Adjustable hinge assembly
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsRafael S. Chaves, Ryan C. Chisek, Marcel B. Lessa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hinge bracket assembly includes an upper hinge bracket coupled to an upper hinge of an appliance and a first mounting location proximate a top side of an insulated door, wherein the upper hinge bracket is adjustable relative to the insulated door, and a lower hinge bracket coupled to a lower hinge of the appliance and a second mounting location proximate a bottom side of the insulated door, wherein the lower hinge bracket is adjustable relative to the insulated door, wherein the upper hinge bracket is configured to couple to the lower hinge and the second mounting location, and wherein the lower hinge bracket is configured to couple to the upper hinge and the first mounting location.
Claims20
A refrigerator, comprising:
- a cabinet defining an upper side and a lower side;
- an upper hinge coupled to the cabinet proximate the upper side;
- a lower hinge coupled to the cabinet proximate the lower side;
- a door defining a top side, a bottom side, a first side, and a second side, wherein the first side and the second side extend between the top side and the bottom side of the door;
- an upper elongate bracket extending along the top side of the door and a lower elongate bracket extending along the bottom side of the door, wherein the upper elongate bracket and the lower elongate bracket each define a plurality of mounting locations, wherein the plurality of mounting locations of the upper elongate bracket includes a first mounting location, and wherein the plurality of mounting locations of the lower elongate bracket includes a second mounting location;
- an upper hinge bracket coupled to the upper hinge and the first mounting location, wherein the upper hinge bracket is adjustable relative to the upper elongate bracket in at least two dimensions;
- and
- a lower hinge bracket coupled to the lower hinge and the second mounting location, wherein the lower hinge bracket is adjustable relative to the lower elongate bracket in at least two dimensions.
A hinge bracket assembly for an insulated appliance, comprising:
- a door defining a top side, a bottom side, a first side, and a second side, wherein the first side and the second side extend between the top side and the bottom side;
- a plurality of mounting locations provided proximate each of the top side and the bottom side, the plurality of mounting locations including a first mounting location proximate the top side;
- and
- a first hinge bracket adjustably coupled to the first mounting location, wherein the first hinge bracket is configured to be adjustably coupled to each of the plurality of mounting locations, and wherein the first hinge bracket is adjustable relative to the first mounting location in at least two dimensions.
A hinge bracket assembly, comprising:
- an upper hinge bracket coupled to an upper hinge of an appliance and a first mounting location proximate a top side of an insulated door, wherein the upper hinge bracket is adjustable along and transversely to the top side of the insulated door;
- and
- a lower hinge bracket coupled to a lower hinge of the appliance and a second mounting location proximate a bottom side of the insulated door, wherein the lower hinge bracket is adjustable along and transversely to the top side of the insulated door, wherein the upper hinge bracket is configured to be coupled to the lower hinge and the second mounting location, and wherein the lower hinge bracket is configured to be coupled to the upper hinge and the first mounting location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.