Railless refrigerator display door

• US 5,113,628 A
• Filed: 01/18/1991
• Issued: 05/19/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1990
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: New Anthony Inc (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Anthony Manufacturing Corporation.
• Inventors: Richardson, Richard J., Downing, Bennie R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COGGINS, WYNN WOOD
• Application Number:
  US07/644,072
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 52/171, 52/475, 52/790, 52/788, 52/789, 52/172
• US Class Current: 52/171.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/043 Doors, covers A47F3/0434 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/5427 the panes mounted flush with the surrounding frame or with the surrounding panes E06B3/5436 takes precedence; supporting structures for curtain walls E04B2/885
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6621 with special provisions for fitting in window frames or to adjacent units; Separate edge protecting strips E06B3/66347 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66352 with separate sealing strips between the panes and the spacer
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/66366 specially adapted for units comprising more than two panes or for attaching intermediate sheets

Abstract

A railless refrigerator display door constructed with two or more glass panels and having a peripheral door frame extending around the sides of the door and at the inside of the door without covering the outside glass surface of the door. Sealant is used to bond the glass panels to peripheral spacers separating the panels and to C-section structures which extend peripherally around the sides of the door. The door frame is also bonded to the C-section structures and glass panels by the sealant. Rubber bumpers attached to the C-section structures reduce heat transfer from the inside glass panel to the outside glass panel. As such, mechanical fasteners such as nuts, bolts or screws are not needed for the purpose of holding the refrigerator door together.

Claims

1. A railless refrigerator display door comprising:

an outside glass panel and an inside glass panel;

a hollow spacer disposed between said glass panels, said spacer extending peripherally adjacent peripheral edges of said panels;

elongated structures disposed between said glass panels, said elongated structures extending peripherally adjacent said peripheral edges of said panels and peripherally about an outer periphery of said spacer;

a door frame extending peripherally about said elongated structures; and

sealant disposed between said panels, said sealant holding together said panels, said spacer, said elongated structures, and said door frame, said door frame having elongated extensions extending inwardly into said sealant adjacent said elongate structures.

2. The display door of claim 1 wherein said structures have bumper means attached thereto for reducing heat cold transfer between said panels.

3. The display door of claim 1 wherein said door frame engages said peripheral edges of said panels and covers a peripheral inside surface of said inside panel.

4. The display door of claim 1 wherein said hollow spacer is filled with a desiccant.

5. The display door of claim 1 further comprising rubber insulators disposed between said spacer and said panels.

6. The display door of claim 1 wherein said sealant is a thermal setting sealant.

7. The display door of claim 1 wherein said bumper means are made out of rubber.

8. A refrigerator display door comprising:

an outside glass panel, a middle glass panel and an inside glass panel;

a spacer disposed between said outside and middle glass panels;

a spacer disposed between said middle and inside glass panels;

elongated structures disposed between said inside and outside panels and extending peripherally adjacent peripheral edges of said inside and outside panels and peripherally about outside peripheries of said spacers;

a door frame extending peripherally about said elongated structures; and

sealant disposed between said inside and outside panels, said sealant holding together said spacers, said elongated structures, said inside, middle and outside panels, and said door frame, said door frame having elongated extensions extending inwardly into said sealant adjacent said elongated structures.

9. The display door of claim 8 wherein said door frame engages said peripheral edges of said inside and outside panels and covers a peripheral inside surface of said inside panel.

10. The display door of claim 8 wherein said hollow spacers are filled with a desiccant.

11. The display door of claim 8 further comprising rubber insulators disposed between said spacers and said panels.

12. The display door of claim 8 wherein said sealant is a thermal setting sealant.

13. The display door of claim 8 further comprising bumper means attached to said structures for reducing cold transfer between said inside and outside panels.

14. A refrigerator display door comprising:

an outside glass panel and an inside glass panel;

a spacer disposed between said glass panels, said spacer extending peripherally adjacent peripheral edges of said panels;

elongated structures disposed between said glass panels;

bumpers attached to each of said structures in order to reduce heat transfer between said inside and outside panels;

a door frame extending peripherally about said elongated structures; and

sealant disposed between said panels, said sealant holding together said panels, spacer, elongated structures, and door frame, said door frame having elongated extensions extending inwardly into said sealant adjacent said elongated structures.

15. The display door of claim 14 wherein said door frame engages said peripheral edges of said panels and covers a peripheral inside surface of said inside panel.

16. The display door of claim 14 wherein said hollow spacer is filled with a desiccant.

17. The display door of claim 14 further comprising rubber insulators disposed between said spacer and said panels.

18. The display door of claim 14 wherein said sealant is a thermal setting sealant.

19. The display door of claim 14 further comprising flexible extension means for cushioning said door frame against said panels.