Snap fit attachment feature for a mullion assembly of a refrigerator appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12460858-B2
Application number	US-202318349876-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2023
Priority date	Jul 10, 2023
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance may include a case body that defines a front end. The case body may include a front lip positioned at the front end. The refrigerator appliance may also include a mullion assembly. The mullion assembly may include a cosmetic mullion. The cosmetic mullion may include a flange and a main body. The flange of the cosmetic mullion may include an outer bent rib. The mullion assembly may also include a stiffener. The stiffener may include a flange and a main body. The mullion assembly may further include a mullion clip. The mullion clip may include an inner bent rib and a lance bridge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
a case body, the case body comprising a first front lip and a second front lip, the first front lip and the second front lip spaced apart approximately along the lateral direction; and a mullion assembly attached to the case body, the mullion assembly extending from a first end to a second end approximately along the lateral direction, the mullion assembly comprising:
a cosmetic mullion;
a stiffener attached to the cosmetic mullion;
a first mullion clip attached to the stiffener at the first end of the mullion assembly;
a second mullion clip attached to the stiffener at the second end of the mullion assembly;
a first flange assembly positioned at the first end, wherein the first flange assembly is attached to the first front lip by a snap fit; and
a second flange assembly positioned at the second end of the mullion assembly, wherein the second flange assembly is attached to the second front lip by a snap fit.

2 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first front lip comprises a first outer side and a first bent inner side, wherein the second front lip comprises a second outer side and a second bent inner side, wherein the first outer side and the first bent inner side together define a first groove, and wherein the second outer side and the second bent inner side together define a second groove.

3 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 2 , wherein the first front lip comprises a first attachment portion and the second front lip comprises a second attachment portion, wherein the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion are positioned at the same height approximately along the vertical direction.

4 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 3 , wherein the first attachment portion comprises a first notch defined through the first bent inner side, wherein the first notch extends from an open distal end to a closed proximal end substantially along the lateral direction, wherein the second attachment portion comprises a second notch defined through the second bent inner side, wherein the second notch extends from an open distal end to a closed proximal end substantially along the lateral direction.

5 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first flange assembly comprises a first inner bent rib, a first outer bent rib, and a first lance bridge, and wherein the second flange assembly comprises a second inner bent rib, a second outer bent rib, and a second lance bridge.

6 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the cosmetic mullion comprises a first flange, a second flange, and a main body, wherein the stiffener comprises a first flange, a second flange, and a main body, wherein the first flange of the cosmetic mullion, the first flange of the stiffener, and the first mullion clip together form the first flange assembly, and wherein the second flange of the cosmetic mullion, the second flange of the stiffener, and the second mullion clip together from the second flange assembly.

7 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first flange assembly is fully restrained in relation to the case body when the first flange assembly is attached to the first front lip, and wherein the second flange assembly is fully restrained in relation to the case body when the second flange assembly is attached to the second front lip.

8 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
a case body defining a front end, the case body comprising a front lip positioned at the front end; and a mullion assembly comprising:
a cosmetic mullion comprising a flange and a main body, the flange comprising an outer bent rib;
a stiffener comprising a flange and a main body;
a mullion clip comprising an inner bent rib and a lance bridge; and
wherein the flange of the cosmetic mullion is attached to the flange of the stiffener, wherein the mullion clip is attached to the flange of the stiffener, wherein the flange of the cosmetic mullion, the flange of the stiffener, and the mullion clip together form a flange assembly, and whereby the flange assembly is attached to the front lip of the case body by a snap fit.

9 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 8 , wherein the front lip comprises an outer side and a bent inner side, wherein the outer side and the bent inner side together define a groove.

10 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 9 , wherein during assembly, the outer side and the outer bent rib are interfaced, and the bent inner side and the inner bent rib are interfaced.

11 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 9 , wherein the front lip comprises an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion comprises a notch defined through the bent inner side, wherein the notch extends from an open distal end to a closed proximal end.

12 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 11 , wherein during assembly, the lance bridge of the mullion clip is located to the notch as the flange assembly is attached to the front lip.

13 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 9 , wherein the front lip is transitionable between an undeflected position and a deflected position, wherein in the deflected position, the outer side and the bent inner side are deflected.

14 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 13 , wherein during assembly of the refrigerator appliance, front lip is transitioned from the undeflected position to the deflected position as the flange assembly is attached to the front lip.

15 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 8 , wherein the flange assembly is fully restrained in relation to the case body when the flange assembly is attached to the front lip.

16 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
a case body defining a front end, the case body comprising a front lip positioned at the front end; and a mullion assembly comprising:
a cosmetic mullion comprising a flange and a main body, the flange of the cosmetic mullion comprising an outer bent rib;
a stiffener comprising a flange and a main body, the flange of the stiffener comprising a first portion and a second portion, the second portion comprising an inner bent rib and a lance bridge; and
wherein the flange of the cosmetic mullion is attached to the flange of the stiffener, wherein the flange of the cosmetic mullion and the flange of the stiffener together form a flange assembly, and whereby the flange assembly is attached to the front lip of the case body by a snap fit.

17 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 16 , wherein the front lip comprises an outer side and a bent inner side, wherein the outer side and the bent inner side together define a groove.

18 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 17 , wherein the front lip comprises an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion comprises a notch defined through the bent inner side, wherein the notch extends from an open distal end to a closed proximal end.

19 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 17 , wherein the flange assembly is positioned within the groove, and wherein the flange assembly is fully restrained in relation to the case body when the flange assembly is positioned within the groove.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Gibson James
• Vulava Gopi Krishna
• Davis Matthew

Classifications

• F25D2400/04

  Refrigerators with a horizontal mullion · CPC title

• F25D23/063

  formed by an assembly of panels · CPC title

• F25D23/065 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• F25D23/069 Primary

  Cooling space dividing partitions · CPC title