Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11624549-B2
Application number	US-202117368362-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2021
Priority date	Jul 6, 2020
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a storage space and a door configured to open and close the storage space. The door includes comprises: a panel assembly comprising a front panel, a door frame connected to the panel assembly, a door liner defining, with the door frame, an insulating space that accommodates an insulator, and a basket installed on the door liner. The door liner includes: an outer body, a liner extension portion extending from the outer body in a direction crossing the outer body, and a plurality of ribs that are disposed at the outer body and that are spaced apart from the liner extension portion. The door frame comprises a frame extension portion that is disposed between the plurality of ribs and the liner extension portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet defining a storage space; and
a door configured to open and close the storage space,
wherein the door comprises:
a panel assembly comprising a front panel,
a door frame connected to the panel assembly,
a door liner defining, with the door frame, an insulating space that accommodates an insulator, and
a basket installed on the door liner,
wherein the door liner comprises:
an outer body,
a liner extension portion extending from the outer body in a direction crossing the outer body, and
a plurality of ribs that are disposed at the outer body and that are spaced apart from the liner extension portion, and

wherein the door frame comprises a frame extension portion that is disposed between the plurality of ribs and the liner extension portion.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ribs are spaced apart from each other in a horizontal direction.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the door liner comprises (i) an inner body defining an opening and (ii) a connection body connecting the inner body to the outer body, and
wherein the inner body comprises a coupling protrusion coupled to the basket.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the panel assembly further comprises an insulating panel spaced apart from the front panel, and
wherein the coupling protrusion is disposed behind the insulating panel.

5. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the basket is disposed in an area defined by the inner body of the door liner based on the basket being coupled to the coupling protrusion.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the door frame comprises an upper frame, a lower frame, and a pair of side frames coupled to the upper frame and the lower frame,
wherein the upper frame comprises (i) a front wall connected to a rear surface of the front panel and (ii) a rear wall spaced apart from the front wall,
wherein the frame extension portion extends from the rear wall, and
wherein the plurality of ribs are disposed at a top surface of the outer body.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of ribs comprises:
a first part extending from the outer body, and
a second part that extends from the first part and that is inclined in a direction away from the liner extension portion,
wherein the frame extension portion (i) is disposed on the outer body between a first part of the each of the plurality of ribs and the liner extension portion and (ii) passes through a space defined between a second part of the each of the plurality of ribs and the liner extension portion.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the front panel comprises:
a first portion configured to transmit light, and
a second portion that is disposed outside of the first portion and that is configured to restrict transmission of the light,
wherein a portion of the basket faces the first portion based on the basket being disposed in the door liner.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the door liner comprises a liner coupling portion,
the door frame comprises a frame coupling portion coupled to the liner coupling portion, and
a coupling member couples the liner coupling portion to the frame coupling portion.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the door frame comprises an upper frame, a lower frame, and a pair of side frames coupled to the upper frame and the lower frame, and
wherein the lower frame comprises the frame coupling portion.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the frame coupling portion defines a coupling hole to which the coupling member is coupled.

12. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the door liner comprises a gasket coupling portion having a recessed shape to which a gasket is coupled, and
wherein the liner coupling portion protrudes from an outer surface of the gasket coupling portion.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the coupling member couples the liner coupling portion to the frame coupling portion.

14. The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the lower frame comprises:
a front wall that is in contact with the front panel, and
a rear wall that is spaced apart from the front wall and that is in contact with the liner extension portion.

15. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the door frame comprises an upper frame, a lower frame, and a pair of side frames coupled to the upper frame and the lower frame,
wherein each of the pair of side frames comprises:
a side surface portion that is in contact with side surfaces of the upper frame and the lower frame,
a rear surface portion that is angled from a rear end of the side surface portion and that is in contact with rear surfaces of the upper frame and the lower frame,
a rear extension portion that is angled from the rear surface portion and that extends in a direction crossing the rear surface portion,
a front surface portion that extends in a direction crossing the side surface portion and that is in contact with a front surface of the upper frame and a front surface of the lower frame, and
a front rib extending from the side surface portion at a rear side of the front surface portion.

16. The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the lower frame comprises a rear wall providing a frame fixing portion that is recessed forward and that defines a space in which the rear extension portion is disposed.

17. The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the lower frame comprises a first frame hook that protrudes backward and that is coupled to the side frame, and
wherein the rear surface portion defines a first hook hole to which the first frame hook is inserted.

18. The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the lower frame comprises:
a first rib that protrudes upward and that is disposed in a space defined by the front surface portion and the front rib, and
a second rib that protrudes upward and that is disposed in front of the front surface portion.

19. The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the upper frame comprises a second frame hook that protrudes backward and that is coupled to the side frame, and
wherein the rear surface portion defines a second hook hole to which the second frame hook is inserted.

20. The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the upper frame comprises:
a first rib that protrudes laterally and that is disposed in a space defined by the front surface portion and the front rib, and
a second rib that protrudes downward from an upper portion of the upper frame and that is disposed in front of the front surface portion.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc
• Lg Electionics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Juyoung
• Bae Daham
• Choi Hojin
• Lee Hyuncheol
• Jang Jongmoon

Classifications

• F25D2400/18

  Aesthetic features · CPC title

• F25D23/028 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• F25D23/066

  Liners · CPC title

• F25D23/063

  formed by an assembly of panels · CPC title

• F25D23/082

  Strips · CPC title