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US 11,085,477 B2Granted
Rear sealing bracket and cabinet including rear sealing bracket
AssigneeCorning Research & Development Corporation
InventorWilliam Julius McPhil Giraud
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bracket for coupling at least three frame members to one another may include a structural portion including at least one relatively rigid first material, and a sealing portion including at least one second material different than the at least one first material. The bracket may also include first, second, and third receivers, each including a retainer portion configured to be coupled to an end of a respective frame member, and a sealing interface configured to provide a substantially dirt-resistant and fluid-resistant seal between a portion of the end of the respective frame member and the respective receiver. The bracket and frame members may form a joint configured to be incorporated into a frame for forming a cabinet.
Claims29
A bracket for coupling three or more frame members to one another, the bracket comprising:
- a structural portion comprising at least one first material;
- a sealing portion comprising at least one second material different than the at least one first material;
- wherein the at least one first material is relatively more rigid than the at least one second material;
- a first receiver defining a first longitudinal axis and configured to receive an end of a first frame member, the first receiver comprising:
- a first retainer portion configured to be coupled to the end of the first frame member;
- and
- a first sealing interface configured to provide a substantially dirt- and fluid-resistant seal between a portion of the end of the first frame member and the first receiver;
- a second receiver defining a second longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis of the first receiver and configured to receive an end of a second frame member, the second receiver comprising:
- a second retainer portion configured to be coupled to the end of the second frame member;
- and
- a second sealing interface configured to provide a substantially dirt- and fluid-resistant seal between a portion of the end of the second frame member and the second receiver;
- and
- a third receiver defining a third longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to at least one of the first longitudinal axis of the first receiver or the second longitudinal axis of the second receiver, and configured to receive an end of a third frame member, the third receiver comprising:
- a third retainer portion configured to be coupled to the end of the third frame member;
- and
- a third sealing interface configured to provide a substantially dirt- and fluid-resistant seal between a portion of the end of the third frame member and the third receiver,
- wherein the structural portion comprises the first retainer portion, the second retainer portion, and the third retainer portion, and
- wherein the sealing portion comprises the first sealing interface, the second sealing interface, and the third sealing interface.
15 more elements
A frame for a cabinet, the frame comprising:
- a plurality of frame members;
- and
- a plurality of brackets coupling at least some of the plurality of frame members to one another, at least one of the plurality of brackets comprising:
- a structural portion comprising at least one first material;
- a sealing portion comprising at least one second material different than the at least one first material;
- a first receiver defining a first longitudinal axis and receiving an end of a first one of the plurality of frame members, the first receiver comprising:
- a first retainer portion associated with the end of the first one of the plurality of frame members;
- and
- a first sealing interface configured to provide a substantially dirt- and fluid-resistant seal between a portion of the end of the first one of the plurality of frame members and the first receiver;
- a second receiver defining a second longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis of the first receiver and configured to receive an end of a second one of the plurality of frame members, the second receiver comprising:
- a second retainer portion associated with the end of the second one of the plurality of frame members;
- and
- a second sealing interface configured to provide a substantially dirt- and fluid-resistant seal between a portion of the end of the second one of the plurality of frame members and the second receiver;
- and
- a third receiver defining a third longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to at least one of the first longitudinal axis of the first receiver or the second longitudinal axis of the second receiver, and configured to receive an end of a third one of the plurality of frame members, the third receiver comprising:
- a third retainer portion associated with the end of the third one of the plurality of frame members;
- and
- a third sealing interface configured to provide a substantially dirt- and fluid-resistant seal between a portion of the end of the third one of the plurality of frame members and the third receiver,
- wherein the first one of the plurality of frame members defines a first frame member longitudinal axis, the second one of the plurality of frame members defines a second frame member longitudinal axis, and the third one of the plurality of frame members defines a third frame member longitudinal axis, and
- wherein the first frame member longitudinal axis and the second frame member longitudinal axis are substantially parallel with respect to one another, and the third frame member longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular with respect to the first frame member longitudinal axis and the second frame member longitudinal axis.
17 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.