Device for electrically powering electrical members positioned on a refrigerator door

• US 7,752,713 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2001
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Stura, Marco, Zibelli, Monica
• Primary Examiner(s): Mah; Chuck Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/898,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,297 Days
• Field of Search: 163/87, 163/86, 163/85, 162/23, 162/25, 163/68, 361680-683, 361/687, 624/41, 625/31, 455/575.3, 136/245
• US Class Current: 16/387
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 2003/166 Vertical pivot-axis
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/16 with seven parallel pins and four arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1253 with a compression spring
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/31 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/024 Door hinges
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 39/643 through ball or roller bearing

Abstract

A device for electrically powering electrical members or user devices positioned on a refrigerator door, the refrigerator comprising an insulated cabinet defining at least one food preservation compartment on which said door is movably disposed, at least one hinge member being provided for the connection between the cabinet and said door; with the cabinet and with the door there being associated electrical conductors connected respectively to an electrical source and to each user device positioned on the door, said conductors being electrically connected together via the hinge member, which is constructed such that at least a part of it is electrically conductive.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet defining at least one food preservation compartment and having at least a first conductor configured to connect to a source of electricity;

a door for selectively closing the cabinet and having at least a second conductor configured to supply power to at least one user device provided on the door;

an electrical connection device coupling the first and second conductors and comprising a hinge connecting the cabinet to the door and the hinge comprising an electrically conductive first hinge plate and a first electrically conductive fastener mounting the first hinge plate to the cabinet and electrically coupled to the first conductor, an electrically conductive second hinge plate and a second electrically conductive fastener mounting the second hinge plate to the door and electrically coupled to the second conductor, wherein the first and second hinge plates are electrically coupled to define an electrically conductive path from the first conductor to the first hinge plate to the second hinge plate to the second conductor to supply power from the source of electricity to the user device; and

first and second electrically conductive reinforcement elements, the first electrically conductive reinforcement element electrically coupled to the first electrically conductive fastener, and the second electrically conductive reinforcement element electrically coupled to the second electrically conductive fastener.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical fasteners pass through an outer panel of the cabinet and door, respectively, and into an interior of the cabinet and door, respectively, to mount the first and second hinge plates to the cabinet and the door, respectively.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein the first and second conductors are located in the interior of the cabinet and the door, respectively.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the first and second electrically conductive fasteners are electrically insulated from the cabinet and door.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, and further comprising a first electrically insulating bushing positioned between the first electrically conductive fastener and the outer panel of the cabinet and a second electrically insulating bushing positioned between the second electrically conductive fastener and the outer panel of the door.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5, and further comprising a first electrically insulating member positioned between the first hinge plate and the cabinet and a second electrically insulating member position between the second hinge plate and the door to electrically insulate the first and second hinge plates relative to the cabinet and the door.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second reinforcement elements are electrically insulated from the cabinet and door, respectively.

8. The refrigerator according to claims 7, and further comprising a first electrically insulating member positioned between the first reinforcement element and the cabinet and a second electrically insulating member positioned between the second reinforcement element and the door.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second conductors are embedded in insulating material of the cabinet and door, respectively.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second hinge plates are electrically insulated from the cabinet and the door, respectively.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1, and further comprising a hinge pin electrically connecting the first hinge plate and the second hinge plate.