REFRIGERATOR DOOR STRUCTURE

• US 3,631,630 A
• Filed: 05/25/1970
• Issued: 01/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerlach Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Herman L. Buffington, Robert M. Stribling
• Inventors: Buffington, Herman L., Stribling, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Downey, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US05/040,204
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 49/501,504,70,478,402 52/476,731
• US Class Current: 49/402
• 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

Abstract

The construction and structure of a refrigerator door are disclosed. The door includes a central panel that is surrounded and held by a unique frame. The door frame is basically made of two sections, an outer metallic section and an inner rigid plastic section, the inner rigid plastic section being manufactured of a low thermal conductance material and being snap fitted to the outer section whereby the central panel is held between portions of the outer and inner door frame sections. The door structure presents a complete thermal break across the access opening of the refrigerated compartment of a refrigerator on which it is mounted.

Claims

1. A door construction for cabinets and the like having surrounding walls for defining a container, one of said walls having an opening therein for providing access to said container, said door having a panel corresponding in shape to said opening for providing a closure for said container, the improvement comprising:

a frame surrounding and holding said panel, said frame including elongated elements joined together, each of said elements including;

a rigid U-shaped outer member, one leg of said U-shaped outer member being shorter than the other leg and being angled inwardly toward said other leg, said other leg overlapping one side of said panel with a base portion of said Ushaped member being parallel to the edge of said panel;

an inner thermal break strip carried on an opposite side of said panel from said outer member;

said inner thermal break strip having a main body portion, a shoulder portion adJacent one end of said main body portion in engagement with the base portion of said Ushaped member, and a barb spaced from said shoulder portion protruding inwardly from said main body portion engaging the inner end of said short leg of said U-shaped outer member, a planar surface carried adjacent the other end of said main body portion;

said U-shaped outer member having a planar surface carried by said main body portion;

said panel being held between said planar surfaces whereby said outer member and said thermal break strip are held together with said panel therebetween by the engagement between said shoulder portion and said barb.

2. The door construction as defined in claim 1 wherein a friction producing substance is interposed between said panel and said planar surface of said outer member and said panel and said planar surface of said inner thermal break strip.

3. The door construction as defined in claim 1 further comprising a spacer in said frame to limit lateral movement of said panel.

4. The door construction as defined in claim 1 wherein said rigid thermal break strip has a slot extending axially therealong and further comprising a sealing gasket, said sealing gasket being associated with said inner strip at said slot so as to be removably joined thereto.

5. The door construction as defined in claim 4 wherein the sealing gasket has a barb depending downwardly therefrom, said barb being press fit into said slot in said inner member so as to be held thereby.

6. A door construction as defined in claim 1 wherein said rigid thermal break strip is originally slightly concave in shape, whereby when snapped onto said outer member, the panel between said outer member and said strip causes said strip to straighten, whereby internal stresses in said strip continuously apply positive pressure against panel so as to hold said panel in the proper position.