Self mounting refrigerator light heat shield

• US 5,283,721 A
• Filed: 03/23/1993
• Issued: 02/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Powell, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Raab, Sara S.
• Application Number:
  US08/035,611
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 362/92, 362/94, 362/294, 362/457, 362/458, 312/401, 312/406, 312/223.5
• US Class Current: 362/92
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 25/00 Safety devices structurally associated with lighting devices gas- tight or water-tight arrangements F21V31/00; in general F16P; protective circuit arrangements per se H02H7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/15 Thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/04 Refrigerators with a horizontal mullion
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/00 Lighting arrangements in general F21

Abstract

A refrigerator includes an outer cabinet and an inner liner separated by insulation. The liner includes a plurality of walls defining a compartment to receive items to be refrigerated. An electric light is positioned adjacent to a first of the liner walls. A second of the liner walls disposed perpendicular to the first wall has three spaced apart slots positioned closer to the first wall than the light to the first wall. A shield is positioned between the light and the first wall and includes three tabs received in the slots in the second wall. The middle tab has a pair of lateral ears with rest positions angled with respect to the long axis of the corresponding slot. The ears flex as the tab is inserted through the slot and then return to their rest position to overlie the second liner wall. The other tabs also are angled with respect to their slots to firmly engage the second wall when installed. The shield also has oppositely projecting feet extending perpendicular to the shield and positioned adjacent the second wall so that the shield is positively positioned between the light and the first wall.

Claims

1. For use in a refrigerator including a liner forming a compartment to receive items to be refrigerated, a shield to protect a first predetermined wall of the liner from heat from an adjacent light, said shield including:

a sheet of material sized to effectively shield the first wall of the liner from the light;

three tabs extending outwardly of one edge of said sheet for receipt in corresponding slots in a second predetermined wall of the liner, said tabs being symmetrical about a line through the center of the middle one of the tabs;

said middle tab including laterally projecting ears having rest positions angled with respect to the remainder of that tab, said ears flexing to pass through the corresponding slot and then returning to their rest position so as to overlie the second liner wall; and

a pair of oppositely projecting feet extending generally perpendicular to said sheet and positioned to lie closely adjacent said second wall when said shield is mounted to said second wall.

2. A shield as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

each of the outer ones of said tabs is formed to firmly engage a portion of said second liner wall defining the corresponding slot when said shield is mounted to said second wall.

3. A shield as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said feet are positioned on opposite sides of said middle tab.

4. A shield as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said shield is die formed sheet metal.

5. A refrigerator including:

an inner liner and an outer cabinet spaced apart to provide a space substantially filled with insulation;

said liner including a plurality of walls defining a compartment to receive items to be refrigerated;

an electrically energized light positioned adjacent a first of said liner walls;

a second of said liner walls disposed generally plurality of spaced apart slots extending along an axis parallel to said first wall and closer to said first wall than said light;

a shield positioned between said light and said first wall, said shield including a plurality of spaced apart tabs received in corresponding ones of said slots, at least one of said tabs including at least a portion having a rest position angled relative to the corresponding slot so as to overlie said second wall; and

said shield also including oppositely projecting feet extending generally perpendicular to said shield and positioned adjacent said second wall so that said shield is positively positioned between said light and said first wall.

6. A refrigerator as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

said shield includes three tabs symmetrically arranged about a center line of the middle one of said tabs.

7. A refrigerator as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

said middle tab has a pair of laterally positioned ears, said ears having rest positions angled with respect to the axis of said slots, said ears flexing to pass through the corresponding slot as said shield is positioned adjacent one side of said second wall and then returning to their rest positions to overlie the opposite side of said second wall.

8. A refrigerator as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

the other of said tabs have rest positions angled with respect to said axis so as to firmly engage said second wall when said other tabs are inserted in said corresponding slots.

9. A refrigerator as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

said shield is die formed sheet metal.