The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 03, 2013
Filed:
Jan. 13, 2012
Paul B. Allard, Stevensville, MI (US);
James W. Kendall, Mount Prospect, IL (US);
Alan S. Lucas, Evansville, IN (US);
Andrew M. Tenbarge, Saint Joseph, MI (US);
John J. Vonderhaar, Saint Joseph, MI (US);
Guolian Wu, Saint Joseph, MI (US);
Paul B. Allard, Stevensville, MI (US);
James W. Kendall, Mount Prospect, IL (US);
Alan S. Lucas, Evansville, IN (US);
Andrew M. Tenbarge, Saint Joseph, MI (US);
John J. Vonderhaar, Saint Joseph, MI (US);
Guolian Wu, Saint Joseph, MI (US);
Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A method of forming a passageway in an insulated door of a refrigerator includes the steps of forming a conduit by inserting a mandrel in the space between a door liner and outer skin, filling the space with foam insulation, and removing the mandrel. In one embodiment, the mandrel is encased with a polymeric skin prior to the inserting step, such that, when the mandrel is removed, the skin remains at the boundary of the passageway so formed. In another embodiment, the method includes mounting fluid and/or electrical conduits to an inside surface of the door liner and subsequently injecting the foam insulation to surround the conduits. In yet another embodiment, fluid and/or electrical conduits are mounted to an outer surface of the door liner. A cover is then positioned over the conduits.