Unitary front face frame for a refrigerator cabinet

Abstract

A refrigerator includes cabinet shell including a pair of laterally spaced, upright side walls and a top wall, each of which includes a respective forward portion. A face frame, integrally formed from a single, bent material sheet, is mounted to the forward portion of each of the opposing side and top walls. The face frame includes top, bottom and opposing side frame members, along with a mullion member that extends between either the top and bottom frame members or the opposing side frame members, depending upon desired refrigerator configuration. The mullion member establishes first and second openings that lead into first and second refrigerated compartments or the refrigerator.

1 . A refrigerator comprising:
 an outer cabinet shell including a pair of laterally spaced, upright side walls and a top wall, each of said side and top walls including a respective forward portion;   a first liner defining a first refrigerated compartment arranged within the outer cabinet shell;   a second liner defining a second refrigerated compartment arranged adjacent the first liner in the outer cabinet shell; and   a face frame integrally formed from a single material sheet mounted to the outer cabinet shell at the forward portion of each of the opposing side and top walls, said face frame including top, bottom and opposing side frame members, along with a mullion member extending between one of the top and bottom frame members and the opposing side frame members, said mullion member establishing first and second openings leading into the first and second refrigerated compartments respectively.   
   
   
       2 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the top, bottom and opposing side frame members are U-shaped in cross-section having respective opposing side portions that define a peripheral channel. 
   
   
       3 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the peripheral channel includes an open rear portion. 
   
   
       4 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the mullion member is U-shaped in cross-section having first and second opposing side portions that define a mullion channel. 
   
   
       5 . The refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein each of the first and second liners includes a pair of laterally spaced, upright side walls, a bottom wall and a top wall, each of said side bottom and top walls includes a respective forward portion that projects into the peripheral and the mullion channel. 
   
   
       6 . The refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the refrigerator is constituted by a side-by-side refrigerator. 
   
   
       7 . The refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a plurality of stiffening brackets, said top and bottom frame members meet the opposing side frame members to establish a plurality of corners, each of said plurality of corners being provided with a corresponding one of the plurality of stiffening brackets. 
   
   
       8 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of stiffening brackets is L-shaped. 
   
   
       9 . The refrigerator according to  claim 7 , wherein each said stiffening bracket is affixed to a respective one of the plurality of corners with a double sided adhesive pad. 
   
   
       10 . The refrigerator according to  claim 2 , wherein the face frame is stamped from a single sheet of metal with the top, bottom and opposing side frame members being bent to establish the peripheral channel. 
   
   
       11 . A method of assembling a refrigerator comprising:
 forming an outer cabinet shell having a pair of laterally spaced, upright side walls and a top wall, each of said side and top walls including a respective forward portion;   positioning a first liner in the outer cabinet shell to establish a first refrigerated compartment;   arranging a second liner in the outer cabinet shell adjacent the first liner to establish a second refrigerated compartment; and   mounting a face frame, which is integrally formed from a single sheet of material to establish top, bottom and opposing side frame members, along with a mullion member extending between one of the top and bottom frame members and the opposing side frame members, to the outer cabinet shell at the forward portion of each of the opposing side and top walls, with said mullion member establishing first and second openings leading into the first and second refrigerated compartments respectively.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: forming the sheet to create a U-shaped peripheral channel open at a rear portion thereof. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: forming the sheet to create a U-shaped mullion channel open at a rear portion thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: arranging forward portions of the first and second liners in the peripheral channel and the mullion channel. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: stamping the sheet from a single piece of metal. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: bending the stamped sheet to form the peripheral channel and the mullion channel. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: attaching stiffening brackets to the face frame, each of said stiffening brackets being positioned in the peripheral channel at a corner portion of the face frame. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein each of the stiffening brackets are attached to the face frame with a double sided adhesive pad.