With Wiper Or Seal Patents (Class 312/296)
  • Patent number: 5449232
    Abstract: An improved thermal curtain for separating a food service cart into hot and cold regions is disclosed. The thermal curtain is composed of composite foam structural elements which have enhanced insulating capability, toughness and the ability to provide structural support for food service trays placed thereon. The thermal curtain is composed of a plurality of vertically superposed tray support/thermal barrier sections which attach to a support bracket which further attaches to the back of the food service cart. The upper portion of the support/barrier is adapted to provide a tray support and conforms to the design of the food service tray to minimize migration of heated or cold air to the opposite compartment. The lower edge of the support/barrier section is composed of a blade seal floating in a retention channel which allows vertical movement of the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Standex International Corporation
    Inventors: John W. Westbrooks, Jr., Sara C. Hurt, Anthony C. Grotefeld, Joseph D. Miller
  • Patent number: 5431492
    Abstract: The invention consists of a slant top cabinet for a video game where the video monitor is located beneath a door. The side edges of the door mate with gutters such that liquid spilled into the seam of the door will drain into the gutters away from the monitor. A rubber seal is attached to and surrounds the monitor such that liquid spilled on the screen or game top will drain into the rubber seal. The rubber seal includes a port that connects to a conduit for draining liquid from the rubber seal away from the monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: WMS Gaming, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne H. Rothschild, Gregory J. Tastad
  • Patent number: 5411328
    Abstract: A refrigerator has a body forming a compartment, and first and second doors mounted in side-by-side relationship on the body for closing the compartment. Each door is hinged along an outer vertical edge thereof such that the inner vertical edges of the doors face one another and form a gap when the doors are closed. In order to prevent cool air loss through that gap, a leak prevention member is hinged on the back side of the first door for rotation about a vertical axis. When the first door is closed, a pin on the leak prevention member engages a guide groove formed on the body for rotating the leak prevention member to an operative position in which it extends across the gap to resist cool air leakage. A locking element carried by the leak prevention member locks the leak prevention element against rotation to its operative position while the first door is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyun S. You
  • Patent number: 5275479
    Abstract: The invention permits the transfer between two containers of an object without the latter being in contact with the atmosphere around the containers. The system comprises two doors (12, 22) joined tightly to one another in such a way that the outer faces (13, 23) of these doors are positioned facing one another during opening, e.g. by winding the same around a drum (21). These doors are constituted by two flexible curtains sliding in lateral carriages. The system is particularly applicable to the production of semiconductor wafers or slices in an ultraclean atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Didier Cruz, Claude Doche
  • Patent number: 5271671
    Abstract: A gasket retention assembly for uniformally maintaining a gasket against a planar surface. The assembly includes a plate formed from a plurality of wave-shaped sections which define crest portions between adjacent trough portions. The plate is adapted to be secured to the planar surface by means of fasteners at the crest portions with a gasket interposed between the plate and planar surface such that the trough portion are deflected to apply a compressive force against the gasket. The assembly is particularly applicable for use in a refrigerator door arrangement having a gasket fixedly secured between a door panel and a door liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Assignee: Maytag Corporation
    Inventor: Sheldon W. Mandel
  • Patent number: 5265951
    Abstract: An electronic terminal of the type employing a card reading device mounted within the interior thereof accessible through an input port formed in a wall of the terminal. A one-piece shield formed of an elastomeric material is mounted adjacent the input port of the card reader to prevent the entrance of debris into the interior of the terminal. The shield provides at least two opposing movable flaps extending over the card reader input port. The flaps are readily flexible to allow a card to slide therebetween, and to allow the flaps to flex back into a closed shielding position once the card is withdrawn from the input port. Surrounding portions of the shield form a more rigid body for securing the shield within the input port of the electronic terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: Khyber Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Rajendra Kumar
  • Patent number: 5242220
    Abstract: An appliance for facilitating the sorting and handling of household trash as an aid to recycling such materials includes a housing with a plurality of vertically arrayed compartments containing horizontally disposed flexible bags with open ends extending through a separately covered access hole in each compartment front panel. Supporting slide mechanisms allow each compartment to be pulled out of the housing for unloading and alternate compartment configurations provide for the handling of waste newspaper or the inclusion of a trash compactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Inventor: Sherry D. Sandreth
  • Patent number: 5232277
    Abstract: An improved enclosure including the use of a seamless urethane gasket which is continuous and formed in situ on a planar surface, with no requirement for the gasket to be formed in a groove or for additional backing structure to be added. The enclosure also includes the use of concealed hinge with cutouts positioned on the door to permit at least a 180.degree. swing. The hinges are located outside of the sealing surface and do not overlap it, permitting the entire opening to be used, such that a full front window may be incorporated into the door without interference from the hinges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: Robroy Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy S. Cassady, William D. Boehmer
  • Patent number: 5214877
    Abstract: A vent plate is attached to the bottom frame member of a door mounting frame of the insulated door assembly of a refrigerator unit. The vent plate includes passages which enable ambient air to be drawn into the cabinet of the refrigerator unit at a controlled location in order to avoid frost build up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Ardco, Inc.
    Inventors: Melvin Kaspar, Matthew Rolek
  • Patent number: 5186528
    Abstract: The present invention is an access panel for a roof top air conditioning unit. The access panel edges interfit with edges of the air conditioner cabinet to form a tortuous path for entry into the cabinet interior. The tortuous path inhibits air, water, and moisture penetration. Also, insulating material is trapped between the interfitting edges to further block the penetration and insulate the cabinet interior. At the top edge, a lip extends downwardly to provide a positive stop to keep the removable access panel from laterally falling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: Inter-City Products Corporation (USA)
    Inventors: David L. Schardt, Lois A. Luna, Ivor S. Jones
  • Patent number: 5147121
    Abstract: An improved device for providing EMI/RFI shielding for a joint is disclosed comprising a compressible, resilient sealing element and a conductive shielding element bonded to the sealing element and positioned such that the shielding element provides a direct electrical contact across the joint. The disclosed invention further provides a cabinet which effectively utilizes such a device. The disclosed invention also includes an improved cabinet construction which minimizes the paths by which moisture and debris may enter the cabinet interior, while providing a cabinet which is transportable without violating the integrity of the cabinet structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Gichner Systems Group, Inc.
    Inventor: George McIlwraith
  • Patent number: 5127718
    Abstract: A sealed display and storage case is disclosed for viewing and storing a museum piece or the like in a protected and controlled environment. The display case includes a base having apertures therethrough, a top cover, and a bottom cover. A first seal mechanism attaches the top cover to the base, providing an upper microclimate chamber, and a second seal mechanism attaches the bottom cover to the base, providing a lower microclimate chamber. The apertures within the base limit air flow exchange between the upper and lower microclimate chambers. A rotatable disc mechanism is used to close the apertures when either cover is removed for servicing, thereby eliminating outside air flow into the unopened microclimate chamber. The humidity buffer is contained within an open vessel having an externally adjustable lid, thereby providing a way to adjust the microclimates without any outside air flow into the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Shelley R. Paine
    Inventors: Shelley R. Paine, Ralph W. Scott
  • Patent number: 5020866
    Abstract: An improved device for providing EMI/RFI shielding for a joint is disclosed comprising a compressible, resilient sealing element and a conductive shielding element bonded to the sealing element and positioned such that the shielding element provides a direct electrical contact across the joint. The disclosed invention further provides a cabinet which effectively utilizes such a device. The disclosed invention also includes an improved cabinet construction which minimizes the paths by which moisture and debris may enter the cabinet interior, while providing a cabinet which is transportable without violating the integrity of the cabinet structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: Gichner Systems Group, Inc.
    Inventor: George McIlwraith
  • Patent number: 5016949
    Abstract: A profile frame of a folding door and the associated cabinet-side door frame for a cabinet are described. The profile of the cabinet-side and folding-side vertical beam has a diagonally outwardly open cavity covererd on its end faces by bearing eyes arranged on the horizontal beams. The associated door-side vertical beam is provided with an arcuate step extending longitudinally between the bearing eyes and which is integrated in externally flush manner into the recess of the cabinet-side vertical beam. The arcuate step is coaxial to the bearing eyes and receives the hinge bolts located there. The bolt-side vertical beam of the folding door is preferably provided with a swing bolt, which cooperates over the entire length of the vertical beam with a cabinet-side shoulder and which is operated by means of an eccentric bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: Knurr-Mechanik Fur Die Elektronik Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Hans Knurr
  • Patent number: 4998587
    Abstract: A fire extinguisher cabinet includes a generally rectangular compartment closed by a hinged door. The door includes a front panel having a depending skirt. A gasket straddles the edge of the compartment periphery and seals against the door when the door is closed. Toggle type latches secure the door in place and compress the gasket to seal against the front door panel and against the skirt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Inventor: Loyd Thomas
  • Patent number: 4948206
    Abstract: A refrigerator door assembly mountable in an opening of a refrigerator cabinet including a door mounting cabinet frame having a front wall positionable against the cabinet adjacent the opening and a plurality of insulated glass doors mounted in the cabinet frame. The insulated glass doors each include an insulated glass unit and a door frame surrounding and supporting the periphery of the glass unit. Decorative trim panels, preferably made of plastic, are detachably mounted on the door and cabinet frames in overlapping relation to the front walls thereof for providing the desired finished appearance for the door assembly, which may be color coordinated with the decor of the room or commercial establishment in which the refrigerator is installed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: Ardco, Inc.
    Inventor: James Fitzpatrick
  • Patent number: 4892367
    Abstract: The storage cabinet comprises a frame supporting at least two superimposed rows of pivoting storage modules.The closing-opening angle of rotation .beta. of the storage modules is calculated according to the center distance y of the axes of rotation of the modules and of the distance x between the plane defined by the rear upper edges of the storage modules and the plane defined by the front lower edges of the storage modules according to the equation sin .beta.=x/y.The difference between the levels of the lower edge of the front wall of an upper adjacent module and of the upper edge of the rear wall of a lower module is calculated according to the equation z=y (1-cos .beta.).The upper edge of the rear wall of a lower storage module comes in the simultaneous opening movement to stop on the lower edge of the front wall of the adjacent upper storage module so as to precisely stop rotation of the storage modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Gefitec S.A.
    Inventor: Eric Jantzen
  • Patent number: 4875745
    Abstract: Conversion apparatus (1) for a multiple door cooler (C). A seal (3) for forming a seal between a door and the cooler housing (H), when the door is closed, has a base element (5) which is affixed to the inner face (1F) of the door and extends around its periphery. A latch (27) attaches to the base element of one door and the base element of an adjoining door to form a rigid connection between the doors so they open and close in unison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1989
    Assignee: True Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur W. Trulaske
  • Patent number: 4875746
    Abstract: A drawer includes a bottom plate engaged with two metal drawer side walls each having a Z-shaped profile including upper and lower horizontal flanges. The bottom plate is positioned on the lower horizontal flanges of the drawer side walls. On each side of the drawer, a sealing member of plastics material is arranged between the bottom plate and the respective drawer side wall. Each sealing member has a covering lip for covering the gap between the bottom plate and the drawer side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1989
    Assignee: Julius Blum Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventors: Erich Rock, Klaus Brustle
  • Patent number: 4842349
    Abstract: A display counter for use in supermarkets and like establishments for temporary storage, cooling and displaying of foodstuffs has a case with a hollow upper section having a pivotable front panel at the customer side and a horizontal counter top. The front panel can be pivoted by one or more fluid-operated motors with assistance from an attendant and through the medium of hinges which are mounted on forwardly extending arms of the skeleton frame of the upper section of the case. The top marginal portion of the front panel is held between discrete or integra rails of the hinges so that its exposed side is normally flush with the upper side of the counter top. One of the rails has a portion which extends rearwardly and overlies the adjacent portions of the arms and of the counter top to seal the interior of the case from the surrounding atmosphere when the front panel is held in its operative position at the customer side of the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Assignee: Gerd Und Bernd Vieler KG
    Inventor: Bruno Stenemann
  • Patent number: 4822117
    Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet includes an outer housing having substantially parallel, spaced apart side walls connected by a top wall. A front face extends along the top and side walls and includes a peripheral groove open to the front of the cabinet. The groove has spaced apart, substantially flat lateral walls perpendicular to the front of the cabinet. A first cross-member extends between the side walls below the top wall to divide the cabinet into upper and lower sections. The first cross-member includes an upper groove open to the front of the cabinet and having spaced apart, substantially flat lateral walls perpendicular to the front of the cabinet. The upper groove connects with the peripheral groove at each side of the cabinet to form a first continuous channel encompassing the upper section. The first cross-member also includes a lower groove open to the front of the cabinet and having spaced apart, substantially flat lateral walls perpendicular to the front of the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ray W. Boston, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4812750
    Abstract: The disclosed apparatus provides a universal wheeled cart for carrying electronic devices to be stress tested in a sealed environmental chamber in which the temperature is varied between high and low limits while the power to the electronic components is being turned on and off. The cart is configured to substantially fully occupy the insulated heated chamber which is provided with tracks for the wheels of the cart. In addition to a front access door for admitting the cart, the chamber is provided with a rear rectangular aperture through which a novel rectangular bustle mounted on the cart extends. The bustle support a plurality of connectors through which power is supplied to the electronic devices. Complementary power actuated electrical connectors are mounted in fixed relation to the rear aperture, and when actuated, all power connections to the electronic components are made through the bustle and standardized busses on the cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: Avex Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry L. Keel, Thomas M. Hines, Glen Davis, William E. Parks
  • Patent number: 4753084
    Abstract: There is disclosed a refrigerated display cabinet having a refrigerating chamber and a mechanical chamber, and an access opening into the refrigerating chamber that is adapted to be opened and closed by a transparent cover panel sliding longitudinally of the access opening. The cover panel is mounted on guide rail mechanisms each of which comprise a frame with wheels and rail elements. Each frame is provided with two sealing flanges which extend vertically and horizontally from one edge of the frame into sealing engagement with the rail element when the transparent cover panel is closed thereby closing or sealing the gap between the frame and the rail elements to prevent leakage of cooled air from the refrigerating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1988
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeki Aoki
  • Patent number: 4741127
    Abstract: A refrigerator door assembly comprising a plurality of insulated glass doors mounted in a cabinet frame for relative movement. The glass doors each includes an insulated glass unit having a plurality of glass panes disposed in side-by-side relation, a metal spacer interposed between adjacent of the panes for maintaining the panes in parallel relation with an air space therebetween, and a sealant about the periphery of the spacer for sealing the air space from the outside environment. An outer metal frame is disposed about the periphery of the glass unit, and rigid, non-metallic barrier members are interposed between the outer metal frame and the glass unit for retaining the glass unit within the outer metal frame and for forming a thermal insulating barrier between the outer metal frame and the glass unit and between the outer metal frame and the cabinet frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1988
    Assignee: Ardco Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald J. Bockwinkel
  • Patent number: 4736997
    Abstract: A household refrigerator shelf assembly comprising a removable rigid unitary frame having two spaced apart shelf brackets, a front horizontal support member and a rear horizontal support member, both being rigidly attached to and spanning the distance between the brackets. The rear horizontal support member as viewed in lateral cross-section has a vertical wall at the top and a depending rearwardly directed horizontal flange terminating in a downwardly directed terminal end portion spaced rearwardly from the vertical wall, the bottom of the vertical wall having a forwardly directed horizontal flange with a downwardly directed rib. There is a reflector member attached to the rear horizontal support member and spanning the distance between the brackets. The reflector member as viewed in lateral cross-section has an upper vertical portion with a right angle bend at the bottom and a bottom portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1988
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John K. Besore, Bruce L. Ruark
  • Patent number: 4735062
    Abstract: A cabinet assembly for a refrigerator having a freezer compartment on top, a fresh food compartment on the bottom and a hot liquid anti-sweat loop. The cabinet assembly outer sheet metal shell has a top panel, side panels and a front face with the front face formed to provide a first U-shaped portion which includes a first outer wall perpendicular to the side panel to form a corner and a second inner wall spaced from the first outer wall and both walls being connected by a first reverse bend portion. The second inner wall being reversely bent to form a third wall and provide a second U-shaped portion formed between the second inner wall and the third wall. The first, second and third walls being in spaced parallel planes and the third wall being bent at a right angle to form a flange having a free edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1988
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Samuel J. Woolley, Donald S. Cushing, Thomas E. Jenkins, Keith W. Gerdes, Robert R. Sisler
  • Patent number: 4732432
    Abstract: A resinous plastic breaker strip for a built-in refrigerator/freezer provides a substantially seamless front face therefor. The breaker strip includes a front portion defining a front face and a rearwardly extending sidewall portion fitted to the liner. A number of spacers partially secure a liner to a rigid frame that extends around the door openings. In-situ formed urethane foam provides the remainder of the rigidity and strength to the cabinet. The breaker strip front portion is spaced forwardly of the frame member. An elongated magnet is disposed between the breaker strip and the frame to magnetically attract the door gasket magnet. In a preferred embodiment an odd number of alternating magnet poles are aligned with the axis of elongation of the magnets and the poles of the stationary cabinet magnet are opposite those of the door gasket magnet. The seamless breaker strip provides a non-metallic door sealing surface which reduces heat transfer and condensation on the outer front face of the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1988
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: John P. Keil, George W. Sisk, Glenn E. Katterhenry, Walter H. Schentrup
  • Patent number: 4653819
    Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet including a storage compartment having an access opening surrounded by a face portion of magnetic material. A door is hingedly mounted on said cabinet for closing and opening said access opening. The door comprises an outer panel and an inner panel, said panels having thermal insulation therebetween. There is provided a sealing gasket of resilient material mounted on the door adjacent the peripheral edges and including a base portion and a cabinet engaging portion integrally joined to the base portion and including a magnet to provide the sole means for holding the door in a closed position. The base portion has a web parallel to the door and also has an upwardly extending rigid projection with a terminal end intermediate the ends of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Leo Swerbinsky
  • Patent number: 4644698
    Abstract: A refrigerator having an outer case, an inner liner with thermal insulation therebetween, and a storage compartment having an access opening surrounded by a face portion of magnetic material. A door is hingedly mounted on said cabinet for closing and opening said access opening. The door comprises an outer panel and an inner panel with a peripheral edge portion and terminal end, said panels having thermal insulation therebetween. Elongated channel member sections having top, bottom and side walls are located adjacent the peripheral edges of the door on all four sides and have spaced screw openings in the bottom and top walls with the screw openings in the bottom wall being countersunk. An open slot in the top wall interconnects the screw openings along the length of the channel member sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1987
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Keith W. Gerdes, Douglas E. Corts, Thomas E. Jenkins, Stephen C. Lesmeister, Louis A. Welle, Sr.
  • Patent number: 4609234
    Abstract: A door hinge device comprises a door support member and a door mounting member. The door support member is provided with a tongue, and is attached to a refrigerator housing. The door mounting member is attached to a door, and is provided with a second coupling portion connected to the tongue. A shaft and a guide pin stand on the tongue, and each is loosely fitted with a cylindrical collar. The door mounting member is provided with a shaft fitting slot which extends along the depth of the refrigerator housing when the door is closed, and the shaft is fitted in the shaft fitting slot. A guide recess is formed at the rear portion of the second coupling portion to engage the guide pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1986
    Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isao Naniwa, Kazuo Nishida, Kiyoshi Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 4588235
    Abstract: An improved refrigerator door structure, the mounting frame and door thereof being fabricated of fiberglass, fiberglass reinforced thermoplastic, or other lightweight material. An innermost and an outermost glass pane are sealably mounted within the door frame to enclose one or more sheets of heat reflective transparent plastic material space parallel to and laterally from the panes and sealably attached to the frame so as to prevent flow of air past any of the plastic sheets or glass panes. The heat reflective plastic surface serves as a barrier to our flow and also serves as a barrier to radiated heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1986
    Inventor: Louis F. Barroero
  • Patent number: 4583796
    Abstract: The insulated door for refrigerators, freezers or similar cabinets where the inner and outer door surfaces are normally subjected to substantially different temperatures. This device has an outer panel with two sides formed by folding up two opposing edges out of its four edges. Two end sections fit on the other two opposing edges of the outer panel in such a way as to close off the above-mentioned two sides. An inner panel is disposed parallel to the outer panel so that its four edges are positioned inside the above-mentioned two sides and two end sections. Insulated material is packed between the said outer and inner panels. The end sections are provided with a first projecting rib and second projecting ribs which grip from both sides in the thickness direction, the edges of the inner panel which are positioned inside the end section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1986
    Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noriaki Nakajima, Toshimasa Imaizumi, Kazuhiro Anzai
  • Patent number: 4547026
    Abstract: A multi-unit storage system comprised of individual storage units reciprocally movable on underlying tracks extending in a linear direction is provided with a seal arrangement between adjacent storage units which peripherally seals a storage space internal to the units from the exterior environment when the units are in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1985
    Assignee: Interior Steel Equipment Co.
    Inventors: Robert J. French, Elmer F. Dorony
  • Patent number: 4500145
    Abstract: A food dispenser includes a housing (12) with a receiving chamber (14) and an auxiliary chamber (16) on the interior thereof. A reciprocating platform (28) is disposed in the receiving chamber (14) for reciprocation therein. A cord (30) is wrapped about the platform (28) and having one end thereof attached to a point (32) on the rim (24) of the housing and the other end thereof wound about a pulley (36) for rotation therewith. The pulley (36) is attached to a shaft (38) in the auxiliary chamber (16) which is rotatable with a knob (40). A lid (18) is mounted on the housing (12) with a hinge (20) to provide an airtight seal thereto. Food disposed in the receiving chamber (14) can be dispensed by raising the platform (28) and then stored by closing the lid on the remaining food products therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1985
    Inventor: Arthur L. Fassauer
  • Patent number: 4496201
    Abstract: A glass door for a refrigerator or freezer having an open rectangular frame around the glass, the top, bottom and sides of the frame each comprising a front metal extrusion and a rear plastic extrusion, the front extrusion having a part extending in front of the glass and the rear having a part extending in back of the glass, the extrusions being snap-fitted together with the glass between said parts, the plastic rear members being of low thermal conductivity relative to the metal front members for reduced heat transfer from the metal front members through the plastic rear members to maintain the metal front members warmer and avoid condensation of moisture on the exposed surfaces thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1985
    Assignee: UMC Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: David F. Allgeyer
  • Patent number: 4474020
    Abstract: A cooling chamber for drawing down freshly picked and field warmed unitized (for example in cartons stacked on pallets) vegetables, such as cauliflower, is disclosed. Freshly picked cauliflower is placed in rectangular cartons in side-by-side stacks of four extending approximately fourteen cartons high. A group of individual pallets (typically 10 to 12) so loaded are typically placed in the field on a transport chassis and brought to the vicinity of the cooling chamber where they are simultaneously unloaded by a multi-pallet forklift truck. The chamber receives multi-pallet load through an open door and is inserted into the chamber. This chamber has a rear seal which conforms to the periphery of the load and defines in the interstitial volume between the chamber backwall and load a warm air return plenum to forced draft refrigeration apparatus. The load when placed within the chamber has a door closed to form an air-tight seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1984
    Assignee: Bud Antle, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl D. Freeman
  • Patent number: 4469383
    Abstract: A refrigerator cabinet and method of constructing the same including a storage compartment having an access opening surrounded by a face portion comprising an area composed of magnetic material. A door is hingedly mounted on the cabinet for closing the access opening and the door comprises an outer metal panel having an inwardly turned flange extending about the periphery thereof and a plastic inner panel having a flange with a peripheral edge portion overlying and joined to the flange of the outer panel, the panels having thermal insulation therebetween. A sealing gasket is mounted on the door adjacent the peripheral edge and includes a base portion overlying the peripheral edge of the inner panel and a cabinet engaging portion integrally joined to the base portion and includes a magnetic means attracted to the area of magnetic material and provides the sole means for holding the door in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1984
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Gerhard K. Losert
  • Patent number: 4465328
    Abstract: A rotatable latch, as for the door of an enclosure, has a positive indication of latching, the indication capable of being felt and heard. A rotatable latch member mounted, for example, on the door, has a radially extending finger which engages with a latch plate mounted on the door frame. The latch plate has an inclined surface up which moves the finger, against a spring bias. At the end of the inclined surface is a detent into which the finger snaps, under the action of the spring bias, when the rotatable latch member is in a fully latched position. The snapping of the finger into the detent can be both felt and heard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1984
    Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited
    Inventors: George Tihanyi, Zbigniew T. Karwowski
  • Patent number: 4462646
    Abstract: An enclosure structure including a cabinet having an insulative wall defining an internal space selectively closed by a closure member hingedly mounted to the cabinet. The end of the insulating space in the wall is closed by a cooperating breaker collar, inner liner, and outer shell flange structure arranged to be free of protuberant portions for nonbinding, wiping movement of the closure gasket thereagainst in the selective positioning of the closure member between open and closed positions. In the illustrated embodiment, the shell flange includes a turned distal portion projecting downward with respect to the insulating space and the breaker collar includes a distal connecting portion embracing the turned distal portion of the flange to provide a positive connection of the breaker collar to the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1984
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: George J. Fleck
  • Patent number: 4391478
    Abstract: Drawers for storage units such as dental cabinets are provided with a sealing system that eliminates the need for seal mounting partitions between vertically stacked drawers. Flexible seal members are attached to upper drawer handles, and these flexible sealing members contact the top of the next lower drawer handle when the drawers are closed, thus sealing the space between the drawers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1983
    Assignee: Sybron Corporation
    Inventor: Hans C. Grunert
  • Patent number: 4384750
    Abstract: A housing for a magnetic disk memory is assembled of a lower part and cup-shaped upper part which is seated on the rim of the lower part. A continuous angular bracket is secured to the inner surface of the lower arm and overlaps vertically the rim of the latter. An elastic sleeve has a mounting groove engaging the inwardly projecting arm of the bracket, and another mounting groove engaging a plate for supporting a rotary drive for the disks and a magnetic head assembly. The elastic sleeve further includes a flexible lip which abuts against a continuous shoulder on the inner surface of the upper housing part to seal the interior of the housing against outer atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1983
    Assignee: Hightrack Computer Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Horst Hager
  • Patent number: 4317607
    Abstract: The container is in the form of an insulated housing with a front wall having a plurality of apertures therethrough with a plurality of container drawers supported in the housing, each drawer being insertable through one of the apertures. Each drawer is supported by means of parallel disposed guide rails for permitting sliding movement of the drawer through the aperture between a closed position and an extended position. Each drawer preferably comprises a solid insulated front panel, a solid rear insulated panel having openings for accommodating the guide rails, along with two sides and a bottom that are perforated or made from a screen material, thus forming a rectangular container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1982
    Inventor: William Gomolka
  • Patent number: 4304341
    Abstract: A refrigerated dispensing unit is disclosed comprising a cabinet which is adapted to receive a container of the type having a dispensing valve projecting outwardly for dispensing liquid from the container. The door enclosing the cabinet is pivotally mounted and has one or more apertures therein including a deformable gasket to receive and releasably engage the dispensing valve on the container when the door is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1981
    Inventor: William C. Shirley
  • Patent number: 4288135
    Abstract: A french door refrigerator seal having vertically extending seal elements on the juxtaposed edges of the french doors defining an air space therebetween. Closure seals are provided at the upper and lower ends of the edge seals to close the air space and thereby define an insulative dead air space between the french door edge portions when the doors are in the closed position. The closure seals illustratively may be formed as overlapping flexible flaps carried by the vertical edge seal elements which illustratively may form pairs of flexible flaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1981
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Buchser, Ralph Tate, Charles W. Haag
  • Patent number: 4248489
    Abstract: A refrigerator door structure comprising a door hingedly mounted on a mullion is disclosed, one or more of which may be mounted in a suitable opening through the wall of a refrigerator compartment without a frame and with or without a starter mullion to close such opening while providing access therethrough. The door and mullion are designed to be inverted to provide for either right-hand or left-hand opening of the door. The packaging of the door structure with appropriate shelving elements is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1981
    Inventors: Louis F. Barroero, Socrates Dekas
  • Patent number: 4226489
    Abstract: A door assembly having first and second pivotally mounted doors defining juxtaposed portions in a closed arrangement thereof. A seal structure is provided for sealing the juxtaposed edges of the doors in the closed arrangement. The seal structure defines inner and outer seals cooperatively forming a large closed air space therebetween. The seals may include overlapping sealing portions which may have magnetized structures therein for effecting a positive seal. The seals may include relatively stiff or rigid mounting portions secured to rearwardly projecting dikes on the doors and effectively defining opposed projections of the dikes extending a substantial portion of the distance between the dikes. The seals may include flexible sealing portions at the distal ends of the rigid mounting portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1980
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Charles W. Haag
  • Patent number: 4199205
    Abstract: A refrigeration appliance cabinet provided with an improved foam stop and insulation element at a front edge portion of the cabinet. The element may be formed of a rigid polyurethane foam to provide improved insulation characteristics around the front edge portion by providing in combination the rigid foam insulation with the foamed-in-place insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1980
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ralph C. Cooke, James D. Wilkerson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4196953
    Abstract: Amateur photographers who print and develop their own photographs often set up a temporary darkroom in a bathroom. This invention, entitled "darkroom module" is to be placed in front of an open door of a room, such as a bathroom, to facilitate the use of the room as a darkroom by providing:a light seal enabling the bathroom to be light-tighta working area which permits the permanent mounting of photographic equipment such as an enlarger, timer, color analyzer, etc.storage areaa light-proof air inlet in which a ventilating fan may be installed, if required, for adequate ventilationelectrical outlets for photographic equipment.When the darkroom is not required, the module is to be moved to another location. Since much of the equipment may be mounted permanently and the other equipment may be stored in the module, the setting-up time for conversion of the bathroom to a temporary darkroom is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1976
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1980
    Inventor: Kalman I. Krakow
  • Patent number: 4173378
    Abstract: A supporting frame and cover panel assembly adapted for slidably and sealingly supporting a food storage drawer in a generally airtight sealed environment for extended food storage. The assembly includes a rectangular one-piece frame supporting a cover panel in a locked manner by a pair of trim members. A seal, suitably affixed in the side members and a rearward member, are substantially coextensive therewith such that the seal extends into a path of the drawer when the drawer is moved from its open position to its closed position, whereby when the drawer is in its closed position the seal abuts the side and rear walls of the drawer. The front cross frame member includes means for effecting a sealed relationship with the front wall of the drawer when the drawer is in its closed position to complete the generally airtight sealed environment for the food in the drawer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1979
    Assignee: White Consolidated Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Hanson, Paul E. Kronenberger, Charles C. Whistler, Jr.
  • Patent number: RE34393
    Abstract: An improved device for providing EMI/RFI shielding for a joint is disclosed comprising a compressible, resilient sealing element and a conductive shielding element bonded to the sealing element and positioned such that the shielding element provides a direct electrical contact across the joint. The disclosed invention further provides a cabinet which effectively utilizes such a device. The disclosed invention also includes an improved cabinet construction which minimizes the paths by which moisture and debris may enter the cabinet interior, while providing a cabinet which is transportable without violating the integrity of the cabinet structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1993
    Assignee: Gichner Systems Group, Inc.
    Inventor: George McIlwraith