Refrigerator appliances and mullions therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016348957-A1
Application number	US-201514723621-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 28, 2015
Priority date	May 28, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Refrigerator appliances and mullions therefor are provided. A mullion includes a body formed from an unfoamed thermopolymer material. The body includes an outer non-porous barrier and an inner porous media, the inner porous media including a matrix and one or more voids defined in the matrix.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
a cabinet defining a fresh food chamber; a fresh food door rotatably hinged to the cabinet for accessing the fresh food chamber, the door comprising an inner surface, an outer surface and a side surface extending between the inner surface and the outer surface; and a mullion having a body formed from an unfoamed thermopolymer material, the body comprising an outer non-porous barrier and an inner porous media, the inner porous media comprising a matrix and one or more voids defined in the matrix.

2 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the unfoamed thermopolymer material comprises acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

3 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the one or more voids is a plurality of voids, and wherein voids of the plurality of voids are in fluid communication with each other.

4 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the inner porous media is hermetically sealed.

5 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the one or more voids of the porous media have a vacuum pressure level lower than an ambient pressure level outside of mullion.

6 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises a non-air fluid within the one or more voids.

7 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 6 , wherein the non-air fluid is an inert gas.

8 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the outer non-porous barrier and inner porous media are integral with each other.

9 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the body is formed through additive manufacturing.

10 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the mullion is connected to the fresh food door.

11 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the cabinet further defines a freezer chamber, and further comprising a freezer door connected to the cabinet for accessing the freezer chamber.

12 . A mullion for use in a refrigerator appliance, the mullion comprising:
a body formed from a unfoamed thermopolymer material, the body comprising:
an outer non-porous barrier; and
an inner porous media, the inner porous media comprising a matrix and one or more voids defined in the matrix.

13 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the unfoamed thermopolymer material comprises acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

14 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the one or more voids is a plurality of voids, and wherein voids of the plurality of voids are in fluid communication with each other.

15 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the inner porous media is hermetically sealed.

16 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the one or more voids of the porous media have a vacuum pressure level lower than an ambient pressure level outside of mullion.

17 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the body further comprises a non-air fluid within the one or more voids.

18 . The mullion of claim 17 , wherein the non-air fluid is an inert gas.

19 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the outer non-porous barrier and inner porous media are integral with each other.

20 . The mullion of claim 12 , wherein the body is formed through additive manufacturing.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Hitzelberger Joel Erik
• Nelson Roger Shawn

Classifications

• F25D2323/021

  French doors · CPC title

• F25D2201/14

  using subatmospheric pressure · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• F25D23/02 Primary

  Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) · CPC title

• F25D23/028 Primary

  Details · CPC title