US 4,805,293 A · Insulated cabinet manufacture

Abstract

An insulated cabinet manufacture for use in a refrigeration appliance or the like, having an outer shell and an inner liner with foamed-in-place insulation therebetween. A wiring tunnel is extended inwardly through an opening in the shell, through the insulation space, and inwardly through an aligned opening in the liner. The opening in the liner may be substantially larger than the periphery of the wiring tunnel and a foam stop element is affixed to the inner surface of the liner with the wiring tunnel extending therethrough. A second foam stop element is loosely disposed on the wiring tunnel to be moved into engagement with the first stop element as an incident of the foaming of the insulation material during the foaming-in-place operation, The outer end of the wiring tunnel may be provided with a flange sealingly secured to the outer surface of the shell. A wiring harness is removably installed in the tunnel to provide wiring from exteriorly of the cabinet to the interior thereof.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing a foamed-in-place refrigerator cabinet structure including an outer shell and an inner liner with a through-the-wall wiring structure therein, comprising the steps of:

providing a cabinet liner;
forming an opening in the wall of said liner;
providing a foam stop member on the outer surface of the portion of said liner defining said opening, said foam stop member having a radially inner portion overlying said liner opening and defining a smaller opening;
providing a cabinet shell;
forming an opening in the wall of said shell;
extending a tubular member inwardly through said shell wall opening;
placing said liner within said shell in spaced, nested relationship to form an insulation space therebetween and with said tubular member extending inwardly successively through said foam stop member and linear openings;
and
forming foamed-in-place insulation in said insulation space while effecting a foam stop seal between said foam stop member and said tubular member.

6 more elements

The method of effecting controlled foaming of foam-in-place insulation at an opening in a first boundary wall of an insulation space, comprising the steps of:

providing a first foam stop member having an opening smaller than said boundary wall opening;
securing said foam stop member to said wall member with said foam stop opening overlying said boundary wall opening;
providing a second boundary will spaced outwardly from said first boundary wall and having an opening, aligned with said first boundary wall opening, said boundary walls cooperatively defining an insulation space therebetween;
extending a generally tubular member having a complementary periphery through said second boundary wall opening, across said insulation space, and through said foam stop member opening, said tubular member having a second foam stop member movably fitted thereabout adjacent said first foam stop member in said insulation space;
and
causing foaming of said foam-in-place insulation in said insulation space with said foam expanding toward said foam stop members to urge said second foam stop member longitudinally of the tubular member into sealing abutment with said first foam stop member for cooperatively defining with said first foam stop member a foam stop between said insert and said first boundary wall, thereby preventing passage of foam outwardly through said first boundary wall opening.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Insulated cabinet manufacture

Life of this patent

Insulated cabinet manufacture

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18