CPC E05F 15/73 (2015.01) [E05F 15/622 (2015.01); F25D 23/028 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/434 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/474 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/70 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/702 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/71 (2013.01); E05Y 2400/856 (2013.01); E05Y 2900/31 (2013.01)] | 16 Claims |
1. A refrigerator appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the refrigerator appliance comprising:
a cabinet defining a food storage chamber, the food storage chamber extending between a front portion and a back portion along the transverse direction, the front portion of the food storage chamber defining an opening for receipt of food items;
a door positioned at the front portion of the food storage chamber and movable between a closed position and an open position to selectively sealingly enclose the food storage chamber in the closed position and provide access to the food storage chamber in the open position;
a door opener positioned in the cabinet, the door opener comprising a casing, a housing, a biasing element extending between the housing and the casing, the biasing element configured to bias the housing and the finger towards the front portion of the cabinet, a gear box, a sliding nut movable relative to the gear box, a finger extending through the gear box towards the door, the finger movable with the sliding nut, and a sensor, the finger positioned in contact with an inner surface of the door when the door is in the closed position and the door opener is in a zero position, wherein the sensor is configured to detect movement of the door opener from the zero position of the door opener.
|