Refrigerator cabinet assembly
AssigneeInglis Limited
InventorsCory T. Smitte, Anton Pichler, Edward McGinnis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a refrigerator cabinet having a rolled-form, three-sided wrapper to form the cabinet sides and top, a front liner, a rear panel having a compressor compartment shell, a molded plastic base for interconnecting the wrapper sides, front liner and rear panel with compressor compartment shell. The base has a support portion molded therein to support a compressor within the compressor compartment. The cabinet can be readily assembled where considerable economies in manufacture are realized.
Claims19
A foam insulated refrigerator cabinet assembly comprising a metal outer wrapper which defines the cabinet sides and top, a molded plastic base on which said outer wrapper is mounted, a rear panel having a compressor compartment shell associated with its lower portion and a front cabinet liner, said compressor compartment shell having a bottom perimeter, each cabinet side having a lower marginal edge with means for connection to said base, the cabinet sides and top having front and rear peripheral edges with means for forming foam tight seals with the liner and rear panel peripheral edges, said compartment shell having its bottom perimeter connected to said base to form a foam tight seal and thereby define a compressor compartment directly above said base, said base having an integral support portion within said compartment for supporting a compressor, said base having means for forming a foam tight seal and connection with said front cabinet liner and having means for forming a foam tight seal and connection with said rear panel having said compressor compartment shell associated therewith, a cavity which is defined between assembled components of said wrapper base, rear panel, compartment shell, and liner being filled with an expanded rigid foam insulation to complete the assembly.
A refrigerator cabinet of claims 1 or 3, wherein said support portion includes a plurality of integral reinforcing ribs beneath the base support surface.
In a refrigerator cabinet construction having a rolled-formed, three-sided metal wrapper to form the sides and top of said cabinet, a front liner, a rear panel having a compressor compartment shell assembled therewith, an injection molded plastic base for interconnecting said wrapper sides, front liner and rear panel compressor compartment shell, the improvement comprising said base having a support portion molded therein below said compartment shell to support a compressor within said compressor compartment, said base having means for locating said wrapper thereon in preparation for permanent securement of said base to said wrapper, said wrapper sides each having a lower edge with means co-operating with said locator means on said base, said co-operating means comprising at least two spaced-apart apertures in a planar flange integral with said lower edge, said locator means on said base comprising at least two spaced-apart upstanding pins which correspond in spacing with the apertures in each said flange, said pins when inserted through corresponding flange apertures aligning said wrapper sides with said base, said wrapper sides and top having front and rear edges which are provided with means for receiving corresponding edges of said front liner and corresponding edges of said rear panel, said base locator means co-operating with said receiving means of the front and rear edges of the wrapper for locating said wrapper on said base.
In a refrigerator cabinet construction having a rolled-formed, three-sided metal wrapper to form the sides and top of said cabinet, a front liner, a rear panel having a compressor compartment shell assembled therewith, an injection molded plastic base for interconnecting said wrapper sides, front liner and rear panel compressor compartment shell, the improvement comprising said base having a support portion molded therein below said compartment shell to support a compressor within said compressor compartment, said base having a component of a hinge for mounting a door on said cabinet, said base extending outwardly of said wrapper front edge, said hinge component of said base comprising a vertically extending aperture for receiving a downwardly depending pin on a cabinet door, said base extension being substantially co-extensive with the exterior of said door when mounted on said cabinet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.