Floating mullion
View Patent ↗A floating mullion that includes a bracket which is designed to be used when two interior doors are used to close off a desired chamber from ambient. The bracket is specially designed to close off the natural gap between the doors. This bracket will allow the opening and sealing of the inner doors without the need for a fixed mullion. The bracket is not limited to sealing two door chambers but may be used on multiple chambers as well.
1. A floating mullion, comprising:
a bracket mounted to an inner door of a refrigeration device, wherein said bracket being generally Z-shaped along a cross-sectional area and having a first leg and a second leg wherein the inner door comprises:
a first free swinging edge configured to swing in an arc having an approximate radius of about a length of the inner door;
an inside face of the inner door facing an inner compartment of the refrigeration device;
wherein the first leg of the bracket is mounted on the inside face of the inner door and adjacent to the first free swinging edge; and
a sealing pack connected to an adjacent door, wherein the adjacent door comprises:
a second free swinging edge configured to swing in an arc having an approximate radius of about a length of the adjacent door,
an inside face of the adjacent door facing the inner compartment of the refrigeration device;
wherein the sealing pack is connected on the inside face of the adjacent door and adjacent to the second free swinging edge so as to project inwardly toward the inner compartment when the second free swinging edge is facing the first free swinging edge, such that said sealing pack is flush with the second leg of the bracket when both the inner door and the adjacent door are in a closed position; and further wherein the inner and adjacent doors are interior access doors of the refrigeration device, and the refrigeration devices further includes an exterior access door.
2. The floating mullion of claim 1 , wherein said bracket is a magnetic material.
3. The floating mullion of claim 2 , wherein said magnetic material is stainless steel.
4. The floating mullion of claim 1 , wherein a connector fixedly attaches said bracket to said inner door, and said connector comprises a plurality of pop rivets.
5. The floating mullion of claim 1 , wherein the inner door is located on the left side of the refrigeration device.
6. The floating mullion of claim 1 , wherein the inner door is located on the right side of the refrigeration device.
7. The floating mullion of claim 1 , wherein said bracket acts as a stop for the adjacent door.
8. The floating mullion of claim 1 , wherein a connector fixedly attaches said bracket to said inner door, and said connector comprises a plurality of bolts.
9. A floating mullion, comprising:
a generally Z-shaped bracket having a first leg and a second leg;
means for mounting said bracket to an access door of a refrigeration device, wherein the access door comprises:
a first free swinging edge configured to swing freely in an arc;
an inside face of the access door facing an inner compartment of the refrigeration device;
wherein the first leg of the bracket is mounted to the inside face of the access door and adjacent to the first free swinging edge; and
means for sealing an adjacent access door, wherein the adjacent access door comprises:
a second free swinging edge configured to swing freely in an arc;
an inside face of the adjacent door facing an inner compartment of the refrigeration device;
wherein the means for sealing is connected to the inside face of the adjacent door and adjacent to the second free swinging edge so as to project inwardly toward the inner compartment when the second free swinging edge is facing the first free swinging edge;
wherein said means for sealing is flush with the second leg said bracket when both said access door and said adjacent access door are in a closed position said access door and adjacent door are interior access doors of the refrigeration device, and the refrigeration devices further includes an exterior access door.
10. The floating mullion of claim 9 , wherein said means for sealing is a magnet.
11. The floating mullion of claim 9 , wherein said bracket is a magnetic material.
12. The floating mullion of claim 11 , wherein said bracket is stainless steel.
13. The floating mullion of claim 9 , wherein said means for mounting is a plurality of pop rivets.