Refrigerator and storage system for a refrigerator

Abstract

A storage drawer for a refrigerator appliance includes a first wall, a second wall, a partition, and a guide. The first wall defines a slot. The second wall is spaced-apart from the first wall, has an upper edge, and has a lip extending outward therefrom along the upper edge. The partition extends between the first and second walls, is slidable along the first and second walls, has a hook extending outward therefrom, and defines orifice on an opposing side of the partition relative to the hook. The hook engages the lip to facilitate movement of the partition. The guide has a base region and a keyed region. The keyed region extends through the slot and into the orifice such that the keyed region engages the partition within the orifice and the base region engages the first wall on an opposing side of the first wall relative to the partition.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A storage receptacle for a refrigerator appliance comprising: 
 a front wall defining a pair of slots;   a rear wall (i) spaced-apart from the front wall and (ii) having a protrusion extending outward therefrom;   a partition wall (i) extending between the front and rear walls, (ii) having a hook extending outward therefrom, and (iii) defining a pair of orifices along an edge of the partition wall on an opposing side of the partition wall relative to the hook, wherein the hook engages the protrusion to facilitate sliding the partition wall along the front and rear walls and restrict vertical movement of the partition wall; and   a pair of guides each having (i) a base region and (ii) a protruding region, wherein the protruding region of each guide extends through one of the slots of the pair of slots and into one of the orifices of the pair of orifices such that each protruding region engages the partition wall within one of the orifices of the pair of orifices and each base region engages the front wall on an opposing side of the front wall relative to the partition wall to facilitate sliding the partition wall along the front and rear walls, restrict vertical movement of the partition wall, and restrict movement of the partition wall in a direction extending between the front and rear walls.   
     
     
         2 . The storage receptacle of  claim 1 , wherein the partition wall defines apertures intersecting each orifice of the pair of orifices. 
     
     
         3 . The storage receptacle of  claim 2 , wherein the protruding region of each guide of the pair of guides includes clips, and wherein the clips engage the partition wall within the apertures to secure the pair of guides to the partition wall. 
     
     
         4 . The storage receptacle of  claim 1 , further comprising a lower wall secured to lower ends of the front and rear walls, wherein the lower wall includes a guide rail, a lower edge of the partition wall defines a recessed region, and the guide rail extends into the recessed region to facilitate sliding the partition wall along the front and rear walls. 
     
     
         5 . The storage receptacle of  claim 4 , further comprising a reinforcement bar disposed on an opposing side of the lower wall relative to the guide rail. 
     
     
         6 . The storage receptacle of  claim 4 , wherein the guide rail is substantially parallel to the front and rear walls. 
     
     
         7 . The storage receptacle of  claim 1 , wherein the front wall defines grooves along the opposing side of the front wall relative to the partition wall, each guide of the pair of guides includes flanges protruding from upper and lower regions of the guides, and the flanges are disposed and slidable within the grooves to facilitate sliding the partition wall along the front and rear walls.  
     
     
         8 . A storage drawer for a refrigerator appliance comprising: 
 a first wall defining a slot;   a second wall (i) spaced-apart from the first wall, (ii) having an upper edge, and (iii) having a lip extending outward therefrom along the upper edge;   a partition (i) extending between the first and second walls, (ii) slidable along the first and second walls in a first direction, (iii) having a hook extending outward therefrom, and (iv) defining orifice on an opposing side of the partition relative to the hook, wherein the hook engages the lip to facilitate movement of the partition in the first direction and restrict movement of the partition in a second direction; and   a guide having (i) a base region and (ii) a keyed region extending from the base region, wherein the keyed region extends through the slot and into the orifice such that the keyed region engages the partition within the orifice and the base region engages the first wall on an opposing side of the first wall relative to the partition to facilitate movement of the partition in the first direction, restrict movement of the partition in the second direction, and restrict movement of the partition in a third direction.   
     
     
         9 . The storage drawer of  claim 8 , wherein the partition defines at least one aperture intersecting the orifice. 
     
     
         10 . The storage drawer of  claim 9 , wherein the keyed region of the guide includes at least one clip, and wherein the at least one clip engages the partition within the at least one aperture to secure the guide to the partition. 
     
     
         11 . The storage drawer of  claim 8 , further comprising a lower wall secured to lower ends of the first and second walls, wherein the lower wall includes a guide rail, a lower edge of the partition defines a recessed region, and the guide rail extends into the recessed region to facilitate movement of the partition in the first direction. 
     
     
         12 . The storage drawer of  claim 11 , further comprising a reinforcement bar disposed on an opposing side of the lower wall relative to the guide rail. 
     
     
         13 . The storage drawer of  claim 11 , wherein the guide rail is substantially parallel to the first and second walls. 
     
     
         14 . The storage drawer of  claim 8 , wherein the guide includes flanges protruding from upper and lower regions of the guide and defining a C-channel therebetween, the first wall includes projections extending from the opposing side of the first wall relative to the partition, and the projections are disposed with the C-channel to facilitate movement of the partition in the first direction and restrict movement of the partition in the second direction. 
     
     
         15 . A storage basket for a refrigerated cavity comprising: 
 a front wall;   a rear wall (i) spaced-apart from the front wall, (ii) having a top edge, and (iii) having a ridge protruding rearward from the top edge;   first and second side walls (i) spaced-apart from each other and (ii) extending between the front and rear walls, wherein the front wall defines at least one slot extending between the first and second side walls;   a bottom wall interconnected with the front wall, rear wall, first side wall, and second side wall such that the front wall, rear wall, first side wall, second side wall, and bottom wall define a storage space;   a divider wall (i) disposed within the storage space, (ii) configured slide between the first and second side walls, (iii) having a hook extending outward along a rear side of the divider wall, and (iv) defining at least one orifice along a front edge of the divider wall, wherein the hook extends over the top edge of the rear wall, along a rear side of the ridge, and below a lower side of the ridge such that engagement between the hook and the ridge facilitates movement of the divider wall between the first and second side walls and restricts vertical movement of the divider wall along the rear side of the divider wall; and   at least one guide having (i) at least one base plate and (ii) at least one protruding region extending from the at least one base plate, wherein the (a) at least one protruding region extends through the at least one slot, engages the front wall within the at least one slot, extends into the at least one orifice, and engages the divider wall within the at least one orifice and (b) the at least one base plate engages the front wall on an opposing side of the front wall relative to the divider wall such that engagement between the at least one protruding region and the front wall, engagement between the at least one protruding region and the divider wall, and engagement between the at least one base plate and the front wall facilitates movement of the divider wall between the first and second side walls, restricts movement of the divider wall between the front and rear walls, and restricts vertical movement of the divider wall along a front side of the divider wall.   
     
     
         16 . The storage basket of  claim 15 , wherein the divider wall defines at least one aperture intersecting the at least one orifice. 
     
     
         17 . The storage basket of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one protruding region of the at the at least one guide includes at least one clip, and wherein the at least one clip engages the divider wall within the at least one aperture to secure the at the at least one guide to the divider wall. 
     
     
         18 . The storage basket of  claim 15 , wherein the bottom wall includes a guide rail, a lower edge of the divider wall defines a recessed region, and the guide rail extends into the recessed region to facilitate movement of the divider wall between the first and second side walls. 
     
     
         19 . The storage basket of  claim 18 , further comprising a reinforcement bar disposed on an opposing side of the bottom wall relative to the guide rail. 
     
     
         20 . The storage basket of  claim 15 , wherein the front wall defines grooves along the opposing side of the front wall relative to the divider wall, the at least one guide includes flanges protruding from upper and lower regions of the at least one guide, and the flanges are disposed and slidable within the grooves to facilitate movement of the divider wall between the first and second side walls.