Refrigeration apparatus with door projection to reduce heat transfer at the door and cabin

Abstract

A refrigeration apparatus includes: a cabinet including an inner surface defining a refrigeration compartment and an opening to the refrigeration compartment disposed inside a front surface; and a door coupled with the cabinet, the door being movable to, from, and between, a closed position and an open position and comprising: an inner liner, an outer envelope separated from the inner liner by a space, and a decorative partition coupled with both the inner liner and the outer envelope, the decorative partition comprising a protrusion, when the door is in the closed position, the door extends backwards through the opening so as to be opposite to one or more inner surfaces of the cabinet body but separated from the inner surfaces through a gap.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to refrigeration equipment and more particularly to a refrigeration equipment having a door with a protrusion extending into the cabinet to reduce air flow and thereby reduce heat transfer toward and through the door and cabinet interface. Background Art

[0002] Refrigeration equipment is used to keep food at a temperature lower than the external ambient temperature (e.g., room temperature). Sometimes, the refrigeration equipment includes a door attached to a cabinet forming a refrigeration chamber for accommodating food. In addition, sometimes the door of the refrigeration equipment includes a vacuum insulation structure.

[0003] However, there is a problem that the heat transfer from the refrigerated compartment inside the cabinet to the outside environment across the interface between the door and the cabinet is not ideally high. The greater the heat transfer across this interface, the more work the refrigeration device must do to maintain the temperature of the refrigerated compartment (and the food). The more the refrigeration device must work, the more power the refrigeration device consumes. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention solves the above problems by a door protrusion that extends into the refrigeration compartment of the cabinet to form a narrow gap between the protrusion and the cabinet that reduces air flow toward the interface between the door and the cabinet and thus reduces heat transfer therethrough.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device includes: a cabinet body, which includes a substantially vertical front surface, an inner surface defining a cold storage chamber configured to accommodate food, and an opening leading to the cold storage chamber arranged on the inner side of the front surface; and a door coupled to the cabinet body, the door including: a closed position that denies entry from the external environment into the cold storage chamber of the cabinet body through the opening; an open position that allows entry from the external environment into the cold storage chamber through the opening, and the door can be moved to the closed position and the open position, from them, and between them; a door liner, which faces the cold storage chamber when the door is in the closed position; a door outer shell, which is separated from the door liner by a space; and a door decorative partition member coupled to both the door liner and the door outer shell, the door decorative partition member including a protrusion, which extends rearward into the cold storage chamber of the cabinet body when the door is in the closed position, wherein the protrusion of the door decorative partition member is opposite to one or more of the inner surfaces of the cabinet body defining the cold storage chamber but separated from it by a gap when the door is in the closed position.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device includes: a cabinet body, which includes a vacuum insulation structure in which a refrigeration chamber configured to accommodate food is arranged; and a door, which includes a vacuum insulation door structure coupled to the cabinet body, and the vacuum insulation door includes: a gasket, which forms a sealing portion on the vacuum insulation cabinet body when the door is in a closed position; and a protrusion located on the inner side of the gasket, which protrudes into the refrigeration chamber and is separated from the vacuum insulation cabinet body by a gap, and the shortest distance of the gap is less than 12 mm.

[0007] These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by referring to the following description, claims and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] In the attached picture:

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigeration device of the present invention embedded in a cabinet, wherein the door is in a closed position;

[0010] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of a refrigeration device showing a door in an open position to reveal a cabinet having a refrigerated compartment;

[0011] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of a refrigeration device showing a cabinet including a vacuum insulation structure;

[0012] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A front elevation view of a refrigeration device;

[0013] Figure 5 is through Figure 4 The line VV intercepts Figure 1 A cross-sectional front view of a refrigeration device showing a vacuum insulation structure of a cabinet, which includes an outer shell and an inner liner that at least partially defines an inner surface of a refrigeration chamber;

[0014] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A magnified view of region VI shows Figure 1 The door of the refrigeration equipment also includes a vacuum insulation structure having an outer shell, an inner lining, and a decorative partition coupled to both the outer shell and the inner lining;

[0015] Figure 7 is with Figure 6 The same view but at a slightly different angle shows that the vacuum insulation structure of the cabinet also includes a decorative partition coupled to both the outer shell and the inner lining of the vacuum insulation structure of the cabinet;

[0016] Figure 8 yes Figure 6an enlarged view of region VIII of the cabinet, showing that the door also includes a gasket forming a sealing portion on the front surface of the cabinet provided by the outer shell, and the decorative partition piece of the vacuum insulation structure of the door includes a protrusion extending rearwardly into the refrigeration compartment of the cabinet and separated from the decorative partition piece of the vacuum insulation structure of the cabinet by a relatively small gap to reduce air flow from deep inside the refrigeration cabinet to the sealing portion (e.g., the interface) formed by the gasket between the door and the cabinet;

[0017] Fig. 9 is through Figure 4 The line IX-IX is intercepted Figure 1 A cross-sectional elevation view of a refrigeration appliance showing a vacuum insulation structure lining of the cabinet providing at least a portion of an inner surface defining a refrigeration compartment;

[0018] Fig.10 yes Figure 1 A side elevation view of a refrigeration device;

[0019] Fig.11 is through Fig.10 The line XI-XI is intercepted Figure 1 A cross-sectional elevation view of a refrigeration unit showing the vacuum insulation structure of the cabinet providing the side walls, top plate and bottom plate of the refrigeration compartment;

[0020] Fig.12 is a front view of a decorative partition member of a vacuum insulation structure of a door; and

[0021] Fig.13 yes Fig.12 An enlarged stereoscopic view of region XIII shows that the decorative partition piece of the vacuum insulation structure of the door further includes an outer peripheral portion, a rear recess located on the inner side of the outer peripheral portion, and a protrusion located on the inner side of the rear recess.

[0022] The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The presently illustrated embodiments pertain primarily to combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to refrigeration equipment. Therefore, the apparatus components and method steps represented by conventional symbols in the drawings, where appropriate, show only those specific details relevant to understanding the embodiments of the invention, so as to avoid obscuring the invention by details that would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art having benefited from the description herein. In addition, the same reference numerals in the specification and drawings represent the same elements.

[0024] For the purpose of the description herein, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "rear", "front", "vertical", "horizontal" and their derivatives shall be used in the same manner as described above. Figure 1Unless otherwise indicated, the term "front" shall refer to the surface of the element that is closer to the intended observer and the term "rear" shall refer to the surface of the element that is farther from the intended observer. However, it should be understood that the present invention can take various alternative orientations unless expressly indicated to the contrary. It should also be understood that the specific devices and processes shown in the drawings and described in the following description are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Therefore, unless the claims expressly state otherwise, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered limiting.

[0025] The terms "comprises," "includes," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements includes not only those elements, but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to the process, method, article, or apparatus. An element followed by "comprises..." does not, without more limitations, preclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0026] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 Refrigeration device 10 includes cabinet 12 and door 14. Cabinet 12 includes refrigerated compartment 16 and opening 18 leading to refrigerated compartment 16. Refrigerated compartment 16 is configured to contain food 20. Door 14 is coupled to cabinet 12, for example, by hinge 22 attached to both door 14 and cabinet 12. Hinge 22 can be an articulated hinge. Door 14 can be moved to a closed position 24 (see, for example, Figure 1 ) and the open position 26 (see for example Figure 2 ), move from them and move between them. In the closed position 24, the door 14 refuses to enter the refrigeration chamber 16 from the external environment 28 through the opening 18. In the open position 26, the door 14 allows entry into the refrigeration chamber 16 from the external environment 28 through the opening 18. The refrigeration device 10 can be a freezer, which keeps the air and food 20 in the refrigeration chamber 16 at a temperature below the freezing point of water, such as in the range of -18°C to -23°C. The refrigeration device 10 can be a refrigeration chamber that keeps the air and food 20 in the refrigeration chamber 16 at a temperature below room temperature but above the freezing point of water (for example, in the range of 2°C to 4°C). The refrigeration device 10 can include a plurality of refrigeration chambers 16 (for example, one refrigeration chamber 16 as a freezer and another refrigeration chamber 16 as a refrigeration chamber) maintained at different temperatures. The refrigeration device 10 can be an embedded type, wherein the cabinet 12 is designed to be embedded in the cabinet 30, as shown in the figure. Alternatively, the refrigeration unit 10 may be freestanding, wherein the cabinet 12 is designed to be visible from the external environment 28 and may therefore include an enclosure (not shown) covering the cabinet 12 .

[0027] See also Figures 3 to 10 , the cabinet 12 provides a front surface 32. The front surface 32 faces a front 34. The front surface 32 faces the door 14 when the door 14 is in the closed position 24. The front surface 32 is substantially vertical. The opening 18 leading to the refrigerated compartment 16 is disposed laterally inwardly of the front surface 32. For example, the front surface 32 frames the opening 18. The door 14 forms a seal 36 on the front surface 32 of the cabinet 12 when the door 14 is in the closed position 24, which is discussed further below.

[0028] The cabinet 12 includes an inner surface 38 defining the refrigeration chamber 16. For example, as in the illustrated embodiment, the inner surface 38 can be provided by a rear wall 40, side walls 42, 44, a top plate 46, and a bottom plate 48 that collectively define the refrigeration chamber 16. The top plate 46 and the bottom plate 48 are opposite to each other. The side walls 42, 44 are opposite to each other. The rear wall 40 and the door 14 are opposite to each other when the door 14 is in the closed position 24. The refrigeration chamber 16 is configured to accommodate food 20 according to the size of the refrigeration chamber 16, which is large enough to accommodate the food 20. In addition, the refrigeration chamber 16 may include one or more shelves 50 or the like that provide a horizontal surface 52 on which the food 20 can be placed so that it will not fall onto the bottom plate 48 or fall out of the refrigeration chamber 16 when the door 14 is in the open position 26.

[0029] In an embodiment, the cabinet 12 includes a vacuum insulation structure 54. The cabinet 12 may therefore include an inner liner 56, an outer shell 58, and a decorative partition 60. The outer shell 58 at least partially surrounds the inner liner 56. For example, the outer shell 58 may include a top 62 disposed above the top 64 of the inner liner 56, a rear portion 66 located behind the rear portion 68 of the inner liner 56, opposite side portions 70, 72 disposed on the lateral outside of the side portions 74, 76 of the inner liner 56, etc. In such an embodiment, the top 64 of the inner liner 56 may form the ceiling 46 of the refrigerator compartment 16, the rear portion 68 of the inner liner 56 may form the rear wall 40 of the refrigerator compartment 16, and the side portions 74, 76 of the inner liner 56 may form the side walls 42, 44 of the refrigerator compartment 16. In addition to at least partially surrounding the liner 56 , the outer enclosure 58 of the vacuum insulation structure 54 may also provide a front surface 32 of the cabinet 12 that forms a seal 36 with the door 14 when the door 14 is in the closed position 24 .

[0030] The decorative partition piece 60 is coupled to both the liner 56 and the outer shell 58. For example, as in the illustrated embodiment, the decorative partition piece 60 includes a front recess 78 and a rear recess 80. The front recess 78 is arranged on the front 34 relative to the rear recess 80. The edge 82 of the outer shell 58 of the vacuum insulation structure 54 of the cabinet 12 is arranged in the front recess 78 of the decorative partition piece 60 to couple the decorative partition piece 60 and the outer shell 58 together. An adhesive (not shown) can be used to fix the decorative partition piece 60 and the outer shell 58 in an airtight manner. Similarly, the edge 84 of the liner 56 of the vacuum insulation structure 54 of the cabinet 12 is arranged in the rear recess 80 of the decorative partition piece 60 to couple the decorative partition piece 60 and the liner 56 together. Similarly, an adhesive (not shown) can be used to fix the decorative partition piece 60 and the liner 56 in an airtight manner.

[0031] The outer shell 58 is separated from the liner 56 by a space 86. The air pressure in the space 86 is less than the atmospheric pressure at the external environment 28. The reduced pressure relative to the external environment 28 is the result of extracting air from the space 86 after assembling the vacuum insulation structure 54. Reducing the amount of air in the space 86 reduces the heat transfer through the space 86. The outer shell 58 and the liner 56 of the vacuum insulation structure 54 of the cabinet 12 can be made of metal plates (integral or different panels welded together) or plastic materials. The decorative partition 60 can be a plastic material. Insulating material 87 (e.g., fumed silica) can occupy the space 86.

[0032] The door 14 includes a vacuum insulation structure 88. The vacuum insulation structure 88 of the door 14 may include an inner liner 90 and an outer shell 92. The inner liner 90 faces the refrigerated chamber 16, particularly the rear wall 40 thereof, when the door 14 is in the closed position 24. The outer shell 92 faces the external environment 28 when the door 14 is in the closed position 24 and is disposed on the front 34 of the inner liner 90. The outer shell 92 and the inner liner 90 are separated by a space 94. As with the space 86 of the cabinet 12, the air pressure of the space 94 of the door 14 is less than the atmospheric pressure at the external environment 28. The reduced pressure relative to the external environment 28 is the result of extracting air from the space 94 after assembling the vacuum insulation structure 88. Reducing the amount of air in the space 94 reduces heat transfer through the space 94. The inner liner 90 and the outer shell 92 may be formed of stamped metal sheets or plastic materials. An insulating material 96 (e.g., fumed silica) may occupy the space 94.

[0033] The vacuum insulation structure 88 of the door 14 also includes a decorative partition 98. The decorative partition 98 is coupled to both the liner 90 and the outer shell 92 of the vacuum insulation structure 88 of the door 14. For example, as in the illustrated embodiment, the decorative partition 98 of the door 14 includes an outer front recess 100 and an inner front recess 102. The outer front recess 100 and the inner front recess 102 are "forward" in the sense that they open from the direction of the front 34 (e.g., away from the refrigerator compartment 16). The outer front recess 100 is disposed closer to the outer periphery 104 of the decorative partition 98 than the inner front recess 102. The edge 106 of the outer shell 92 of the door 14 is disposed within the outer front recess 100 of the decorative partition 98 to couple the decorative partition 98 and the outer shell 92 together. An adhesive 108 can be used to form an airtight seal thereat. The edge 110 of the liner 90 of the door 14 is disposed within the interior front recess 102 of the trim partition 98 to couple the trim partition 98 and the liner 90 together. Again, an adhesive (not shown) may be used to form an airtight seal thereat. The trim partition 98 may be formed of a plastic material.

[0034] The door 14 also includes a gasket 114. The gasket 114 forms a seal 36 on the front surface 32 of the cabinet 12 when the door 14 is in the closed position 24. In an embodiment where the cabinet 12 includes a vacuum insulation structure 54 that provides the front surface 32 with an outer shell 58, the gasket 114 forms a seal 36 on the outer shell 58. The gasket 114 may include a rear portion 116 having a magnet 118, a center portion 120, and a front portion 122. The center portion 120 is disposed between the rear portion 116 and the front portion 122. In addition to the magnet 118, the gasket 114 may be made of plastic. The rear portion 116 may provide a rear surface 124 that is substantially vertical and is positioned to engage with the front surface 32 of the cabinet 12 (e.g., its outer shell 58) and form a seal 36 thereon when the door 14 is in the closed position 24. The magnets 118 pull the gasket 114 , and therefore the door 14 , toward the front surface 32 of the cabinet 12 such that the door 14 forms a seal 36 with the cabinet 12 .

[0035] The trim partition piece 98 of the door 14 also includes a rear recess 126. The rear recess 126 opens from a rear direction 128. The rear recess 126 is disposed closer to the outer periphery 104 of the trim partition piece 98 than the inner front recess 102 of the trim partition piece 98. The rear recess 126 is disposed farther from the outer periphery 104 than the outer front recess 100 of the trim partition piece 98. The front portion 122 of the gasket 114 is disposed within the rear recess 126 to couple the trim partition piece 98 and the gasket 114 together. The front portion 122 of the gasket 114 can be frictionally fitted into the rear recess 126 to attach the gasket 114 and the trim partition piece 98 of the door 14 together.

[0036] The decorative partition 98 of the door 14 also includes a protrusion 130. The protrusion 130 extends on the rear 128 relative to the inner front recess 102 and the gasket 114 of the door 14. The protrusion 130 extends on the rear 128 through the opening 18 of the cabinet 12 and into the refrigerated chamber 16 when the door 14 is in the closed position 24. The protrusion 130 is opposite to one or more inner surfaces 38 of the cabinet 12 that define the refrigerated chamber 16 when the door 14 is in the closed position 24. However, in an embodiment, the protrusion 130 is separated from the inner surface 38 by a gap 132. In other words, in these embodiments, the protrusion 130 does not contact the cabinet 12. However, in other embodiments, the protrusion 130 can contact the cabinet 12. The presence of the gap 132 can be advantageous because manufacturing tolerances may cause the dimensions of the cabinet 12 and the door 14 to vary. Providing the gap 132 allows for such variations so that the protrusion 130 does not prevent the door 14 from moving to the closed position 24.

[0037] In an embodiment, such as the illustrated embodiment, the decorative partition 60 of the cabinet 12 provides one or more interior surfaces 38 of the cabinet 12 that define the refrigerated compartment 16. For example, the decorative partition 60 can form a portion of the ceiling 46 of the refrigerated compartment 16 together with the liner 56. In this case, the decorative partition 60 forms a front portion 134 of the ceiling 46, and the liner 56 can form the remaining portion 136 of the ceiling 46 of the refrigerated compartment 16. When the door 14 is in the closed position 24, the protrusion 130 of the decorative partition 98 of the door 14 is opposite to the decorative partition 60 of the cabinet 12.

[0038] The decorative partition 98 has a top 138 where the protrusion 130 faces the ceiling 46 of the refrigerated compartment 16. In an embodiment, at the top 138, the decorative partition 98 has a top horizontal wall 142. A top vertical wall 144 extends from the top horizontal wall 142 on the bottom 146. A second horizontal wall 148 extends from the top horizontal wall 142 on the front 34. A second vertical wall 150 extends from the second horizontal wall 148 on the bottom 146. A third horizontal wall 152 extends from the second vertical wall 150 on the front 34. A fourth horizontal wall 154 extends from the third horizontal wall 152 on the front 34. The decorative partition 98 also includes a downward transition 156 from the third horizontal wall 152 to the fourth horizontal wall 154. A third vertical wall 158 extends from the fourth horizontal wall 154 on the bottom 146. A fifth horizontal wall 160 extends from the third vertical wall 158 on the rear 128. The inclined wall 162 extends from the third vertical wall 158 on the rear 128 and the lower side 146. The fourth vertical wall 164 extends from the inclined wall 162 on the lower side 146. The sixth horizontal wall 166 extends from the fourth vertical wall 164 on the rear 128.

[0039] The top horizontal wall 142, the top vertical wall 144, and the second horizontal wall 148 of the trim partition 98 define the exterior front recess 100 of the trim partition 98 of the door 14. As described above, the edge 106 of the outer shell 92 of the door 14 is disposed within the exterior front recess 100 of the trim partition 98 of the door 14. More specifically, the edge 106 of the outer shell 92 is horizontally disposed between the top horizontal wall 142 and the second horizontal wall 148 of the trim partition 98 and on the front 34 of the top vertical wall 144 of the trim partition 98.

[0040] The second horizontal wall 148, the second vertical wall 150, and the third horizontal wall 152 of the decorative partition 98 together define the rear recess 126 of the decorative partition 98 of the door 14. As described above, the front portion 122 of the gasket 114 of the door 14 is disposed within the rear recess 126 to couple the decorative partition 98 of the door 14 and the gasket 114. The front portion 122 of the gasket 114 is disposed on the rear 128 of the second vertical wall 150 and is located between the second horizontal wall 148 and the third horizontal wall 152.

[0041] The fourth horizontal wall 154, the third vertical wall 158, and the fifth horizontal wall 160 together define the inner front recess 102 of the trim partition 98 of the door 14. As described above, the edge 110 of the liner 90 of the door 14 is disposed within the inner front recess 102 to couple the liner 90 of the door 14 and the trim partition 98 together. The edge 110 is horizontally disposed between the fourth horizontal wall 154 and the fifth horizontal wall 160 and on the front 34 of the third vertical wall 158.

[0042] The inclined wall 162, the fourth vertical wall 164, and the sixth horizontal wall 166 of the decorative partition 98 together define the protrusion 130. As described above, the protrusion 130 is opposite to the one or more inner surfaces 38 of the cabinet 12 that define the refrigerated chamber 16 when the door 14 is in the closed position 24. More specifically, in an embodiment, the inclined wall 162 of the decorative partition 98 is opposite to the one or more inner surfaces 38 of the cabinet 12 that define the refrigerated chamber 16.

[0043] The gap 132 separating the protrusion 130 of the decorative partition 98 of the door 14 from the refrigerator compartment 16 (e.g., the top plate 46 or the portion of the top plate 46 provided by the decorative partition 60 of the cabinet 12) has a shortest distance 168 between the protrusion 130 and the surface of the cabinet 12 defining the refrigerator compartment 16 when the door 14 is in the closed position 24. In an embodiment, the shortest distance 168 is less than 12 mm. In an embodiment, the shortest distance 168 is in the range of 4 mm to 12 mm. In other embodiments, the shortest distance 168 is zero (e.g., the protrusion 130 contacts the surface of the cabinet 12 defining the refrigerator compartment 16). In an embodiment, the protrusion 130 extends at least 30 mm from the plane 170 formed by the front surface 32 of the cabinet 12 on the rear 128.

[0044] The refrigeration device 10 of the present invention solves the problem of undesirably high heat transfer (e.g., from the external environment 28 through the interface into the refrigeration chamber 16) across the interface between the door 14 and the cabinet 12 (e.g., where the seal 36 is formed) set forth in the background section, because the protrusion 130 of the decorative partition 98 of the door 14 extends into the refrigeration chamber 16 and is separated from the cabinet 12 (e.g., the decorative partition 60 of the vacuum insulation structure 54 of the cabinet 12) by a gap 132 having a relatively small minimum distance 168. The relatively small gap 132 hinders air from deep within the refrigeration chamber 16 through the gap 132 to the gasket 114 of the door 14 engaged with the front surface 32 of the cabinet 12. Impeding air flow hinders heat transfer across the interface and hinders relatively cool air from flowing across the interface into the external environment 28. Reduced heat transfer results in less power that must be consumed by the refrigeration device 10 to maintain the temperature of the refrigeration chamber 16 and, therefore, the temperature of the food 20.

[0045] According to a first aspect, a refrigeration device includes: a cabinet body, which includes a substantially vertical front surface, an inner surface defining a cold storage chamber configured to accommodate food, and an opening leading to the cold storage chamber arranged on the inner side of the front surface; and a door coupled to the cabinet body, the door including: a closed position that denies entry from the external environment into the cold storage chamber of the cabinet body through the opening; an open position that allows entry from the external environment into the cold storage chamber through the opening, the door being movable to, from, and between the closed and open positions; an inner liner facing the cold storage chamber when the door is in the closed position; an outer shell separated from the inner liner by a space; and a decorative partition coupled to both the inner liner and the outer shell, the decorative partition including a protrusion extending rearwardly into the cold storage chamber of the cabinet body when the door is in the closed position, wherein the protrusion of the decorative partition is opposite to one or more of the cold storage chambers of the cabinet body defined by the cold storage chamber when the door is in the closed position but separated from them by a gap.

[0046] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device of the first aspect is provided, wherein the cabinet further comprises an inner liner, an outer shell at least partially surrounding the inner liner and separated from the inner liner by a space, and a decorative partition coupled to both the inner liner and the outer shell.

[0047] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigeration device of the second aspect, wherein the outer envelope provides a front surface, and the door further comprises a gasket forming a seal on the front surface of the outer envelope when the door is in a closed position.

[0048] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigeration device according to any one of the second to third aspects, wherein the space between the inner lining and the outer shell of the cabinet has a gas pressure less than atmospheric pressure.

[0049] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device of any one of the second to fourth aspects is proposed, wherein the decorative partition piece of the cabinet includes a front recess in which the edge of the outer shell of the cabinet is arranged to couple the decorative partition piece of the cabinet and the outer shell together, and a rear recess in which the edge of the inner lining of the cabinet is arranged to couple the decorative partition piece of the cabinet and the inner lining together.

[0050] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device according to any one of the second to fifth aspects is provided, wherein the decorative partition piece of the cabinet provides one or more inner surfaces of the cabinet defining the refrigerating chamber opposite to the protrusion of the decorative partition piece of the door when the door is in a closed position.

[0051] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device of the sixth aspect is proposed, wherein one or more inner surfaces of the cabinet defining the refrigerating chamber provided by the decorative partition piece of the cabinet and opposite to the protrusion of the decorative partition piece of the door form a part of the top plate of the refrigerating chamber.

[0052] According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigeration device according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the space between the inner lining of the door and the outer envelope has an air pressure less than atmospheric pressure.

[0053] According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device of any one of the first to eighth aspects is proposed, wherein the decorative partition piece of the door also includes an external front recess in which the edge of the outer shell of the door is arranged and an internal front recess in which the edge of the inner lining of the door is arranged, the external front recess is arranged to be closer to the outer periphery of the decorative partition piece than the internal front recess, and the protrusion extends backward relative to the internal front recess and enters the cold storage chamber of the cabinet.

[0054] According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device of the ninth aspect is proposed, wherein the decorative partition piece of the door also includes a rear recess, which is arranged to be closer to the periphery than the inner front recess but farther away from the periphery than the outer front recess, and the front part of the gasket of the door is arranged in the rear recess to couple the decorative partition piece and the gasket together.

[0055] According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device of any one of the first to tenth aspects is proposed, wherein the decorative partition piece of the door also includes at its top: a top horizontal wall, a top vertical wall extending downward from the top horizontal wall, a second horizontal wall extending from the front of the top horizontal wall, a second vertical wall extending downward from the second horizontal wall, a third horizontal wall extending from the front of the second vertical wall, a fourth horizontal wall extending from the front of the third horizontal wall, a downward transition portion from the third horizontal wall to the fourth horizontal wall, a third vertical wall extending downward from the fourth horizontal wall, a fifth horizontal wall extending rearward from the third vertical wall, an inclined wall extending rearward and downward from the third vertical wall, a fourth vertical wall extending downward from the inclined wall, and a sixth horizontal wall extending rearward from the fourth vertical wall.

[0056] According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device of the eleventh aspect is proposed, wherein the top horizontal wall, the top vertical wall and the second horizontal wall define an external front recess in which the edge of the outer shell of the door is set, so that the edge of the outer shell of the door is horizontally set between the top horizontal wall and the second horizontal wall and in front of the top vertical wall.

[0057] According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device of any one of the eleventh to twelfth aspects is proposed, wherein the second horizontal wall, the second vertical wall and the third horizontal wall define a rear recess in which the front portion of the door gasket is disposed to couple the door decorative partition piece and the gasket together.

[0058] According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the refrigeration device of any one of the eleventh to thirteenth aspects, wherein the fourth horizontal wall, the third vertical wall and the fifth horizontal wall define an inner front recess in which an edge of the inner lining of the door is disposed.

[0059] According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the refrigeration device of any one of the eleventh to fourteenth aspects, wherein the fourth horizontal wall, the third vertical wall and the fifth horizontal wall define an inner front recess in which an edge of the inner lining of the door is disposed.

[0060] According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the refrigeration device of any one of the eleventh to fifteenth aspects, wherein the inclined wall of the decorative partition of the door is opposite to one or more inner surfaces of the cabinet defining the refrigerating chamber.

[0061] According to the seventeenth aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device of any one of the first to sixteenth aspects is provided, wherein the door also includes a gasket, which includes a front portion coupled to the decorative partition piece and a rear portion providing a rear surface, which is substantially vertical and is positioned to engage with the front surface of the outer shell and form a sealing portion thereon when the door is in a closed position.

[0062] According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the refrigeration device of the seventeenth aspect, wherein a front portion of the door gasket is disposed in a rear recess of the door decorative partition piece to couple the gasket and the decorative partition piece together.

[0063] According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a refrigeration device according to any one of the first to eighteenth aspects, wherein the shortest distance of the gap is less than 12 mm.

[0064] According to the twentieth aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration device includes: a cabinet body, which includes a vacuum insulation structure in which a cold storage chamber configured to accommodate food is arranged; and a door, which includes a vacuum insulation door structure coupled to the cabinet body, and the vacuum insulation door includes: a gasket, which forms a sealing portion on the vacuum insulation cabinet body when the door is in a closed position; and a protrusion located on the inner side of the gasket, which protrudes into the cold storage chamber and is separated from the vacuum insulation cabinet body by a gap, and the shortest distance of the gap is less than 12 mm.

[0065] One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the described disclosure and other components of construction are not limited to any particular material. Unless otherwise described herein, other exemplary embodiments of the invention disclosed herein may be formed from a variety of materials.

[0066] For purposes of the present invention, the term "coupled" (and all its forms) generally refers to the connection of two components (electrically or mechanically) directly or indirectly to one another. Such connection may be fixed or removable in nature. Such connection may be achieved through the two components (electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate members between or integrally formed as a single unitary body with the two components. Unless otherwise specified, such connection may be permanent in nature or may be removable or releasable.

[0067] It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the elements of the present invention shown in the exemplary embodiments are only illustrative. Although only a few embodiments of the present invention are described in detail in the present disclosure, those skilled in the art who read the present disclosure will readily understand that many modifications (e.g., changes in the size, dimensions, structure, shape and proportion of various elements, the value of parameters, the installation arrangement, the use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) can be made without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the narrated subject matter. For example, the elements represented as being integrally formed can be composed of multiple parts or the elements represented as multiple parts can be integrally formed, the operation of the interface can be reversed or otherwise changed, the length or width of the structure and / or member or connector or other elements of the system can be changed, and the nature or quantity of the adjustment position provided between the elements can be changed. It should be noted that the elements and / or assemblies of the system can be made of any of a variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, with any of a variety of colors, textures, and combinations. Therefore, all of these modifications should be included within the scope of the present invention. Without departing from the spirit of the present invention, other replacements, modifications, changes, and omissions can be made to the design, operating conditions, and arrangements of the desired and other exemplary embodiments.

[0068] It should be understood that any process described or any step in a process described can be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present invention. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as limiting.

Claims

1. A refrigeration device, comprising: a cabinet including a substantially vertical front surface, an inner surface defining a refrigerated compartment configured to contain food, and an opening disposed on an inner side of the front surface leading to the refrigerated compartment; as well as A door coupled to the cabinet, the door comprising: a closed position of the refrigerated compartment of the cabinet that denies access from the outside environment through the opening; an open position allowing access to the refrigerated compartment from the outside environment through the opening, the door being movable to, from, and between the closed position and the open position; a door liner facing the refrigerated compartment when the door is in the closed position; a door outer casing separated from the door inner lining by a space; and a door trim partition coupled to both the door liner and the door outer casing, the door trim partition including a protrusion that extends rearwardly into the refrigerated compartment of the cabinet when the door is in the closed position, Wherein, when the door is in the closed position, the protrusion of the door decorative partition piece is opposite to one or more of the inner surfaces of the cabinet defining the refrigerating chamber but is separated therefrom by a gap.

2. The refrigeration device according to claim 1, wherein: The cabinet further comprises a cabinet lining, a cabinet outer shell at least partially surrounding the cabinet lining and separated from the cabinet lining by a space, and a cabinet decorative partition coupled to both the cabinet lining and the cabinet outer shell. The cabinet decorative partition of the cabinet provides one or more inner surfaces of the cabinet defining the refrigerating chamber that are opposite to the protrusion of the door decorative partition of the door when the door is in the closed position, and One or more inner surfaces of the cabinet defining the refrigerating chamber, which are provided by the cabinet trim partition piece of the cabinet and are opposed to the protrusion of the door trim partition piece of the door, form a part of a ceiling of the refrigerating chamber.

3. The refrigeration device according to claim 1, wherein: The space between the door liner and the door outer casing of the door has an air pressure less than atmospheric pressure.

4. The refrigeration device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The door trim partition of the door further comprises an outer front recess in which an edge of the door outer casing of the door is disposed and an inner front recess in which an edge of the door lining of the door is disposed, the outer front recess being disposed closer to an outer periphery of the door trim partition than the inner front recess, and The protrusion extends rearwardly relative to the inner front recess and into the refrigerating chamber of the cabinet.

5. The refrigeration device according to claim 4, wherein: The door trim partition of the door further includes a rear recessed portion disposed closer to the outer periphery than the inner front recessed portion but farther from the outer periphery than the outer front recessed portion, and A front portion of the door gasket is disposed within the rear recess to couple the door trim partition and the gasket together.

6. The refrigeration device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The door decorative partition piece of the door also includes at its top: a top horizontal wall, a top vertical wall extending downward from the top horizontal wall, a second horizontal wall extending from the front of the top horizontal wall, a second vertical wall extending downward from the second horizontal wall, a third horizontal wall extending from the front of the second vertical wall, a fourth horizontal wall extending from the front of the third horizontal wall, a downward transition portion from the third horizontal wall to the fourth horizontal wall, a third vertical wall extending downward from the fourth horizontal wall, a fifth horizontal wall extending rearward from the third vertical wall, an inclined wall extending rearward and downward from the third vertical wall, a fourth vertical wall extending downward from the inclined wall, and a sixth horizontal wall extending rearward from the fourth vertical wall.

7. The refrigeration device according to claim 6, wherein: The top horizontal wall, the top vertical wall and the second horizontal wall define an outer front recess in which an edge of the door outer casing of the door is disposed, such that the edge of the door outer casing of the door is disposed horizontally between the top horizontal wall and the second horizontal wall and in front of the top vertical wall, The second horizontal wall, the second vertical wall, and the third horizontal wall define a rear recess in which a front portion of a gasket of the door is disposed to couple the door trim partition of the door and the gasket together, and The fourth horizontal wall, the third vertical wall, and the fifth horizontal wall define an interior front recess in which an edge of the door liner of the door is disposed.

8. The refrigeration device according to claim 6, wherein: The inclined wall, the fourth vertical wall and the sixth horizontal wall define the protrusion, and The inclined wall of the door trim partition of the door is opposite to one or more inner surfaces of the cabinet defining the refrigerating chamber.

9. The refrigeration device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The door also includes a gasket including a front portion coupled to the door trim partition and a rear portion providing a rear surface that is substantially vertical and positioned to engage and form a seal with the front surface of the cabinet outer casing when the door is in the closed position.

10. The refrigeration device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The shortest distance of the gap is less than 12 mm.

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