Hinge support assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10907883-B2
Application number	US-201616309998-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2016
Priority date	Dec 2, 2016
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

An appliance is provided herein. The appliance includes a cabinet having a wrapper, a liner, and a trim breaker. The wrapper, the liner, and the trim breaker define an insulating cavity therebetween. An insulating material is disposed within the insulating cavity. A frame includes an upper frame portion, a vertical frame portion, and a lower frame portion. The lower portion includes a top section, a bottom section, an inner section, and a front section. A door is rotationally mounted to the cabinet via an upper hinge and a lower hinge mounted to the frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An appliance comprising:
a cabinet having a wrapper, a liner, and a trim breaker, wherein the wrapper, the liner, and the trim breaker define an insulating cavity therebetween;
an insulating material disposed within the insulating cavity;
a frame including an upper frame portion, a vertical frame portion, and a lower frame portion, wherein the lower frame portion includes a top section, a bottom section, an inner section and a front section, wherein the upper frame portion is integrally formed with and extends perpendicularly from the vertical frame portion, wherein the upper frame portion is positioned to extend along a first side of the wrapper, and further wherein the lower frame portion extends perpendicularly from the vertical frame portion and is coupled with the vertical frame by a plurality of coupling fasteners extending perpendicular to the vertical frame portion and parallel to the upper frame portion; and
a door rotationally mounted to the cabinet via an upper hinge and a lower hinge mounted to the frame, wherein the upper hinge is positioned on a second, opposing side of the wrapper from the upper frame portion and is coupled with the upper frame portion by a first attachment fastener extending in a vertical direction.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the lower frame portion includes one or more coupling receptacles, and further wherein one of the one or more coupling receptacles is configured to receive the coupling fastener to attach the lower frame portion to the vertical frame portion.

3. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion each include one or more attachment receptacles, and further wherein the first attachment fastener is inserted through the upper hinge into the one or more attachment receptacles of the upper frame portion and a second attachment fastener is inserted through the lower hinge and into each of the one or more attachment receptacles of the lower frame portion.

4. The appliance of claim 3 , wherein the one or more attachment receptacles at least partially define the insulating cavity.

5. The appliance of claim 3 , wherein the one or more attachment receptacles are sealed while the respective fastener is disposed within the one or more attachment receptacles.

6. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes left and right frames that are positioned within right and left sidewalls, respectively, of the cabinet.

7. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:
a vacuum insulated structure disposed within the insulating cavity.

8. An appliance comprising:
a cabinet defining an insulating cavity;
a frame including a vertical frame portion positioned along an edge of the cabinet, an upper frame portion extending perpendicularly from a first end of the vertical frame portion, and a lower frame portion coupled with and extending perpendicularly from a second end of the vertical frame portion, the second end opposite the first end;
a first attachment receptacle disposed on the upper frame portion and extending from the upper frame portion in a first, vertical direction;
a second attachment receptacle disposed on the lower frame portion, the second attachment receptacle extending from the lower frame portion in a second, lateral direction;
a coupling receptacle disposed on the lower frame portion, the coupling receptacle extending from the lower frame portion in a third direction, the third direction perpendicular to both the first and second directions; and
a door rotationally mounted to the cabinet via an upper hinge mounted to an upper hinge mount and a lower hinge mounted to a lower hinge mount.

9. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the lower frame portion includes a top section, a bottom section, a front section, and an inner section.

10. The appliance of claim 9 , wherein the coupling receptacle is disposed on the inner section of the lower frame portion.

11. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the first and second attachment receptacles at least partially define the insulating cavity.

12. The appliance of claim 8 , further comprising:
a wrapper defining a plurality of apertures that correspond to the first and second attachment receptacles.

13. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the first attachment receptacle is aligned in a transverse direction to the second attachment receptacle.

14. The appliance of claim 8 , further comprising:
a vacuum insulated structure disposed within the insulating cavity.

15. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the first and second attachment receptacles are configured to receive hinge attachment fasteners and the coupling receptacle is configured to receive coupling fasteners to couple the lower frame portion with the vertical frame portion.

16. An appliance comprising:
a cabinet defining an insulating cavity;
a frame disposed within the insulating cavity and including a lower frame portion, wherein the lower frame portion includes a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portion separated by a bent section such that the first portion is positioned forward of the second portion;
one or more sealed lower attachment receptacles disposed on the first portion of the lower frame portion and extending in a first direction parallel to sidewalls of the cabinet;
one or more coupling receptacles disposed on the second portion of the lower frame portion, the one or more coupling receptacles joining the lower frame portion to a vertical frame portion, wherein the one or more coupling receptacles extend in a second direction parallel to a mullion of the cabinet and perpendicular to the first direction; and
a door rotationally mounted to the cabinet via the frame via a hinge, the hinge disposed on an opposing side of the cabinet from the frame.

17. The appliance of claim 16 , wherein the frame further includes an upper frame portion having one or more upper attachment receptacles, the one or more upper attachment receptacles extending in a third direction, the third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions.

18. The appliance of claim 16 , further comprising:
a vacuum insulated structure disposed within the insulating cavity.

19. The appliance of claim 16 , wherein the one or more sealed lower attachment receptacles are configured to receive hinge attachment fasteners and the one or more coupling receptacles are configured to receive coupling fasteners to couple the lower frame portion with the vertical frame portion.

20. The appliance of claim 16 , further comprising:
a wrapper defining a plurality of apertures that correspond to the one or more sealed lower attachment receptacles on the frame.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Dherde Eric J
• Fiori Michael A
• Hunter Lynne F

Classifications

• F25D23/066

  Liners · CPC title

• F24C15/023

  Mounting of doors, e.g. hinges, counterbalancing · CPC title

• Y02B40/00

  Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers · CPC title

• E05D7/081

  the pivot axis of the wing being situated near one edge of the wing, especially at the top and bottom, e.g. trunnions · CPC title

• F25D23/028 Primary

  Details · CPC title