Patent · US Expired

Method of making a refrigerator cabinet liner having non-crinkled corners

US4917841A · kind A · utility

56Cited by
7References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 7, 1988
Grant dateApr 17, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 7, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB29L2031/7622
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A refrigerator liner of a vacuum formed plastic with a thickness of about 0.007" to 0.050" has each corner formed without crinkling when thermal insulation material is foamed against the outer surface of the liner. The non-crinkling of each corner of the refrigerator liner is accomplished through forming each of the corners with a flat surface having its periphery as a circle during vacuum forming of the refrigerator liner rather than with a spherical radius. This enables the flat surface to be placed in tension when moved against a corresponding flat surface of a foam plug by the pressure produced during foaming of the foamed thermal insulation material. This results in each corner having a central portion with a convex cross section and an outer portion surrounding the central portion and concave in cross section whereby it does not appear to be crinkled.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.