Abstract An insulated cabinet for vending machines or the like employs an improved construction for an insulated door per se and improved means for effecting a heat seal between such door and the wall structure of the cabinet and for releasably retaining such door in a closed position relative to such wall structure. The door is formed from a pair of spaced metallic panels having an edging strip of heat insulative material extending therebetween about the periphery thereof, with the interior of such door assembly filled with heat insulative foam material suitably interlocked with both the panels and the edging strip. The wall structure is provided at the zone thereof within which the door is received when in its closed position with a sealing gasket of heat insulative material having a plurality of spaced resilient fingers extending from the wall structure toward the space to be occupied by the door when in closed condition, so that such fingers will engage the edging strip of the door along spaced areas of the latter to provide heat insulative air chambers circumscribing the peripheral edge of the door, with such fingers being deflected in a direction upwardly of the cabinet to releasably hold the door in its closed condition. The construction is particularly advantageous for use in vending machine cabinets having relatively thin insulated walls and employing an outer door as well as an inner door with the latter being insulated, of thickness substantially equal to that of the main cabinet wall structure and desirably mountable in manner such that it will clear the access opening to the cabinet when the doors are opened.
An insulated cabinet comprising: insulated wall structure defining a chamber having an access opening therein; a pair of spaced, opposed panels each having a peripheral flange extending toward but spaced from the flange of the other panel; edging strip means of resilient heat insulative material extendiNg along the peripheries of said panels and provided with elements thereon for gripping said flanges between said elements and proximal other portions of said strip means to interconnect said panels in said spaced relationship; a substantially rigid filling of heat insulative material between said panels secured to said panels and said strip means; means swingably mounting the assembly including said panels, strip means and filling upon said structure to present a door movable into and away from said opening; a gasket member having a base portion mounted on said structure in circumscribing relationship to the periphery of said opening; and a plurality of spaced finger strips of resilient heat insulative material on said base portion of said member in circumscribing relationship to said opening and normally extending inwardly toward an opposite portion of the opening, said resilient strips being disposed to be engaged by the peripheral edge only of said door when the latter is closed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
An insulated cabinet comprising: insulated wall structure defining a chamber having an access opening therein; a pair of spaced, opposed panels each having a peripheral flange extending toward but spaced from the flange of the other panel; edging strip means of resilient heat insulative material extendiNg along the peripheries of said panels and provided with elements thereon for gripping said flanges between said elements and proximal other portions of said strip means to interconnect said panels in said spaced relationship; a substantially rigid filling of heat insulative material between said panels secured to said panels and said strip means; means swingably mounting the assembly including said panels, strip means and filling upon said structure to present a door movable into and away from said opening; a gasket member having a base portion mounted on said structure in circumscribing relationship to the periphery of said opening; and a plurality of spaced finger strips of resilient heat insulative material on said base portion of said member in circumscribing relationship to said opening and normally extending inwardly toward an opposite portion of the opening, said resilient strips being disposed to be engaged by the peripheral edge only of said door when the latter is closed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein said panels and said strip means are each provided with structure thereon extending into said filling to interlock said panels, strip means and filling.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
In the invention of claim 1, wherein said panels are formed of heat conductive metal; said strip means and said elements thereon are integrally formed of relatively rigid plastic material; and said filler is formed of foam plastic material adhered to said panels and strip means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein said base portion of said member flares outwardly as the extremity thereof remote from the interior of the cabinet is approached; and said finger strips are of greater size along the dimension thereof extending inwardly of said opening as said extremity of said member is approached.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 1, wherein said finger strips are integrally connected with said base portion of said member.