Refrigerator door structure
First Claim
1. A refrigerator door structure for selectively closing a rectangular opening through the wall of a refrigerated compartment bounded by substantially horizontal upper and lower structural members spaced from each other a given vertical distance, said refrigerator door structure comprising:
- a. a mullion having a length slightly less than said given vertical distance and mounting means at each of its ends for rigidly fixing said ends of said mullion to said upper and lower structural members with said mullion in a substantially vertical position within said opening;
b. a pair of rigid hinge members fixed to said mullion and projecting therefrom outwardly of said refrigerator compartment and transversely of the plane defined by said upper and lower structural members, said hinge members being spaced from each other along said mullion and the projecting end portion of each thereof having a passageway formed therethrough along a common axis parallel to said mullion;
c. a rectangular door having sides of greater length than said given vertical distance with one side extending overlappingly along said mullion in alignment therewith and receiving said projecting end portions of said hinge members within the boundaries thereof, said door having a passageway therein with its axis in alignment with said common axis of said passageways through said end portions of said hinge members and extending continuously from one end of said door and between said spaced hinge members;
d. a torsion rod received within said passageway in said door from said one end thereof and through said passageways of both of said pair of hinge members, said rod being rotatably received in said passageway in said door and said passageway of the one of said pair of hinge members adjacent said one end of said door, said rod being fixedly received against rotation in said passageway of the other of said pair of hinge members; and
e. locking means at said one end of said door locking the adjacent portion of said torsion rod against rotation with respect to said door when said torsion rod is received within said passageway in said door and through said passageways of both of said pair of hinge members.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A refrigerator door structure comprising a door hingedly mounted on a mullion is disclosed, one or more of which may be mounted in a suitable opening through the wall of a refrigerator compartment without a frame and with or without a starter mullion to close such opening while providing access therethrough. The door and mullion are designed to be inverted to provide for either right-hand or left-hand opening of the door. The packaging of the door structure with appropriate shelving elements is described.
69 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A refrigerator door structure for selectively closing a rectangular opening through the wall of a refrigerated compartment bounded by substantially horizontal upper and lower structural members spaced from each other a given vertical distance, said refrigerator door structure comprising:
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a. a mullion having a length slightly less than said given vertical distance and mounting means at each of its ends for rigidly fixing said ends of said mullion to said upper and lower structural members with said mullion in a substantially vertical position within said opening; b. a pair of rigid hinge members fixed to said mullion and projecting therefrom outwardly of said refrigerator compartment and transversely of the plane defined by said upper and lower structural members, said hinge members being spaced from each other along said mullion and the projecting end portion of each thereof having a passageway formed therethrough along a common axis parallel to said mullion; c. a rectangular door having sides of greater length than said given vertical distance with one side extending overlappingly along said mullion in alignment therewith and receiving said projecting end portions of said hinge members within the boundaries thereof, said door having a passageway therein with its axis in alignment with said common axis of said passageways through said end portions of said hinge members and extending continuously from one end of said door and between said spaced hinge members; d. a torsion rod received within said passageway in said door from said one end thereof and through said passageways of both of said pair of hinge members, said rod being rotatably received in said passageway in said door and said passageway of the one of said pair of hinge members adjacent said one end of said door, said rod being fixedly received against rotation in said passageway of the other of said pair of hinge members; and e. locking means at said one end of said door locking the adjacent portion of said torsion rod against rotation with respect to said door when said torsion rod is received within said passageway in said door and through said passageways of both of said pair of hinge members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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- 11. In a refrigerator door structure for selectively closing a rectangular opening through the wall of a refrigerated compartment having a substantially flat exterior surface defining a substantially vertical plane, said opening being bonded by substantially horizontal upper and lower structural members spaced from each other a given vertical distance, a mullion having an elongated flat surface with a length slightly less than said given vertical distance and mounting means at each of its ends for rigidly fixing said ends of said mullion to said upper and lower structural members with said mullion in a substantially vertical position within said opening, said mullion including projections at the ends thereof for engaging said flat exterior surface of said refrigerator compartment and aligning said flat surface of said mullion therewith in said substantially vertical plane thereof.
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16. A refrigerator door structure for selectively closing a rectangular opening through the wall of a refrigerated compartment bounded by substantially horizontal upper and lower structural members spaced from each other a given vertical distance, said door structure comprising:
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a. a pair of spaced rigid hinge members each having a mounting base and a projecting end portion with a passageway formed therethrough; b. a rectangular door having sides of greater length than said given vertical distance with one side receiving said projecting end portions of said pair of spaced hinge members within the boundaries thereof, said door having a passageway therein extending continuously from one end of said door along a given rectilinear axis and between said pair of spaced hinge members with said passageways through said projecting ends of said hinge members in coaxial alignment with said given rectilinear axis; c. a torsion rod received within said passageway in said door from said one end thereof and through said passageways of both of said pair of hinge members, said rod being rotatably received in said passageway in said door and said passageway of the one of said pair of hinge members adjacent said one end of said door, said rod being fixedly received against rotation in said passageway of the other of said pair of hinge members; and d. locking means at said one end of said door locking the adjacent portion of said torsion rod against rotation with respect to said door when said torsion rod is received within said passageway in said door and through said passageways of both of said pair of hinge members.
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Specification