# US 11,306,967 B2 · Drawer gasket seal assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,967 B2 - Document ID: US11306967B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/786,220 - Filed: 2020-02-10 - Published: 2021-08-12 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-10 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: Chad J. Rotter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306967B2 ## CPC - F16J 15/061: {with positioning means (F16J15/0831 takes precedence)} - F25D 25/025: {Drawers} - F16J 15/027: {and with a hollow profile} - F16J 15/3252: with rigid casings or supports - F25D 23/087: {Sealing strips} - F25D 2325/00: Charging, supporting or discharging the articles to be cooled, not provided for in other groups of this subclass - F16J: PISTONS {(specially adapted for dampers F16F9/32)}; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS - 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 drawer assembly of a refrigerator includes a gasket assembly having a base portion with opposed first and second sides. A mounting portion extends outwardly from the first side of the base portion, and a contact lobe outwardly extends from the second side of the base portion. The contact lobe includes a body portion comprised of a first material having an outer surface with one or more ribs comprised of a second material that is less rigid than the first material. The one or more ribs extend outwardly from the outer surface of the body portion of the contact lobe and are configured to seal against a textured front surface of a cabinet structure of the refrigerator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet structure having a front surface and a storage compartment having an access opening surrounded by the front surface; a drawer assembly having a drawer front for selectively closing the access opening, wherein the drawer front includes a recessed channel disposed around a periphery of an inner surface of the drawer front; and a gasket assembly mounted to the drawer front at the recessed channel for sealing engagement with the front surface of the cabinet structure when the drawer front closes the access opening, wherein the gasket assembly includes an elongated body of co-extruded material including a base portion having a mounting portion extending outwardly from a first side of the base portion and received in the recessed channel of the drawer front, a contact lobe outwardly extending from a second side of the base portion for sealing engagement with the front surface of the cabinet structure, wherein the contact lobe includes a body portion having first and second ends operably coupled to the second side of the base portion at spaced-apart attachment locations and forming therewith an interior cavity containing a plurality of compressible chambers, and further wherein the body portion of the contact lobe is comprised of a first material having an outer surface with a pair of longitudinally extending spaced-apart ribs comprised of a second material that is less rigid than the first material extending outwardly from the outer surface of the body portion of the contact lobe. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the pair of longitudinally extending spaced-apart ribs defines a contact area of the gasket assembly relative to the front surface of the cabinet structure when the drawer assembly is in a closed position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the contact area is less than 2 mm when viewed in a cross-sectional plane substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the contact lobe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the contact area is less than 1 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the first material includes a thermoplastic elastomer material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the second material include a thermoplastic miscible material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the second material includes a hardness of less than 1 unit on the Shore 00 hardness scale. ### Claim 8 A gasket assembly, comprising: a base portion having opposed first and second sides; a mounting portion extending outwardly from the first side of the base portion; and a contact lobe outwardly extending from the second side of the base portion and having a body portion with an interior cavity, and further wherein the body portion of the contact lobe is comprised of a first material having an outer surface with a pair of longitudinally extending spaced-apart ribs comprised of a second material that is less rigid than the first material extending outwardly from the outer surface of the body portion of the contact lobe, and further wherein the second material includes a hardness of less than 1 unit on the Shore 00 hardness scale. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The gasket assembly of claim 8, wherein the first material includes a thermoplastic elastomer material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The gasket assembly of claim 9, wherein the second material include a thermoplastic miscible material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The gasket assembly of claim 8, a plurality of compressible chambers disposed within the interior cavity of the contact lobe. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The gasket assembly of claim 8, wherein the pair of longitudinally extending spaced-apart ribs defines a contact area of the gasket assembly, and further wherein the contact area is less than 2 mm when viewed in a cross-sectional plane substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the contact lobe. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The gasket assembly of claim 12, wherein the contact area is less than 1 mm. ### Claim 14 A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet structure having a textured front surface and a freezer compartment having an access opening that opens into the freezer compartment; a drawer assembly having a drawer front for selectively closing the access opening; and a gasket assembly mounted to an inner surface of the drawer front, wherein the gasket assembly includes a contact lobe having a body portion comprised of a more rigid material, wherein the body portion further includes an outer surface with at least one rib outwardly extending therefrom, wherein the at least one rib is comprised of a less rigid material relative to the more rigid material of the body portion of the contact lobe an having a hardness of less than 1 unit on the Shore 00 hardness scale. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The refrigerator of claim 14, wherein the drawer assembly is operably coupled to the freezer compartment by one or more slide assemblies along a closing travel path defined between an extended position of the drawer assembly and a closed position of the drawer assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein the one or more slide assemblies provide a closure force for the drawer assembly of at least 2 pounds when the drawer assembly is in the closed position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The refrigerator of claim 16, wherein a closure force of about 2 pounds to about 3 pounds applied to the drawer front is sufficient to seal the at least one rib to the textured front surface of the cabinet structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The refrigerator of claim 17, wherein the at least one rib includes first and second ribs spaced-apart from one another.