Appliance modular system for incorporating a pantry compartment within an appliance
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25D-025/02
F25D-023/06
F25D-029/00
F25D-023/00
출원번호
US-0657664
(2017-07-24)
등록번호
US-9945602
(2018-04-17)
발명자
/ 주소
Ramm, Axel Julio
Richards, Michael S.
Wadke, Rahul
Wittes, Joshua J.
출원인 / 주소
Whirlpool Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Price Heneveld LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
28
초록▼
A refrigerating appliance includes an interior volume divided by a medial wall into refrigerating and freezing compartments. A horizontal false mullion extends through one of the compartments, parallel with the medial wall to define a pantry compartment in thermal communication with at least one of
A refrigerating appliance includes an interior volume divided by a medial wall into refrigerating and freezing compartments. A horizontal false mullion extends through one of the compartments, parallel with the medial wall to define a pantry compartment in thermal communication with at least one of the refrigerating and freezing compartments. A center vertical mullion is removably engaged with the medial wall and divides the pantry compartment into first and second pantry sub compartments. First and second outer drawer glides are positioned on the cabinet structure within the pantry compartment and opposite first and second inner drawer glides of the center vertical mullion. The first inner and first outer drawer glides partially define the first pantry sub compartment. The second inner and second outer drawer glides partially define the second pantry sub compartment. First and second pantry drawers are slidably engaged with first and second pantry sub compartments, respectively.
대표청구항▼
1. A refrigerating appliance comprising: a cabinet structure having an interior volume divided by a medial wall into a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment;a horizontal false mullion oriented parallel with the medial wall, the horizontal false mullion and the medial wall defining a p
1. A refrigerating appliance comprising: a cabinet structure having an interior volume divided by a medial wall into a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment;a horizontal false mullion oriented parallel with the medial wall, the horizontal false mullion and the medial wall defining a pantry compartment in thermal communication with at least one of the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment;a center vertical mullion removably engaged with the medial wall and extending vertically to the horizontal false mullion and dividing the pantry compartment to define first and second pantry sub compartments;a pantry cover that engages the horizontal false mullion and a mullion protrusion of the center vertical mullion, wherein a portion of the pantry cover rests upon the center vertical mullion; anda false floor assembly that defines a horizontal boundary between the refrigerating compartment and the pantry compartment, wherein the false floor assembly rests upon the center vertical mullion and the mullion protrusion, and wherein the pantry cover, the false floor assembly and the horizontal false mullion are separate members that cooperate to define a floor of the refrigerating compartment. 2. The refrigerating appliance of claim 1, wherein a pantry cover interstitial space is defined within the pantry cover, and wherein the pantry cover interstitial space defines a temperature controlled storage space within the pantry cover. 3. The refrigerating appliance of claim 1, wherein the pantry cover is in communication with a water delivery system, and wherein a pantry cover interstitial space within the pantry cover includes at least one of a water filter receptacle and an ice maker that are in communication with the water delivery system. 4. The refrigerating appliance of claim 3, wherein the pantry cover includes the ice maker, wherein the ice maker is configured to deliver ice to one of the first and second pantry sub compartments. 5. The refrigerating appliance of claim 1, further comprising: first and second side adapters removably positioned against opposing internal vertical surfaces of the cabinet structure within the pantry compartment such that the center vertical mullion is positioned between and parallel with the first and second side adapters, wherein the first and second side adapters define a surface engagement with the cabinet structure. 6. The refrigerating appliance of claim 5, wherein the cabinet structure includes a fixing system that receives the first and second side adapters, wherein engagement of the fixing system and the first and second side adapters defines the surface engagement. 7. A refrigerating appliance comprising: a cabinet structure having a medial wall defined by an inner liner of the cabinet structure, the medial wall and the inner liner defining a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment;a horizontal false mullion extending through the refrigerating compartment and parallel with the medial wall, wherein the medial wall and the horizontal false mullion define a pantry compartment in thermal communication with each of the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment; anda pantry cover positioned within a horizontal plane, wherein the horizontal false mullion is positioned within the same horizontal plane as the pantry cover, the pantry cover including a top cover surface that at least partially defines the refrigerating compartment; anda false floor assembly that defines a horizontal boundary between the refrigerating compartment and the pantry compartment, wherein the pantry cover, the false floor assembly and the horizontal false mullion are separate members that are connected to cooperatively define a floor of the refrigerating compartment. 8. The refrigerating appliance of claim 7, further comprising: a center vertical mullion removably disposed on the medial wall and extending upward to the horizontal false mullion, wherein the pantry cover and the false floor assembly rest on the center vertical mullion to define first and second pantry sub compartments of the pantry compartment. 9. The refrigerating appliance of claim 8, further comprising a fixing system that attaches the center vertical mullion to the medial wall, wherein the fixing system includes a cross brace that is configured to position the center vertical mullion within the pantry compartment. 10. The refrigerating appliance of claim 9, wherein the fixing system is configured to define a plurality of positions of the center vertical mullion that correspond to a plurality of configurations of the first and second pantry sub compartments. 11. The refrigerating appliance of claim 8, wherein the center vertical mullion extends at least partially under the horizontal false mullion, wherein the center vertical mullion includes an alignment surface that engages at least a bottom of the horizontal false mullion such that a front edge of the center vertical mullion is substantially coplanar with a front face of the horizontal false mullion. 12. The refrigerating appliance of claim 8, wherein the pantry cover includes an ice maker that is configured to deliver ice to one of the first and second pantry sub compartments. 13. The refrigerating appliance of claim 7, wherein the pantry cover includes a partially transparent panel that places the refrigerating compartment in visual communication with the pantry compartment, wherein the pantry compartment is at least partially visible through the floor of the refrigerating compartment. 14. The refrigerating appliance of claim 8, wherein the center vertical mullion extends between the horizontal false mullion and a back surface of the inner liner, wherein the center vertical mullion, the pantry cover and the false floor assembly define the first and second pantry subcompartments as separate volumes, wherein the first and second pantry subcompartments are in communication with a control that is in independent and selective communication with each of the first and second pantry sub compartments. 15. The refrigerating appliance of claim 8, wherein the center vertical mullion can be selectively inserted to define a divided state of the pantry compartment defined by the first and second pantry subcompartments, and wherein the center vertical mullion can be alternatively removed to define an undivided state of the pantry compartment, wherein the refrigerating appliance includes a full-width pantry drawer that is slidably engaged with the pantry compartment in the undivided state. 16. A refrigerated pantry conversion kit for dividing a refrigerated pantry compartment into a plurality of pantry sub compartments, the conversion kit comprising: an insulated cabinet having an interior volume and a medial wall extending through the interior volume to define a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment;a horizontal false mullion extending through the refrigerating compartment, wherein the horizontal false mullion is oriented parallel with the medial wall, and wherein the medial wall and the horizontal false mullion define a pantry compartment, the pantry compartment in thermal communication with at least one of the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment;a removable vertical mullion removably disposed on the medial wall and extending upward to the horizontal false mullion, the removable vertical mullion selectively removeable from the pantry compartment to alternatively define a divided state of the pantry compartment wherein the removable vertical mullion defines first and second pantry sub compartments, and an undivided state of the pantry compartment;a pantry cover positioned adjacent to the horizontal false mullion, the pantry cover including a top cover surface that is co-planar with a top surface of the horizontal false mullion, and wherein a portion of the pantry cover rests upon the removable vertical mullion in the divided state and rests on a portion of the horizontal false mullion in the divided and un-divided states; anda false floor assembly that defines a horizontal boundary between the refrigerating compartment and the pantry compartment, wherein a portion of the false floor assembly rests upon the removable vertical mullion in the divided state, and wherein the pantry cover, the false floor assembly and the horizontal false mullion cooperate to define a floor of the refrigerating compartment, and wherein the pantry cover and the false floor assembly are selectively removable to accommodate conversion of the pantry compartment between the divided and undivided states. 17. The refrigerated pantry conversion kit of claim 16, wherein the removable vertical mullion extends between the horizontal false mullion and a back surface of an inner liner of the insulated cabinet, wherein the removable vertical mullion, the pantry cover and the false floor assembly define the first and second pantry sub compartments as separate volumes when the pantry compartment is in the divided state. 18. The refrigerated pantry conversion kit of claim 16, further comprising: a control in communication with a pantry refrigeration system, wherein the control operates the pantry refrigeration system to maintain the pantry compartment at a pantry temperature when the pantry compartment is in the undivided state, and wherein the divided state of the pantry compartment is defined by the control operating the pantry refrigeration system to selectively and independently maintain the first and second pantry sub compartments at respective first and second temperatures. 19. The refrigerated pantry conversion kit of claim 16, wherein the pantry cover includes an ice maker, and wherein the ice maker is configured to deliver ice to the pantry compartment. 20. The refrigerated pantry conversion kit of claim 16, wherein the removable vertical mullion defines an inner mullion volume, wherein an insulating material is disposed within the inner mullion volume, and wherein the center vertical mullion defines an at least partial thermal barrier between the first and second pantry sub compartments in the divided state.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (28)
Brown, Andrew; Bayne, Michael Christopher, Adjustable and separable joining structure.
Ramm, Axel Julio; Richards, Michael S.; Wadke, Rahul; Wittes, Joshua J., Appliance modular system for incorporating a pantry compartment within an appliance.
Haidar, Omar; Chellappan, Bagawathkumar; Rawson, James Bryan; Marwah, Mukta; Cepress, Jonathan Michael, Multi-piece basket assembly for a consumer appliance.
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