Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12590750-B2
Application number	US-202418419425-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2024
Priority date	Sep 10, 2021
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

Disclosed is a refrigerator that does not include a separate partition member disposed between an upper inner case and a lower inner case to reduce storage costs, logistics costs, and production costs, and to increase productivity. The refrigerator includes n first and second inner cases forming a first and second storage compartments and including a plurality of first and second plates each formed by injection molding; an outer case coupled to an outer side of the first and second inner cases to form an exterior of the refrigerator; an insulation provided between the first and second inner cases and the outer case and between the first inner case and the second inner case; and a cold air guide surrounded by the insulation between the first and second inner cases, and configured to form a cold air flow path communicating the first and second storage compartments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A refrigerator, comprising:
a first inner case forming a first storage compartment and comprising a plurality of first plates each formed by injection molding; a second inner case forming a second storage compartment and comprising a plurality of second plates each formed by injection molding; an outer case coupled to an outer side of the first inner case and an outer side of the second inner case to form an exterior of the refrigerator; an insulation provided between the first inner case and the outer case, between the second inner case and the outer case, and between the first inner case and the second inner case; and a cold air guide surrounded by the insulation between the first inner case and the second inner case, and configured to form a cold air flow path connecting the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment, wherein:
the plurality of first plates comprise a first lower plate forming a lower surface of the first storage compartment,
the plurality of second plates comprise a second upper plate forming an upper surface of the second storage compartment,
the first lower plate comprises a first hole formed through the first lower plate,
the second upper plate comprises a second hole formed through the second upper plate
the first lower plate comprises a first sealing rib continuously formed along a circumference of the first hole and protruding downward from the first lower plate, and
the second upper plate comprises a second sealing rib continuously formed along a circumference of the second hole and protruding upward from the second upper plate.

2 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the cold air guide is configured to connect the first hole and the second hole to form the cold air flow path.

3 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the cold air guide and the first lower plate are sealed to prevent the insulation from flowing into the cold air flow path through the cold air guide and the first lower plate, and the cold air guide and the second upper plate are sealed to prevent the insulation from flowing into the cold air flow path through the cold air guide and the second upper plate.

4 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the cold air guide comprises: a first flange provided at one end of the cold air guide and coupled to the first lower plate to cover the first hole and the first sealing rib; and a second flange provided at another end of the cold air guide and coupled to the second upper plate to cover the second hole and the second sealing rib.

5 . The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein a lower end of the first sealing rib is provided to contact the first flange so as to prevent inflow of the insulation.

6 . The refrigerator of claim 4 , wherein an upper end of the second sealing rib is provided to contact the second flange so as to prevent inflow of the insulation.

7 . The refrigerator of claim 5 , wherein:
the lower end of the first sealing rib is provided to contact the first flange, when the cold air guide is located at a predetermined position with respect to the first lower plate, and the first lower plate further comprises a guide configured to guide the cold air guide to allow the cold air guide to be located at the predetermined position.

8 . The refrigerator of claim 7 , wherein:
the guide comprises a guide surface configured to contact the first flange so as to guide the first flange, when the cold air guide moves toward the first lower plate to be coupled to the first lower plate, and the first flange is guided to the predetermined position by moving along the guide surface.

9 . The refrigerator of claim 6 , wherein:
the second upper plate comprises a flange coupler coupled to the second flange to fix the cold air guide to the second upper plate, and the upper end of the second sealing rib is provided to contact the second flange, when the second flange is coupled to the flange coupler.

10 . The refrigerator of claim 9 , wherein the flange coupler comprises:
a coupling rib forming a flange groove into which the second flange is inserted; a cover provided to cover one end of the second flange and extending from the coupling rib; and a coupling protrusion provided on the coupling rib and coupled to the second flange to prevent the second flange from being withdrawn from the flange groove.

11 . The refrigerator of claim 10 , wherein the cold air guide comprises:
a first recess formed by recessing a portion of the second flange and covered by the cover, and a second recess formed by recessing a portion of the second flange to allow the coupling protrusion to be inserted.

12 . The refrigerator of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of first plates comprise a first lower plate forming a lower surface of the first storage compartment, the plurality of second plates comprise a second upper plate forming an upper surface of the second storage compartment, the refrigerator further comprises:
a first support protrusion that protrudes downward from the first lower plate, and
a second support protrusion that protrudes upward from the second upper plate, and
the first support protrusion and the second support protrusion contact each other to maintain a gap between the first inner case and the second inner case.

13 . The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein:
the first support protrusion is formed integrally with the first lower plate, and the second support protrusion is formed integrally with the second upper plate.

14 . The refrigerator of claim 12 , wherein the first support protrusion and the second support protrusion are provided to contact at two regions spaced apart from each other to reduce a contact area between the first support protrusion and the second support protrusion.

15 . A refrigerator comprising:
a first inner case forming a first storage compartment and including a first lower plate and a plurality of first plates each formed by injection molding; a second inner case forming a second storage compartment and including a second upper plate and a plurality of second plates each formed by injection molding; an outer case coupled to an outer side of the first inner case and an outer side of the second inner case to form an exterior of the refrigerator; an insulation provided between the first inner case and the outer case, between the second inner case and the outer case, and between the first inner case and the second inner case; a first support protrusion that protrudes downward from the first lower plate, a second support protrusion that protrudes upward from the second upper plate and contacts the first support protrusion to maintain a gap between the first inner case and the second inner case; and a cold air guide disposed between the first inner case and the second inner case to maintain the gap between the first inner case and the second inner case, and configured to form a cold air flow path connecting the first storage compartment and the second storage compartment.

16 . The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein first lower plate include:
a first hole formed through the first lower plate, and a first sealing rib formed along a circumference of the first hole and protruding downward from the first lower plate.

17 . The refrigerator of claim 16 , wherein the second upper plate include:
a second hole formed through the second upper plate, and a second sealing rib formed along a circumference of the second hole and protruding upward from the second upper plate.

18 . The

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jung Taeyun
• Kim Donghwa
• Song Kangil
• Heo Donghak
• Hong Hyesung

Classifications

• F25D2201/12

  using an insulating packing material · CPC title

• F25D23/065 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• F25D17/062

  in household refrigerators · CPC title

• F25D17/065

  with compartments at different temperatures · CPC title

• F25D2317/0667

  from the refrigerator · CPC title