Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12222156-B2
Application number	US-202017791349-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2020
Priority date	Jan 7, 2020
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

A refrigerator according to this embodiment includes: a cabinet provided with a storage space and including a pair of side panels configured to define an outer appearance of a side surface; a cabinet cover disposed between the pair of side panels and configured to define an outer appearance of a top surface; a display unit disposed behind the cabinet cover and provided for user's manipulation; and a fixing unit which is fixed to the cabinet and disposed between the pair of side panels and to which the display unit is separably fixed, wherein the display unit is installed to be separated upward from the fixing unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet having a storage space, and including a pair of side panels configured to define part of an outer appearance;
a cabinet cover disposed between the pair of side panels and configured to define a top surface;
a display unit disposed behind the cabinet cover; and
a fixing unit disposed
on an inner side of the pair of side panels, and disposed below the display unit to support the display unit, and
wherein the fixing unit includes a fixing protrusion that is protruding upwardly when the fixing unit is disposed on the inner side of the side panels, and
the display unit includes a protrusion accommodation portion having an opened lower side such that the fixing protrusion is received in the protrusion accommodation portion in response to the display unit being moving downward relative to the fixing unit disposed on the inner side.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cabinet cover is detached backward in a state of being separated from the display unit.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing unit includes a first body disposed to face one of the side panels, and
the fixing protrusion is to protrude from the first body.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , further comprising:
an inner case configured to define the storage space; and
a middle plate configured to cover part of the inner case,
wherein the fixing unit includes a second body that is bent from the first body and the second body is to face the middle plate.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the first body is to couple to one of the side panels, and
the second body is to couple to the middle plate.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 4 , wherein the middle plate includes a rear plate disposed between the inner case, and the cabinet includes a rear panel that defines a rear surface of the refrigerator, and
the second body is to couple to the rear plate.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 3 , wherein the fixing protrusion includes a plurality of fixing protrusions, and
the plurality of fixing protrusions are to protrude from top and bottom surfaces of the first body.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cabinet includes:
an inner case configured to define the storage space; and
a middle plate configured to cover part of the inner case, the fixing unit includes:
a first body disposed to face one of the side panels; and
a second body that is bent from the first body and the second body is to face the middle plate, and
the fixing protrusion is to protrude from the first body.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cabinet includes a rear panel configured to define an outer appearance of a rear surface of the refrigerator,
wherein the display unit includes a panel seating portion to be seated on the rear panel.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 9 , wherein the panel seating portion includes a bolt coupling hole configured to receive a bolt to restrict vertical movement of the display unit.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit includes:
a display case;
a display panel disposed in the display case; and
a display cover configured to cover the display panel, and is rotatably coupled to the display case,
wherein the protrusion accommodation portion is disposed on a side surface of the display case to receive the fixing protrusion.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the protrusion accommodation portion is recessed upward from a bottom surface of the side surface of the display case.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the fixing protrusion is greater than a thickness of the side surface of the display case.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the fixing protrusion has a same height as the protrusion accommodation portion such that a bottom surface of the side surface of the display case is seated on a top surface of the first body of the fixing unit.

15. The refrigerator according to claim 11 , wherein the display case includes a seating groove that is recessed downward from an upper end of the side surface portion of the display case,
the display cover includes:
a cover plate configured to cover the display panel; and
a pair of extension portions extending downward from ends of the cover plate and are rotatably coupled to the seating groove, and
wherein the seating groove is disposed behind the protrusion accommodation portion.

16. The refrigerator according to claim 1 , wherein the cabinet includes a rear panel, and the display unit includes a panel seating portion to be seated on the rear panel, wherein the panel seating portion includes a bolt coupling hole to receive a bolt to restrict vertical movement of the display unit.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yoo Daehyun
• Kim Geonwoo

Classifications

• F25D2400/08

  Refrigerator tables · CPC title

• F25D2400/36

  Visual displays · CPC title

• F25D29/005

  Mounting of control devices · CPC title

• F25D23/067

  Supporting elements · CPC title

• F25D11/00

  Self-contained movable devices, e.g. domestic refrigerators · CPC title