Refrigerator with Liner Embossment

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a compartment defined by a liner, with a door configured to provide access into the compartment. A sub-compartment is mounted in the door and extends into the compartment in the closed position of the door. A cold plate assembly is operably configured within the liner to supply cold air to the sub-compartment. A raised embossment is defined in a compartment side wall of the liner at a location opposite from the cold plate assembly. The embossment is defined by a circumferentially extending ridge and a front face that extends into the compartment in a plane that is spaced from a plane of the compartment side wall. A receiver is configured in a wall of the sub-compartment and seals around the embossment in a closed position of the door.

1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a compartment defined by a liner;   a door configured to provide access into said compartment;   a sub-compartment mounted in said door;   a cold plate assembly operably configured within said liner to supply cold air to said sub-compartment;   a raised embossment defined in a compartment side wall of said liner at a location opposite from said cold plate assembly, said embossment defined by a circumferentially extending ridge and a front face that extends into said compartment in a plane that is spaced from a plane of said compartment side wall; and   a receiver configured in a wall of said sub-compartment, said receiver sealing around said embossment in a closed position of said door.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator as in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one opening defined in said front face of said embossment, and a cover mounted in said front face over said opening. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator as in  claim 2 , wherein said front face is spaced from said cold plate assembly a distance defined by said ridge. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator as in  claim 3 , wherein said cold plate assembly is disposed within said liner against said compartment side wall of said liner. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator as in  claim 1 , wherein said receiver comprises an opening into which said embossment extends in a closed position of said door, said receiver further comprising a gasket seal at a location so as to seal against said compartment side wall outboard of said raised ridge in the closed position of said door. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator as in  claim 5 , wherein said gasket seal is compressed below said plane of said front face in the closed position of said door. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator as in  claim 1 , wherein said embossment comprises a rectangular profile having radiused corners. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator as in  claim 1 , wherein said embossment comprises an elliptical profile. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator as in  claim 1 , wherein said compartment is a fresh food compartment and said sub-compartment comprises an icemaker and ice cube storage bin. 
     
     
         10 . A refrigerator, comprising:
 a fresh food compartment defined by a liner;   a door configured to provide access into said compartment;   a sub-compartment mounted in said door, said sub-compartment comprising an ice maker and ice storage bin;   a cold plate assembly operably configured within said liner to supply cold air to said sub-compartment;   a raised embossment defined in a compartment side wall of said liner at a location opposite from said cold plate assembly, said embossment defined by a circumferentially extending ridge and a front face that extends into said compartment in a plane that is spaced from a plane of said compartment side wall; and   a receiver configured in a wall of said sub-compartment, said receiver further comprising an opening into which said embossment extends and a gasket seal disposed so as to seal around said raised ridge against said compartment side wall in the closed position of said door.   
     
     
         11 . The refrigerator as in  claim 10 , further comprising at least one opening defined in said front face of said embossment, and a cover mounted in said front face over said opening. 
     
     
         12 . The refrigerator as in  claim 10 , wherein said cold plate assembly is disposed within said liner against said compartment side wall and spaced from said front face of said embossment.