Back to results
US 2013/0154464 A1Published application
Cam plate for a door hinge assembly of a domestic refrigerator
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsMICHAEL A. FIORI, DOUGLAS P. SPRAGUE, PATRICIA ANKIR WILSON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cam plate for door hinge assembly of a domestic refrigerator includes a plate body having a cam surface that is configured to engage a corresponding cam surface positioned at an end of a refrigerator door. The plate body has a plug that extends from the plate body and a resilient tongue including a catch extending outwardly therefrom.
Claims20
A domestic refrigerator comprising:
- a cabinet having a temperature-controlled compartment defined therein,
- a door positioned at a front of the cabinet,
- a first cam plate positioned at a first end of the door, the first cam plate including a first cam surface,
- a hinge bracket coupled to the cabinet, the hinge bracket including a mounting plate and an inner wall that defines a slot through the mounting plate, and
- a second cam plate positioned between the mounting plate and the first cam plate, the second cam plate comprising:
- (i) a plate body having a second cam surface engaged with the first cam surface of the first cam plate, and (ii) a plug extending from the plate body through the slot defined in the mounting plate, the plug including a resilient tongue having a catch formed thereon to engage a surface of the mounting plate to assist in retaining the second cam plate to the hinge bracket.
3 more elements
A refrigerator door hinge assembly, comprising:
- a hinge bracket including a mounting plate and an inner wall that defines a slot through the mounting plate,
- a cam plate coupled to the hinge bracket, the cam plate comprising:
- (i) a plate body having a cam surface configured to engage a corresponding cam surface positioned at a lower end of a refrigerator door, and (ii) a plug extending from the plate body through the slot defined in the mounting plate, and
- a hinge pin moveably coupled to the hinge bracket, the hinge pin including a shaft that extends through an opening defined in the plate body,
- wherein the plug of the cam plate includes (i) a pair of resilient tongues, each resilient tongue having a catch formed thereon to engage a bottom surface of the mounting plate, and (ii) a body positioned between the resilient tongues, the body engaging the inner wall of the hinge bracket.
2 more elements
A door cam plate for a domestic refrigerator, comprising:
- a plate body including (i) an upper surface, (ii) a lower surface positioned opposite the upper surface, and (iii) a circular bore extending through the upper surface and the lower surface,
- a pair of curved walls extending upwardly from the upper surface adjacent the circular bore, each curved wall including a cam surface configured to engage a corresponding cam surface positioned at a lower end of a refrigerator door, and
- a plug extending downwardly from the lower surface of the plate body, the plug including:
- (i) a first resilient tongue having a first catch extending outwardly from a lower end thereof,
- (ii) a second resilient tongue having a second catch extending outwardly from a lower end thereof, and
- (iii) a body positioned between the first resilient tongue and the second resilient tongue.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.