US3813137A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Refrigerator cabinet
Assignee: Whirlpool Corp
•
Filing: 1972-12-27
•
Granted: 1974-05-28
•
Expires: 1992-12-27
Abstract
Abstract A refrigerator cabinet construction having an outer sheet metal shell for strength and rigidity, a thin relatively fragile liner body spaced therefrom to provide an insulation space and an adherent solid foam filling the space and adhered to the outer shell and, at spaced areas, to the liner body. The cabinet including the liner body is subject to extremes of thermal stress at localized areas which tend to rupture the fragile liner body but with these areas each having a layer of a parting agent such as a sheet of polymeric material between the liner body and the foam so that the foam does not adhere to the liner body and adheres only sparingly or not at all to the layers of parting agent with the result that extremes of stress at these localized areas are not applied to the liner body but to the yieldable layers of parting agent. The parting agent allows the foam insulation and the liner body to free themselves from each other if necessary because of expansion or contraction and to shrink or move independently, rather than be held tightly with a possible stress crack failure of the liner body.
Inventors
- 👤 C Fellwock
- 👤 K Hortin
- 👤 H Tillman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 20:18
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25D; F25D23/00; F25D23/06; F25D23/065; F25D23/066; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S220/00; Y10S220/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A refrigerator cabinet subject to temperature extremes causing thermal stress at spaced localized areas, comprising: an outer metal shell; a thin, relatively fragile liner body spaced therefrom; adherent cast resin foam insulation adherent between said shell and liner; and spaced layers of a parting agent means between said foam and liner only at said spaced localized areas of temperature extremes for permitting relative movement between said liner and foam at said areas of temperature extremes on temperature variation caused contraction and expansion, said foam being thereby adhered to adjacent areas of said shell and liner body for providing a strong cabinet construction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
A refrigerator cabinet subject to temperature extremes causing thermal stress at spaced localized areas, comprising: an outer metal shell; a thin, relatively fragile liner body spaced therefrom; adherent cast resin foam insulation adherent between said shell and liner; and spaced layers of a parting agent means between said foam and liner only at said spaced localized areas of temperature extremes for permitting relative movement between said liner and foam at said areas of temperature extremes on temperature variation caused contraction and expansion, said foam being thereby adhered to adjacent areas of said shell and liner body for providing a strong cabinet construction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The cabinet of claim 1 wherein there are provided a freezer section and a refrigerator section in the cabinet and a layer of said parting agent at the liner area that is adjacent the two sections.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The cabinet of claim 2 wherein said freezer and refrigerator sections are adjacent each other and said parting layer agent at the sections includes portions overlapping the adjacent areas of the liner at said sections.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The cabinet of claim 1 wherein said cabinet comprises a substantially vertically rectangular liner body having top opposite corners and a bottom, said layers of parting agent means being located at said opposite corners and enclosing said bottom.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The cabinet of claim 4 wherein said cabinet comprises a top freezing section including said opposite corners, a bottom refrigerator section including said bottom and an intermediate section spanning the adjacent portions of the freezer and refrigerator and a said parting agent means layer being located at said intermediate section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
178 words
A refrigerator cabinet subject to temperature extremes causing thermal stress at spaced localized areas, comprising: an outer sheet metal shell; a thin, relatively fragile liner body spaced therefrom; adherent cast resin foam insulation adherent between said shell and liner; and spaced layers of a parting agent means between said foam and liner only at said spaced localized areas of temperature extremes for permitting relative movement between said liner and foam at said areas of temperature extremes on temperatuRe variation caused contraction and expansion, said foam being thereby adhered to adjacent areas of said shell and liner body for providing a strong cabinet construction, said cabinet comprising a substantially vertically rectangular liner body having top opposite corners and a bottom, said layers of parting agent means being located at said opposite corners and enclosing said bottom, said cabinet comprising a top freezing section including said opposite corners, a bottom refrigerator section including said bottom and an intermediate section spanning the adjacent portions of the freezer and refrigerator and a said parting agent means layer located at said intermediate section.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
178 words
A refrigerator cabinet subject to temperature extremes causing thermal stress at spaced localized areas, comprising: an outer sheet metal shell; a thin, relatively fragile liner body spaced therefrom; adherent cast resin foam insulation adherent between said shell and liner; and spaced layers of a parting agent means between said foam and liner only at said spaced localized areas of temperature extremes for permitting relative movement between said liner and foam at said areas of temperature extremes on temperatuRe variation caused contraction and expansion, said foam being thereby adhered to adjacent areas of said shell and liner body for providing a strong cabinet construction, said cabinet comprising a substantially vertically rectangular liner body having top opposite corners and a bottom, said layers of parting agent means being located at said opposite corners and enclosing said bottom, said cabinet comprising a top freezing section including said opposite corners, a bottom refrigerator section including said bottom and an intermediate section spanning the adjacent portions of the freezer and refrigerator and a said parting agent means layer located at said intermediate section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The cabinet of claim 1 wherein said liner comprises areas containing plug openings, screw anchors and a splice box and said layer of parting agent means is secured to the liner surrounding said areas by having openings therein substantially coinciding with said areas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The cabinet of claim 1 wherein said liner comprises protuberances extending away from said foam and a layer of parting agent means bridges said protuberance on the side thereof adjacent the foam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
The cabinet of claim 1 wherein said liner comprises areas containing plug openings, screw anchors and a splice box and said layer of parting agent means is secured to the liner surrounding said areas by having openings therein substantially coinciding with said areas and said liner comprises protuberances extending away from said boam and a layer of parting agent means bridges said protuberance on the side thereof adjacent the foam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3294462A
Cited
US3719303A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-27 | 1977-11-26 | 1978-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-27 | 1981-11-26 | 1982-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-27 | 1985-11-26 | 1986-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |