Granted Patent B2

US 12,504,217 · App. 18/365,300 · Granted Dec 23, 2025

Inventors: John Joseph Burns (St. Joseph, MI); Jackson Felipe Karl (Stevensville, MI); Marcel Bögger Lessa (Joinville, BR); Dustin Michael Miller (South Bend, IN); Sanket Vivek Phalak (Pune, IN)

Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation

F25D23/02F25D2201/14

Abstract

Claims (58)

1 . An insulated structure for a refrigeration unit, comprising:

an outer wrapper;

at least one bracket coupled to the outer wrapper and having at least one locator pin that extends outward therefrom;

wherein the at least one bracket comprises:

a top bracket coupled to a top side of the outer wrapper and having an attachment feature upon which a hinge configured to pivotably couple the insulated structure with a cabinet of said refrigeration unit is configured to be mounted;

a first side bracket coupled to a first side of the outer wrapper;

a second side bracket coupled to a second side of the outer wrapper opposite the first side; and

a bottom bracket coupled to a bottom side of the outer wrapper; and

wherein the at least one locator pin comprises:

a first locator pin that extends outward from the first side bracket;

a second locator pin that extends outward from the second side bracket;

a third locator pin that extends outward from the top bracket; and

a fourth locator pin that extends outward from the bottom bracket; and

an inner liner; and

a trim breaker coupled to and extending between the outer wrapper and the inner liner, such that the outer wrapper, the inner liner, and the trim breaker cooperate to define an interior volume for receiving insulation material therein, the trim breaker including at least one alignment tab that defines a receiver that receives the at least one locator pin therein and a reference tab that does not define a receiver,

wherein the at least one alignment tab comprises:

a first alignment tab that defines a receiver that receives the first locator pin;

a second alignment tab that defines a receiver that receives the second locator pin;

a third alignment tab that defines a receiver that receives the third locator pin; and

a fourth alignment tab that defines a receiver that receives the fourth locator pin; and

wherein the first alignment tab is vertically offset from the second alignment tab; and

wherein the reference tab is adjacent to the first alignment tab and vertically aligned with the second alignment tab and the second locator pin.

2 . The insulated structure of claim 1 , wherein said insulated structure comprises a vacuum insulated door panel.

3 . The insulated structure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one bracket is welded to the outer wrapper.

4 . An insulated structure for a refrigeration unit, comprising:

an outer wrapper;

an inner liner;

at least one bracket coupled to at least one of the outer wrapper and the inner liner and having first and second locator pins that extend outward therefrom; and

a trim breaker coupled to and extending between the outer wrapper and the inner liner, such that the outer wrapper, the inner liner, and the trim breaker cooperate to define an interior volume for receiving insulation material therein, the trim breaker including a first alignment tab that defines a receiver that receives the first locator pin, a second alignment tab that defines a receiver that receives the second locator pin, and a reference tab that does not define a receiver that receives a locator pin therein, wherein the reference tab is aligned with the first alignment tab in a first direction and is aligned with the second alignment tab in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

5 . The insulated structure of claim 4 , wherein said insulated structure comprises a vacuum insulated door panel.

6 . The insulated structure of claim 4 , wherein the at least one bracket comprises:

a first side bracket coupled to a first side of the outer wrapper; and

a second side bracket coupled to a second side of the outer wrapper, wherein the first locator pin extends outward from the first side bracket, and the second locator pin extends outward from the second side bracket.

7 . The insulated structure of claim 6 , wherein a first side of the outer wrapper is positioned opposite a second side of the outer wrapper.

8 . The insulated structure of claim 7 , wherein the first and second sides of the outer wrapper are lateral sides of the outer wrapper.

9 . The insulated structure of claim 8 , wherein the at least one bracket further comprises:

a top bracket coupled to a top side of the outer wrapper that extends between the first and second sides of the outer wrapper; and

a bottom bracket coupled to a bottom side of the outer wrapper that extends between the first and second sides of the outer wrapper opposite the top side, wherein the top bracket includes a third locator pin that is received within a receiver defined by a third alignment tab that extends outward from the trim breaker, and the bottom bracket includes a fourth locator pin that is received within a receiver defined by a fourth alignment tab that extends outward from the trim breaker.

10 . The insulated structure of claim 9 , wherein the top bracket includes an attachment feature upon which a hinge configured to pivotably couple the insulated structure with a cabinet of said refrigeration unit is configured to be mounted.

11 . An insulated structure for a refrigeration unit, comprising:

an outer wrapper;

an inner liner;

at least one bracket coupled to at least one of the outer wrapper and the inner liner and having at least one alignment feature that extends outward therefrom;

wherein the at least one bracket comprises:

a first side bracket coupled to a first side of the outer wrapper; and

a second side bracket coupled to a second side of the outer wrapper opposite the first side; and

wherein the at least one alignment feature comprises:

a first alignment feature that extends outward from the first side bracket; and

a second alignment feature that extends outward from the second side bracket; and

a trim breaker coupled to and extending between the outer wrapper and the inner liner, such that the outer wrapper, the inner liner, and the trim breaker cooperate to define an interior volume for receiving insulation material therein, the trim breaker including at least one corresponding alignment feature that is engaged with the at least one alignment feature and at least one reference feature adjacent to the at least one alignment feature;

wherein the at least one corresponding alignment feature comprises:

a first corresponding alignment feature that engages with the first alignment feature; and

a second corresponding alignment feature that engages with the second alignment feature; and

wherein the at least one reference feature comprises:

a first reference feature adjacent to the first alignment feature and vertically aligned with the second alignment feature and the second corresponding alignment feature, wherein the first reference feature is configured to prevent engagement with the second alignment feature.

12 . The insulated structure of claim 11 , wherein the at least one alignment feature of the at least one bracket is matingly engaged with the at least one corresponding alignment feature of the trim breaker.

13 . The insulated structure of claim 11 , wherein the at least one alignment feature of the at least one bracket is a locator pin that extends outward from the at least one bracket, and the at least one corresponding alignment feature of the trim breaker is an alignment tab that defines a receiver that receives the locator pin therein.

14 . The insulated structure of claim 11 , wherein the at least one alignment feature of the at least one bracket is an alignment tab that defines a receiver and that extends outward from the at least one bracket, and the at least one corresponding alignment feature of the trim breaker is a locator pin that extends outward from the trim breaker and that is received within the receiver defined by the alignment tab.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (22)