Apparatus and method to pass electrical signals through a refrigerator cabinet liner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9443671-B2
Application number	US-201414493431-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2014
Priority date	Sep 23, 2014
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus to pass an electrical signal within a refrigerator having a liner partially defining an interior compartment and having an opening, and a moveable member, includes first and second members not passable through the opening when the apparatus is at a first rotational orientation, at least one of the first and second members passable through the opening when the apparatus is at a second rotational orientation, a planar third member between the first and second members fitting in the opening at the first rotational orientation, an electrically conductive contact to conduct the electrical signal to the moveable member when the moveable member is at a predetermined position relative to the apparatus, and a electrical conductor electrically coupled to the contact and passing through the apparatus to conduct the electrical signal from the exterior of the liner to the contact.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus to pass an electrical signal within a refrigerator having an external cabinet, a liner at least partially defining an interior compartment within the cabinet and having an opening defined therethrough, and a moveable member within the compartment, the apparatus comprising:
first and second members not passable through the opening when the apparatus is positioned at a first rotational orientation, where at least one of the first and second members is passable through the opening when the apparatus is positioned at a second rotational orientation;
a planar third member between the first and second members, and dimensioned and shaped corresponding to the opening and fitting in the opening when the apparatus is positioned at the first rotational orientation;
an electrically conductive contact disposed together with the first member or a fourth member extending inward from the first member to conduct the electrical signal to the moveable member when the moveable member is at a predetermined position relative to the apparatus;
a spring member disposed to bias the contact into electrical coupling with the moveable member; and
an electrical conductor electrically coupled to the contact and passing through the first, second and third members to the exterior of the liner to conduct the electrical signal from the exterior of the liner to the contact.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the contact is retractable.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the contact comprises at least one of a hemispherical contact, a flat contact, an extending contact, a retractable contact, a covering, a band, encompassing, or encircling.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second members is configured to form a seal with the liner when the apparatus is assembled to the refrigerator.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further comprising the fourth member extending inward from the first member, wherein the electrically conductive contact is at least one of at an end of the fourth member distal from the first member, extending from the end of the fourth member, or on a surface of the fourth member.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 , wherein the fourth member is retractable.

7. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet;
a liner at least partially defining an interior compartment within the cabinet;
a liner pass through partially extended through an opening in the liner and assembled to the liner, the liner pass through including a first electrically conductive contact within the compartment and a second electrically conductive contact outside the compartment;
a selectively moveable member having an electronic component, and a third electrically conductive contact to electrically couple the electronic component to the first contact;
a spring member to bias the first and third contacts into electrical coupling when the moveable member is at a predetermined position; and
wherein the first contact is retractable.

8. A refrigerator as defined in claim 7 , wherein the spring member is at least one of a spring or a leaf spring.

9. A refrigerator as defined in claim 7 ,
wherein the liner pass through has an electrical conductor passing at least partially through the liner pass through that electrically couples the first and second contacts, and
wherein the refrigerator further comprises another electrical conductor within the space and electrically coupled to the second contact, and a material substantially filling the space and encompassing the another conductor.

10. A refrigerator as defined in claim 7 , further comprising:
another liner pass through assembled to the liner substantially opposite the liner pass through; and
another spring member to bias the moveable member and the another liner pass through into electrical coupling,
wherein the spring members apply a centering force to the moveable member when the moveable member is at the predetermined position.

11. A refrigerator as defined in claim 7 , wherein the first and third contacts are brought into slidable contact as the moveable member moves toward the predetermined position.

12. A refrigerator as defined in claim 7 , wherein the first contact comprises at least one of a hemispherical contact, a flat contact, an extending contact, a retractable contact, a covering, a band, encompassing, or encircling.

13. A refrigerator as defined in claim 7 , wherein the liner pass through has a fourth electrically conductive contact within the interior compartment, wherein the moveable member has a fifth electrically conductive contact to electrically couple at least one of the electronic component or another electronic component to the fourth contact when the moveable member is at the predetermined position.

14. A refrigerator as defined in claim 13 , wherein the third and fifth contacts comprise at least one of respective different contacts on a single leaf spring, or respective different leaf springs.

15. A refrigerator as defined in claim 7 , wherein the liner pass through comprises:
first and second members not passable through the opening in a first rotational orientation, at least one of the first and second members passable through the opening in a second rotational orientation; and
a planar third member between the first and second members, and dimensioned and shaped corresponding to the opening and fitting into the opening at the first rotational orientation;
wherein, when the liner pass through is assembled to the liner, the planar third member is engaged within the opening , and the first and second members are rotationally oriented to not pass through the opening and to apply forces to respective opposite sides of the liner.

16. A refrigerator as defined in claim 15 , wherein the forces applied to opposite sides of the liner form a seal between at least one of the first and second members, and the third member prevents rotation of the liner pass through when positioned in the opening.

17. A refrigerator as defined in claim 7 , wherein the liner pass through further includes a member extending inward to mechanically support the moveable member, and the first contact is at least one of at the end of the extending member distal from the liner or disposed on a surface of the extending member.

18. A refrigerator as defined in claim 17 , wherein the spring member is disposed within the extending member.

19. A refrigerator as defined in claim 17 , wherein the extending member is retractable.

20. A method of manufacturing a refrigerator having an external cabinet, a liner at least partially defining an interior compartment within the cabinet and having an opening defined therethrough, and a moveable member within the compartment, the method comprising:
providing an apparatus as defined in claim 1 having the conductor electrically coupled to a second electrical conductor;
positioning the apparatus in the second rotational orientation;
inserting one of the at least one of the first and second members dimensioned to pass through the opening when the apparatus is positioned at the second rotational orientation into the opening;
pressing and rotating the apparatus to the first rotational orientation to engage the third member in the opening, and to rotationally orient the first and second members to prevent their passage through the opening and to apply forces to respective opposite sides of the liner;
positioning the second conductor within a space at least partially defined by th

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Goodwin Kirk W
• Kobos Duane M
• Moore Michael Todd
• Querfurth Karen J

Classifications

• H01H3/161 Primary

  for actuation by moving a closing member, e.g. door, cover or lid (the switch controlling enclosed equipment H01H9/226; switches operated by a removable member, wherein one single insertion movement of a key comprises an unlocking stroke and a switch actuating stroke, e.g. security switch for safety guards H01H27/002) · CPC title

• H01H2231/012

  Household appliance · CPC title

• H01H13/14 Primary

  Operating parts, e.g. push-button · CPC title

• F25D23/065

  Details · CPC title

• F25D2400/40

  Refrigerating devices characterised by electrical wiring · CPC title