REFRIGERATOR DOOR ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the refrigerator technique and, more particularly, to a refrigerator door assembly provided with reinforcing corner brackets that are secured to a portion of door tray of refrigerator door assembly through a riveting process. 2. Discussion of the Prior Art In the construction of a refrigerator, it is highly desirable to minimize the weight of a shell portion of a cabinet to reduce manufacturing, transportation, and additional associated costs, it is still imperative that the cabinet be structurally sound in order to of counteracting the loads exerted on it without deformation. Mainly due to cost efficiencies and flexibility in finishing, it has been common to use sheet metal in the formation of most refrigerator cabinets on the market these days. Since sheet metal is thin and rather high loads tend to be concentrated on the shell, particularly by opening and closing an overloaded refrigerator door, a reasonable amount of effort has been applied in this technique to provide reinforcement. for such
refrigerator cabinet breastplate. Of course, an additional important problem is the ease of assembly, as well as the overall aesthetics of the cabinet as a whole. With this in mind, it has been proposed to form the side and top walls of a refrigerator cabinet shell from a single piece of bent sheet metal and then attach it to the back and bottom walls. That is, the side walls and the top wall are integrally formed by folding a single piece of sheet metal into a plurality of corner regions. The cabinet is equipped with a coating and then foam insulation is added which, once cured, provides both structural support and thermal retention. Equally important as the manufacture of the cabinet is the manufacture of a door assembly for the refrigerator. Without proper support, stresses created by food and other items supported on the door shelves will cause the door to bend, bend or buckle. It is particularly true with side-by-side refrigerators that provide an abundance of shelf space above the doors. The refrigerator doors are constructed in a manner similar to those described in the above for refrigerator cabinets. In general, a door tray is formed by folding a sheet of metal to form a
front face portion and upper, bottom and opposite side panel portions defining at least four corner regions. In order to provide strength, particularly on one articulating side of the door, the portions of the opposite side panel portions are folded over the respective portions of the top and bottom panel portions forming an overlap. The overlap occurs in each of the four corner portions and is further reinforced by welding. However, since the size and weight of the articles supported on the refrigerator doors have increased, the door and, in particular, the side of the door joint have required additional reinforcement. Thus, manufacturers have proposed to add side articulation corner brackets to the door tray. Unfortunately, the presence of overlap prevents the corner bracket from properly embedding itself in the corner. Therefore, in order to accommodate the bracket, the overlap is cut and removed from the side of the door joint. Once removed, the corner bracket is placed and attached to the door tray. Unfortunately, the removal of the overlap exposes the metal surfaces of the door tray. As it is exposed, the metal surfaces, through time, will oxidize, the removal of the overlap eliminates any
possibility of using pre-painted or pre-finished material different from stainless steel. In the same way, the welding of the corner brackets to the door tray in combination with the prepainted material is undesirable. In particular, the heat generated during the welding process will damage the finish applied to the door tray. Therefore, when the brackets are attached to the door tray, an additional manufacturing step is required. More specifically, once the brackets are fixed to the door tray, a subsequent painting or finishing process is necessary to finish the door. While other joining methods, such as rivets, screws and the like, do not require heat, they remain remarkable and thus require a cosmetic covering to ensure a finished, seamless appearance. In the art, corner brackets have been employed only on the articulation side of the door. This process certainly reduces the number of components and stages required to manufacture a door, constantly changing assembly lines are required in order to make right-handed and left-handed doors. That is, first the assembly line is configured for a run of, for example, right hand doors. Once a series of right-hand doors is completed, the line is configured for the run of left-hand doors. With
This configuration, the rest of the assembly process is kept waiting until enough left and right hand doors are stored. Obviously, this process adds total assembly time. In the highly competitive field of home electronics, the elimination of manufacturing stages and reduction of assembly time is very desirable. Based on the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a refrigerator door assembly that can be manufactured using a minimum number of processing steps. More specifically, there is a need for a door assembly that can be reinforced without using a process that would damage a pre-existing exterior finish or requires cosmetic covers to conceal unfinished portions of a door tray. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a refrigerator that includes a cabinet having first and second laterally spaced side vertical walls that are interconnected by an upper wall to form a front opening. In addition, the refrigerator includes a pivotally mounted door assembly relative to the cabinet to close the front opening. The door assembly includes a door tray having a front face portion, as well as an upper panel portion, a portion of a panel
bottom and opposite side panel portions that collectively establish a plurality of corners. An end section of at least one of the opposite side panel portions is provided with an inward, top turning tab that is substantially co-planar with the top panel portion. The turning tab 'inwardly, topwardly and the top panel portion are formed to collectively define an articulation opening which establishes an articulation corner. In order to provide structural support for the door assembly, a corner bracket is fixed to the door tray at the articulation corner. According to a preferred form of the invention, the corner bracket includes a first leg portion extending to a second, leg portion, substantially perpendicular. When installed on the door tray, the first leg portion extends along the upper panel portion and the second leg portion extends along one of the side panel portions. In order to provide a receiving point for a hinge, the first leg portion of the corner bracket is provided with an opening that is aligned with the hinge opening. In this way, a joint can be placed in the articulation corner to define a pivot axis for the door. According to the invention, the corner bracket
Fixedly fixed in the articulation corner using a mechanical riveting process. More specifically, a series of mechanical rivets are used to join the corner bracket to each of the upper panel portion and the side panel portion of the door tray. Since riveting is a process for forming a mechanical bond between at least two materials without the use of heat, the absence of heat advantageously allows the use of a pre-painted or pre-finished material in the construction of the door tray. In this way, the painting or additional finishing process is removed from the production line. On the other hand, both stainless steel and pre-painted doors can be manufactured on the same assembly line. In further accordance with the much more preferred form of the invention, a corner bracket is secured to each of the plurality of corners of the door tray. In this way, not only is the door pan additionally reinforced, but the right and left hand doors can be run on the same assembly line at the same time in this way making the refrigerator manufacture a seamless and more efficient process. Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the
drawings in which similar reference numbers refer to corresponding parts in the various views. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a partial left perspective view if a side-by-side refrigerator incorporating a door assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a door tray portion of the door assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed view of a corner portion of the door tray of Figure 2, illustrating a corner bracket secured to the door tray in accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 is a detailed perspective view of the corner portion of Figure 3, with the corner bracket removed from the door tray; and Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a section of the corner portion of Figure 3, illustrating a rivet joint used to secure the corner bracket to the door tray. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY With initial reference to Figure 1, a side-by-side refrigerator is generally indicated at 2. The refrigerator 2 includes a cabinet shell 4 that includes
a pair of laterally spaced walls 6 and 7 interconnected by an upper wall 8. The cabinet 4 defines a freezer compartment 10 and a fresh food compartment 12 which are separated by a wall or part of intermediate light 14. In a manner known in The technique, the refrigerator 2 includes a freezer door assembly 18 that selectively provides access to a freezer compartment 10 and a fresh food door assembly 20 that provides access to the fresh food compartment 12. Toward that end, each assembly of door 18 and 20 is provided with a corresponding handle 23 and 24. In a manner also known in the art, the door assembly of the freezer 18 is provided with an ice / water dispensing assembly 28 that allows a consumer to obtain ice and / or water from the front of the refrigerator 2. Both the freezer door assembly 18 and the fresh food door assembly 20 are pivotable about the respective vertical axes defined by the upper articulations 31 and 32 and the lower articulations (not shown). In general, the structure described in the foregoing is known in the art and has been provided for a more complete understanding of the figures. The present invention is particularly directed to the construction of freezer door assembly 18 and / or door assembly
fresh food 20. However, as each door assembly 18, 20 is preferably, similarly formed, a detailed description will be made with respect to the freezer door assembly 18 with an understanding that the fresh food door assembly 20 may include corresponding structure, although without structure associated with the dispensing assembly 28. As best shown in Figure 2, the freezer door assembly 18 includes a door tray 43 having a front face portion 45, as well as a upper panel portion 48, a bottom panel portion 49 and opposite side panel portions 50 and 51 that collectively define a plurality of corners 54-57. In addition, in order to accommodate the ice / water dispensing assembly, the door tray 43 is provided with an opening 60. In the embodiment shown, each panel portion 48-51 includes a corresponding inward turning tab which establishes a rear face portion, top 68 (also see Figure 3), a rear face portion, bottom portion 69 and rear, side face portions 70 and 71 respectively. Face portions 68-71 provide structure for mounting an inner door liner (not shown) to the door tray 43. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in Figure 3, the portion
side panel 50 includes a flange defining a flange member 74 that is folded to be substantially coplanar with the upper panel portion 48. Similarly, the rear face portion 70 is provided with a flange defining a flange element 75 which is also folded to be substantially coplanar with the upper panel portion 48. The flange member 74 and the flange element 75, in combination with the upper panel portion 48, define a corner opening or opening 77. 74 In addition to forming the hinge hole 77, a flange flange member 74, the flange member 75 and the upper panel portion 48 define a slot 80. As shown, the slot 80 extends from front to rear through of the upper panel portion 48, spans the upper panel portion 48 of both the flange member 74 and the flange element 75, and is led into the hinge hole 77. Of ac According to the invention, the hinge hole 77 currently defines a hinge corner for the door tray 43. Of course, it should be understood that the corner 55 will include the similar structure to also define a longitudinally opposite hinge corner. The hinge 31 is provided with a post or spindle (not shown) that extends into the hole 77 to define the axis of rotation for the door 18 as discussed further below. TO
In order to provide sufficient structural support to allow the door 18 to withstand the rigors of repeated opening and closing, as well as to support food items, a corner bracket 90 is fixed at each of the corners 54 and 55. Much more preferably, a corner bracket 90 is fixed at each corner 54-57 to provide both support and facilitate manufacturing efficiency. By providing a bracket 90 on each corner 54-57, both the right and left hand doors can advantageously be manufactured at the same time to more efficiently utilize the production resources. As best shown in Figures 3 and 4, the corner bracket 90 is provided with a first leg portion 93 and a second leg portion 94 projecting substantially perpendicular from the first leg portion 93. As shown , the first leg portion 93 includes a hole 96 that is aligned with the hinge hole 77. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, when employed in a lower corner position, the first leg portion 93 is provided with holes additional 97-99 which register with the corresponding holes 100-102 respectively and which are used to join a door closing cam (hole 100) and / or to mount a lower door stop (holes 101 and
102). Conversely, when employed in an upper corner position, the first leg portion 93 can only include a single hole (not shown) for attaching an ornament piece. In any event, the first leg portion 93 includes a first inwardly turning tab section 103 and a second inwardly turning tab section 104. When the corner bracket 90 is attached to, for example, the corner 54, the first inward turning tab 103 abuts the front face portion 45 while the second inwardly turning tab section 104 abuts or engages against the rear, upper face portion 68 to properly locate the corner bracket 90 in the first side. corner 54. In the preferred embodiment, the second leg portion 94 includes a terminal segment 107 leading to an angled segment 108. The angled segment 108 extends to a third segment 109 which is also substantially parallel to the first leg portion 93. Currently, third segment 109 extends toward and interconnects with the first inward turning tab 103. In addition, second leg portion 94 is provided with an inward turning tab 112 which is adapted to be embedded against the back, side face portion 70 when the corner bracket 90 is fixed at the corner 54. Reference will now be made to Figures 3 and 5 in the description of a preferred method for joining the corbel
from corner 90 to the door tray 43. In order to allow the use of prepainted materials in the construction of the door tray 43, the corner bracket 90 is attached to the door tray 43 without exposing any of the metal surfaces and use a non-destructive process, which does not generate heat. In the much more preferred form of the present invention, the corner bracket 90 is fixed at the corner 54 through a mechanical riveting process. With this technique, a joint is formed having a portion of overlapped. The union is currently constituted by the material to be joined. A distinct advantage of this particular process is that the metal is not sheared after the pre-finishing as when a lever closing union is employed, nor is there any significant heat generation as associated with welding, spot welding and the like. In accordance with the invention, the corner bracket 90 can be fixed at the corner 54 using either a standard riveting process or a riveted stitch. In order to provide a sturdy connection to the corner 54, the corner bracket 90 is riveted into a plurality of locations spaced around the first leg portion 93, as shown at 117 in Figure 3, as well as along the the inward turning tab 103 of the second leg portion 94 as shown at 118. As
best shown in Figure 5, each rivet 117 is achieved by pressing a section of the back face portion 68 through the inward turning tab 104 of the corner bracket 90 to form an overlay section 120. Overlap 120 mechanically connects the bracket 90 to the door tray 93. A corresponding interconnection occurs for each rivet 118. Due to the absence of shear forces and heat 'when each riveted joint is formed, a prepainted material can be used in the production of the door tray 43. In this way, additional production or finishing steps can be eliminated from a total production process to increase production efficiency without sacrificing the quality of the finished product. On the other hand, the present invention allows both pre-painted and stainless steel doors to be manufactured on the same assembly line j e. Although described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it should be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and / or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. In general, the invention is only proposed to be limited to the scope of the following claims.