Appliance modular system for incorporating a pantry compartment within an appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10006693-B2
Application number	US-201514920070-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2015
Priority date	Oct 22, 2015
Publication date	Jun 26, 2018
Grant date	Jun 26, 2018

Abstract

A refrigerating appliance includes an interior volume divided by a medial wall into refrigerating and freezing compartments. A horizontal false mullion extends through one of the compartments, parallel with the medial wall to define a pantry compartment in thermal communication with at least one of the refrigerating and freezing compartments. A center vertical mullion is removably engaged with the medial wall and divides the pantry compartment into first and second pantry sub compartments. First and second outer drawer glides are positioned on the cabinet structure within the pantry compartment and opposite first and second inner drawer glides of the center vertical mullion. The first inner and first outer drawer glides partially define the first pantry sub compartment. The second inner and second outer drawer glides partially define the second pantry sub compartment. First and second pantry drawers are slidably engaged with first and second pantry sub compartments, respectively.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a refrigerating appliance, the method including steps of:
providing the refrigerating appliance including a cabinet structure having a plurality of sidewalls and a medial wall that define an interior volume, the interior volume divided by the medial wall into a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment;
providing a modular pantry compartment system including a horizontal false mullion, a center vertical mullion and first and second outer drawer glides, wherein the modular pantry compartment system is manufactured separately from the refrigerating appliance;
installing the horizontal false mullion within one of the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment, wherein the horizontal false mullion is oriented parallel with the medial wall, and wherein the medial wall and the horizontal false mullion define a pantry compartment, the pantry compartment in thermal communication with at least one of the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment;
installing the center vertical mullion between the horizontal false mullion and the medial wall, wherein the center vertical mullion extends vertically from the medial wall to the horizontal false mullion, wherein first and second inner drawer glides are defined on opposing sides of the center vertical mullion, the center vertical mullion dividing the pantry compartment to define first and second pantry sub compartments;
installing first and second outer drawer glides positioned proximate opposing internal vertical surfaces of the cabinet structure within the pantry compartment and positioned opposite the first and second inner drawer glides, respectively, wherein the first inner and first outer drawer glides partially define the first pantry sub compartment, and wherein the second inner and second outer drawer glides partially define the second pantry sub compartment;
installing a first pantry drawer within the first pantry sub compartment, wherein the first pantry drawer is slidably engaged with the first inner and first outer drawer glides and operable within the first pantry sub compartment to define open and closed positions of the first pantry sub compartment; and
installing a second pantry drawer within the second pantry sub compartment, wherein the second pantry drawer is slidably engaged with the second inner and second outer drawer glides and operable within the second pantry sub compartment between open and closed positions of the second pantry sub compartment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of installing the center vertical mullion includes installing a vertical fascia plate on a front edge of the center vertical mullion and a lateral surface of the horizontal false mullion, wherein the vertical fascia plate includes a plurality of fascia tabs that engage tab receptacles defined at least within the front edge of the center vertical mullion and the lateral surface of the horizontal false mullion, wherein the vertical fascia plate includes a fascia outer surface that is substantially coplanar with outward surfaces of the horizontal false mullion and the medial wall when the vertical fascia plate is installed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second outer drawer glides are defined within first and second side adapters that are installed against the opposing internal vertical surfaces of the cabinet structure within the pantry compartment such that the center vertical mullion is positioned between and parallel with the first and second side adapters.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising steps of:
providing a pantry refrigeration system for the modular pantry compartment system;
providing a control configured to be in communication with the pantry refrigeration system;
installing the pantry refrigeration system within a portion of the modular pantry compartment system;
coupling the pantry refrigeration system with an appliance refrigeration system of the refrigerating appliance, wherein the pantry refrigeration system is in thermal communication with the appliance refrigeration system;
installing the control within a portion of the modular pantry compartment system wherein the control is in communication with the pantry refrigeration system, wherein the control operates the pantry refrigeration system to selectively and independently maintain the first and second pantry sub compartments at respective first and second temperatures, wherein the pantry refrigeration system includes ducts that selectively deliver cooled air from at least one of the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment to the pantry compartment, wherein the control operates the ducts to maintain the first and second pantry sub compartments at the first and second temperatures.

5. The method of claim 1 , further including the step of:
providing a pantry cover and a false floor assembly as part of the modular pantry compartment system;
installing the pantry cover and the false floor assembly proximate the horizontal false mullion and the center vertical mullion, and wherein the pantry cover and the false floor assembly define a horizontal boundary between the refrigerating compartment and the pantry compartment, wherein a portion of the false floor assembly rests upon the center vertical mullion, and wherein the pantry cover, the false floor assembly and the horizontal false mullion cooperate to define a floor of the refrigerating compartment.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the cabinet structure of the refrigerating appliance includes an outer wrapper, an inner liner and an insulating cavity disposed between the outer wrapper and the inner liner, wherein the inner liner of a premanufactured refrigerating appliance includes a pantry receptacle configured to securely receive the first and second side adapters, the center vertical mullion and the horizontal false mullion, wherein engagement of the pantry receptacle with the first and second side adapters, the center vertical mullion and the horizontal false mullion defines a surface engagement that is free of penetrations that extend into the insulating cavity of the cabinet structure.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the insulating cavity is manufactured as a hermetically sealed insulating cavity, and wherein installation of the first and second side adapters, the center vertical mullion and the horizontal false mullion substantially maintains the insulating cavity as a hermetically sealed cavity during installation of the modular pantry compartment system.

8. A method for converting a refrigerated appliance to include a refrigerated pantry compartment, the method comprising steps of:
providing a premanufactured refrigerating appliance having an interior compartment that is in communication with an appliance refrigeration system;
providing a refrigerated pantry conversion kit for dividing the interior compartment into a plurality of compartments, wherein at least a portion of the refrigerated pantry conversion kit includes first and second side adapters, a horizontal false mullion, at least one pantry drawer and a pantry refrigeration system;
installing the first and second side adapters within the interior compartment within opposing interior vertical surfaces of the premanufactured refrigerating appliance, wherein the first and second side adapters include respective first and second outer drawer glides;
installing the horizontal false mullion between the opposing interior vertical surfaces and adjacent a front portion of the first and second side adapters, wherein the first and second side adapters and the horizontal false mullion at least partially divides the interior compartment to define an undivided pantry compartment and a refrigerated compartmen

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Ramm Axel Julio
• Richards Michael S
• Wadke Rahul
• Wittes Joshua J

Classifications

• F25D2400/06

  Refrigerators with a vertical mullion · CPC title

• A47B2210/175

  Refrigerators or freezers · CPC title

• F25D2400/04

  Refrigerators with a horizontal mullion · CPC title

• F25D2323/021

  French doors · CPC title

• F25D25/025 Primary

  Drawers · CPC title