U.S. patent application number 10/195623 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-30 for refrigerator bucket.
Invention is credited to Eveland, Michael J., Kniffen, Todd E., Leimkuehler, Scott W., Nugent, Timothy Mark, Nurre, J. Michael.
Application Number | 20030020385 10/195623 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26891150 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030020385 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Leimkuehler, Scott W. ; et
al. |
January 30, 2003 |
Refrigerator bucket
Abstract
A refrigerator bucket for mounting to a refrigerator door is
disclosed. The refrigerator bucket includes a container having an
open top face with a finished top edge and tabs extending
downwardly from the top edge of the container for connecting the
container to the refrigerator door, and a trim piece connected to
the container, the trim piece at least partially covering the
finished top edge of the container.
Inventors: |
Leimkuehler, Scott W.;
(Swisher, IA) ; Nurre, J. Michael; (Cedar Rapids,
IA) ; Kniffen, Todd E.; (Williamsbureg, IA) ;
Eveland, Michael J.; (Cedar Rapids, IA) ; Nugent,
Timothy Mark; (Venice, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCKEE, VOORHEES & SEASE, P.L.C.
ATTN: MAYTAG
801 GRAND AVENUE, SUITE 3200
DES MOINES
IA
50309-2721
US
|
Family ID: |
26891150 |
Appl. No.: |
10/195623 |
Filed: |
July 15, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60305714 |
Jul 16, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
312/405.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 2400/18 20130101;
F25D 23/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/405.1 |
International
Class: |
A47B 096/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A refrigerator bucket for mounting to a refrigerator door,
comprising: a container having an open top face with a finished top
edge and tabs extending downwardly from the top edge of the
container for connecting the container to the refrigerator door;
and a trim piece operatively connected to the container for at
least partially covering the finished top edge of the
container.
2. The refrigerator bucket of claim 1 wherein the trim piece is
connected to the container using ultrasonic welding.
3. The refrigerator bucket of claim 1 wherein the trim piece
includes a top side and an underside, the underside having an
energy director for ultrasonic welding to the container.
4. The refrigerator bucket of claim 1 wherein the container is
composed of a clear thermoplastic.
5. The refrigerator bucket of claim 1 wherein the trim piece is
composed of an opaque thermoplastic.
6. A method for manufacturing a refrigerator bucket, comprising:
providing a container having a finished open top face with a
finished top edge; providing a trim piece having a finished top
side and an unfinished underside for at least partially covering
the finished top edge of the container, the unfinished underside
having an energy director for welding to the container; and welding
the underside of the trim piece to the container.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the container is composed of clear
thermoplastic.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the container is composed of an
opaque thermoplastic.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein the container includes tabs
downwardly extending from the finished top edge for connecting the
container to a refrigerator door.
10. A refrigerator bucket for mounting to a refrigerator door,
comprising: a container having an open top face with a finished top
edge; a trim piece having a top side and an underside, the
underside having an energy director; and the trim piece
ultrasonically welded to the container such that the trim piece at
least partially covers the finished top edge of the container.
11. The refrigerator bucket of claim 10 wherein the container
includes tabs extending downwardly from the finished top edge for
connecting the container to the refrigerator door.
12. The refrigerator bucket of claim 10 wherein the container is
composed of a clear thermoplastic.
13. The refrigerator bucket of claim 10 wherein the trim piece is
composed of an opaque thermoplastic.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 60/305,714 filed on Jul. 16, 2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a method and apparatus for a
refrigerator bucket. More particularly, this invention relates to a
refrigerator bucket having a trim piece.
[0003] Refrigerator buckets, bins, or containers are used in
refrigerators to hold or retain refrigerated items. Generally,
these refrigerator buckets are mounted to a refrigerator door.
[0004] The style and appearance of the refrigerator buckets is
normally customized for each particular refrigerator model.
Unfortunately, this customization leads to increased production
costs as additional tooling, molds, and materials must be used in
order to create the buckets for one style of a refrigerator that
are not usable for other styles of refrigerators.
[0005] One known bucket design uses a trim ring affixed to a
container using either adhesive or plastic welding to form a single
bucket. The container is clear plastic while the trim ring is
opaque. However, there are problems with such a design. First, the
container has an opening that is unfinished and therefore the
container cannot be used alone in the refrigerator without the use
of the trim ring. In this design, a trim ring must be attached to
the bucket. Such a design uses gas assisted injection molding to
form the trim rings, thus adding to the expense of using the
design. Finally, because of the geometry used to ultrasonically
weld the trim ring to the buckets, the same tooling cannot be used
to form the combination of a clear bucket with a trim ring and an
opaque bucket without a trim ring.
[0006] Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to
provide a method and apparatus for a refrigerator bucket that
improves upon the state of the art.
[0007] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
method and apparatus for a refrigerator bucket that increases the
number of styles for a refrigerator bucket without corresponding
increases in the number and costs of molds and tooling.
[0008] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
method and apparatus for a refrigerator bucket that provides for
flexibility in the aesthetic design of the refrigerator bucket.
[0009] A further object of the present invention is to provide a
method and apparatus for a refrigerator bucket that is efficient to
manufacture.
[0010] These and other objects, features, and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the Specification and
Claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention provides an improved refrigerator
bucket and a method for creating the refrigerator bucket. A
refrigerator bucket can be mounted in a refrigerator door. The
refrigerator bucket includes a container having an open top portion
with a finished top edge, and a trim piece connected to the
container at least partially covering the finished top edge of the
container. The trim piece is connected to the container using
ultrasonic welding. The trim piece of the refrigerator bucket
includes a top side and an underside, the underside having an
energy director for ultrasonic welding the trim piece to the
container.
[0012] The trim piece and the container of the refrigerator bucket
are preferably composed of thermoplastics. The present invention
contemplates that different styles of trim pieces and/or buckets
can be used. For example, the container portion of the refrigerator
bucket can be either an opaque plastic of various colors or else a
clear plastic. Similarly, the trim piece can be either an opaque
plastic of various colors or a clear plastic.
[0013] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method
for manufacturing a refrigerator bucket. The method includes
providing a container having a finished open top face with a
finished top edge, providing a trim piece having a finished top
side and an unfinished underside for at least partially covering
the finished top edge of the container. The unfinished underside of
the trim piece has an energy director for welding to the container.
Then the underside of the trim piece is welded to the container.
According to this aspect of the present invention, the container
can be of various styles including being of opaque plastic or of
clear plastic. Similarly, the trim piece can be of various styles
or colors, including being of an opaque plastic or else a clear
plastic.
[0014] Thus, the present invention provides for the advantages of a
refrigerator bucket that can be created in such a manner that a
container with or without a trim piece can be used in the
refrigerator bucket without requiring additional tooling or molding
for the container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to
one embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an assembled refrigerator
bucket according to the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a trim piece and a container
according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the interface between a trim
piece and a container according to one embodiment of the
refrigerator bucket of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a refrigerator 10 having a refrigerator
door 12. One or more refrigerator buckets or bins 16 are
operatively connected to the refrigerator door 12. Each
refrigerator bucket 16 can be used for storing food items or other
refrigerated items in order to increase the usable storage capacity
of the refrigerator 10 or to otherwise provide a convenient manner
of storage.
[0020] Although a side-by-side configuration of a refrigerator 10
is shown, refrigerator buckets are present in any number of
refrigerator configurations. Also, the number of refrigerator
buckets 16 varies. The present invention contemplates that any
number of refrigerator buckets 16 can be used in a refrigerator
10.
[0021] FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the refrigerator
bucket 16. The refrigerator bucket 16 includes a trim piece 18 that
at least partially covers a container 20. The trim piece 18 can be
of various styles, colors and shapes to provide improved or
varieties of styles and appearances. Similarly, the container 20
can be of various styles, colors, or shapes to also provide
improved appearance or to provide for a variety of appearances.
Preferably, both the trim piece 18 and the container 20 are
composed of thermoplastics. Either or both of the trim piece 18 and
the container 20 can be composed of clear plastic or an opaque
plastic. For example, where the container 20 is of an opaque
plastic, a trim piece 18 of a clear plastic can be used. Similarly,
where the container 20 is of a clear plastic, an opaque trim piece
18 can be used. The present invention contemplates these and other
variations in the particular plastic used for the trim piece and
the container.
[0022] FIG. 3 provides a perspective view of the trim piece 18
separated from the container 20. The container 20 includes an open
top face 22. This allows items to be placed in the container. Along
at least a portion of the top face 22 of the container is a
finished top edge 24. Because the top edge 24 is finished, the
container can be used as a refrigerator bucket without the use of a
trim piece. There are also downwardly extending tabs 26 that extend
downward from the top edge 24 of the container 20. These tabs are
used to secure the refrigerator bucket 16 to a refrigerator door
12. Although tabs 26 are shown, the present invention contemplates
that other securing means can be used such as are appropriate for a
particular design or application. The finished top edge 24 of the
container 20 as well as the tabs 26 allow the refrigerator
container 20 to function independently as a refrigerator
bucket.
[0023] The trim piece 18 connects to the container to at least
partially cover the finished top edge 24 of the container 20. The
trim piece 18 includes a top side 28 of the trim 18 and a bottom
side or underside 30 of the trim 18.
[0024] FIG. 4 provides a cross sectional view taken along line 4-4
of FIG. 2 that shows the interface between the trim piece 18 and
the container 20. The bottom side 30 of the trim piece 18 contains
at lease one energy director 32 for use in ultrasonic welding. This
is unlike standard practice where the energy director would
typically be placed on both surfaces to be welded. Placing the
energy director only on the trim piece 18 allows the container 20
to be used as a refrigerator bucket without a trim piece. Because
the container 20 does not include an energy director, the top edge
24 of the container 20 can be a finished surface.
[0025] The trim piece 18 is connected to the container 20 through
ultrasonic welding. In ultrasonic welding, ultrasonic vibrations
are transduced through a weld horn that contacts the surface to be
welded. This melts the plastic parts together at the weld point to
form a bond. The plastic is then quickly cooled. Ultrasonic welding
provides strong weld strength and is time efficient.
[0026] Thus, the present invention discloses a method and apparatus
for a refrigerator bucket assembly where different styles of
refrigerator buckets can be manufactured. A container 20 of a
refrigerator bucket assembly can be used with or without a trim
piece 18 as the energy director 24 of the trim piece 18 is located
on the bottom side 30 of trim piece 18 and the container 20 has a
finished top edge 24. The present invention contemplates variations
in the type of material used in the container 20 and trim piece 18,
the geometries of the container 20 and the trim piece 18, the
styles, the type of plastics used, and the manner of connecting the
refrigerator bucket to a refrigerator door. These and other
variations are within the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *