Method of assembling a display case door

• US 6,637,093 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2001
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Anthony Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Richardson, Richard J., Crown, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vidovich, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cozart, Jermie E.
• Application Number:
  US09/904,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20020056184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 294/58, 495/01, 495/05, 495/06, 49D/IG.2, 527/861.1, 527/861.3
• US Class Current: 29/458
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0434 Glass or transparent panels
• 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: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49888 Subsequently coating

Abstract

A refrigerator door is described for a refrigerated display case. The door includes a glass unit having first and second spaced apart glass panels where the first panel has a forward facing surface and the second panel has a rearward facing surface. A spacer element extends between the first and second glass panels. A door rail element includes an external perimeter wall extending from front to back from a point adjacent the edge of the forward glass panel to a point adjacent the rearward glass panel. A second frame element wall extends between the first and second spaced apart glass panels and extends externally out of the spaced apart glass panels to the perimeter wall. The door rail element also includes a rear wall portion extending inwardly toward the center of the door from the perimeter wall and over a portion of the rearward facing surface of the second glass panel.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a refrigerator display case door, the method comprising the steps of:

assembling a glass unit including first and second glass panels separated by at least one spacer assembly;

applying sealant between the first and second glass panels and to the at least one spacer assembly; and

positioning at least one frame rail element to a peripheral edge of the first glass panel so that the edge of the first glass panel fits into a groove in the at least one frame rail element and so that the first glass panel contacts a sealing element at an end of the at least one frame rail element to form a pocket bounded by the sealing element, the first glass panel and the at least one frame rail element.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of inserting the sealing element into a pocket in the at least one frame rail element.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of applying a sealant into the groove in the at least one frame rail element.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of applying a gasket to a rearward side of the at least one frame rail element so that the gasket covers substantially all of the rearward side.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the glass unit is a rectangular glass unit and wherein the step of positioning includes the step of positioning four door rail elements about respective sides of the glass unit and wherein each door rail element includes projections for engaging the sealant between the first and second glass panels.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein each door rail element includes a substantially hollow frame structure extending into a spacing between the first and second glass panels.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein each of the door rail elements is positioned so that the first glass panel is substantially centered in the groove.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of applying a sealant within the groove.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of positioning each of the door rail elements so that a perimeter edge of the second glass panel contacts a resilient insert in the door rail element.

10. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of joining adjacent door rail elements with a corner key.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of supporting a door hinge with the corner key.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of assembling a glass unit includes the step of assembling the first and second glass panels on each side of and spaced apart from a third glass panel.

13. A method of manufacturing a refrigerator display case door, the method comprising the steps of:

assembling a glass unit including first and second glass panels separated from a third glass panel by spacer assemblies;

applying sealant between the first and second glass panels and about the spacer assemblies;

applying a sealing element to a door frame rail element; and

installing a plurality of frame rail elements about the glass unit including inserting a spacing structure of the frame rail element between the first and second glass panels and positioning a rearward wall of each frame rail element adjacent the first glass panel so that the sealing element contacts the first glass panel and forms a void surrounded by the sealing element, the first glass panel and the rearward wall of the frame rail element.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of installing includes the step of positioning a frame rail element so that an edge of the first glass panel is approximately centered in a groove in the frame rail element.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of applying a sealant into the groove.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of attaching a gasket to the rearward facing wall of the frame rail element so that the gasket covers substantially the entire surface of the rearward-facing wall.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of installing includes the step of installing frame rail elements with an insulating material in the void.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of installing includes the step of inserting projections on the frame rail elements into the sealant.

19. A method of manufacturing a refrigerator display case door, the method comprising the steps of:

assembling a glass unit including first, second and third glass panels wherein the first and third and wherein the second and third glass panels are separated by respective spacer assemblies;

applying sealant between the glass panels and about the spacer assemblies; and

applying door rail elements about each side of the glass unit, each door rail element including a spacing structure having projections, a resilient member and a sealing member, wherein the spacing structure is positioned between the first and second glass panels and the projections are inserted into the sealant, the resilient member is placed in contact with a peripheral edge of the first glass panel and the sealing member is placed in contact with a rearward-facing surface of the second glass panel to form a void between the second glass panel, the sealing element and the door rail element.