Refrigerator, freezer and icemaker gap gauges

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016290709-A1
Application number	US-201514675831-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 1, 2015
Priority date	Apr 1, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An example functional member of a refrigerator, freezer or icemaker having two closing members intended to be separated by a first distance includes a structure to implement a function for the refrigerator, freezer or icemaker, and a gap gauge dimensioned for use in aligning the two closing members apart by the first distance. An example functional member is a divider, a hinge cover or a scoop having a gap gauge with a blade-shaped, an oval or a rectangular cross-section, where a dimension of the cross-section is the first distance. An example gap gauge may be further dimensioned for use in aligning one of the two closing members and a third closing members, or two additional closing members apart by a second different distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A functional member of a refrigerator, freezer or icemaker having two closing members intended to be separated by a first distance, the functional member comprising:
a structure to implement a function for the refrigerator, freezer or icemaker; and a gap gauge dimensioned for use in aligning the two closing members apart by the first distance.

2 . A functional member as defined in claim 1 , wherein the gap gauge extends from the structure.

3 . A functional member as defined in claim 1 , wherein the gap gauge comprises a dimension of a portion of the structure.

4 . A functional member as defined in claim 1 , wherein the gap gauge is further dimensioned for use in aligning one of the two closing members and a third closing member, or two additional closing members apart by a second different distance.

5 . A functional member as defined in claim 4 , wherein the functional member comprises a divider, a hinge cover or a scoop, and the gap gauge has a rectangular or an oval cross-section, wherein the cross-section has a first dimension in a first direction corresponding to the first distance, and a second dimension in a second different dimension corresponding to the second distance.

6 . A functional member as defined in claim 1 , wherein the functional member comprises a divider.

7 . A functional member as defined in claim 6 , wherein the gap gauge has a rectangular or an oval cross-section, wherein a dimension of the cross-section is the first distance.

8 . A functional member as defined in claim 6 , wherein the gap gauge has a structure having a dimension corresponding to the first distance.

9 . A functional member as defined in claim 1 , wherein the functional member comprises a scoop.

10 . A functional member as defined in claim 9 , wherein the gap gauge has a rectangular or oval cross-section, wherein a dimension of the cross-section is the first distance.

11 . A functional member as defined in claim 9 , wherein the gap gauge has a structure having a dimension corresponding to the first distance.

12 . A functional member as defined in claim 1 , wherein the functional member comprises a hinge cover.

13 . A functional member as defined in claim 12 , wherein the gap gauge has a rectangular, an oval, or a circular cross-section, wherein a dimension of the cross-section is the first distance.

14 . A functional member as defined in claim 12 , wherein the gap gauge has a blade-shaped cross-section, wherein a dimension of the cross-section is the first distance.

15 . A functional member as defined in claim 1 , wherein the function comprises at least one of a covering function, a holding function, a dividing function, a supporting function, and/or a decorative function.

16 . A functional member as defined in claim 1 , wherein the gap gauge has an ornamental or decorative shape.

17 . A functional member as defined in claim 16 , wherein the shape comprises a cross-section corresponding to a rectangle, a blade-shaped, a cross, a circle, an oval, an ellipse, a crescent, a curvilinear triangle, a quatrefoil, a parallelogram, a square, a trapezoid, a trapezium, a triangle, a kite, a rhombus, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon, an octagon, a nonagon, or a decagon cross-section.

18 . A functional member as defined in claim 1 , wherein the functional member comprises at least one of a toe kick, a handle, a shelf mount, a dispenser drip trap, a water filter, a liner, a mat, a door, and/or an air filter.

19 . A functional member as defined in claim 1 , wherein a dimension of the gap gauge is the first distance.

20 . A method of aligning two closing members of a refrigerator, freezer or icemaker to be separated by a first distance, the method comprising:
removing a functional member from the refrigerator, freezer or icemaker; positioning a gap gauge portion of the functional member between the closing members; adjusting the alignment of the closing members according to the gap gauge portion positioned between the closing members; and returning the functional member to the refrigerator, freezer or icemaker.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Kobos Duane M
• Tunzi Todd J

Classifications

• F25D25/024

  Slidable shelves · CPC title

• F25D23/10 Primary

  Arrangements for mounting in particular locations, e.g. for built-in type, for corner type · CPC title

• F25D23/069

  Cooling space dividing partitions · CPC title

• F25D23/062

  defining a cabinet · CPC title

• E05D11/0054

  Covers, e.g. for protection · CPC title