Refrigerator handle mounting arrangement
AssigneeMaytag Corporation
InventorsDouglas A. Pohl, William H. Lotz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refrigerator handle assembly includes a base plate which is initially attached to the face of the refrigerator, such as through the use of screws or the like. The base plate includes tapered surfaces, preferably at longitudinally spaced positions. Once the base plate is secured, a portion of the handle is placed over the base plate and slid relative to the base plate whereupon the tapered surfaces coact with structure on the handle such that an interference fit is developed to draw the handle tight to the face of the door. With the handle in this position, one or more mechanical fasteners are driven into a body portion of the handle from a back side of the door.
Claims20
In a refrigerator including a cabinet defining an interior compartment and a door, having front and back sides, pivotally mounted to the cabinet for selectively accessing the compartment, a handle assembly for the door comprising:
- a base plate fixed to the door along a portion of the front side;
- a handle member including first and second end portions separated by an intermediate portion, said first end portion being slidably mounted over the base plate, said base plate and the first end portion of said handle member including mating surfaces which coact along tapered portions thereof to draw said handle member to the front side of the door upon shifting of the handle member relative to the base plate;
- and
- at least one fastener for securing the second end portion of the handle member to the door, with the intermediate portion being spaced from the front side of the door to enable the handle member to be grasped in order to selectively open and close the door.
In a refrigerator including a cabinet defining an interior compartment and a door, having front and back sides, pivotally mounted to the cabinet for selectively accessing the compartment, a handle assembly for the door comprising:
- a base plate fixed to the door along a portion of the front side;
- a handle member including first and second end portions separated by an intermediate portion, said first end portion being slidably mounted over the base plate;
- tapered means coacting between said base plate and the first end portion of said handle member or drawing said handle member to the front side of the door upon shifting of the handle member relative to the base plate;
- and
- at least one fastener for securing the second end portion of the handle member to the door, with the intermediate portion being spaced from the front side of the door to enable the handle member to be grasped in order to selectively open and close the door.
A method of attaching a handle assembly to a door, having front and back sides, of a refrigerator comprising:
- fixedly securing a base plate along a portion of the front side of the door;
- slidably interconnecting a first end portion of a handle member to the base plate while simultaneously drawing the handle member to the front side of the door;
- and
- mechanically fastening a second end portion of the handle member to the door, with an intermediate portion of the handle member being spaced from the front side of the door to enable the handle to be grasped in order to selectively open and close the door.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.