Door for home appliance, home appliance, and method for manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12013172-B2
Application number	US-202318200731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2023
Priority date	Jul 15, 2015
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

A door for a home appliance, a home appliance, and a method for manufacturing the same, are disclosed. The door for a home appliance comprises a panel assembly; and a frame assembly defining a predetermined space having an opening connected with an edge of the panel assembly, and making a foaming space for receiving a thermal insulator by means of the predetermined space of the frame assembly and the edge of the panel assembly, wherein a foaming injection hole through which the thermal insulator is injected is provided on at least one of ends of an upper surface, a lower surface, a left side and a right side of the frame assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet having a storage space; and
a first door configured to be rotatable with respect to the cabinet, wherein the first door includes:
a first opening;
a frame configured to surround the first opening, the frame having an upper surface, a lower surface, a first side surface and a second side surface and being hollow to form at least one channel between the first opening and the upper surface, the lower surface, the first side surface, and the second side surface;
first and second holes disposed on the lower surface and spaced apart from each other, the first and second holes being configured to allow a foaming agent to enter into the at least one channel to form a thermal insulator in the at least one channel; and
first and second covers to cover the first and second holes, respectively.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes:
an upper frame having the upper surface;
a lower frame having the lower surface;
a first side frame having the first side surface; and
a second side frame having the second side surface.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the frame further includes a rear frame, and a plurality of vent holes provided on the rear frame.

4. The refrigerator of claim 3 , wherein the rear frame further includes a gasket mounting groove, and the plurality of vent holes is provided in the gasket mounting groove.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one channel includes:
an upper horizontal channel configured along the upper surface;
a lower horizontal channel configured along the lower surface;
a first vertical channel configured along the first side surface; and
a second vertical channel configured along the second side surface.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the first hole provided on the lower surface faces the first vertical channel, and the second hole provided on the lower surface faces to the lower horizontal channel.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the first hole communicated with the first vertical channel, and the second hole communicated with the lower horizontal channel.

8. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the first hole overlaps the first vertical channel in a vertical direction.

9. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the frame further includes a plurality of vent holes provided on an upper portion of the first door.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of vent holes communicated with the upper horizontal channel.

11. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of vent holes are arranged in a line.

12. The refrigerator of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of vent holes are arranged in a horizontal direction, and the first and second holes are arranged in the horizontal direction.

13. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the frame further includes a vent hole positioned closer to the upper horizontal channel than the lower horizontal channel.

14. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a second door to open or close the first opening of the first door and having a recess, wherein the first hole is closer to the recess than the second hole when the second door closes the first opening of the first door.

15. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein a handle is provided on the second door, which is formed by the recess extending along a side of the second door.

16. The refrigerator of claim 14 , wherein the first opening is configured to define a center portion and is a rectangular opening, and the second door is configured to cover the rectangular opening.

17. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the frame further includes a hinge mounting portion, and the second hole is closer to the hinge mounting portion than the first hole.

18. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the frame further includes a plurality of vent holes located closer to the upper surface than the lower surface.

19. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet having a storage space; and
first and second doors configured to be rotatable with respect to the cabinet, the first door having a rectangular opening and a frame assembly surrounding the rectangular opening, wherein the frame assembly includes:
an upper frame configured to provide an upper horizontal channel;
a lower frame configured to provide a lower horizontal channel;
a first side frame configured to provide a first vertical channel;
a second side frame configured to provide a second vertical channel;
first and second holes spaced apart from each other and configured to communicate with the lower horizontal channel, the first and second holes being configured to allow a foaming agent to enter into the upper and lower horizontal channels and the first and second vertical channels to form a thermal insulator; and
a plurality of vent holes configured to communicate with the upper horizontal channel.

20. The refrigerator of claim 19 , wherein the first hole overlaps the first vertical channel in a vertical direction.

21. The refrigerator of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of vent holes are arranged in a horizontal direction, and the first and second holes are arranged in the horizontal direction.

22. The refrigerator of claim 19 , wherein the second door includes a recess, and the first hole is closer to the recess than the second hole when the second door closes the rectangular opening.

23. The refrigerator of claim 22 , wherein a handle is provided on the second door, which is formed by the recess extending along a side of the second door.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Choi Kwanghyun
• Park Hyungkyu
• Yi Myeongha

Classifications

• F25D2400/361

  Interactive visual displays · CPC title

• F25D23/065

  Details · CPC title

• A47F3/0434

  Glass or transparent panels · CPC title

• B29C44/188

  Sealing off parts of the cavities · CPC title

• B29K2075/00

  Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title