Refrigerator including cabinet and cooling module detachably mounted on the cabinet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11493259-B2
Application number	US-202016894695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2020
Priority date	Jun 7, 2019
Publication date	Nov 8, 2022
Grant date	Nov 8, 2022

Abstract

A refrigerator including a cabinet in which an electronic device is disposed, a cooling module provided with a cooling air supply system and detachably mounted on an outer side of the cabinet, a cabinet connection device electrically connected to the electronic device and including a cabinet fixing member fixed to the cabinet and a cabinet connector bufferably mounted to the cabinet fixing member, and a module connection device electrically connected to the cooling air supply system and including a module fixing member fixed to the cooling module and a module connector bufferably mounted to the module fixing member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet in which an electronic device is disposed;
a cooling module provided with a cooling air supply system and detachably mounted on an outer side of the cabinet;
a cabinet connection device electrically connected to the electronic device and comprising:
a cabinet fixing member fixed to the cabinet, and
a cabinet connector bufferably mounted to the cabinet fixing member; and

a module connection device electrically connected to the cooling air supply system and comprising:
a module fixing member fixed to the cooling module, and
a module connector bufferably mounted to the module fixing member for coupling to the cabinet connector.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cabinet connection device further comprises a cabinet buffer member disposed between the cabinet fixing member and the cabinet connector, the cabinet buffer member comprised of a material having elasticity.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cabinet connection device further comprises a cabinet guide configured to guide movement of the module connection device in a coupling direction when the cabinet connection device is coupled to the module connection device.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein:
the cabinet connection device further comprises a cabinet aligning portion disposed adjacent to the cabinet guide and configured to guide the movement of the module connection device in the coupling direction together with the cabinet guide when the cabinet connection device is coupled to the module connection device, and
the module connection device further comprises a module aligning portion corresponding to the cabinet aligning portion.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the module connection device further comprises a module guide formed in a shape corresponding to the cabinet guide and configured to be guided by the cabinet guide.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 5 , wherein:
the cabinet guide is formed in a groove shape, and
the module guide is formed in a protrusion shape and is configured to be inserted into the cabinet guide.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 6 , wherein:
the cabinet connection device further comprises a cabinet terminal disposed at an inner end of the cabinet guide, and
the module connection device further comprises a module terminal protruding from an end of the module guide and is configured to be electrically connected to the cabinet terminal.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein:
the cabinet fixing member comprises a cabinet fixing opening through which a portion of the cabinet connector is inserted and fixed, and
a cabinet wire electrically connecting the cabinet connector to the electronic device is disposed to pass through the cabinet fixing opening.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 8 , wherein the cabinet connector comprises a cabinet leg inserted into and fixed to the cabinet fixing opening.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein:
the cabinet connector further comprises a cabinet connector protrusion comprising a material having elasticity, and
the cabinet connector is supported by the cabinet fixing member in a direction opposite to a direction in which the cabinet leg is supported.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the module connection device comprises further a module buffer member disposed between the module fixing member and the module connector, the module buffer member comprised of a material having elasticity.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein:
the module fixing member further comprises a module fixing opening through which a portion of the module connector is inserted and fixed, and
a module wire electrically connecting the module connector to the cool air supply system is disposed to pass through the module fixing opening.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12 , wherein the module connector further comprises a module leg inserted into and fixed to the module fixing opening.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 13 , wherein:
the module connector further comprises a module connector protrusion comprising a material having elasticity, and
the module connector is supported by the module fixing member in a direction opposite to a direction in which the module leg is supported.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 14 , wherein the module connector protrusion is configured to be in contact with an inner surface of the module fixing member to limit movement of the module connector.

16. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet in which an electronic device is disposed;
a cooling module provided with a cooling air supply system and detachably mounted on an outer side of the cabinet;
a cabinet connection device electrically connected to the electronic device and comprising:
a cabinet fixing member fixed to the cabinet, and
a cabinet connector mounted to the cabinet fixing member and provided with a cabinet guide extending along a direction in which the cooling module is coupled to the cabinet; and

a module connection device electrically connected to the cooling air supply system and comprising:
a module fixing member fixed to the cooling module, and
a module connector mounted to the module fixing member and provided with a module guide formed in a shape corresponding to the cabinet guide to be guided by the cabinet guide.

17. The refrigerator according to claim 16 , wherein:
the cabinet connection device further comprises a cabinet buffer member disposed between the cabinet fixing member and the cabinet connector, the cabinet buffer member comprised of a material having elasticity, and
the module connection device further comprises a module buffer member disposed between the module fixing member and the module connector, the module buffer member comprised of a material having elasticity.

18. The refrigerator according to claim 16 , wherein:
the cabinet fixing member comprises a cabinet fixing opening through which a portion of the cabinet connector is inserted and fixed and through which a cabinet wire electrically connecting the cabinet connector to the electronic device passes, and
the module fixing member comprises a module fixing opening through which a portion of the module connector is inserted and fixed and through which a module wire electrically connecting the module connector to the cool air supply system passes.

19. The refrigerator according to claim 18 , wherein:
the cabinet connector comprises a cabinet leg inserted into and fixed to the cabinet fixing opening, and
the module connector comprises a module leg inserted into and fixed to the module fixing opening.

20. The refrigerator according to claim 19 , wherein:
the cabinet connector further comprises a cabinet connector protrusion comprising a material having elasticity and the cabinet connector is supported by the cabinet fixing member in a direction opposite to a direction in which the cabinet leg is supported, and
the module connector further comprises a module connector protrusion comprising a material having elasticity and the module connector is supported by the module fixing member in a direction opposite to a direction in which the module leg is supported.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cha Jangyong
• Hwang In-Yong

Classifications

• F25C2400/10

  Refrigerator units · CPC title

• F25D23/006 Primary

  for mounting refrigerating machinery components · CPC title

• H01R13/426

  Securing by a separate resilient retaining piece supported by base or case, e.g. collar {or metal contact-retention clip} · CPC title

• F25D19/02 Primary

  plug-in type · CPC title

• F25D23/065

  Details · CPC title