Appliance cabinet with actuated door switch

Claim 2

A magnetic switch assembly for a cabinet member having walls defining a chamber therein provided with an access opening, a door member for said chamber access opening movably mounted on said cabinet member from a closed position in the access opening comprising, an open ended socket molded of non-magnetic material engaged in an aperture of the door member, a non-magnetic housing pivotally supported in said socket having a first permanentmagnet enclosed therein, means resiliently biasing said housing outwardly from said socket open end, a switch case mounted on the underside of an upright non-magnetic jamb portion of said chamber access opening, a fixed contact in said case at one end thereof, said case located in adjacent spaced relation with said socket open end when said door is closed whereby said magnet housing is urged into contact with said jamb portion by said biasing means, said switch including an electrically conducting leaf spring mounted at the opposite end of said case having an elongated contact carrying armature plate connected to and extending from said leaf spring free end past said fixed contact for cantilever movement in said case, a contact on said movable armature plate, said armature plate biased by said leaf spring in a plane substantially parallel to said jamb portion whereby its movable contact is closed to said fixed contact, a relatively weak second permanent magnet located in said case at the opposite end thereof so as to be positioned adjacent said armature plate to close said contacts in a snap-action manner upon said door being opened, and whereby upon said door being closed said first permanent magnet provides an attraction force on said armature plate of a magnitude sufficient to overcome the attraction of said second magnet and said leaf spring to hold open said contacts while said door is closed.

Claim 3

A magnetic switch assembly for a refrigerator cabinet having walls defining a food storage chamber therein provided with an access opening, a door member for said chamber access opening movably mounted on said cabinet member from a closed position in the access opening comprising an open ended socket molded of non-magnetic material engaged in an inner wall aperture of the door member, a non-magnetic housing pivotally supported in said socket having a first permanent-magnet enclosed therein, means resiliently biasing said housing outwardly from said socket open end, a switch case mounted in a concealed manner on the inner face of a vertically oriented sheet plastic portion partially defining said access opening, a fixed contact in said case at one end thereof, said plastic wall portion located in adjacent spaced relation with said socket open end when said door is closed whereby said magnet housing is urged into contact with said plastic wall portion by said biasing means, said switch including an electrically conducting leaf spring mounted at the opposite end of said switch case having an elongated contact carrying armature plate connected to and extending from said leaf spring free end past said fixed contact for cantilever movement, a contact on the inner surface of said movable armature plate, said armature plate biased by said leaf spring in a plane substantially parallel to said wall portion when its movable contact is closed to said switch case fixed contact, said movable contact being mounted on said armature plate a defined distance from the free end thereof, a relatively weak second permanent magnet located in said case so as to be positioned adjacent said armature plate free end to close said contacts in a snap action manner upon said door being opened, and whereby upon said door being closed said magnet housing biasing means operative to position said first permanent magnet in contact with said plastic wall such that it provides an attraction force on said armature plate of a magnitude sufficient to overcome the attraction of sAid second magnet and said leaf spring to hold open said contacts while said door is closed.

Claim 4

A magnetic switch assembly for a refrigerator cabinet having walls defining a food storage chamber therein provided with an access opening, a door member for said chamber access opening movably mounted on said cabinet member from a closed position in the access opening comprising an open ended socket molded of non-magnetic material engaged in an inner wall aperture of the door member, a non-magnetic housing pivotally supported in said socket having a first permanent-magnet enclosed therein, means resiliently biasing said housing outwardly from said socket open end, a switch case mounted in a concealed manner on the inner face of a vertically oriented sheet plastic portion partially defining said access opening, a fixed contact in said case at one end thereof, said plastic wall portion located in adjacent spaced relation with said socket open end when said door is closed whereby said magnet housing is urged into contact with said plastic wall portion by said biasing means, said switch including an electrically conducting leaf spring mounted at the opposite end of said switch case having an elongated contact carrying armature plate connected to and extending from said leaf spring free end past said fixed contact for cantilever movement, a contact on the inner surface of said movable armature plate, said armature plate biased by said leaf spring in a plane substantially parallel to said wall portion when its movable contact is closed to said switch case fixed contact, said movable contact being mounted on said armature plate a defined distance from the free end thereof, a relatively weak second permanent magnet located in said case so as to be positioned adjacent said armature plate free end to close said contacts in a snap action manner upon said door being opened, and whereby upon said door being closed said magnet housing biasing means operative to position said first permanent magnet in contact with said plastic wall such that it provides an attraction force on said armature plate of a magnitude sufficient to overcome the attraction of sAid second magnet and said leaf spring to hold open said contacts while said door is closed.

Claim 5

A refrigerator structure or the like comprising an outer shell and an inner liner spaced from said outer wall and supported thereon, at least the throat portion of said inner liner assembly formed of plastic material extending around the perimeter of said inner wall for closing the space between said walls, said throat portion defining an access opening in said refrigerator cabinet structure, a door member for said access opening hingedly mounted on said cabinet for horizontal swinging movement from a closed position in the access opening, an open-ended socket molded of plastic material engaged in an aperture on an inner wall of the door member opposing said throat portion in spaced relation thereto, a plastic scoop-shaped magnet housing pivotally supported in said socket by means of vertically aligned pintles integrally molded on said magnet housing, a disc-shaped permanent magnet located in said magnet housing, spring wire means resiliently biasing said magnetic housing outwardly from said socket open end, a plastic switch case mounted in a concealed manner on the underside of a vertically oriented portion of said throat, whereby said magnetic housing is urged into contact with said vertically oriented throat portion by said biasing spring wire, said switch including an electrically conducting leaf spring mounted at one end of said switch case having an elongated contact carrying armature plate in electrical contact with said leaf spring and extending from the free end thereof for cantilever horizontal swinging movement in said casing, a contact on the inner surface of said movable armature plate, said armature plate biased by said leaf spring into a vertical plane substantially parallel to said throat portion whereby its movable contact is closed to said fixed contact, a relatively weak second permanent magnet located in said switch case so as to be positioned adjacent the free end of said armature plate to close said contacts in a snap action manner upon said door being opened to a position whereby the magnetic field of said first permanent magnet provides no substantial attraction force on said armature plate, and whereby upon said door being closed said first permanent magnet provides an attraction force on said armature plate of a magnitude sufficient to overcome the attraction of said second magnet and said leaf spring to hold open said contacts while said door is closed.

Claim 6

A refrigerator structure or the like comprising an outer shell and an inner liner spaced from said outer wall and supported thereon, at least the throat portion of said inner liner assembly formed of plastic material extending around the perimeter of said inner wall for closing the space between said walls, said throat portion defining an access opening in said refrigerator cabinet structure, a door member for said access opening hingedly mounted on said cabinet for horizontal swinging movement from a closed position in the access opening, an open-ended socket molded of plastic material engaged in an aperture on an inner wall of the door member opposing said throat portion in spaced relation thereto, a plastic scoop-shaped magnet housing pivotally supported in said socket by means of vertically aligned pintles integrally molded on said magnet housing, a disc-shaped permanent magnet located in said magnet housing, spring wire means resiliently biasing said magnetic housing outwardly from said socket open end, a plastic switch case mounted in a concealed manner on the underside of a vertically oriented portion of said throat, whereby said magnetic housing is urged into contact with said vertically oriented throat portion by said biasing spring wire, said switch including an electrically conducting leaf spring mounted at one end of said switch case having an elongated contact carrying armature plate in electrical contact with said leaf spring and extending from the free end thereof for cantilever horizontal swinging movement in said casing, a contact on the inner surface of said movable armature plate, said armature plate biased by said leaf spring into a vertical plane substantially parallel to said throat portion whereby its movable contact is closed to said fixed contact, a relatively weak second permanent magnet located in said switch case so as to be positioned adjacent the free end of said armature plate to close said contacts in a snap action manner upon said door being opened to a position whereby the magnetic field of said first permanent magnet provides no substantial attraction force on said armature plate, and whereby upon said door being closed said first permanent magnet provides an attraction force on said armature plate of a magnitude sufficient to overcome the attraction of said second magnet and said leaf spring to hold open said contacts while said door is closed.