U.S. patent application number 11/576370 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-08 for trim joint for sealing gaps between panes of flat glass.
This patent application is currently assigned to CARRIER CORPORATION. Invention is credited to William Scott Teeter.
Application Number | 20070256390 11/576370 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38659957 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070256390 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Teeter; William Scott |
November 8, 2007 |
TRIM JOINT FOR SEALING GAPS BETWEEN PANES OF FLAT GLASS
Abstract
A refrigerator case assembly is provided which includes at least
two refrigerator case elements positioned next to each other and
defining a gap therebetween; and a trim joint having a body portion
for covering the gap and a mounting member for releasably securing
the trim joint relative to the at least two case elements with the
body portion covering the gap.
Inventors: |
Teeter; William Scott;
(Niles, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACHMAN & LAPOINTE, P.C. (UTC)
900 CHAPEL STREET
SUITE 1201
NEW HAVEN
CT
06510-2802
US
|
Assignee: |
CARRIER CORPORATION
One Carrier Place
Farmington
CT
06034-4015
|
Family ID: |
38659957 |
Appl. No.: |
11/576370 |
Filed: |
September 29, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
September 29, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US05/35527 |
371 Date: |
March 30, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/745.1 ;
52/463; 52/769 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 3/043 20130101;
A47F 3/0434 20130101; F25D 23/065 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/745.1 ;
052/463; 052/769 |
International
Class: |
E04C 2/38 20060101
E04C002/38 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator case assembly comprising: at least two
refrigerator case elements positioned next to each other and
defining a gap therebetween; and a trim joint comprising a body
portion for covering the gap and a mounting member for releasably
securing the trim joint relative to the at least two case elements
with the body portion covering the gap.
2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the body portion is a
substantially flat elongate member having two ends, and wherein the
mounting member is positioned at one of the two ends.
3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting member comprises a
clip adapted to press fit over at least one of the case
elements.
4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the clip comprises an end
portion of the body portion, a transverse portion extending from
the end portion, and an opposed portion extending from the
transverse portion substantially parallel to the body portion and
defining a gap therebetween for receiving an edge of at least one
of the case elements.
5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the opposed portion has at
least one bump extending toward the body portion from a plane of
the opposed portion so as to provide a press fit with at least one
of the case elements.
6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least the body portion of
the trim joint is made of substantially transparent material.
7. A trim joint for a refrigerator case, comprising: a body portion
comprising an elongate member having two ends; and a mounting
member positioned at one of the two ends for releasably mounting
the body portion to a refrigerator case.
8. The trim joint of claim 7, wherein the mounting member comprises
a clip.
9. The trim joint of claim 8, wherein the clip comprises an end
portion of the body portion, a transverse portion extending from
the end portion, and an opposed portion extending from the
transverse portion substantially parallel to the body portion and
defining a gap therebetween for receiving an edge of at least one
of the case elements.
10. The trim joint of claim 9, wherein the opposed portion has at
least one bump extending toward the body portion from a plane of
the opposed portion so as to provide a press fit with at least one
of the case elements.
11. The trim joint of claim 7, wherein at least the body portion of
the trim joint is made of substantially transparent material.
12. A method for enhancing efficiency of a refrigerator case,
comprising the steps of: providing at least two refrigerator case
elements positioned next to each other and defining a gap
therebetween; providing a trim joint comprising a body portion for
covering the gap and a mounting member for releasably securing the
trim joint relative to the at least two case elements with the body
portion covering the gap; and selectively positioning the trim
joint so that the body portion covers the gap and the mounting
member engages at least one of the refrigerator case elements.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of provisional
application Ser. No. 60/615,367, filed Oct. 1, 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to refrigerator cases.
[0003] Refrigerator cases typically have flat panes of glass which
form portions of the case, and which can come together leaving a
gap defined therebetween. These gaps are needed to allow smooth
operation of the refrigerator case, for example during opening and
closing.
[0004] In some instances, users and/or regulatory authorities
require some form of closing of this gap, either in order to comply
with regulations or to improve efficiency by limiting escape of
cooled air through the gap.
[0005] It is the object of the invention to provide a solution to
this problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] According to the invention, the foregoing objects and
advantages have been readily attained.
[0007] According to the invention, a refrigerator case assembly is
provided comprising at least two refrigerator case elements
positioned next to each other and defining a gap therebetween; and
a trim joint comprising a body portion for covering the gap and a
mounting member for releasably securing the trim joint relative to
the at least two case elements with the body portion covering the
gap.
[0008] Still further according to the invention, a trim joint is
provided for a refrigerator case, comprising a body portion
comprising an elongate member having two ends; and a mounting
member positioned at one of the two ends for releasably mounting
the body portion to a refrigerator case.
[0009] A method is also provided according to the invention for
enhancing efficiency of a refrigerator case, which method comprises
the steps of providing at least two refrigerator case elements
positioned next to each other and defining a gap therebetween;
providing a trim joint comprising a body portion for covering the
gap and a mounting member for releasably securing the trim joint
relative to the at least two case elements with the body portion
covering the gap; and selectively positioning the trim joint so
that the body portion covers the gap and the mounting member
engages at least one of the refrigerator case elements
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] A detailed description of preferred embodiments of the
present invention follows, with reference to the attached drawings,
wherein:
[0011] FIGS. 1-3 schematically illustrate a trim joint in
accordance with the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a refrigerator case as an
environment of use of the trim joint of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a portion of the case of
FIG. 4 with a trim joint shown in position with dashed lines;
and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a trim joint in position
relative to a refrigerator case gap in accordance with the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The invention relates to a trim joint for closing the gap
between substantially flat panes of glass or other material which
form a refrigerator case.
[0016] FIGS. 1-3 show a trim joint 10 which in this embodiment is a
substantially elongate body portion 12 and a securing or mounting
member 14 which can advantageously be used to secure trim joint 10
so as to cover a gap between two flat panes of glass on a
refrigerator case.
[0017] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a refrigerator case 50
having a base 52 and two case elements 54, 56 which define form a
wall of the case and define therebetween a gap 58. As is well known
to a person skilled in the art, case elements 54, 56, in this
instance glass wall members, define along with the other walls of
refrigerator case 50 a refrigerated space in which food products or
other items can be stored at controlled temperature.
[0018] Case 50 is typically designed so that there is a gap 58
between elements 54, 56, since generally at least one of these
elements can pivot relative to the rest of case 50 to an open
position, and gap 58 avoids frictional resistance to such movement.
Unfortunately, gap 58 also allows air flow from inside to outside
of the case and this air flow can be undesirable from an efficiency
standpoint and also in order to comply with certain government
regulations.
[0019] According to the invention, and as will be further discussed
below, trim joint 10 according to the invention advantageously can
be releasably positioned over the gap 58 as desired.
[0020] FIG. 1 shows trim joint 10 having a body portion 12 which
can advantageously have a width selected to cover the expected
sizes of gaps. For example, in the preferred embodiment, this
member can have a width of about two inches. This width is
preferably selected so that trim joint 10 has regions of overlap
between side edges of the body portion 12 and edges of case
elements 54, 56.
[0021] Trim joint 10 preferably has a length sufficient to cover
the length of the gap, that is, typically the vertical height of
the panes of flat glass which define the gap. In the embodiment
illustrated, the trim joint 10 has a length of 30.375 inches.
[0022] According to the invention, a clip member is provided as
securing or mounting member 14, and has a substantially transverse
portion 16 and a substantially parallel opposed or clipping portion
18, which preferably extends back from transverse portion 16,
substantially parallel with body portion 12, and opposed portion 18
and body portion 12 define a gap into which an edge of case element
54, 56 is received to releasably mount trim joint 10 relative to
gap 58.
[0023] Opposed portion 18 preferably has an inwardly extending bump
20 which extends toward body portion 12 and is used to clip and
secure trim joint 10 relative to refrigerator case elements 54, 56
which can, for example, be panes of glass. Bump 20 provides a press
fit relative to the edge of case elements 54, 56 to which trim
joint 10 is to be secured.
[0024] FIG. 6 shows trim joint 10 positioned over gap 58 by
mounting the mounting member 14 along a bottom edge of case
elements 54, 56. In this position, body portion 12 of trim joint 10
is positioned flat on the glass surfaces, specifically extending
along and overlapping the vertical edges of the glass surfaces
which define the gap, so that the trim joint seals this gap.
[0025] Trim joint 10 is preferably provided with at least body
portion 12 made of substantially transparent material. Since case
elements 54, 56 are typically glass or some other transparent
material so that objects within the case can be viewed, it is
functionally if not aesthetically preferable for trim joint 10 to
also be provided from transparent material in accordance with the
invention.
[0026] It should be appreciated that trim joint 10 of the present
invention advantageously solves the need for a structure to cover
gap 58, thereby providing for compliance with potential government
regulations and also for blocking air flow from inside to outside
of case 10 through gap 58, which enhances efficiency of operation
as well.
[0027] It should of course be appreciated that the invention is not
limited to the illustration described and shown herein, which is
deemed to be merely illustrative of the best modes of carrying out
the invention, and which is susceptible to modifications of form,
size, and arrangement of parts and details of operation. Rather,
the invention is invented to encompass all such modifications which
are within its spirit and scope.
* * * * *