Adjustable refrigerator compartment and door assembly
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25D-023/00
F25D-023/02
F25D-011/02
F25D-023/06
출원번호
US-0782053
(2017-10-12)
등록번호
US-10126040
(2018-11-13)
발명자
/ 주소
Ribeiro, Bruno de Mello
Ferreira, Luiz Afrânio Alves
Henrique, Jair Córdova
Souza, Raphael Cássio de
출원인 / 주소
Whirlpool Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Price Heneveld LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
7
초록▼
A refrigerator includes an interior compartment having an adjustable interior volume operable between first and second volumetric settings and a number of intermediate settings provided therebetween. A door is pivotally coupled to the interior compartment and operable between open and closed positio
A refrigerator includes an interior compartment having an adjustable interior volume operable between first and second volumetric settings and a number of intermediate settings provided therebetween. A door is pivotally coupled to the interior compartment and operable between open and closed positions relative to the interior compartment. The door includes a moving member that is slideably coupled to a fixed member. The moving member is operable between extended and retracted positions with respect to the fixed member, such that the door is an expandable door configured to cover an open front portion of the interior compartment as the interior compartment moves between various volumetric settings.
대표청구항▼
1. A refrigerator, comprising: an interior compartment having an adjustable interior volume; anda door pivotally coupled to the interior compartment between open and closed positions, wherein the door includes a moving member slideably coupled to a fixed member between extended and retracted positio
1. A refrigerator, comprising: an interior compartment having an adjustable interior volume; anda door pivotally coupled to the interior compartment between open and closed positions, wherein the door includes a moving member slideably coupled to a fixed member between extended and retracted positions, and further wherein the moving member includes an exterior surface spaced-apart from an inner surface to define an inner cavity therebetween. 2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the fixed member includes an exterior surface spaced-apart from an inner surface to define an inner cavity therebetween. 3. The refrigerator of claim 2, wherein the moving member is slideably coupled to the fixed member, such that a portion of the fixed member is telescopingly received in the inner cavity of the moving member. 4. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the moving member is slideably coupled to the fixed member, such that a portion of the moving member is telescopingly received in the inner cavity of the fixed member. 5. The refrigerator of claim 4, including: one or more insulating members disposed in the inner cavity of the fixed member; andone or more insulating members disposed in the inner cavity of the moving member, wherein the one or more insulating members disposed in the inner cavity of the moving member move with the moving member between extended and retracted positions. 6. A refrigerator, comprising: an interior compartment having an adjustable interior volume and an adjustable bottom wall of the interior compartment operable between raised and lowered positions to adjust the adjustable interior volume of the interior compartment;a door pivotally coupled to the interior compartment between open and closed positions, wherein the door includes a moving member slideably coupled to a fixed member between extended and retracted positions;a coupling feature disposed on an outwardly facing surface of the adjustable bottom wall; anda reciprocal coupling feature disposed on a base portion of the moving member, wherein the coupling feature of the adjustable bottom wall is releasably engaged with the reciprocal coupling feature of the moving member when the door is in the closed position. 7. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the moving member of the door moves vertically with the adjustable bottom wall of the interior compartment when the door is in the closed position and the adjustable bottom wall is vertically adjusted. 8. The refrigerator of claim 6, wherein the coupling feature of the adjustable bottom wall of the interior compartment includes one or more receiving apertures extending inwardly from the outwardly facing surface of the adjustable bottom wall. 9. The refrigerator of claim 8, wherein the reciprocal coupling feature disposed on the base portion of the moving member includes one or more clip members extending outwardly from an inner surface of the base portion of the moving member, wherein the one or more clip members are received in the one or more receiving apertures of the adjustable bottom wall of the interior compartment when the door is in the closed position. 10. A refrigerator, comprising: a compartment having a plurality of perimeter walls which cooperate to define an interior space of the compartment, wherein one of the perimeter walls is an adjustable wall configured to adjust a volume of the interior space of the compartment between first and second volumetric settings; anda door operably coupled to one or more of the perimeter walls of the compartment, the door including first and second members slideably coupled to one another between extended and retracted positions, wherein the first and second members of the door are in the retracted position when the volume of the interior space of the compartment is in the first volumetric setting, and further wherein first and second members of the door are in the extended position when the volume of the interior space of the compartment is in the second volumetric setting. 11. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the second member of the door is pivotally coupled to the adjustable wall between open and closed positions. 12. The refrigerator of claim 11, including: a seal assembly extending fully around a perimeter of the door, wherein the seal assembly includes a first seal member disposed on the first member of the door, and a second seal member disposed on the second member of the door. 13. The refrigerator of claim 12, wherein the compartment includes an open front portion having an outwardly facing sealing surface, wherein the outwardly facing sealing surface of the open front portion adjusts in size with the volume of the interior space of the compartment. 14. The refrigerator of claim 13, wherein the first and second seal members cooperate to fully seal against the outwardly facing sealing surface of the open front portion of the compartment when the door is in the closed position.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (7)
Webb William M. (Louisville KY), Adjustable volume-split refrigerator.
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