Refrigerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022120493-A1
Application number	US-201917423790-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 21, 2019
Priority date	Jan 16, 2019
Publication date	Apr 21, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A refrigerator includes a main body and a storage compartment provided inside the main body. A heater assembly partitions the storage compartment into a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment. The heater assembly includes a first case provided to define a surface of the first storage compartment, a second case coupled to the first case to form an accommodation space with the first case and provided to define a surface of the second storage compartment, a fixing unit formed on at least one of an inner surface of the first case and an inner surface of the second case, and a surface heater fixed to at least one of the inner surface of the first case and the inner surface of the second case by being coupled to the fixing unit. The surface heater includes a film and a heating wire printed on the film.

First claim

1 .- 14 . (canceled)

15 . A refrigerator comprising:
a main body; a storage compartment disposed inside the main body; and a heater assembly to partition the storage compartment into a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment adjacent to the first storage compartment, wherein the heater assembly includes: a first case which defines a surface of the first storage compartment, a second case coupled to the first case to form an accommodation space with the first case, and which defines a surface of the second storage compartment, a fixing unit formed on at least one of an inner surface of the first case and an inner surface of the second case, and a surface heater fixed to at least one of the inner surface of the first case and the inner surface of the second case, the surface heater including a film and a heating wire printed on the film.

16 . The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the first case and the second case are injection molded products.

17 . The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the surface heater further includes a plurality of fixing holes, and
a fixing hole among the plurality of fixing holes is formed in each corner of the surface heater.

18 . The refrigerator of claim 17 , wherein
the fixing unit includes a plurality of fixing units integrally formed with at least one of the first case and the second case to allow the plurality of fixing holes of the surface heater to be coupled to the plurality of fixing units, and the plurality of fixing holes of the surface heater is coupled to the plurality of fixing units in a sliding manner.

19 . The refrigerator of claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of fixing units includes:
a body to extend from the at least one of the inner surface of the first case and the inner surface of the second case, a first wing to extend from the body to face an outside of the accommodation space and spaced apart from the at least one of the inner surface of the first case and the inner surface of the second case from which the body extends, and a second wing to extend from the body to face an inside of the accommodation space and spaced apart from the at least one of the inner surface of the first case and the inner surface of the second case from which the body extends.

20 . The refrigerator of claim 19 , wherein a distance between the at least one of the inner surface of the first case and the inner surface of the second case from which the body extends, and the first wing is less than a distance between the at least one of the inner surface of the first case and the inner surface of the second case from which the body extends, and the second wing.

21 . The refrigerator of claim 19 , wherein
the surface heater further includes a fixing hole edge which defines each of the plurality of fixing holes, and a separation of the surface heater from the plurality of fixing units is limited by interference between any one of the first and second wings of the plurality of fixing units and the fixing hole edge of the surface heater.

22 . The refrigerator of claim 17 , wherein
the fixing unit includes a plurality of fixing units integrally formed with at least one of the first case and the second case to allow the plurality of fixing holes of the surface heater to be coupled to the plurality of fixing units, and the plurality of fixing holes of the surface heater is through-coupled to the plurality of fixing units.

23 . The refrigerator of claim 22 , wherein a width of the plurality of fixing holes is less than a width of the plurality of fixing units to allow the plurality of fixing units to be elastically deformed and to be through-coupled to the plurality of fixing holes.

24 . The refrigerator of claim 22 , wherein each of the plurality of fixing units includes:
a body to extend from at least one of the inner surface of the first case and the inner surface of the second case, and a head to extend from the body and having a width greater than a width of the body.

25 . The refrigerator of claim 24 , wherein
the surface heater further includes a fixing hole edge which defines each of the plurality of fixing holes, and a separation of the surface heater from the plurality of fixing units is limited by interference between the head of the plurality of fixing units and the fixing hole edge of the surface heater.

26 . The refrigerator of claim 22 , wherein each of the plurality of fixing units includes a hollow.

27 . The refrigerator of claim 15 , wherein the heater assembly further includes an insulating material filled in the accommodation space to allow the surface heater to be in close contact with at least one of the inner surface of the first case and the inner surface of the second case.

28 . The refrigerator of claim 27 , wherein the insulating material includes expanded polystyrene.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Je Sang Ky
• Cha Jang Yong
• Jeong Gwang Chel

Classifications

• H05B3/06

  Heater elements structurally combined with coupling elements or holders · CPC title

• H05B2203/013

  Heaters using resistive films or coatings · CPC title

• H05B3/267

  the insulating base being an organic material, e.g. plastic (H05B3/262 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16B5/0664

  at least one of the sheets or plates having integrally formed or integrally connected snap-in-features · CPC title

• F25D23/12 Primary

  Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove · CPC title