refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided, comprising: a main body including a storage chamber; a door body arranged to open or close the storage chamber; a decorative panel coupled to the front side of the door body; and a retainer mounted on the front side of the door body to be coupled to the decorative panel. The door body comprises a rear shell defining the rear side of the door body, and a main shell defining the front side and the side of the door body. The main shell comprises: a front portion defining the front side of the door body and having a mounting groove in which the retainer is mounted; a side portion defining the side of the door body; and a rear coupling member coupled to the rear shell. The main shell is formed by bending a single metal plate.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application "Refrigerator" with application date of February 24, 2021 and application number 202110208951.8. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator having a door with a decorative panel attached to the front. Background Art

[0003] A refrigerator is a household appliance having a main body with a storage chamber and a cold air supply device provided for supplying cold air into the storage chamber to keep food and groceries fresh. The storage chamber includes a refrigerating chamber maintained at a temperature of about 0 to 5 degrees Celsius for keeping groceries cool, and a freezing chamber maintained at a temperature of about -30 to 0 degrees Celsius for keeping groceries frozen. The storage chamber generally has an open front through which food is taken out or put in, and the open front is opened or closed by a door.

[0004] The door may include a door body with thermal insulation and a decorative panel coupled to the front side of the door body. Since the decorative panel is easily attachable to and / or detachable from the front side of the door body, a user may easily replace the decorative panel with another decorative panel having a different texture, color, or design that he / she likes. Summary of the invention

[0005] Technical issues

[0006] The present disclosure provides a refrigerator having a door equipped with a decorative panel having a reduced number of parts and a simple structure, thereby improving productivity, reducing a defect rate, and saving costs.

[0007] The present disclosure also provides a refrigerator having a door equipped with a decorative panel that imparts enhanced aesthetics and has firmness and durability.

[0008] Technical Solution

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigerator includes: a main body including a storage chamber; a door body arranged to open or close the storage chamber; a decorative panel coupled to the front side of the door body; and a retainer installed on the front side of the door body to be coupled to the decorative panel, wherein the door body includes: a rear shell body defining the rear side of the door body; and a main shell body including a front portion defining the front side of the door body and having a mounting groove for mounting the retainer, a side portion defining a side surface of the door body, and a rear coupling member coupled to the rear shell body, wherein the main shell body is formed by bending a single metal plate.

[0010] The front portion may include a base formed flat and curved portions formed on left and right sides of the base, and the curved portions may include an inner curved portion defining an inner side of the mounting groove, a middle curved portion defining a rear side of the mounting groove, and an outer curved portion defining an outer side of the mounting groove.

[0011] The outer curved portion and the side portion may be formed to contact each other through a hemming process.

[0012] The outer curved portion and the side portion may be formed to be parallel to each other through a hemming process.

[0013] The outer curved portion and the side portion may protrude further forward than the base.

[0014] The middle curved portion may be formed perpendicular to the outer curved portion.

[0015] The inner curved portion may be formed to be inclined with respect to the base.

[0016] The main housing may be formed using an iron plate material.

[0017] The mounting slot may have an open front.

[0018] The refrigerator may further include a fastening member fastened to the holder and the mounting groove to fix the holder to the mounting groove.

[0019] The retaining member may include a shell support member supported on the curved portion, and the shell support member may include: an inner support member supported on the inner curved portion; an intermediate support member supported on the intermediate curved portion; and an outer support member supported on the outer curved portion.

[0020] The refrigerator may further include a side trim attached to both left and right edges of a rear side of the decorative panel and coupled to the holder.

[0021] The retainer may include: a retainer groove into which a side trim protrusion of the side trim is inserted; and a retainer protrusion protruding from the case support to catch the side trim protrusion.

[0022] The decorative panel is formed using an iron plate material, and the holder may include a panel supporter supporting a left end or a right end of the panel body.

[0023] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigerator includes: a main body, including a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber formed below the first storage chamber; a first door, including a first door body arranged to open or close the first storage chamber, a first decorative panel coupled to the front side of the first door body, and a first fixing member fixing the first door body and the first decorative panel; and a second door, including a second door body arranged to open or close the second storage chamber, a second decorative panel coupled to the front side of the second door body, and a second fixing member fixing the second door body and the second decorative panel, wherein the first fixing member is coupled to the top end of the first door body and the second fixing member is coupled to the bottom end of the second door body.

[0024] A handle may be formed on each of a bottom side of the first door body and a top side of the second door body.

[0025] The first decorative panel may include a first panel body, a first upper trim disposed at a top edge of a rear side of the first panel body, and a first lower trim disposed at a bottom edge of a rear side of the first panel body, and the first fixing member may be coupled to the first upper trim.

[0026] The second decorative panel may include a second panel body, a second upper trim disposed at a top edge of a rear side of the second panel body, and a second lower trim disposed at a bottom edge of a rear side of the second panel body, and the second fixing member may be coupled to the second lower trim.

[0027] The first door body may include an upper cover and a lower cover, the first fixing member may be coupled to the upper cover of the first door body, and the first door body may have a handle formed at the lower cover.

[0028] The second door body may include an upper cover and a lower cover, and the second door body may have a handle formed at the upper cover, wherein the second fixing member may be coupled to the lower cover of the second door body.

[0029] Beneficial Effects

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a decorative panel on a door of a refrigerator is easily attached to or separated from a door body, so that the design of the door can be easily changed by replacing the decorative panel.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a front portion defining a front side of a door body and a side portion forming a side surface of the door body may be integrally formed, thereby improving productivity, reducing a defect rate, and saving costs.

[0032] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a refrigerator may have a door that imparts enhanced aesthetics and has firmness and durability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 shows a front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of a refrigerator;

[0035] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 The refrigerator door of the refrigerator is decomposed into a door body and a decorative panel;

[0036] Figure 4 Shows Figure 1 An exploded view of the door body of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator;

[0037] Figure 5 Shows Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a refrigerator door of a refrigerator;

[0038] Figure 6 Shows Figure 5 An enlarged view of part A;

[0039] Figure 7 Shows the Figure 1 The decorative panel of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator is combined with the operation of the door body;

[0040] Figure 8 Shows Figure 1 A bottom combination structure of a refrigerator door of a refrigerator;

[0041] Fig. 9 Shows Figure 1 A top combination structure of a refrigerator door of a refrigerator;

[0042] Fig.10 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 A first process for a main housing of a refrigerator door of a refrigerator;

[0043] Fig.11 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 A second process for a main housing of a refrigerator door of a refrigerator;

[0044] Fig.12 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 A third process for a main housing of a refrigerator door of a refrigerator;

[0045] Fig.13 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 A fourth process for a main housing of a refrigerator door of a refrigerator;

[0046] Fig.14 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 A fifth process of a main housing of a refrigerator door of a refrigerator;

[0047] Fig.15 Shows Figure 1 The freezer door of the refrigerator is decomposed into a decorative panel and a door body;

[0048] Fig.16 Shows the Figure 1 The decorative panel of the freezer door of the refrigerator is combined with the operation of the door body;

[0049] Fig.17 Shows Figure 1 A top combination structure of a freezer door of a refrigerator;

[0050] Fig.18 Shows Figure 1 A bottom combination structure of a freezer door of a refrigerator;

[0051] Fig.19 shows a door of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0052] Fig. 20 Shows Fig.19 The refrigerator door Figure 5 The enlarged image corresponding to part A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] The embodiments of the present disclosure are only the most preferred examples and are provided to help fully understand the present disclosure defined by the claims and their equivalents. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

[0054] It should be understood that, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, singular forms include plural references. It will be further understood that, when used in this specification, the terms "include" and / or "comprise" list the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0055] Terms including ordinal numbers like "first" and "second" may be used to explain various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. These terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0056] 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.

[0057] Figure 1 A front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 A perspective view of a refrigerator.

[0058] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The refrigerator 1 may include: a main body 10; storage chambers 21, 22 and 23 formed inside the main body 10; doors 31, 32, 33 and 34 for opening or closing the storage chambers 21, 22 and 23; and a cold air supply device (not shown) for supplying cold air to the storage chambers 21, 22 and 23.

[0059] The main body 10 may include: an inner shell 11, which defines storage chambers 21, 22 and 23; an outer shell 12, which is coupled to the outer side of the inner shell 11 to define the exterior; and an insulating member (not shown) disposed between the inner shell 11 and the outer shell 12 for insulating the storage chambers 21, 22 and 23.

[0060] There may be horizontal partition walls 24 and vertical partition walls 25 to separate the plurality of storage chambers 21, 22, and 23. The storage chambers 21, 22, and 23 may be divided into an upper storage chamber 21 and lower storage chambers 22 and 23 by the horizontal partition wall 24, and into a lower left storage chamber 22 and a lower right storage chamber 23 by the vertical partition wall 25.

[0061] The upper storage chamber 21 may be used as a refrigerating chamber, and the lower storage chambers 22 and 23 may be used as freezing chambers. However, how the storage chambers 21, 22, and 23 are separated and used is not limited thereto.

[0062] In the storage rooms 21 , 22 , and 23 , shelves 26 for placing groceries and storage containers 27 for storing the groceries may be provided.

[0063] The cold air supply device may generate cold air using a cooling cycle for compressing, condensing, and evaporating a refrigerant, and supply the cold air to the storage chambers 21 , 22 , and 23 .

[0064] The storage chamber 21 may be opened or closed by a pair of upper doors 31 and 32. The upper doors 31 and 32 may be rotatably coupled to the main body 10. The storage chamber 22 may be opened or closed by a door 33, which may be rotatably coupled to the main body 10. The storage chamber 23 may be opened or closed by a lower right door 34, which may be rotatably coupled to the main body 10. The main body 10 may include hinges 35, 36, and 37 to couple the doors 31, 32, 33, and 34 to the main body 10.

[0065] A door guard basket 38 for storing food and a door gasket 39 which may be closely disposed at the front side of the body 10 to seal the storage chambers 21 , 22 , and 23 may be disposed at rear sides of the doors 31 , 32 , 33 , and 34 .

[0066] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 The door of a refrigerator is decomposed into a door body and a decorative panel. Figure 4 Shows Figure 1 Exploded view of the door body of the refrigerator door of a refrigerator. Figure 5 Shows Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a refrigerator door of a refrigerator. Figure 6 Shows Figure 5 Magnified view of part A. Figure 7 Shows the Figure 1 The decorative panel of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator is combined with the operation of the door body. Figure 8 Shows Figure 1 The bottom combination structure of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator. Fig. 9 Shows Figure 1 The top combination structure of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator.

[0067] Will refer to Figures 3 to 9 The structures of the upper doors 31 and 32 for opening or closing the upper storage chamber 21 are described. The following description will focus on the structure of the right upper door 32, which is also applicable to the left upper door 31, and thus the left upper door 31 will not be described repeatedly.

[0068] The door 32 may include a door body 40 and a decoration panel 110 coupled to a front side of the door body 40 .

[0069] The decorative panel 110 may include a panel body 111 and trims 120, 130, and 140 attached to the rear side of the panel body 111 to be combined with the door body 40. The panel body 111 may have a size corresponding to the door body 40. Therefore, the front side of the door body 40 may be hidden by the panel body 111 without being exposed.

[0070] The panel body 111 may have any of various textures, colors, and designs. The decorative panel 110 may be formed to be easily attachable to and detachable from the front side of the door body 40. Therefore, by replacing the decorative panel 110, the door 32 may easily change the texture, color, and design of the front.

[0071] The panel body 111 may be formed using glass or resin. The decoration panel 110 may include a buffer member 115 attached to a rear side of the panel body 111 to mitigate impact when the decoration panel 110 is coupled to the door body 40 .

[0072] The trims 120, 130, and 140 may include an upper trim 120 attached to a top edge of a rear side of the panel body 111, side trims 130 attached to left and right edges of a rear side of the panel body 111, and a lower trim 140 attached to a bottom edge of a rear side of the panel body 111. The upper trim 120 and the lower trim 140 may be formed to be long in a horizontal direction, and the side trim 130 may be formed to be long in a vertical direction.

[0073] The upper trim 120 , the side trim 130 , and the lower trim 140 may each be attached to the rear side of the panel body 111 by an adhesive 150 .

[0074] The lower trim 140 may include a lower trim body 141, a lower trim protrusion 142, and a lower trim groove 143. The lower trim protrusion 142 may protrude from the lower trim body 141. The lower trim protrusion 142 may have a shape extending backward from the lower trim body 141 by a certain distance and then extending vertically to define the lower trim groove 143. The lower trim groove 143 may be formed between the lower trim body 141 and the lower trim protrusion 142.

[0075] The lower cover 80 of the door body 40 may include a lower cover body 81, a lower cover protrusion 82, a lower cover rib 84, and a lower cover installation space 85. The lower cover protrusion 82 may protrude upward from the lower cover body 81. The lower cover protrusion 82 may be formed to be placed in the lower trim groove 143 of the lower trim 140.

[0076] The lower cover rib 84 may protrude upward from the lower cover body 81. The lower cover rib 84 may be formed at a certain distance from the lower cover protrusion 82. When the decorative panel 110 is mounted on the door body 40, the lower cover rib 84 may be provided to guide the lower trim 140 of the decorative panel 110 to the mounting position.

[0077] The lower cover installation space 85 may be formed between the lower cover protrusion 82 and the lower cover rib 84. When the lower cover protrusion 82 enters the lower trim groove 143, the lower cover protrusion 82 may be completely inserted into the lower trim groove 143 while the lower trim protrusion 142 rotates in the lower cover installation space 85.

[0078] The lower cover 80 may include a handle 83 (see FIG. Figure 4 ). The handle 83 may be formed to be recessed from the bottom side of the lower cover 80.

[0079] The side trim 130 may include a side trim body 131 and a side trim protrusion 132. The side trim protrusion 132 may protrude from the side trim body 131 and may be elastically deformable.

[0080] The retainer 100 mounted on the door body 40 may include a retainer groove 105 and a retainer protrusion 106. The retainer groove 105 may be formed for inserting the side trim protrusion 132 of the side trim 130 therein. The side trim protrusion 132 may be elastically deformable to be caught by the retainer protrusion 106 when inserted into the retainer groove 105 beyond a certain depth.

[0081] The upper trim 120 may include an upper trim body 121, an upper trim protrusion 122, and an upper trim hole 123. The upper trim protrusion 122 may protrude from the upper trim body 121. The upper trim hole 123 may be formed at the upper trim protrusion 122.

[0082] The upper cover 70 of the door body 40 may include an upper cover body 71, an insertion groove 72, and an upper cover hole 73. The insertion groove 72 may be formed to insert the upper decoration protrusion 122 of the upper decoration 120 therein. When the upper decoration protrusion 122 is inserted into the insertion groove 72, the first fixing member 160 may be downwardly coupled to the upper cover hole 73 of the upper cover 70 and the upper decoration hole 123 of the upper decoration 120, so that the decorative panel 110 can be coupled to the door body 40.

[0083] With this structure, a step of coupling the decoration panel 110 to the door body 40 will now be described below.

[0084] First, the decorative panel 110 is tilted so that the lower cover protrusion 82 is placed in the lower trim groove 143. Next, the decorative panel 110 can be turned to the upright position of the decorative panel 110, and the upper trim protrusion 122 can be inserted into the insertion groove 72 of the upper cover 70, while the lower cover protrusion 82 is completely inserted into the lower trim groove 143. Then, the first fixing member 160 can be coupled downward to the upper cover hole 73 of the upper cover 70 and the upper trim hole 123 of the upper trim 120.

[0085] With this structure, the decoration panel 110 may be easily coupled to the door body 40 and easily separated from the door body 40 in the reverse order.

[0086] The door body 40 may be rotatably coupled to the main body 10. The door body 40 may include a rear housing 60 defining a rear surface of the door body 40, a main housing 41 defining a front surface and a side surface of the door body 40, an upper cover 70 coupled to top ends of the main housing 41 and the rear housing 60, and a lower cover 80 coupled to bottom ends of the main housing 41 and the rear housing 60.

[0087] An internal space may be formed between the main case 41 , the rear case 60 , the upper cover 70 , and the lower cover 80 , and a heat insulator 90 may be filled in the internal space.

[0088] The main housing 41 may include a front portion 42 defining a front surface of the door body 40 , a side portion 50 defining a side surface of the door body 40 , and a rear coupling member 51 coupled to the rear housing 60 .

[0089] The mounting groove 48 for mounting the holder 100 may be formed at the front portion 42. The mounting groove 48 may be formed to have an open front. The mounting groove 48 may be formed to be long in the vertical direction at left and right edges of the front portion 42.

[0090] The front portion 42 may include a base 43 formed to be flat, and bent portions 44 formed at left and right sides of the base 43 to form a mounting groove 48 .

[0091] The bent portion 44 may include an inner bent portion 45 forming an inner side of the mounting groove 48 , a middle bent portion 46 forming a rear side of the mounting groove 48 , and an outer bent portion 47 forming an outer side of the mounting groove 48 .

[0092] The main housing 41 may be formed by a bending process of a single metal plate 500 (see Fig.10 ). The single metal plate 500 can be formed using an iron plate material. In this way, the main housing 41 is formed integrally, so that the door body 40 has a simple structure and is easy to assemble, thereby improving productivity, reducing defect rates, and saving costs. In addition, the door body 40 has fewer assembly parts, thereby improving deformation resistance and firmness.

[0093] During the bending of the main shell 41, the outer curved portion 47 and the side portion 50 may be substantially in contact with each other by the hemming process. This can prevent the foam fluid from penetrating between the outer curved portion 47 and the side portion 50. From a different perspective, the outer curved portion 47 and the side portion 50 may be substantially parallel to each other.

[0094] In this way, the outer curved portion 47 and the side portion 50 are formed to be substantially in contact with each other and parallel to each other, so that the mounting groove 48 for mounting the retainer 100 can be formed as close to the side edge of the decorative panel 110 as possible, and the outer curved portion 47 and the side portion 50 can support each other, thereby ensuring solidity and imparting enhanced aesthetics.

[0095] The outer curved portion 47 and the side portion 50 may protrude further forward than the base 43. Therefore, when the door 32 is viewed from the side, no gap is seen between the decorative panel 110 and the door body 40, thereby imparting an enhanced aesthetic feeling.

[0096] The middle curved portion 46 may be formed to be substantially perpendicular to the outer curved portion 47 , and the inner curved portion 45 may be formed to be inclined with respect to the middle curved portion 46 and the base 43 .

[0097] The door 32 includes a retainer 100 installed in a mounting groove 48 formed at the main housing 41 to be coupled to the side trim 130 of the decorative panel 110. The retainer 100 may be inserted into the mounting groove 48 and fixed to the mounting groove 48 by an additional fastening member such as a rivet, a screw, a pin, or the like.

[0098] The holder 100 may include a housing support 101 supported on the curved portion 44 forming the mounting groove 48. The housing support 101 may include an inner support 102 supported on the inner curved portion 45, an intermediate support 103 supported on the intermediate curved portion 46, and an outer support 104 supported on the outer curved portion 47.

[0099] The holder 100 may include a holder groove 105 into which the side trim protrusion 132 of the side trim 130 is inserted. The holder 100 may include a holder protrusion 106 formed to catch the side trim protrusion 132 to prevent the side trim protrusion 132 from deviating when inserted into the holder groove 105. The holder protrusion 106 may protrude from the case support 101.

[0100] Fig.10 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 The first process of the main housing of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator. Fig.11 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 The second process of the main housing of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator. Fig.12 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 The third process of the main housing of the refrigerator door. Fig.13 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 The fourth process of the main housing of the refrigerator door. Fig.14 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 The fifth process of the main housing of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator.

[0101] Reference Figures 10 to 14 , a method of manufacturing the main housing 41 according to the present disclosure will be briefly described.

[0102] The main housing 41 may be formed by bending a single metal plate 500 .

[0103] The process of manufacturing the main housing 41 may include cutting a single metal plate 500 along cutting lines 501 and 502 (see Fig.10 ).

[0104] The process of manufacturing the main housing 41 may include a complex U-bending process (see Fig.11 ). The complex U-bending process performs Z-bending and L-bending to bend the single metal plate 500 along bending lines 503, 504, 505, and 506. The side portion 50 and the outer bending portion 47 may be bent to form about 90 degrees.

[0105] The process of manufacturing the main housing 41 may include a 50 degree bending process (see Fig.12 ). In the 50 degree bending process, the side portion 50 and the outer bending portion 47 may be bent to form about 50 degrees.

[0106] The process of manufacturing the main housing 41 may include a crimping process (crimping, swing stamping) (see Fig.13 ). In the hemming process, the side portion 50 and the outer curved portion 47 may be bent to substantially contact each other and be parallel to each other.

[0107] The process of manufacturing the main housing 41 may include a re-impact process (re-impact, cam bending) (see Fig.14In the re-impact process, the side portion 50 may be bent along the bending line 507 to form the rear coupling member 51 .

[0108] Fig.15 Shows Figure 1 The freezer door of a refrigerator is decomposed into a decorative panel and a door body. Fig.16 Shows the Figure 1 The decorative panel of the freezer door of the refrigerator is combined with the operation of the door body. Fig.17 Shows Figure 1 The top combination structure of the freezer door of the refrigerator. Fig.18 Shows Figure 1 The bottom combination structure of the freezer door of the refrigerator.

[0109] Will refer to Figures 15 to 18 The structures of the lower doors 33 and 34 that open or close the lower storage chambers 22 and 23 are described. The following description will focus on the structure of the right lower door 34, which is also applicable to the left lower door 33, and thus the left lower door 33 will not be described repeatedly.

[0110] The lower door 34 has an upper cover 270, a lower cover 280, an upper trim 320, a lower trim 340, and a second fixing member 360, each of which has a different structure compared to the upper door 32 described above. Therefore, the method of coupling the decorative panel 310 to the door body 240 is also different from the coupling method of the right upper door 32.

[0111] The same structure as in the above-described upper right door 32 will not be described again.

[0112] The right lower door 34 may include a door body 240 and a decoration panel 310 coupled to a front side of the door body 240 .

[0113] The decorative panel 310 may include a panel body 311 and trims 320, 330, and 340 attached to the rear side of the panel body 311 to be combined with the door body 240. The decorative panel 310 may include a buffer member 315 attached to the rear side of the panel body 311 to mitigate impact when the decorative panel 310 is combined with the door body 240.

[0114] The trims 320, 330, and 340 may include an upper trim 320 attached to a top edge of a rear side of the panel body 311, side trims 330 attached to left and right edges of a rear side of the panel body 311, and a lower trim 340 attached to a bottom edge of a rear side of the panel body 311. The upper trim 320 and the lower trim 340 may be formed to be long in a horizontal direction, and the side trim 330 may be formed to be long in a vertical direction.

[0115] The upper trim 320 , the side trim 330 , and the lower trim 340 may each be attached to the rear side of the panel body 311 by an adhesive 350 .

[0116] The upper trim 320 may include an upper trim body 321 , an upper trim protrusion 322 , and an upper trim groove 323 .

[0117] The upper trim protrusion 322 may protrude from the upper trim body 321. The upper trim protrusion 322 may have a shape extending rearward a certain distance from the upper trim body 321 and then extending almost vertically to define an upper trim groove 323. The upper trim groove 323 may be formed between the upper trim body 321 and the upper trim protrusion 322.

[0118] The upper cover 270 of the door body 240 may include an upper cover body 271, an upper cover protrusion 272, an upper cover rib 274, and an upper cover installation space 275. The upper cover protrusion 272 may protrude downward from the upper cover body 271. The upper cover protrusion 272 may be formed to be placed in the upper trim groove 323 of the upper trim 320.

[0119] The upper cover rib 274 may protrude downward from the upper cover body 271. The upper cover rib 274 may be formed at a certain distance from the upper cover protrusion 272. When the decoration panel 310 is mounted on the door body 240, the upper cover rib 274 may be provided to guide the upper trim 320 of the decoration panel 310 to the installation position.

[0120] The upper cover 270 may include a handle 273 (see FIG. Fig.15 ). The handle 273 may be formed to be recessed from the top side of the upper cover 270.

[0121] The upper cover installation space 275 may be formed between the upper cover protrusion 272 and the upper cover rib 274 . When the upper cover protrusion 272 enters the upper decoration groove 323 , the upper cover protrusion 272 may be completely inserted into the upper decoration groove 323 while the upper decoration protrusion 322 rotates in the upper cover installation space 275 .

[0122] The lower trim 340 may include a lower trim body 341, a lower trim protrusion 342, and a lower trim hole 343. The lower trim protrusion 342 may protrude from the lower trim body 341. The lower trim hole 343 may be formed at the lower trim protrusion 342.

[0123] The lower cover 280 of the door body 240 may include a lower cover body 281, an insertion groove 282, and a lower cover hole 283. The insertion groove 282 may be formed to insert a lower trim protrusion 342 of the lower trim 340 therein. When the lower trim protrusion 342 is inserted into the insertion groove 282, the second fixing member 360 may be upwardly coupled to the lower cover hole 283 of the lower cover 280 and the lower trim hole 343 of the lower trim 340, so that the decorative panel 310 can be coupled to the door body 240. In addition, a portion of the second fixing member 360 that is not coupled to the lower cover hole 283 and the lower trim hole 343 is exposed below the lower cover 280 and supported on the outer surface of the lower cover 280.

[0124] With this structure, a step of coupling the decoration panel 310 to the door body 240 will now be described below.

[0125] First, the decorative panel 310 may be tilted so that the upper cover protrusion 272 is placed in the upper trim groove 323. Next, when the decorative panel 310 is turned to the upright position of the decorative panel 310, the lower trim protrusion 342 may be inserted into the insertion groove 282 of the lower cover 280 while the upper cover protrusion 272 is completely inserted into the upper trim groove 323. Then, the second fixing member 360 may be coupled upward to the lower cover hole 283 of the lower cover 280 and the lower trim hole 343 of the lower trim 340.

[0126] In this way, if Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 8 , when the upper doors 31 and 32 have the handle 83 formed at the bottom end, the lower doors 33 and 34 may have the handle 273 formed at the top end.

[0127] In addition, if Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , when the first fixing member 160 for fixing the door body 40 to the decorative panel 110 is coupled to the top ends of the upper doors 31 and 32, as shown in FIG. Fig.15 As shown in FIG. 3 , the second fixing member 360 for fixing the door body 240 to the decorative panel 310 may be coupled to the bottom ends of the lower doors 33 and 34. Therefore, the first fixing member 160 and the second fixing member 360 may be prevented from being exposed to the user, thereby imparting enhanced aesthetics.

[0128] Fig.19 A door of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Fig. 20 Shows Fig.19 The refrigerator door Figure 5 The enlarged image corresponding to part A.

[0129] Now refer to Fig.19 and Fig. 20 A refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is described. The same features as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions will not be repeated. Fig.19 and Fig. 20An upper door for opening or closing an upper storage chamber is illustrated, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the structure of the upper door may be equally applied to a lower door for opening or closing a lower storage chamber.

[0130] Contrary to the decoration panel including a glass or resin panel body in the previous embodiment of the present disclosure, in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the panel body 411 of the decoration panel 410 may be formed using an iron plate material.

[0131] The door 400 may include a door body 40 and a decoration panel 410 coupled to a front side of the door body 40 .

[0132] The decoration panel 410 may include a panel body 411 , trims 420 and 440 attached to the rear side of the panel body 411 , and a magnet (eg, a magnetic body) 430 combined with the door body 40 .

[0133] The panel body 411 may be formed using an iron plate material. The left and right end portions 412 of the panel body 411 may be rounded and bent inwardly.

[0134] A magnet 430 may be provided instead of the side trim 130 or 330 in the previous embodiment of the present disclosure to magnetically attract the main housing 41 of the door body 40 to prevent them from being separated when the decorative panel 410 is coupled to the door body 40. The main housing 41 may be formed with an iron plate material to be pulled to the magnet 430.

[0135] The holder 100 may include a panel support 107 formed to support the left and right ends 412 of the panel body 411. When the holder 100 supports the left and right ends 412 of the panel body 411 and the main housing 41 closely contacts the decorative panel 410 according to the magnetic force of the magnet 430, the decorative panel 410 and the door body 40 can be stably combined.

[0136] In the case where the panel body 411 of the decorative panel 410 is formed using a material such as an iron plate that is thin and easily deformed (eg, expanded), the magnet 430 is applied instead of the side trim 130 or 330 to prevent deformation of the panel body 411 .

[0137] The present disclosure is not exclusively applicable to the above-mentioned refrigerator and door, but can also be applied to any electronic device having a main body with a cavity and a door for opening or closing the cavity. For example, the present disclosure can also be applied to a cooking device having a cooking chamber, a dishwasher having a washing chamber, a laundry machine having a laundry processing chamber, a wine cellar having a chamber, an air conditioner, etc.

[0138] Several embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, but it will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the true scope of technical protection is limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, include: main body; A first door is arranged to open or close the front upper side of the main body and comprises: A first door body, comprising a first upper cover and a first lower cover, wherein the first lower cover comprises a lower cover protrusion; a first panel capable of being coupled to the front side of the first door body, an upper trim of the first panel being located at an upper portion of the first panel, and a lower trim of the first panel being located at a lower portion of the first panel and comprising a lower trim groove; and The first fixing member, wherein the first panel, the first upper cover, the first lower cover and the first fixing member are configured such that when the first panel is tilted so that the lower portion of the first panel is coupled to the first lower cover, the lower cover protrusion is inserted into the lower trim groove, and the first panel can be rotated to an upright position of the first panel; and when the first panel is in the upright position of the first panel, the first fixing member can be inserted downward from above the first upper cover into the upper trim of the first upper cover and the first panel, thereby coupling the first panel to the front side of the first door body; and A second door is arranged to open or close the front lower side of the main body and comprises: A second door body, comprising a second upper cover and a second lower cover, wherein the second upper cover comprises an upper cover protrusion; a second panel capable of being coupled to the front side of the second door body, a lower trim of the second panel being located at a lower portion of the second panel, an upper trim of the second panel being located at an upper portion of the second panel and comprising an upper trim groove; and The second fixing member, Wherein, the second panel, the second upper cover, the second lower cover and the second fixing member are configured so that when the second panel is tilted so that the upper part of the second panel is coupled to the second upper cover, the upper cover protrusion is inserted into the upper trim groove, and the second panel can be rotated to the upright position of the second panel; and when the second panel is located in the upright position of the second panel, the second fixing member can be inserted upward from under the second lower cover into the second lower cover and the lower trim of the second panel, thereby coupling the second panel to the front side of the second door body.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, in, The upper decoration piece of the first panel includes an upper decoration piece protrusion, and when the first panel is located at the upright position of the first panel, the upper decoration piece protrusion protrudes backward and is inserted into the insertion groove of the first upper cover.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, in, When the first panel is in the upright position of the first panel, the upper trim protrusion is located below the upper cover hole formed in the first upper cover, and the first fixing member can be inserted through the upper cover hole to be inserted into the upper trim of the first panel from above the first upper cover.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, in, The upper trim protrusion includes an upper trim hole, and when the first panel is located in an upright position of the first panel as the upper trim protrusion is inserted into the insertion groove of the first upper cover, the first fixing member can be inserted into the upper trim hole and thus inserted into the upper trim of the first panel.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, in, When the second panel is in the second panel upright position, the lower trim of the second panel is supported on the second lower cover.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, in, When the second panel is in the upright position of the second panel, a portion of the lower trim of the second panel is located above the lower cover hole formed in the second lower cover, and the second fixing member can be inserted through the lower cover hole to be inserted upward from under the second lower cover into the lower trim of the second panel.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, in, The first panel comprises: a first panel body, the upper trim of the first panel is located at an upper portion of a rear side of the first panel body, the lower trim of the first panel is located at a lower portion of a rear side of the first panel body, and The second panel comprises: The second panel body, the lower trim of the second panel is located at the lower part of the rear side of the second panel body, and the upper trim of the second panel is located at the upper part of the rear side of the second panel body.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, in, The lower cover protrusion protrudes upward.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 7, in, The upper cover protrusion protrudes downward.

10. The refrigerator according to claim 1, in, The second lower cover includes a lower cover hole, and the second fixing member can be inserted through the lower cover hole to be inserted upward from below the second lower cover into the lower decorative member.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, in, The lower trim of the second panel includes a lower trim hole, and the second fixing member can be inserted through the lower trim hole to be inserted into the lower trim.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, in, When the second panel is coupled to the front side of the second door body, the lower cover hole and the lower trim hole are vertically aligned with each other.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 1, in, The first upper cover and the first fixing member are configured such that when the first panel is in an upright position of the first panel and the first fixing member has not been inserted, the first upper cover provides a path from above the first upper cover to the upper trim of the first panel, so that the first fixing member can be inserted into the upper trim of the first panel from above the first upper cover downward along the path provided by the first upper cover, and The second lower cover and the second fixing member are configured such that when the second panel is in an upright position of the second panel without the second fixing member being inserted, the second lower cover provides a path from under the second lower cover to the lower trim of the second panel, so that the second fixing member can be inserted into the lower trim of the second panel from under the second lower cover upward along the path provided by the second lower cover.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 13, in, The first upper cover and the first fixing member are configured such that when the first fixing member is inserted into the upper trim of the first panel, a portion of the first fixing member covers a path provided by the first upper cover, and The second lower cover and the second fixing member are configured such that when the second fixing member is inserted into the lower trim of the second panel, a portion of the second fixing member covers a path provided by the second lower cover.

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