Pilot feature for top hinge for refrigerator

Abstract

An arrangement is provided for returning a removed hinge plate to a predetermined position on a refrigerator cabinet after the hinge plate has been removed. A screw plate is loosely movably positioned on an inside side of an outer wrapper of the refrigerator cabinet in a location approximating the location for the top hinge plate. The hinge plate is positioned on an outer surface of the outer wrapper and is removably secured to the screw plate. The hinge plate includes a recess area. A pilot plate is positioned on the outer surface of the outer wrapper, secured to the screw plate and being closely received in the recess area in the hinge plate. The pilot plate remains in position relative to the screw plate and the wrapper when the hinge plate is removed from the screw plate.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to refrigerators and in particular to top hinge locating arrangements for refrigerator doors.

Refrigerators typically have one or two doors that may be pivotally secured to the refrigerator cabinet with hinges. With pivotally attached doors, generally there is a sealing gasket that is located on an inside side of the door which mates with a front surface of the cabinet outer wrapper to prevent leakage of air into and out of the refrigeration compartment. The door must therefore be positioned relative to the compartment opening such that the gasket will engage the cabinet wrapper to provide this seal. Usually there is a fair amount of tolerance involved, so that exact positioning of the door on the cabinet is not highly critical.

However, in the case of side-by-side refrigerator doors, such as where there is a side-by-side arrangement of a refrigeration compartment and a freezer compartment, or where the doors are french doors opening into a single refrigerated compartment, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,135, incorporated herein by reference, the positioning of the doors on the cabinet, and hence, relative to one another, becomes more critical in order to avoid interference between the two doors and to assure a proper seal with the cabinet. Although the doors are secured to the cabinet in their correct locations at the factory, occasionally the doors are removed during shipping or installation, such as to fit through narrow doorways, therefore requiring that the doors be returned to their original position in order to avoid problems between the two doors and to assure proper sealing of the doors relative to the cabinet and possibly each other.

The present invention addresses and solves this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an arrangement for returning a removed hinge plate to a predetermined position on a refrigerator cabinet after the hinge plate has been removed. This arrangement includes a screw plate loosely movably positioned on an inside side of an outer wrapper of the refrigerator cabinet in a location approximating the location for the top hinge plate. The hinge plate is positioned on an outer surface of the outer wrapper and is removably secured to the screw plate. The hinge plate includes a recess area and a pilot plate is positioned on the outer surface of the outer wrapper, secured to the screw plate and is closely received in the recess area in the hinge plate. The pilot plate remains in position relative to the screw plate and the wrapper when the hinge plate is removed from the screw plate.

In an embodiment, the hinge plate has a non-rotatable shaped recess area and the pilot plate has complementary shaped perimeter.

In an embodiment, the recess area has a square shape.

In an embodiment, the recess area comprises an opening in the hinge plate.

In an embodiment, the pilot plate is secured to the screw plate with a locking fastener.

In an embodiment, the locking fastener is a headed threaded fastener with locking serrations on an underside of a head of the fastener.

In an embodiment, the recess in the hinge plate and the pilot plate are configured such that the hinge plate is not permitted to rotate relative to the pilot plate.

In an embodiment, the recess in the hinge plate and the pilot plate are configured such that movement of the hinge plate relative to the pilot plate, in a plane parallel to the top surface of the wrapper, is restricted.

In an embodiment, a refrigerator is provided having a cabinet with an outer wrapper, an inner liner and a foamed-in-place insulation between the wrapper and the liner, and two side-by-side cabinet doors, each connected to the cabinet with a top hinge and a bottom hinge. A screw plate is loosely captured between the insulation and the outer wrapper in a location approximating the location for one of the top hinges. Each top hinge comprises a hinge plate carrying a hinge pin engageable with one of the doors, positioned on a top surface of the outer wrapper and removably secured to the screw plate. The hinge plate includes a recess area, and a pilot plate is positioned on the top surface of the outer wrapper, secured to the screw plate and is closely received in the recess area in the hinge plate.

In an embodiment, a method is provided of attaching a hinge plate to a refrigerator cabinet outer wrapper such that the hinge plate may be removed and replaced on the wrapper in an originally set position. This method comprises the steps of:

loosely positioning a screw plate on an inside side of an outer wrapper of the refrigerator cabinet in a location approximating the location for the top hinge plate,

positioning the hinge plate on an outer surface of the outer wrapper and securing the hinge plate to the screw plate in a desired position,

positioning a pilot plate on the outer surface of the outer wrapper and in a recess area in the hinge plate, and

securing the pilot plate to the screw plate.

When the hinge plate is removed from the outer wrapper, the pilot plate will remain in place on the wrapper and the hinge plate may be returned to the wrapper by positioning the recess area in the hinge plate around the pilot plate, thus returning the hinge plate to the desired position.

These and other aspects and details of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the detailed description and a review of the accompanying drawings. Specific embodiments of the present invention are described herein. The present invention is not intended to be limited to only these embodiments. Changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments and yet fall within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a refrigerator embodying the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the refrigerator cabinet showing attachment of the top door hinge.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the screw plate in isolation.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the screw plate of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the hinge plate in isolation.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the hinge plate of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the hinge plate of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the pilot plate in isolation.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the hinge plate, pilot plate and screw plate in assembled alignment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In an embodiment, the present invention provides an arrangement for returning a removed hinge plate to a predetermined position on a refrigerator cabinet after the hinge plate has been removed.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a refrigerator 20 is provided having a cabinet 22 with an outer wrapper 24, an inner liner 26 and a foamed-in-place insulation 28 between the wrapper and the liner. The refrigerator 20 has two side-by-side cabinet doors 30, 32, each connected to the cabinet with a top hinge 34 and a bottom hinge 36.

In an embodiment of the invention, a screw plate 40 is loosely movably positioned on an inside side 42 of the outer wrapper 24 of the refrigerator cabinet 22 in a location approximating the location for a top hinge plate 44. The space between the outer wrapper 24 and the liner 26 is filled with the insulation 28, which typically is a foam-in-place insulation. An enlarged void 46 is provided in the area of the location of the hinge plate 44 to loosely receive the screw plate 40. Thus, the screw plate 40 is free to move in a plane parallel to a outer surface 48 of the wrapper 24 to a limited degree, such as by at least 5 to 10 millimeters.

The hinge plate 44 is positioned on the outer surface 48 of the outer wrapper 24 and is removably secured to the screw plate 40, such as with a plurality of threaded fasteners 50. The screw plate 40 is shown in isolation in FIGS. 3 and 4, where it is seen that the screw plate may be provided with a plurality of threaded holes 52 and bosses 54 providing a longer length for the holes, so that the hinge plate 44 may be securely attached to, yet may also be removed from, the outer wrapper 24, if need be.

The hinge plate 44 is shown in isolation in FIGS. 5-7, where it is seen that the hinge plate is provided with a plurality of holes 56 which align with the holes 52 in the screw plate and which will receive the threaded fasteners 50. The hinge plate 44 also carries a hinge pin 57 which will pivotally engage with one of the doors 30, 32 to allow a swinging movement of the door. Typically, in the factory, the positioning of the hinge plates 44 is accomplished with the use of fixtures which correctly position the doors 30, 32 relative to the cabinet 22 and each other, and then the hinge plates are assembled onto the cabinet. In this manner, each hinge plate 44 will be placed in a desired original position, and once it is secured to the screw plate 40, the hinge plate will remain in the desired original position. To permit a user, mover or installer to return the hinge plate 34 to the original desired position after it has been removed away from the factory, a pilot plate 58 is provided.

The pilot plate 58 is shown in isolation in FIG. 8 and has a shape and configuration such that it will be closely received in a recess area 59 in the hinge plate 34. In the illustrated embodiment, the pilot plate 58 has a generally square outer periphery 60. The recess area 59 in the hinge plate 34 is a square shaped opening through a central area of the hinge plate which provides a very small tolerance gap once the pilot plate is inserted into the recess area, as shown in the assembled view of FIGS. 2 and 9. The pilot plate 58 includes a hole 62 which aligns with a hole 64 on the screw plate 40, and which may receive a fastener 66, such as a locking treaded fastener. Such locking threaded fasteners 66 are known which have a head 68 with locking serrations 70 (FIG. 2) on the underside of the head, such that the loosening or removal of the fastener is greatly impeded.

Other shapes and configurations may be provided for the recess area 59, including a depression or offset area, rather than a hole through the hinge plate 44, or a contour in the outer perimeter of the hinge plate rather than a hole through a central portion of the plate. Also, the recess area 59 in the hinge plate 44 and the pilot plate 58 could be configured such that the hinge plate is not permitted to rotate relative to the pilot plate, which could be achieved by providing something other than a round shaped recess and a mating round perimeter pilot plate, for example, by using two or more round openings engaged by pins. Or, the recess area 59 may have a non-round shape and the pilot plate 58 may have a non-round complementary shape. Also, the recess area 59 in the hinge plate 44 and the pilot plate 58 may be configured such that movement of the hinge plate relative to the pilot plate, in a plane parallel to the outer surface 48 of the wrapper 24, is restricted. It is preferred that this movement be restricted to less than 1 millimeter and perhaps to about one half of a millimeter.

When the hinge plate 44 is removed from the refrigerator cabinet 22, the pilot plate 58 remains in position relative to the screw plate 44 and the outer wrapper 24. Thus, when the hinge plate 44 is to be replaced on the cabinet 22, the pilot plate 58 will accurately position the hinge plate as the recess area 59 is returned to surround the pilot plate. This will assure that the hinge plate 44 is returned to the original desired position set in the factory.

In an embodiment, a method is provided of attaching the hinge plate 44 to the refrigerator cabinet outer wrapper 24 such that the hinge plate may be removed and replaced on the wrapper in an originally set position. This method comprises the steps of:

loosely positioning a screw plate 40 on an inside side 42 of the outer wrapper 24 of the refrigerator cabinet 22 in a location approximating the location for the top hinge plate 44,

positioning the hinge plate 44 on the outer surface 48 of the outer wrapper 24 and securing the hinge plate to the screw plate 40 in a desired position,

positioning the pilot plate 58 on the outer surface 48 of the outer wrapper 24 and in a recess area 59 in the hinge plate 44, and

securing the pilot plate 58 to the screw plate 40.

When the hinge plate 44 is removed from the outer wrapper 24, the pilot plate 58 will remain in place on the wrapper and the hinge plate may be returned to the wrapper by positioning the recess area 59 in the hinge plate around the pilot plate, thus returning the hinge plate to the desired position.

The present invention has been described utilizing particular embodiments. As will be evident to those skilled in the art, changes and modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments and yet fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, various components could be utilized which are sized or configured differently than illustrated. In other embodiments, different attachment arrangements than those arrangements specifically shown and described could be used. The disclosed embodiments are provided only to illustrate aspects of the present invention and not in any way to limit the scope and coverage of the invention. The scope of the invention is therefore to be limited only by the appended claims.

As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. It should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a cabinet with an outer wrapper, an inner liner and a foamed-in-place insulation between said wrapper and said liner,

two side-by-side cabinet doors, each connected to said cabinet with a top hinge and a bottom hinge,

a screw plate loosely captured between said insulation and said outer wrapper in a location approximating the location for one of said top hinges,

each top hinge comprising a hinge plate carrying a hinge pin engageable with one of said doors, positioned on a top surface of said outer wrapper and removably secured to said screw plate, said hinge plate including a recess area, and

a pilot plate positioned on said top surface of said outer wrapper, secured to said screw plate and being closely received in said recess area in said hinge plate.

2. A refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said hinge plate has non-rotatable shaped recess area and said pilot plate has a complementary shaped perimeter.

3. A refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein said recess area has a square shape.

4. A refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said recess area comprises an opening in a central area of said hinge plate.

5. A refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said pilot plate is secured to said screw plate with a locking fastener.

6. A refrigerator according to claim 5, wherein said locking fastener is a headed threaded fastener with locking serrations on an underside of a head of the fastener.

7. A refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said recess in said hinge plate and said pilot plate are configured such that said hinge plate is not permitted to rotate relative to said pilot plate.

8. A refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said recess in said hinge plate and said pilot plate are configured such that movement of said hinge plate relative to said pilot plate, in a plane parallel to said top surface of said wrapper, is restricted.

9. An arrangement for returning a removed hinge plate to a predetermined position on a refrigerator cabinet after said hinge plate has been removed, comprising:

a screw plate loosely movably positioned on an inside side of an outer wrapper of said refrigerator cabinet in a location approximating the location for said top hinge plate,

said hinge plate positioned on an outer surface of said outer wrapper and removably secured to said screw plate, said hinge plate including a recess area, and

a pilot plate positioned on said outer surface of said outer wrapper, secured to said screw plate and being closely received in said recess area in said hinge plate, said pilot plate remaining in position relative to said screw plate and said wrapper when said hinge plate is removed from said screw plate.

10. An arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said hinge plate has non-rotatable shaped recess area and said pilot plate has complementary shaped perimeter.

11. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein said recess area has a square shape.

12. An arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said recess area comprises an opening in a central area of said hinge plate.

13. An arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said pilot plate is secured to said screw plate with a locking fastener.

14. An arrangement according to claim 13, wherein said locking fastener is a headed threaded fastener with locking serrations on an underside of a head of the fastener.

15. An arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said recess in said hinge plate and said pilot plate are configured such that said hinge plate is not permitted to rotate relative to said pilot plate.

16. An arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said recess in said hinge plate and said pilot plate are configured such that movement of said hinge plate relative to said pilot plate, in a plane parallel to said top surface of said wrapper, is restricted.

17. A method of attaching a hinge plate to a refrigerator cabinet outer wrapper such that the hinge plate may be removed and replaced on the wrapper in an originally set position, comprising the steps:

loosely positioning a screw plate on an inside side of an outer wrapper of said refrigerator cabinet in a location approximating the location for said top hinge plate,

positioning said hinge plate on an outer surface of said outer wrapper and securing said hinge plate to said screw plate in a desired position,

positioning a pilot plate on said outer surface of said outer wrapper and in a recess area in said hinge plate,

securing said pilot plate to said screw plate, thereby when said hinge plate is removed from said outer wrapper, said pilot plate will remain in place on said wrapper and said hinge plate may be returned to said wrapper by positioning said recess area in said hinge plate around said pilot plate, thus returning said hinge plate to said desired position.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said pilot plate is secured to said screw plate with a locking fastener.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein said recess in said hinge plate and said pilot plate are configured such that movement of said hinge plate relative to said pilot plate, in a plane parallel to said top surface of said wrapper, is restricted.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said movement is restricted to less than 1 millimeter.