Sealing gaskets

• US 20070084125A1
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Scoville, James, Hall, David, Chaudhary, Partap, Gholap, Avinash
• Granted Patent: US 8,490,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/478.100
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/16 Sealing arrangements on wings or parts co-operating with the wings specially adapted for fireproof or similar closures E06B5/164; E06B7/098 takes precedence ; fixed sealing joints E04B1/68; devices for fitting sealing strips E04F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/087 Sealing strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

Sealing gaskets are provided for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance. The gaskets are adapted to be mounted to the door of the appliance and comprise a first bellows chamber that can be compressed when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, a pocket contiguous with the first bellows chamber for holding a magnet and a second bellows chamber adapted to be nearer the cabinet of the appliance than the pocket and engage the cabinet of the appliance prior to the pocket engaging the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance. Several embodiments of the sealing gaskets are disclosed.

Claims

1. A gasket for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, the door of the appliance having an outward section that forms the exterior of the door and an inward section that forms the interior of the door of the appliance and faces the cabinet of the appliance, perimeter portions of the outward and inward sections overlapping one another in a manner so as to form a mounting space for the gasket between the overlapping perimeter portions, the gasket being adapted to be mounted to the door of the appliance and comprising:

a first bellows chamber formed of a material that is sufficiently flexible so that the first bellows chamber can be compressed when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance;

a pocket contiguous with the first bellows chamber for holding a magnet, the pocket being located with relation to the first bellows chamber such that the pocket is adapted to be nearer the cabinet of the appliance cabinet than the first bellows chamber and engage the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance;

a second bellows chamber made of a flexible material and having two opposed side walls, a first of the two side walls being attached to at least one of the first bellows chamber and the pocket so as to allow for pivotal movement of the second of the two side walls of the second bellows chamber toward and away from the cabinet of the appliance about the site of the attachment of the first of the two side walls to at least one of the first bellows chamber and the pocket, the second of the two side walls of the second bellows chamber being located with relation to the pocket such that the second of the two side walls of the second bellows chamber is adapted to be nearer the cabinet of the appliance than the pocket and engage the cabinet of the appliance prior to the pocket engaging the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance; and

a gasket mounting section contiguous with the first bellows chamber, the gasket mounting section including a first portion that is adapted to be held in the mounting space between the overlapping perimeter portions of the outward section and inward section of the door of the appliance.

2. The gasket of claim 1 for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, wherein the gasket mounting section includes a second portion that is attached to the first portion of the gasket mounting section and is larger than the mounting space between the overlapping perimeter portions of the outward section and inward section of the door of the appliance and that is adapted to be located outside the mounting space between the overlapping perimeter portions of the outward section and inward section of the door of the appliance, whereby the gasket mounting section is restrained by the second portion of the gasket mounting section from being withdrawn from the mounting space between the overlapping perimeter portions of the outward section and the inward section of the door of the appliance.

3. The gasket of claim 2 for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, wherein the inward section of the door of the appliance includes an inner surface that faces the cabinet of the appliance and the first bellows chamber includes first and second sealing members that are in sealing contact with the inner surface of the inward section of the door of the appliance so as to form an insulating air cavity that minimizes air migration from the interior of the cabinet of the appliance.

4. The gasket of claim 3 for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, wherein the inward section of the door of the appliance, at least adjacent the perimeter portion of the inward section, has a stepped configuration in profile that places the inner surface of the inward section of the door of the appliance in close proximity to the first and second sealing members of the first bellows chamber that are in sealing contact with the inner surface of the inward section of the door of the appliance.

5. The gasket of claim 4 for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, wherein a portion of the outward section of the door of the appliance includes an outer surface that faces the cabinet of the appliance and the gasket mounting section includes a pair of sealing members that are in sealing engagement with the outer surface of the portion of the outward section of the door of the appliance.

6. A primary gasket for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, the door of the appliance having an outward section that forms the exterior of the door and an inward section that forms the interior of the door and faces the cabinet of the appliance, perimeter portions of the outward and inward sections overlapping one another in a manner so as to form a mounting space for the primary gasket between the overlapping perimeter portions, and the inward section of the door of the appliance having a channel running around the inward section adjacent the perimeter portion of the inward section for selectively providing a location for the attachment to the inward section of a replacement gasket for the primary gasket, the primary gasket for forming a seal between the door of the appliance and the cabinet of the appliance being adapted to be mounted to the door of the appliance and comprising:

a first bellows chamber formed of a material that is sufficiently flexible so that the first bellows chamber can be compressed when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance;

a pocket contiguous with the first bellows chamber for holding a magnet, the pocket being located with relation to the first bellows chamber such that the pocket is adapted to be nearer the cabinet of the appliance than the first bellows chamber and engage the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance;

a second bellows chamber made of a flexible material and being contiguous with the first bellows chamber and the pocket and having a sealing portion located with relation to the pocket such that the sealing portion of the second bellows chamber is adapted to be nearer the cabinet of the appliance than the pocket and engage the cabinet of the appliance prior to the pocket engaging the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance;

a base support for the first bellows compartment, the second bellows compartment and the pocket, the base support resting on the perimeter portion of the inward section of the door of the appliance and overlying the channel in the inward section of the door of the appliance; and

a primary gasket mounting section attached to the base support, the primary gasket mounting section including a first portion that is adapted to be held in the primary gasket mounting space between the overlapping perimeter portions of the outward section and inward section of the door of the appliance.

7. The primary gasket of claim 6 for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, wherein the primary gasket mounting section includes a second portion that is attached to the first portion of the primary gasket mounting section and is larger than the primary gasket mounting space between the overlapping perimeter portions of the outward section and inward section of the door of the appliance and that is adapted to be located outside the primary gasket mounting space between the overlapping perimeter portions of the outward section and inward section of the door of the appliance, whereby the primary gasket mounting section is restrained by the second portion of the primary gasket mounting section from being withdrawn from the primary gasket mounting space between the overlapping perimeter portions of the outward section and the inward section of the door of the appliance.

8. The primary gasket of claim 7 for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, wherein the inward section of the door of the appliance includes an inner surface that faces the cabinet of the appliance and the second bellows chamber includes a first sealing member that is in sealing contact with the inner surface of the inward section of the door of the appliance so as to form between the first sealing member and the base support an insulating air cavity that minimizes air migration from the interior of the cabinet of the appliance.

9. The primary gasket of claim 8 for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, wherein a sealing flap is attached to the base support and is adapted to form a seal with the outward section of the door of the appliance adjacent the perimeter portion of the outward and inward section of the door of the refrigeration appliance.

10. A primary gasket for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, the door of the appliance having an outward section that forms the exterior of the door and an inward section that forms the interior of the door and faces the cabinet of the appliance, perimeter portions of the outward and inward sections overlapping one another in a manner so as to form a mounting space for the primary gasket between the overlapping perimeter portions, and the inward section of the door of the appliance having a channel running around the inward section adjacent the perimeter portion of the inward section for selectively providing a location for the attachment to the inward section of a replacement gasket for the primary gasket, the primary gasket for forming a seal between the door of the appliance and the cabinet of the appliance being adapted to be mounted to the door of the appliance and comprising:

a first bellows chamber formed of a material that is sufficiently flexible so that the first bellows chamber can be compressed when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance;

a pocket contiguous with the first bellows chamber for holding a magnet, the pocket being located with relation to the first bellows chamber such that the pocket is adapted to be nearer the cabinet of the appliance than the first bellows chamber and engage the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance;

a second bellows chamber made of a flexible material and being contiguous with the first bellows chamber and the pocket and having a sealing portion located with relation to the pocket such that the sealing portion of the second bellows chamber is adapted to be nearer the cabinet of the appliance than the pocket and engage the cabinet of the appliance prior to the pocket engaging the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance;

a base support for the first bellows compartment, the second bellows compartment and the pocket, the base support resting on the perimeter portion of the inward section of the door of the appliance and overlying the channel in the inward section of the door of the appliance;

a leg depending from the base support and extending into the channel in the inward section of the door of the appliance, the leg being biased against a wall of the channel so as to aid in holding the primary gasket in place on the door of the appliance; and

a primary gasket mounting section attached to the base support, the primary gasket mounting section including a first portion that is adapted to be held in the primary gasket mounting space between the overlapping perimeter portions of the outward section and inward section of the door of the appliance.

11. The primary gasket of claim 10 for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, wherein the primary gasket mounting section includes a second portion that is attached to the first portion of the primary gasket mounting section and is larger than the primary gasket mounting space between the overlapping perimeter portions of the outward section and inward section of the door of the appliance and that is adapted to be located outside the primary gasket mounting space between the overlapping perimeter portions of the outward section and inward section of the door of the appliance, whereby the primary gasket mounting section is restrained by the second portion of the primary gasket mounting section from being withdrawn from the primary gasket mounting space between the overlapping perimeter portions of the outward section and the inward section of the door of the appliance.

12. The primary gasket of claim 11 for forming a seal between the door of an appliance and the cabinet of the appliance when the door of the appliance is closed onto the cabinet of the appliance, wherein a sealing flap is attached to the base support and is adapted to form a seal with the outward section of the door of the appliance adjacent the perimeter portion of the outward section of the door of the appliance.