Refrigerator with push-to-open door opener
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorsTanner Davis Gunn, Michael Goodman Schroeder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a food storage chamber. A door is positioned on the cabinet and is movable between a closed position and an open position. A door opener includes a casing, a gear box, a sliding nut movable relative to the gear box, and a finger extending through the gear box. The finger is movable with the sliding nut. The door opener also includes a sensor. The finger extends outside of the casing to contact an inner surface of the door when the door is in the closed position and the door opener is in a zero position. The sensor is configured to detect movement of the door opener from the zero position.
Claims18
A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
- a cabinet defining a food storage chamber, the food storage chamber extending between a front portion and a back portion along the transverse direction, the front portion of the food storage chamber defining an opening for receipt of food items;
- a door positioned at the front portion of the food storage chamber and movable between a closed position and an open position to selectively sealingly enclose the food storage chamber in the closed position and provide access to the food storage chamber in the open position;
- a door opener positioned in the cabinet, the door opener comprising a casing, a gear box, a sliding nut movable relative to the gear box, a finger extending through the gear box towards the door, the finger movable with the sliding nut, and a sensor, the finger positioned in contact with an inner surface of the door when the door is in the closed position and the door opener is in a zero position, wherein the sensor is configured to detect movement of the door opener from the zero position of the door opener.
A door opener for a refrigerator appliance, the door opener defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising a cabinet defining a food storage chamber and a door mounted on the cabinet, the door movable between a closed position and an open position to selectively sealingly enclose the food storage chamber in the closed position and provide access to the food storage chamber in the open position, the door opener comprising:
- a casing;
- a gear box;
- a sliding nut movable relative to the gear box;
- a finger extending through the gear box, the finger movable with the sliding nut;
- and
- a sensor;
- wherein the finger extends outside of the casing to contact an inner surface of the door when the door is in the closed position and the door opener is in a zero position, wherein the sensor is configured to detect movement of the door opener from the zero position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.