Refrigerator door handle
AssigneeMaytag Corporation
InventorSheldon W. Mandel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plastic terminal end section of a refrigerator handle is secured to an upper in-turned portion of a refrigerator door by forming the end section with a lower channel defined, at least in part, by in-turned, tie-down flanges. The overall mounting assembly also incorporates a metal plate which slips into the channel and receives mechanical fasteners such that the fasteners extend into the terminal end section of the handle, through the metal plate, and into the door. With this arrangement, the metal plate functions to clamp down the tie-down flanges to the door when the fasteners are tightened, thereby securing the terminal end section of the handle to the door.
Claims20
In a refrigerator including a cabinet and at least one door, having a front panel portion and an in-turned upper portion, hinged to the cabinet, a handle assembly for use in opening and closing the door comprising:
- a handle member including a first end portion, an intermediate portion and a second end portion, said first end portion being angled with respect to said second end portion and having a terminal channel;
- a plate member, separate from the handle member, positioned in the channel;
- and
- a plurality of fasteners extending into the first end portion of the handle member, through the plate member and into the in-turned upper portion of the door, thereby securing the handle member to the door with the second end portion of the handle member extending along the front panel portion.
In a refrigerator including a cabinet and at least one door, having a front panel portion and an in-turned upper portion, hinged to the cabinet, a handle assembly for use in opening and closing the door comprising:
- a handle member including a first end portion, an intermediate portion and a second end portion, said first end portion being angled with respect to said second end portion and having a terminal channel, wherein the first end portion includes a pair of spaced side walls which are interconnected by a top wall, with the side walls terminating in respective in-turned, tie-down flanges, with the top wall, side walls and tie-down flanges defining the channel;
- and
- a plurality of fasteners extending into the first end portion of the handle member and into the in-turned upper portion of the door, with the tie-down flanges of the first end portion directly abutting the in-turned upper portion of the door, thereby securing the handle member to the door with the second end portion of the handle member extending along the front panel portion.
A method of securing a handle member to a refrigerator door having a front panel portion and an in-turned upper portion comprising:
- positioning a first end portion of the handle member adjacent the in-turned upper portion of the refrigerator door;
- arranging a plate member within a channel defined in the first end portion of the handle member;
- and
- fixedly securing the first end portion to the in-turned upper portion of the door through the plate member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.