Domestic appliance panels and method of forming same

• US 5,374,118 A
• Filed: 09/18/1992
• Issued: 12/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Laundroche, Kevin S., Burin, Ralph R., Iannelli, Ronald F., Kruck, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US07/947,258
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 312/258, 312/262, 312/406.2, 312/406, 312/407, 312/401, 312/400, 220/339, 220/420, 220/421, 220/467
• US Class Current: 312/407
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4251 Details of the casing insulation arrangements A47L15/4209; collecting leaked water in the casing for preventing water damage A47L15/4212
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/14 the preformed part being a lining B29C44/1209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/18 Filling preformed cavities B29C44/1204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/0691 using sheet like material, e.g. sheet blow-moulding from joined sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/001 Producing wall or panel-like structures, e.g. for hulls, fuselages, or buildings articles with hollow walls B29D24/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/20 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2024/00 Articles with hollow walls
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/00 Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 control of washing machines D06F33/00, D06F34/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/064 formed by moulding, e.g. moulding in situ
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/10 Refrigerator top-coolers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49872 Confining elastic part in socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49876 by snap fit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49888 Subsequently coating

Abstract

An insulated panel for a domestic or household appliance is formed by a process in which two sheets of plastic material are extruded from a co-extrusion die and moved directly into a die thermoforming fixture. When the open die members are closed, the edges of the two sheets are sealed together to form a hollow panel and the walls of the panel are forced outwardly to conform to the shape of the die members. After the hollow panel is trimmed it is moved to a foam machine preferably while still contained in the thermoforming fixture so that foam insulation is inserted into the hollow panel while the walls of the panel are supported by the die members so that these walls are not deformed while the foam insulation is added. The process provides integrally formed components on the walls of the panel in a single manufacturing operation and also provides in the same manufacturing operation integrally formed interlocking means in the edges of the panel which permits the assembly of panels together by unskilled personnel and without requiring separate fastening means.

Claims

1. A refrigerator/freezer having a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment, said refrigerator/freezer including a plurality of panels, each of said panels comprising spaced apart inner and outer die-formed walls of plastic material which are sealed together at the edges thereof with adjacent edges of at least two of said panels being sealed to each other so as to be interconnected to each other by an integral hinge portion formed along said sealed adjacent edges, and insulating material at least partially filling the space between said inner and outer walls of each of said panels, said plurality of panels form the top panel, opposed side panels, bottom panel and a divider panel of said refrigerator/freezer, said divider panel being positioned between said side walls to separate said refrigerator compartment and said freezer compartment.

2. A refrigerator/freezer according to claim 1 further including a door for each of said refrigerator and freezer compartments, each of said doors comprising spaced apart inner and outer die-formed walls of plastic material which are sealed together at the edges thereof, and insulating material filling the space between said inner and outer walls.