# US 9,433,292 B2 · Alignment guide > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,433,292 B2 - Document ID: US9433292B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/576,077 - Filed: 2014-12-18 - Published: 2016-06-23 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-18 - Assignees: Electrolux Home Products, Inc. - Applicants: Electrolux Home Products, Inc. - Inventors: Paul Dubina; Krystin Kittredge; Andrew D. Brown - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433292B2 ## CPC - A47B 96/16: Drawers or movable shelves coupled to doors - A47B 88/40: Sliding drawers; Slides or guides therefor - A47B 88/43: at cabinet side - A47B 88/443: Successive movement of rails within drawer slides, i.e. at least one rail element is not moving during the movement of other elements - A47B 88/49: with double extensible guides or parts - A47B 88/956: for enabling adjustment of the front panel - F25D 25/025: {Drawers} - A47B 2210/175: Refrigerators or freezers - F25D 23/02: Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) - A47B: TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE (furniture jointing F16B) - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) ## Abstract An alignment guide and method of assembling an apparatus with an alignment guide is provided. The alignment guide comprises a body having a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface. The apparatus comprises a cabinet defining an enclosure, a door, and a coupling mechanism for movably coupling the door to the cabinet to permit translational movement of the door relative the cabinet. The method comprises aligning the door relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide by abutting the first abutment surface of the alignment guide against a surface of the cabinet while abutting the second abutment surface of the alignment guide against a surface of the door. The method further comprises fixedly coupling the door to a support member of the coupling mechanism while the door is aligned to the cabinet with the alignment guide. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of assembling an apparatus using an alignment guide comprising a body having a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface, the apparatus comprising a cabinet defining an enclosure, a door, and a coupling mechanism for movably coupling the door to the cabinet to permit translational movement of the door relative the cabinet, the method comprising: aligning the door relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide by abutting the first abutment surface of the alignment guide against a surface of the cabinet while abutting the second abutment surface of the alignment guide against a surface of the door; and fixedly coupling the door to a support member of the coupling mechanism while the door is aligned to the cabinet with the alignment guide, wherein the door is fixedly coupled to the support member with at least one fastener, and wherein the alignment guide comprises an aperture extending through the body, further wherein while the door is aligned relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide, the alignment guide is positioned such that the at least one fastener can be fastened with a fastening tool extending through the aperture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the door is aligned relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide by abutting the first abutment surface of the alignment guide against a front surface of the cabinet while abutting the second abutment surface of the alignment guide against a rear surface of the door. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface are substantially parallel to each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the aperture is elongated and extends longitudinally in a direction substantially parallel to the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising adjustably coupling the door to the support member before aligning the door relative to the cabinet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating the first abutment surface from the surface of the cabinet and separating the second abutment surface from the surface of the door after the door is fixedly coupled to the support member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the body of the alignment guide comprises a third abutment surface that extends transverse to the first and second abutment surfaces. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the door is aligned relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide by abutting the third abutment surface of the alignment guide against a second surface of the door or cabinet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the third abutment surface intersects with one of the first and second abutment surfaces to form a shoulder configured to mate with a corner portion of the door or cabinet. ### Claim 10 A method of assembling an apparatus using an alignment guide comprising a body having a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface, the apparatus comprising a cabinet defining an enclosure, a door, and a coupling mechanism for movably coupling the door to the cabinet to permit translational movement of the door relative the cabinet, the method comprising: aligning the door relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide by abutting the first abutment surface of the alignment guide against a surface of the cabinet while abutting the second abutment surface of the alignment guide against a surface of the door; and fixedly coupling the door to a support member of the coupling mechanism while the door is aligned to the cabinet with the alignment guide, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a closing mechanism configured to pull the door toward the cabinet when the door is coupled to the support member and a distance between the surface of the cabinet and the surface of the door is less than a predetermined distance. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein when the first abutment surface of the alignment guide abuts the front surface of the cabinet and the second abutment surface of the alignment guide abuts the rear surface of the door, the distance between the surface of the cabinet and the surface of the door is less than the predetermined distance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein when the first abutment surface of the alignment guide abuts the surface of the cabinet and the second abutment surface of the alignment guide abuts the surface of the door, the closing mechanism pulls the surface of the door against the second abutment surface. ### Claim 13 An alignment guide for assembling an apparatus comprising a cabinet defining an enclosure, a door, and a coupling mechanism for movably coupling the door to the cabinet to permit translational movement of the door relative the cabinet, the alignment guide comprising: a body having a first abutment surface for abutting against a surface of the cabinet and a second abutment surface for abutting against a surface of the door while the first abutment surface abuts the surface of the cabinet; and an aperture extending through the body, wherein the door can be aligned relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide by abutting the second abutment surface against the surface of the door while the first abutment surface abuts the surface of the cabinet, the door can be fixedly coupled to a support member of the coupling mechanism with at least one fastener, and the aperture is configured such that a fastening tool can extend through the aperture to fasten the fastener while the door is aligned relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The alignment guide of claim 13, further comprising a third abutment surface extending transverse to the first and second abutment surfaces for abutting against a second surface of the door or cabinet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The alignment guide of claim 14, wherein the third abutment surface intersects with one of the first and second abutment surfaces to form a shoulder configured to mate with a corner portion of the door or cabinet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The alignment guide of claim 13, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a closing mechanism configured to pull the door toward the cabinet when the door is coupled to the support member and a distance between the surface of the cabinet and the surface of the door is less than a predetermined distance, further wherein the alignment guide is configured such that when the first abutment surface of the alignment guide abuts the front surface of the cabinet and the second abutment surface of the alignment guide abuts the rear surface of the door, the distance between the surface of the cabinet and the surface of the door is less than the predetermined distance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The alignment guide of claim 13, wherein the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface are substantially parallel to each other. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The alignment guide of claim 17, wherein the aperture is elongated and extends longitudinally in a direction substantially parallel to the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface.