# US 10,480,849 B2 · Cold appliance

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,480,849 B2
- Document ID: US10480849B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/992,196
- Filed: 2009-05-19
- Published: 2011-07-07
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2008-05-23
- Assignees: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
- Applicants: Anders Selin; Marko Tapio Jokila; Sven Blomberg; Klas Andersson; Bernt Andersson
- Inventors: Anders Selin; Marko Tapio Jokila; Sven Blomberg; Klas Andersson; Bernt Andersson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480849B2

## CPC

- F25D 23/066: {Liners}
- F25D 23/063: {formed by an assembly of panels}
- F25D 17/062: {in household refrigerators}
- F25D 27/00: Lighting arrangements (in general F21)
- F25D 2317/067: characterised by air ducts
- F25D 2400/40: Refrigerating devices characterised by electrical wiring
- F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B)

## Abstract

A cold appliance comprising a cooling module (102) and a cabinet (101) comprising cabinet panels including two opposite pre-foamed side wall panels (1), a pre-foamed rear wall panel (4), a top part (2), and a bottom part (103); and a door (6). The cooling module comprises an air outlet (43) delivering cooled air to a cold compartment (104) of the cabinet, and an air inlet (44) receiving air from the cold compartment. The cold appliance further comprises a rear wall lining (50), which is arranged at the inside of the pre-foamed rear wall panel, and which forms a space between the rear wall lining and the rear wall panel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cold appliance comprising:
a cooling module and a cabinet comprising a cold compartment, wherein the cabinet is a modular cabinet constructed from a plurality of separable cabinet panels that connect together in an assembled state to form the cabinet, including two opposite pre-foamed side wall panels, each of which connects to a pre-foamed rear wall panel, the pre-foamed rear wall panel comprising a foam material arranged between an inner sheet layer and an outer sheet layer, wherein the inner sheet layer is arranged between the cold compartment and the outer sheet layer and extends from one of the two pre-foamed side wall panels to the other of the two pre-foamed side wall panels, the cabinet further comprising a top part, a bottom part, and a door, wherein
the cooling module comprises an outlet air duct configured to deliver cooled air to the cold compartment of the cabinet, and an inlet air duct configured to receive air from the cold compartment, wherein the cold appliance further comprises a rear wall lining arranged between the cold compartment and the inner sheet layer of the pre-foamed rear wall panel, wherein the rear wall lining is separate from the inner sheet layer and comprises
a center portion that is spaced from the inner sheet layer, wherein the center portion protrudes outward in a direction away from the inner sheet layer to form a center space between the center portion of the rear wall lining and the inner sheet layer of the pre-foamed rear wall panel, wherein the rear wall lining further comprises
edge portions, a first one of which is arranged on a first side of the center portion adjacent to one of the two pre-foamed side wall panels and a second one of which is arranged on a second side of the center portion adjacent to the other of the two pre-foamed side wall panels, wherein a maximum distance between the center portion and the inner sheet layer is greater than a minimum distance between each of the first and second edge portions and the inner sheet layer such that the center portion and the center space are centered horizontally between the two opposed pre-foamed side wall panels and the first and second edge portions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cold appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a cold air duct connected with the outlet air duct and a warm air duct connected with the inlet air duct, wherein the cold air duct and the warm air duct are arranged in the center space.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein a cable duct is arranged in the center space.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the rear wall lining comprises an electric device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the rear wall lining comprises shelf supports.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the rear wall lining is attached to the pre-foamed rear wall panel by mechanical means.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the rear wall lining is removable from the cold appliance.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the rear wall lining is attached to the pre-foamed rear wall panel by adhesive means.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The cold appliance according to claim 2, wherein the rear wall lining further comprises inlet air vent openings connected with the cold air duct and with the cold compartment, and outlet air vent openings connected with the warm air duct and with the cold compartment.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The cold appliance according to claim 2, wherein the inner sheet layer of the pre-foamed rear wall panel comprises a substantially flat front surface spaced apart from the rear wall lining.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The cold appliance according to claim 10, wherein the cold air duct and the warm air duct are positioned in front of the substantially flat front surface of the inner sheet layer of the pre-foamed rear wall panel.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the rear wall lining is attached to the pre-foamed rear wall panel by press fitting or snap fitting.

### Claim 13

A cold appliance comprising;
a cooling module comprising an outlet air duct connected with a cold air duct configured to deliver cooled air to a cold compartment, and an inlet air duct connected to a warm air duct configured to receive air from the cold compartment;
a cabinet comprising cabinet panels including two opposite pre-foamed side wall panels, a pre-foamed rear wall panel comprising a foam material arranged between an inner sheet layer and an outer sheet layer, wherein the inner sheet layer is arranged between the cold compartment and the outer sheet layer and extends from one of the two pre-foamed side wall panels to the other of the two pre-foamed side wall panels, a top part, a bottom part, and a door, wherein the cabinet panels comprise joints configured to attach the cabinet panels together to form the cabinet;
a rear wall lining arranged between the cold compartment and the inner sheet layer of the pre-foamed rear wall panel and extending from one of the two pre-foamed side wall panels to the other of the two pre-foamed side wall panels, wherein the rear wall lining is separate from the inner sheet layer and comprises a center portion that is spaced from the inner sheet layer, wherein the center portion protrudes outward in a direction away from the inner sheet layer to form a center space between the center portion of the rear wall lining and the inner sheet layer of the pre-foamed rear wall panel, wherein the rear wall lining is attached to the pre-foamed rear wall panel by mechanical or adhesive means, and wherein the cold air duct and the warm air duct are arranged in the center space, wherein
the rear wall lining further comprises edge portions, a first one of which is arranged on a first side of the center portion adjacent to one of the two pre-foamed side wall panels and a second one of which is arranged on a second side of the center portion adjacent to the other of the two pre-foamed side wall panels, wherein a maximum distance between the center portion and the inner sheet layer is greater than a minimum distance between each of the first and second edge portions and the inner sheet layer such that the center portion and the center space are centered horizontally between the two opposed pre-foamed side wall panels and the first and second edge portions, and wherein the rear wall lining further comprises
intermediate portions, a first one of which extends between the first edge portion and the center portion and a second one of which extends between the second edge portion and the center portion, wherein each of the first and second intermediate portions protrudes inward relative to the center portion in a direction toward the inner sheet layer to provide a continuous tapered and non-abrupt transition between the center portion and the first and second edge portions, wherein an intermediate distance between each of the first and second intermediate portions and the inner sheet layer is greater than the minimum distance and less than the maximum distance, and wherein
the first and second intermediate portions are spaced from the inner sheet layer to form corresponding intermediate spaces between the first and second intermediate portions of the rear wall lining and the inner sheet layer of the pre-foamed rear wall panel, the intermediate spaces being adjacent to opposing sides of the center space.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the inner sheet layer and the outer sheet layer of the pre-foamed rear wall panel are planar and parallel to each other.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The cold appliance according to claim 14, wherein the outer sheet layer and the inner sheet layer of the pre-foamed rear wall panel extend between the two opposite pre-foamed side wall panels.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The cold appliance according to claim 14, wherein the center portion of the rear wall lining is planar and parallel to the inner sheet layer and the outer sheet layer of the pre-foamed rear wall panel.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the rear wall lining extends between the two opposite pre-foamed side wall panels.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The cold appliance according to claim 13, wherein the joints comprise a first joint between one of the pre-foamed side wall panels and the pre-foamed rear wall panel and a second joint between the other of the pre-foamed side wall panels and the pre-foamed rear wall panel.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The cold appliance according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the first joint and the second joint comprises an adhesive.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The cold appliance according to claim 1, wherein the rear wall lining extends from one of the two pre-foamed side wall panels to the other of the two pre-foamed side wall panels and further comprises
intermediate portions, a first one of which extends between the first edge portion and the center portion and a second one of which extends between the second edge portion and the center portion, wherein each of the first and second intermediate portions protrudes inward relative to the center portion in a direction toward the inner sheet layer to provide a continuous tapered and non-abrupt transition between the center portion and the first and second edge portions, wherein an intermediate distance between each of the first and second intermediate portions and the inner sheet layer is greater than the minimum distance and less than the maximum distance, and wherein
the first and second intermediate portions are spaced from the inner sheet layer to form corresponding intermediate spaces between the first and second intermediate portions of the rear wall lining and the inner sheet layer of the pre-foamed rear wall panel, the intermediate spaces being adjacent to opposing sides of the center space.
