Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12259175-B2
Application number	US-202017909266-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2020
Priority date	Mar 10, 2020
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator capable of replacing an outer panel of a refrigerator. The refrigerator door includes: a frame assembly disposed in a line on both sides to form an edge of the refrigerator door, the frame assembly having a hollow portion formed in a longitudinal direction; a front panel coupled to one side of the frame assembly to form a front surface of the refrigerator door; and a rear panel coupled to the other side of the frame assembly to form a rear surface of the refrigerator door. The frame assembly has coupling holes communicating the hollow portion with an outside in one side facing the front panel, the coupling holes being spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction. A coupling protrusion, at least a portion of which passes through the coupling hole and is accommodated in the hollow portion of the frame assembly, is formed on a rear surface of the front panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet having a storage space; and
a refrigerator door configured to open and close at least a portion of the cabinet,
wherein the refrigerator door comprises:
a frame assembly that is disposed at sides of the refrigerator door and that defines an edge of the refrigerator door, the frame assembly having a hollow portion that extends in a longitudinal direction,
a front panel that is coupled to a first side of the frame assembly and that defines a front surface of the refrigerator door,
a rear panel that is coupled to a second side of the frame assembly and that defines a rear surface of the refrigerator door, and
a coupling member configured to fix the front panel to the frame assembly,

wherein the frame assembly has coupling holes that are in fluid communication with the hollow portion and an outside of the frame assembly and that face the front panel, the coupling holes being spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction,
wherein the coupling member comprises:
a first fixing part configured to pass through one of the coupling holes and to be accommodated in the hollow portion of the frame assembly,
a second fixing part fixed to the rear surface of the front panel, and
a connection portion that connects the second fixing part to the first fixing part, and

wherein the connection portion is disposed at a position spaced downward from upper ends of the second fixing part and the first fixing part.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first fixing part and the second fixing part have a flat surface facing outward.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the connection portion is formed at a position spaced upward from lower ends of the second fixing part and the first fixing part.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the connection portion forms an intermediate groove that is concave downward from an upper end.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second fixing part or the first fixing part forms a contact protrusion protruding inward from a surface facing inward.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein the contact protrusion is provided in plurality to be spaced apart from each other.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the second fixing part and the first fixing part are formed to have different thicknesses.

8. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein a height of the connection portion is formed to be lower than heights of the second fixing part and the first fixing part.

9. The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein upper grooves that are concave downward are formed in an upper side of the connection portion between the second fixing part and the first fixing part, and
wherein lower grooves that are concave upward are formed in a lower side of the connection portion between the second fixing part and the first fixing part.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein an interval between the lower grooves is smaller than an interval between the upper grooves.

11. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the coupling member is fixed to the rear surface of the front panel by a hot-melt method or an adhesive method.

12. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the front panel is made of a metal material including a steel material, a glass material, or a plastic material.

13. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein a reinforcing panel is disposed between the front panel and the rear panel.

14. The refrigerator of claim 13 , wherein the reinforcing panel is provided with a corrugated steel plate having irregularities in a horizontal direction.

15. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein a heat insulating layer formed by foaming urethane is formed between the front panel and the rear panel.

16. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the frame assembly comprises:
an outer frame comprising (i) a first plane that faces the front panel and that defines the coupling holes and (ii) a second plane that is disposed at a first side of the first plane and that extends in a direction perpendicular to the first plane; and
an inner frame comprising (i) a third plane facing the first plane and (ii) a fourth plane extending from one side of the third plane in a vertical direction, the inner frame being disposed behind the outer frame and defining the hollow portion between the inner frame and the outer frame.

17. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the outer frame defines a groove portion at a second side of the first plane, the groove portion being concave rearward,
wherein the refrigerator door comprises a reinforcing panel, the reinforcing panel comprising an extension portion that is bent rearward and that is disposed at one end of the reinforcing panel, the one end of the reinforcing panel being disposed between the front panel and the rear panel, and
wherein the extension portion is inserted into the groove portion.

18. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the inner frame further comprises a contact portion configured to make surface contact with an end of the first plane,
wherein the third plane is spaced apart from the first plane to form the hollow portion, and
wherein the inner frame further comprises an intermediate portion extending in a front-and-rear direction and configured to connect the contact portion to the third plane.

19. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the second plane forms a seating portion extending inward in a horizontal direction, and
wherein one side of the third plane is seated on the seating portion.

20. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the second plane comprises an accommodation portion extending inward from a rear end in a horizontal direction and then extending toward a front end in the vertical direction.

21. The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the second plane further comprises a side portion protruding forward than the first plane.

22. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising a cap deco mounted on an upper end or a lower end of the refrigerator door and forming an upper surface or a lower surface of the refrigerator door.

23. The refrigerator of claim 22 , wherein the cap deco comprises an upper cap deco mounted on the upper end of the refrigerator door,
wherein the upper cap deco defines coupling grooves that are concave downward from an upper end of the upper cap deco, and
wherein the coupling grooves are spaced apart from each other in a horizontal direction.

24. The refrigerator of claim 23 , wherein a plurality of bent coupling protrusions inserted into the coupling grooves are formed at an upper end of the rear surface of the front panel.

25. The refrigerator of claim 24 , wherein a plate-shaped coupling member is fixed to the upper end of the rear surface of the front panel, and
wherein the plurality of bent coupling protrusions are formed integrally with the coupling member.

26. The refrigerator of claim 24 , wherein the plurality of bent coupling protrusions comprise a first extension portion extending from the rear surface of the front panel in the horizontal direction, and a second extension portion extending vertically downward from the first extension portion.

27. The refrigerator of claim 26 , wherein the coupling grooves comprise a first groove portion in which the first extension portion is accommodated, and a second groove portion that is deeper than the first groove portion such that the second extension p

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Hong Euddeum

Classifications

• F25D2201/126

  of cellular type · CPC title

• F25D23/10

  Arrangements for mounting in particular locations, e.g. for built-in type, for corner type · CPC title

• E06B2003/7049

  Specific panel characteristics · CPC title

• E06B2003/7011

  with easily replaceable or interchangeable panels · CPC title

• A47B77/08

  for incorporating apparatus operated by power, including water power; for incorporating apparatus for cooking, cooling, or laundry purposes · CPC title