U.S. patent application number 13/654883 was filed with the patent office on 2013-04-25 for refrigerator and door for the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. The applicant listed for this patent is Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Nam Woon Heo, Jae Huing Ju, Sang Hyun Kim, Byung Kil Lee, Yong Eun Lee, Jae Hoon Lim.
Application Number | 20130099650 13/654883 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47018918 |
Filed Date | 2013-04-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130099650 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Byung Kil ; et
al. |
April 25, 2013 |
REFRIGERATOR AND DOOR FOR THE SAME
Abstract
A door for a refrigerator having a reduced number of constituent
elements, resulting in reduction in material and processing costs
as well as manufacturing time is provided. The door may include a
reinforced glass panel defining a front surface, a pair of lateral
frames to support the reinforced glass panel, a rear panel defining
a rear surface, a pair of caps including upper and lower caps, and
a foam charged into an interior space of the door to couple the
reinforced glass panel, lateral frames, rear panel and caps to one
another. Each lateral frame comes into contact with two surfaces
including a lateral surface and a rear surface of the reinforced
glass panel to support the reinforced glass panel. Also, each
lateral frame may be formed via extrusion molding of PVC synthetic
resin and is painted via liquid painting.
Inventors: |
Lee; Byung Kil; (Gwangju,
KR) ; Ju; Jae Huing; (Gokseong-gun, KR) ; Kim;
Sang Hyun; (Gwangju, KR) ; Lim; Jae Hoon;
(Suwon-si, KR) ; Lee; Yong Eun; (Busan, KR)
; Heo; Nam Woon; (Gwangju, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; |
Suwon-si |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
Samsung Electronics Co.,
Ltd.
Suwon-shi
KR
|
Family ID: |
47018918 |
Appl. No.: |
13/654883 |
Filed: |
October 18, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/404 ;
156/243; 312/405 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 23/028 20130101;
F25D 23/02 20130101; F25D 23/04 20130101; F25D 23/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/404 ;
312/405; 156/243 |
International
Class: |
F25D 23/08 20060101
F25D023/08; F25D 23/04 20060101 F25D023/04; F25D 23/02 20060101
F25D023/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 21, 2011 |
KR |
10-2011-0107889 |
May 15, 2012 |
KR |
10-2012-0051474 |
Claims
1. A refrigerator comprising: a main body; a storage compartment
defined in the main body; and a door pivotally rotatably mounted to
the main body to open or close a front side of the storage
compartment, wherein the door includes: a reinforced glass panel
defining a front surface of the door; a pair of lateral frames to
support the reinforced glass panel; a rear panel defining a rear
surface of the door; a pair of caps including an upper cap and a
lower cap; and a foam charged into an interior space of the door to
couple the reinforced glass panel, the pair of lateral frames, the
rear panel, and the pair of caps to one another, wherein each of
the pair of lateral frames comes into contact with two surfaces
including a lateral surface and a rear surface of the reinforced
glass panel to support the reinforced glass panel, and wherein each
of the pair of lateral frames is formed via extrusion molding of
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) synthetic resin and is painted via liquid
painting.
2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the pair of
lateral frames is subjected to natural drying after completion of
painting.
3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein each of the pair
of lateral frames includes a first support portion coming into
contact with the lateral surface of the reinforced glass panel and
a second support portion coming into contact with the rear surface
of the reinforced glass panel.
4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the first support
portion includes a first support surface coming into contact with
the lateral surface of the reinforced glass panel, and the second
support portion includes a second support surface coming into
contact with the rear surface of the reinforced glass panel.
5. The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein the first support
surface and the second support surface are flat.
6. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the first support
portion protrudes farther forward than the second support
portion.
7. The refrigerator according to claim 6, wherein the first support
portion protrudes farther than the second support portion at least
by a length of the lateral surface of the reinforced glass panel,
to prevent the lateral surface of the reinforced glass panel from
being exposed to the outside.
8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein each of the pair
of lateral frames takes the form of a single part.
9. A refrigerator comprising: a main body; a storage compartment
defined in the main body; and a door pivotally rotatably mounted to
the main body to open or close a front side of the storage
compartment, wherein the door includes: a reinforced glass panel
defining a front surface of the door; a pair of lateral frames to
support the reinforced glass panel; a rear panel defining a rear
surface of the door; a pair of caps including an upper cap and a
lower cap; and a foam charged into an interior space of the door to
couple the reinforced glass panel, the pair of lateral frames, the
rear panel, and the pair of caps to one another, and wherein each
of the pair of lateral frames is formed into a single part via
extrusion molding of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) synthetic resin.
10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein each of the pair
of lateral frames is painted via liquid painting.
11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein each of the
pair of lateral frames is subjected to natural drying after
completion of painting.
12. A method of manufacturing a door for a refrigerator, the method
comprising: preparing a reinforced glass panel, a rear panel, and a
pair of caps; preparing a pair of lateral frames to support the
reinforced glass panel; provisionally fixing the reinforced glass
panel, the pair of lateral frames, the rear panel, and the pair of
caps; and foaming an insulating material into an interior space of
the door to fix the reinforced glass panel, the pair of lateral
frames, the rear panel, and the pair of caps, wherein the
preparation of the pair of lateral frames includes: forming a pair
of extruded lateral frame articles via extrusion molding of
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) synthetic resin; painting the pair of
extruded lateral frame articles via liquid painting; and drying the
pair of painted lateral frames via natural drying.
13. A refrigerator comprising: a main body; a storage compartment
defined in the main body; and a door pivotally rotatably mounted to
the main body to open or close a front side of the storage
compartment, wherein the door includes: a reinforced glass panel
defining a front surface of the door; a rear panel defining a rear
surface of the door; an upper cap and a lower cap respectively
defining an upper surface and a lower surface of the door; a pair
of lateral frames defining both lateral surfaces of the door; an
interior space defined by the reinforced glass panel, the rear
panel, the upper cap, the lower cap, and the pair of lateral
frames; and an insulating foam charged into an interior space of
the door to couple the reinforced glass panel, the rear panel, the
upper cap, the lower cap, and the pair of lateral frames to one
another, and wherein each lateral frame includes a polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) plate formed via extrusion molding of PVC, a
decorative film attached to a surface of the PVC plate to improve
the outer appearance of the PVC plate without painting the PVC
plate, and an adhesive material to attach the PVC plate and the
decorative film to each other.
14. The refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein the decorative
film is formed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyvinyl pyrrolidone
(PVP).
15. The refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein the decorative
film has a hair line pattern.
16. A method of manufacturing a door for a refrigerator, the method
comprising: preparing a reinforced glass panel defining a front
surface of the door, a rear panel defining a rear surface of the
door, an upper cap and a lower cap respectively defining an upper
surface and a lower surface of the door, and a pair of lateral
frames defining both lateral surfaces of the door; provisionally
fixing the reinforced glass panel, the rear panel, the upper cap,
the lower cap, and the pair of lateral frames; and foaming an
insulating material into an interior space of the door defined by
the reinforced glass panel, the rear panel, the upper cap, the
lower cap, and the pair of lateral frames; wherein the preparation
of each lateral frame includes: forming a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
plate via extrusion molding of PVC resin; and attaching a
decorative film to a surface of the PVC plate.
17. The manufacturing method according to claim 16, wherein the
formation of the PVC plate via extrusion molding of PVC resin and
the attachment of the decorative film to the surface of the PVC
plate are successively implemented.
18. The manufacturing method according to claim 16, wherein the
attachment of the decorative film to the surface of the PVC plate
includes introducing the PVC plate and the decorative film to a
wrapping roller.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of Korean
Patent Application No. 10-2011-0107889, filed on Oct. 21, 2011 and
Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0051474, filed on May 15,
2012 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of
which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] Embodiments relate to a door for a refrigerator.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, a refrigerator is an apparatus that includes a
storage compartment in which food is stored and a cold air supply
device to supply cold air into the storage compartment, thereby
serving to keep food fresh. The storage compartment has an open
front side for entrance/exit of food, and a door is provided to
open or close the open front side.
[0006] Oftentimes, some doors have front panels formed of
reinforced glass to improve the outer appearance thereof. As shown
in FIG. 9, a conventional door may include a reinforced glass panel
1 defining a front surface, a rear panel 2, a pair of lateral
frames 3 and 4, and a pair of intermediate members 5 and 6.
[0007] The reinforced glass panel 1 defines the front surface of
the door and contributes to improvement in aesthetic appreciation
and decoration of the door. The reinforced glass panel 1 may be
damaged or broken when continuously receiving shock due to nature
of glass. The pair of lateral frames 3 and 4 is coupled to both
lateral sides of the reinforced glass panel 1 to prevent damage or
breakage of the panel 1.
[0008] The pair of lateral frames 3 and 4 is generally formed via
extrusion molding of aluminum. Aluminum has good durability and is
light. Intermediate members 5 and 6 formed of Acrylonitrile
Butadiene Styrene (ABS) material are interposed between the
reinforced glass panel 1 and the pair of lateral frames 3 and 4 to
improve shock-resistance and wear-resistance of the door. The
intermediate members 5 and 6 are installed to come into contact
with a rear surface of the reinforced glass panel 1.
[0009] The above-described conventional door may require the
additional intermediate members 5 and 6 because of high price of
aluminum and for improvement in shock-resistance and
wear-resistance of the reinforced glass panel 1. Moreover, aluminum
having high thermal conductivity and electric conductivity may
deteriorate insulation performance of the storage compartment, and
may cause electric shock accidents upon ground failure of a
refrigerator. Additionally, the aluminum lateral frames have
complexity in view of manufacture because they may require forming,
cutting, coating, painting processes, etc.
SUMMARY
[0010] In accordance with an aspect of one or more embodiments,
there is provided a refrigerator having a door that achieves
reduction in material and processing costs.
[0011] In accordance with an aspect of one or more embodiments,
there is provided a refrigerator having a door that provides
enhanced insulation effects and eliminates the risk of electric
shock even upon ground failure of the refrigerator.
[0012] In accordance with an aspect of one or more embodiments,
there is provided a refrigerator having a door that achieves
improvement in surface texture and color impression.
[0013] In accordance with an aspect of one or more embodiments,
there is provided a refrigerator includes a main body, a storage
compartment defined in the main body, and a door pivotally
rotatably mounted to the main body to open or close an open front
side of the storage compartment, wherein the door includes a
reinforced glass panel defining a front surface of the door, a pair
of lateral frames to support the reinforced glass panel, a rear
panel defining a rear surface of the door, a pair of caps including
an upper cap and a lower cap, and a foam charged into an interior
space of the door to couple the reinforced glass panel, the pair of
lateral frames, the rear panel and the pair of caps to one another,
wherein each of the pair of lateral frames comes into contact with
two surfaces including a lateral surface and a rear surface of the
reinforced glass panel to support the reinforced glass panel, and
wherein each of the pair of lateral frames is formed via extrusion
molding of PVC synthetic resin and is painted via liquid
painting.
[0014] The pair of lateral frames may be subjected to natural
drying after completion of painting.
[0015] Each of the pair of lateral frames may include a first
support portion coming into contact with the lateral surface of the
reinforced glass panel and a second support portion coming into
contact with the rear surface of the reinforced glass panel.
[0016] The first support portion may include a first support
surface coming into contact with the lateral surface of the
reinforced glass panel, and the second support portion may include
a second support surface coming into contact with the rear surface
of the reinforced glass panel.
[0017] The first support surface and the second support surface may
be flat.
[0018] The first support portion may protrude farther forward than
the second support portion.
[0019] The first support portion may protrude farther than the
second support portion at least by a length of the lateral surface
of the reinforced glass panel, to prevent the lateral surface of
the reinforced glass panel from being exposed to the outside.
[0020] Each of the pair of lateral frames may take the form of a
single part.
[0021] In accordance with an aspect of one or more embodiments,
there is provided a refrigerator includes a main body, a storage
compartment defined in the main body, and a door pivotally
rotatably mounted to the main body to open or close an open front
side of the storage compartment, wherein the door includes a
reinforced glass panel defining a front surface of the door, a pair
of lateral frames to support the reinforced glass panel, a rear
panel defining a rear surface of the door, a pair of caps including
an upper cap and a lower cap, and a foam charged into an interior
space of the door to couple the reinforced glass panel, the pair of
lateral frames, the rear panel and the pair of caps to one another,
and wherein each of the pair of lateral frames is formed into a
single part via extrusion molding of PVC synthetic resin.
[0022] Each of the pair of lateral frames may be painted via liquid
painting.
[0023] Each of the pair of lateral frames may be subjected to
natural drying after completion of painting.
[0024] In accordance with an aspect of one or more embodiments,
there is provided a manufacturing method of a door for a
refrigerator includes preparing a reinforced glass panel, a rear
panel, and a pair of caps, preparing a pair of lateral frames to
support the reinforced glass panel, provisionally fixing the
reinforced glass panel, the pair of lateral frames, the rear panel,
and the pair of caps, and foaming an insulating material into an
interior space of the door to fix the reinforced glass panel, the
pair of lateral frames, the rear panel, and the pair of caps,
wherein the preparation of the pair of lateral frames includes
forming a pair of extruded lateral frame articles via extrusion
molding of PVC synthetic resin, painting the pair of extruded
lateral frame articles via liquid painting, and drying the pair of
painted lateral frames via natural drying.
[0025] In accordance with an aspect of one or more embodiments,
there is provided a refrigerator includes a main body, a storage
compartment defined in the main body, and a door pivotally
rotatably mounted to the main body to open or close an open front
side of the storage compartment, wherein the door includes a
reinforced glass panel defining a front surface of the door, a rear
panel defining a rear surface of the door, an upper cap and a lower
cap respectively defining an upper surface and a lower surface of
the door, a pair of lateral frames defining both lateral surfaces
of the door, an interior space defined by the reinforced glass
panel, the rear panel, the upper cap, the lower cap, and the pair
of lateral frames, and an insulating foam charged into an interior
space of the door to couple the reinforced glass panel, the rear
panel, the upper cap, the lower cap, and the pair of lateral frames
to one another, and wherein each lateral frame includes a PVC plate
formed via extrusion molding of PVC, a decorative film attached to
a surface of the PVC plate to improve the outer appearance of the
PVC plate without painting the PVC plate, and an adhesive material
to attach the PVC plate and the decorative film to each other.
[0026] The decorative film may be formed of polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) or polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP).
[0027] The decorative film may have a hair line pattern.
[0028] In accordance with an aspect of one or more embodiments,
there is provided a manufacturing method of a door for a
refrigerator includes preparing a reinforced glass panel defining a
front surface of the door, a rear panel defining a rear surface of
the door, an upper cap and a lower cap respectively defining an
upper surface and a lower surface of the door, and a pair of
lateral frames defining both lateral surfaces of the door,
provisionally fixing the reinforced glass panel, the rear panel,
the upper cap, the lower cap, and the pair of lateral frames, and
foaming an insulating material into an interior space of the door
defined by the reinforced glass panel, the rear panel, the upper
cap, the lower cap, and the pair of lateral frames, wherein the
preparation of each lateral frame includes forming a PVC plate via
extrusion molding of PVC resin, and attaching a decorative film to
a surface of the PVC plate.
[0029] The formation of the PVC plate via extrusion molding of PVC
resin and the attachment of the decorative film to the surface of
the PVC plate may be successively implemented.
[0030] The attachment of the decorative film to the surface of the
PVC plate may include introducing the PVC plate and the decorative
film to a wrapping roller.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] These and/or other aspects of embodiments will become
apparent and more readily appreciated from the following
description of embodiments, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings of which:
[0032] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of
a refrigerator according to an embodiment;
[0033] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the
configuration of a left door for the refrigerator of FIG. 1;
[0034] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the
configuration of a right door for the refrigerator of FIG. 1;
[0035] FIG. 4 is an exploded plan view showing the configuration of
the right door for the refrigerator of FIG. 1;
[0036] FIG. 5 is an assembled plan view showing the configuration
of the right door for the refrigerator of FIG. 1;
[0037] FIG. 6 is an assembled plan view showing the configuration
of a right door for a refrigerator according to an embodiment;
[0038] FIG. 7 is a view explaining the sequence of manufacturing a
lateral frame of the right door for the refrigerator of FIG. 6;
[0039] FIG. 8 is a flowchart explaining a manufacturing method of
the door for the refrigerator of FIG. 6; and
[0040] FIG. 9 is a view showing the configuration of a conventional
refrigerator door.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0041] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments,
examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements
throughout.
[0042] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of
a refrigerator according to an embodiment. The refrigerator 10
according to an embodiment includes a main body 11, storage
compartments 12 and 13 defined in the main body 11 for food
storage, and a cold air supply device (not shown) to supply cold
air into the storage compartments 12 and 13.
[0043] The main body 11 includes an outer shell defining the
external appearance of the refrigerator 10, an inner shell defining
the storage compartments 12 and 13, and an insulating material
foamed between the outer shell and the inner shell for insulation
of the storage compartments 12 and 13.
[0044] The storage compartments 12 and 13 may be classified into
the first storage compartment 12 at the left side of a vertical
partition 16 and the second storage compartment 13 at the right
side of the vertical partition 16. The first storage compartment 12
and the second storage compartment 13 may respectively serve as a
freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment. Shelves 14
may be placed in the storage compartment 13 to support food placed
thereon.
[0045] The storage compartments 12 and 13 may respectively have
open front sides for entrance/exit of food, and doors 21 and 22 may
be pivotally rotatably installed to the main body 11 to open or
close the open front sides respectively. The doors 21 and 22 may be
pivotally rotatably installed to the main body 11 using upper hinge
members 15 and lower hinge members (not shown). The left door 21
and the right door 22 may individually open or close the first
storage compartment 12 and the second storage compartment 13.
[0046] The door 22 may be provided with a so-called home-bar
chamber 24 for simple storage of food to allow a user to put or
take food into or from the chamber 24 without opening the door 22.
Additionally, door guards 25 for food storage may be installed to a
rear surface of the door 22. The configuration of the doors 21 and
22 will be described hereinafter.
[0047] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the
configuration of the left door for the refrigerator of FIG. 1, and
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of
the right door for the refrigerator of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an
exploded plan view showing the configuration of the right door for
the refrigerator of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is an assembled plan view
showing the configuration of the right door for the refrigerator of
FIG. 1.
[0048] Referring to FIG. 2, the left door 21 may include a front
reinforced glass panel 30, a rear panel 31, a pair of lateral
frames 60 and 70, an upper cap 90, and a lower cap 91.
[0049] The reinforced glass panel 30 formed of reinforced glass has
an approximately rectangular shape to define a front surface of the
door having improved aesthetic appreciation and decoration. The
rear panel 31 has the same shape as the reinforced glass panel 30
to define a rear surface of the door.
[0050] The rear panel 31 may be provided at a rear surface thereof
with a pair of vertically elongated door guard mounts 32 for
installation of the door guards (25, see FIG. 1). The rear panel 31
may be formed via vacuum forming.
[0051] The pair of lateral frames 60 and 70 defining the lateral
surfaces of the left door 21 may include the first lateral frame 60
and the second lateral frame 70. The second lateral frame 70 may be
integrally provided with a handle groove (80, see FIG. 4) for
opening/closing of the left door 21.
[0052] Each of the pair of lateral frames 60 and 70 may be formed
into a single part via extrusion molding of synthetic resin, and
more particularly, of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC has smaller
weight than aluminum and low material and processing costs. Also,
PVC ensures good insulation effects of the storage compartment
owing to lower thermal conductivity than aluminum. Of course, PVC
additionally provides sufficient rigidity to prevent deformation of
the reinforced glass panel 30.
[0053] In the case in which the pair of lateral frames 60 and 70 is
formed of PVC, the entire left door 21 has no conductivity, which
may prevent electric shock even upon ground failure of the
refrigerator.
[0054] Further, the pair of lateral frames 60 and 70 formed of PVC
may be subjected to liquid painting and natural drying for surface
treatment. Liquid painting may be more conveniently applicable
regardless of the kind of a painting object than metal painting,
such as powder painting or electrostatic painting, and has shorter
process time. Natural drying has short process time and enables
curing at a room temperature upon addition of an acid catalyst,
such as hydrochloric acid.
[0055] Accordingly, extrusion molding of the lateral frames 60 and
70 using PVC synthetic resin may provide both lateral frames 60 and
70 with sufficient force to support the reinforced glass panel 30
as well as insulation and stability, and may achieve reduction in
cost and time.
[0056] The lateral frames 60 and 70 according to an embodiment may
be manufactured via extrusion molding, cutting, painting, and
drying processes, and may not require a coating process, having a
simplified manufacturing process.
[0057] The upper cap 90 and the lower cap 91 are respectively
coupled to an upper end and a lower end of the left door 21 to
hermetically seal an interior space of the left door 21. The
interior space (33, see FIG. 5) is charged with a foam (34, see
FIG. 5) to ensure strong inter-coupling of respective elements.
[0058] Referring to FIG. 3, the right door 22 may include front
reinforced glass panels 50 and 51, a home-bar case 41, a home-bar
door 40, a rear panel 52, a pair of lateral frames 110 and 120, an
upper cap 140, and a lower cap 141.
[0059] The reinforced glass panels 50 and 51 may be vertically
arranged with the home-bar case 41 interposed therebetween. The
home-bar door 40 may be hinged to the home-bar case 41 to open or
close an opening 44 of the home-bar case 41.
[0060] The rear panel 52 may have a rear panel opening 54
corresponding to the home-bar opening 44. The rear panel 52 may be
provided at a rear surface thereof with a pair of door guard mounts
53 for installation of the door guards (25, see FIG. 1).
[0061] The pair of lateral frames 110 and 120, which defines
lateral surfaces of the right door 22 and supports the reinforced
glass panels 50 and 51, may be formed via extrusion molding of PVC
resin, similar to the pair of lateral frames 60 and 70 of the left
door 21. Also, the pair of lateral frames 110 and 120 may be
subjected to liquid painting and natural drying upon surface
treatment.
[0062] The upper cap 140 and the lower cap 141, which respectively
define an upper surface and a lower surface of the right door 22,
may be formed in the same manner as the upper cap 90 and the lower
cap 91 of the left door 21.
[0063] The lateral frames 110 and 120 may also serve as
conventional intermediate members (5 and 6, see FIG. 9) that are
interposed between the reinforced glass panel and the lateral
frames to improve shock-resistance and wear-resistance.
[0064] More specifically, differently from the related art in which
the intermediate members (5 and 6, see FIG. 9) formed of ABS
synthetic resin are interposed between the reinforced glass panel
and the aluminum lateral frames to come into contact with the rear
surface of the reinforced glass panel for improvement of
shock-resistance and wear-resistance, according to an embodiment,
the lateral frames 110 and 120 may be formed of PVC synthetic
resin, and thus may come into contact with the reinforced glass
panels 50 and 51.
[0065] This will be described in more detail with reference to
FIGS. 3 to 5. As shown, each of the first lateral frame 110 and the
second lateral frame 120 comes into contact with to two surfaces,
i.e. a lateral surface and a rear surface, of the reinforced glass
panel 50 or 51 to support the reinforced glass panels 50 and 51.
Although FIGS. 3 to 5 show the right door 22, this is equal in the
case of the left door 21.
[0066] The first lateral frame 110 includes a first support portion
61 having a first support surface 63 to come into contact with a
lateral surface 56 of the reinforced glass panel 50 or 51, and a
second support portion 62 having a second support surface 64 to
come into contact with a rear surface 58 of the reinforced glass
panel 50 or 51. The first support surface 63 and the second support
surface 64 may be flat.
[0067] The second lateral frame 120 includes a first support
portion 65 having a first support surface 67 to come into contact
with a lateral surface 57 of the reinforced glass panel 50 or 51,
and a second support portion 66 having a second support surface 68
to come into contact with the rear surface 58 of the reinforced
glass panel 50 or 51. The first support surface 67 and the second
support surface 68 may be flat.
[0068] As such, the first lateral frame 110 and the second lateral
frame 120 come into contact with the rear surface of the reinforced
glass panel without requiring the additional intermediate members
(5 and 6, see FIG. 9). This reduces the number of constituent
elements of the doors 21 and 22, resulting in enhanced
manufacturing efficiency and costs.
[0069] The first support portions 61 and 65 that come into contact
with the lateral surfaces 56 and 67 of the reinforced glass panel
50 or 51 may protrude farther forward than the second support
portions 62 and 66 that come into contact with the rear surface 58
of the reinforced glass panel 50 or 51.
[0070] The first support portions 61 and 65 may protrude farther
forward than the second support portions 62 and 66 by a length
equal to or greater than the thickness of the reinforced glass
panel 50 or 51, i.e. the length of the lateral surfaces 56 and
57.
[0071] With this configuration, the lateral surfaces 56 and 57 of
the reinforced glass panel 50 or 51 are hidden by the first support
portions 61 and 65 of the lateral frames 110 and 120 so as not to
be exposed to the outside, resulting in improvement in aesthetics
of the door.
[0072] The doors 21 and 22 may be manufactured as follows. First,
the reinforced glass panels 30, 50 and 51, the rear panels 31 and
52, the pairs of upper and lower caps 90, 91, 140 and 141, and the
pairs of lateral frames 60, 70, 110 and 120 are prepared.
[0073] The pairs of lateral frames 60, 70, 110 and 120 may be
formed by extrusion molding PVC synthetic resin, and sequentially
painting and natural drying the resulting extruded article.
[0074] Thereafter, the reinforced glass panels 30, 50 and 51, the
rear panels 31 and 52, the pairs of upper and lower caps 90, 91,
140 and 141, and the pairs of lateral frames 60, 70, 110 and 120
are provisionally fixed using an adhesive material, such as an
adhesive tape, and thereafter are firmly fixed to one another using
adhesion of an insulating material foamed in the interior spaces
defined therebetween.
[0075] FIG. 6 is an assembled plan view showing the configuration
of the right door for a refrigerator according to an embodiment,
FIG. 7 is a view explaining the sequence of manufacturing the
lateral frame of the right door for the refrigerator of FIG. 6, and
FIG. 8 is a flowchart explaining a manufacturing method of the door
for the refrigerator of FIG. 6.
[0076] In the following description, the same elements as those of
the refrigerator according to the previously described embodiment
are designated by the same reference numerals, and a description
thereof will be omitted.
[0077] As shown in FIG. 6, the door for the refrigerator according
to the present embodiment may include the reinforced glass panels
50 and 51 defining a front surface of the door, the rear panel 52
defining a rear surface of the door, upper and lower caps defining
upper and lower surfaces of the door, a pair of lateral frames 210
and 220 defining lateral surfaces of the door, and an insulating
foam 34 to intercouple the respective elements.
[0078] The lateral frames 210 and 220 may respectively include PCV
plates 211 and 221 formed via extrusion molding of PVC resin, and
decorative films 213 and 223 attached to outer surfaces of the PVC
plates 211 and 221. Adhesive materials 212 and 222 may be
interposed between the PVC plates 211 and 221 and the decorative
films 213 and 223 to attach the decorative films 213 and 223 to the
PVC plates 211 and 221.
[0079] That is, the lateral frames 210 and 220 for the refrigerator
according to the present embodiment may be manufactured by
extrusion molding PVC resin to form the PVC plates 211 and 221, and
attaching the decorative films 213 and 223 to the PVC plates 213
and 223 instead of painting surfaces of the PVC plates.
[0080] This may provide the lateral frames 210 and 220 with a
variety of designs that may be impossible to obtain via painting.
For example, as shown in FIG. 7, by attaching the decorative films
213 and 223 having a hair line pattern to the PVC plate 211 and
221, the lateral frames 210 and 220 may have a hair line pattern
and exhibit the same texture as aluminum. Of course, the decorative
films 213 and 223 may have various patterns and colors except for
the line pattern.
[0081] Also, attaching the decorative films 213 and 223 to the PVC
plates 211 and 221 have a shorter process time than painting and
drying the PVC plates 211 and 221, resulting in reduction in
manufacturing time.
[0082] Referring to FIG. 7, the PVC plates 211 and the decorative
films 231 are introduced into and attached to each other by a
wrapping device. The wrapping device may include transfer rollers
240 to transfer the PVC plate 211, a decorative film input member
250 to introduce the decorative film 213, and a wrapping roller 260
to attach the PVC plate 211 and the decorative film 213 to each
other. In this case, before the decorative film 231 reaches the
wrapping roller 260, the adhesive material 212 may be applied to
one surface of the decorative film 231. The wrapping roller 260
ensures that the decorative film 231 is adhered to the surface of
the PVC plate 211 without a risk of separation.
[0083] In this case, the transfer roller 240 may directly transfer
the extruded PVC plate 211 from an extruder 230 to the wrapping
roller 250. That is, extrusion molding of the PVC plate 211 using
PVC resin and attaching the decorative film 213 to the surface of
the PVC plate 211 may be successively implemented in a single line.
This may result in further reduction in manufacturing time.
[0084] Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the door for the
refrigerator according to the secondly described embodiment will be
described with reference to FIG. 8.
[0085] First, the reinforced glass panel(s) 30; 50 and 51 defining
the front surface of the door is prepared (310). Also, the rear
panel 31; 52 defining the rear surface of the door is prepared
(320). The upper cap 90; 140 and the lower cap 91; 141 defining the
upper and lower surfaces of the door are prepared (330).
[0086] Then, the lateral frames 210 and 220 defining the lateral
surfaces of the door are prepared (340). In this case, the lateral
frames 210 and 220 may be formed by forming the PVC plates 211 and
221 using PVC resin (350) and attaching the decorative films 213
and 223 to the surfaces of the PVC plates 211 and 221 (360).
[0087] Next, the reinforced glass panel(s) 30; 50 and 51, the rear
panel 31; 52, the upper cap 90; 140, the lower cap; 91 and 141, and
the lateral frames 210 and 220 are provisionally assembled
(370).
[0088] Next, the insulating foam 34 is charged into the interior
space 33 defined by the reinforced glass panel(s) 30; 50 and 51,
the rear panel 31; 52, the upper cap 90; 140, the lower cap; 91 and
141, and the lateral frames 210 and 220 (380). The reinforced glass
panel(s) 30; 50 and 51, the rear panel 31; 52, the upper cap 90;
140, the lower cap; 91 and 141, and the lateral frames 210 and 220
may be firmly adhered to one another with adhesive force of the
insulating foam 34.
[0089] As is apparent from the above description, according to an
embodiment, a door for a refrigerator achieves reduction in
material and processing costs, which may reduce the price of the
refrigerator.
[0090] Also, the number of constituent elements of the door is
reduced, resulting in enhanced manufacturing efficiency and
costs.
[0091] Also, the weight of the door may be reduced.
[0092] Also, the door may be realized to have various surface
textures and colors.
[0093] Also, time consumed for surface treatment including painting
and drying may be reduced.
[0094] Also, the door has no conductor, which makes an earth
unnecessary.
[0095] Also, lateral frames of the door are prepared by simply
cutting and painting an extruded PVC article, which provides a
simplified manufacturing process.
[0096] Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it
would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may
be made in embodiments without departing from the principles and
spirit of the present disclosure, the scope of which is defined in
the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *