# US 11,906,239 B2 · Systems for heat leak prevention in refrigerator appliances > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,239 B2 - Document ID: US11906239B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/728,040 - Filed: 2022-04-25 - Published: 2023-10-26 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-04-25 - Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: Ronald Kenneth Anderson; Zachary Michael Eagleson; Martin Busche - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906239B2 ## CPC - F25D 23/069: {Cooling space dividing partitions} - F25D 25/02: by shelves - F25D 31/005: {Combined cooling and heating devices} - F25D 31/007: {Bottles or cans} - F25D 23/087: {Sealing strips} - F25D 2201/10: with respect to heat - F25D 2331/803: Bottles - F25D 2400/04: Refrigerators with a horizontal mullion - 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 refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet that defines an opening with a plurality of racks mounted in the cabinet. A door is mounted to the cabinet at the opening. A divider is configured to separate the cabinet into a first cabinet portion and a second cabinet portion. The divider includes an insulation block with a top cover mounted to the insulation block. The top cover includes a top foil heater. Also included in the divider is a bottom cover mounted to the insulation block. The bottom cover includes a bottom foil heater. A plastic extrusion is mounted to a side of the insulation block, and the top cover and the bottom cover include a forming on at least two sides. The forming of the top and bottom covers engages with the plastic extrusion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refrigerator appliance, comprising: a cabinet defining an opening, a plurality of racks mounted in the cabinet, a door mounted to the cabinet at the opening; a controller; a user interface mounted to the cabinet, the user interface configured for signal communication with the controller; and a divider configured to separate the cabinet into a first cabinet portion and a second cabinet portion, the divider comprising an insulation block, a top cover mounted to the insulation block, the top cover comprising a top foil heater, a bottom cover mounted to the insulation block, the bottom cover comprising a bottom foil heater, and a plastic extrusion mounted to a side of the insulation block, wherein the top cover and the bottom cover each comprise a forming on at least two sides, the forming of the top and bottom covers engaging the plastic extrusion, wherein the forming of the top cover and the bottom cover are on at least two opposing sides of the top cover and the bottom cover, and the forming is u-shaped to restrict movement along two perpendicular directions, and wherein the u-shaped forming of the top cover and the bottom cover are on at least two opposing sides of the top cover and the bottom cover, and the other opposing sides of the top cover and the bottom cover comprises an L-shaped forming to restrict movement another direction that is perpendicular to the two perpendicular directions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the top cover and the bottom cover each comprise a metal panel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the insulation block is an expanded polystyrene (EPS) block. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the insulation block defines at least two recessed portions, a shape of each of the recessed portion complementary to the foil heater of the top cover and the bottom cover. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, further comprising a gasket track in the plastic extrusion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The refrigerator appliance of claim 5, further comprising a door seal mounted to the gasket track of the plastic extrusion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The refrigerator appliance of claim 6, wherein the door seal is a gasket insert or a flap door seal inserted into the gasket track of the plastic extrusion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of clasps formed on the bottom cover. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The refrigerator appliance of claim 6, wherein the divider selectively forms a seal between the first cabinet portion and the second cabinet portion. ### Claim 10 A wine cooler appliance, comprising: a cabinet, defining an opening, a plurality of racks mounted in the cabinet, a door mounted to the cabinet at the opening; a controller; a user interface mounted to the cabinet, the user interface configured for signal communication with the controller; and a divider configured to separate the cabinet into a first cabinet portion and a second cabinet portion, the divider comprising, an insulation block comprising at least two recessed portion; a top divider cover, mounted to the insulation block, the top cover comprising a top foil heater, a bottom divider cover, mounted to the insulation block, the bottom cover comprising a bottom foil heater, and a plastic extrusion mounted to a side of the insulation block, the plastic extrusion comprising a gasket track, a seal inserted into the gasket track, wherein the top cover and the bottom cover each comprise a forming on at least two sides, the forming of the top and bottom covers engaging the plastic extrusion, wherein the forming of the top cover and the bottom cover are on at least two opposing sides of the top cover and the bottom cover, and the forming is u-shaped to restrict movement along two perpendicular directions, and wherein the u-shaped forming of the top cover and the bottom cover are on at least two opposing sides of the top cover and the bottom cover, and the other opposing sides of the top cover and the bottom cover comprises an L-shaped forming to restrict movement another direction that is perpendicular to the two perpendicular directions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The wine cooler appliance of claim 10, wherein the top cover and the bottom cover each comprise a metal panel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The wine cooler appliance of claim 10, wherein the insulation block is an expanded polystyrene (EPS) block. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The wine cooler appliance of claim 10, wherein the insulation block defines at least two recessed portions, a shape of each of the recessed portion complementary to the foil heater of the top cover and the bottom cover. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The wine cooler appliance of claim 10, wherein the seal is a gasket insert or a flap door seal inserted into the gasket track of the plastic extrusion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The wine cooler appliance of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of clasps formed on the bottom cover. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The wine cooler appliance of claim 10, wherein the divider selectively forms a seal between the first cabinet portion and the second cabinet portion.