Patent Description:
Conventional refrigeration appliances, such as domestic refrigerators, typically have both a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment or section. The fresh food compartment is where food items such as fruits, vegetables, and beverages are stored and the freezer compartment is where food items that are to be kept in a frozen condition are stored. The refrigerators are provided with a refrigeration system that maintains the fresh food compartment at temperatures above <NUM>, such as between <NUM> and <NUM> and the freezer compartments at temperatures below <NUM>, such as between <NUM> and -<NUM>.

The arrangements of the fresh food and freezer compartments with respect to one another in such refrigerators vary. For example, in some cases, the freezer compartment is located above the fresh food compartment and in other cases the freezer compartment is located below the fresh food compartment. Additionally, many modern refrigerators have their freezer compartments and fresh food compartments arranged in a side-by-side relationship. Whatever arrangement of the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment is employed, typically, separate access doors are provided for the compartments so that either compartment may be accessed without exposing the other compartment to the ambient air.

Many modern refrigerators use a pair of French-type doors wherein two opposing doors allow access to the fresh food compartment. Some refrigerators are designed such that said refrigerator doors present a symmetrical configuration (i.e., the two opposing doors having the same width), while other are designed such that said refrigerator doors present an asymmetrical configuration (i.e., the two opposing doors have different widths).

In either configuration, each door includes a handle for allowing opening of the door. The handle can be attached to a front door panel, side door panel, etc., or can be recessed or integrated into an aspect of the respective door, such as into an endcap at a vertical end of the respective door.

Additionally, each door conventionally consists of at least a front panel, a rear panel, upper and lower endcap assemblies including respective endcaps. In some cases, an interior of the door between these panels and endcap assemblies can be insulated, such as being filled with insulation. The insulation typically is fluidly injected, such as foamed, into the insulation space after assembly of the panels and endcap assemblies to one another. The insulation often extends along the entire door to thereby provide a full barrier to the transmission of heat so that the efficiency of the refrigeration appliance is increased and undesirable localized zones of condensation do not develop. The insulation also can aid in retaining these components in their joint assembled state.

One door according to the preamble of claim <NUM> is disclosed in <CIT> that comprises an end cap and a fixing member that are pressed together over a part of a door panel via a screw arrangement. Another door is disclosed in BRPI <NUM> where a finishing piece and a strength piece are connected by means of pins at the door. Another door is disclosed in <CIT> where a door cap and a and a door cap support can be connected via coupling hooks, holding a portion of the door panel between them. <CIT> discloses a drawer door front with a handle integrated into the upper part of the drawer door.

The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of some example aspects described in the detailed description. This summary is not an extensive overview. Moreover, this summary is not intended to identify critical elements of the disclosure nor delineate the scope of the disclosure. The sole purpose of the summary is to present some concepts in simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

According to the invention, as defined by the wordings of claim <NUM>, a door for sealing an internal compartment of a refrigeration appliance includes a front panel defining an exterior front surface of the door, an endcap defining a handle for allowing grip of the door and providing closure for a vertical end of the door, and an intermediate member disposed between the endcap and the front panel and that secures the endcap to the front panel. The intermediate member extends along an upper vertical extent of the front panel. The intermediate member has a plurality of discrete snap elements spaced-apart along the extent of the intermediate member for clamping a distal edge of the front panel. The endcap is configured to provide an elastically-applied clamping force to retain the intermediate member therewith and to retain the front panel at the intermediate member.

The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter described in greater detail with reference to the accompany drawings.

The accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, show various aspects of the disclosure.

Generally disclosed is a refrigeration appliance that includes a compartment for storing food items in a refrigerated environment, the compartment being selectively closed by a door that includes a front panel, a rear panel, and an endcap assembly disposed therebetween at a vertical end thereof. The endcap assembly defines a handle for allowing grip of the door to thereby selectively open and close the door. More particularly, the endcap assembly includes a plurality of discrete, spaced-apart snap elements along a generally front portion thereof for clamping a distal end of the front panel at a generally vertical extent of the front panel. The front panel and the endcap assembly are configured to be maintained aside one another rather than one extending therethrough the other, with the endcap assembly further configured to provide an elastic clamping force to the distal end of the front panel.

Embodiments of a refrigerator or a component thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. However, this apparatus may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

Referring now to the drawings, <FIG> shows a conventional refrigeration appliance in the form of a domestic refrigerator, indicated generally at <NUM>. Although the detailed description that follows concerns a domestic refrigerator <NUM>, the invention can be embodied by refrigeration appliances other than with a domestic refrigerator <NUM>. Further, an embodiment is described in detail below, and shown in the figures as a bottom-mount configuration of a refrigerator <NUM>, including a fresh food compartment <NUM> disposed vertically above a freezer compartment <NUM>. However, the refrigerator <NUM> can have any desired configuration including at least a fresh food compartment <NUM> and/or a freezer compartment <NUM>, such as a top mount refrigerator (freezer disposed above the fresh food compartment), a side-by-side refrigerator (fresh food compartment is laterally next to the freezer compartment), a standalone refrigerator or freezer, etc..

One or more doors <NUM> shown in <FIG> are pivotably coupled to a cabinet <NUM> of the refrigerator <NUM> to restrict and grant access to the fresh food compartment <NUM>. The door <NUM> can include a single door that spans the entire lateral distance across the entrance to the fresh food compartment <NUM>, or can include a pair (i.e., two) of French-type doors <NUM> as shown in <FIG> that collectively span the entire lateral distance of the entrance to the fresh food compartment <NUM> to enclose the fresh food compartment <NUM>. For the latter configuration, a center flip mullion <NUM> (<FIG>) is pivotally coupled to at least one of the doors <NUM> to establish a surface against which a seal provided to the other one of the doors <NUM> can seal the entrance to the fresh food compartment <NUM> at a location between opposing side surfaces <NUM> (<FIG>) of the doors <NUM>. The mullion <NUM> can be pivotably coupled to the door <NUM> to pivot between a first orientation that is substantially parallel to a planar surface of the door <NUM> when the door <NUM> is closed, and a different orientation when the door <NUM> is opened. The externally-exposed surface of the center mullion <NUM> is substantially parallel to the door <NUM> when the center mullion <NUM> is in the first orientation, and forms an angle other than parallel relative to the door <NUM> when the center mullion <NUM> is in the second orientation. The seal and the externally-exposed surface of the mullion <NUM> cooperate approximately midway between the lateral sides of the fresh food compartment <NUM>.

A dispenser <NUM> (<FIG>) for dispensing at least ice pieces, and optionally water, can be provided on an exterior of one of the doors <NUM> that restricts access to the fresh food compartment <NUM>. The dispenser <NUM> includes an actuator (e.g., lever, switch, proximity sensor, etc.) to cause frozen ice pieces to be dispensed from an ice bin <NUM> (<FIG>) of an ice maker <NUM> disposed within the fresh food compartment <NUM>. Ice pieces from the ice bin <NUM> can exit the ice bin <NUM> through an aperture <NUM> and be delivered to the dispenser <NUM> via an ice chute <NUM> (<FIG>), which extends at least partially through the door <NUM> between the dispenser <NUM> and the ice bin <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the freezer compartment <NUM> is arranged vertically beneath the fresh food compartment <NUM>. A drawer assembly (not shown) including one or more freezer baskets (not shown) can be withdrawn from the freezer compartment <NUM> to grant a user access to food items stored in the freezer compartment <NUM>. The drawer assembly can be coupled to a freezer door <NUM> that includes a handle <NUM>. When a user grasps the handle <NUM> and pulls the freezer door <NUM> open, at least one or more of the freezer baskets is caused to be at least partially withdrawn from the freezer compartment <NUM>.

In alternative embodiments, the ice maker is located within the freezer compartment. In this configuration, although still disposed within the freezer compartment, at least the ice maker (and possible an ice bin) is mounted to an interior surface of the freezer door. It is contemplated that the ice mold and ice bin can be separate elements, in which one remains within the freezer compartment and the other is on the freezer door.

The freezer compartment <NUM> is used to freeze and/or maintain articles of food stored in the freezer compartment <NUM> in a frozen condition. For this purpose, the freezer compartment <NUM> is in thermal communication with a freezer evaporator (not shown) that removes thermal energy from the freezer compartment <NUM> to maintain the temperature therein at a temperature of <NUM> or less during operation of the refrigerator <NUM>, preferably between <NUM> and -<NUM>, more preferably between <NUM> and -<NUM> and even more preferably between <NUM> and -<NUM>.

The refrigerator <NUM> includes an interior liner <NUM> (<FIG>) that defines the fresh food compartment <NUM>. The fresh food compartment <NUM> is located in the upper portion of the refrigerator <NUM> in this example and serves to minimize spoiling of articles of food stored therein. The fresh food compartment <NUM> accomplishes this aim by maintaining the temperature in the fresh food compartment <NUM> at a cool temperature that is typically above <NUM>, so as not to freeze the articles of food in the fresh food compartment <NUM>. It is contemplated that the cool temperature preferably is between <NUM> and <NUM>, more preferably between <NUM> and <NUM> and even more preferably between <NUM> and <NUM>.

According to some embodiments, cool air from which thermal energy has been removed by the freezer evaporator can also be blown into the fresh food compartment <NUM> to maintain the temperature therein greater than <NUM> preferably between <NUM> and <NUM>, more preferably between <NUM> and <NUM> and even more preferably between <NUM> and <NUM>. For alternate embodiments, a separate fresh food evaporator can optionally be dedicated to separately maintaining the temperature within the fresh food compartment <NUM> independent of the freezer compartment <NUM>.

According to an embodiment, the temperature in the fresh food compartment <NUM> can be maintained at a cool temperature within a close tolerance of a range between <NUM> and <NUM>, including any subranges and any individual temperatures falling with that range. For example, other embodiments can optionally maintain the cool temperature within the fresh food compartment <NUM> within a reasonably close tolerance of a temperature between <NUM> and <NUM>.

Turning now to <FIG>, another refrigerator <NUM>, also herein referred to as a refrigeration appliance <NUM>, is illustrated having four compartment sealing bodies, i.e., doors <NUM>. The refrigerator <NUM> is substantially similar to the refrigerator <NUM> discussed above, and also has a bottom mount configuration, except that it has the bottom freezer compartment selectively closed by a pair of doors rather than a single drawer, and as otherwise discussed below. Optionally, one of the bottom doors can enclose a convertible compartment or variable climate zone (VCZ) that enables a user to selectively adjust the temperature between a fresh-food or a freezer compartment. Aspects of the refrigerator <NUM> that are similar to aspects of the refrigerator <NUM> are identified with the same reference numbers but indexed by <NUM>. It will be appreciated that aspects of the refrigerator <NUM> may be incorporated into the refrigerator <NUM> and vice-versa.

The refrigerator <NUM> includes a body <NUM> providing an upper fresh food compartment <NUM> and one or more lower freezer compartment(s) <NUM>, each compartment <NUM>, <NUM> being selectively closed by a respective pair of upper doors <NUM> or lower doors <NUM>. Preferably, an upper door <NUM> includes a dispenser <NUM>, such as for ice, water or both. Preferably, a pair of freezer compartments <NUM> are separated from each other by a vertical mullion, such that each door <NUM> permits selective access to each individual freezer compartment. Optionally, at least one of the freezer compartments can be a convertible compartment or variable climate zone (VCZ) that provides a user-adjustable storage area whose temperature can be maintained at either the temperature associated with the fresh food compartment or that of the freezer compartment (or anywhere therebetween). That is, the temperature maintained in the VCZ compartment <NUM> is adjustable so as to accommodate a wide variety of food articles to be stored therein. In this case, the lower freezer compartment can be separated from the VCZ compartment by the vertical mullion, and the separate doors <NUM> can provide separate and individual access to either of the freezer or VCZ compartment. In the illustration of <FIG>, the VCZ compartment is shown as the lower left compartment and the freezer is the lower right compartment, although this could be reversed.

The adjacent doors <NUM> closing the freezer compartment(s) <NUM> (or freezer and VCZ compartments) each are pivotably connectable by a hinge <NUM> to the body <NUM> of the refrigerator <NUM>. These doors <NUM> each include a recessed handle <NUM> that does not extend beyond the front panels <NUM> of the doors <NUM>. The handles <NUM> are integrated with the respective vertically-upper endcap assemblies of the doors <NUM>. The handles <NUM> are shown as jointly providing a single handle cavity that extends between both doors <NUM>, with an inner side of each handle <NUM>, at an intermediate joinder of the doors <NUM> when closed, being open to the handle <NUM> of the other door <NUM>. In other embodiments, each handle <NUM> may provide a cavity separated from a cavity of the adjacent side-by-side door, such as by a laterally-inner wall. As used herein, the lateral direction extends between opposite sides <NUM> of the body <NUM>. As used herein, the terms, upper, vertical, horizontal, lower, etc. are made with reference to alignment of a typical refrigerator in an upright and ready-to-use position, as shown in <FIG>.

Referring now to <FIG>, the lower right door <NUM> of the refrigeration <NUM> is shown separate from the remainder of the body <NUM>. It can be appreciated that the lower left door <NUM> can be similar although in the reverse construction. The door <NUM> includes a front panel <NUM>, a rear panel <NUM>, a vertically-lower endcap assembly <NUM>, and a vertically-upper endcap assembly <NUM>. The endcap assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> are disposed between the panels <NUM>, <NUM> and close the upper and lower ends of the respective doors <NUM>. The upper endcap assembly <NUM> is configured to provide an elastically-applied clamping force to retain the front panel <NUM> therewith, and specifically to maintain the endcap assembly <NUM> and the front panel <NUM> in a contiguous arrangement, such as absent one or the other extending therethrough the other.

The depicted front panel <NUM> provides the exterior front surface of the door <NUM>, and as particularly illustrated at the schematic drawing of <FIG>, said front surface has a generally arched profile. In other embodiments, the front panel <NUM> may have a flat front surface. The front panel <NUM> includes a front panel portion <NUM> having a front surface <NUM> and opposed side panel portions <NUM> extending therefrom towards the rear panel <NUM>. The front panel <NUM> has an upper bent portion <NUM> defining a distal end <NUM> at the upper vertical extent of the front panel <NUM>. The bent portion <NUM> is bent out of plane from the front surface <NUM> of the front panel portion <NUM>. The illustrated front panel <NUM> is comprised of metal, such as steel or aluminum, although other materials can be suitable in other embodiments.

As shown at <FIG>, the upper endcap assembly <NUM> includes a cover <NUM>, an endcap <NUM> (also herein referred to as an endcap member) and an intermediate member <NUM> that, once assembled, is interposed between the endcap <NUM> and the front panel <NUM> of the door. In some embodiments door <NUM> is internally-foamed (i.e., with an expanding insulating foam) to aid in retaining the endcap <NUM> and front panel <NUM> in position relative to one another.

Turning now to <FIG> and also still to <FIG>, the endcap assembly <NUM> is shown without the front panel <NUM>. The cover <NUM> is a decorative top covering coupled about an outwardly facing surface of the endcap <NUM>. In the depicted assembly, the cover <NUM> at least partially defines the integrated pocket handle <NUM>, also herein referred to as a handle recess <NUM>. The endcap <NUM> and the cover <NUM> engage with one another, such as one of these components having a protrusion received into an orifice of the other of these components. For example, the cover <NUM> includes a protrusion <NUM> received into an orifice <NUM> of the endcap <NUM>. The cover <NUM> can be made of metal, such as steel or aluminum, or could also be a decorative plastic, or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, the cover <NUM> can be omitted (wherein the endcap <NUM> itself provides the outward decorative surface) or can be otherwise shaped.

The endcap <NUM> is configured to be disposed between the cover <NUM> and the intermediate member <NUM>. Generally, the endcap <NUM> provides a closure for a vertical end of the door <NUM> and extends along the lateral extent of the door <NUM> in a lateral direction between the side panel portions <NUM> (<FIG>). The endcap <NUM> includes a hinge bearing <NUM> mounted to and extending through the endcap <NUM>. The endcap <NUM> further includes a laterally-extending depression defining the handle <NUM>. The illustrated endcap <NUM> can be made of any suitable material, such as plastic or metal.

Turning now to <FIG> and <FIG>, the endcap <NUM> is configured to provide an elastically-applied clamping force to retain the intermediate member <NUM> therewith and to retain the front panel <NUM> of the door at the intermediate member <NUM>. For example, the endcap <NUM> includes an elastic concave portion <NUM> providing a downwardly facing front lip <NUM> at a distal end thereof at a front of the door <NUM>. At a rear of the concavity <NUM> defined by the concave portion <NUM> are a plurality of laterally-spaced-apart protrusions <NUM>. Each of the concave portion <NUM> and the protrusions <NUM> are configured for engaging the intermediate member <NUM>.

The intermediate member <NUM> is configured to be attached to the front panel <NUM> and to couple together the endcap <NUM> and the front panel <NUM>, by being disposed therebetween. The intermediate member <NUM> has a body that extends laterally along a vertical extent of the front panel <NUM>. Returning briefly to <FIG>, the intermediate member <NUM> has a generally-U-shaped body with a central portion <NUM> and a pair of oppositely disposed edge portions <NUM> and <NUM> extending generally orthogonally rearward from opposite sides of the central portion <NUM>. These side portions <NUM> and <NUM> correspond with a vertical distal extent of the front panel <NUM> and a lower side of the endcap <NUM>.

The central portion <NUM> and outer side portion <NUM> have a generally horizontal ledge <NUM>, while the inner side portion <NUM> has a generally horizontal inner side ledge <NUM>. The ledge <NUM> is vertically lower than the ledge <NUM> but is generally parallel therewith. This vertical distance is a result of the handle <NUM> defined by a recess that extends across both adjacent doors <NUM> to a lateral outside end at each of these doors <NUM>. Optionally, the outer side portion <NUM> and the inner side portion <NUM> could be arranged to be vertically aligned.

Returning to <FIG> and <FIG>, and also still referring to <FIG> in part, a plurality of discrete spaced-apart tabs <NUM> extend from and forward over the generally horizontal ledges <NUM> and <NUM>. A plurality of spaced-apart raised ribs <NUM> are disposed at the upper surfaces of the generally-horizontal ledges <NUM>, <NUM>. At least a portion of the raised ribs <NUM> are vertically disposed between the generally-horizontal ledges <NUM>, <NUM> and the plurality of discrete tabs <NUM>. The discrete spaced-apart tabs <NUM> and ribs <NUM> define a plurality of discrete snap elements, such as snap clips <NUM>, that are spaced-apart from one another along the U-shaped body. Each snap clip <NUM> has a thickness along the U-shaped body that is sufficient to be suitable as a snap clip for clamping the bent, distal end <NUM> of the front panel <NUM> between the tabs <NUM> and the ribs <NUM>.

As shown at <FIG> and <FIG>, when the components of the door <NUM> are assembled, the vertical extent of the door panel <NUM> is engaged between, and particularly sandwiched between, the endcap <NUM> and the intermediate member <NUM>. The endcap <NUM> and intermediate member <NUM> cooperate to elastically-clamp the upper bent portion <NUM> of the door panel <NUM> therebetween. Particularly, the intermediate member <NUM> is securable between front and rear aspects of the endcap <NUM>. The front aspects include the concave portion <NUM> that receives therein and wraps around numerous of the plurality of discrete tabs <NUM>. The rear aspects include the plurality of protrusions <NUM>. Thus, the intermediate member <NUM> and the snap clips <NUM> thereof are engaged between the concave portion <NUM> and the protrusions <NUM> such that the endcap <NUM> provides the elastic clamping force for clamping the distal end of the front panel <NUM>. In this way, at least a portion of the snap clips <NUM> are configured to engage upper and lower surfaces of the bent portion <NUM>.

When the endcap assembly <NUM> is assembled with the front panel <NUM>, the front lip <NUM> is configured to apply a vertical retention force to the bent portion <NUM>. Particularly, the front lip <NUM> abuts the bent portion <NUM> to at least partially define a front surface of the door, where the front lip <NUM> is disposed forward of the plurality of snap clips <NUM>.

This configuration is further illustrated at <FIG> and <FIG>. For clarity, <FIG> illustrates the endcap <NUM>, cover <NUM> and front panel <NUM> as being transparent to enable viewing of normally concealed portions of the intermediate member <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates the front panel <NUM> as opaque, concealing aspects of the intermediate member <NUM>. As shown, the intermediate member <NUM> is configured to be fully concealed within the door <NUM> and is hidden from view behind the endcap <NUM> and the front panel <NUM>.

Referring in particular to <FIG>, the intermediate member <NUM> is configured to provide horizontal support to the front panel <NUM> at a position forward of the distal end <NUM> of the front panel <NUM>. For example, the intermediate member <NUM> further includes a forward-facing support wall <NUM> having a plurality of forward-facing ridges <NUM> supporting the rear surface of a major portion of the front panel <NUM>. In this way, the intermediate member <NUM> is configured to at least partially limit rearward disposition of the front panel <NUM> relative to the endcap <NUM>.

Looking next to <FIG> and <FIG>, the intermediate member <NUM> includes the U-shaped body at opposing side portions <NUM>, <NUM> and at lateral extents of the central portion <NUM> having raised inner wall portions <NUM>. The inner wall portions <NUM> each extend along the U-shaped body between a pair of discrete tabs <NUM>. Additionally, at each of the opposite ends of the respective U-shaped body are a plurality of sets of ribs <NUM>, which sets each are adjacent to and extend outwardly from a respective raised inner wall portion <NUM>. The sets of ribs <NUM> provide for grip of the underside of the bent, distal end <NUM> of the front door panel <NUM>. The raised inner wall portions <NUM> aid in restricting or altogether stopping inner blown expanding foam leakage to an exterior of the respective door <NUM> during the interior foaming manufacturing process that provides door insulation.

Turning now to <FIG> and <FIG>, another embodiment of a refrigerator including pull-out drawers <NUM> is illustrated at <NUM>. That is, the swing-door design covering the lower compartments of <FIG> can be replaced by one or two pull-out drawer assemblies that can be withdrawn to provide selectively access to one or two compartments. Each such compartment can either be a freezer or a VCZ compartment, and each drawer <NUM> is provided for sealing a compartment of a respective refrigerator. The construction of the drawer <NUM> is substantially similar to the door <NUM> discussed above, and also has a vertically-upper endcap assembly <NUM>, and as otherwise discussed below. Aspects of the drawer <NUM> that are similar to aspects of the door <NUM> are identified with the same reference numbers but indexed by <NUM>. It will be appreciated that aspects of the door <NUM> may be incorporated into the drawer <NUM> and vice versa. It is to be appreciated that as described herein, a drawer is considered to be one type of a door, and the terms can be used interchangeably.

Similar to the refrigerator <NUM>, the refrigerator <NUM> includes a body <NUM> defining a lower freezer compartment <NUM> and an upper fresh food compartment <NUM>. The fresh food compartment is closed by a pair of hinged doors <NUM>. The freezer compartment <NUM> includes the pair of drawers <NUM>. Preferably, one of the hinged doors <NUM> includes a dispenser <NUM>, such as for water, ice, or both. Preferably, each of the drawers <NUM> includes a recessed handle <NUM> integrated with the respective drawer <NUM>.

The drawer <NUM> has a front panel <NUM> with a flat front surface, although it could have an arched surface as depicted in the other embodiments herein. Turning to <FIG>, the endcap assembly <NUM> includes a cover <NUM>, endcap <NUM> and intermediate member <NUM>. The cover <NUM> and endcap <NUM> are configured to receive a user interface at the upper side of the drawer <NUM>, such as at the cutout <NUM>. While not particularly shown, in some embodiments, the endcap assembly <NUM> can include a hinge bearing, and in other embodiments, the endcap assembly <NUM> can be included in a drawer assembly. The cover <NUM> could be optionally removed, whereby the endcap <NUM> is the decorative outer surface.

As depicted at <FIG>, and similar to the endcap assembly <NUM>, the intermediate member <NUM> is secured by the concave portion <NUM> of the endcap <NUM> to thereby elastically clamp the distal end <NUM> of the door panel <NUM> at discrete snap clips <NUM>, in a similar fashion as previously described herein with reference to <FIG>. For example, in a short and non-limiting summary, when the components of the drawer <NUM> are assembled, the vertical extent of the door panel <NUM> is engaged between, and particularly sandwiched between, the endcap <NUM> and the intermediate member <NUM>. The endcap <NUM> and intermediate member <NUM> cooperate to elastically-clamp the upper bent distal end <NUM> of the door panel <NUM> therebetween. Thus, the intermediate member <NUM> and the snap clips <NUM> thereof are engaged between the concave portion <NUM> and the protrusions <NUM> such that the endcap <NUM> provides the elastic clamping force for clamping the distal end of the front panel <NUM>. At <FIG>, the cover <NUM>, endcap <NUM> and front panel <NUM> are shown as transparent at <FIG> for clarity. Similar to the endcap assembly <NUM>, the endcap assembly <NUM> includes the intermediate member <NUM> being hidden by the endcap <NUM> and front panel <NUM>. Different from the endcap assembly <NUM>, the opposing sides <NUM> and <NUM> (<FIG>) of the U-shaped body of the intermediate member <NUM> are horizontally parallel to one another and lack inner wall portions and sets of ribs, although the opposing sides <NUM> and <NUM> could also be vertically mis-aligned.

In summary, a refrigeration appliance <NUM> includes a compartment <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> for storing food items in a refrigerated environment and having a door or drawer <NUM>, <NUM> for selectively closing the compartment <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. The door or drawer <NUM>, <NUM> includes a front panel <NUM>, <NUM>, a rear panel <NUM>, <NUM>, and an endcap assembly <NUM>, <NUM> disposed therebetween at a vertical end thereof. The endcap assembly <NUM>, <NUM> defines a recessed handle <NUM>, <NUM> for allowing grip of the door or drawer <NUM>, <NUM> to thereby selectively open and close the door or drawer <NUM>, <NUM>. The endcap assembly <NUM>, <NUM> includes a plurality of discrete, spaced-apart snap clips <NUM>, <NUM> along a generally front portion thereof for clamping a distal end <NUM>, <NUM> of the front panel <NUM>, <NUM> at a generally vertical extent of the front panel <NUM>, <NUM>. The endcap assembly <NUM>, <NUM> and front panel <NUM>, <NUM> are configured to be maintained aside one another rather than extending therethrough, with the endcap assembly <NUM>, <NUM> further configured to provide an elastic clamping force to the distal end <NUM>, <NUM> of the front panel <NUM>, <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A door (<NUM>) for sealing an internal compartment (<NUM>, <NUM>) of a refrigeration appliance (<NUM>), the door comprising:
a front panel (<NUM>) defining an exterior front surface of the door;
an endcap (<NUM>) defining a handle (<NUM>) for allowing grip of the door and providing closure for a vertical end of the door; and
an intermediate member (<NUM>) disposed between the endcap and the front panel and that secures the endcap to the front panel, the intermediate member extending along an upper vertical extent of the front panel, characterized in that
the intermediate member has a plurality of discrete snap elements (<NUM>) spaced-apart along the extent of the intermediate member for clamping a distal edge (<NUM>) of the front panel, and
wherein the endcap is configured to provide an elastically-applied clamping force to retain the intermediate member therewith and to retain the front panel at the intermediate member.