Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12281833-B2
Application number	US-202318541485-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2023
Priority date	Jul 6, 2020
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a cabinet having a storage space and a door configured to open and close the storage space. The door includes a panel assembly including a front panel and an insulating panel spaced apart from the front panel, a door frame that is in contact with the front panel, and a door liner which is connected to the door frame and is in contact with the insulating panel, the door liner being configured to define an insulating space, in which an insulator is disposed, together with the panel assembly and the door frame. The door liner includes a contact surface that is in contact with the insulating panel, and a recessed space is defined on the contact surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a cabinet defining a storage space; and
a door configured to open and close at least a portion of the storage space,
wherein the door comprises:
a panel assembly comprising (i) a front panel and (ii) an insulating panel spaced apart from the front panel,
a door frame connected to the panel assembly,
a door liner coupled to the door frame, the door liner having a liner opening, and
an insulator provided in an insulating space that is defined by the panel assembly, the door frame, and the door liner,

wherein the door frame comprises:
an injection portion configured to receive a foaming liquid therethrough to provide the insulator to the insulating space,
a front wall facing the front panel,
a rear wall spaced apart from the front wall, and
a connection wall connecting an end portion of the front wall to an end portion of the rear wall, the connection wall including an inclined portion that is inclined with respect to the front wall,

wherein the connection wall, the front wall, and the rear wall define an accommodation space that is partitioned from the insulating space, and
wherein the injection portion comprises:
a first portion that protrudes from the connection wall and is configured to guide the foaming liquid from an outside of the insulating space into the insulating space, and
a second portion defined at the inclined portion of the connection wall and configured to guide the foaming liquid within the insulating space.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the injection portion defines a guide tube configured to guide the foaming liquid to pass through the door frame, and
wherein the second portion of the injection portion defines a guide groove configured to guide the foaming liquid from the guide tube.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the guide tube is configured to guide the foaming liquid to the insulating space in a first direction, and
wherein the guide groove is configured to guide at least a portion of the foaming liquid within the insulating space in the first direction.

4. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein the door frame defines an opening,
wherein the door further comprises a frame cover that is coupled to the door frame and covers the opening of the door frame, and
wherein the frame cover is configured to, based on the frame cover being coupled to the door frame, cover the guide tube.

5. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein a horizontal cross-section of the guide tube has a circular shape, and a horizontal cross-section of the guide groove has a semicircular shape or an arc shape.

6. The refrigerator of claim 2 ,
wherein the guide tube extends in a direction away from the insulating panel and is disposed in the accommodation space.

7. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the insulating panel is disposed closer to the guide groove than to the front wall.

8. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the guide tube is disposed between the front wall and the rear wall, the guide tube being spaced apart from at least one of the front wall or the rear wall.

9. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the inclined portion of the connection wall extends downward toward the rear wall.

10. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the connection wall is spaced apart from the front panel, and
wherein a portion of the insulator is provided between a rear surface of the front panel and the guide groove after the foaming liquid is injected into the insulating space.

11. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the connection wall comprises:
a first surface defining the accommodation space; and
a second surface defining the insulating space,
wherein the guide tube extends from the first surface of the connection wall, and
wherein the guide groove is recessed from the second surface of the connection wall toward the rear wall.

12. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the door liner comprises:
a liner extension portion extending toward the rear wall; and
a rib spaced apart from the liner extension portion, and
wherein the door frame further comprises a frame extension portion disposed between the rib and the liner extension portion.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the door liner further comprises a gasket coupling portion that defines a recess,
wherein the door further comprises a gasket coupled to the recess of the gasket coupling portion, and
wherein the liner extension portion and the rib extend from the gasket coupling portion.

14. The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein the door liner further comprises an inner body that defines the liner opening, and
wherein an end of the inner body is in contact with a rear surface of the insulating panel.

15. The refrigerator of claim 6 , further comprising a sensor disposed within the accommodation space.

16. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the door frame further comprises a protrusion that is attached to the front panel by an adhesive.

17. The refrigerator of claim 16 ,
wherein the connection wall connects a lower portion of the front wall to a lower portion of the rear wall, and
wherein the front wall comprises a plurality of protrusion ribs that are spaced apart from one another in a vertical direction and extend in a horizontal direction.

18. The refrigerator of claim 17 , wherein a portion of the insulator is provided between the front panel and the front wall and in contact with the front panel and the front wall.

19. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein the injection portion is one of a first injection portion and a second injection portion that are disposed at the door frame and spaced apart from each other in a horizontal direction.

20. The refrigerator of claim 19 , wherein the door frame further comprises a first side wall and a second side wall spaced apart from the first side wall,
wherein the first injection portion is disposed closer to the first side wall than to the second side wall, and the second injection portion is disposed closer to the second side wall than to the first side wall, and
wherein a distance between the first injection portion and the first side wall is different from a distance between the second injection portion and the second side wall.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Bae Daham
• Kang Daekil
• Kwon Ohchul

Classifications

• F25D1/00

  Devices using naturally cold air or cold water · CPC title

• F25D2201/126

  of cellular type · CPC title

• F25D2201/10

  with respect to heat · CPC title

• F25D23/066

  Liners · CPC title

• F25D23/028

  Details · CPC title