Refrigerator appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025027712-A1
Application number	US-202418777653-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 19, 2024
Priority date	Jul 19, 2023
Publication date	Jan 23, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A refrigerator appliance includes a cuboid cabinet formed by opposing side walls, a back wall, a top wall and a bottom wall, a door at a front of the cabinet, and a support beam extending across the front of the cabinet. The support beam includes a light source for illuminating the cabinet, and the light source has a primary direction that is non-parallel to the back wall of the cabinet.

First claim

1 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
a cuboid cabinet formed by opposing side walls, a back wall, a top wall and a bottom wall, a door at a front of the cabinet, and a support beam extending across the front of the cabinet,
wherein the support beam comprises a light source for illuminating the cabinet, the light source having a primary direction that is non-parallel to the back wall of the cabinet.

2 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein said primary direction is non-parallel to the side walls of the cabinet.

3 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein said primary direction is at an angle of between about 20 degrees and about 70 degrees from the back wall of the cabinet, for example between about 30 degrees and about 60 degrees, for example about 45 degrees.

4 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the support beam comprises an external surface that is parallel to the back wall of the cabinet, and a light mounting surface against which the light source is mounted such that the primary direction is normal to the light mounting surface.

5 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 4 , wherein the support beam comprises a recess for receiving the light source, and wherein the light mounting surface is in the recess.

6 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the support beam comprises a projection extending into the cabinet, the projection being disposed to a side of the light source and comprising an angled side that is non-parallel to the back wall and side walls of the cabinet.

7 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a first light source for illuminating a first part of the cabinet, wherein the support beam further comprises a second light source for illuminating a second part of the cabinet, the second light source having a primary direction that is non-parallel to the back wall of the cabinet.

8 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 7 , wherein the support beam comprises a central projection extending into the cabinet, the central projection being disposed between the first light source and the second light source and comprising angled sides that are non-parallel to the back wall and side walls of the cabinet.

9 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 8 , wherein the central projection is trapezoidal.

10 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the support beam comprises a shell and a core, said core comprising a foam material.

11 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 10 , wherein the shell comprises sheet metal.

12 . The refrigerator appliance of any of claim 1 , wherein the support beam comprises expanded polypropylene.

13 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises an LED strip.

14 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the light source has an illumination angle of more than about 90 degrees, for example about 120°.

15 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the refrigerator appliance comprises a plurality of support beams.

16 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the or each support beam extends vertically between the top wall and the bottom wall of the cabinet.

17 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the or each support beam defines a door closure surface against which the door is closed.

18 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 1 , wherein the cabinet comprises at least one shelf and wherein the at least one support beam is configured to support the at least one shelf.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Nieuwlaat Jos
• Emmen Janbas
• Slagter Thijs

Classifications

• A47F3/06

  with movable or removable shelves {or receptacles (A47F3/0486 takes precedence; display racks with movable parts A47F5/0081)} · CPC title

• F25D27/00 Primary

  Lighting arrangements (in general F21) · CPC title

• F25D2327/00

  Lighting arrangements not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• F25D23/067

  Supporting elements · CPC title

• A47F3/0426

  Details · CPC title