel members molded in said foamed insulation at predetermined aligned points in each side of said refrigerator shell, a divider panel, metal supporting rails secured to opposite ends of said divider panel and cooperating with said channel members, said supporting rails being removably slidably received within said metal channels dividing the cabinet into compartments, rectangular plastic liners defining a usable volume slidably fitting within said compartments, a plurality of spaced ribs extending normally from the surfaces of said rectangular liners, angularly extending corner projections integral with said rectangular liners, the corner projections engaging the corners formed by the intersection of said divider panel with the cabinet insulation, said channels and said rails cooperating to receive and support said corner projections, facing flanges formed integrally with said liners defining a finished surface on the front of said cabinet, facing flanges formed on the front of said refrigerator cabinet said liner facing flanges extending in close proximity to said cabinet facing flanges, and a finishing strip sealing the space between said facing flanges while simultaneously retaining them together.