GB2186672A

GB2186672A - Refrigerator doors

Info

Publication number: GB2186672A
Application number: GB08603745A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Henry Peacock
Original assignee: SAGELINE Ltd
Current assignee: SAGELINE Ltd
Priority date: 1986-02-14
Filing date: 1986-02-14
Publication date: 1987-08-19
Also published as: GB8603745D0

Abstract

A door 1 for a refrigerator 2 has a glazed panel 3 supported in a frame 4 receiving an edge portion 5 of the glazed panel. The frame comprises a metallic portion 6 forming in use an external surface of the refrigerator and an insulating portion 7 of a thermally insulating material. The glazed panel is clamped between opposing flanges 8 and 9 of the metallic and insulating frame portions respectively such that the insulating frame portion forms a thermal break impeding thermal conduction through the frame from the exterior to the interior of the refrigerator. The metallic portion 6 is an extruded aluminium channel and the insulating portion is extruded plastic channel. The double glazed panel has an outer pane 19 which is electrically heated. The door has particular application to refrigerator doors for display purposes in retail outlets. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to refrigerator doors This invention relates to a door for a refrigerator and in particular to a door having a glazed panel supported in a frame receiving an edge portion of the glazed panel.

It is known for refrigerators such as freezers installed in retail outlets for food stuffs to have doors which include a glazed panel to thereby display the goods. Whilst it is often desirable for structural and esthetic reasons for the frame to be metallic a problem exists in that thermal conduction through a metallic frame can result in the external door surface being cooled to substantially less than the ambient temperature and thereby become cold to the touch and attracting condensation. Such thermal conduction also degrades the efficiency of the refrigerator so increasing the energy consumption.

According to the present invention there is disclosed a door for a refrigerator having a glazed panel supported in a frame receiving an edge portion of the glazed panel, the frame comprising a metallic portion forming in use an external surface of the refrigerator and an insulating portion of a thermally insulating material and the glazed panel being clamped between opposing flanges of the metallic and insulating frame portions respectively such that the insulating frame portion forms a thermal break impeding thermal conduction through the frame from the exterior to the interior of the refrigerator.

Preferably the metallic frame portion is formed from lengths of a channel member of uniform cross section, the panel clamping flange of the metallic frame portion forming an integral part of the channel member and the channel member having a channel for accomodating a hinge fitting such that in use at least one of the lengths of channel member receives a hinge fitting whereby the door is hinged to the refrigerator.

Preferably the insulating frame portion is formed from corresponding lengths of an elongate insulating member of uniform cross section, the panel clamping flange of the insulating frame portion forming an integral part of the insulating member, and the lengths of insulating member and channel member being assembled in use such that the channel is enclosed.

Advantageously the channel member is of extruded aluminium and the insulating member is of extruded plastics material.

Conveniently the channel member and insulating member include co-operating interlocking formations. The need for screws and similar fittings is thereby obviated. Conveniently the formations are snap engageable.

Preferably the glazed panel is double glazed i.e. comprises an outer pane and an inner pane which are spaced apart and the space therebetween preferably being hermetically sealed.

Preferably the outer pane of such a double glazed panel is electrically heated.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a sectioned plan view of part of a refrigerator door attached to a refrigerator; Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of a double glazed refrigerator door; and Figure 3 is a front elevation of the door of Figure 2.

In Figure 1 a refrigerator door 1 is hinged to a refrigerator 2 and includes a hermetically sealed double glazed panel 3. A frame 4 receives an edge portion 5 of the glazed panel 3, the frame comprising a metallic frame portion 6 and an insulating frame portion 7.

The panel 3 is clamped between flanges 8 and 9 of the metallic frame portion 6 and insulating frame portion 7 respectively. Rubber seals 10 and 11 are included between the respective flanges and the panel and the respective flanges are provided with gripping ribs 12 and 13 respectively for retaining the seals in positon.

The metallic frame portion 6 has a channel 14 receiving a hinge fitting 15 which is located at the upper end of the channel. A similar fitting (not shown) is located at the lower end of the channel and these hinge fittings are connected with co-operating hinge pins (not shown) of the refrigerator so that the door 1 is pivotally movable from a closed position as shown to an open position in which the door is rotated through 900 in a clockwise direction as viewed from above.

The channel 14 is closed by the insulating frame portion 7 which is fastened to the metallic frame portion 6 by means of projections 17 from the insulating frame portion 7 which are gripped by inwardly directed barbs 18 of the metallic frame portion 6 disposed on either side of the channel 14. The insulating frame portion 7 is therefore assemblable with the metallic frame portion 6 by snap action.

The glazed panel 3 as seen in Figures 2 and 3 is rectangular and has an outer pane 19 including an electrical heating element 20 which is sandwiched between laminations in the glass pane. The panel 3 also has an inner pane 21 of 6mm toughened glass spaced from the outer pane 19 by spacers 22. The glazed panel is hermetically sealed by an outer seal 23 extending between the panes 19 and 21 at the edge portion 5 and the edge face 30 of the panel formed form the inner pane 19 outer pane 21 and outer seal 23 is spaced from the frame 4 by an insulating strip 29.

The channel 14 also provides a means of ducting electrical feed wires (not shown) for supplying heating current to the heating element 20. A 12 volt supply delivering 180 watts is used to maintain the outer pane 19 at a temperature sufficient to avoid condensation form the atmosphere.

A flexible sealing strip 24 extends between the insulating frame portion 7 and a vertical support 25 of the refrigerator 2 and the door is maintained in contact with the refrigerator by a magnetic gasket 31 which is formed integrally with the strip 24 and serves to make the closed door airtight.

In use the interior 26 of the refrigerator is at a lower temperature than the exterior 27 and the flow of heat between these regions is impeded by the insulating walls 28 of the refrigerator and the double glazed panel 3 of the door 1. A temperature difference will be maintained between the outer and inner panes 19 and 21 of the panel 3 which extends to the edge portion 5 gripping between flanges 8 and 9 of the frame 4. Thermal conduction through the frame 4 is impeded by the insulating material of the insulating flange 9 so that the temperature difference is maintained and the metallic frame portion 6 is not cooled.

Claims

1. A door for a refrigerator having a glazed panel supported in a frame receiving an edge portion of the glazed panel, the frame comprising a metallic portion forming in use an external surface of the refrigerator and an insulating portion of a thermally insulating material and the glazed panel being clamped between opposing flanges of the metallic and insulating frame portions respectively such that the insulating frame portion forms a thermal break impeding thermal conduction through the frame from the exterior to the interior of the refrigerator.

2. A door as claimed in claim 1 wherein the metallic frame portion is formed from lengths of a channel member of uniform cross section, the panel clamping flange of the metallic frame portion forming an integral part of the channel member and the channel member having a channel for accomodating a hinge fitting such that in use at least one of the lengths of channel member receives a hinge fitting whereby the door is hinged to the refrigerator.

3. A door as claimed in claim 2 wherein the insulating frame portion is formed from corresponding lengths of an elongate insulating member of uniform cross section, the panel clamping flange of the insulating frame portion forming an integral part of the insulating member, and the lengths of insulating member and channel member being assembled in use such that the channel is enclosed.

4. A door as claimed in either of claims 2 and 3 wherein the channel member is of extruded aluminium.

5. A door as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 wherein the insulating member is of extruded plastics material.

6. A door as claimed in any of claims 3, 4 and 5 wherein the channel member and insulating member include co-operating interlocking formations.

7. A door as claimed in claim 6 wherein the formations are snap engageable.

8. A door as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the glazed panel is double glazed.

9. A door as claimed in claim 8 wherein the panel has an electrically heated outer pane.

10. A frame for use in a door as claimed in any preceding claim.

11. A channel member for use in a door as claimed in any of claims 4 to 9.

11. A channel member for use in a door as claimed in any of claims 2 to 9.

12. An insulating member for use in a door as claimed in any of claims 3 to 9.

13. A door substantially as hereinbefore disclosed with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

14. A channel member substantially as hereinbefore disclosed with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

15. An insulating member as hereinbefore disclosed with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

CLAIMS Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: Claims 1 to 9 and 11 above have been deleted or textually amended.

New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows:

1. A door for a refrigerator having a glazed panel supported in a frame receiving an edge portion of the glazed panel, the glazed panel being double-glazed having an inner and an outer pane wherein the outer pane is electri cally heated.

2. A door for a refrigerator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame defines ducting means for electrical feed wires supplying electrical power to the outer pane.

3. A door for a refrigerator as claimed in claim 2 wherein the frame comprises a metal lic portion forming in use an external surface of the refrigerator and an insulating portion of a thermally insulating material, the glazed panel being clamped between opposing flanges of the metallic and insulating frame portions respectively such that the insulating frame portion defines a thermal break imped ing thermal conduction through the frame from the exterior to the interior of the refrigerator and wherein the metallic portion and the insu lating portion define a closed channel there between which channel constitutes the ducting means.

4. A door as claimed in claim 3 wherein the metallic frame portion is formed from lengths of a channel member of uniform cross section, the panel clamping flange of the metallic frame portion forming an integral part of the channel member and the channel member having a channel for accomodating a hinge fitting such that in use at least one of the lengths of channel member receives a hinge fitting whereby the door is hinged to the refrigerator.

5. A door as claimed in claim 4 wherein the insulating frame portion is formed from corresponding lengths of an elongate insulating member of uniform cross section, the panel clamping flange of the insulating frame portion forming an integral part of the insulating member.

6. A door as claimed in claim 5 wherein the channel member is of extruded aluminium.

7. A door as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6 wherein the insulating member is of extruded plastics material.

8. A door as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7 wherein the channel member and insulating member include co-operating interlocking for mations.

9. A door as claimed in claim 8 wherein the formations are snap engageable.