Removable shelf liner

Abstract

A removable shelf liner includes a solid base wall, a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the base wall, and a handle portion. The shelf liner has a height, length and width that permits its use on a shelf of a refrigerator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A removable shelf liner comprising:
 a solid base wall;   a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the base wall, with at least a bottom portion of the side walls being solid; and   a handle portion coupled to at least one of the side walls,   wherein the shelf liner has a height, length and width that permits its use on a shelf of a refrigerator, with the length being equal to or greater than the width and the height being smaller than both the width and the length.   
     
     
         2 . The shelf liner of  claim 1 , wherein the side walls extend upwardly from the base wall at a substantially perpendicular angle relative to the base wall. 
     
     
         3 . The shelf liner of  claim 1 , wherein the handle portion extends outwardly from one of the side walls. 
     
     
         4 . The shelf liner of  claim 1 , wherein the handle portion includes a plurality of handle portions. 
     
     
         5 . The shelf liner of  claim 3 , wherein the handle portion includes a first perpendicular portion that is coupled to the side wall and a second downwardly extending portion that is coupled to the first portion. 
     
     
         6 . The shelf liner of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf liner is made of polypropylene. 
     
     
         7 . The shelf liner of  claim 1 , wherein the base wall is about 15 inches wide by 15 inches long and the side walls have a height of about 2 inches; or
 wherein the base wall is about 8 inches wide by 15 inches long and the side walls have a height of about 2 inches.   
     
     
         8 . The shelf liner of  claim 1 , wherein the material of the base and side walls is easily cleanable. 
     
     
         9 . The shelf liner of  claim 1 , wherein a pattern of decorative openings is provided through the side walls. 
     
     
         10 . The shelf liner of  claim 1 , further comprising strengthening portions coupled to the corners of the side walls. 
     
     
         11 . The shelf liner of  claim 1 , further comprising a surface treatment applied to a bottom of the base wall in order to elevate the base wall about an underlying surface. 
     
     
         12 . The shelf liner of  claim 1 , wherein the base wall, side walls, and handle together are strong enough to permit the user to remove the shelf liner from a refrigerator shelf and transport it to a nearby surface without the contents of the shelf liner falling out of the liner. 
     
     
         13 . The shelf liner of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is shaped in order to provide leverage for a user to lift the shelf liner and remove it from a shelf of a refrigerator. 
     
     
         14 . The shelf liner of  claim 1 , wherein two of the side walls are on the long sides of the liner, one side wall forms a front wall of the liner, and one side wall forms a rear wall of the liner, with the handle portion being coupled to the front wall, and wherein the long side walls define a length of the liner, the front and end walls define a width of the liner, and the long side walls, front wall, and end wall all have substantially the same height, with the height being less than half the width. 
     
     
         15 . The shelf liner of  claim 14 , wherein the length is about double the width of the liner. 
     
     
         16 . The shelf liner of  claim 14 , wherein the height is about 2 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The shelf liner of  claim 16 , wherein the length is about 15 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The shelf liner of  claim 17 , wherein the width is about 7 inches, about 8 inches, or about 15 inches.