Corner moldings and coolers made therewith

Abstract

Novel walk-in coolers and other enclosures, which employ novel elongate extruded, generally non-insulating corner moldings which receive thereinto wall panels of the enclosures. The elongate corner moldings have elongate first and second channels which extend toward an outer corner of the molding, and extend toward each other along intersecting, non-parallel paths. The channels are defined at least in part by the inner and outer walls of the molding. Each channel is defined by an end wall, and first and second side walls. A web provides a connection between the inner and outer walls. Also disclosed are methods of fabricating enclosures.

1 . As a unitary article of manufacture, an elongate corner molding having a length (L), a width (W), and a depth (D), said corner molding comprising: 
 (a) inner ( 2 ) and outer ( 4 ) walls defining inner ( 6 ) and outer ( 8 ) surfaces of said corner molding;    (b) elongate first ( 40 ) and second ( 42 ) channels extending into said molding toward an outer corner ( 30 ) of said molding, and being defined at least in part by said inner ( 2 ) and outer ( 4 ) walls, each said channel ( 40 ,  42 ) being defined by an end wall and first and second side walls extending away from said end wall in a generally common direction, the first and second channels extending along intersecting paths; and    (c) a web ( 36 ) providing a connection between said inner wall ( 2 ) and said outer wall ( 4 ).    
   
   
       2 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1  wherein the channels ( 40 ,  42 ) are defined in part by said web ( 36 ).  
   
   
       3 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1  wherein said web extends along a path and wherein the path, or a projection of a general direction of the path, intersects said outer wall ( 4 ) at a location displaced from the outer corner ( 30 ).  
   
   
       4 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1  wherein the first channel ( 40 ) extends toward the outer corner ( 30 ) and ends at a first end, and the second channel ( 42 ) extends toward the outer corner ( 30 ) and ends at a second different end, and wherein one of the first and second channels extends closer to the outer corner ( 30 ) than the other of the first and second channels.  
   
   
       5 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 4  wherein the one of the first and second channels extends substantially to the outer corner ( 30 ).  
   
   
       6 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1  wherein said corner molding is made with polymeric material.  
   
   
       7 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 6  wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of operable vinylidene chloride homopolymers and copolymers, operable low density polyethylene homopolymers and copolymers, operable medium density polyethylene homopolymers and copolymers, operable high density polyethylene homopolymers and copolymers, operable polypropylene homopolymers and copolymers, and operable polyamide homopolymers and copolymers.  
   
   
       8 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 6  wherein the polymeric material comprises vinylidene chloride polymer.  
   
   
       9 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 6  wherein the polymeric material comprises high impact, low temperature, grade vinylidene chloride polymer.  
   
   
       10 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1  wherein at least one of the channels is defined by an end wall, and first and second side walls extending away from said end wall in a generally common direction, and wherein said first and second side walls, of at least one of the channels, extend away from said end wall along converging paths when said corner molding is at rest.  
   
   
       11 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 10  wherein the converging paths define an angle (α) of about 2 degrees to about 15 degrees.  
   
   
       12 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 10  wherein the converging paths define an angle (α) of about 4 degrees to about 10 degrees.  
   
   
       13 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said side walls of a respective one of the channels ( 40 ,  42 ) is resiliently deflectable so as to facilitate resilient flexing of the side wall outwardly, thereby to accommodate enlarging of the respective channel at an opening therein so as to receive and grip a wall panel being inserted into the respective said channel.  
   
   
       14 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1  wherein each of the channels is defined by an end wall, and first and second side walls extending away from said end wall, and wherein each of the first and second channels has a channel width effective to receive, and to effectively retain, a wall panel having a thickness of between about 2 inches and about 6 inches.  
   
   
       15 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1  wherein each of the channels is defined by an end wall, and first and second side walls extending away from said end wall, and wherein each of the first and second channels has a channel width effective to receive, and to effectively retain, a wall panel having a thickness of between about 3 inches and about 5.5 inches.  
   
   
       16 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1  wherein each of the channels is defined by an end wall, and first and second side walls extending away from said end wall, and wherein each of the first and second channels has a channel width effective to receive, and to effectively retain, a wall panel having a thickness of between about 3.5 inches and about 4.1 inches.  
   
   
       17 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1 , said outer molding wall ( 4 ) comprising first ( 28 A) and second ( 28 B) legs extending from the outer corner ( 30 ) of said outer molding wall, said inner molding wall ( 2 ) comprising third ( 32 A) and fourth ( 32 B) legs extending from an inner corner ( 34 ) of said inner molding wall, said web ( 36 ) providing a connection between said first leg ( 28 A) and said inner wall ( 2 ), further comprising a second web ( 36 A) providing a second connection between said second leg ( 28 B) and said inner wall ( 2 ).  
   
   
       18 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 17  wherein each of the channels ( 40 ,  42 ) is further defined in part by at least one of said first ( 36 ) and second ( 36 A) webs.  
   
   
       19 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 17  wherein at least one of said webs ( 36 ,  36 A) extends along a path wherein the path or a projection of a general direction of the path, intersects said outer wall ( 4 ) at a location displaced from the outer corner ( 30 ).  
   
   
       20 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1  wherein said corner molding is asymmetric with respect to an imaginary line ( 48 ) extending through the inner ( 34 ) and outer ( 30 ) corners.  
   
   
       21 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1  wherein said corner molding is substantially symmetric with respect to the inner ( 34 ) and outer ( 30 ) corners.  
   
   
       22 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 17  wherein said corner molding is substantially symmetric with respect to the inner ( 34 ) and outer ( 30 ) corners.  
   
   
       23 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 17  wherein said corner molding is substantially asymmetric with respect to the inner ( 34 ) and outer ( 30 ) corners.  
   
   
       24 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1 , said corner molding having a thermal insulation value, between the inner surface ( 6 ) and the outer surface ( 8 ), at the first and second channels, through a combination of walls of said molding, of less than R4.  
   
   
       25 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 17 , said corner molding having a thermal insulation value, between the inner surface ( 6 ) and the outer surface ( 8 ), at the first and second channels, through a combination of walls of said molding, of less than R4.  
   
   
       26 . An elongate corner molding as in  claim 1 , said corner molding having no substantial thermal insulating value between the inner surface ( 6 ) and the outer surface ( 8 ), at the first and second channels, through a combination of walls of said molding.  
   
   
       27 . A walk-in cooler defining an enclosed and cooled space, said walk-in cooler having a plurality of upstanding walls, and comprising: 
 (a) a first said upstanding wall having a first length and comprising a plurality of first upstanding wall panels joined to each other in side-by-side relationship, said first upstanding wall panels having opposing first inner and first outer surfaces, and first thermally insulating material between the first inner and first outer surfaces, effective for use as a first thermal insulating barrier in defining a first outer wall of the cooled enclosed space, further comprising a first end one of said wall panels in said first wall;    (b) a second said upstanding wall having a second length and comprising a plurality of second upstanding wall panels joined to each other in side-by-side relationship, said second upstanding wall panels having opposing second inner and second outer surfaces, and second thermally insulating material between the second inner and second outer surfaces, effective for use as second thermal insulating barrier in defining a second outer wall of the cooled enclosed space, further comprising a second end one of said wall panels in said second wall, adjacent said first end one of said wall panels in said first wall;    (c) an elongate corner molding having a length (L), and having inner ( 2 ) and outer ( 4 ) walls defining inner ( 6 ) and outer ( 8 ) surfaces, and corresponding inner ( 34 ) and outer ( 30 ) corners of said cornier molding, and first ( 40 ) and second ( 42 ) elongate channels defined by channel side walls and channel end walls, the first and second channels being adapted and configured to receive the first and second end ones of said wall panels, the first and second channels extending along the length (L) of the corner molding, and extending toward each other along intersecting and non-parallel paths.    
   
   
       28 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27 , said molding having a thermal insulation value, between the inner surface and the outer surface, at the first and second channels, through a combination of walls of said molding, of less than R4.  
   
   
       29 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27 , said corner molding having no substantial thermal insulating value between the inner surface ( 6 ) and the outer surface ( 8 ), at the first and second channels through a combination of walls of said molding,.  
   
   
       30 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27 , said elongate corner molding further comprising a web ( 36 ) providing a connection between said inner wall ( 2 ) and said outer wall ( 4 ).  
   
   
       31 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 30  wherein at least one of the channels ( 40 ,  42 ) in said elongate corner molding is further defined in part by said web ( 36 ).  
   
   
       32 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 30  wherein said web extends along a path and wherein the path, or a projection of a general direction of the path, intersects said outer wall ( 4 ) at a location displaced from the outer corner ( 30 ).  
   
   
       33 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27  wherein the first channel extends toward the outer corner ( 30 ) and ends at a first end, and the second channel extends toward the outer corner ( 30 ) and ends at a second different end, and wherein the distance between one of the first and second ends and the outer corner is less that the distance between the other of the first and second ends and the outer corner.  
   
   
       34 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 33  wherein the one of the first and second ends is located proximate the outer corner ( 30 ).  
   
   
       35 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27  wherein said corner molding is made with polymeric material.  
   
   
       36 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27  wherein corner molding is made with polymeric material selected from the group consisting of operable vinylidene chloride homopolymers and copolymers, operable low density polyethylene homopolymers and copolymers, operable medium density polyethylene homopolymers and copolymers, operable high density polyethylene homopolymers and copolymers, operable polypropylene homopolymers and copolymers, and operable polyamide homopolymers and copolymers.  
   
   
       37 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27  wherein said corner molding is made with impact-grade vinylidene chloride copolymer.  
   
   
       38 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27  wherein said corner molding is made with high impact, low temperature, grade vinylidene chloride copolymer.  
   
   
       39 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27  wherein at least one of the channels is defined by an end wall, and first and second side walls extending away from said end wall in a generally common direction, and wherein said first and second side walls, of at least one of the channels, extend away from said end wall along converging paths when said corner molding is at rest.  
   
   
       40 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 39  wherein the converging paths define an angle (α) of about 2 degrees to about 15 degrees.  
   
   
       41 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27  wherein at least one of said side walls of a respective one of the channels resiliently grips a respective one of said end ones of said wall panels.  
   
   
       42 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27  wherein each of the channels has a channel width, between the respective side walls, effective to receive and hold a said one of said wall panels having a thickness of about 2 inches to about 6 inches.  
   
   
       43 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27  wherein each of the channels has a channel width, between the respective side walls, effective to receive and hold a said one of said wall panels having a thickness of about 3 inches to about 5.5 inches.  
   
   
       44 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27  wherein each of the channels has a channel width, between the respective side walls, effective to receive and hold a said one of said wall panels having a thickness of about 3.5 inches to about 4.1 inches.  
   
   
       45 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27 , said first wall having a top and a bottom, and further comprising an elongate boot having an upwardly-open channel extending along the first length of the first wall, and the bottom of the first wall being received in the upwardly-open channel of the boot and thereby substantially separating the first wall from an underlying supporting surface.  
   
   
       46 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27 , further comprising a ceiling spanning respective ones of said upstanding walls and comprising a plurality of third generally laterally extending wall panels extending side by side with respect to each other, said third wall panels having effective thermal insulating properties suitable for use as thermal insulating barrier in defining a top wall of such enclosed space, further comprising at least one elongate ceiling corner molding joining said third wall panels of said ceiling to at least one of said upstanding side walls.  
   
   
       47 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 46 , said at least one ceiling corner molding having a length (L), and inner ( 2 ) and outer ( 4 ) walls defining inner ( 6 ) and outer ( 8 ) surfaces, and first and second elongate channels extending along the length (L), and having thermal insulating value, between the inner and outer surfaces, at the first and second channels, through a combination of walls of said molding, of less than R4.  
   
   
       48 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 47 , said at least one ceiling corner molding having no substantial thermal insulating value between the inner surface and the outer surface, at the first and second channels, through a combination of walls of said molding.  
   
   
       49 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 46 , said at least one ceiling corner molding further comprising a web ( 36 ) providing a connection between said inner wall ( 2 ) and said outer wall ( 4 ).  
   
   
       50 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 49  wherein at least one of the channels in said at least one ceiling corner molding is defined in part by said web ( 36 ).  
   
   
       51 . A walk-in cooler as in  claim 27  wherein said at least one ceiling corner molding is made with polymeric material selected from the group consisting of vinylidene chloride homopolymers and copolymers, low density polyethylene homopolymers and copolymers, medium density polyethylene homopolymers and copolymers, high density polyethylene homopolymers and copolymers, polypropylene homopolymers and copolymers, and polyamide homopolymers and copolymers.  
   
   
       52 . A method of building a walk-in cooler, defining a cooled enclosed space inside the cooler, the method comprising: 
 (a) assembling a plurality of upstanding walls, at least first and second such walls each comprising a plurality of upstanding wall panels cooperating with each other in side by side relationship, the upstanding wall panels having opposing inner and outer surfaces, and thermally insulating material between the inner and outer surfaces, the wall panels being effective for use as thermal insulating barrier between the enclosed space inside the cooler and an outer ambient environment; and    (b) joining respective pairs of the at least first and second such upstanding walls to each other, at non-parallel angles, by inserting edge elements of the respective upstanding walls into a corner molding, the corner molding having 
 (i) a length (L),  
 (ii) inner ( 2 ) and outer ( 4 ) walls defining inner ( 6 ) and outer ( 8 ) surfaces, and corresponding inner ( 34 ) and outer ( 30 ) corners, of the corner molding, and  
 (iii) first ( 40 ) and second ( 42 ) elongate channels, defined by channel side walls and channel end walls, extending along the length of the corner molding, and defining cross-sectional channel spaces therein,  
 the edge elements of the respective upstanding walls being received in the first and second elongate channels.  
   
   
   
       53 . A method as in  claim 52 , the respective ones of the upstanding walls substantially filling the cross-sectional spaces defined by the respective channels at loci along the lengths of such channels where the wall edges are received.  
   
   
       54 . A method as in  claim 52 , further comprising assembling a plurality of the panels thereby to define a ceiling, and joining edges of the ceiling to the upstanding walls by using further such corner moldings between edges of the ceiling and the upstanding walls.  
   
   
       55 . A method as in  claim 52 , further comprising employing at least one such corner molding having no substantial thermal insulating value between the inner and outer surfaces at the channels, through a combination of walls of the molding.  
   
   
       56 . A method as in  claim 52 , further comprising employing at least one such corner molding comprising a web ( 36 ) providing a connection between the inner wall ( 2 ) and the outer wall ( 4 ).  
   
   
       57 . A method as in  claim 56 , further comprising employing at least one such corner molding wherein the web ( 36 ) extends along a path and wherein the path, or a projection of a general direction of the path, intersects the outer wall ( 4 ) at a location displaced from an outer corner ( 30 ) of the molding.  
   
   
       58 . A method as in  claim 57 , further comprising employing at least one such corner molding wherein the first channel ( 40 ) extends toward an outer corner ( 30 ) of the molding and ends at a first end, and the second channel ( 42 ) extends toward the outer corner ( 30 ) and ends at a second different end, and wherein the distance between one of the first and second ends, and the outer corner, is less that the distance between the other of the first and second ends, and the outer corner.  
   
   
       59 . A method as in  claim 52 , further comprising employing at least one such corner molding wherein the corner molding is made with polymer material selected from the group consisting of operable vinylidene chloride homopolymers and copolymers, operable low density polyethylene homopolymers and copolymers, operable medium density polyethylene homopolymers and copolymers, operable high density polyethylene homopolymers and copolymers, operable polypropylene homopolymers and copolymers, and operable polyamide homopolymers and copolymers.  
   
   
       60 . A method as in  claim 52 , further comprising employing at least one such corner molding wherein at least one of the channels is defined by an end wall, and first and second side walls extending away from the end wall in a generally common direction, and wherein the first and second side walls, of the respective channel, extend away from the end wall along converging paths when the corner molding is at rest.  
   
   
       61 . A method as in  claim 60  wherein the converging paths define an angle (α) of about 2 degrees to about 15 degrees.  
   
   
       62 . A method as in  claim 61  wherein at least one of the side walls resiliently grips the respective upstanding wall received in the respective channel.  
   
   
       63 . A method as in  claim 61  wherein widths of the respective channels ( 40 ,  42 ) generally correspond to thicknesses of the respective edge portions of the upstanding walls, between the inner and outer surfaces, as received in the respective channels.