Storage structure for an appliance

Abstract

A storage structure for an appliance, such as a refrigerator, is disclosed. The storage structure includes a metal frame coupled to the appliance, and in some cases welded to a door of the appliance. A storage bin is disposed within the metal frame and movable between an open and closed position. In some cases, a top wall of the metal frame may define the floor of a storage cavity disposed above the storage structure. The storage cavity may also include an upper retaining portion that is movably coupled to the appliance to adjust the size of the storage cavity.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 a cabinet defining an internal cavity;   a door coupled to the cabinet and configured to provide selective access to the internal cavity; and   a structure for storing food items, wherein the structure is disposed on an interior surface of the door and comprises:
 a metal frame; 
 a bin disposed within the metal frame, wherein the bin defines a compartment for storing the food items, and wherein the bin is movably coupled to the metal frame to selectively move between an open position and a closed position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein the metal frame comprises:
 a plurality of metal walls.   
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein a thickness of each of the metal walls is less than about 4 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator of  claim 2 , wherein:
 a thickness of each of the metal walls is between about 2 mm and 3 mm.   
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein a top wall of the metal frame defines a floor of a storage cavity, and wherein the storage cavity further comprises:
 an upper retaining portion that is coupled to the interior surface of the door.   
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the upper retaining portion of the storage cavity is free from contact with the floor.   
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the upper retaining portion of the storage cavity is movably coupled to the interior surface of the door.   
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the bin comprises a top opening for accessing the compartment; and   a bottom portion of the bin rotates about the metal frame to provide access to the top opening in the open position.   
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator of  claim 8 , wherein the structure further comprises:
 a push-push latch configured to move the bin between the open position and the closed position.   
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the push-push latch is disposed between a bottom portion of the bin and a bottom wall of the metal frame.   
     
     
         11 . A door for an appliance, wherein the appliance comprises a cabinet defining an internal cavity, and the door is operably coupled to the cabinet to selectively seal the internal cavity in a closed position and provide access to the internal cavity in an open position, the door comprising:
 an interior surface configured to face the cabinet in a closed position and an exterior surface opposite the interior surface;   a structure for storing food items, wherein the structure is disposed on the interior surface of the door and comprises:
 a metal frame; 
 a bin disposed within the metal frame, wherein the bin defines a compartment for storing food items, and wherein the bin is movably coupled to the metal frame to selectively move between an open position and a closed position. 
   
     
     
         12 . The door of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the metal frame comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, and a pair of side walls; and   the metal frame is welded to the interior surface of the door.   
     
     
         13 . The door of  claim 12 , wherein:
 a thickness of the top wall, the bottom wall and each of the pair of side walls is less than about 4 mm.   
     
     
         14 . The door of  claim 12 , wherein:
 a thickness of the top wall, the bottom wall, and each of the pair of side walls is between about 2 mm and 3 mm.   
     
     
         15 . The door of  claim 12 , wherein the top wall of the metal frame defines a floor of a storage cavity, and wherein the storage cavity further comprises:
 an upper retaining portion that is movably coupled to the interior surface of the door to increase or decrease the size of the storage cavity.   
     
     
         16 . The door of  claim 15 , wherein the storage cavity is a first storage cavity and the upper retaining portion is a first upper retaining portion, and the door further comprises a second storage cavity, the second storage cavity comprising:
 a metal floor welded to the interior surface of the door; and   a second upper retaining portion that is movably coupled to the interior surface of the door to increase or decrease the size of the second storage cavity.   
     
     
         17 . An appliance comprising:
 a cabinet defining an internal cavity;   a door configured to provide selective access to the internal cavity; and   a storage structure disposed on the door, comprising:
 a frame coupled to the door, the frame having at least one wall with a thickness between about 2 mm and 3 mm; 
 a bin defining a storage area disposed within the frame, wherein the bin is moveably coupled to the frame to selectively move between an open position and a closed position. 
   
     
     
         18 . The appliance of  claim 17 , wherein:
 a top portion of the bin tilts away from the frame to move into the open position.   
     
     
         19 . The appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the storage structure further comprises:
 a push-push latch to release the bin from the closed position and to hold the bin in the closed position.   
     
     
         20 . The appliance of  claim 17 , wherein the frame comprises:
 a plurality of metal walls, wherein the thickness of each of the metal walls is between about 2 mm and 3 mm.