IP Library Granted Patent US 8,312,694
Granted Patent B2
US 8,312,694 · App. 11/795,941 · Granted Nov 20, 2012

Refrigerator and/or freezer door unit

Assignee: Liebherr-Hausgerate Ochsenhausen GmbH
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,312,694
App. No.
11/795,941
Granted
Nov 20, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit has a glass door which, in turn, has a door frame into which a glazing pane has been inserted. The door frame has a plastic jacket peripherally integrally shaped in one piece.

Claims (30)

1. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit comprising a glass door ( 3 ) in turn having

a door frame ( 5 ), and

a glazed pane ( 6 ) inserted into the door frame ( 5 ), wherein

the door frame ( 5 ) comprises a plastic jacket ( 7 ) integrally shaped in one piece around its entire periphery forming a front/exterior side of the door frame ( 5 ) and including limb sections ( 16 , 17 ) covering at least the front/exterior side and narrow sides of the door frame ( 5 ), and

a peripheral glazing pane holder ( 12 ) connected to said plastic jacket ( 7 ),

the plastic jacket ( 7 ) forms an outer envelope integrally extending along bottom, top and sides of the door ( 3 ) free of seams on the front visible side of the door ( 3 ), and additionally comprising

a peripheral foam body ( 19 ) into which the glazing pane holder ( 12 ) is foamed and with which the plastic jacket ( 7 ) is peripherally foamed under or foamed-out or foam-filled on a rear side of the jacket ( 7 ) whereby the jacket is filled such that the peripheral foam body ( 19 ) nestles over the entire rear side of the plastic jacket ( 7 ) and forms a closed frame stiffening portion improving dimensional accuracy of the plastic jacket ( 7 ).

2. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the plastic jacket ( 7 ) comprises an injection molded plastic section.

3. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 2 , wherein a frame stiffener ( 10 ) is peripherally inserted into the plastic jacket ( 7 ) and has a plurality of sectional pieces ( 11 ), in particular extruded sections, which are connected to the plastic jacket ( 7 ) at the rear thereof.

4. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the sectional pieces ( 11 ) are connected to one another, in particular adhesively bonded to one another, and are assembled to form a rigid peripheral stiffening frame.

5. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the plastic jacket ( 7 ) has a surface coating, is preferably lacquered, at least at the front side.

6. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a frame stiffener ( 10 ) is peripherally inserted into the plastic jacket ( 7 ).

7. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance claim 6 , wherein the frame stiffener ( 10 ) is included in the foam body ( 19 ).

8. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the glazing pane holder ( 12 ) is fastened to the frame stiffener ( 10 ), is preferably made integrally therewith.

9. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the plastic jacket ( 7 ) has a bulbously formed front side over the width and/or the height of the door ( 3 ).

10. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the front side of an upper and/or lower transverse limb ( 11 ) of the plastic jacket ( 7 ) has a curvature in the longitudinal direction of said upper and/or lower transverse limb ( 11 ).

11. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the plastic jacket ( 7 ) has a glazing pane section ( 41 ) which preferably rises gap-free on the glazing pane.

12. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the plastic jacket ( 7 ) has an angled glazing pane portion ( 41 ) in which a rim of the plastic jacket ( 7 ) bounding the glazing portion with respect to an adjacent front-side limb of the plastic jacket ( 7 ) preferably kinks at a right angle or an acute angle.

13. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the glazing pane holder ( 12 ) is connected to the plastic jacket ( 7 ) in shape-matched manner at the glazing pane portion of the door frame, is preferably placed in a groove formed by the plastic jacket.

14. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the glazing pane holder ( 12 ) has a support limb ( 13 ) which projects inwardly from the door frame ( 5 ) and on which the flat side of the glazing pane ( 6 ) lies, is preferably firmly adhered.

15. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the glazing pane ( 6 ) is a multi-glazing in which a plurality of glass panes ( 21 , 22 , 23 ) are arranged spaced apart from one another, are preferably connected to one another by spacers ( 24 , 25 ).

16. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a seal ( 27 , 28 ), in particular an elastic lip seal, is provided between the plastic jacket ( 7 ) and the glazing pane ( 6 ) and/or between the glazing pane holder ( 12 ) and the glazing pane ( 6 ).

17. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the glazing pane ( 6 ) is supported by means of an elastic seal ( 33 ) which engages around the glazing pane ( 6 ) and permits a tolerance compensation for the glazing pane.

18. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the seal ( 33 ) has sections of different hardness and/or flexibility, in particular a soft sealing lip which is shaped on a harder fastening section.

19. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 18 , wherein the seal ( 33 ) is injected molded or co-extruded from different materials in a two-component process.

20. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein an elastic seal ( 33 ) is arranged on the inner door side of the glazing pane ( 6 ).

21. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the plastic jacket ( 7 ) has a rim web ( 40 ) angled with respect to the front side of the plastic jacket ( 7 ) toward the glazing pane portion ( 41 ).

22. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 21 , wherein the elastic seal is seated on the rim web ( 40 ).

23. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein an additional application, in particular a heating, a lighting device ( 15 ), a thermometer ( 8 ), is provided at the door frame ( 5 ) between the plastic jacket ( 7 ) and the glazing pane ( 6 ).

24. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a lighting device ( 15 ) to illuminate the glazing pane ( 6 ) is provided at the door frame ( 5 ).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2008
From: HECHT, JOSEF; DORNER, GEORG
To: LIEBHERR-HAUSEGERATE OCHSENHAUSEN GMBH
Reel/Frame 020818/0917 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 20 2005 001 177 U · Jan 25, 2005 · national
DE 20 2005 002 231 U · Feb 11, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080190046A1 · Aug 14, 2008