Whirlpool Corporation

Maytag Corporation

Roger C Miersen

James H Jenkins

Thomas Edward Gose

Douglas A Pohl

Eugene H Schuchert

James M Grace

A refrigerator having French-style doors is sealed between the doors by a first sealing pad linearly biased from a base fixed within a recess provided in an inner side portion of one door, and a second sealing pad carried by a mounting arm which is pivotally mounted and angularly biased from an inner side portion of the second door. When either door is closed against the other, the first and second sealing pads deflect and conform to each other to provide an effective seal. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the first and second sealing pads take complementary concave and convex shapes which provide a larger cross-section for the overall sealing area and establish a high insulation value, while avoiding the need for an internal heater commonly employed in refrigerator doors.

Spring loaded mullion for french door refrigerator

A side-by-side refrigerator includes fresh food and freezer compartments, each having upper and lower sections which vary in width and volume. Doors, each having corresponding upper and lower sections that vary in width, are provided to selectively seal the fresh food and freezer compartments respectively. Each door includes an outer lateral portion pivotally mounted to the side-by-side refrigerator about a substantially vertical axis and an inner lateral portion defined by laterally offset sections that form the varying width portions. In accordance with the invention, a door brace member is provided at the laterally offset sections. The door brace member includes first and second substantially vertical portions interconnected by a lateral portion that is shaped to conform to and reinforce the laterally offset sections of the door to increase the overall structural integrity of the door.

Door brace for a refrigerator cabinet assembly having varying width compartment doors

Growing community of inventors

Marion, IA, United States of America

Roger C Miersen