Lighted refrigerator shelf with overmold

Abstract

A shelf for supporting items including but not limited to in refrigerated appliances includes in an integrated fashion a supporting surface and around the perimeter of the supporting surface of similar dimensions. A lighting subassembly is mountable to or integrated in the framing. Electrical power can be through touchless or contact electrical communication. In one form the supporting surface is a single substantially clear plate. In another form the supporting surface is a thin glass top layer and a bottom layer overmolded with the framing to the thin glass top layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shelf comprising:
 a. an at least partially light transmissive supporting plate having a thickness and a perimeter edge;   b. a framing surrounding the perimeter edge of the supporting plate, the framing having a thickness not substantially greater than the thickness of the supporting plate and an outward extension not substantially greater than the perimeter edge;   c. a lighting subassembly along at least one portion of the framing or supporting plate, the lighting subassembly and comprising one or more light sources having light output directed through or along the supporting plate;   d. a connection to electrical power between the lighting subassembly and at or near the framing; and   e. shelf mounting brackets associated with the framing;   f. so that size and proportion of the supporting plate to the framing and lighting subassembly of the framing provide an integrated storage surface, local illumination, and thin appearance when supported by mounting brackets in a space.   
     
     
         2 . The shelf of  claim 1  wherein the supporting plate comprises glass. 
     
     
         3 . The shelf of  claim 1  wherein the supporting plate comprises plastic. 
     
     
         4 . The shelf of  claim 1  wherein the supporting plate comprises a thin top layer of glass and a thicker bottom layer of plastic. 
     
     
         5 . The shelf of  claim 4  wherein the top and bottom layers are at least substantially optically clear. 
     
     
         6 . The shelf of  claim 1  wherein the framing comprises a pair of frame members. 
     
     
         7 . The shelf of  claim 6  wherein at least one of the frame members comprises metal. 
     
     
         8 . The shelf of  claim 1  wherein the framing comprises overmolded plastic. 
     
     
         9 . The shelf of  claim 1  wherein the framing comprises plastic. 
     
     
         10 . The shelf of  claim 9  wherein a part of the plastic comprises a light pipe. 
     
     
         11 . The shelf of  claim 4  wherein the framing comprises overmolded plastic and the bottom layer of the supporting layer is a part of the overmolded plastic. 
     
     
         12 . The shelf of  claim 1  wherein the light output of the lighting subassembly is directed substantially through the supporting plate. 
     
     
         13 . The shelf of  claim 1  wherein the light sources comprises LEDs. 
     
     
         14 . The shelf of  claim 13  wherein the LEDs are arranged in one or more substantially linear arrays on or at least one of the framing or the supporting plate. 
     
     
         15 . The shelf of  claim 13  wherein at least two LEDs have different color outputs. 
     
     
         16 . The shelf of  claim 1  further comprising an optical component associated with the light output of the light sources. 
     
     
         17 . The shelf of  claim 16  wherein the optical component comprises a pattern on the supporting plate. 
     
     
         18 . The shelf of  claim 1  wherein the connection to electrical power comprises a conductor terminating in a conductive contact at or near the framing. 
     
     
         19 . The shelf of  claim 1  wherein the connection to electrical power comprises a contactless connection. 
     
     
         20 . The shelf of  claim 19  wherein the contactless connection comprises inductive, capacitive, or magnetic power transfer. 
     
     
         21 . The shelf of  claim 1  wherein the connection to electrical power is adapted to transfer electrical power and/or data and further comprising a sensor at or near a shelf which provides data to inform a lighting effect from the light sources at the shelf. 
     
     
         22 . The shelf of  claim 1  in combination with a supporting structure adapted to receive supporting brackets to suspend the shelf in space. 
     
     
         23 . The combination of  claim 22  wherein the supporting structure comprises a refrigeration appliance cabinet. 
     
     
         24 . A refrigerator shelf comprising:
 a. a glass plate providing an upper shelf surface and having a perimeter edge;   b. an overmolded plastic framing having a perimeter on the same order of size as the perimeter edge of the glass plate, the overmolded framing comprising an undersupport for the glass plate;   c. a mounting location for a light source on at least one of the glass plate and the framing;   d. an electrical power connection to the mounting location for the light source;   e. so that the shelf is an integration of the glass plate, the overmolded framing, and electrical power connection for providing lighting at and around the shelf.   
     
     
         25 . The refrigerator shelf of  claim 24  further comprising a light source mounted to the mounting location on or in the framing. 
     
     
         26 . The refrigerator shelf of  claim 25  wherein the light source comprises a plurality of LEDs. 
     
     
         27 . The refrigerator shelf of  claim 26  wherein the LEDS comprise a linear array is along the front edge or along the undersupport of the framing. 
     
     
         28 . The refrigerator of  claim 24  wherein the glass plate and plastic plate each has a thickness and is at least substantially light transmissive and the overmolded framing is less than twice the thickness of and is substantially close to the perimeter of the glass plate. 
     
     
         29 . The refrigerator shelf of  claim 24  wherein the electrical power connection comprises an inductive coupler for receiving electrical power for operating the light source. 
     
     
         30 . The refrigerator shelf of  claim 29  wherein the inductive coupler comprises a thin receiving antenna along the glass plate, plastic plate, or framing. 
     
     
         31 . The refrigerator shelf of  claim 24  in combination with and mounted in a refrigerator cabinet, wherein the inductive coupler is adapted for operative communication inductively with an electrical power radiating antenna on or in the cabinet. 
     
     
         32 . The refrigerator shelf of  claim 24  wherein the power connection comprises a conductive element on the plastic plate or overmolding, the conductive element having a distal end adapted for conductive communication with an electrical power source in the cabinet. 
     
     
         33 . A refrigerator shelf made according the process comprising:
 a. producing a plastic plate having a perimeter;   b. overmolding light pipe material to at least a portion of the perimeter of the plastic plate;   c. mounting a light source at the overmolding light pipe material; and   d. applying a power connection to the plastic shelf to the light source.   
     
     
         34 . The refrigerator shelf of  claim 33  in combination with a mounting location in a refrigerator cabinet. 
     
     
         35 . The refrigerator shelf of  claim 33  further comprising overlaying a glass plate over the plastic plate to provide a glass upper surface for the shelf. 
     
     
         36 . The refrigerator shelf of  claim 35  wherein the glass plate is on the order of 1 mm thick. 
     
     
         37 . The refrigerator shelf of  claim 33  further comprising building into the overmolded light pipe material structure for mounting to mounting brackets that allow adjustable height mounting in the refrigerator cabinet. 
     
     
         38 . A method of lighting shelving comprising:
 a. integrating light sources into at least one of a substantially optically clear supporting plate or framing of the supporting plate, wherein the framing is not substantially thicker and does not extend substantially from the plate;   b. providing electrical power to the light sources by contact or contactless transmission;   c. operating the light sources to give the appearance of luminance at and about the supporting plate and/or illuminate surrounding areas or surfaces.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein the supporting plate comprises a thin glass upper layer and an overmolded bottom layer.