Alignment guide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9433292-B2
Application number	US-201414576077-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 18, 2014
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

An alignment guide and method of assembling an apparatus with an alignment guide is provided. The alignment guide comprises a body having a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface. The apparatus comprises a cabinet defining an enclosure, a door, and a coupling mechanism for movably coupling the door to the cabinet to permit translational movement of the door relative the cabinet. The method comprises aligning the door relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide by abutting the first abutment surface of the alignment guide against a surface of the cabinet while abutting the second abutment surface of the alignment guide against a surface of the door. The method further comprises fixedly coupling the door to a support member of the coupling mechanism while the door is aligned to the cabinet with the alignment guide.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of assembling an apparatus using an alignment guide comprising a body having a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface, the apparatus comprising a cabinet defining an enclosure, a door, and a coupling mechanism for movably coupling the door to the cabinet to permit translational movement of the door relative the cabinet, the method comprising:
aligning the door relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide by abutting the first abutment surface of the alignment guide against a surface of the cabinet while abutting the second abutment surface of the alignment guide against a surface of the door; and
fixedly coupling the door to a support member of the coupling mechanism while the door is aligned to the cabinet with the alignment guide,
wherein the door is fixedly coupled to the support member with at least one fastener, and
wherein the alignment guide comprises an aperture extending through the body, further wherein while the door is aligned relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide, the alignment guide is positioned such that the at least one fastener can be fastened with a fastening tool extending through the aperture.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the door is aligned relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide by abutting the first abutment surface of the alignment guide against a front surface of the cabinet while abutting the second abutment surface of the alignment guide against a rear surface of the door.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface are substantially parallel to each other.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aperture is elongated and extends longitudinally in a direction substantially parallel to the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjustably coupling the door to the support member before aligning the door relative to the cabinet.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating the first abutment surface from the surface of the cabinet and separating the second abutment surface from the surface of the door after the door is fixedly coupled to the support member.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body of the alignment guide comprises a third abutment surface that extends transverse to the first and second abutment surfaces.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the door is aligned relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide by abutting the third abutment surface of the alignment guide against a second surface of the door or cabinet.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the third abutment surface intersects with one of the first and second abutment surfaces to form a shoulder configured to mate with a corner portion of the door or cabinet.

10. A method of assembling an apparatus using an alignment guide comprising a body having a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface, the apparatus comprising a cabinet defining an enclosure, a door, and a coupling mechanism for movably coupling the door to the cabinet to permit translational movement of the door relative the cabinet, the method comprising:
aligning the door relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide by abutting the first abutment surface of the alignment guide against a surface of the cabinet while abutting the second abutment surface of the alignment guide against a surface of the door; and

fixedly coupling the door to a support member of the coupling mechanism while the door is aligned to the cabinet with the alignment guide,
wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a closing mechanism configured to pull the door toward the cabinet when the door is coupled to the support member and a distance between the surface of the cabinet and the surface of the door is less than a predetermined distance.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein when the first abutment surface of the alignment guide abuts the front surface of the cabinet and the second abutment surface of the alignment guide abuts the rear surface of the door, the distance between the surface of the cabinet and the surface of the door is less than the predetermined distance.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein when the first abutment surface of the alignment guide abuts the surface of the cabinet and the second abutment surface of the alignment guide abuts the surface of the door, the closing mechanism pulls the surface of the door against the second abutment surface.

13. An alignment guide for assembling an apparatus comprising a cabinet defining an enclosure, a door, and a coupling mechanism for movably coupling the door to the cabinet to permit translational movement of the door relative the cabinet, the alignment guide comprising:
a body having a first abutment surface for abutting against a surface of the cabinet and a second abutment surface for abutting against a surface of the door while the first abutment surface abuts the surface of the cabinet; and
an aperture extending through the body,
wherein the door can be aligned relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide by abutting the second abutment surface against the surface of the door while the first abutment surface abuts the surface of the cabinet, the door can be fixedly coupled to a support member of the coupling mechanism with at least one fastener, and the aperture is configured such that a fastening tool can extend through the aperture to fasten the fastener while the door is aligned relative to the cabinet with the alignment guide.

14. The alignment guide of claim 13 , further comprising a third abutment surface extending transverse to the first and second abutment surfaces for abutting against a second surface of the door or cabinet.

15. The alignment guide of claim 14 , wherein the third abutment surface intersects with one of the first and second abutment surfaces to form a shoulder configured to mate with a corner portion of the door or cabinet.

16. The alignment guide of claim 13 , wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a closing mechanism configured to pull the door toward the cabinet when the door is coupled to the support member and a distance between the surface of the cabinet and the surface of the door is less than a predetermined distance, further wherein the alignment guide is configured such that when the first abutment surface of the alignment guide abuts the front surface of the cabinet and the second abutment surface of the alignment guide abuts the rear surface of the door, the distance between the surface of the cabinet and the surface of the door is less than the predetermined distance.

17. The alignment guide of claim 13 , wherein the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface are substantially parallel to each other.

18. The alignment guide of claim 17 , wherein the aperture is elongated and extends longitudinally in a direction substantially parallel to the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface.

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• Dubina Paul
• Kittredge Krystin
• Brown Andrew D

Classifications

• A47B88/49

  with double extensible guides or parts · CPC title

• A47B88/956

  for enabling adjustment of the front panel · CPC title

• A47B88/443

  Successive movement of rails within drawer slides, i.e. at least one rail element is not moving during the movement of other elements · CPC title

• F25D23/02

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

• A47B2210/175

  Refrigerators or freezers · CPC title