Refrigerator compartment partitioning means

Abstract

A refrigerator cabinet having a metal outer shell and a plastic inner liner, containing a partition between fresh food and freezer compartments formed of a metal plate defining the fresh food compartment ceiling, a rigid expanded styrene bead thermally insulating divider mounted on the plate, and a plastic tray forming the freezing compartment floor mounted on the divider. An elongated strip of flexible polyurethane is folded lengthwise over a vertical edge of the plate so as to form a compressible, resilient air tight thermal seal between the sides and back of the plate and the adjacent liner walls regardless of changes in the gap distance between the plate and liner caused by the thermal variations of refrigerator operation or reasonable manufacturing variations. The partition inserts into channels formed on the sides of the liner which are partially defined by upper ledges with overlap raised flat rims extending along the sides of the tray to prevent unsightly gaps from occurring between the tray and the liner as a result of thermal or manufacturing variations. Laterally projecting tabs formed on the sides of the rims at the front of the tray project behind frontal edges of the outer shell a distance sufficient to prevent unsightly gaps between the sides of the tray and the edges of the shell resulting from thermal variations or manufacturing variations.