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Unitary front face frame for a refrigerator cabinetUnitary front face frame for a refrigerator cabinet description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080036349, Unitary front face frame for a refrigerator cabinet. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001]1. Field of the Invention [0002]The present invention pertains to the art of refrigerators and, more particularly, to a unitary face frame for a refrigerator cabinet. [0003]2. Discussion of the Prior Art [0004]In constructing an appliance cabinet, particularly a refrigerator cabinet, it is highly desirable to simplify the overall assembly of the cabinet to reduce manufacturing costs, yet it is imperative that the cabinet be structurally sound in order to counteract loads exerted thereon during use of the appliance. Mainly due to cost efficiencies and flexibility in workmanship, it has been commonplace to utilize sheet metal in the forming of most refrigerator cabinets in the market today. Since sheet metal is relatively thin and rather high loads are often placed on the cabinet, particularly by the opening and closing of a weighted down refrigerator door, a fair amount of effort has been applied in this art to provide reinforcement for such a refrigerator cabinet. Of course, an additional concern is the ease of assembly of the cabinet as a whole. [0005]With this in mind, it has heretofore been proposed to form the sides and top of a refrigerator cabinet shell out of a single piece of bent sheet metal and then attach rear and bottom walls. Thereafter, the shell is structurally reinforced in an attempt to avoid deformation during use. Such known reinforcing arrangements generally take the form of either providing multiple, individually secured reinforcement members or individual members formed into a reinforcing frame which is then positioned at a front opening of the cabinet shell. At least the sides of the shell are attached to the frame to integrate the overall assembly. To perform this assembly operation, either various holes are provided in both the cabinet shell and the reinforcement members which must be aligned to receive mechanical fasteners or systematic welding operations are performed. In either case, these connections are designed to perform the sole function of interconnecting the shell to the reinforcement structure. [0006]Constructing and mounting the reinforcing frame has proven to be a time consuming and costly manufacturing step. Forming individual frame members, joining the frame members to form an overall frame, and mounting the frame to the cabinet shell add a considerable amount of time to the manufacturing process. Likewise, forming the frame members and then fastening the frame members to the cabinet individually is also a labor intensive process. [0007]Based on the above, there exists a need for a simplified reinforcing frame for a refrigerator cabinet. More specifically, there exists a need for a unitary face frame that is integrally formed from a single sheet of material and then fastened to an outer cabinet shell of a refrigerator. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008]The present invention is directed to a unitary face frame for a refrigerator. The refrigerator includes an outer cabinet shell having a pair of laterally spaced, upright side walls and a top wall, each of which includes a respective forward portion. First and second liners are arranged adjacent one another in the cabinet shell and define corresponding first and second refrigerated compartments. [0009]In accordance with the invention, the face frame is integrally formed from a single material sheet and then mounted to the outer cabinet shell at the forward portion of each of the opposing side and top walls. The face frame includes top, bottom and opposing side frame members, along with a mullion member that extends between either the top and bottom frame members or the opposing side frame members, depending upon desired refrigerator configuration. The mullion member establishes first and second openings that lead into the first and second refrigerated compartments respectively. [0010]Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011]FIG. 1 is an upper right perspective view of a built-in refrigerator incorporating a unitary face frame constructed in accordance with the present invention; [0012]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the built-in refrigerator of FIG. 1 illustrating the unitary face frame; [0013]FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the unitary face frame shown prior to a final forming process; and [0014]FIG. 4 is an upper right perspective rear view of the unitary face frame of FIG. 3 following the final forming process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0015]With initial reference to FIG. 1, a refrigerator constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated at 2. Refrigerator 2 is shown to include a freezer door 6 having an associated handle 7 and a fresh food door 10 having an associated handle 11. In the embodiment shown, refrigerator 2 is of the recessed type such that, essentially, only freezer and fresh food doors 6 and 10 project forward of a wall 15. The remainder of refrigerator 2 is recessed within wall 15 in a manner similar to a plurality of surrounding cabinets generally indicated at 18-23. Refrigerator 2 also includes a plurality of peripheral trim pieces 28-30. In accordance with the most preferred embodiment of the invention, trim pieces 28-30 are formed of aluminum. However, other materials, such as plastic, could also be utilized. Finally, it should be noted that refrigerator 2 is preferably designed with main components of a refrigeration system positioned behind an access panel 32 arranged directly above trim piece 29 as clearly shown in this figure. [0016]Although refrigerator 2 can take various forms, FIG. 2 represents, in exploded view form, the main cabinet components of a side-by-side model for refrigerator 2. As illustrated, refrigerator 2 includes a front frame 40 which, as will be detailed more fully below, is formed from a single sheet of material. Refrigerator 2 also includes a freezer compartment box 55 defined by interconnected side, bottom, top and back panels 57-61. In a similar fashion, a fresh food compartment box 65 is formed from side, bottom, top and back panels 67-71. As freezer compartment box 55 and fresh food compartment box 65 are preferably formed as separate units, they are integrated into an overall refrigerator cabinet assembly by front frame 40 and an outer shell as defined by side walls 80 and 81, a back wall 82 which is preferably defined by four separate panels 82a-82d, a bottom wall 83, a top cover member 84 and a front cover member 85. As will be detailed more fully below, front frame 40 is adapted to be attached to forward portions (not separately labeled) of each side wall 80, 81 such that, front frame 40, freezer compartment box 55, fresh food compartment box 65, side walls 80 and 81, back wall 82, bottom wall 83, top cover member 84 and front cover member 85 are all integrated together. Also provided about openings (not separately labeled) defined by front frame 40 are associated peripheral breaker elements 90 and 91 that snap-fittingly engage with front frame 40, freezer compartment box 55 and fresh food compartment box 65 to define corresponding freezer and fresh food compartments. [0017]For the sake of simplicity, the various components of a conventional refrigeration circuit have not been shown. However, with this configuration of refrigerator 2, the various compressor, condenser, evaporator and the like components are preferably supported upon top panel 60 of freezer compartment box 55, as well as top cover member 84. In accordance with the most preferred embodiment of the invention, the evaporator is supported above freezer compartment box 55 while the compressor and condenser are located above fresh food compartment box 65, with each of these components being accessible upon removing access panel 32. [0018]In accordance with the invention, front frame 40 includes top, bottom and opposing side frame members 110-113 along with a mullion member 117 that collectively define first and second openings 128 and 129. In the embodiment shown, opening 128 corresponds to freezer compartment box 55 and opening 129 corresponds to fresh food compartment box 65. Important in connection with the present invention, as best shown in FIG. 3, front frame 40 is integrally formed from a single sheet of material. Preferably, front frame 40 is formed by a stamping process such that openings 128 and 129 are stamped out of a single sheet of material such as, for example, aluminum. [0019]In further accordance with the invention, in addition to establishing openings 128 and 129, the stamping process creates a plurality of outer edge portions 140-143 that correspond to top, bottom and opposing side frame members 110-113 respectively. Outer edge portions 140-143 are provided with a plurality of openings, one of which is indicated at 144, which, as will be discussed more fully below, are employed when connecting front frame 40 to the remainder of refrigerator 2. In addition to outer edge portions 140-143, front frame 40 also includes first and second plurality of inner edge portions 145-148 and 153-156. Inner edge portions 145-148 and 153-156 extend about and define openings 128 and 129 respectively. [0020]Following the stamping process, front frame 40 undergoes a forming process during which outer edge portions 140-143 and first and second pluralities of inner edge portions 145-148 and 153-156 are folded or bent so as to define an outer peripheral U-shaped channel 161, as well as a U-shaped mullion channel 164, both of which open rearwardly as represented in FIG. 4. Outer peripheral channel 161 and mullion channel 164 are open at rear portions thereof so as to receive outer edge portions of freezer compartment box 55 and fresh food compartment box 65, as well as peripheral breaker elements 90 and 91 respectively. Continue reading about Unitary front face frame for a refrigerator cabinet... Full patent description for Unitary front face frame for a refrigerator cabinet Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Unitary front face frame for a refrigerator cabinet patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Unitary front face frame for a refrigerator cabinet or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Brace for a refrigerator machine compartment cover Next Patent Application: Trim piece cover for a refrigerator door Industry Class: Supports: cabinet structure ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Unitary front face frame for a refrigerator cabinet patent info. 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