Importance

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Abstract

A thermoelectric cooler (10) having a storage compartment (36) with insulated inside walls forming an access opening on one side opposite a back wall (42a) of substantially the same size includes an insulated door (40) movable between a closed position sealing said access opening and an open position displaced from one edge of the access opening for providing direct access to the interior of said storage compartment over the entire area of the access opening. The insulated door (40) comprises a pair of door segments pivotally interconnected about a median axis in parallel with one edge of the access opening of the storage compartment. An overcenter spring (68) is interconnected between the door segments to exert a resilient biasing force tending to pivot the door segments in one direction about the hinge (58) axis when the spring is on one side thereof and an opposite direction when the spring is moved to the opposite side of the median axis. A guide (76, 80, 82) and follower system is provided adjacent the storage compartment interacting with the door segments for guiding the door segments in coplanar alignment while the spring is on one side of the median axis and as the door approaches the closed position. When the door is moved toward the open position the spring moves to the other side of the median axis and pivots one of the door segments away from the coplanar position towards an angularly tranverse position so that a minimum of adjacent space (38) is required even though the door is fully displaced to provide access over the entire area of the access opening.

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First Claim