Maytag Corporation

Jose G Avendano

John Phillip Myers

Robert A Christenson

Scott Robert Voll

Sheldon Wayne Mandel

Edward Everett Crompton, Iii

Richard James Miller

John C Rue, Sr

Michael A Mohrfeld

Larry Corbin

Robert M Riley

Kurt C Senner

Douglas A Heims

Robert Stephen Mercille

Walter I Disbennett

Robert Katz

An in-turned annular flange of a refrigerator door panel is interconnected to an out-turned flange of a door liner through the use of individual seal and liner retainer elements which enable the liner to be snap connected to the door panel. More specifically, with one of the retainer elements initially attached to the door panel and the remaining elements are attached to respective side portion of the liner. One side of the liner is initially attached to the door panel and then the liner is pivoted until the remaining sides of the liner are snap-connected to the door panel. After the door panel, liner and retainer assembly are foamed during an insulation procedure, all the components are securely held in place. Finally, a door seal, which includes primary and secondary seal elements, is interengaged with first and second seal connecting structure defined by the retainer elements.

Push-in refrigerator door seal and retainer system

A combination tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly for storing items on a door of a refrigerator includes a coated wire basket pivotally attached to a molded plastic basket frame. Pivot shafts on the basket snap-fittingly engage apertures in the basket frame and allow the basket to move between a retracted position, wherein the basket is substantially recessed within the basket frame, and a tilt-out position, wherein a substantial body portion of the basket is exposed outside the basket frame. A stop member is provided for limiting the degree to which the basket can pivot relative to the basket frame. Mounting members formed in the basket frame allow the assembly to be removably supported on mounting supports on a freezer or fresh food compartment door liner.

Tilt-out and pick-off basket assembly for a refrigerator door

An appliance cabinet side wall is secured to a front frame member by a first mechanical fastening element of a fastening system. Subsequently, a trim piece is attached along the side wall through the use of a second mechanical fastening element which is threadably connected to the first fastening element. Most preferably, a blind-type rivnut is utilized to prevent any foam, used in insulating the cabinet, from leaking. Utilizing multi-functioning mechanical fastening elements minimizes the number of assembly components, eases assembly and enables the trim piece to be easily removed and/or replaced in case of damage, or even if the consumer desires to simply utilize a trim piece of another color or design.

Fastening system for appliance cabinet assembly

An integrated door closing and leveling assembly for a refrigerator includes a spring biased door closure and an adjustable support integrated into a housing. The door closure includes an arm attached to the housing for relative sliding and pivoting movement, while being biased to a retracted position by a spring having an associated noise dampening element. The interaction between the spring and the arm is such that the spring provides a small degree of resistance to any opening force and also serves to maintain the door fully open once the door is opened beyond a critical point. The support structure houses both front and rear wheels for maneuvering the refrigerator, and feet for leveling and supporting purposes.

Integrated refrigerator cabinet leveling and door closing assembly

A refrigerator shelving assembly includes a universal frame adapted to support various different shelving units thereon. The frame is defined by interconnected front, rear and side frame members, and preferably a pair of intersecting cross frame members. Each of the frame members, in at least an opposing pair of the front, rear and side frame members, is provided with a ledge portion located in a first plane and a trough portion arranged below the first plane at a position between the ledge portions and a respective cross frame member. Each of the cross frame members has an upper surface also located in the first plane. With this construction, the frame can universally support various types of shelving units, including a basic shelf constituted by a plate of glass or a premium shelf formed by encapsulating an annular portion of a plate of glass by a rim defining element that extends below a plane defined by the glass plate, upon the cross frame members and either the ledge or trough portions of the shelving assembly. Furthermore, the frame members can carry guide rails for slidably supporting one or more refrigerator bins below a selected shelving unit.

Refrigerator shelving assembly

A refrigerator cabinet assembly includes a shell formed by opposed, upright side walls and a top wall, all of which have in-turned front and rear face portions with each of the front face portions terminating in a return flange defining a liner receiving cavity opening forwardly of the shell. Each liner receiving cavity is spaced inwardly of a respective side and top wall such that a channel, which is readily accessible from within the shell, is defined. A rear wall is interconnected to the side and top walls by being arranged between and forced to intimately contact a pair of spaced layers defining the rear face portions of each of these walls. A plurality of reinforcement members, including a pair of upper corner plates and a pair of side reinforcement bars adapted to be arranged in the channel, as well as upper and lower crossbars in one preferred embodiment that interconnect the side reinforcement members, are attached to the shell, along with a mullion plate and a faceplate. Since the return flanges open forwardly of the shell, a liner can be front loaded therein in a quick and easy fashion with an inwardly extending flange provided on the liner projecting into the liner receiving cavity. The side reinforcement members and their associated brackets are provided with structure defining hinge locations for both refrigerator door hinges, as well as one hinge for a freezer compartment, to assure proper alignment and spacing of the hinges.

Refrigerator cabinet and method of assembling the same

Method of assembling a refrigerator cabinet

A bin for a cabinet is supported by an upper supporting structure for movement between a first position wherein the bin is recessed within the cabinet and a second position wherein the bin is shifted relative to the upper supporting structure in order to access a storage zone of the bin. As the bin is shifted to the second position, at least one projection provided on the bottom of the bin engages a lower supporting structure to relieve stresses on the upper supporting structure. In the preferred embodiment, the bin is mounted in a refrigerator cabinet and a floor of a cabinet liner defines the lower supporting structure. The upper supporting structure is secured to sides of the liner and further engages a ledge integrally formed with the liner. In addition, the bin preferably slides and pivots downwardly upon shifting to the second position in order to maximize the access opening to the storage zone.

Storage bin supporting system

A seal assembly for use between a door and a cabinet of a refrigerator includes primary and secondary seals that are preferably carried by the door and extend around the entire perimeter thereof. The secondary seal is specifically designed to minimize necessary closing forces and creates an air cell in a throat area between a cold storage compartment of the refrigerator and the primary seal in order to effectively reduce heat transfer therethrough.

Growing community of inventors

Galesburg, IL, United States of America

Jose G Avendano