Plate assembly and home appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12410966-B2
Application number	US-202318367910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2023
Priority date	Dec 14, 2022
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

A refrigerator including a storage compartment and a cold air duct to guide cold air to the storage compartment, the cold air duct including a front plate facing the storage compartment, the front plate including a front body with a first coupling portion, a rear plate detachably coupled to the front plate, the rear plate including a rear body with a second coupling portion, and a slit in the rear body so that the second coupling portion is elastically deformable, and a heat insulating member between the front plate and the rear plate. The first coupling portion is coupled to the second coupling portion. The first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are decouplable by an external force pressing on the first coupling portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator comprising:
a storage compartment;
an evaporator configured to generate cold air; and
a cold air duct configured to guide the cold air generated in the evaporator to the storage compartment, the cold air duct including:
a front plate facing the storage compartment, the front plate including:
a front body, and
a first coupling portion on a rear surface of the front body,

a rear plate detachably coupled to a rear of the front plate, the rear plate including:
a rear body,
a second coupling portion including:
an opening in the rear body, and
a locking portion, and

a slit in the rear body configured so that the second coupling portion is elastically deformable, and

a heat insulating member disposed between the front plate and the rear plate,

wherein
the first coupling portion is coupled to the second coupling portion as a portion of the first coupling portion is inserted into the opening in the rear body, and the locking portion protrudes toward and contacts the portion of the first coupling portion inserted into the opening in the rear body, and
the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are configured so that the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are decouplable by an external force pressing on the first coupling portion.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein
the first coupling portion includes:
a first coupling protrusion extending in a first direction directed toward the rear plate,
a second coupling protrusion spaced apart from the first coupling protrusion and extending in the first direction, and
a bridge connecting the first coupling protrusion and the second coupling protrusion, the bridge including a recessed portion recessed in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

3. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein
in response to the external force pressing on the recessed portion of the bridge in the second direction in a state in which the front plate and the rear plate are coupled to each other, the first coupling protrusion and the second coupling protrusion are moved toward one another so that the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are decoupled.

4. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein
in response to the external force pressing the first coupling protrusion and the second coupling protrusion to be moved toward one another in a state in which the front plate and the rear plate are coupled to each other, the bridge is elastically deformed and the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are decoupled.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cap corresponding to the opening and detachably mounted on the opening to prevent moisture from entering the opening.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein
the rear plate includes a cover configured to open and close the opening to prevent moisture from entering the opening.

7. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein
the slit extends along a direction in which the first coupling protrusion and the second coupling protrusion are arranged.

8. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein
the slit includes:
a first slit portion, and
a second slit portion spaced apart from the first slit portion, and

the first coupling portion is disposed between the first slit portion and the second slit portion in a state in which the front plate and the rear plate are coupled to each other.

9. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein
the second coupling portion includes:
a coupling body configured to surround the portion of the first coupling portion inserted into the opening in the rear body, and

the slit includes:
a first slit forming portion along a portion of an edge of the coupling body,
a second slit forming portion extending in a straight line from a first side of the first slit forming portion, and
a third slit forming portion extending in a straight line from a second side of the first slit forming portion.

10. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein
the slit includes:
a first slit forming portion spaced apart from the opening and extending in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the first coupling protrusion and the second coupling protrusion are arranged,
a second slit forming portion extending from a first side of the first slit forming portion toward the opening along the direction in which the first coupling protrusion and the second coupling protrusion are arranged, and
a third slit forming portion extending from a second side of the first slit forming portion toward the opening along the direction in which the first coupling protrusion and the second coupling protrusion are arranged.

11. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein
the first coupling portion includes:
a first groove on the first coupling protrusion, and accessible through the opening from behind the rear body, and
a second groove on the second coupling protrusion, and accessible through the opening from behind the rear body.

12. The refrigerator of claim 2 , wherein
the bridge includes:
a first bridge portion extending from the first coupling protrusion to the recessed portion, and sloping toward the front body, and
a second bridge portion extending from the second coupling protrusion to the recessed portion, and sloping toward the front body.

13. The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein
the recessed portion is provided at a center of the bridge.

14. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein
the heat insulating member is configured to be in surface contact with at least one of the front plate and the rear plate.

15. The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein
the heat insulating member includes:
a support hole corresponding to the opening of the second coupling portion and configured to accommodate the first coupling portion, and
a seating portion extending inwardly from a rear surface of the heat insulating member about the support hole, and configured to support the locking portion of the second coupling portion.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Jaehyun
• Song Jinyoung
• Yang Byungkwan
• You Youngmin
• Yoon Wonjae

Classifications

• F25D17/067 Primary

  Evaporator fan units · CPC title

• F25D2201/10

  with respect to heat · CPC title

• F25D23/065

  Details · CPC title

• F25D17/062 Primary

  in household refrigerators · CPC title

• F25D11/02

  with cooling compartments at different temperatures · CPC title