METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ROUTING UTILITIES IN A REFRIGERATOR

• US 20140167591A1
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: FULTON, TIMOTHY A., HARMON, DARYL L., ROTTER, CHAD J., STAUFFER, DAVID A., DOLINSEK, STEVAN R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,719,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/405
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/02 with one pin
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/31 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/065 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/40 Refrigerating devices characterised by electrical wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/04 Protective tubing or conduits, e.g. cable ladders or cable troughs
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/22 Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings

Abstract

Disclosed in this application is a u-shaped grommet for use in a refrigerator. The grommet is fixed so as to allow wires to be routed towards an opening in the liner of the refrigerator, pass through the opening in the liner, and exit the grommet in the opposite direction as the wires entered. The grommet is preferably molded to the wires so that the combined product is inseparable from the wiring which it protects. The grommet is also described as a single piece grommet, although multiple piece grommets are anticipated.

Further disclosed in this application is an improved pass-through hinge for routing utilities, including water and electricity, from the door to the body of the refrigerator. The improved hinge features a hollow hinge pin through which utilities may be routed, thereby overcoming the deficiencies of the current state of the art.

Claims

1. A grommet for directing wiring in an appliance, comprising:

a body having a perimeter edge adapted for mounting to the appliance;

the body having a face into which the wiring extends and from which the wiring exits such that the wiring reverses direction 180 degrees within the grommet; and

the body being molded onto the wiring to form the wiring in a U-shape.

2. The grommet of claim 1 wherein the perimeter edge includes a groove for receiving an edge of a wall of the appliance.

3. The grommet of claim 1 wherein the face is substantially perpendicular to the perimeter edge.

4. The grommet of claim 1 wherein the body includes a mounting portion and upper and lower wire routing portions residing on opposite sides of the mounting portion.

5. The grommet of claim 4 wherein the wires enter one of the routing portions and exit the other routing portions.

6. A wiring assembly for an appliance, comprising:

a grommet having a mounting portion for installing the grommet on a wall of the appliance, and upper and lower routing portions on opposite sides of the mounting portions;

a wire entering one of the routing portions in a first direction and exiting the other routing portion in the opposite direction.

7. The wiring assembly of claim 6 wherein the grommet is molded onto the wire.

8. The wiring assembly of claim 6 wherein the grommet has a planar perimeter edge and the wire extends into and out of the grommet in a plane substantially parallel to the perimeter edge.

9. The wiring assembly of claim 6 wherein the grommet includes a groove for receiving an edge of the appliance wall.

10-20. -20. (canceled)

21. In a refrigerator cabinet including an upper hinge assembly for pivotally mounting a door to an exterior surface of the cabinet and for allowing utility conduit to pass between the cabinet and the door, the hinge assembly comprising:

an upper hinge having a hinge plate secured to the exterior surface of the cabinet and a hinge pin extending downwardly to be received in an upper conduit of the door;

wherein the hinge pin comprises a hollow cylindrical wall with an aperture in the wall adapted to receive the utility conduit to provide one or more utilities to the door.

22. In a refrigerator having a cabinet and a door, wherein the cabinet comprises a shell and a liner within the shell defining a compartment, and the door is pivotally attached to the refrigerator providing selective access to the compartment, a hinge between the door and the cabinet comprising:

a mounting plate for attachment to the door;

a hollow cylindrical hinge pin extending from the mounting plate;

a cutout in the hinge pin allowing utilities to pass from the door to the refrigerator.