Enclosure illumination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10690403-B2
Application number	US-201515753404-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2015
Priority date	Aug 21, 2015
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

An assembly comprises an enclosure ( 10 ) including an enclosure interior ( 12 ) configured to retain articles therein. An electrically conductive means ( 30 ) can electrically connect the enclosure ( 10 ) to a source of electrical power ( 31 ) for providing electrical energy to the enclosure ( 10 ) for application to an operation that relies on electric energy for its performance and takes place at the enclosure interior ( 12 ). The assembly includes a light source ( 16 ), the position of which is adjustable so as to illuminate any selected one of a plurality of locations within the enclosure interior ( 12 ). An electrically conductive line ( 17 ) is electrically configured to be connected at the enclosure ( 10 ) to the source of electrical power ( 31 ) and connected to the light source ( 16 ) for providing electrical energy to the light source ( 16 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly comprising:
an enclosure including an enclosure interior configured to retain articles therein;
an electrically conductive means by which the enclosure can be electrically connected to a source of electrical power for providing electrical energy to the enclosure for application to an operation that relies on electric energy for its performance and takes place at the enclosure interior;
a light source, the position of which is adjustable so as to illuminate any selected one of a plurality of locations within the enclosure interior; and
an electrically conductive line electrically configured to be connected at the enclosure to the source of electrical power and connected to the light source for providing electrical energy to the light source, wherein:
the enclosure interior is delimited by one or more enclosure interior surfaces,
the light source is removably located at one of the one or more enclosure interior surfaces at a base station for the light source, the light source including an attachment feature whereby the light source is both removably attachable at the one of the one or more enclosure interior surfaces at the base station and removably attachable at the one or more enclosure interior surfaces away from the base station at positions enabling the light source to illuminate any selected one of the plurality of locations within the enclosure interior, and
the electrically conductive line is of a length sufficient to permit the light source to be removably attachable at the one or more enclosure interior surfaces away from the base station at positions enabling the light source to illuminate any selected one of the plurality of locations within the enclosure interior.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a refrigeration appliance.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the refrigeration appliance comprises a freezer chest, the enclosure interior comprises a freezer chest interior and the operation that takes place at the enclosure interior takes place at the freezer chest interior and comprises the maintenance of perishable articles at the freezer chest interior at temperatures at and below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure includes a hinged lid that includes a lid interior surface that comprises one of the enclosure interior surfaces, the hinged lid allowing for access to be had to the enclosure interior upon raising of the hinged lid from a position closing off the enclosure interior, and the base station includes a recess at the lid interior surface within which the light source can be removably maintained.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , including an electric cord reel that holds the electrically conductive line.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the attachment feature comprises a magnetic material, and each position enabling the light source to illuminate any selected one of the plurality of locations within the enclosure interior and the recess include a material that is magnetically attractive, whereby the light source can be attached at a selected one of each position and the recess by means of the magnetic material.

7. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the enclosure comprises a refrigeration appliance.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the refrigeration appliance comprises a freezer chest, the enclosure interior comprises a freezer chest interior and the operation that takes place at the enclosure interior takes place at the freezer chest interior and comprises the maintenance of perishable articles at the freezer chest interior at temperatures at and below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , including an electric cord reel that holds the electrically conductive line.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the attachment feature comprises a magnetic material and each position enabling the light source to illuminate any selected one of the plurality of locations within the freezer chest interior includes a material that is magnetically attractive, whereby the light source can be attached at a selected one of each position by means of the magnetic material.

11. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive line is encased within a flexible self-supporting electrical conduit.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the enclosure comprises a refrigeration appliance.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the refrigeration appliance comprises a freezer chest, the enclosure interior comprises a freezer chest interior and the operation that takes place at the enclosure interior takes place at the freezer chest interior and comprises the maintenance of perishable articles at the freezer chest interior at temperatures at and below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

14. The assembly of claim 13 , wherein the freezer chest includes the base station at which the light source and the flexible self-supporting electrical conduit can be maintained, and the electrically conductive line and the flexible self-supporting electrical conduit are of a length sufficient to permit the position of the light source to be adjusted so as to illuminate any selected one of the plurality of locations within the freezer chest interior.

15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the freezer chest includes a hinged lid that includes a lid interior surface, the hinged lid allowing for access to be had to the freezer chest interior upon raising of the hinged lid from a position closing off the freezer chest interior, and the base station includes a recess at the lid interior surface within which the light source is removably maintained.

16. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure includes a hinged lid and a storage compartment within which the enclosure interior is located, the hinged lid being supported for pivotal movement at an upper edge of the storage compartment and allowing for access to be had to the enclosure interior upon raising of the hinged lid from the upper edge of the storage compartment, and the electrically conductive line is releasably stored at the upper edge of the storage compartment.

17. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the enclosure comprises a refrigeration appliance.

18. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the refrigeration appliance comprises a freezer chest, the enclosure interior comprises a freezer chest interior and the operation that takes place at the enclosure interior takes place at the freezer chest interior and comprises the maintenance of perishable articles at the freezer chest interior at temperatures at and below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

19. The assembly of claim 18 , wherein the attachment feature comprises a magnetic material and each position enabling the light source to illuminate any selected one of the plurality of locations within the freezer chest interior includes a material that is magnetically attractive, whereby the light source can be attached at a selected one of each position by means of the magnetic material.

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• Gossens Caleb
• Doyle Thomas

Classifications

• F25D2400/10

  Refrigerator top-coolers · CPC title

• F21V33/0044

  Household appliances, e.g. washing machines or vacuum cleaners · CPC title

• F21W2131/305

  for refrigerators · CPC title

• F25D27/00 Primary

  Lighting arrangements (in general F21) · CPC title

• F25D23/026

  for open-top cabinets · CPC title