Refrigerator door construction and method of forming the same

• US 3,882,637 A
• Filed: 11/12/1973
• Issued: 05/13/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert E. Lindenschmidt
• Original Assignee: Robert E. Lindenschmidt
• Inventors: Lindenschmidt, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kannan, Philip C.
• Application Number:
  US05/414,864
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 49/475,486,487,489,478,501 52/615,619,621 312/214,315
• US Class Current: 49/501
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2201/126 of cellular type
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/02 Doors; Covers F25D23/08 takes precedence locks or fastenings E05B65/0042
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/066 Liners
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/087 Sealing strips
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/10 Refrigerator top-coolers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 52/04 Magnetic connecting means for building components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49872 Confining elastic part in socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49888 Subsequently coating

Abstract

An insulated door construction such as for use as a refrigerator door having an inner liner secured to an outer panel by a snap-in association. A gasket is secured to the door by a portion of the snap-in retaining structure eliminating the need for screws and gasket retainers. The door is reinforced by corner brackets and cross braces. The brackets may be used to position the liner relative to the outer panel where the insulation in the door is relatively soft insulation, such as fiberglass insulation.

Claims

1. An insulated door construction comprising:

an outer panel having an inturned peripheral flange means defining an insulation space adjacent said panel;

insulation within said space;

means on said flange defining a retaining shoulder overlying a peripheral portion of said space;

an inner liner having a resilient peripheral lip portion defining an inwardly opening channel resiliently snapped under said shoulder, said inner liner covering said first space and retained in place by said snapped under relationship with said shoulder, said channel being disposed adjacent said shoulder; and

door gasket means having a portion received in said channel with an edge thereof underlying said shoulder to be retained by said shoulder for sealing said liner to said outer panel.

2. The insulated door construction of claim 1 wherein said liner lip portion is pressed into said insulation.

3. The insulated door construction of claim 1 wherein said liner lip portion comprises an outturned flange portion having a reversely turned distal portion engaging said shoulder.

4. The insulated door construction of claim 1 wherein said liner lip portion comprises an outturned flange portion having a reversely turned distal portion engaging said shoulder, said lip portion flange portion and distal portion defining a channel structure projecting outwardly into said insulation and inwardly defining said channel.

5. The insulated door construction of claim 1 wherein said liner lip portion comprises an outturned flange portion having a reversely turned distal portion engaging said shoulder, said lip portion flange portion and distal portion defining a channel structure projecting outwardly into said insulation.

6. The insulated door construction of claim 1 wherein said insulation comprises foamed-in-place insulation.

7. The insulated door construction of claim 1 wherein said insulation comprises fiberous insulation.

8. The insulated door construction of cLaim 1 wherein said liner lip portion comprises an outturned flange portion having a reversely turned distal portion engaging said shoulder, said reversely turned distal portion comprising a flat wall extending angularly toward said shoulder from the outer end of said liner outward flange portion.

9. An insulated door construction comprising:

an outer panel having an inturned peripheral flange means defining an insulation space adjacent said panel, said panel defining a rectangular door means having four corners;

insulation within said space;

means on said flange defining a retaining shoulder overlying the peripheral portion of said space;

an inner liner having a resilient peripheral lip portion defining an inwardly opening channel resiliently snapped under said shoulder, said inner liner covering said first space and retained in place by said snapped under relationship with said shoulder, said channel being disposed adjacent said shoulder; and

door gasket means having a portion received in said channel with an edge thereof underlying said shoulder to be retained by said shoulder for sealing said liner to said outer panel; and

bracket means disposed at each of said door means corners defining means for retaining said liner lip portion in snapped under relationship with said shoulder.

10. The insulated door construction of claim 9 wherein said bracket means extend inwardly of said insulation and include an edge portion underlying said retaining shoulder.

11. The insulated door construction of claim 9 wherein said bracket means defines inwardly opening recesses receiving a portion of said door gasket means and retaining said portion in underlying, retained association with said shoulder means.

12. The insulated door construction of claim 9 wherein cross braces are connected between said bracket means for further rigidifying said door construction.

13. The insulated door construction of claim 9 wherein cross braces are adjustably connected between said bracket means for further rigidifying said door construction.

14. The insulated door construction of claim 9 wherein said inner liner defines corner portions provided with notches extending inwardly through said lip portion to permit concurrent flexing of adjacent side portions of said liner for facilitated snapping-under installation.

15. The method of constructing a refrigerator door comprising the steps of:

providing an outer panel having an inturned peripheral flange defining an insulation space and shoulder means inturned from said flange to overlie a peripheral portion of said space;

filling said insulated space with insulation;

providing an inner liner with a resilient peripheral lip portion defining an inwardly opening channel;

pressing said lip portion into said insulation under said shoulder to retain said inner liner to said outer panel and with said channel exposed adjacent said shoulder means; and

installing a door gasket in said channel, said gasket having a portion extending between said lip portion and said shoulder to seal between said inner liner and outer panel.

16. The method of constructing a refrigerator door of claim 15 further including the step of preforming a recess in said insulation for receiving said liner lip portion.

17. The method of constructing a refrigerator door of claim 15 further including the step of providing adhesive means between said inner liner and insulation.

18. The method of constructing a refrigerator door of claim 15 further including the step of notching the corners of said liner to permit flexing of the lip portion along the intersecting edges of the liner adjacent the corners.

19. The method of constructing a refrigerator door of claim 15 wherein said insulation is yieldable and said lip portion is forced into the insulation by a pressure element.