Refrigerator appliance cable management

Abstract

A cable housing for a refrigerator appliance includes a plurality of external walls defining an internal volume of the cable housing and an internal wall extending within the internal volume of the cable housing. A first cable retention slot is defined in one of the plurality of external walls. A second cable retention slot is defined in the internal wall. The first cable retention slot and the second cable retention slot are each configured to selectively retain one or more wire harnesses of the refrigerator appliance.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present subject matter relates generally to refrigerator appliances, and more particularly to systems and methods for managing electrical wires, cables, and the like within refrigerator appliances.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Refrigerator appliances generally include a cabinet that defines a chilled chamber. A wide variety of food items may be stored within the chilled chamber.

[0003] The low temperature of the chilled chamber relative to ambient atmosphere assists with increasing a shelf life of the food items stored within the chilled chamber.

[0004] In order to maintain the low temperature within the chilled chamber, refrigerator appliances typically include insulation between a liner and an outer housing or cabinet, where the liner defines the chilled chamber and the cabinet defines an outermost surface of the refrigerator appliance in direct contact with the ambient atmosphere (e.g., which is usually at room temperature) around the refrigerator appliance.

[0005] Refrigerator appliances also typically include various electrical and / or electromechanical components, as well as wires and / or cables connected to one or more of such components, e.g., for power supply, data communication, etc., in order to operate the electrical and / or electromechanical component(s). The insulation in the refrigerator appliance, e.g., between the liner and cabinet as mentioned, is often provided as a foam insulation which is injected between the liner and cabinet after the refrigerator appliance is at least partially assembled and then expands to fill the spaces between the liner and the cabinet. Cables which run within and through the refrigerator appliance are held away from the foaming area during this process, and final connections are made afterwards. Current systems and methods for holding such cables during foaming may present certain disadvantages. For example, holding the cables away by applying adhesive tape to the cables and the cabinet can provide inconsistent results, e.g., may not always be effective, and the adhesive tape may be cumbersome to apply and then remove.

[0006] Accordingly, improved systems and methods for managing cables within refrigerator appliances, such as during installation of foam insulation in the refrigerator appliance, would be useful.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.

[0008] In one exemplary embodiment, a refrigerator appliance is provided. The refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet and a liner disposed within the cabinet. The liner defines at least one food storage chamber within the cabinet. The refrigerator appliance also includes insulation extending between the liner and the cabinet. The refrigerator appliance further includes a cable housing. The cable housing includes a plurality of external walls defining an internal volume of the cable housing and an internal wall extending within the internal volume of the cable housing. A first cable retention slot is defined in one of the plurality of external walls. A second cable retention slot is defined in the internal wall. The first cable retention slot and the second cable retention slot are each configured to selectively retain one or more wire harnesses of the refrigerator appliance.

[0009] In another exemplary embodiment, a cable housing for a refrigerator appliance is provided. The refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet, a liner disposed within the cabinet, the liner defining at least one food storage chamber within the cabinet, insulation extending between the liner and the cabinet, and the cable housing. The cable housing includes a plurality of external walls defining an internal volume of the cable housing and an internal wall extending within the internal volume of the cable housing. A first cable retention slot is defined in one of the plurality of external walls. A second cable retention slot is defined in the internal wall. The first cable retention slot and the second cable retention slot are each configured to selectively retain one or more wire harnesses of the refrigerator appliance.

[0010] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.

[0012] FIG. 1 provides a front view of an exemplary refrigerator appliance, according to one or more exemplary embodiments of the present subject matter.

[0013] FIG. 2 provides a perspective view of the refrigerator appliance of FIG. 1.

[0014] FIG. 3 provides a front view of the refrigerator appliance of FIG. 1 with doors in an open position.

[0015] FIG. 4 provides a perspective view of a hinge assembly of the refrigerator appliance of FIG. 1.

[0016] FIG. 5 provides a perspective view of a portion of the refrigerator appliance of FIG. 1.

[0017] FIG. 6 provides a top view of a portion of the refrigerator appliance of FIG. 1.

[0018] FIG. 7 provides a perspective view of a cable housing for a refrigerator appliance according to one or more exemplary embodiments of the present subject matter.

[0019] FIG. 8 provides another perspective view of the cable housing of FIG. 6, with the cable housing installed in and through a cabinet of the refrigerator appliance.

[0020] FIG. 9 provides a front view of the cable housing of FIG. 6.

[0021] FIG. 10 provides a perspective view of a cable housing for a refrigerator appliance according to one or more additional exemplary embodiments of the present subject matter.

[0022] FIG. 11 provides another perspective view of the cable housing of FIG. 10.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0024] As used herein, the terms “first,”“second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components. The terms “upstream” and “downstream” refer to the relative direction with respect to fluid flow in a fluid pathway. For example, “upstream” refers to the direction from which the fluid flows, and “downstream” refers to the direction to which the fluid flows. Terms such as “inner” and “outer” refer to relative directions with respect to the interior and exterior of the refrigerator appliance, and in particular the food storage chamber(s) defined therein. For example, “inner” or “inward” refers to the direction towards the interior of the refrigerator appliance. Terms such as “left,”“right,”“front,”“back,”“top,” or “bottom” are used with reference to the perspective of a user accessing the refrigerator appliance. For example, a user stands in front of the refrigerator to open the doors and reaches into the food storage chamber(s) to access items therein.

[0025] As used herein, terms of approximation such as “generally,”“about,” or “approximately” include values within ten percent greater or less than the stated value. When used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees greater or less than the stated angle or direction, e.g., “generally vertical” includes forming an angle of up to ten degrees in any direction, e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise, with the vertical direction V.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a refrigerator appliance 100. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the refrigerator appliance 100. FIG. 3 is a front view of the refrigerator appliance 100 with fresh food doors 128 thereof in an open position. Refrigerator appliance 100 extends between a top 101 and a bottom 102 along a vertical direction V. Refrigerator appliance 100 also extends between a first side 105 and a second side 106 along a lateral direction L which is perpendicular to the vertical direction V. As shown in FIG. 2, a transverse direction T may additionally be defined perpendicular to the vertical and lateral directions V, L. Refrigerator appliance 100 extends along the transverse direction T between a front portion 108 and a back portion 110.

[0027] Refrigerator appliance 100 includes a cabinet or housing 120 defining one or more chilled chambers, such as an upper fresh food chamber 122 (FIG. 3) and a lower freezer chamber or frozen food storage chamber 124 (FIG. 1) arranged below the fresh food chamber 122 along the vertical direction V. As used herein, the chambers may be “chilled” in that the chambers are operable at temperatures below room temperature, e.g., less than about seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit (75° F.). An auxiliary food storage chamber may be positioned between the fresh food storage chamber 122 and the frozen food storage chamber 124, e.g., along the vertical direction V. Because the frozen food storage chamber 124 is positioned below the fresh food storage chamber 122, refrigerator appliance 100 is generally referred to as a bottom mount refrigerator. In the exemplary embodiment, housing 120 also defines a mechanical compartment 62 (FIG. 2) for receipt of a sealed cooling system 60 (FIG. 4). Using the teachings disclosed herein, one of skill in the art will understand that the present technology can be used with other types of refrigerators (e.g., side-by-sides) or a freezer appliance as well. Consequently, the description set forth herein is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the technology in any aspect.

[0028] Refrigerator doors 128 are each rotatably hinged to an edge of housing 120 for accessing fresh food chamber 122. It should be noted that while two doors 128 in a “French door” configuration are illustrated, any suitable arrangement of doors utilizing one, two or more doors is within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. A freezer door 130 is arranged below refrigerator doors 128 for accessing freezer chamber 124. In the exemplary embodiment, freezer door 130 is coupled to a freezer drawer (not shown) slidably mounted within freezer chamber 124. An auxiliary door 127 is coupled to an auxiliary drawer (not shown) which is slidably mounted within an auxiliary chamber (not shown). As may be seen in FIG. 3, a plurality of food storage compartments 140 are disposed within the fresh food storage chamber 122.

[0029] Operation of the refrigerator appliance 100 can be regulated by a controller 134 that is operatively coupled to a user interface panel 136. Interface panel 136 provides selections for user manipulation of the operation of refrigerator appliance 100 to modify environmental conditions therein, such as temperature selections, etc. In some embodiments, user interface panel 136 may be proximate a dispenser assembly 132. In response to user manipulation of the user interface panel 136, the controller 134 operates various components of the refrigerator appliance 100.

[0030] Operation of the refrigerator appliance 100 can be regulated by the controller 134, e.g., controller 134 may regulate operation of various components of the refrigerator appliance 100 in response to programming and / or user manipulation of the user interface panel 136.

[0031] As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, dispensing assembly 132 includes a dispenser positioned on or mounted to an exterior portion of refrigerator appliance 100, e.g., on an outer surface of one of refrigerator doors 128. The dispenser includes a discharging outlet 137 (FIG. 2) for accessing ice and liquid water. An actuating mechanism 138, shown as a paddle, is mounted below discharging outlet 137 for operating the dispenser. In alternative exemplary embodiments, any suitable actuating mechanism may be used to operate the dispenser. For example, the dispensing assembly 132 can include a sensor (such as an ultrasonic sensor) or a button instead of or in addition to the paddle 138. The user interface panel 136 may provide for controlling the mode of operation of the dispensing assembly 132. For example, user interface panel 136 includes a plurality of user inputs (not labeled), such as a water dispensing button and an ice-dispensing button, for selecting a desired mode of operation such as crushed or non-crushed ice. Additionally, the user inputs may include inputs for selecting one of a plurality of different liquids, such as juice, carbonated water or soda, tea, etc., and / or inputs for selecting a temperature for water to be dispensed, such as chilled, room temperature, or warm, among other possible options.

[0032] Discharging outlet 137 and actuating mechanism 138 are an external part of dispenser assembly 132 and are mounted in a dispenser recess 142. Dispenser recess 142 is positioned at a predetermined elevation convenient for a user to access ice or liquids and enabling the user to access the dispensed ice and / or liquids without the need to bend-over and without the need to open refrigerator doors 128. In the exemplary embodiment, dispenser recess 142 is positioned at a level that approximates the chest level of an adult user. According to an exemplary embodiment, the dispensing assembly 132 may receive ice from an icemaker disposed in a sub-compartment of the fresh food chamber 122.

[0033] The controller 134 may include a memory and one or more microprocessors, CPUs or the like, such as general or special purpose microprocessors operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with operation of refrigerator appliance 100. The memory may represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH. In one embodiment, the processor executes programming instructions stored in memory. The memory may be a separate component from the processor or may be included onboard within the processor. It should be noted that controllers 134 as disclosed herein are capable of and may be operable to perform any methods and associated method steps as may be disclosed herein.

[0034] The controller 134 may be positioned in a variety of locations throughout refrigerator appliance 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 134 may be located within the door 128. In such an embodiment, input / output (“I / O”) signals may be routed between the controller and various operational components of refrigerator appliance 100. In one embodiment, the user interface panel136 may represent a general purpose I / O (“GPIO”) device or functional block. In one embodiment, the user interface 136 may include input components, such as one or more of a variety of electrical, mechanical or electro-mechanical input devices including rotary dials, push buttons, and touch pads. The user interface 136 may include a display component, such as a digital or analog display device designed to provide operational feedback to a user. For example, the user interface 136 may include a touchscreen providing both input and display functionality. The user interface 136 may be in communication with the controller via one or more signal lines or shared communication busses.

[0035] Using the teachings disclosed herein, one of skill in the art will understand that the present subject matter can be used with other household appliances, including other types of refrigerators such as a standalone refrigerator or freezer only unit (e.g., a column unit), a refrigerator / freezer combination, side-by-side, bottom mount, compact, and any other style or model of refrigerator appliance. Accordingly, other configurations of refrigerator appliance 100 could be provided, it being understood that the configurations shown in the accompanying figures and the description set forth herein are by way of example for illustrative purposes only.

[0036] As mentioned above, refrigerator doors 128 are each rotatably hinged to an edge of housing 120. FIG. 4 provides an enlarged perspective view of one exemplary hinge assembly 200 by which one of the doors 128 may be rotatably joined to the housing 120. The hinge assembly 200 may include a hinge cover 202. FIG. 5 provides another perspective view of a portion of the refrigerator appliance 100, including the hinge assembly 200 with the cover 202 removed to illustrate additional, internal components of the hinge assembly 200. As may be seen in FIG. 5, the hinge assembly 200 may include a hinge bracket 204 and a hollow pin 206. The hollow pin 206 may serve as a pivot in the hinge assembly 200 and may also provide an internal space, e.g., a bore or lumen, within and through which one or more wires or cables of the refrigerator appliance 100 may extend, such as one or more wire harnesses extending between the user interface panel 136, controller 134, and / or components in the mechanical compartment 62, such as a fan or compressor.

[0037] A cable housing 210 may also be seen in FIG. 5 and in FIG. 6. As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the cable housing 210 may be positioned at one side of the cabinet 120, e.g., a top side in the illustrated example embodiments, and the cable housing 210 may extend through an opening 150 in the cabinet 120, e.g., whereby one or more cables, etc. (such as wire harnesses 300 and 302 illustrated in FIG. 6), may extend from the housing 120 of the refrigerator appliance 100 to the door 128 of the refrigerator appliance 100, e.g., such cable(s) may pass in and / or out of the cabinet 120 via the cable housing 210. As illustrated in FIG. 6, wire harnesses 300 and 302 from the cabinet side may be coupled to wire harnesses 304 and 306 which extend from the door 128 via connectors 308 and 310.

[0038] As will be described further below, the cable housing 210 may provide features for retaining cables, wire harnesses, and / or the like during the foaming process. The foaming process generally includes holding the partially assembled refrigerator appliance 100, e.g., the cabinet 120 and the inner shell or liner which partially defines one or more chilled chambers within the cabinet 120, together in a fixture (e.g., jig) while foam insulation is sprayed and / or injected into the interstices between the cabinet and the liner. The fixture holds all exterior surfaces of the refrigerator cabinet in place during the foaming process so that the foam does not bend or push any surfaces out of place as it expands within the cabinet 120, e.g., to prevent outward bowing or curvature of the sides of the cabinet 120. However, some wire harnesses protrude from the top of the cabinet where the fixture would crush them as the fixture closes over the partially assembled refrigerator appliance 100. Therefore, the fixture may include a window so that the wire harnesses can protrude from the top of the cabinet 120 safely as long as they lie within the window. One exemplary advantage of the present disclosure, e.g., the cable housing 210, is that the wire harnesses may be held within the cable housing 210, and the cable housing 210 may be positioned and arranged to align with the window of the fixture as the fixture encloses the partially assembled refrigerator, thereby permitting the wire harnesses to protrude from the top of the cabinet 120 within the window of the fixture. By contrast to the present disclosure which provides structural elements to hold the wire harnesses precisely in place, in previous practices the wire harnesses were held in place by adhesive tape during foaming. The imprecision of such methods, e.g., manually applying adhesive tape, may result in the wire harnesses being taped outside of the window area by mistake and crushed.

[0039] After injection into the cabinet 120 as described, the foam then cures, e.g., expands to match the shape and volume of the interstices (e.g., while the fixture constrains the outer surfaces of the cabinet 120 against the pressure from such expansion), and cools and solidifies to form the final insulation in the cabinet 120. Additionally, the foam may be trimmed after curing, e.g., when the foam expands beyond the overall envelope of the refrigerator appliance 100 and / or into undesired areas. Accordingly, it is desired to retain the cables, wire harnesses, etc., away from the operating area during the foaming process, such as to protect the cables, wire harnesses, etc., from damage during the foaming process, such as crushing by the fixture as mentioned.

[0040] FIG. 7 provides a perspective view of an exemplary cable housing 210 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 provides a top perspective view of the exemplary cable housing 210 installed in and through the cabinet 120 of the refrigerator appliance. FIG. 9 provides a front view of the exemplary cable housing 210. FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 provide perspective views of an additional exemplary embodiment of the cable housing 210. As may be seen in FIGS. 7 through 11, the cable housing 210 may include a plurality of external walls defining an internal volume 212 of the cable housing 210. For example, the plurality of external walls may include a first side wall 214, a rear wall 216, a second side wall 218, and a front wall 220. As may be seen, e.g., in FIGS. 5 and 6, the plurality of external walls may extend through an opening 150 of the cabinet 120.

[0041] The cable housing 210 may further include a flange 222 extending around a perimeter of the internal volume 212 and a gasket 224 mounted on the flange 222. The gasket 224 may include a compressible resilient material for sealing against the cabinet 120 of the refrigerator appliance 100 (see, e.g., FIGS. 5 and 6), such as a foam material. For example, when the refrigerator appliance 100 is assembled, e.g., at least partially assembled, such as the cabinet 120 assembled with the liner therein and the combined cabinet and liner held together in a fixture, e.g., jig, for foaming between the cabinet 120 and liner, the gasket 224 may be sealingly engaged with the cabinet 120. In such embodiments, the gasket 224 may be sealingly engaged with an internal surface of a side of the cabinet 120 and the gasket 224 may be positioned between and may seal between the flange 222 (e.g., an upper surface thereof) of the cable housing 210 and the side of the cabinet 120 (e.g., an inner, lower surface thereof). As mentioned above, the plurality of external walls may extend through an opening 150 of the cabinet 120. In such embodiments, the gasket 224 may be sealingly engaged with the cabinet 120 around the opening 150, such as around an entire perimeter of the opening 150.

[0042] In some embodiments, e.g., as may be seen in FIG. 8, the cable housing 210 may further include one or more snaps 228 formed on one or more of the plurality of external walls, such as on two opposite walls, such as on the first side wall 214 and the second side wall 218. In such embodiments, the snap(s) 228 may be engaged with the cabinet 120, e.g., with an upper, outer surface of the cabinet 120 around the opening 150, to retain the cable housing 210 within the opening 150.

[0043] The cable housing 210 may further include at least one internal wall, e.g., internal wall 240. In some embodiments, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 11, the internal wall 240 may adjoin one of the external walls at an end of the internal wall 240. For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiments, the internal wall 240 may be joined to the front wall 220, and may be joined by a rounded connection, e.g., a fillet joint as illustrated.

[0044] The cable housing 210 may further include two (or more) cable retention slots which are each configured to selectively retain one or more wire harnesses of the refrigerator appliance. For example, one retention slot may be provided for retaining cables, wire harnesses, and the like during the foaming process, such that the retained cables, wire harnesses, etc. (including and in particular the connector ends thereof) are positioned entirely within the cable housing 210, e.g., within the internal volume 212 thereof, such that the cables are out of the way of the foam injection and expansion, thereby protecting the cables (including the connector ends) from damage during foaming of the refrigerator appliance 100. The other retention slot may, for example, be provided for holding and guiding the cables, wire harnesses, etc., from the cable housing 210 to or towards mating cables, wire harnesses, etc., e.g., within the hinge assembly 200 as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 and described above. As may be seen, e.g., in FIGS. 7 through 11, a first cable retention slot 230 may be defined in one of the plurality of external walls, such as in the front wall 220, and a second cable retention slot 232 may be defined in the internal wall 240. In such embodiments, the second cable retention slot 232 in the internal wall 240 may be provided for retaining cables, wire harnesses, and the like during the foaming process, while the first cable retention slot 230 in the external wall, e.g., the front wall 220, may be provided for holding and guiding the cables, wire harnesses, etc., for coupling with the mating wire harnesses and / or cables, etc.

[0045] The cable housing 210 may further include a coupler 226 configured to join with a conduit through which the wire harnesses extend, e.g., from one or more internal electrical and / or electromechanical components of the refrigerator appliance, and the wire harnesses may then pass through the coupler 226 and into the internal volume 212 of the cable housing 210. Thus, for example, one or more wire harnesses may be placed into the second cable retention slot 232 defined in the internal wall 240 before foaming, and then the foam insulation may be injected into the refrigerator appliance 100 between the cabinet 120 and the liner. After the foaming process is complete, e.g., including time for the foam to expand, cool, and solidify, the one or more wire harnesses may be removed from the second cable retention slot 232 defined in the internal wall 240 and transferred to the first cable retention slot 230 in the external wall, e.g., front wall 220, to permit connecting the one or more wire harnesses (e.g., 300 and / or 302 as illustrated in FIG. 6 and described above) to corresponding mating wire harnesses (e.g., 304 and / or 306 as illustrated in FIG. 6 and described above).

[0046] The first cable retention slot 230 may be accessible via an opening 234 in the front wall 220, e.g., in the top of the front wall 240. The first cable retention slot 230 may be tapered, e.g., may increase in width from an entrance of the first cable retention slot 230 (e.g., at the intersection of the opening 234 and the first cable retention slot 230) towards a distal end of the first cable retention slot 230. For example, a lower portion 236 of the front wall 220 may extend into the first cable retention slot 230 and may be tapered to provide such increasing width of the first cable retention slot 230. When the first cable retention slot 230 is wider at the distal end thereof as described, the wire harness or harnesses placed therein may thereby be prevented or limited from sliding back out of the first cable retention slot 230.

[0047] Referring now to FIGS. 7 through 9 in particular, in some embodiments, the cable retention slots may be separate and distinct from each other. In such embodiments, the first cable retention slot 230 may be contiguous with a first opening in the one of the plurality of external walls, e.g., the opening 234 in the front wall 220 as described above. Thus, the first cable retention slot 230 may be accessible via the first opening 234. In such embodiments, the second cable retention slot 232 may be contiguous with a second opening 233 in the internal wall 240. Thus, the second cable retention slot 232 may be accessible via the second opening 233 (and not via the first opening 234), e.g., in embodiments where the cable retention slots 230, 232 are separate and distinct from each other, the first opening 234 and the second opening 233 are separate and apart from each other.

[0048] In additional embodiments, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the second opening 233 may be omitted and the cable retention slots 230 and 232 may be continuous with each other, e.g., the first cable retention slot 230 may be continuous with the second cable retention slot 232. In such embodiments, the second cable retention slot 232 may be accessible via the opening in the one external wall (e.g., opening 234 in the front wall 220) by first passing through the first cable retention slot 230 from the opening 234 and then into the second cable retention slot 232. For example, in embodiments where the cable retention slots are continuous with each other, the one or more wire harnesses may be placed into the second cable retention slot 232 via the opening 234 and the first cable retention slot 230 before and / or during the foaming process and then, after the foaming process is complete, the one or more wire harnesses may simply be transferred directly from the second cable retention slot 232 into the first cable retention slot 230, e.g., without having to pull the one or more wire harnesses up and out through the second opening 233 (see, e.g., FIGS. 7 and 8) and then back down into the first opening 234.

[0049] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator appliance, comprising:a cabinet;a liner disposed within the cabinet, the liner defining at least one food storage chamber within the cabinet;insulation extending between the liner and the cabinet; anda cable housing, the cable housing comprising:a plurality of external walls defining an internal volume of the cable housing;an internal wall extending within the internal volume of the cable housing;a first cable retention slot defined in one of the plurality of external walls; anda second cable retention slot defined in the internal wall,wherein the first cable retention slot and the second cable retention slot are each configured to selectively retain one or more wire harnesses of the refrigerator appliance.

2. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the cable housing further comprises a flange extending around a perimeter of the internal volume.

3. The refrigerator appliance of claim 2, wherein the cable housing further comprises a gasket mounted on the flange, the gasket sealingly engaged with the cabinet.

4. The refrigerator appliance of claim 3, wherein the plurality of external walls extend through an opening of the cabinet, and wherein the gasket is sealingly engaged with the cabinet around the opening.

5. The refrigerator appliance of claim 4, wherein the cable housing further comprises a snap formed on the plurality of external walls, the snap engaged with the cabinet to retain the cable housing within the opening.

6. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the first cable retention slot increases in width from an entrance of the first cable retention slot towards a distal end of the first cable retention slot.

7. The refrigerator appliance of claim 1, wherein the internal wall of the cable housing adjoins the one of the plurality of external walls in which the first cable retention slot is defined.

8. The refrigerator appliance of claim 7, wherein the first cable retention slot is contiguous with a first opening in the one of the plurality of external walls, whereby the first cable retention slot is accessible via the first opening, wherein the second cable retention slot is contiguous with a second opening in the internal wall, whereby the second cable retention slot is accessible via the second opening, and wherein the first opening and the second opening are separate and apart from each other.

9. The refrigerator appliance of claim 7, wherein the first cable retention slot is continuous with the second cable retention slot.

10. A cable housing for a refrigerator appliance, the refrigerator appliance comprising a cabinet, a liner disposed within the cabinet, the liner defining at least one food storage chamber within the cabinet, insulation extending between the liner and the cabinet, and the cable housing, the cable housing comprising:a plurality of external walls defining an internal volume of the cable housing;an internal wall extending within the internal volume of the cable housing;a first cable retention slot defined in one of the plurality of external walls; anda second cable retention slot defined in the internal wall,wherein the first cable retention slot and the second cable retention slot are each configured to selectively retain one or more wire harnesses of the refrigerator appliance.

11. The cable housing of claim 10, further comprising a flange extending around a perimeter of the internal volume.

12. The cable housing of claim 11, further comprising a gasket mounted on the flange, the gasket configured to sealingly engage with the cabinet of the refrigerator appliance.

13. The cable housing of claim 12, wherein the plurality of external walls are configured to extend through an opening of the cabinet, and wherein the gasket is sealingly engaged with the cabinet around the opening.

14. The cable housing of claim 13, further comprising a snap formed on the plurality of external walls, the snap configured to engage with the cabinet to retain the cable housing within the opening.

15. The cable housing of claim 10, wherein the first cable retention slot increases in width from an entrance of the first cable retention slot towards a distal end of the first cable retention slot.

16. The cable housing of claim 10, wherein the internal wall of the cable housing adjoins the one of the plurality of external walls in which the first cable retention slot is defined.

17. The cable housing of claim 16, wherein the first cable retention slot is contiguous with a first opening in the one of the plurality of external walls, whereby the first cable retention slot is accessible via the first opening, wherein the second cable retention slot is contiguous with a second opening in the internal wall, whereby the second cable retention slot is accessible via the second opening, and wherein the first opening and the second opening are separate and apart from each other.

18. The cable housing of claim 16, wherein the first cable retention slot is continuous with the second cable retention slot.

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