Magnetic closure assembly and method of assembling the same
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorJackson Felipe Karl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method including forming a housing configured to house a number of first magnets; fixing the number of first magnets to the housing to form a magnetic sub-assembly; and attaching the magnetic sub-assembly to at least one of the closure or the body. The magnetic sub-assembly being configured to cooperate with a number of second magnets disposed on either the closure or the body, so that when the closure is in the closed position, a magnetic force between the magnetic sub-assembly and the number of second magnets biases the closure towards the body.
Claims20
A method of assembling a magnetic closure assembly to an appliance provided with a body and a closure configured to move between a closed position, in which a mating surface of the closure lies along the body, and an open position, in which the mating surface is spaced apart from the body, the method comprising:
- forming a sleeve configured to house a number of first magnets;
- fixing the number of first magnets to the sleeve to form a magnetic sub-assembly;
- applying an adhesive to the magnetic sub-assembly;
- attaching the magnetic sub-assembly to at least one of the closure or the body via the adhesive;
- and
- positioning the magnetic sub-assembly on the at least one closure or the body such that the magnetic sub-assembly is configured to cooperate with a number of second magnets disposed on the other of the at least one closure or the body, so that when the closure is in the closed position or a partially open position, a magnetic force between the magnetic sub-assembly and the number of second magnets biases the closure towards the body.
A method of assembling a magnetic closure assembly to an appliance provided with a body and a closure configured to move between a closed position, in which a mating surface of the closure lies along the body, and an open position, in which the mating surface is spaced apart from the body, the method comprising:
- attaching a number of magnets to a number of sleeves to form a number of magnetic sub-assemblies;
- applying an adhesive to the number of magnetic sub-assemblies;
- and
- positioning the number of magnetic sub-assemblies on the closure so that the number of sub-assemblies are fixed to the closure by the adhesive and positioned to cooperate with the body so that when the closure is in the closed position or a partially open position, a magnetic force between the magnetic sub-assembly and the body biases the closure towards the body.
A method of assembling a closure assembly for a refrigerator, the method comprising:
- forming a first body defining a first opening and a first receptacle accessible through the first opening;
- molding plastic material into a second body configured to be fixed to the first body and configured to move between an open position, in which the opening is open, and a closed position, in which the opening is closed;
- attaching a magnetic gasket member to the first body so that the magnetic gasket is perimetrically disposed about one or more portions of the opening;
- fixing a first number of magnets to a first sleeve to form a first magnetic sub-assembly;
- and
- positioning the first magnetic sub-assembly on a wall of the closure so that the first magnetic sub-assembly is fixed to the wall and lies in a common plane with a first portion of the magnetic gasket member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.