US 12,264,871 B2
Vacuum insulated door structure for an appliance incorporating a dispenser structure
Paul B. Allard, Coloma, MI (US); Sarah Galea, St. Joseph, MI (US); Dustin M. Miller, South Bend, IN (US); Vikas C. Mruthyunjaya, St. Joseph, MI (US); Abhay Naik, Stevensville, MI (US); and Sanjesh Kumar Pathak, Stevensville, MI (US)
Assigned to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on Nov. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/517,559.
Application 18/517,559 is a division of application No. 17/874,591, filed on Jul. 27, 2022, granted, now 11,874,053.
Application 17/874,591 is a division of application No. 17/130,554, filed on Dec. 22, 2020, granted, now 11,435,130, issued on Sep. 6, 2022.
Application 17/130,554 is a division of application No. 16/221,997, filed on Dec. 17, 2018, granted, now 10,907,882, issued on Feb. 2, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0085093 A1, Mar. 14, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F25D 23/02 (2006.01); F25C 5/20 (2018.01); F25D 23/04 (2006.01); F25D 23/06 (2006.01); F25D 23/12 (2006.01)
CPC F25D 23/028 (2013.01) [F25C 5/22 (2018.01); F25D 23/04 (2013.01); F25D 23/066 (2013.01); F25D 23/126 (2013.01); F25C 2400/10 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A door panel for a refrigerating appliance, the door panel comprising:
an inner liner coupled with an outer wrapper and defining an insulating cavity therein, wherein an interior perimeter is defined at least within the outer wrapper, and defines an attachment structure that extends from each of the inner liner and the outer wrapper;
an insulating material defined within the insulating cavity, wherein the insulating cavity defines an at least partial vacuum;
a dispenser structure disposed proximate the interior perimeter, wherein the dispenser structure defines an insulated dispenser portion therein, and wherein the dispenser structure further defines an external dispensing cavity defined within the interior perimeter and extending rearward of the interior perimeter; and
a dispenser conduit attached to the dispenser structure and extending from an interior area disposed above the dispenser structure to the external dispensing cavity and passing through the insulated dispenser portion, wherein the attachment structure includes fastener receptacles that receive fasteners for attaching the dispenser structure, wherein the fasteners within the fastener receptacles are maintained separate from the insulating cavity.