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US-20260126234-A1 - AIR DUCT ATTACHMENT HOOK SYSTEM

US20260126234A1US 20260126234 A1US20260126234 A1US 20260126234A1US-20260126234-A1

Abstract

A refrigerator including a cabinet having a liner positioned within and defining an internal cavity. At least one air duct disposed between the cabinet and the liner, the air duct is secured to the liner along an exterior of the liner, and the air duct includes a flange protruding radially outward therefrom and proximate to an end of the air duct. The flange also includes at least one hook and at least one snap that extend axially from the flange in an arrangement around a periphery of the end of the air duct. The at least one hooks slidingly engage an orifice defined by the liner to secure the air duct to the liner. A first hook may be positioned adjacent a second hook at a predetermined distance apart from each other and the at least one snap may be extending axially from a second end of the flange.

Inventors

  • Antonio Sanchez
  • Chad Rotter
  • Ryan M. Post
  • Shawn W. HAYS

Assignees

  • WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241101

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A refrigerator comprising: a cabinet; a liner positioned within the cabinet, the liner defining an internal cavity; at least one air duct disposed between the cabinet and the liner, the air duct secured to the liner along an exterior of the liner, and wherein the air duct includes a flange protruding radially outward therefrom and proximate to an end of the air duct; and at least one hook and at least one snap extend axially from the flange in an arrangement around a periphery of the end of the air duct, wherein the at least one hooks slidingly engage an orifice defined by the liner to secure the air duct to the liner.
  2. 2 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the orifice is at least one of a slot and an aperture, wherein the slot is configured to receive the at least one hook and the aperture is configured to receive the at least one snap.
  3. 3 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising an air duct outlet the air duct outlet having a vertical projection extending around the air duct outlet and vertically above the flange.
  4. 4 . The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the vertical projection extends through the liner and into the cabinet.
  5. 5 . The refrigerator of claim 3 , further comprising a lip extending at least partially radially from a side of a top edge of the vertical projection.
  6. 6 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a gasket, the gasket configured to be positioned between the flange and the liner.
  7. 7 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the flange includes a hook side and a snap side, and wherein at least one of the hook side and the snap side is curved.
  8. 8 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hook includes an upward sloped surface extending toward the at least one snap.
  9. 9 . The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein an engagement surface of the at least one hook and an engagement surface of the at least one snap are spaced a first distance apart, and the slot and the aperture are spaced a second distance apart, wherein the first distance and the second distance equal an engagement distance configured to connect the air duct to the liner with a friction fit.
  10. 10 . A refrigerator comprising; a liner defining a fresh food cavity; an air duct secured to an exterior surface of the liner; a flange protruding radially outward therefrom proximate to an end of the air duct; a first hook, and a second hook, extending axially from a first end of the flange, wherein the first hook is positioned adjacent the second hook at a predetermined distance apart; at least one snap extending axially from a second end of the flange, the second end of the flange positioned opposite the first end of the flange; and wherein the first hook, the second hook and the at least on snap are configured to engage a corresponding orifice defined by the liner to secure the air duct to the liner.
  11. 11 . The refrigerator of claim 10 , further comprising a third hook, the third hook extending radially from the end of the air duct, wherein the additional hook is offset from the flange.
  12. 12 . The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first hook, the second hook and the third hook include an upward sloped surface the upward sloped surface configured to engage at least a portion of the liner.
  13. 13 . The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the flange is slightly offset from the end of the air duct such that the end of the air duct protrudes axially from the flange in a same direction as the hooks and snaps.
  14. 14 . The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein an outer region of the flange is arced to (i) conform to a rounded edge along the exterior of the liner and (ii) guide the air duct into position for installation onto the liner.
  15. 15 . The refrigerator of claim 14 , further comprising a gasket, the gasket configured to be positioned between the flange and the liner.
  16. 16 . A refrigerator comprising: a liner; an air duct, the air duct having a radially extending flange; a hook protruding axially from the flange; a snap protruding axially from the flange and spaced at a predetermined distance from the hook; a first orifice and a second orifice positioned adjacent a liner air duct opening, the air duct opening positioned on the liner, wherein the hook slidingly engages at least one of the first orifice and the second orifice and the snap engages the other of the at least one first orifice and the second orifice to secure the air duct to the liner.
  17. 17 . The refrigerator of claim 16 , further comprising a third hook, the third hook extending radially from the end of the air duct, wherein the additional hook is offset from the flange.
  18. 18 . The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the flange is slightly offset from the end of the air duct such that the end of the air duct protrudes axially from the flange in a same direction as the hook and snap.
  19. 19 . The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein an outer region of the flange is arced to (i) conform to a rounded edge along the exterior of the liner and (ii) guide the air duct into position for installation onto the liner.
  20. 20 . The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the first orifice and the second orifice are sized to create a friction fit with the hook and snap when the air duct is engaged with the liner.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present application relates to an appliance such as a refrigerator. BACKGROUND To keep food fresh, a low temperature must be maintained within a refrigerator to reduce the reproduction rate of harmful bacteria. Refrigerators circulate refrigerant and change the refrigerant from a liquid state to a gas state by an evaporation process to cool the air within the refrigerator. During the evaporation process, heat is transferred to the refrigerant. After evaporating, a compressor increases the pressure, and in turn, the temperature of the refrigerant. The gas refrigerant is then condensed into a liquid and the excess heat is rejected to the ambient surroundings. The process then repeats. SUMMARY A refrigerator includes a cabinet having a liner positioned within and defining an internal cavity. At least one air duct may be disposed between the cabinet and the liner, the air duct may be secured to the liner along an exterior of the liner, and the air duct includes a flange protruding radially outward therefrom and proximate to an end of the air duct. The flange may include at least one hook and at least one snap that extend axially from the flange in an arrangement around a periphery of the end of the air duct. The at least one hook may slidingly engage an orifice defined by the liner to secure the air duct to the liner. A refrigerator including a liner defining a fresh food cavity and an air duct secured to an exterior surface of the liner. The air duct may include a flange protruding radially outward therefrom and proximate to an end of the air duct. The flange may include a first hook, and a second hook, extending axially from a first end of the flange. The first hook may be positioned adjacent the second hook at a predetermined distance apart from each other and at least one snap may be extending axially from a second end of the flange. The second end of the flange may be positioned opposite the first end of the flange. The first hook, the second hook and the at least one snap may be configured to engage a corresponding orifice defined by the liner to secure the air duct to the liner A refrigerator having a liner and an air duct. The air duct having a radially extending flange with a hook protruding axially from the flange and a snap spaced a predetermined distance from the hook and protruding axially from the flange. The refrigerator may also have a first orifice and a second orifice positioned adjacent a liner air duct opening with the air duct opening positioned on the liner. The hook may slidingly engage at least one of the first orifice and the second orifice while the snap may engage the other of the at least one first orifice and the second orifice to secure the air duct to the liner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top front perspective view of a refrigerator; FIG. 2 is a top rear perspective view of the refrigerator of FIG. 1 with an exterior wrapper removed to reveal a refrigerator liner assembly coupled to an air duct assembly; FIG. 3 is a top front interior perspective view of the refrigerator liner assembly of FIG. 2 with the air duct assembly extending into a refrigerator cavity; FIG. 4 is a detail side section view of FIG. 2 with the first side liner wall removed and the air duct assembly couple to the refrigerator liner with exterior wrapper removed; FIG. 5 is a side top perspective view of the first air duct assembly of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a top exploded perspective view of the first air duct assembly of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a detail top perspective view of the first air duct assembly of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a side elevation detail view of the first air duct assembly of FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is a detail side view of FIG. 2 with the second air duct assembly couple to the refrigerator liner with exterior wrapper removed; FIG. 10 is a side top perspective view of the second air duct assembly of FIG. 9; FIG. 11 is a top exploded perspective view of the second air duct assembly of FIG. 10; FIG. 12 is a detail top perspective view of the second air duct assembly of FIG. 11; and FIG. 13 is a side elevation detail view of the second air duct assembly of FIG. 12. DETAILED DESCRIPTION As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments may take various and alternative forms. The figures are