Glass replacement panel for appliances

Abstract

A retrofitted door for retrofitting an appliance. The retrofitted door includes a frame having multiple attachment structures and a glass panel system attached to the frame. The glass panel system includes a mounting frame including attachment members that engage corresponding ones of the multiple attachment structures and a glass panel attached to the mounting frame and facing away from the frame and facing away from the cavity when the retrofitted door is at a closed position.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A retrofitted appliance comprising:
 a housing defining a cavity; and   a retrofitted door attached to the housing, wherein the retrofitted door comprises:
 a frame comprising multiple attachment structures; 
 a glass panel system attached to the frame, wherein the glass panel system comprises:
 a mounting frame comprising attachment members that engage corresponding ones of the multiple attachment structures; and 
 a glass panel attached to the mounting frame and facing away from the frame and facing away from the cavity when the retrofitted door is at a closed position. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The retrofitted appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises:
 a left side wall;   a right side wall facing the left side wall;   a top attached to a top edge of the left side wall and a top edge of the right side wall; and   a bottom attached to a bottom edge of the left side wall and a bottom edge of the right side wall, wherein the bottom faces the top.   
     
     
         3 . The retrofitted appliance of  claim 2 , comprising a hinge that attaches the retrofitted door to the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The retrofitted appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the hinge is attached to left side wall. 
     
     
         5 . The retrofitted appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the retrofitted appliance is a refrigerator. 
     
     
         6 . The retrofitted appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the retrofitted appliance is a dishwasher. 
     
     
         7 . The retrofitted appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the retrofitted door comprises an inner shelving unit that is attached to the frame and which comprises a receiving area for a shelving structure, wherein the receiving area faces away from the mounting frame and faces the cavity when the door is in the closed position. 
     
     
         8 . The retrofitted appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the receiving area contains food. 
     
     
         9 . The retrofitted appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the retrofitted door comprises a compartment for receiving a dishwasher cleaning substance, wherein the compartment faces away from the mounting frame and faces the cavity when the door is in the closed position. 
     
     
         10 . The retrofitted appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the compartment comprises the dishwasher cleaning substance. 
     
     
         11 . The retrofitted appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple attachment structures are a first set of holes and the attachment members are a second set of holes aligned with the first set of holes. 
     
     
         12 . A retrofitted door for retrofitting an appliance comprising:
 a frame comprising multiple holes or male attachments;   a glass panel system attached to the frame, wherein the glass panel system comprises:
 a mounting frame comprising attachment members that engage corresponding ones of the multiple holes or male attachments; and 
 a glass panel attached to the mounting frame and facing away from the frame and facing away from the cavity when the retrofitted door is at a closed position. 
   
     
     
         13 . The retrofitted door of  claim 12 , comprising a hinge for attachment of the retrofitted door to a housing. 
     
     
         14 . The retrofitted door of  claim 12 , further comprising an inner shelving unit that is attached to the frame and which comprises a receiving area for a shelving structure, wherein the receiving area faces away from the mounting frame. 
     
     
         15 . The retrofitted door of  claim 14 , wherein the receiving area contains food. 
     
     
         16 . The retrofitted door of  claim 12 , further comprising a compartment for receiving a dishwasher cleaning substance, wherein the compartment faces away from the mounting frame. 
     
     
         17 . The retrofitted door of  claim 16 , wherein the compartment comprises the dishwasher cleaning substance. 
     
     
         18 . The retrofitted door of  claim 12 , wherein the multiple attachment structures are a first set of holes and the attachment members are a second set of holes aligned with the first set of holes. 
     
     
         19 . A method of retrofitting an appliance, wherein the appliance comprises:
 a housing defining a cavity; and   a door attached to the housing, wherein the door comprises:
 a frame comprising multiple attachment structures; and 
 a door panel attached to the frame and comprising an exterior surface that faces away from the frame and faces away from the cavity when the door is in a closed position; 
   the method comprises:
 detaching the door panel from the frame; 
 removing the door panel detached from the frame so that an exterior facing portion of the frame and the multiple attachment structures are exposed; 
 positioning a glass panel system comprising a mounting frame and a glass panel attached to the mounting frame so that an attachment side of the mounting frame faces the exterior facing portion of the frame and the glass panel faces away from the exterior facing portion of the frame; 
 aligning attachment members of the attachment side of the mounting frame with the multiple attachment structures; and 
 engaging the aligned attachment members with the multiple attachment structures so that mounting frame is attached to the frame and a retrofitted glass panel door is formed. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the housing comprises:
 a left side wall;   a right side wall facing the left side wall;   a top attached to a top edge of the left side wall and a top edge of the right side wall; and   a bottom attached to a bottom edge of the left side wall and a bottom edge of the right side wall, wherein the bottom faces the top.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising a hinge that attaches the retrofitted glass panel door to the housing. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the hinge is attached to left side wall. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the retrofitted appliance is a refrigerator. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the retrofitted appliance is a dishwasher. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the retrofitted glass panel door comprises an inner shelving unit that is attached to the frame and which comprises a receiving area for a shelving structure, wherein the receiving area faces away from the mounting frame and faces the cavity when the retrofitted glass panel door is in the closed position. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the receiving area contains food. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the retrofitted glass panel door comprises a compartment for receiving a dishwasher cleaning substance, wherein the compartment faces away from the mounting frame and faces the cavity when the retrofitted glass panel door is in the closed position. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the compartment comprises the dishwasher cleaning substance. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the multiple attachment structures are a first set of holes and the attachment members are a second set of holes aligned with the first set of holes.