Patent ID: 9739524
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: F25D,Y02B

Claim:
1. An appliance comprising: a cabinet having a plurality of outer walls that define a portion of a contact surface; a plurality of operable panels operably engaged with the cabinet, wherein each operable panel is operable between closed and open positions, wherein the closed position of each respective operable panel is defined by a seal of the respective operable panel being in direct contact with the contact surface; and a lateral mullion that is pivotally attached to a mullion panel of the plurality of operable panels and is pivotally operable between a contact position and a tucked position, wherein the contact position is defined when the mullion panel is in the closed position such that an outer surface of the lateral mullion is in a vertical orientation and defines a portion of the contact surface to receive the seal of the mullion panel and selectively receive seals of two vertically adjacent panels, and wherein movement of the mullion panel to the open position rotates the lateral mullion about a horizontal axis to define the tucked position such that the mullion panel can move to the open position free of operation of the two vertically adjacent panels, at least one mullion guide that includes first and second mullion guides, wherein the first and second mullion guides define first and second mullion blocks that each support a hinge for one of the two vertically adjacent panels, respectively.