Door vent sealing assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022065521-A1
Application number	US-202017005476-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 28, 2020
Priority date	Aug 28, 2020
Publication date	Mar 3, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A refrigeration appliance includes a cabinet that defines a cabinet outlet and a cabinet inlet in fluid communication with a freezer compartment. A door is pivotally coupled to the cabinet. The door defines a door inlet in fluid communication with the cabinet outlet and a door outlet in fluid communication with the cabinet inlet when the door is in a closed position. An icemaker compartment is disposed in the door. The icemaker compartment is fluidly coupled with the freezer compartment. A retainer is at least partially disposed in each of the door inlet and the door outlet. Each retainer includes a rim that defines ribs. Each rib is spaced apart from adjacent ribs. A gasket is coupled to each retainer. Each gasket includes an abutment surface that abuts a cabinet surface when the door is in the closed position to seal airflow passages between the freezer compartment and the icemaker compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigeration appliance, comprising:
a cabinet defining a cabinet outlet and a cabinet inlet in fluid communication with a freezer compartment; a door pivotally coupled to the cabinet, wherein the door defines a door inlet in fluid communication with the cabinet outlet and a door outlet in fluid communication with the cabinet inlet when the door is in a closed position; an icemaker compartment disposed in the door, wherein the icemaker compartment is fluidly coupled with the freezer compartment; a retainer at least partially disposed in each of the door inlet and the door outlet, wherein each retainer includes a rim defining ribs, and wherein each rib is spaced apart from adjacent ribs; and a gasket coupled to each retainer, wherein each gasket includes an abutment surface that abuts a cabinet surface when the door is in the closed position to seal airflow passages between the freezer compartment and the icemaker compartment.

2 . The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein each retainer includes an insertion wall extending through one of the door inlet and the door outlet, respectively, and wherein the insertion wall defines coupling features on opposing sides of the retainer.

3 . The refrigeration appliance of claim 2 , wherein each coupling feature defines a plurality of teeth that interlock with an edge of a duct.

4 . The refrigeration appliance claim 1 , wherein the rims extend at least partially into a space defined by the gaskets, respectively, to prevent a vacuum suction effect on the gaskets when the door is in the closed position.

5 . The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein each gasket includes a sealing member spaced from the respective retainer and defining a channel, wherein each gasket adjusts to a compressed state when the door is in the closed position.

6 . The refrigeration appliance of claim 5 , wherein the ribs maintain space between the gasket and the retainer, respectively, to prevent a vacuum suction effect, and wherein each gasket adjusts from the compressed state to an expanded state when the door is moved to an opened position.

7 . The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein each rib extends from an inner edge to an outer edge of the rim of the retainer.

8 . An appliance door, comprising:
a panel defining an inlet and an outlet adjacent to the inlet; an icemaker compartment fluidly coupled to the inlet via an air duct and fluidly coupled to the outlet via a return duct; at least one retainer disposed adjacent to one of the inlet and the outlet, wherein the at least one retainer includes an insertion wall extending through the panel and a rim extending over the panel, wherein the rim defines ribs, and wherein each rib is spaced from adjacent ribs; and at least one gasket coupled to the at least one retainer, wherein the at least one gasket compresses toward the at least one retainer, and wherein the ribs maintain a space within the at least one gasket to prevent a vacuum suction effect.

9 . The appliance door of claim 8 , wherein the at least one retainer includes a first retainer disposed adjacent to the inlet and coupled to the air duct and a second retainer disposed adjacent to the outlet and coupled to the return duct, and wherein the at least one gasket includes a first gasket coupled to the first retainer and a second gasket coupled to the second retainer.

10 . The appliance door of claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second retainers define a plurality of teeth for interlocking with edges of the air duct and the return duct, respectively.

11 . The appliance door of claim 8 , wherein the at least one retainer defines a quadrilateral shape, wherein at least two ribs are defined on each side of the at least one retainer, and wherein the at least two ribs on each side includes a first rib arranged parallel to a second rib.

12 . The appliance door of claim 8 , wherein each rib extends from an inner edge to an outer edge of the rim of the at least one retainer.

13 . The appliance door of claim 8 , wherein the at least one gasket includes a coupling portion that has a first extension that extends between the panel and the rim and a second extension that extends over the rim and the ribs, and wherein the ribs maintain a space between the first and second extensions.

14 . The appliance door of claim 13 , wherein the at least one gasket is operable between a compressed state and an expanded state, and wherein the ribs disposed between the first and second extensions of the coupling portion prevent a vacuum suction effect on the at least gasket allowing the at least one gasket to adjust to the expanded state from the compressed state.

15 . A door vent sealing assembly for an appliance, comprising:
a retainer including:
an insertion wall at least partially defining an aperture, wherein the insertion wall defines coupling features on opposing sides of the retainer to engage a duct; and
a rim coupled to the insertion wall, wherein the rim extends perpendicular to the insertion wall and outward from the aperture, and wherein the rim includes an engagement surface defining ribs; and
a gasket having a coupling portion for receiving the rim to couple the gasket to the retainer and a sealing member spaced from and extending over the rim, wherein the ribs maintain space within the gasket when the gasket is in a compressed state to prevent a vacuum suction effect.

16 . The door vent sealing assembly of claim 15 , wherein each rib has a width in a range from 3 mm to 5 mm.

17 . The door vent sealing assembly of claim 15 , wherein each rib has a thickness in a range from 1 mm to 3 mm.

18 . The door vent sealing assembly of claim 15 , wherein the retainer defines a rectangular shape, and wherein each side of the retainer defines two ribs, and wherein each rib extends from an inner edge to an outer edge of the rim.

19 . The door vent sealing assembly of claim 18 , wherein the two ribs on a first side of the retainer are vertically aligned with the two ribs on an opposing second side of the retainer, and wherein the two ribs on a third side of the retainer are horizontally aligned with the two ribs on an opposing fourth side of the retainer.

20 . The door vent sealing assembly of claim 15 , wherein the coupling portion at least partially extends along an underside of the rim and at least partially over the engagement surface, and wherein the ribs maintain the space between the engagement surface and the coupling portion of the gasket.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Shivappa Thenehalli Chethan

Classifications

• F25C2400/10

  Refrigerator units · CPC title

• F25C5/22 Primary

  particularly adapted for household refrigerators · CPC title

• Y02B40/00

  Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers · CPC title

• F25D17/065 Primary

  with compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D23/087

  Sealing strips · CPC title