Hinge support assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11353256-B2
Application number	US-202017139126-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2020
Priority date	Dec 2, 2016
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

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 frame including an upper frame portion integrally formed with and extending perpendicularly from a vertical frame portion and a lower frame portion extending perpendicularly from the vertical frame portion, wherein the upper frame portion includes a first attachment receptacle extending in a first direction and the lower frame portion includes a second attachment receptacle extending in a second direction, the first direction transverse to the second direction; and
a door rotationally mounted to the frame via an upper hinge mounted to the upper frame portion and a lower hinge mounted to the lower frame portion.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the lower frame portion includes a coupling receptacle configured to attach the lower frame portion to the vertical frame portion.

3. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the coupling receptacle extends in a third direction, and further wherein the third direction is perpendicular to both the first and second directions.

4. The appliance of claim 1 , further 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.

5. The appliance of claim 4 , wherein the first and second attachment receptacles at least partially define the insulating cavity.

6. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the lower frame portion is integrally formed with the vertical frame portion.

7. The appliance of claim 6 , wherein each of the first and second attachment receptacles are sealed while a fastener is disposed within the respective attachment receptacle.

8. An appliance comprising:
a frame including an upper frame portion and a lower frame portion spaced apart by a vertical frame portion, each of the upper and lower frame portions extending perpendicularly from the vertical frame portion;
a first attachment receptacle disposed on the upper frame portion;
a second attachment receptacle disposed on the lower frame portion;
a coupling receptacle disposed on the lower frame portion, wherein the coupling receptacle is configured to receive a fastener to couple the lower frame portion with the vertical frame portion;
a door rotationally mounted to the frame via an upper hinge mounted to the upper frame portion and a lower hinge mounted to the lower frame portion.

9. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein each of the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion include a terminal end.

10. The appliance of claim 8 , further comprising:
a cabinet defining an insulating cavity; and
a wrapper defining a plurality of apertures that correspond to the first and second attachment receptacles.

11. The appliance of claim 10 , wherein the first and second attachment receptacles at least partially define the insulating cavity.

12. The appliance of claim 10 , wherein the first and second attachment receptacles and coupling receptacle each maintain a fastener therein that is separated from the insulating cavity.

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

14. The appliance of claim 13 , wherein the coupling receptacle extends in a third direction, the third direction transverse to each of the first and second directions.

15. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the lower frame portion includes a top section, a bottom section, a front section, and an inner section, and further wherein the coupling receptacle is disposed on the inner section of the lower 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, the lower frame portion including a front section and an inner section;
a first sealed attachment receptacle disposed on the front section of the lower frame portion and extending in a first direction;
a coupling receptacle disposed on the inner section of the lower frame portion and extending in a second direction, the second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a vertical frame portion aligned with the inner section of the lower frame portion and configured to be coupled with the lower frame portion by a fastener received by the coupling receptacle; 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 a second sealed attachment receptacle.

18. The appliance of claim 17 , wherein the first sealed attachment receptacle extends in a first direction and the second sealed attachment receptacle extends in a second direction, the first direction transverse to the second direction.

19. The appliance of claim 16 , wherein the lower frame portion includes a bent section positioned between the front section and the inner section of the lower frame portion.

20. The appliance of claim 16 , further comprising:
a wrapper defining an aperture that corresponds to the attachment receptacle of the lower frame portion.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

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

Classifications

• E05D2005/0292

  for passing through insulating layers · 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

• E05D5/046

  specially adapted for cabinets or furniture · CPC title

• F24C15/023

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

• E05Y2900/31

  for refrigerators · CPC title