Thermal frame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10045638-B2
Application number	US-201615362589-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2016
Priority date	Nov 28, 2016
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

The invention features a refrigerator cabinet door frame. The frame includes a thermally conductive outer frame, a thermally insulating inner frame member, and a sealing plate. The outer frame member includes a forward end having an outer surface that is disposed outside of a refrigerated cabinet with the frame mounted, and a rearward end defining a joint. The inner frame member includes a first end retained in the joint, and a second end. The sealing plate includes a first edge coupled to the outer frame member at the rearward end, forward of the joint, a second edge supported by the second end of the inner frame member, and a thermally conductive sealing surface. The first edge of the sealing plate is coupled to the outer frame member such that the sealing surface and the outer surface of the outer frame member together form a continuous heat transfer path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator cabinet door frame, comprising, in cross-section:
an outer frame member of thermally conductive material and comprising:
a forward end having an outer surface arranged to be disposed outside of a refrigerated cabinet with the frame mounted, and
a rearward end defining a joint;

an inner frame member of thermally insulating material and comprising:
a first end retained in the joint, and
a second end spaced from the first end; and

a sealing plate comprising:
a first edge coupled to the outer frame member at the rearward end of the outer frame member, forward of the joint,
a second edge supported by the second end of the inner frame member, and
a sealing surface of thermally conductive material exposed to receive a door seal,

wherein the first edge of the sealing plate is coupled to the outer frame member such that the sealing surface of the sealing plate and the outer surface of the forward end of the outer frame member together form a continuous heat transfer path of material more thermally conductive than the thermally insulating material of the inner frame member.

2. The frame of claim 1 , wherein the joint is a crimp joint.

3. The frame of claim 1 , wherein the joint is a crimp groove, and
wherein the first end of the inner frame member is retained in the crimp groove of the outer frame member by a crimp of the outer frame member adjacent the groove.

4. The frame of claim 1 , wherein the joint is an adhesive joint.

5. The frame of claim 1 , wherein thermal conductivity of the outer frame member is greater than 10 times thermal conductivity of the thermally insulating material of the inner frame member.

6. The frame of claim 1 , further comprising a heater wire in contact with the sealing plate.

7. The frame of claim 1 , further comprising a retaining clip coupling the sealing plate to the second end of the inner frame member.

8. The frame of claim 1 , wherein the sealing plate comprises a first, thermally conductive part and a second, thermally insulating part.

9. A refrigerated cabinet door frame assembly comprising:
a sealing plate comprising a sealing surface of thermally conductive material exposed to receive a door seal;
an inner frame member of thermally insulating material and comprising a first end and a second end spaced from the first end; and
an outer frame member of thermally conductive material and comprising:
a forward end having an outer surface arranged to be disposed outside of a refrigerated cabinet with the frame assembled,
a rearward end defining a joint arranged to accept the first end of the inner frame member with the frame assembled, and
a channel positioned at the reward end, forward of the joint to receive an edge of the sealing plate,

wherein, with the frame assembled, the sealing plate is coupled to the outer frame member such that the sealing surface of the sealing plate and the outer surface of the forward end of the outer frame member together form a continuous heat transfer path of material more thermally conductive than the thermally insulating material of the inner frame member.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the joint is a crimp joint.

11. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the joint is a crimp groove, and
wherein the first end of the inner frame member is configured to be retained in the crimp groove of the outer frame member by a crimp of the outer frame member adjacent the groove.

12. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein a thermal conductivity of the outer frame member is greater than 10 times thermal conductivity of the thermally insulating material of the inner frame member.

13. The assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a heater wire support configured to retain a heating wire in contact with the sealing plate with the frame assembled.

14. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the sealing plate comprises a first, thermally conductive part and a second, thermally insulating part.

15. A refrigerated cabinet comprising:
a door frame mounted to an opening of the refrigerated cabinet, the door frame comprising, in cross-section:
an outer frame member of thermally conductive material and comprising:
a forward end having an outer surface arranged to be disposed outside of a refrigerated cabinet with the frame mounted, and
a rearward end defining a joint;

an inner frame member of thermally insulating material and comprising:
a first end retained in the joint of the outer frame member, and
a second end spaced from the first end; and

a sealing plate comprising:
a first edge coupled to the outer member at the rearward end of the outer member, forward of the crimp joint,
a second edge supported by the second end of the inner frame member, and
a sealing surface of thermally conductive material exposed to receive a door seal;

wherein the first edge of the sealing plate is coupled to the outer member such that the sealing surface of the sealing plate and the outer surface of the forward end of the outer frame member together form a continuous heat transfer path of material more thermally conductive than the thermally insulating material of the inner frame member.

16. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 15 , wherein the joint is a crimp joint.

17. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 15 , wherein the joint is a crimp groove, and
wherein the first end of the inner frame member is retained in the crimp groove of the outer frame member by a crimp of the outer frame member adjacent the groove.

18. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 15 , wherein a thermal conductivity of the outer frame member is greater than 10 times thermal conductivity of the thermally insulating material of the inner frame member.

19. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 15 , further comprising a heater wire in contact with the sealing plate.

20. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 15 , further comprising a retaining clip coupling the sealing plate to the second end of the inner frame member.

21. The refrigerated cabinet of claim 15 , wherein the sealing plate comprises a first, thermally conductive part and a second, thermally insulating part.

Assignees

• Anthony Inc

Inventors

• Artwohl Paul J
• Nicholson Jeffery W
• Rolek Matthew
• Baugh David Briggs

Classifications

• F25D23/082

  Strips · CPC title

• F25D23/02

  Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) · CPC title

• F25D27/00

  Lighting arrangements (in general F21) · CPC title

• F25D21/04

  Preventing the formation of frost or condensate · CPC title

• A47F11/10

  Arrangements of light sources · CPC title