Door for refrigerator and manufacturing method for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9500402-B2
Application number	US-201414162216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2014
Priority date	Jan 30, 2013
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

There is disclosed a refrigerator door including a front panel for defining a front exterior appearance thereof, a door liner for defining a rear exterior appearance thereof, a frame for defining both lateral exterior appearance thereof, the frame formed of steel, a support portion provided in an inner portion of the frame to support the front panel, the support portion formed of steel, an upper cap decorative portion for sealing upper portions of the front panel and the door liner, a lower cap decorative portion for sealing lower portions of the front panel and the door liner, and a coupling member provided in an inner portion of the frame to couple the upper cap decorative portion and the lower cap decorative portion to each other, the coupling member formed of steel, wherein the support portion is welded to the frame and the coupling member is welded to the frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator door comprising:
a front panel for defining a front exterior appearance thereof;
a door liner for defining a rear exterior appearance thereof;
a frame for defining both lateral exterior appearance thereof, wherein the frame is formed of steel;
a support portion provided in an inner portion of the frame to support the front panel, wherein the support portion is formed of steel;
an upper cap decorative portion for sealing upper portions of the front panel and the door liner;
a lower cap decorative portion for sealing lower portions of the front panel and the door liner; and
a coupling member provided in an inner portion of the frame to couple the upper cap decorative portion and the lower cap decorative portion to the frame, wherein the coupling member is formed of steel,
wherein the front panel is fixed to the frame and
wherein one end of the refrigerator door is the portion of the frame extended from the front panel as far as the thickness of the frame, and
wherein one or more of a display seating portion for seating a display thereon and a handle are provided in the support portion.

2. The refrigerator door according to claim 1 , wherein one end of the refrigerator door is an outer surface of the portion of the frame coupled to the front panel.

3. The refrigerator door according to claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises:
a first frame for defining a right exterior appearance thereof; and
a second frame for defining a left exterior appearance thereof, and
at least one of the first and second frames have an uneven horizontal cross section.

4. The refrigerator door according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling member is projected from an inner surface of the frame.

5. The refrigerator door according to claim 4 , wherein the upper cap decorative portion and the lower cap decorative portion are coupled to the coupling member by a screw.

6. The refrigerator door according to claim 1 , wherein the frame has a predetermined shape worked not to face each other.

7. The refrigerator door according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the frame, the support portion and the coupling member are formed of a zinc-galvanized steel plate.

8. The refrigerator door according to claim 7 , wherein a projection is projected a predetermined height from one or more of the frame and the support portion, and the projection provides a passage the zinc gas generated in the laser welding is exhausted along.

9. The refrigerator door according to claim 8 , wherein the projection is formed in a contacting portion between the frame and the support portion.

10. The refrigerator door according to claim 8 , wherein the projection is formed by a press process or a laser.

11. The refrigerator door according to claim 7 , wherein a projection is projected a predetermined height from one or more of the frame and the coupling member, and the projection provides a passage the zinc gas generated in the laser welding is exhausted along.

12. The refrigerator door according to claim 11 , wherein the projection is formed in a contacting portion between the frame and the support portion.

13. The refrigerator door according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the frame, the support portion and the coupling member are formed by a press process.

14. A refrigerator door comprising:
a front panel for defining a front exterior appearance thereof;
a door liner for defining a rear exterior appearance thereof;
a frame for defining both lateral exterior appearance thereof, wherein the frame is formed of steel;
a support portion provided in an inner portion of the frame to support the front panel, wherein the support portion is formed of steel;
an upper cap decorative portion for sealing upper portions of the front panel and the door liner
a lower cap decorative portion for sealing lower portions of the front panel and the door liner; and
a coupling member provided in an inner portion of the frame to couple the upper cap decorative portion and the lower cap decorative portion to the frame,
wherein the coupling member is formed of steel,
wherein the front panel is fixed to the frame,
wherein one end of the refrigerator door is the portion of the frame extended from the front panel as far as the thickness of the frame,
wherein one or more of the frame, the support portion and the coupling member are formed of a zinc-galvanized steel plate,
wherein a projection is projected a predetermined height from one or more of the frame and the support portion, and the projection provides a passage the zinc gas generated in the laser welding is exhausted along, and
wherein the projection is formed in a contacting portion between the frame and the support portion.

15. A refrigerator door comprising:
a front panel for defining a front exterior appearance thereof;
a door liner for defining a rear exterior appearance thereof;
a frame for defining both lateral exterior appearance thereof, wherein the frame is formed of steel;
a support portion provided in an inner portion of the frame to support the front panel, wherein the support portion is formed of steel;
an upper cap decorative portion for sealing upper portions of the front panel and the door liner;
a lower cap decorative portion for sealing lower portions of the front panel and the door liner; and
a coupling member provided in an inner portion of the frame to couple the upper cap decorative portion and the lower cap decorative portion to the frame,
wherein the coupling member is formed of steel,
wherein the front panel is fixed to the frame,
wherein one end of the refrigerator door is the portion of the frame extended from the front panel as far as the thickness of the frame,
wherein one or more of the frame, the support portion and the coupling member are formed of a zinc-galvanized steel plate,
wherein a projection is projected a predetermined height from one or more of the frame and the coupling member, and the projection provides a passage the zinc gas generated in the laser welding is exhausted along and
wherein the projection is formed in a contacting portion between the frame and the support portion.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kim Junghun
• Choi Sungwoo

Classifications

• F25D23/02 Primary

  Doors; Covers (F25D23/08 takes precedence {locks or fastenings E05B65/0042}) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• F25D23/025

  Secondary closures · CPC title

• F25D2400/18

  Aesthetic features · CPC title

• F25D23/06 Primary

  Walls (F25D23/08 takes precedence; containers with thermal insulation B65D81/38) · CPC title