Abstract: A peripherally encapsulated product, such as an oven door outer shell, is molded in accordance with this invention by placing a piece of glass between mold clamping portions of relatively movable closed bodies when the latter are in an open position. Preferably both bodies are heated and thermosetting polymeric material (SMC or BMC) is placed upon selected areas of one of the mold bodies within and about an area corresponding to an annular mold cavity and outboard of a peripheral edge of a piece of glass. The glass is clamped between mold clamping portions of the mold bodies which are then progressively closed creating compression forces which extrude the thermosetting polymeric material into the annular cavity and into complete encapsulation of the continuous peripheral edge of the piece of glass. The handle can be integrally molded during the molding process.

Abstract: A shelf for a refrigerator compartment includes a tempered glass panel to front and rear edges of which are injection molded or adhesively bonded front and rear border members. Side edges of the tempered glass panel are thereby exposed enhancing conductivity within the refrigerator compartment.

Abstract: A peripherally encapsulated product, such as an oven door outer shell, is molded in accordance with this invention by placing a piece of glass between mold clamping portions of relatively movable closed bodies when the latter are in an open position. Preferably both bodies are heated and thermosetting polymeric material (SMC or BMC) is placed upon selected areas of one of the mold bodies within and about an area corresponding to an annular mold cavity and outboard of a peripheral edge of a piece of glass. The glass is clamped between mold clamping portions of the mold bodies which are then progressively closed creating compression forces which extrude the thermosetting polymeric material into the annular cavity and into complete encapsulation of the continuous peripheral edge of the piece of glass. The handle can be integrally molded during the molding process.

Abstract: An illuminated shelf includes a tempered transparent glass panel having edges each housed in a slot of a housing defining a chamber through which and/or in which light is generated to illuminate the transparent panel. Each housing is preferably snap-secured together to access the chamber interior for purposes of replacement and/or repair. Each housing can be totally or partially encapsulated and the encapsulation includes conductors which are operative in any position of vertical adjustment or sliding adjustment of the shelf.

Abstract: The shelf as defined by a shelf grating formed of a plurality of first and second groups of wires disposed normal to each other and having ends thereof encapsulated by an injection molded, continuous open encapsulation, rim or border. Preferably, each of four border portions of the border each encapsulate substantially the entirety of one of the wires of the two groups to afford rigidity to the wire shelf. The border includes a Class “A” upper surface between peripheral outboard and inboard parting lines or lines of flash which provides a high degree of aesthetics to the shelf when viewed from above.

Abstract: A shelf for a refrigerator compartment includes a tempered glass panel to front and rear edges of which are injection molded or adhesively bonded front and rear border members. Side edges of the tempered glass panel are thereby exposed enhancing conductivity within the refrigerator compartment.

Abstract: A peripherally encapsulated product, such as an oven door outer shell, is molded in accordance with this invention by placing a piece of glass between mold clamping portions of relatively movable closed bodies when the latter are in an open position. Preferably both bodies are heated and thermosetting polymeric material (SMC or BMC) is placed upon selected areas of one of the mold bodies within and about an area corresponding to an annular mold cavity and outboard of a peripheral edge of a piece of glass. The glass is clamped between mold clamping portions of the mold bodies which are then progressively closed creating compression forces which extrude the thermosetting polymeric material into the annular cavity and into complete encapsulation of the continuous peripheral edge of the piece of glass. The handle can be integrally molded during the molding process.

Abstract: A washer door or lid as defined by a tempered glass panel bordered by an open frame-like encapsulation of one-piece injection molded polymeric/copolymeric synthetic plastic material. The latter material is preferably acrylonitrile/styrene/acrylate polymer blended with mica glass beads at a ratio of substantially 70%–30% to 90%–10% by weight, but preferably 80%–20% by weight. Further specifics of the washer lid include a relatively thick inner periphery of the encapsulation which securely grips and reinforces an outer peripheral edge of the tempered glass panel, a rigid outer peripheral skirt, an indiscrete handle, a reinforced hand corder for a switch actuator and opposite rear corners carrying hinges for securing the washer lid to an associated washer opening.

Abstract: A shelf assembly includes a pair of shelf brackets secured to a rim which carries a planar support. The shelf brackets include oppositely directed pins spaced a predetermined distance from each other which correspond to a plurality of slots in a pair of mirror image adapter brackets each having a vertical slideway associated with the slots. The adapter brackets have hooks for engaging slots in vertical shelf tracks of a refrigerator compartment to effect “coarse” vertical adjustment of the shelf assembly. However, the shelf can be “fine tuned” vertically adjusted by moving the pins of the shelf brackets along the sideways and into selected pairs of the adapter bracket slots.

Abstract: A door includes a U-shaped frame having opposing side channels. The channels include peripheral, inner and outer walls with the inner wall being of a larger size and configuration than the outer wall. A glass insert slightly smaller than the size of the inner wall is inserted therethrough and is guided to a centered position seated upon the outer wall. An open frame insert is slid into the two side channels, and a plurality of opposing pairs of walls deflect the open frame insert into bearing engagement with the glass insert. A peripheral edge of the open frame insert defines a peripheral channel with a terminal edge of the door frame inner wall for receipt therein of a peripheral securing boss of an elastomeric peripheral seal.

Abstract: A shelf assembly includes a pair of shelf adapter brackets each defined by first and second shelf bracket members, one of which includes vertically disposed opposing slideways into which open a plurality of vertically spaced slots and the other of which includes a plurality of supporting projections which move in the slideways and seat in the slots to effect selectively vertical adjustment of an associated shelf. The shelf may include shelf brackets having hooks for engaging in slots of one of the bracket members or can be integrally formed to define one of the first and second bracket members. Another embodiment includes a shelf having an injection molded rim with hooks at rear corners thereof for engaging one of the shelf support members. Each shelf assembly prevents inadvertent/accidental disengagement of an associated shelf from the adapter brackets.

Abstract: A door includes a U-shaped frame having opposing side channels. The channels include peripheral, inner and outer walls with the inner wall being of a larger size and configuration than the outer wall. A glass insert slightly smaller than the size of the inner wall is inserted therethrough and is guided to a centered position seated upon the outer wall. An open frame insert is slid into the two side channels, and a plurality of opposing pairs of walls deflect the open frame insert into bearing engagement with the glass insert. A peripheral edge of the open frame insert defines a peripheral channel with a terminal edge of the door frame inner wall for receipt therein of a peripheral securing boss of an elastomeric peripheral seal.

Abstract: A glass or glass-like substrate having a contact-killing, non-leaching antimicrobial effective amount of metal ions contained in at least one surface region thereof, and having a color of b*?+6 on the CIE international color scale is disclosed. The antimicrobial substrate is prepared by providing a metal ion precursor comprising at least one source of antimicrobial effective metal ions dissolved or otherwise dispersed in a carrier material; depositing the precursor onto at least one surface of the substrate; drying the substrate at a temperature of from about 20° C. to about 105° C. by removing volatiles from the metal ion precursor; and heating the resulting substrate at a temperature of about 600-650° C. for 2-5 min. to exchange or otherwise implant antimicrobial metal ions from the precursor and into the glass or glass-like substrate.

Abstract: A shelf for a refrigerator compartment includes a tempered glass panel to front and rear edges of which are injection molded or adhesively bonded front and rear border members. Side edges of the tempered glass panel are thereby exposed enhancing conductivity within the refrigerator compartment.

Abstract: A peripherally encapsulated product is molded by placing a piece of glass between mold clamping portions of movable closed bodies when the latter are in an open position. The bodies are heated and thermosetting polymeric material is placed upon one of the mold bodies outboard of a peripheral edge of a piece of glass. The glass is clamped and the mold bodies are closed creating compression forces which extrude the polymeric material into the annular cavity and into complete encapsulation of a peripheral edge of the piece of glass. The thermosetting polymeric material is cured, the mold bodies are opened and the product is removed therefrom.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to the manufacture of lites (glass sheets) which have at least a pair of thin spacers applied thereto which maintain the lites in spaced relationship when stacked upon pallets, wrapped and shipped. The spacers are preferably only partially adhered to the lites, either by weak bonding adhesive or electrostatically, and can be readily removed during end-use applications. The spacers are applied automatically during production runs of the lites, and the spacers are applied from above or from below relative to the path of travel of the lites.

Abstract: A door/lid for an appliance, such as a washer or dryer, includes a tempered glass panel upon an inner surface of which is applied one or two screen printed borders of fusible ceramic printing medium defining a substantially opaque peripheral border bounding a central viewing area through which clothing associated with a washer or dryer can be viewed when the door/lid is closed. An injection molded narrow encapsulation, border or rim surrounds an edge of the tempered glass panel and effects a water-tight seal therewith. Third ceramic printing means in the form of instructions or safety rules in applied to the first or second printing medium but is indiscernible from the outside when the door/lid is closed. When the door/lid is open, the instructions/safety rules are totally divisible, upright and readable.

Abstract: The method of the present invention is performed by providing a glass sheet having first and second opposite surfaces merging with each other along a peripheral ground angled surface setting-off with the glass sheet first surface an included angle substantially greater than normal. The glass sheet is placed in a mold having opposing cavity portions which collectively define a cavity including a peripheral edge cavity portion defined in part by a cavity defining surface which lies in the plane of the glass sheet first surface when the mold is closed. The mold is then closed such that the cavity defining surface and the glass sheet round angled surface set-off and angled complementary to the included angle and with the glass sheet per surface abutting the cavity defining surface inboard of the glass sheet ground angled surface.

Abstract: A door includes a U-shaped frame having opposing side channels. The channels include peripheral, inner and outer walls with the inner wall being of a larger size and configuration than the outer wall. A glass insert slightly smaller than the size of the inner wall is inserted therethrough and is guided to a centered position seated upon the outer wall. An open frame insert is slid into the two side channels, and a plurality of opposing pairs of walls deflect the open frame insert into bearing engagement with the glass insert. A peripheral edge of the open frame insert defines a peripheral channel with a terminal edge of the door frame inner wall for receipt therein of a peripheral securing boss of an elastomeric peripheral seal.

Abstract: A shelf includes a one-piece open frame made of molded synthetic material and a piece of glass closing an opening of the frame. Each of opposite side frame portions are defined by an upper wall, a side wall and at least one finger with the opposing fingers being spaced from each other and each defining with an associated upper wall a glass piece side edge-receiving channel. The glass piece is snapped into the glass piece side edge-receiving channels. The fingers slide upon the ledges whereby product loading upon the glass piece which might cause the fingers to inadvertently deform and release the glass piece side edges is effectively resisted to preclude inadvertent glass piece/frame disassembly under load.