Wall panel for an appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11913712-B2
Application number	US-202318100807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2023
Priority date	Dec 18, 2017
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet with a plurality of walls and a compartment area for storing food within the cabinet. A door is configured to seal the compartment area. A refrigeration component is disposed within the cabinet. A wall panel is positioned within the cabinet and includes a three-dimensional molded surface with non-uniformly spaced peaks and valleys and a lighting structure. The wall panel extends from a lower end of the compartment area to an upper end of the compartment area. The wall panel separates the compartment area from the refrigeration component and is coextensive with one of the plurality of walls of the cabinet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator, comprising:
a cabinet including a plurality of walls, the cabinet defining a compartment area for storing food;
a door coupled to the cabinet and configured to seal the compartment area;
a refrigeration component disposed within the cabinet; and
a wall panel positioned within the cabinet and comprising a three-dimensional molded surface including non-uniformly spaced peaks and valleys, wherein the wall panel extends from a lower end of the compartment area to an upper end of the compartment area, and wherein the wall panel separates the compartment area from the refrigeration component and is co-extensive with one of the plurality of walls of the cabinet.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of walls includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a back wall, and a pair of side walls, and wherein the wall panel is co-extensive with the back wall of the cabinet.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional molded surface comprises a three-dimensional pattern extending from a first side end of the wall panel to a second side end of the wall panel.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage structure within the compartment area, wherein the wall panel is disposed between the storage structure and the cabinet.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein the storage structure is one of a shelf and a drawer.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a door panel operably coupled to an interior surface of the door, the door panel comprising a three-dimensional molded surface.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the three-dimensional molded surface of the door panel includes spaced peaks and valleys, and wherein the three-dimensional molded surface of the door panel is different than the three-dimensional molded surface of the wall panel.

8. A refrigerated appliance, comprising:
a cabinet defining a compartment area for storing food therein;
a compartment storage structure coupled to the cabinet and disposed within the compartment area; and
a door coupled to the cabinet and configured to seal the compartment area, wherein the door includes an interior surface and a door panel co-extensive with the interior surface, and wherein the door panel includes a three-dimensional molded surface including non-uniformly spaced peaks and valleys.

9. The refrigerated appliance of claim 8 , wherein the three-dimensional molded surface comprises a three-dimensional pattern extending from a first side end of the door panel to a second side end of the door panel.

10. The refrigerated appliance of claim 8 , further comprising:
a door storage structure coupled to the door, wherein the door panel is disposed between the door storage structure and the interior surface.

11. The refrigerated appliance of claim 8 , wherein the door panel separates the compartment area from a refrigerator component disposed in the door.

12. The refrigerated appliance of claim 8 , wherein the door panel further comprises a lighting structure.

13. The refrigerated appliance of claim 12 , further comprising:
control circuitry configured to activate the lighting structure based on user interaction with said refrigerated appliance.

14. The refrigerated appliance of claim 8 , wherein the door panel is formed of a material that is at least partially translucent.

15. An appliance, comprising:
a cabinet defining a compartment area for storing items therein;
a door operably coupled with the cabinet and having an interior surface; and
a door panel disposed on the door, wherein the door panel is co-extensive with the interior surface of the door and extends a full height and width of the interior surface, and wherein the door panel includes a three-dimensional molded surface having peaks and valleys extending from a first side end of the door panel to a second side end of the door panel.

16. The appliance of claim 15 , wherein the three-dimensional molded surface includes irregular alternating peaks and valleys.

17. The appliance of claim 15 , further comprising:
a lighting structure coupled to the door, wherein the lighting structure is configured to back light the door panel.

18. The appliance of claim 17 , further comprising:
control circuitry configured to activate the lighting structure based on user interaction with said appliance.

19. The appliance of claim 15 , wherein the door panel separates the compartment area from a refrigerator component disposed in the door.

20. The appliance of claim 15 , further comprising:
a storage structure positioned on the door, wherein the door panel is disposed between the interior surface of the door and the storage structure.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Burke Julia B
• Chow Daniel
• Clements Daniel V
• Goesling Rebecca M
• Schulz Mark W

Classifications

• F25D23/066 Primary

  Liners · CPC title

• F25D23/028

  Details · CPC title

• F25D27/005

  combined with control means · CPC title

• F25D2323/021

  French doors · CPC title

• F25D2323/06

  Details of walls not otherwise covered · CPC title