Refrigerator with glass door

• US 10,295,248 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2017
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Miller, Orin, Burgan, Ricky, Burnett, Doug, Valentino, Miranda, Riddell, Joel, Rajasekaran, Varun, Macias, Jose, Sexton, Terry Lynn, Hanson, Josh, Zhou, Ran, Comsa, Cornel, Edge, Matthew Elexy, Campbell, Billy Seth Lon
• Primary Examiner(s): Ing, Matthew W
• Application Number:
  US15/401,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20180192791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 3124051
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/043 Doors, covers A47F3/0434 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/02 Doors; Covers F25D23/08 takes precedence locks or fastenings E05B65/0042
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/04 with special compartments, e.g. butter conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/005 combined with control means
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/06 Sensors detecting the presence of a product

Abstract

A refrigeration appliance includes a cabinet that defines a storage compartment. A door is pivotably coupled to the cabinet and is movable between a closed position for closing the storage compartment and an open position for allowing access to the storage compartment. The door includes an inner surface and an outer surface. An opening extends between the inner surface and the outer surface. A window is disposed within the opening. The window optionally includes a lower portion that is non-transparent. A storage bin is attachable to a lower portion of the inner surface of the door wherein the non-transparent portion of the window obstructs viewing of the storage bin when the door is in the closed position.

Claims

1. A refrigeration appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining a storage compartment; and

a door pivotably coupled to the cabinet and movable between a closed position for closing the storage compartment and an open position for allowing access to the storage compartment, the door including;

an inner surface;

an outer surface;

an opening extending between the inner surface and the outer surface;

a window covering the opening, the window including a lower portion that is non-transparent;

a storage bin on a lower portion of the door, wherein the lower portion of the window obstructs viewing of the storage bin through the window when the door is in the closed position;

a sensor for detecting a presence of an object at a predetermined location proximate the door, the sensor operable to provide a signal to a controller indicative of the presence of the object at the predetermined location; and

a light for illuminating a position of the predetermined location on a floor proximate the door.

2. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, further comprising an interior light in the cabinet, wherein the window is tinted to hinder viewing through the window when the interior light is not energized.

3. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, wherein the storage bin is removable from the door.

4. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, further comprising:

a frame assembly disposed between the inner surface and the outer surface of the door, the frame assembly comprising;

a pair of vertical frame members each dimensioned to receive a preformed insulating element, and

a lower support assembly attached to a lower portion of each of the pair of vertical frame members, the lower support assembly including a first horizontal frame member having distal ends attachable to each of the pair of vertical frame members wherein the first horizontal frame member is dimensioned to receive a preformed insulating element, and

an upper frame member having distal ends attachable to an upper end of the pair of vertical frame members, the upper frame member dimensioned to receive a preformed insulating element.

5. The refrigeration appliance of claim 4, wherein the lower support assembly further comprises:

a second horizontal frame member spaced from the first horizontal frame member, the second horizontal frame member having distal ends attachable to each of the pair of vertical frame members and dimensioned to receive a preformed insulating element, and

an insulation element extending between the first horizontal frame member and the second horizontal frame member.

6. The refrigeration appliance of claim 4, wherein at least one of the pair of vertical frame members, the first horizontal frame member and the upper frame member is an extruded plastic rail.

7. The refrigeration appliance of claim 6, wherein the extruded plastic rail includes an elongated inner cavity.

8. The refrigeration appliance of claim 4, wherein at least one of the pair of vertical frame members includes an elongated tab extending along one side and at least one the distal ends of the first horizontal frame member and the upper frame member includes a slot dimensioned to receive a corresponding elongated tab of the at least one of the pair of vertical frame members.

9. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly is attached to a bottom surface of the door.

10. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an infrared sensor.

11. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1, wherein the light is configured to display at least one image on the floor and the image is at least one of a symbol, a word, a letter, a number, a picture, a time-of-day/clock/date and a countdown timer.

12. A door for a refrigeration appliance, the door pivotably coupled to a cabinet of the refrigeration appliance and movable between a closed position for closing a storage compartment of the cabinet and an open position for allowing access to the storage compartment, the door comprising:

an inner surface;

an outer surface;

an opening extending between the inner surface and the outer surface;

a window covering the opening;

a frame assembly disposed between the inner surface and the outer surface, the frame assembly comprising;

a pair of vertical frame members each receiving a preformed insulating element, and

a lower support assembly attached to lower portion of each of the pair of vertical frame members, the lower support assembly including a first horizontal frame member having distal ends attachable to each of the pair of vertical frame members wherein the first horizontal frame member receives a preformed insulating element, and

an upper frame member having distal ends attachable to an upper end of the pair of vertical frame members, the upper frame member receiving a preformed insulating element.

13. The door of claim 12, wherein the lower support assembly further comprises:

a second horizontal frame member spaced from the first horizontal frame member, the second horizontal frame member having distal ends attachable to at least one of the pair of vertical frame members and dimensioned to receive a preformed insulating element, and

an insulation element extending between the first horizontal frame member and the second horizontal frame member.

14. The door of claim 12, wherein at least one of the pair of vertical frame members, the first horizontal frame member and the upper frame member is an extruded plastic rail.

15. The door of claim 14, wherein the extruded plastic rail includes an elongated inner cavity.

16. The door of claim 12, wherein at least one of the pair of vertical frame members includes an elongated tab extending along one side and at least one of the distal ends of the first horizontal frame member, and the upper frame member includes a slot dimensioned to receive a corresponding elongated tab of the at least one of the pair of vertical frame members.

17. The door of claim 12, further comprising:

a storage bin on a lower portion of the door,

wherein the window includes a lower portion that is non-transparent for obstructing viewing of the storage bin when the door is in the closed position.

18. The door of claim 17, wherein the storage bin is removable from the door.

19. The door of claim 12, further comprising an interior light in the cabinet, wherein the window is tinted to hinder viewing through the window when the interior light is not energized.

20. The door of claim 12, further comprising a sensor including:

a sensor for detecting a presence of an object at a predetermined location proximate the door, the sensor operable to provide a signal to a controller indicative of the presence of the object at the predetermined location; and

a light for illuminating a position of the predetermined location.

21. A door for a refrigeration appliance, the door pivotably coupled to a cabinet of the refrigeration appliance and movable between a closed position for closing a storage compartment of the cabinet and an open position for allowing access to the storage compartment, the door comprising:

an inner surface;

an outer surface;

an opening extending between the inner surface and the outer surface;

a window covering the opening;

a frame assembly disposed between the inner surface and the outer surface, the frame assembly comprising;

a pair of vertical frame members each receiving a preformed insulating element, and

a lower support assembly attached to lower portion of each of the pair of vertical frame members, the lower support assembly including a first horizontal frame member having distal ends attachable to each of the pair of vertical frame members, the first horizontal frame member receiving a preformed insulating element,

an upper frame member having distal ends attachable to an upper end of the pair of vertical frame members, the upper frame member receiving a preformed insulating element; and

a storage bin on a lower portion of the door wherein the lower portion of the window obstructs viewing of the storage bin when the door is in the closed position.

22. The door of claim 21, further comprising a sensor assembly including:

a sensor for detecting a presence of an object at a predetermined location proximate the door, the sensor operable to provide a signal to a controller indicative of the presence of the object at the predetermined location; and

a light for illuminating a position of the predetermined location.

23. The door of claim 21, further comprising an interior light in the cabinet, wherein the window is tinted to hinder viewing the storage compartment through the window when the interior light is not energized, and wherein energizing the interior light permits the storage compartment to be visible through the window.

24. The door of claim 21, wherein the storage bin is removable from the door.