Refrigerator appliance subcomponent mounting system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12492859-B2
Application number	US-202217736283-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2022
Priority date	May 4, 2022
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet, a subcomponent, an anchor, and a fastener. The cabinet has a plurality of walls defining an internal storage chamber. The subcomponent is disposed within the internal storage chamber. The anchor is disposed on an opposing side of a first of the walls relative to the subcomponent. The anchor defines a plurality of orifices. The fastener engages the subcomponent, extends through the first of the walls, and engages one of the plurality of orifices to secure the subcomponent to the first of the walls.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
a cabinet having walls defining an internal cavity; an inner liner disposed within the internal cavity such that a gap is defined between the walls and the inner liner; a subcomponent disposed within the internal cavity and secured to the inner liner; a fastening anchor disposed within the gap on an opposing side of the inner liner relative to the subcomponent, the fastening anchor defining a plurality of orifices; orifices, wherein each orifice of the plurality of orifices is configured to engage fastener threads; a fastener (i) engaging the subcomponent, (ii) extending through the liner, and (iii) engaging the fastening anchor within one of the plurality of orifices to secure the subcomponent to the inner liner and to the fastening anchor; and an insulating material (i) disposed within the gap, (ii) between the walls and the inner liner, and (iii) over the fastening anchor.

2 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the fastening anchor is a block.

3 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the fastening anchor has an adhesive back securing the fastening anchor to the inner liner.

4 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein (i) each orifices is sized to engage the fastener; (ii) the fastener is a self-tapping fastener configured to engage the fastening anchor within each orifice of the plurality of orifices and tap each orifice of the plurality of orifices; and (iii) the fastener (a) extends through aligned through holes defined by the liner and subcomponent and (b) engages the fastening anchor within a first orifice of the plurality of orifices to secure the fastener to the fastening anchor, wherein the first office of the plurality of orifices has a relative alignment with the aligned through holes that is within a tolerable range while a remainder of the orifices of the plurality of orifices have relative alignments with the aligned through holes that are outside of the tolerable range.

5 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of orifices forms a plurality of rows.

6 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 5 , wherein orifices of adjacent rows are offset relative to each other.

7 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the subcomponent is an ice maker, an ice container track, a motor, an air diffuser, an air diffuser cover, a water tank, a fan, an air duct, an ice maker water delivery chute, or an evaporator cover.

8 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein (i) each orifice of the plurality of orifices is tapped; (ii) the fastener is configured to engage the fastening anchor within each orifice of the plurality of orifices; and (iii) the fastener (a) extends through aligned through holes defined by the liner and subcomponent and (b) engages the fastening anchor within a first orifice of the plurality of orifices to secure the fastener to the fastening anchor, wherein the first office of the plurality of orifices has a relative alignment with the aligned through holes that is within a tolerable range while a remainder of the orifices of the plurality of orifices have relative alignments with the aligned through holes that are outside of the tolerable range.

9 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
a cabinet having a plurality of walls defining an internal storage chamber; a subcomponent disposed within the internal storage chamber; an anchor disposed on an opposing side of a first of the walls relative to the subcomponent, the anchor defining a plurality of orifices, wherein each orifice of the plurality of orifices is configured to engage fastener threads; and a fastener (i) engaging the subcomponent, (ii) extending through the first of the walls, and (iii) engaging the anchor within one of the plurality of orifices to secure the subcomponent to the first of the walls.

10 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 9 , wherein the anchor has an adhesive back securing the anchor to the first of the walls.

11 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 9 , wherein (i) each orifices is sized to engage the fastener; (ii) the fastener is a self-tapping fastener configured to engage the anchor within each orifice of the plurality of orifices and tap each orifice of the plurality of orifices; and (iii) the fastener (a) extends through aligned through holes defined by the first of the walls and subcomponent and (b) engages the anchor within a first orifice of the plurality of orifices to secure the fastener to the anchor, wherein the first office of the plurality of orifices has a relative alignment with the aligned through holes that is within a tolerable range while a remainder of the orifices of the plurality of orifices have relative alignments with the aligned through holes that are outside of the tolerable range.

12 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of orifices forms a plurality of rows.

13 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 12 , wherein orifices of adjacent rows are offset relative to each other.

14 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 9 , wherein the subcomponent is an ice maker, an ice container track, a motor, an air diffuser, an air diffuser cover, a water tank, a fan, an air duct, an ice maker water delivery chute, or an evaporator cover.

15 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 9 , wherein (i) each orifice of the plurality of orifices is tapped; (ii) the fastener is configured to engage the anchor within each orifice of the plurality of orifices; and (iii) the fastener (a) extends through aligned through holes defined by the first of the walls and subcomponent and (b) engages the anchor within a first orifice of the plurality of orifices to secure the fastener to the anchor, wherein the first office of the plurality of orifices has a relative alignment with the aligned through holes that is within a tolerable range while a remainder of the orifices of the plurality of orifices have relative alignments with the aligned through holes that are outside of the tolerable range.

16 . An appliance comprising:
a plurality of walls; a subcomponent secured to a first of the walls; an anchor block (i) disposed on an opposing side of the first of the walls relative to the subcomponent and (ii) defining a plurality of orifices, wherein each orifice of the plurality of orifices is configured to engage fastener threads; and a fastener (i) engaging the subcomponent, (ii) extending through the first of the walls, and (iii) engaging the anchor block within one of the plurality of orifices to secure the subcomponent to the first of the walls and to the anchor block.

17 . The appliance of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of orifices forms a plurality of rows.

18 . The appliance of claim 17 , wherein orifices of adjacent rows are offset relative to each other.

19 . The appliance of claim 16 , wherein (i) each orifice of the plurality of orifices is tapped; (ii) the fastener is configured to engage the anchor block within each orifice of the plurality of orifices; and (iii) the fastener (a) extends through aligned through holes defined by the first of the walls and subcomponent and (b) engages the anchor block within a first orifice of the plurality of orifices to secure the fastener to the anchor block, wherein the first office of the plurality of orifices has a relative alignment with the aligned through holes that is within a tolerable range while a remainder of the orifices of the plurality of orifices have relative alignments with the aligned through holes t

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Padilla Flores Jesus
• Sanchez Antonio

Classifications

• F25D23/062

  defining a cabinet · CPC title

• F25D23/028

  Details · CPC title

• F25D2317/067

  characterised by air ducts · CPC title

• F25C5/22

  particularly adapted for household refrigerators · CPC title

• F25D23/066 Primary

  Liners · CPC title