Locking assemblies for door-in-door refrigerator appliances
US10234190B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 6, 2016 |
| Grant date | Mar 19, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 28, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02B40/00
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A locking assembly for a refrigerator appliance having inner and outer doors includes a catch mounted to an inner door of the refrigerator. The catch includes a body having a support surface and a locking member. The support surface may be positioned between an outer surface of the inner door and an inner surface of the outer door. The locking assembly also includes a latch coupled to the outer door and operable to engage the latch member. In addition, the locking assembly includes a magnet positioned on the support surface, and the magnet is operable to exert a magnetic bias on the outer door towards the inner door along the transverse direction to compress a gasket that is operable to seal against the outer surface of the inner door or the inner surface of the outer door.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.