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US 4,745,656 AGranted
Refrigerator cabinet door handle
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorJohnny R. Revlett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A door handle for a refrigerator has a contoured base member of die cast construction. A longitudinal channel is included in a front portion of the base member. An elongated decorative insert is nested in the channel. Flexible spring clips are staked to stud members integrally cast in the base member and coact with locking tabs on the insert to retain the insert in association with the die cast base. Steel extension base pieces are utilized where a longer than normal door handle assembly is required.
Claims15
A refrigeration apparatus door handle comprising:
- an elongated contoured base member of cast construction defining a front face and having a longitudinal channel opening through said front face;
- first securing means for securing said member to a door of a refrigerator apparatus;
- an elongated insert for covering said channel;
- clip means;
- second securing means for securing said clip means within said longitudinal channel;
- and
- third securing means for flexibly securing said insert to said clip means in a snap-fit manner as the sole securing means to retain said insert in association with said elongated member.
4 more elements
A refrigeration apparatus door handle comprising:
- an elongated base member defining a front face and having a longitudinal channel opening through said front face;
- first securing means for securing said member to a door of a refrigeration apparatus;
- an elongated insert for covering said channel;
- clip means;
- second securing means for securing said clip means within said longitudinal channel, wherein said second securing means comprises a plurality of studs disposed within said longitudinal channel;
- and
- third securing means for securing said insert to said clip means to retain said insert in association with said elongated member.
4 more elements
A refrigeration apparatus door handle comprising:
- an elongated base member defining a front face and having a longitudinal channel opening through said front face;
- first securing means for securing said member to a door of a refrigeration apparatus;
- an elongated insert for covering said channel, said insert including flexible locking tabs formed thereon;
- clip means;
- second securing means for securing said clip means within said longitudinal channel;
- and
- third securing means for securing said insert to said clip means wherein said third securing means includes said locking tabs coacting with said clip means to retain said insert in association with said base member.
4 more elements
A door handle for a refrigeration apparatus comprising:
- a cast elongated base member defining a longitudinal front-facing channel and including a plurality of outwardly extending studs disposed within said channel;
- first securing means for securing said base member to a door of said refrigeration apparatus;
- an elongated insert of channel configuration for covering said channel;
- a plurality of clips, each said clip having a central aperture through which one each of said studs extends;
- staking means for staking said clips to said studs within said longitudinal channel;
- and
- securing means to retain said insert in association with said elongated member.
4 more elements
A door handle for a refrigeration apparatus comprising:
- a cast elongated base member defining a longitudinal front-facing channel;
- first securing means for securing said base member to a door of said refrigeration apparatus;
- an elongated insert of channel configuration for covering said channel said insert including flexible locking tabs formed thereon;
- clip means;
- staking means for staking said clip means within said longitudinal channel;
- and
- second means for securing said insert to said clip means to retain said insert nested within said channel, wherein second securing means comprises said locking tabs coacting with said clip means to retain said insert in association with said base member.
4 more elements
A refrigerator door handle comprising:
- an elongated base member of die cast construction defining a front face and having a longitudinal channel opening through said front face, said base member also defining a rear face;
- said base member including a first portion wherein said rear face of said first portion abuts a refrigerator door, and a second portion wherein said rear face of said second portion is in spaced relation with the refrigerator door;
- first securing means for securing said handle at said first portion to the refrigerator door;
- an elongated insert of channel configuration for covering said longitudinal channel;
- a plurality of flexible clips having central apurtures therein;
- a plurality of hollow studs, disposed within said longitudinal channel said studs extending through said apertures of said clips wherein a distal end of each stud is flared to retain said clips thereon;
- and
- said insert including a plurality of locking tabs for securing said insert to said clips to retain said insert in association with said base member.
5 more elements
A refrigeration apparatus door handle comprising:
- an elongated base member defining a front face and having a longitudinal channel opening through said front face, said channel including opposed sidewalls;
- first securing means for securing said member to a door of a refrigeration apparatus;
- an elongated insert for covering said channel, said insert including a plurality of enlarged edge portions;
- a plurality of clips, each clip having opposed lateral edges;
- and
- second means for securing said clips within said longitudinal channel and defining a spacing between said lateral edges and said channel side walls less than the size of said enlarged edge portions of said inserts,
- wherein the lateral edges of said clips interlock with the enlarged edge portions of said insert and said channel side walls to positively retain said insert within said channel.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.