Refrigerator door construction including a laminated package

• US 8,613,161 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2008
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anthony Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Anthony Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Nicholson, Jeffery W., Artwohl, Paul J., Sokol, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Katherine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kelly, Catherine A
• Application Number:
  US12/195,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20100043293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,952 Days
• Field of Search: 492/36, 492/37, 495/01, 495/04, 162/50, 163/03, 163/12, 163/17, 163/18, 163/41, 163/42, 312/116, 312/138.1, 312/326, 312/327
• US Class Current: 49/501
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0434 Glass or transparent panels
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/081 the pivot axis of the wing being situated near one edge of the wing, especially at the top and bottom, e.g. trunnions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/063 with complementary, substantially identical and slidingly cooperating cam surfaces E05F1/066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/202 for display cabinets, e.g. for refrigerated cabinets

Abstract

A door assembly that includes a a frame having an upper portion and a lower portion, an electrical hinge mounted to the upper portion of the frame, a gravity hinge mounted to the lower portion of the frame and a door pivotably mounted to the frame by the electrical hinge and the gravity hinge. The electrical hinge pin has a hinge pin part having a plurality of electrical conductors extending downwardly therefrom. The gravity hinge also includes a hinge pin part. The door includes a laminated package having first, second and third layers adhered to one another. At least one of the layers includes an electro-conductive coating thereon that is in electrical communication with the electrical hinge. The door also includes a rail secured adjacent a hinge side edge of the laminated package. The rail includes a tunnel defined therein that includes a top opening that receives the hinge pin part of the electrical hinge and a bottom opening that receives the hinge pin part of the gravity hinge.

Claims

1. A door assembly comprising:

a) a frame having an upper portion and a lower portion;

b) an electrical hinge mounted to the upper portion of the frame, wherein the electrical hinge has a hinge pin part having a plurality of electrical conductors extending downwardly therefrom;

c) a bottom hinge mounted to the lower portion of the frame, wherein the bottom hinge has a hinge pin part, and

d) at least a first door pivotably mounted to the frame about a pivot axis by the electrical hinge and the bottom hinge, wherein the door comprises

i) a laminated package having first, second and third layers adhered to one another, wherein at least one of the layers includes an electro-conductive coating thereon, wherein the electro-conductive coating is in electrical communication with the electrical hinge, wherein the laminated package has a top edge, a bottom edge, a hinge side edge and a non-hinge side edge, and

ii) a rail secured adjacent the hinge side edge of the laminated package, wherein the rail includes a tunnel defined therein that includes a top opening and a bottom opening, wherein the top opening receives the hinge pin part of the electrical hinge and the bottom opening receives the hinge pin part of the bottom hinge, wherein the rail includes a hinge portion and a laminated package receiving portion that includes opposing members that sandwich and secure a portion of the first, second and third layers of the laminated package therebetween,

wherein at least one of the top edge, bottom edge, and non-hinge side edge is free of any structural frame member that secures a portion of the first, second and third layers of the laminated package therebetween.

2. The door assembly of claim 1 wherein the first, second and third layers each include front and back surfaces and wherein the electro-conductive coating is on the back surface of the first layer.

3. The door assembly of claim 2 wherein the first and third layers are comprised of glass and the second layer is comprised of plastic.

4. The door assembly of claim 3 wherein the back surface of the first layer includes top and bottom bus bars secured thereto, wherein the top and bottom bus bars include conductors that extend from the hinge side edge of the laminated package, and wherein the top and bottom bus bars are in electrical communication with the electro-conductive coating and the electrical hinge.

5. The door assembly of claim 1 wherein the opposing members and the hinge side edges of the first, second and third layers of the laminated package define a channel that extends from the top to the bottom of the rail, wherein the rail includes a wall that separates the channel and the tunnel and a conductor opening defined in the wall that communicates the channel and the tunnel, and wherein the electrical conductors extend from the electrical hinge, down the tunnel, through the conductor opening, into the channel and to the top and bottom bus bars.

6. The door assembly of claim 1 wherein the rail further includes a wire access opening defined therein that communicates the tunnel with the exterior of the rail, wherein the wire access opening is covered by a removable access cover.

7. The door assembly of claim 1 wherein the top edge, bottom edge, and non-hinge side edge of the laminated package each have a transparent edge guard thereon.

8. The door assembly of claim 7 wherein the transparent edge guard on the non-hinge side edge comprises a first portion attached to the first layer, a second portion attached to the non-hinge side edge and a third portion attached to the third layer, and wherein the transparent edge guard includes a wiper extending outwardly from the second portion.

9. The door assembly of claim 1 wherein the laminated package includes first and second outer surfaces that define first and second parallel planes, and wherein the pivot axis is not positioned between the first and second parallel planes extended.

10. The door assembly of claim 1 wherein the rail forms a general L-shape such that the pivot axis is offset from the laminated package.

11. A door assembly comprising:

a) a frame having an upper portion and a lower portion;

b) first and second electrical hinges mounted to the upper portion of the frame, wherein the first and second electrical hinges each have a hinge pin part having a plurality of electrical conductors extending downwardly therefrom;

c) first and second bottom hinges mounted to the lower portion of the frame, wherein the first and second bottom hinges each have a hinge pin part, and

d) a first door pivotably mounted to the frame about a first pivot axis by the first electrical hinge and the first bottom hinge, wherein the first door comprises

i) a laminated package having first, second and third layers adhered to one another, wherein the first, second and third layers each include front and back surfaces and wherein an electro-conductive coating is disposed on the back surface of the first layer, wherein the electro-conductive coating is in electrical communication with the electrical hinge, wherein the first and third layers are comprised of glass and the second layer is comprised of plastic, wherein the laminated package has a top edge, a bottom edge, a hinge side edge and a non-hinge side edge, wherein the back surface of the first layer includes top and bottom bus bars secured thereto, wherein the top and bottom bus bars include conductors that extend from the hinge side edge of the laminated package, and wherein the top and bottom bus bars are in electrical communication with the electro-conductive coating and the first electrical hinge, wherein the top edge, bottom edge, and non-hinge side edge of the laminated package each have a transparent edge guard thereon, wherein the transparent edge guard on the non-hinge side edge comprises a first portion attached to the first layer, a second portion attached to the non-hinge side edge and a third portion attached to the third layer, and wherein the transparent edge guard includes a first wiper extending outwardly from the second portion, and

ii) a rail secured adjacent the hinge side edge of the laminated package, wherein the rail includes a tunnel defined therein that includes a top opening and a bottom opening, wherein the top opening receives the hinge pin part of the electrical hinge and the bottom opening receives the hinge pin part of the bottom hinge, wherein the rail includes a hinge portion and a laminated package receiving portion that includes opposing members that sandwich and secure a portion of the first, second and third layers of the laminated package therebetween,

wherein the laminated package includes first and second outer surfaces that define first and second parallel planes, and wherein the first and second pivot axes are not positioned between the first and second parallel planes extended,

wherein at least one of the top edge, bottom edge, and non-hinge side edge is free of any structural frame member that secures a portion of the first, second and third layers of the laminated package therebetween

e) a second door pivotably mounted to the frame about a second pivot axis by the second electrical hinge and the second bottom hinge, wherein the second door comprises

i) a laminated package having first, second and third layers adhered to one another, wherein the first, second and third layers each include front and back surfaces and wherein an electro-conductive coating is disposed on the back surface of the first layer, wherein the electro-conductive coating is in electrical communication with the electrical hinge, wherein the first and third layers are comprised of glass and the second layer is comprised of plastic, wherein the laminated package has a top edge, a bottom edge, a hinge side edge and a non-hinge side edge, wherein the back surface of the first layer includes top and bottom bus bars secured thereto, wherein the top and bottom bus bars include conductors that extend from the hinge side edge of the laminated package, and wherein the top and bottom bus bars are in electrical communication with the electro-conductive coating and the second electrical hinge, wherein the top edge, bottom edge, and non-hinge side edge of the laminated package each have a transparent edge guard thereon, wherein the transparent edge guard on the non-hinge side edge comprises a first portion attached to the first layer, a second portion attached to the non-hinge side edge and a third portion attached to the third layer, and wherein the transparent edge guard includes a second wiper extending outwardly from the second portion, and

ii) a rail secured adjacent the hinge side edge of the laminated package, wherein the rail includes a tunnel defined therein that includes a top opening and a bottom opening, wherein the top opening receives the hinge pin part of the electrical hinge and the bottom opening receives the hinge pin part of the bottom hinge, wherein the rail includes a hinge portion and a laminated package receiving portion that includes opposing members that sandwich and secure a portion of the first, second and third layers of the laminated package therebetween,

wherein the laminated package includes first and second outer surfaces that define first and second parallel planes, and wherein the first and second pivot axes are not positioned between the first and second parallel planes extended

wherein at least one of the top edge, bottom edge, and non-hinge side edge is free of any structural frame member that secures a portion of the first, second and third layers of the laminated package therebetween.