US3622215A

US3622215A - Refrigerator cabinet construction

Info

Publication number: US3622215A
Application number: US875266A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward H Roberts
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1969-11-10
Filing date: 1969-11-10
Publication date: 1971-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 1988-11-23
Also published as: CA933569A

Abstract

A refrigerator cabinet including a liner having a flange at the front thereof and a shell spaced from the liner and having an inwardly opening channel at the front thereof is provided with a breaker strip comprising an L-shaped anchoring means frictionally received in the channel, and flexible angularly disposed latching elements adapted to ride over and latch the strip onto the liner front edge.

Description

Elite States mm Edward 11. Roberts .leffersontown, Ky. 875,266

Nov. 10, 1969 Nov. 23, 1971 General Electric Company Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 312/214, 220/9 Int. Cl A47b 81/00, F25d 11/00, 865d 25/18 Field of Search 312/214, 236; 220/9; 24/73 MF [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,737,375 11/1929 King 24/73 MF 2,676,727 4/1954 Jacobs et al. 220/9 2,708,529 5/1955 Lander et al.. 220/9 2,873,041 2/1959 Allen 220/9 3,380,615 4/1968 Kessler 3l2/214X Primary Examiner- Paul R. Gilliam Attorneys-Walter E. Rule, Harry F. Manbeck, .Ir., Frank L.

Neuhauser, Oscar B. Waddell and Joseph B. Forman ABSTRACT: A refrigerator cabinet including a liner having a flange at the front thereof and a shell spaced from the liner and having an inwardly opening channel at the front thereof is provided with a breaker strip comprising an L-shaped anchoring means frictionally received in the channel, and flexible angularly disposed latching elements adapted to ride over and latch the strip onto the liner front edge.

PATENTED 23 3,622,215

INVENTOR.

EDWARD H. ROBERTS H\ 5 AT TORNEY I REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved breaker strip, the shell and liner anchoring components thereof being so designed that they can be simultaneously mounted on the shell and liner.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved breaker strip construction having a relatively flat body or bridging portion and shell and liner anchoring means both of which will engage the shell and liner edges by application to the breaker strip of a pressure normal to the flat body portion of the strip.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there is provided a refrigerator cabinet including an outer shell and an inner liner spaced from the shell with the spaces between the wall portions of these components preferably filled with a foam resin insulation bonding the shell and liner into an integral unit. The forward edge portion of the liner includes an outwardly extending flange surrounding the formed to include a channel opening inwardly and defined by front and rear parallel walls, the front wall being a flange forming the face portion of the cabinet. The breaker strip bridging the space between the inner edge of the and the liner flange includes a body or bridging portion overlapping the inner surface of the liner adjacent the liner flange and a front edge portion preferably overlapping the inner edge of the shell flange. The shell edge of the strip is provided with spaced and flexible fingers or latching elements extending angularly and rearwardly from the plane of the rib in overlapping and latching relationship with the liner flange. These elements include camming or curved outer edges which are adapted time that the shell anchoring portion of the breaker strip is being inserted into the shell channel.

2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator cabinet embodying the present invention, with parts thereof broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, partly broken, isometric view of a portion of the cabinet illustrating certain details of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 33 of FIG. 1 illustrating one step in the assembly of the breaker strip of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the assembled breaker strip and cabinet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the accompanying drawing, rectangular refrigerator cabinet spaces between the inner liner and the outer shell are generally filled with a foamed resin insulating material 5 which is foamed in place between the liner fiber glass insulation 6 placed in this area.

The outer shell 4 includes opposed sidewalls as well as top and bottom walls and the forward edge portion of each of these walls surrounding flange 7 forming the face portion of the the access opening shell is also bent cabinet surrounding to the compartment 1. This material of the back upon itself as shown more clearly in of the drawing and then rearwardly along an exterior wall of the cabinet and then inwardly in spaced relationship with the flange 7 to define an inwardly opening channel 8 including a front wall composed of the double thickness flange 7 and a rear wall 9 parallel to the front wall. The material of the shell is further bent to include a web or flange 10 extending rearwardly from the channel wall 9, the wall 9 being somewhat shorter than the flange 7 forming the front wall of the channel 8.

A rectangular liner 2 which be inserted into the fonned is of dimensions such that it can shell through the rectangular Each of the breaker strips 15 for bridging the spaces between the forward edges of the liner and the inner edges 14 of the face flanges on the four sides of the access opening inportion 16 extending from the flange edges 14 to and substantially overlapping the forward breaker strips 15 are preferably formed of a resilient plastic material such as a propyleneethylene copolmer.

In accordance with the present invention, the breaker strip is provided with anchoring means which are an integral part of the strip and which are simultaneously operable to secure the breaker strip to the liner and shell components of the cabinet.

an L-shape projection adapted to enter the channel 8 and frictionally engage the opposed sidewalls thereof. Preferably the rib 17, which engages the front wall 7 of the channel, is relatively thick and constitutes the principal means for positioning the breaker strip relative to the shell and liner. The rearwardly extending lip i8 is thinner and hence more flexible than the rib l7 and is slightly longer than the width of the channel 8 so that this L-shaped anchoring means will be firmly anchored by frictional engagement with the sidewalls of the channel 8.

The means for securing the breaker strip to the liner component 2 comprises a second outwardly extending rib 2i projecting from the body portions 16 of the back or outer surfaces of the breaker strip forwardly from and adjacent the liner flange 12. This rib 21 is parallel to flange l2 and is formed to include a plurality of spaced fingers or latching elements 22 which, as is shown more clearly in H6. 2 of the drawing, are spaced longitudinally of the strip and extend angularly and rearwardly from the plane of the rib 21 in overlapping and latching relationship with the liner flange 12 when the body portion 16 of the strip is in contact with the inner surface of the liner 2. For attachment of the breaker strip to the liner 2, these elements 22 include arcuate or camming outer edges 23 which are adapted, upon contact with the forward edge of the liner adjacent the flange 12, to flex the elements toward the plane of the rib 21 so that the elements can ride past or over the liner flange during assembly of the strip on the liner. Thereafter the elements 22 return to their as-formed shapes or positions in overlapping and latching relationship with the flange 12. Preferably the elements 22 are somewhat thinner, at least adjacent tips 24 than are the ribs 21 to facilitate flexing of the elements 22 during the latching operation, Also for ease of assembly, the elements 22 normally extend at an angle of about 45 or somewhat less relative to the rib 21.

The manner in which the breaker strip of the present invention can be easily and quickly assembled onto the prepositioned liner and shell components of a cabinet is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawing. As a first step, the breaker strip 15 is placed in bridging relationship with the liner and shell flange as illustrated in FIG. 3 with the rib 17 in engagement with the inner surface of the front channel wall formed by the flange 7. This positioning is facilitated by the fact that the rear wall 9 of the channel 8 is shorter than the front wall thus permitting the rib 17 to engage the front wall 7 while the lip 8 is in engagement with the inner edge of the wall 9 or more specifically the flange 10 extending rearwardly therefrom. With the breaker strip in this position, the curving or cammed surface portion 23 of each of the elements 22 engages the forward edge 11 of of the liner. After the breaker strip has been thus positioned, the application of pressure on the face of the breaker strip, that is the application of a force substantially perpendicular to the plane of the breaker strip body portion 16, causes the L-shaped anchoring means at the front edge of the breaker strip to be pressed into the channel 8 and at the same time latching elements 22 are bent or flexed to ride past the flange 12 to a position in which the elements 22 return to their normal positions overlying the flange 12. To limit the distance that the L-shaped projection is inserted into the channel 8, the front rib 17 may be provided with a plurality of stop means 26 extending rearwardly from the rib l7 and adapted to engage the flange 10 at the same time the forward edge 27 of the breaker strip engages the inner end of the flange 7.

Occasionally it is necessary to remove the breaker strip for access to any electrical wiring, face heaters or the like disposed in the breaker strip area of the cabinet. This removal can be accomplished by prying the forward edge 27 of the breaker strip upwardly away from the flange 7 thereby removing the L-shaped anchoring means from the channel 8. The breaker strip is then moved forwardly to disengage the elements 22 from the flange 12, Alternatively, the inner or rear edge 28 of the breaker strip may be lifted from the liner 2 to cause the latching elements 22 to bend or twist about a generally longitudinal axis thereby pennitting the elements to ride forwardly over the flange 12. After disengagement of the rear portion of the breaker strip from the liner, the L-shaped projections at the front edge of the breaker strip can be withdrawn from the channel 8. Since the breaker strip is not damaged by removal, it can be reused.

It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that while there has been described what, at present, is considered to be the preferred embodiment of this invention in accordance with the patent statutes, changes may be made in the disclosed invention without actually departing from the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim as new and desire to of the United States is:

l. A refrigerator cabinet comprising:

a liner having an access opening at the front thereof and a flange surrounding said opening;

an outer, open faced shell spaced from said liner and including a forward edge portion spaced forwardly from said liner flange;

said forward edge portion of said shell being formed to include a channel opening inwardly and defined by front and rear parallel walls, said front wall forming a face portion of said cabinet;

a relatively flat breaker strip bridging the space between the inner edge of said front wall and said liner flange;

said breaker strip being composed of resilient plastic material and including a rear portion overlapping the inner edge of surface of said liner adjacent said flange;

said strip including a rib extending into said channel in engagement with said front wall and terminating in a flexible rearwardly extending lip for frictionally engaging said rear wall and maintaining said rib in engagement with said front wall, said rib including rearwardly extending stop means engaging the inner edge of said rear wall;

said strip including a plurality of latching elements on the backside thereof adjacent and forwardly from said liner flange, said elements being spaced longitudinally of said strip and extending angularly relative to said liner flange and rearwardly from the connections thereof to said strip in overlapping and latching relationship with the outer side of said liner flange;

said elements including camming outer edges adapted upon engagement with the forward edge of said liner adjacent said flange to flex said elements forwardly to positions in which said elements will ride over said liner flange during assembly of said strip on said liner.

2. The cabinet of claim 1 in which said rear wall is shorter than said front wall and said breaker strip includes stop means engaging the inner edge of said rear wall.

3. The cabinet of claim 1 in which said latching elements extend at an angle of not more than about 45 relative to said liner flange.

4. The cabinet of claim 1 in which said latch elements are of a tapering cross section.

5. A refrigerator cabinet comprising:

a relatively flat breaker strip of resilient plastic material bridging the space between the inner edge of said front wall and said liner flange;

said breaker strip including a front edge overlying the inner edge of said front wall and a rear edge portion overlapping the inner surface of said liner adjacent said flange;

said strip including a first outwardly extending rib extending into said channel and engaging said front wall, said rib terminating in a flexible rearwardly extending lip for fricsecure by Letters Patent tionally engaging said rear wall and maintaining said rib in engagement with said front wall; said strip including a second outwardly extending rib on the backside thereof adjacent and forwardly from said liner flange during assembly of said strip on said liner.

6. The cabinet of claim 5 in which said rear wall is shorter than said front wall of said channel and terminates in a rearwardly extending flange and said breaker strip includes means engaging said rearwardly extending flange.

7. The cabinet of claim 5 in which said latching elements form an angle of about 45 with the plane of said second rib.

t t i i 0 UNETEB STATES MTENT seem:

QERTEFICAE 0F QGRREQWQN Patent No. 3,522 ,215 Dated NOVPmher 23, 1971 lnve fl Edwegd H. Roberts It is certified that error appears in the shave-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are cofrectec'i as Shawn below:

Column 4, line 23, delete "edge of" Signed and sealed this 25th day of April 1972.

(SEAL) A nest:

EDWARD I*T.FL'"TCHEP. ,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050 (IO-69) USCOMM-DC 603764 69 LL15 GOVEF'RMENT HUNTING OFFICE: 1Y6? 0*]5-33

Claims

1. A refrigerator cabinet comprising: a liner having an access opening at the front thereof and a flange surrounding said opening; an outer, open faced shell spaced from said liner and including a forward edge portion spaced forwardly from said liner flange; said forward edge portion of said shell being formed to include a channel opening inwardly and defined by front and rear parallel walls, said front wall forming a face portion of said cabinet; a relatively flat breaker strip bridging the space between the inner edge of said front wall and said liner flange; said breaker strip being composed of resilient plastic material and including a rear portion overlapping the inner surface of said liner adjacent said flange; said strip including a rib extending into said channel in engagement with said front wall and terminating in a flexible rearwardly extending lip for frictionally engaging said rear wall and maintaining said rib in engagement with said front wall, said rib including rearwardly extending stop means engaging the inner edge of said rear wall; said strip including a plurality of latching elements on the backside thereof adjacent and forwardly from said liner flange, said elements being spaced longitudinally of said strip and extending angularly relative to said liner flange and rearwardly from the connections thereof to said strip in overlapping and latching relationship with the outer side of said liner flange; said elements including camming outer edges adapted upon engagement with the forward edge of said liner adjacent said flange to flex said elements forwardly to positions in which said elements will ride over said liner flange during assembly of said strip on said liner.

3. The cabinet of claim 1 in which said latching elements extend at an angle of not more than about 45* relative to said liner flange.

5. A refrigerator cabinet comprising: a liner having an access opening at the front thereof and a flange surrounding said opening; an outer, open faced shell spaced from said liner and including a forward edge portion spaced forwardly from said liner flange; said forward edge portion of said shell being formed to include a channel opening inwardly and defined by front and rear parallel walls, said front wall forming a face portion of said cabinet; a relatively flat breaker strip of resilient plastic material bridging the space between the inner edge of said front wall and said liner flange; said breaker strip including a front edge overlying the inner edge of said front wall and a rear edge portion overlapping the inner surface of said liner adjacent said flange; said strip including a first outwardly extending rib extending into said channel and engaging said front wall, said rib terminating in a flexible rearwardly extending lip for frictionally engaging said rear wall and maintaining said rib in engagement with said front wall; said strip including a second outwardly extending rib on the backside thereof adjacent and forwardly from said liner flange and formed to include a plurality of latching elements spaced longitudinally of said second rib and extending angularly and rearwardly from the plane of said second rib in overlapping and latching relationship with said liner flange; said elements including camming outer edges adapted upon engagement with the forward edge of said liner adjacent said flange to flex said elements towards the plane of said second rib whereby said elements will ride over said liner flange during assembly of said strip on said liner.

7. The cabinet of claim 5 in which said latching elements form an angle of about 45* with the plane of said second rib.