Door for refrigerator and method for manufacturing the same, metal container and method for manufacturing the same, and apparatus and method for processing metal sheet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9695626-B2
Application number	US-201414264099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2014
Priority date	Jun 12, 2012
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

Provided is a door for a refrigerator. The door includes an outer door manufactured by pressing and deforming a metal sheet. The outer door includes a first surface, second to fifth surfaces extending from the first surface, and a plurality of flanges extending from the second to fifth surfaces. The first to fifth surfaces are integrated with each other and defined based on the pressing and deforming of the metal sheet. A door liner is coupled to surfaces of the plurality of flanges of the outer door, and an insulation material is disposed in a space defined between the door liner and the outer door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a door, the method comprising:
fixing edge portions of a metal plate within a mold frame;
pressing and deforming the metal plate to manufacture an outer door of which a front surface, two side surfaces, a top surface, and a bottom surface are integrated with each other, and wherein the side surfaces, top surface, and bottom surface extend from the front surface in the same direction;
removing the edge portions from the outer door that were fixed within the mold frame during the pressing and deforming of the metal plate;
cutting away a portion of each corner of the side surfaces, the top surface, and the bottom surface;
bending edges of the side surfaces, the top surface, and the bottom surface of the outer door inwardly to define flanges at the side surfaces, the top surface, and the bottom surface of the outer door; and
after defining the flanges at the side surfaces, the top surface, and the bottom surface of the outer door, injecting a foam agent into a space defined by the side surfaces, the top surface, the bottom surface, and the flanges of the outer door,
wherein the flanges include four flanges, and each end portion of the four flanges is spaced apart from the remainder of the flanges, and wherein the corners of each of the four flanges do not overlie with any other flange corners.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising connecting a door liner to the outer door after injecting the foam agent.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising coupling, to the door liner, a gasket configured to create a seal based on the door contacting a refrigerator cabinet in a closed position.

4. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising, prior to connecting the door liner to the outer door, allowing the injected foam agent to cure, the cured foam agent being configured to act as an insulating material.

5. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising attaching a gasket to the door liner, the gasket being configured to prevent the leakage of cool air when the door is installed on a refrigerator cabinet.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, prior to injecting the foam agent, installing a packing between each pair of adjacent flanges, the packing being configured to block leakage of the foam agent injected into the space defined by the surfaces and flanges of the outer door.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising connecting a door liner to the outer door before injecting the foam agent, wherein injecting the foam agent comprises injecting the foam agent into a space defined between the outer door and the door liner through a hole of the door liner.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising connecting a door liner to the four flanges after injecting the foam agent.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein pressing and deforming the metal plate comprises using a hydro forming process to press and deform the metal plate.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein bending edges of the side surfaces, the top surface, and the bottom surface of the outer door inwardly to define flanges at the side surfaces, the top surface, and the bottom surface of the outer door comprises bending the edges of the side surfaces, the top surface and the bottom surface so that each flange has a length that is shorter than a length of the surface from which it is bent.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Shim Jinwoo
• Ko Youngki

Classifications

• B21D51/52

  boxes, cigarette cases, or the like · CPC title

• F25D23/028

  Details · CPC title

• E06B1/12 Primary

  Metal frames · CPC title

• B21D22/205 Primary

  Hydro-mechanical deep-drawing · CPC title

• F25D23/02

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